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.
Bŭf'fer-hĕad, n. p. 171The head, or part of the buffing-apparatus, which receives the concussion, in railroad carriages.Bŭf'fet, n. p. 171A cupboard, sideboard, or closet, either movable or erected at one side of a room, for the display of plate, china, and other like articles, formerly quite common, but now generally gone out of use.Bŭf'fet, n. p. 171A blow with the hand; a box on the ear or face; a cuff. And on his cheek a buffet fell. W. Scott. 2. Violent force or resistance, as of winds and waves. Those planks of tough and hardy oak that used…Bŭf'fet, v. t. p. 171To strike with the hand or fist; to box; to beat; to cuff; to slap. Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him. Matt. xxvi. 67. 2. To beat in contention; to contend against; as, to buffet the…Bŭf'fet, v. i. p. 171To exercise or play at boxing. If I might buffet for my love, I could lay on like a butcher. Shak. 2. To make one's way by buffeting. “Strove to buffet to land in vain.” Tennyson.Bŭf'fet-er, n. p. 171One who buffets; a boxer. Johnson.Bŭf'fet-ing, n. p. 171A striking with the hand. 2. A succession of blows; contention; attack; opposition. He seems to have been a plant of slow growth, but formed for duration, and fitted to endure the buffetings of the…Bŭf'fin, n. p. 171A sort of coarse stuff; as, buffin gowns. [Obs.] Massingner.Bŭf'fing-ap-pa-rā'tus, n. p. 171An apparatus provided with strong springs, attached to railway carriages, to deaden the buff or concussion between them when they come in collision, and also to allow the engine, in starting a train…Bŭff'-jĕr'kin, n. p. 172Originally a leathern waistcoat; afterward, one of a buff color, worn as an article of dress by serjeants and catchpoles; used also as a military dress. [Obs.] Nares.Bŭf'fle, n. p. 172The buffalo. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.Bŭf'fle, v. i. p. 172To puzzle; to be at a loss. [Obs.] Swift.Bŭf'fle-hĕad, n. p. 172One who has a large head; a heavy, stupid fellow. [Obs.] What makes you stare so, buffle-head? Placates, Trans. 1694.Bŭf'fle-hĕăd'ed, a. p. 172Having a large head like a buffalo; dull; stupid; foolish. So fell this buffle-headed giant by the hand of Don Quixote. Gayton.Bŭf'fo, n. p. 172The comic actor in an opera.Buf-fo͞on', n. p. 172A man who makes a practice of amusing others by low tricks, antic gestures and postures, jokes, and other vulgar pleasantries; a droll; a mimic; a harlequin; a mountebank; a clown. No prince would…Buf-fo͞on', v. i. p. 172To act the part of a buffoon. [Rare.]Buf-fo͞on', v. t. p. 172To make ridiculous. Glanville.Buf-fo͞on', a. p. 172Characteristic of a buffoon. To divert the audience with buffoon postures and antic dances. Melmoth.Buf-fōon'er-y, n. p. 172The arts and practices of a buffoon; low jests; ridiculous pranks; vulgar tricks and postures. Nor that it will ever constitute a wit to conclude a tart piece of buffoonery with a “What makes you…Buf-fōon'ing, n. p. 172Buffoonery. Dryden.Buf-fōon'ish, a. p. 172Like a buffoon; consisting in low jests or gestures. Blair.Buf-foon'ism, n. p. 172The practices of a buffoon. [Obs.]Buf-fōon'ly, a. p. 172Low; vulgar. [Obs.] “Apish tricks and Buffoonly discourse.” Goodh.Bŭff'-stĭck, n. p. 172(Mech.) A strip of wood covered with buff leather, used in polishing. Francis.Bŭff'y, a. p. 172Resembling buff; having the appearance or condition of the blood in color and texture known as the buff or buffy-coat. When the blood presents the above appearance, it is said to be buffy. Dunglison.Bŭff'y-cōat, n. p. 172See BUFF.Bū'fo, n. p. 172(Zoöl.) A genus of reptiles called batrachians, including the various species of toads. Cuvier.Bŭ'fon-ite, n. p. 172(Paleon.) A fossil consisting of the petrified teeth and palatal bones of fishes belonging to the family of Pycnodonts (thick-teeth), whose remains occur in the oölite and chalk formations; — so…Bŭg, n. p. 172An insect of many species. 2. (Entom.) An insect of the genus, or family, Cimex, of which several hundred species are described. They belong to the order Hemiptera, and have a beaked or sucking mouth.Bŭg or Bŭg'bear or Bŭg'a-bōō, n. p. 172Something frightful, as a specter; any thing imaginary that causes needless fright; something used to excite needless fear. Sir, spare your threats; The bug which you would fright me with I seek.…Bŭg'bêar, a. p. 172Causing needless fright. “Such bugbear thoughts.” Locke.Bŭg'bēar, v. t. p. 172To alarm or frighten with idle phantoms. Abp. King.Bŭg'gēr, n. p. 172One guilty of the unnatural crime of buggery; a sodomite. 2. A vile wretch. [Low.]Bŭg'ger-y, n. p. 172The crime of carnal intercourse of man or woman with a beast; or of men unnaturally with each other; sodomy.Bŭg'-gi-ness, n. p. 172The state of being infected with bugs.Bŭg'gy, a. p. 172Abounding with bugs.Bŭg'gy, n. p. 172A light one-horse chaise. [Eng.] 2. A light, one horse, four-wheel vehicle, usually with one seat, and with or without a calash top. [U. S.]Bū'gle, n. p. 172A sort of wild ox; a buffalo. Phillips.Bū'gle or Bū'gle-hôrn, n. p. 172A musical wind instrument used in hunting or for military music. Blow, bugle, blow; set the wild echoes flying. Tennyson. One blast upon his bugle-horn were worth a thousand men. W. Scott. 2. A…Bū'gle, n. p. 172An elongated glass bead, of various colors, though more commonly black.Bū'gle, a. p. 172Jet-black. “Bugle eye-balls.” Shak.Bū'gle, n. p. 172(Bot.) A plant of the genus Ajuga, a native of Europe. Yellow bugle, the Ajuga chamæpithys.Bū'gler, n. p. 172One who plays on a bugle.Bū'gle-weed, n. p. 172(Bot.) A plant, the Lycopus sinuatus and Lycopus Virginicus, sometimes used as remedies for hemoptysis, or spitting of blood.Bū'glōss, n. p. 172(Bot.) A plant of the genus Anchusa, and especially the A. officinalis, used in dyeing and coloring; ox-tongue. Small wild bugloss, the Asperugo procumbens and the Lycopsis arvensis.—Viper's bugloss…Bŭg's'-word, n. p. 172Swaggering or threat-Bāg'-word p. 172ening language. Beau. & Fl.Bŭg'-wort, n. p. 172(Bot.) A plant of the genus Cimicifuga. The species are herbaceous and perennial, and grow in the northern parts of the two hemispheres. Cimex serpentaria (or Actea racemosa) is the snake-root or…Būhl, n. p. 172A light and complicated figure of brass, unburnished gold, &c., set, as an ornament, into surfaces of ebony or other dark wood, or of tortoise-shell.Būhl'-work, n. p. 172Work in which wood is inlaid with buhl. The figures are generally cut in veneers by means of a slender saw, though sometimes produced by stamping. 2. The art of inlaying with buhl.Bâhr'-stōne, n. p. 172(Min.) A variety of flinty quartz, occurring as a rock, and characterized by being very cellular, or irregularly cavernous, in consequence of which it is valuable for mill-stones. Dana. ☞ This word…Build, v. t. p. 172To frame, construct, and raise, as an edifice or fabric of any kind; to form by uniting materials into a regular structure; to fabricate; to construct. Nor aught availed him now To have built in…Build, v. i. p. 172To exercise the art, or practice the business, of building. To build, to plant, whatever you intend. Pope. 2. To construct, rest, or depend, as on a foundation; as, to build on the opinions of others.Build, n. p. 172Form or mode of construction; general figure; built; as, the build of a ship.Build'er, n. p. 172One who builds; one whose occupation is to build, as a carpenter, a shipwright, a mason, &c. In the practice of civil architecture, the builder comes between the architect who designs the work and…Build'ing, n. p. 172The act of constructing, erecting, or establishing. Hence it is that the building of our Sion rises no faster. Hall. 2. The art of constructing edifices, or the practice of civil architecture. The…Buĭlt, n. p. 172Form; shape; general figure of a structure; build. [Obs.] And as the built, so different is the fight: Their mounting shot is on our sails designed. Dryden. 2. Species of building. [Obs.] Temple.Buĭlt, a. p. 172Formed; shaped. “Like the generality of Genoese country-women, strongly built.” Landor.Buĭlt, p. a. p. 172Having the form of; resembling; like; — used in composition and preceded by the word denoting the form; as, frigate-built, clipper-built, &c. Built mast, block, or beam, one made of several pieces.