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.
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…Bläck'-sïl'ver, n. p. 138A mineral, called also brittle silver ore, consisting of silver, antimony, and sulphur.Blăck'smith, n. p. 138A smith who works in iron, and makes iron utensils; an iron-smith.Blăck'-snāke, n. p. 138A serpent of a black color; two species are found in America. The Coluber constrictor is sometimes six feet long, and the C. Alleghaniensis seven or eight feet long.Bläck'-sträp, n. p. 138A mixture of spirituous liquor and molasses. Molly, dear, no blackstrap to-night; switchel, or ginger-pop. Judd. 2. A name given by the English sailors to the common wines of the Mediterranean.…Bläck'tāil, n. p. 138(Ichth.) A kind of perch, called also a ruff or pope; the Acerina cornua.Bläck'thôrn, n. p. 138(Bot.) (a.) A species of Prunus, called sloe (P. spinosa). It grows ten or twelve feet high, very branchy, armed with sharp, strong spines, and bearing small, black cherries. (b.) A species of…Blăck'tin, n. p. 138Tin ore, when dressed, stamped, and washed, ready for melting. It is the ore comminuted by beating into a black powder, like fine sand.Blăck'-trĕssed, a. p. 138Having black tresses. W. Scott.Blăck'-vĭs'aged, a. p. 138Having a dark visage or appearance. Marston.Bläck'-vôm'it, n. p. 138A copious vomiting of dark-colored matter; or the substance so discharged; one of the most fatal symptoms in yellow fever.Blăck'-wal/nut, n. p. 138A well-known American tree (Juglans nigra), the wood of which is of a dark color, forming a beautiful material for cabinet-work.Blăck'-wash, n. p. 138A lotion made by mingling calomel and lime-water. 2. Any thing that blackens, as opposed to white-wash. To remove as far as he can the modern layers of black-wash, and let the man himself, fair or…Blăck'wă/ter, n. p. 138A disease of sheep. Farm. Encyc.Blăck'witch, n. p. 138(Bot.) A noxious weed, the marsh couch-grass (Agrostis alba).Blăck'-work, n. p. 138Iron wrought by blacksmiths; so called in distinction from that wrought by whitesmiths.Bläd'der, n. p. 138(Anat.) A bag or sac in animals, which serves as the receptacle of some secreted fluid; as, the urinary bladder, the gall bladder;—applied especially to the urinary bladder, either within the animal…Bläd'der, v. t. p. 138To swell or puff up, as a bladder with air. A hollow globe of glass, that long before She full of emptiness had bladdered. Fletcher. 2. To put up in bladders; as, bladdered lard.Bläd'der-nŭt or Bläd'der-tree, n. p. 138(Bot.) A genus of plants, with the generic name Staphylea. London.Bläd'der-pŏd, n. p. 138(Bot.) A plant of the genus Vesicaria.Bläd'der-sĕn'na, n. p. 138(Bot.) A genus of plants with membranous, inflated pods; Colutea.Bläd'der-wort, n. p. 138(Bot.) A family of marshy, herbaceous plants, of the genus Utricularia. Baird.Bläd'der-wräck, n. p. 138(Bot.) The common leathery sea-weed (Fucus vesiculosus). Wright.Bläd'der-y, a. p. 138Resembling a bladder; containing bladders.Blāde, n. p. 138Properly, the leaf, or flat part of the leaf, of any plant, especially of gramineous plants;—the term is sometimes applied to the spire of grasses. “The crimson dulse . . . with its waving blade of…