Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Be-prōse', v. t. p. 126To reduce to prose. [Rare.] “To beprose all rhyme.” Mallet.Be-pŭffed', a. p. 126Puffed.Be-pûr'ple, v. t. p. 126To tinge or dye with a purple color. Digges.Be-quēath', v. t. p. 126To give or leave by will; to give by testament; — said of personal property. My heritage, which my dead father did bequeath to me. Shak. 2. To hand down; to transmit. “To bequeath posterity somewhat…Be-quēath'a-ble, a. p. 126Capable of being bequeathed.Be-quēath'al, n. p. 126A bequest. [Obs.] Fuller.Be-quēath'er, n. p. 126One who bequeaths.Be-quēath'ment, n. p. 126The act of bequeathing; a bequest.Be-quĕst’, v. t. p. 126To bequeath or leave. [Obs.] “All I have to bequest.” Gascoigne.Be-quēst’, n. p. 126(Law.) Something left by will, appropriately personal property; a legacy.Be-quōte', v. t. p. 126To quote constantly or with great frequency.Be-rāft' p. 126Same as BEREFT. [Obs.]Be-rāin', v. t. p. 126To rain upon. [Obs.] Chaucer.Be-rāte', v. t. p. 126To rate, or chide, vehemently; to scold.Be-rāt'tle, v. t. p. 126To scold vociferously; to fill with rattling sounds or noise. Shak.Be-rāy', v. t. p. 126To make foul, to soil. [Obs.] Milton.Bēr'ber-ine, n. p. 126(Chem.) A yellow, bitter substance, obtained from the alcoholic solution of the extract of the root of the barberry.Bēr'ber·ry, n. p. 126See BARBERRY.Bēr'dāsh, n. p. 126A kind of neckcloth formerly used in England. “A treatise against the cravat and berdash.” Steele.Bēre, n. p. 126A species of barley. [Scottish.] Gray.Be-rē'an, n. p. 126(Eccl. Hist.) One of an obscure sect of seceders from the Scottish establishment, originating in the exclusion of a John Barclay from a church-living. They took the name in allusion to the Bereans…Be-rēave', v. t. p. 126To make destitute; to deprive; to strip;—with of before the thing taken away. You have bereft me of all words. Shak. The heart bereft of the living originals. E. Everett. 2. To take away from. All…Be-rēave'ment, n. p. 126The state of being bereaved; deprivation; as, a severe bereavement.