Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Bribe, n. p. 163A price, reward, gift, or favor bestowed or promised with a view to pervert the judgment or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness, or other person. Undue reward for any thing against justice is a…Bribe, v. t. p. 163To give or promise a reward or consideration to, with a view to pervert the judgment or corrupt the conduct; to hire for bad purposes; to purchase the decision or testimony of, or the performance of…Brībe, v. i. p. 163To give a bribe to a person; to pervert his judgment or corrupt his action by some gift or promise. An attempt to bribe, though unsuccessful, has been holden to be criminal, and the offender may be…Brībe'less, a. p. 163Incapable of being bribed; not bribed; free from bribes. From thence to heaven's bribeless hall. Raleigh.Brībe'-păn'der, n. p. 163One who procures bribes. [Obs.] Burke.Brib'er, n. p. 163One who bribes, or pays for corrupt practices; that which bribes. His service . . . were a sufficient briber for his life. Shak.Brib'er-y, n. p. 163The act or practice of bribing, or of giving or taking rewards for corrupt practices.Brib'er-y-ōath, n. p. 163An oath taken by a person that he has not been bribed as to voting. [Eng.]Bribe'-wor'thy, a. p. 163Worth bribing to obtain. Mason.Brick, n. p. 163A hard body composed chiefly of clay and sand, tempered together with water, molded into regular forms, usually rectangular, dried in the sun, and burnt in a kiln, or in a heap or stack called a…Brick, v. t. p. 164To lay or pave with bricks. 2. To imitate or counterfeit a brick wall on, as on plaster, by smearing it with red ocher, and making the joints with an edge-tool, filling them with fine plaster. To…Brick′băt, n. p. 164A piece or fragment of a brick. See BAT, No. 4. Every one of these wedges [of silver] were of the fashion and bigness of a brickbat. Hackluyt.Brick'-clāy, n. p. 164Clay suitable for, or used in, making bricks.Brick'-dūst, n. p. 164Dust of pounded bricks.Brick'-earth, n. p. 164Clay or earth suitable for, or used in making, bricks.Brick'-kiln, n. p. 164A kiln, or furnace, in which bricks are baked or burnt, or a pile of bricks, laid loose, with arches underneath to receive the wood or fuel for burning them.Brick'-lāy'er, n. p. 164One whose occupation is to build with bricks; a mason.Brick'-lāy'ing, n. p. 164The art of building with bricks, or of uniting them by cement or mortar into various forms; the act or occupation of laying bricks.Brick'le, a. p. 164Brittle; easily broken. [Obs.] “Brickle earthen pots.” T. More.Brick'le-ness, n. p. 164Brittleness. [Obs.]Brick'-māk'er, n. p. 164One who makes bricks, or whose occupation is to make bricks.Brick'-nŏg'ging, n. p. 164Brick work carried up and filled in between timber framing. Tomlinson.Brick'-tēa, n. p. 164A preparation of tea-leaves made by saturating the fresh leaves with fat, or with an alkaline solution, and pressing them into large cakes like tiles. It is used throughout Thibet and Mongolia. S. W.…Brĭck'-trĭm'mer, n. p. 164(Arch.) A brick arch abutting against a wooden trimmer in front of a fireplace to guard against accidents by fire.Brick'-trow'el, n. p. 164A mason's tool, with a thin, pointed blade of tempered steel, for taking up and spreading mortar, and also for cutting bricks by a blow with the edge to any required size.Brick'-work, n. p. 164A structure of bricks. Niches in brick-work form the most difficult part of the bricklayer’s art. Tomlinson.Brick'y, a. p. 164Full of bricks, or formed of bricks. [Obs. or rare.] Spenser.Brick'-yārd, n. p. 164A place where bricks are made.Brī-cōle’, n. p. 164(Mil.) Men’s harness for dragging guns where horses can not be used. Scott.Brīd'al, a. p. 164Belonging to a bride, or to a wedding; nuptial; connubial.Brīd'al, n. p. 164The nuptial festival; marriage. Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, The bridal of the earth and sky. Herbert.Brīd'al-ty, n. p. 164Celebration of the nuptial feast. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Bride, n. p. 164A woman recently married. 2. A woman espoused, or contracted to be married. Has by his own experience tried How much the wife is dearer than the bride. Lyttleton.Bride, v. t. p. 164To make a bride of. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl. To bride it, to assume the character of a bride; to play the bride.Bride'-āle, n. p. 164A rustic wedding feast. See ALE. The man that's bid to bride-ale, if he ha' cake, And drink enough, he need not fear his stake. B. Jonson.Bride'-bĕd, n. p. 164The marriage bed.Brīde'-cāke, n. p. 164The cake which is made for the guests at a wedding.Bride'-chām'ber, n. p. 164The nuptial apartment.Bride'grōom, n. p. 164A man newly married, or about to be married. As are those dulcet sounds in break of day, That creep into the dreaming bridegroom’s ear, And summon him to marriage. Shak.Bride'-knŏt, n. p. 164A knot of ribbons worn by the friends at a wedding. [Obs.]Bride'-maid or Brides'-maid, n. p. 164A woman who attends on a bride at her wedding.Bride'-man or Brides'-man, n. p. 164Bride'-stākĕ, n. p. 164A stake or post set in the ground to dance round. Divide the broad bride-cake. Round about the bride-stake. B. Jonson.Bride'well, n. p. 164A house of correction for the con- finement of disorderly persons;—so called from a hospital built in 1553 near St. Bride's or Bridget's well, in London, which was subsequently turned into a…Brĭdġe, n. p. 164A structure, usually of wood, stone, brick, or iron, erected over a river or other watercourse, or over a ravine, railroad, &c., to make a continuous roadway from one bank to the other. 2. (Mus.)…Brĭdġe, v. t. p. 164To build a bridge or bridges over; as, to bridge a river. Their simple engineering bridged with felled trees the streams which could not be forded. Palfrey. 2. To erect bridges on; to make a passage…Bridge'-bōard, n. p. 164(Arch.) A board on which the ends of the steps of wooden stairs are fastened.Bridge'-head, n. p. 164A fortification covering the extremity of a bridge nearest the enemy. [Fr. tête du pont.]Brĭdge'less, a. p. 164Having no bridge.Bridg'ing-joist, n. p. 164(Arch.) (a.) A joist sustained by transverse beams below;—called also a binding-joist. (b.) A joist nailed or fixed to the flooring boards. Weale.Bridg'y, a. p. 164Full of bridges. [Obs.] Sherwood.Brī'dle, n. p. 164An instrument with which a horse is governed and restrained, consisting of a head-stall, a bit, and reins, with other appendages, according to its particular form and uses. 2. A restraint; a curb; a…Brī'dle, v. t. p. 164To put a bridle upon; as, to bridle a horse. He bridled her mouth with a silk-weed twist. Drake. 2. To restrain, guide, or govern; to check, curb, or control; as, to bridle the passions. “To bridle a…Bri'dle, v. i. p. 164To hold up the head, and draw in the chin, as an expression of pride, scorn, or resentment; — often with up. By her bridling up I perceived she expected to be treated hereafter not as smug Distaff…Brī'dle-hānd, n. p. 164The hand which holds the bridle in riding on horseback.Brī'dle-pāth or Brī'dle-wāy, n. p. 164A path for travelers on horseback. Bancroft.Brī'dle-pōrt, n. p. 164(Naut.) A port-hole or opening in the foremost part of a ship for getting out hawsers, &c.Brī'dler, n. p. 164One who bridles; one who restrains and governs. Milton.Brĭ-dōon', n. p. 164(Mil.) The snaffle and rein of a military bridle, which acts independently of the bit, at the pleasure of the rider. Campbell.Brief, a. p. 164Short in duration; lasting but little time. “How brief the life of man!” Shak. “Brief respite from the miseries and desolations of war.” Porteus. 2. Short in expression; using few words; concise.…