Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Bitt, v. t. p. 136(Naut.) To put round the bitts; as, to bitt the cable, in order to fasten it or to slacken it out gradually, which is called veering away. Totten.Bit'ta-cle, n. p. 136The box for the compass on board a ship.Bĭt'ter, a. p. 136Having a peculiar, acrid, biting taste, like wormwood; as, a bitter medicine; bitter as aloes. 2. Causing pain or smart to the sense of feeling; piercing; painful; as, a bitter cold day. “Bitter…Bit'ter, n. p. 136A substance that is bitter. See BITTERS.Bit'ter, n. p. 136(Naut.) A turn of the cable which is round the bitts. Bitter-end, that part of a cable which is abaft the bitts, and therefore within board, when the ship rides at anchor. Totten.Bit'ter-āp'ple or Bit'ter-cū/cum-ber, n. p. 136(Bot.)Bit'ter-gōurd p. 136a plant, a species of Citrullus, formerly Cucumis, called Colocynthis, Colocynth, Colocynthina. The fruit is of the gourd kind, having a shell inclosing a bitter pulp, which is a very drastic…Bit'ter-crēss, n. p. 136(Bot.) A plant of the genus Cardamine. Baird.Bit'ter-ful, a. p. 136Full of bitterness. [Obs.] Chaucer.Bit'ter-ing, n. p. 136A bitter compound used in adulterating beer; bittern.Bit'ter-ish, a. p. 136Somewhat bitter; bitter in a moderate degree. Goldsmith.Bit'ter-ish-ness, n. p. 136The quality of being moderately bitter.Bit'ter-ly, adv. p. 136In a bitter manner; sorrowfully; piteously; as, to censure bitterly. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Matt. xxvi. 75. Syn.—Keenly; sharply; severely; cruelly; painfully; poignantly; angrily.Bit'tern, n. p. 136(Ornith.) A wading-bird of Europe, related to the herons, called Botaurus vulgaris (Ardea stellaris of Linn.). It has long legs and neck, and stalks among reeds and sedge, feeding upon fish. It makes…Bit'tern, n. p. 136The brine which remains in salt works after the salt is concreted, having a bitter taste from the muriate of magnesia which it contains. Brande. 2. A very bitter compound of quassia, cocculus…Bĭt'ter-ness, n. p. 136The state or quality of being bitter, either in a literal or figurative sense; an excessive degree of implacableness of passions or emotions; keenness of reproach or sarcasm; deep distress of mind.…Bĭt'ter-nŭt, n. p. 136(Bot.) The swamp hickory, Carya amara.Bĭt'ters, n. pl. p. 136A liquor, generally spirituous, in which bitter herbs or roots are steeped.Bĭt'ter-salt, n. p. 136Epsom salt; sulphate of magnesia.Bĭt'ter-spär, n. p. 136A sparry mineral, resembling calcareous spar, but consisting of carbonate of lime and carbonate of magnesia. It is the crystallized variety of dolomite or magnesian limestone. It is itself tasteless…Bĭt'ter-sweet, n. p. 136(Bot.) A species of Solanum (S. dulcamara), a slender, climbing plant, whose root, when chewed, produces first a bitter, then a sweet taste. S. F. Baird.Bĭt'ter-vĕtch, n. p. 136A genus of plants (Orobus), remarkable for their beautiful papilionaceous flowers. The tubers of one species (O. tuberosus) are in great esteem among the Highlanders of Scotland, who chew them, when…Bĭt'ter-weed, n. p. 136(Bot.) A plant, the Ambrosia artemisiæfolia.Bĭt'ter-wort, n. p. 136(Bot.) The yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea), which has a remarkably bitter taste.Bĭt'tor or Bĭt'tour, n. p. 136(Ornith.) The bittern. Dryden.Bĭtts, n. pl. p. 136A frame of two strong pieces of timber fixed perpendicularly in the fore part of a ship, on which to fasten the cables. There are also top-sail sheet-bitts, paul-bitts, carrick-bitts, &c. Totten.Bĭ-tūme', n. p. 136Bitumen; — so written for the sake of the rhyme. May.Bĭ-tūmed', a. p. 136Smeared with bitumen. Shak.Bĭ-tū'men, n. p. 136Mineral pitch, a substance having a pitch-like odor, and burning readily with a bright flame, without any residue. There are many varieties, from liquid naphtha to the solid asphaltum. ☞ Naphtha is a…Bĭ-tū'mi-nāte, v. t. p. 136To impregnate with bitumen. “Bituminated walls of Babylon.” Feltham.Bĭ-tū'mi-nĭf'er-oŭs, a. p. 136Producing bitumen. Kirwan.Bĭ-tū'mi-ni-zā'tion, n. p. 136The process of forming bitumen. Mantell.Bĭ-tū'mi-nīze, v. t. p. 136To form into or impregnate with bitumen. Lit. Mag.Bĭ-tū'mi-noŭs, a. p. 136Having the qualities of bitumen; compounded with bitumen; containing bitumen. “Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flamed.” Milton. Bituminous limestone, a mineral of a brown or black color, when…Bī'vălve, n. p. 136(Zoöl.) A molluscous animal, having a shell consisting of two parts or valves, joined together by an elastic ligament at the cardo, or hinge; or a shell consisting of two parts, which open and shut.…Bī'vălve or Bī'vălved or Bī-vălv'oŭs or Bī-vălv'ū-lar, a. p. 136Having two shells or valves which open and shut, as the oyster, or two parts or valves which open at maturity, as the seed-vessels of certain plants. “A bivalved mollusk.” Dana. “A bivalvular or…Bī'vault'ed, a. p. 137Having two vaults or arches.Bī'vĕn’tral, a. p. 137Having two bellies; as, a biventral muscle. The biventral lobe of the cerebellum is a wedge-shaped lobe situated behind the amygdala. Dunglison.Bĭv'i-oŭs or Bī'vi-oŭs, a. p. 137Having, or leading, two ways. “Bivious theorems and Janus-faced doctrines.” Browne.Bĭv'ouăc, n. p. 137(Mil.) (a.) The guard or watch of a whole army, as in cases of great danger of surprise or attack. (b.) An encampment for the night without tents or covering.Bĭv'ouăc, v. t. p. 137To watch or be on guard, as a whole army; to encamp for the night without tents or covering. “Determined to bivouac there for the night.” Irving.Bī'week'ly, a. p. 137Occurring once in every two weeks.Bix'a, n. p. 137(Bot.) A genus of South American trees. From the red pulp which covers the seeds of the B. Orellana is prepared the drug arnotto. Loudon.Bïx'wort, n. p. 137A plant.Bĭz'an-tine p. 137See BYZANTINE.Bi-zär're', a. p. 137Odd in manner or appearance; fantastical; whimsical; extravagant. C. Kingsley.Blăb, v. t. p. 137To utter or tell unnecessarily, or in a thoughtless manner; to publish secrets or trifles without reserve or discretion. And yonder a vile physician blabbing The case of his patient. Tennyson.Blăb, v. i. p. 137To talk thoughtlessly or without discretion; to tattle; to tell tales. “She must burst or blab.” Dryden.Blăb, n. p. 137One who betrays secrets or tells things which ought to be kept secret; a babbler; a tell-tale. “Avoided as a blab.” Milton. For who will open himself to a blab or a babbler. Byron.Blăb'ber, n. p. 137A tattler; a telltale.Blāb'ning, p. a. p. 137Telling indiscreetly what ought to be concealed; tattling. That can not hold his peace and blabbing tongue. Spencer.Blăck, a. p. 137Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the color of soot or coal; as, black cloth. “O night, with hue so black.” Shak. 2. In a less literal sense, very dark or gloomy; as, the heavens…Blăck, n. p. 137That which is destitute of light or whiteness; the darkest color, or rather a destitution of all color; as, a cloth has a good black. Black is the badge of hell, the hue of dungeons, and the scowl of…Blăck, v. t. p. 137To make black; to blacken; to soil. They have their teeth blacked, both men and women, for they say a dog hath his teeth white, therefore they will black theirs. Hackluyt.Blăck'-ăct, n. p. 137The English statute 9 George I., which makes it a felony to appear armed in any park or warren, &c., or to hunt or steal deer, &c., with the face blacked or disguised. Blackstone.Blāck'-ārt, n. p. 137Conjuration; magic. This name was given in the middle ages to necromancy, under the idea that the latter term was derived from niger, black, instead of νεκρός, a dead person, and μαντεία, divination.…Black'a-moor, n. p. 137A negro; a black man. Ethiop, wench, and blackamoor. Lamb.Blăck'ball, n. p. 137A composition for blacking shoes, boots, &c. 2. A ball of black color, used as a negative in voting.Bläck'băll, v. t. p. 137To reject or exclude in choosing, by putting black balls into a ballot-box. He was blackballed at two clubs in succession. Thackeray.Bläck'bĕr-ry, n. p. 137The berry of the bramble, Rubus fruticosus; a popular name applied to different species of the genus Rubus, and their fruit. The high blackberry of America is the Rubus villosus; the low blackberry…