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.
Blōw'er, n. p. 144One who blows; a smelter. 2. (Mech.) A contrivance for driving a current of air into something, as in furnaces, cotton-spinning, &c. 3. A steam-jet to exhaust partially a chimney and create a…Blōw'-fly, n. p. 144A fly of several different species, of the family Muscidæ, very troublesome in summer from their depositing eggs on flesh.Blōw'-hōle, n. p. 144A cavern in a cliff, at the water-level, opening to the air at its farther extremity, so that the waters rush in with each surge and rise in a lofty jet from the extremity. Dana. 2. One of the…Blōw'ing-ma-chīne', n. p. 144(Mach.) A machine or engine for forcing a strong and continuous blast of air into a furnace. Tomlinson.Blōwn, p. a. p. 144Swelled; inflated. 2. Stale; worthless. 3. (Far.) Affected with disease of the stomach and bowels, caused by gorging with green food, from which gases are produced in large quantities; blasted. 4.…Blōw'-ōff-pīpe, n. p. 144A pipe at the foot of a steam-boiler, through which the sediment, &c., is driven out by the passage of steam.Blōw'-pīpe, n. p. 144An instrument by which a blast or current of air is driven through the flame of a lamp or candle, so as to direct the flame and concentrate the heat on some object. ☞— It is called a mouth blow-pipe…Blōw'-point, n. p. 144A kind of play among children. Donne.Blowse, n. p. 144See BLOUSE.Blōwth, n. p. 144Bloom or blossoms in general, or the state of blossoming. [Obs.] The seeds and effects ... were as yet but potential, and in the blowth and bud. Raleigh.Blōw'-vālve, n. p. 144(Mach.) The snifting-valve of a condensing steam-engine. Tomlinson.Blōw'y, a. p. 144Windy. [Rare.]Blowze, n. p. 144A ruddy, fat-faced woman. Shak.Blowzed, a. p. 144Having high color from exposure to the weather; ruddy-faced; blowzy. Huge women blowzed with health and wind and rain. Tennyson.Blow'zy, a. p. 144Coarse and ruddy-faced; fat and ruddy; high-colored.Blāb, v. t. p. 144To swell. [Obs.]Blŭb'ber, n. p. 144A blobber, or bubble. [Obs.] At his mouth a blubber stood of foam. Chaucer. 2. The fat of whales and other large sea animals, from which oil is obtained. It lies immediately under the skin and over…Blŭb'ber, v. i. p. 144To weep noisily, or so as to disfigure the face. She wept, she blubbered, and she tore her hair. Swift. Hector's infant blubbered at a plume. E. B. Browning.Blŭb'ber, v. t. p. 144To swell or disfigure the face with weeping. Dear Chloe, how blubbered is that pretty face! Prior-Blŭb'bered, p. a. p. 144Swelled; big; turgid; as, a blubbered lip.Blŭb'ber-ing, n. p. 144The act of one who blubbers; the act of weeping violently. He spake well save that his blubbering interrupted him. Winthrop.Blŭd'geon, n. p. 144A short stick, with one end loaded, or thicker and heavier than the other, used as an offensive weapon.Blūe, n. p. 144The color of the clear sky, or a color resembling that in hue; one of the seven colors into which the rays of light divide themselves, when refracted through a glass prism. 2. (pl.) [Contracted from…Blūe, a. p. 144Of the color called blue. “The blue firmament.” Milton. 2. Low in spirits; melancholy; as, to feel blue. 3. Severe or over strict in morals; gloomy; extreme. “For his religion . . . ’twas…Blūe, v. t. p. 144To make blue; to dye of a blue color; to make blue by heating, as metals, &c.Blūe'bĕll, n. p. 144(Bot.) (a.) A plant of the genus Campanula, especially the Campanula rotundiflora, which bears blue bell-shaped flowers. (b.) A plant of the genus Scilla; Scilla nutans. Baird. Feeding each blue-bell…Blūe'-bĕr/ry, n. p. 144(Bot.) A kind of whortleberry (Vaccinium Pennsylvānĭcum) common in America.Blue'bird, n. p. 144(Ornith.) A small bird, very common in the United States, called the Sialis Wilsonii. The upper part of the body is blue, and the throat and breast reddish. It has great resemblance to the robin…Blūe'-bŏn'net, n. p. 144(Bot.) A plant, a species of Centaurea; blue-bottle. 2. (Ornith.) The blue titmouse (Parus ceruleus); called also blue-cap.Blue'-book, n. p. 144A parliamentary publication, so called from its blue paper covers,—such being commonly used; also, a book containing a list of fashionable addresses. [Eng.] 2. In the United States, a book containing…Blūe'-böt'tle, n. p. 144(Bot.) A plant (Centaurea cyanus) which grows among corn. It receives its name from its blue bottle-shaped flowers. 2. A fly, with a large blue belly. Prior.Blūe'-brĕast, n. p. 144(Ornith.) A small species of European bird, called also blue-throated warbler, the Phœnicura succica of the Sylvia family.Blūe'-căp, n. p. 144(Ichth.) A fish of the salmon kind, with blue spots on its head. 2. (Ornith.) The blue-bonnet, or blue titmouse.Blūe'-cŭrls, n. pl. p. 144(Bot.) A common plant (Trichostema dichotomum), resembling pennyroyal, and hence called also bastard pennyroyal. Bartlett.Blūe'-dĕv'ils, n. p. 144Lowness of spirits; hypochondria. [Colloq.] Grose.Blūe'-ēyēd, a. p. 144Having blue eyes.Blūe'-eyed Gräss p. 144A blue-flowering grass-like plant; Sisyrinchium anceps.Blūe'-fish, n. p. 144(Ichth.) A fish, a species of Coryphæna, often called dolphin, found in the Atlantic. 2. A fish allied to the mackerel, but larger, common off the shores of New England and the Atlantic States; the…Blūe'-gräss, n. p. 145(Bot.) A variety of grass (Poa compressa). Iconog. Encyc.Blüe'-hàired, a. p. 145Having hair of a blue color. This place . . . He quarters to his blue-haired deities. Milton.Blue'-john, n. p. 145Fluor spar;—so called by miners.Blūe'-light, n. p. 145A composition, burning with a blue flame, used as a night signal in ships, or for military purposes.Blūe'ly, adv. p. 145With a blue color. Swift.Blūe'ness, n. p. 145The quality of being blue; a blue color. Boyle.Bluë'-oint/ment, n. p. 145(Med.) Mercurial ointment.Blūe'-pē'ter, n. p. 145(British Marine.) A blue flag with a white square in the center, used as a signal for sailing, to recall boats, &c. It is a corruption of blue repeater, one of the British signal flags.Blūe'-pill, n. p. 145(Med.) A pill of prepared mercury, used as an aperient, &c. Dunglison.Blūe'-spär, n. p. 145(Min.) Azure spar; lazulite; a species of mineral. Dana.Blue'-stŏck'ing, n. p. 145A literary lady; a female pedant. [Colloq.] This term is derived from the name given to certain meetings held by ladies, in the days of Dr. Johnson, for conversation with distinguished literary men.…Bluë'-stōck'ing-ĭsm, n. p. 145The character or manner of a blue-stocking; female pedantry. [Rare.]Blūe'-stōne, n. p. 145Blue vitriol. Douglass.Bluĕ'-thrōat, n. p. 145(Ornith.) A bird with a tawny breast, marked with a sky-blue crescent, inhabiting the northern parts of Europe and Asia.Blu'ets, n. p. 145(Bot.) A name given to several different species of plants having blue flowers, as the Oldenlandia cærulea; the Centaurea cyanus, or blue-bottle; the Vaccinium angustifolium.Blūe'-veined, a. p. 145Having blue veins or streaks.Blūe'-vĕr'di-ter, n. p. 145See VERDITER.Blūe'-vīt/ri-ol, n. p. 145(Chem.) Sulphate of copper.Blue'ly, a. p. 145Somewhat blue; bluish. [Rare.]Blŭff, a. p. 145Rude or coarse in manner or appearance; surly; blustering; pompous. “Bluff visages.” Irving. Black-browed and bluff, like Homer’s Jupiter. Dryden. 2. Sometimes in a good sense, roughly frank…Blŭff, n. p. 145A high bank, almost perpendicular, projecting into the sea or a river. “Beach, bluff, and wave, adieu.” Whittier. 2. A high bank presenting a steep or precipitous front, though it be at a distance…Blŭff, v. t. p. 145To repulse rudely or by gruff answers; to frighten or deter one from accomplishing his ends. [U. S.] [Low.] Bartlett.