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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.

  1. Bound'a-ry, n.p. 155That which indicates or fixes a limit or extent, as of a territory. But still his native country lies Beyond the boundaries of the skies. Cotton. Sensation and reflection are the boundaries of our…
  2. Bound'-bāil'iff, n.p. 155(Eng. Law.) An officer appointed by a sheriff to execute process; so denominated from the bond given for the faithful discharge of his trust. Blackstone.
  3. Bound'en, a.p. 155Made obligatory; imposed as a duty; obligatory; binding. This holy word, that teacheth us truly our bounden duty toward our Lord God in every point. Fuller. It is our bounden duty to provide…
  4. Bound'en-ly, adv.p. 155In a dutiful manner. [Obs.]
  5. Bound'er, n.p. 155One who, or that which, limits, a boundary. Herbert.
  6. Bound'ing, p. a.p. 155Moving with a bound. “The bounding pulse, the languid limb.” Montgomery.
  7. Bound'ing-stōne, n.p. 155A stone to play with.
  8. Bound'-stōne, n.p. 155Dryden.
  9. Bound'-less, a.p. 155Without bounds or confines; unlimited; unconfined; immeasurable; illimitable. Guides through the boundless sky Thy certain flight. Bryant. Syn.—Unlimited; unconfined; immeasurable; illimitable…
  10. Bound'less-ly, adv.p. 155Without bound or limit.
  11. Bound'-less-ness, n.p. 155The quality of being without limits. South.
  12. Boun'-te-oüs, a.p. 155Liberal in charity; disposed to give freely; generous; munificent; beneficent; free in bestowing gifts. But O, thou bounteous Giver of all good. Cowper.
  13. Boun'te-oūs-ly, adv.p. 155Liberally; generously; largely; freely.
  14. Boun’te-oüs-ness, n.p. 155Liberality in bestowing gifts or favors; munificence; kindness. Boyse.
  15. Boun'ti-ful, a.p. 155Free in giving; liberal in bestowing gifts and favors; munificent; generous. God, the bountiful Author of our being. Locke.
  16. Boun'ti-ful-ly, adv.p. 155Liberally; largely; in a bountiful manner. They are less bountifully provided than the rich with the materials of happiness for the present life. Porters.
  17. Boun'ti-ful-ness, n.p. 155The quality of being bountiful; liberality in the bestowment of gifts and favors; kindness. “The goodness and bountifulness of God.” Udal.
  18. Boun'ti-hēad or Boun'ti-hēde or Boun'ty-hōod, n.p. 155Goodness. [Obs.] Spenser.
  19. Boun'ty, n.p. 155Goodness. [Obs.] Nature set in her at once beauty with bounty. Gower. 2. Liberality in bestowing gifts or favors; generosity; munificence. My bounty is as boundless as the sea. Shak. 3. That which is…
  20. Bou-quet', n.p. 155A nosegay; a bunch of flowers. 2. An agreeable perfume. 3. An agreeable aromatic odor, which is perceived on drawing the cork of any of the finer wines.
  21. Bour'bon-ism, n.p. 155The doctrines of those adhering to the house of Bourbon.
  22. Bour'bon-īst, n.p. 155One who adheres to the house of Bourbon; a legitimist.
  23. Bourd, n.p. 155A jest. [Obs.] Spenser.
  24. Bourd'er, n.p. 155A jester. [Obs.]
  25. Bōur'don, n.p. 155A pilgrim's staff.
  26. Boür-geois’, n.p. 155(Print.) A small kind of type, in size between long primer and brevier. This line is printed in bourgeois type.
  27. Bour-geois’, n.p. 155A man of middle rank in society; a citizen. [France.] Bescherelle.
  28. Bour-geoi'sie, n.p. 155The middle classes of a country, particularly such as are concerned in trade.
  29. Bour'geon, v. i.p. 155To sprout; to put forth buds; to shoot forth, as a branch. [Rare.] Now bourgeons every maze of quick. Tennyson.
  30. Bōurn, n.p. 155[Fr. borne, limit, from
  31. Bōurnep. 155In the sense of stream, A.-S. burna, brunna, O. S. brunno, M. H. Ger. burne, brunne, N. H. Ger. born, bronne, brunne, brunnen, O. H. Ger. prunno, Goth. brunna, Icel. brunnr, Sw. brunn, Dan. brönd, D.…
  32. Bōund'less, a.p. 155Without limits. Granger.
  33. Bōūr-nous', n.p. 155A cloak or mantle with a hood, worn by Arabs and Moors in the north of Africa. Bescherelle.
  34. Bōurse, n.p. 155An exchange, or place where merchants, bankers, &c., meet for business at certain hours. See BURSE.
  35. Bōuse or Boose, v. i.p. 155To drink to excess; to drink greedily or immoderately. [Written also booze.] [Low.] Spenser.
  36. Bou'stro-phē'don, n.p. 155An ancient Greek mode of writing, in alternate lines, one from right to left, and the next from left to right, as fields are plowed.
  37. Bou'sy, a.p. 155Drunk-en; intoxicated. [Written also boozy.] [Low.] With a long legend of romantic things Which in his cups the boozy poet sings. Dryden.
  38. Bout, n.p. 155A conflict; contest; attempt; trial; a set-to at any thing; as, a drinking-bout. The gentleman will, for his honor's sake, have one bout with you; he can not by the duello avoid it. Shak. 2. As much…
  39. Bou-tāde’, n.p. 155A caprice; whim; fancy. [Obs.] Swift.
  40. Bou-tānt', a.p. 155See ARC-BOUTANT.
  41. Boute-feu, n.p. 155An incendiary; an inciter of quarrels. [Obs.] Animated by . . . John a Chamber, a very boutefeu, . . . they entered into open rebellion. Bacon.
  42. Bou'ti-sāle, n.p. 155A sale at a cheap rate. [Obs.] Hayward.
  43. Bouts-rimés', n. pl.p. 155Words that rhyme given to be formed into verse.
  44. Bō'vate, n.p. 155(Old Law.) An ox gang, or as much land as an ox can plow in a year; an ancient measure of land, of indefinite quantity, but usually estimated at 15 acres.
  45. Bō'vey-cōal, n.p. 155(Min.) A kind of mineral coal, or brown lignite, burning with a weak flame, and generally a disagreeable odor; found at Bovey Hatfield, near Exeter, in England. It is of the geological age of the…
  46. Bō'vid, a.p. 155(Zoöl.) Relating to that tribe of ruminant mammals of which the genus Bos is the type.
  47. Bō'vi-fōrm, a.p. 155Resembling an ox. [Obs.]
  48. Bō'vine, a.p. 155Pertaining to oxen and cows, or the quadrupeds of the genus Bos. This animal is the strongest and fiercest of the bovine genus. Burr w. The ox-born souls mean nothing more than the eight living souls…
  49. Bow, v. t.p. 155To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved. We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness. Bacon. The whole nation bowed…
  50. Bow, v. i.p. 156To bend, in token of reverence, respect, or civility; to bend; to curve; to be inflected; — often with down. Admired, adored by all the circling crowd, For wheresoe’er she turned her face, they…
  51. Bow, n.p. 156An inclination of the head, or a bending of the body, in token of reverence, respect, civility, or submission; as, a bow of deep humility. 2. (Naut.) The bending or rounded part of a ship forward…
  52. Bōw, n.p. 156Any thing bent, or in form of a curve; as, the rainbow; the doubling of a string in a knot; the part of a yoke which embraces the neck, &c. 2. A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic…
  53. Bow'a-ble, a.p. 156Capable of being bowed or bent; flexible; easily influenced; yielding. [Obs.]
  54. Bōw'-beâr'er, n.p. 156An under officer of the forest, whose duty was to inform of trespasses. Cowell.
  55. Bōw'-bĕll, n.p. 156One born within hearing distance of Bow-bells; a cockney. Halliwell.
  56. Bōw'-bĕlls, n. pl.p. 156The bells of the Bow Church in London; hence the central part of London; cockneydom. Knight.
  57. Bōw'bĕnt, a.p. 156Crooked. Milton.
  58. Bow'-chās'er, n.p. 156(Naut.) A gun fired from the bow of a ship in chasing another. Totten.
  59. Bōw'-cȯm'pass-es, n. pl.p. 156A pair of compasses, with a bow or arched plate of metal riveted to one of the legs, upon which the other leg slides, to steady the motion. 2. A small pair of compasses furnished with a bow-pen for…
  60. Bōw'-drill, n.p. 156A drill worked by a bow and string.