Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Bĕn’e-fi’cial-ly, adv. p. 125In a beneficial or advantageous manner; profitably; helpfully.Bĕn'e-fi'cial-ness, n. p. 125The quality of being beneficial; usefulness; profitableness. Hale.Bĕn'e-fi'ci-a-ry, a. p. 125Holding some office or valuable possession, in subordination to another; having a dependent and secondary possession. “Beneficiary services.” Spelman. “A beneficiary king.” Bacon.Bĕn'e-fi'ci-a-ry, n. p. 125A feudatory or vassal; hence, one who holds a benefice, and uses its proceeds. Ayliffe. 2. One who receives any thing as a gift, or is maintained by charity. The rich men will be offering sacrifice…Bĕn'e-fi'cien-cy, n. p. 125Kindness or favor bestowed. [Obs.] Browne.Bēn'e-fi'cient, a. p. 125Doing good. [Rare.] Adam Smith.Bĕn'e-fit, n. p. 125An act of kindness; a favor conferred. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Ps. ciii. 2. 2. Whatever contributes to promote prosperity and personal happiness, or adds value to…Bĕn'e-fit, v. t. p. 125To be beneficial to, to do good to; to advantage; to advance in health or prosperity; to be useful to. What course I mean to hold shall nothing benefit your knowledge. Shak.Bĕn'e-fit, v. t. p. 125To gain advantage; to make improvement. To tell you what I have benefited herein. Milton.Be-nē'gro, v. t. p. 125To render dark; to blacken. [Obs. and rare.] “The sun shall be benegreed in darkness.” Hewyt.Be-nēme', v. t. p. 125To name. [Obs.] Spenser. 2. To promise; to give. [Obs.] Spenser.Be-nĕmp'ne, v. t. p. 125To name. [Obs.] Spenser.Bē'ne-plăç'i-to p. 125(Mus.) At pleasure.Bĕn'e-plăc'i-tūre, n. p. 125Will; choice. [Obs.] Glanville.Be-nēt', v. t. p. 125To catch in a net; to insnare. [Obs.] Shak.Be-nĕv'o-lence, n. p. 125The disposition to do good; good will; kindness; charitableness; love of mankind, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness. “The wakeful benevolence of the gospel.” (Chalmers. 2. An act…Be-nēv'o-lent, a. p. 125Having a disposition to do good; possessing love to mankind, and a desire to promote their prosperity and happiness; kind. Syn.—BENEVOLENT, BENEFICENT. Etymologically considered, benevolent implies…Be-nēv'o-lent-ly, adv. p. 125In a benevolent manner; with good will; kindly.Be-nēv'o-lous, a. p. 125Kind; benevolent. [Obs.] Puller.Ben-gal', n. p. 125<br>1. A thin stuff, made of silk and hair, originally brought from Bengal.<br>2. An imitation of striped muslin. Simmonds.Ben-gal'-light, n. p. 125A species of fireworks used as signals, by night or otherwise, producing a steady and vivid blue-colored fire.Ben-gal'-stripes, n. p. 125A kind of cotton cloth woven with colored stripes. Ure.Ben-gal'ee, n. p. 125The language or dialect spoken in Bengal.Ben-gal-ēse', n. sing. & pl. p. 125(Geog.) A native, or the natives, of Bengal. As. Res.Ben-gal-eşe', a. p. 125(Geog.) Pertaining to Bengal, or its inhabitants.Bĕn'icke, n. p. 126A kind of military fête among the Turks, similar to a tournament, but without the presence of ladies. Ogilvie.Be-night', v. t. p. 126To involve in darkness; to shroud with the shades of night. The clouds benight the sky. Garth. 2. To overtake with night. Some virgin, sure, benighted in these woods. Milton. 3. To involve in moral…Be-nīgn', a. p. 126Of a kind or gentle disposition; gracious; generous; favorable; benignant. Creator bounteous and benign. Milton. 2. Exhibiting or manifesting kindness, gentleness, favor, &c. “Kind influences and…Be-nig'nant, a. p. 126Kind; gracious; favorable. “Your benignant sovereign.” Burke.Be-nig'nant-ly, adv. p. 126With benignity.Be-nig'ni-ty, n. p. 126Quality of being benign; goodness; kindness; graciousness. “Benignity of aspect.” W. Scott. 2. Salubrity; wholesome quality, or that which tends to promote health. Wiseman. Syn.—See BENEVOLENCE.Be-nign'ly, adv. p. 126Favorably; kindly; graciously.Bĕn'i-sŏn, n. p. 126Blessing; benediction. “More precious than the benison of friends.” Talfourd.Bĕn'ja-mĭn, n. p. 126(Bot.) A tree or shrub (Styrax benzoin) of North America, the bark of which is aromatic, stimulant, and tonic. Loudon. 2. A resinous substance obtained from the tree. See BENZOIN. Benjamin-tree, the…Bĕn'-kĭt, n. p. 126A wooden vessel with a cover. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.Bĕn'ne, n. p. 126(Bot.) The Sesamus orientale, or oil plant, of the West Indies, from the seeds of which an oil is expressed, called benne-oil, used in medicine as a laxative. Dunglison.Bĕn'net, n. p. 126(Bot.) The common avens, or Geum urbanum.Bĕn'shee, n. p. 126See BANSHEE.Bĕnt, imp. & p. p. p. 126from bend.Bĕnt, n. p. 126The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity; as, the bent of a bow. Wilkins. 2. Declivity; slope; as, the bent of a hill. [Rare.] Dryden. 3. A leaning or…Bĕnt or Bĕnt'-grāss, n. p. 126(Bot.) A grass of the genus Agrostis. Loudon. 2. A stalk of coarse, withered grass. His spear a bent both stiff and strong. Dryden.Bĕnt'ing-time, n. p. 126The time when pigeons feed on bents, before peas are ripe. Dryden.Bēnt'y, a. p. 126Abounding in bents or stalks of withered grass; as, benty fields. 2. Resembling a bent, or stalk of coarse, withered grass. Holland.Be-nŭmb', v. t. p. 126To make torpid; to deprive of sensation or sensibility; to stupefy; as, a hand or foot benumbed by cold. The creeping death benumbed her senses first. Dryden.Be-nūmb'ed-ness, n. p. 126Destitution of feeling.Be-nūmb'ment, n. p. 126Act of benumbing, or state of being benumbed. Kirby.Bĕn'zine, n. p. 126Same as BENZOLE.Bĕn'zo-ate, n. p. 126(Chem.) A salt formed by the union of the benzoic acid with any salifiable base.Ben-zō'ic, a. p. 126Pertaining to, or obtained from, benzoin. Benzoic acid, or flowers of benzoin, a peculiar vegetable acid, obtained from benzoin, and some other balsams, by sublimation or decoction. It is also found…Ben-zoin', n. p. 126A resinous substance, dry and brittle, obtained from the Styrax benzoin, a tree of Sumatra, Java, &c., having a fragrant odor, and slightly aromatic taste. It is used in the preparation of benzoic…Bĕn'zōle, n. p. 126(Chem.) An oily substance obtained from bituminous coal, consisting of twelve parts of carbon and six of hydrogen. ☞ It has great solvent powers, and is used by manufacturers of india-rubber and…Bĕn'zo-līne, n. p. 126Same as BENZOLE.Bēn'zoyl, n. p. 126[N. Lat. & Ger. benzoë, and Gr.Bēn'zūle p. 126(Chem.) A compound radical, consisting of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen; the base of benzoic acid, of the oil of bitter almonds, and of an extensive series of compounds.Be-pāint', v. t. p. 126To paint; to cover with paint. [Obs.] Shak.Be-pāle', v. t. p. 126To make pale; to blanch. [Obs.] Carew.Be-pinch', v. t. p. 126To pinch or mark with pinches. Chapman.Be-plas'ter, v. t. p. 126To plaster over; to cover or smear thickly; to bedaub. “Beplastered with rouge.” Goldsmith.Be-pow'der, v. t. p. 126To powder; to sprinkle or cover with powder.Be-prāise', v. t. p. 126To praise greatly or extravagantly. Goldsmith.