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.
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.Blăck'-flŭx, n. p. 137A mixture of carbonate of potash and charcoal, obtained by deflagrating tartar with half its weight of niter. Brande.Bläck'-fôr'est, n. p. 137A forest in Germany, in Swabia; a part of the ancient Hercynian forest.Bläck'-frï'ar, n. p. 137(Eccl.) A friar of the Dominican order, called also Predicants and Preaching friars; in France, Jacobins.Blăck'-grăss, n. p. 137A coarse grass of the species Juncus bulbosus.Bläck'güärd, n. p. 137Originally, the scullions and lower menials of a court, who, in a removal from one residence to another, had charge of the kitchen utensils, &c., and being smutted by them, were jocularly called the…Blăck'gŭārd, v. t. p. 137To revile in scurrilous language. [Low.]Bläck'güärd, a. p. 137Scurrilous; abusive; as, blackguard language. Thou art some paltry, blackguard sprite, Condemned to drudgery in the night. Hudibras.Bläck'güärd-ism, n. p. 137The conduct or language of a blackguard.Bläck'güärd-ly, adv. p. 137In the manner of a blackguard; abusively; villainously.Bläck'-gŭm, n. p. 137An American tree, of the genus Nyssa (N. multiflora), growing south of Philadelphia. The wood is solid, and not apt to split, and hence is used for the naves or hubs of wheels, and in ship-building.…Bläck'-heärt'ed, a. p. 137Having a black or malignant heart.Bläck'ling, n. p. 137A preparation used for blacking shoes, boots, &c., variously made; any factitious matter for making things black.Bläck'ish, a. p. 137Somewhat black; moderately black or dark. Beyond the River Ganges . . . the people are caught with the sun, and begin to be blackish; but yet not all out so sun-burnt and black indeed as the Moors…Blăck'-jăck, n. p. 137A mineral, called also false galena. It is an ore, the sulphuret of zinc, consisting of sulphur, zinc, and a little iron; zinc-blende. 2. A leathern cup or can for beer. [Obs.] There's a Dead-sea of…Blăck-lĕad′, n. p. 137A mineral of a dark steel-gray color, and of a scaly texture, composed of carbon, with sometimes a small portion of iron; plumbago; graphite. ☞ The name, black-lead, is improper, as the mineral…Blăck'lĕg, n. p. 137A notorious gambler and cheat. 2. A disease among calves and sheep. It is a sort of jelly which settles in the legs, and sometimes in the neck. [Eng.]Blăck'-lĕt'ter, n. p. 137The old English or modern Gothic letter, in which the early English manuscripts were written, and the first English books were printed.Blăck'-lĕt'ter, a. p. 137Written or printed in black-letter; as, a black-letter manuscript or book. “The black-letter pages of our chronicles.” Hugh Miller. 2. Studious of books in black-letter; that is, of old books. Kemble…Blăck'ly, adv. p. 138Darkly; atrociously.Bläck'-māil, n. p. 138A certain rate of money, corn, cattle, or other thing, anciently paid, in the north of England and south of Scotland, to certain men, who were allied to robbers, to be by them protected from pillage.…Blăck-măr'tin, n. p. 138A bird (Cypselus apus) belonging to a sub-family of the swallows. S. F. Baird.Blăck'-Mŏn'day, n. p. 138Easter Monday, so called from the severity of that day in 1393, which was so unusual that many of Edward III.'s soldiers, then before Paris, died from the cold. Stow. Then it was not for nothing that…Bläck'-mŏnk, n. p. 138One of the Benedictine monks.Bläck'möör, n. p. 138See BLACKAMOOR.Bläck'-mŏss, n. p. 138(Bot.) A plant of the pine-apple family, the Tillandsia usneoides. Baird.Bläck'-mouthed, a. p. 138Using foul or scurrilous language. Killingbeck.Blăck'ness, n. p. 138The quality of being black; black color; darkness; atrociousness or enormity in wickedness. “They're darker now than blackness.” Donne. How many worthy princes' bloods were shed To keep his bed of…Blăck-ō'cher, n. p. 138A variety of the mineral black, combined with iron and alluvial clay. Weale.Blăck-ōat'-grăss, n. p. 138(Bot.) A kind of feather-grass, the Stipa avenacea.Blăck'-pĭg'ment, n. p. 138A very fine, light, carbonaceous substance, or lamp-black; prepared chiefly for the manufacture of printers' ink. By a recent process, it is obtained by burning common coal-tar. Ure.Blăck'-pud'ding, n. p. 138A kind of sausage made of blood, suet, &c. And fat black-puddings, — proper food For warriors, who delight in blood. Hudibras.Bläck'-rōd, n. p. 138The usher belonging to the order of the Garter; so called from the black rod which he carries. He is of the king’s chamber, and usher of parliament. [Eng.] Cowell.Blăck'root, n. p. 138(Bot.) A plant of an intense bitter taste, the Aletris farinosa.Bläck'rŭst, n. p. 138A disease of wheat, in which a black, moist matter is deposited in the fissure of the grain.Bläcks, n. pl. p. 138The name of a kind of ink used in copper-plate printing, prepared from the charred husks of the grape, and residue of the wine-press. Simmonds. 2. Mourning garments. [Obs.] Should I not put on blacks…