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.
Bōw'line, n. p. 156(Naut.) A rope fastened near the middle of the leech or perpendicular edge of the square sails, by subordinate parts, called bridles, and used to keep the weather edge of the sail tight forward, when…Bōwl'ing, n. p. 156The act of rolling bowls, or the ball at cricket.Bōwl'ing-āl-ley, n. p. 156A covered place for playing at bowls.Bōwl'ing-green, n. p. 156A level piece of ground kept smooth for bowling. 2. (Gardening.) A parterre in a grove, laid with fine turf, with compartments of various figures, dwarf trees, and other decorations.Bōw'man, n. p. 156A man who uses a bow; an archer. The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen. Jer. iv. 29.Bow'man, n. p. 156(Naut.) The man who rows the foremost oar in a boat. Totten.Bōw'man's-rōot, n. p. 156(Bot.) A plant, called also Indian physic (Gillenia trifoliata).Bōw'-nēt, n. p. 156A contrivance for catching lobsters and crawfish, called also bow-wheel. It is made of two round wicker baskets, pointed at the end, one of which is thrust into the other, and at the mouth is a…Bow'-bār, n. p. 156The oar used by the bowman in a boat. 2. One who rows at the bow of a boat.Bōw'-pēn, n. p. 156A metallic ruling-pen, having the part which holds the ink bowed out toward the middle.Bow'-piēce, n. p. 156A piece of ordnance carried at the bow of a ship.Bōw'-saw, n. p. 156A saw with a narrow blade set in a strong frame, and used for cutting curved forms from wood. Francis.Bowse, v. i. p. 156To carouse; to bouse; to booze. De Quincey. 2. (Naut.) To pull or haul hard; as, to bowse upon a tack; to bowse away, to pull all together.Bōw'-shōt, n. p. 156The space which an arrow may pass when shot from a bow.Bow'sprit, n. p. 156(Naut.) A large boom or spar, which projects over the stem of a ship, or other vessel, to carry sail forward.Bows'sen, v. t. p. 156To drink; to drench. [Obs.] [Written also bowse.] Carew.Bōw'string, n. p. 156The string of a bow. 2. A string used by the Turks for strangling offenders.Bōw'string, v. t. p. 156To strangle with a bowstring.Bōw'stringed, p. a. p. 156Furnished with bowstrings. 2. Put to death with a bowstring; strangled.Bōw'tell, n. p. 156(Arch.) The shaft of a clustered pillar, or any plain round molding. Oxf. Gloss.Bōw'-wĭn'dōw, n. p. 156See BAY'-WINDOW. [Obs.]Bōw'yer, n. p. 156An archer; one who uses a bow. [Obs.] 2. One who makes bows. [Obs.]Bōx, n. p. 156A case or receptacle of any size, or made of any material. 2. The quantity that a box contains. 3. An inclosed space with seats in a theater, or other place of public amusement. Thy plays Are laughed…Bŏx, n. p. 157A tree or shrub flourishing in different parts of the globe. The common box (Buxus sempervirens) has two varieties, one of which, the dwarf box (suffruticosa), is much used for borders in gardens.…Bŏx, n. p. 157A blow on the head or ear with the hand. “A good-humored box on the ear.” Irving.Bŏx, v. i. p. 157To fight with the fist; to combat with the hand or fist.Bŏx, v. t. p. 157To inclose in a box. 2. To furnish with boxes, as a wheel. 3. To strike with the hand or fist, especially to strike the ear or side of the head. 4. [Sp. boxar.] To sail round. To box a tree, to make…Bŏx'-crăb, n. p. 157(Zoöl.) A genus, or one of a genus, of crustacea named Calappa. C. granulata, inhabiting the Mediterranean, is also called coq-de-mer. In form, when at rest, and with the feet retracted, it resembles…Bŏx'-ĕl'der, n. p. 157(Bot.) The ash-leaved maple (Negundium Americanum), a native of North America. Loudon.Bŏx'en, a. p. 157Made of box-wood; pertaining to or resembling box. [Rare.] The faded hue of sapless boxen leaves. Dryden.Bŏx'er, n. p. 157One who fights with his fist.Bŏx'haul, v. t. p. 157(Naut.) To wear, as a ship, in a particular manner, when close-hauled, short round on to the other tack; — so called from the circumstance of bracing the headyards aback. Totten.Bŏx'haul-ing, n. p. 157(Naut.) The act or method of going from one tack to another by bracing the yards aback, &c. Totten.Bŏx'ing, n. p. 157The act of fighting with the fist; a combat with the fist. Blackstone.Bŏx'ing-dāy or Bŏx'ing-night, n. p. 157The day and night after Christmas, when presents, or boxes, are given in England. Wright.Bŏx'-ī'ron, n. p. 157A hollow smoothing iron containing a heater within, thus differing from a flat-iron, which is itself heated. Simmonds.Bŏx'-keep'er, n. p. 157An attendant at a theater or any other place of public amusement. Simmonds.Bŏx'-lŏb'by, n. p. 157The lobby leading to the boxes in a theater.Bŏx'-thôrn, n. p. 157(Bot.) A plant, the Lycium barbarum, and other species of the genus. Loudon.Bŏx'-tick'et, n. p. 157A ticket for theater-boxes. Clarke.Bŏx'-tree, n. p. 157The box (Buxus sempervirens).Bŏx'-wood, n. p. 157The wood of the box-tree (Buxus sempervirens).Boy, n. p. 157A male child, from birth to the age of puberty; a lad. Sometimes it is used in contempt or familiarity for a man.Boy, v. t. p. 157To act as a boy, in allusion to the practice of employing boys to act women's parts on the early English stage. I shall see Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness. Shak.Boy'ar, n. p. 157A nobleman of Russia, Transylvania, &c. See BOIAR.Boy'au, n. p. 157or BOY'AUS. [Fr. boyau, gut, a long and narrow place, and (of trenches) a branch. See BOWEL.] (Fort.) A small trench, or a branch of a trench, leading to a magazine, or to any particular point. They…Boy'-bish'op, n. p. 157A boy (usually a chorister) elected bishop, in old Christmas sports, and invested with robes and other insignia. He practiced a kind of mimicry of the ceremonies in which the bishop usually…Boy'-blind, a. p. 157Blind as a boy; undiscerning. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Boy'er, n. p. 157(Naut.) A Flemish sloop with a castle at each end.Boy'hood, n. p. 157The state of a boy, or of immature age. Turning to mirth all things of earth, As only boyhood can. Hood.Boy'ish, a. p. 157Resembling a boy in manners or opinions; belonging to a boy; childish; trifling; puerile. “A boyish, odd conceit.” Baillie.Boy'ish-ly, adv. p. 157In a boyish manner; like a boy; childishly.Boy'ish-ness, n. p. 157The manners or behavior of a boy; childishness.Boy'ism, n. p. 157Childishness; puerility. Dryden. 2. The state of a boy; boyhood. [Rare.] Warton.Boy's'-play, n. p. 157Childish amusement; any thing trifling.Bo-yū'na, n. p. 157A large serpent of America, black and slender, having an intolerable smell. Also, a harmless reptile.Bra-bant'ine, a. p. 157(Geog.) Pertaining to Brabant, a province of the Netherlands, or to its inhabitants.Brāb'ble, n. p. 157A broil; a clamorous contest; a wrangle. [Obs.] This petty brabble will undo us all. Shak.Brāb'ble, v. i. p. 157To clamor; to contest noisily. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Brāb'ble-ment, n. p. 157Clamorous, contentious language. [Obs.] Holland.