Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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…Black-bind'weed, n. p. 137(Bot.) A twining plant of the species Polygonum convolvulus.Blăck'bird, n. p. 137(Ornith.) In England, a species of thrush, the Merula musica, a singing-bird with a fine note; but very loud. In America, this name is given to different birds, as to the Quiscalus versicolor, or…Blăck’bōard, n. p. 137A board used in schools, &c., for writing, drawing lines, and various other purposes of instruction.Bläck'-böök, n. p. 137One of several books of a political character, published at different times and for different purposes;—so called either from the color of the binding, or from the character of the contents. 2. A…Blăck'-browed, a. p. 137Having black eyebrows; gloomy; dismal; threatening; as, a black-browed gust. Dryden.Blăck'-brÿ'o-ny, n. p. 137(Bot.) A plant, the Tamus communis. London.Black'-cank'er, n. p. 137A disease in turnips and other crops, produced by a species of caterpillar.Blăck'-căp, n. p. 137(Ornith.) A bird of the order Passeres, or warblers, the Curruca atricapilla, or mock-nightingale; so called from its black crown. Ibid. 2. (Cookery.) An apple roasted till black, to be served up in…Blăck'-căt'tle, n. p. 137Cattle of the bovine genus reared for slaughter, in distinction from dairy-cattle. The term has no reference to their color. [Eng.]Bläck'-chalk, n. p. 137A mineral of a bluish-black color, of a slaty texture, and soiling the fingers when handled; a variety of argillaceous slate.Blăck'-cōat, n. p. 137A clergyman; familiarly so called, as a soldier is sometimes called a red-coat.Black'cock, n. p. 137(Ornith.) A fowl, called also black-grouse and black-game, the Tetrao tetrix of Linnæus.Bläck-cŭr'rant, n. p. 137(Bot.) A garden fruit (Ribes nigrum), used for jellies, jams, &c., of a black color. London.Bläck'-dĕath, n. p. 137The black plague of the fourteenth century.Blăck'-draught, n. p. 137(Med.) A cathartic medicine, composed of senna and magnesia.Blăck'-drōp, n. p. 137A liquid preparation of opium in vinegar. Dunglison.Blăck'-ēa'gle, n. p. 137(Ornith.) In Scotland, the Falco fulvus, the white-tailed eagle of Edwards.Bläck'-Earth, n. p. 137Mold; earth of a dark color. Woodward.Black'en, v. t. p. 137To make or render black. While the long funerals blacken all the way. Pope. 2. To make dark; to darken; to cloud. “Blackened the whole heavens.” South. 3. To sully, as reputation; to make infamous…Bläck'en, v. i. p. 137To grow black or dark.Blăck'en-er, n. p. 137One who blackens.Blăck'-èyed, a. p. 137Having black eyes. Dryden.Blăck'-fāçed, a. p. 137Having a black face. Shak.Blăck'fish, n. p. 137A fish caught on the rocky shores of New England; the tautog (Tautoga Americana). 2. A small kind of whale, about twenty feet long.Blăck'-flăg, n. p. 137The flag of a pirate. W. Scott.