Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Bū'reau, n. p. 175Originally, a desk or writing table, with drawers for papers. For not the desk with silver nails, Nor bureau of expense, Nor standish well japanned, avails To writing of good sense. Swift. 2. The…Bu-reau'cra-cy, n. p. 175A system in which the business of government is carried on in departments, each under the control of a chief, in contradistinction from a system in which the officers of government have a coordinate…Bū'reau-crät'ic, a. p. 175Relating to, or having the form of, a bureaucracy.Bu-reau'cra-tist, n. p. 175An advocate for, or supporter of, bureaucracy.Bu-rĕt'te, n. p. 175(Chem.) A graduated glass tube, with a small aperture and stop-cock for delivering measured quantities of liquid.Būrg, n. p. 175A fortified town. [Obs.] 2. A city or town which sends members to parliament, whether incorporated or not; a borough. See BOROUGH.Būr'gage, n. p. 175(Eng. Law.) A tenure by which houses or lands are held of the king or other lord of a borough or city, at a certain yearly rent, or by services relating to trade or handicraft. Burrill.Bŭr'gall, n. p. 175(Ichth.) A small fish (the Ctenolabrus ceruleus) found on the eastern coast of the United States;—called also nibbler, chogset, blue perch, and conner. Bartlett.Būr'ga-mōt', n. p. 175A variety of pear. 2. A kind of perfume. See BERGAMOT.Būr'ga-nēt or Būr'go-nēt, n. p. 175A kind of helmet; the Spanish murrion. This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet . . . Ev'n to affright thee with the view thereof. Shak.Būr'gee, n. p. 175A kind of small coal suitable for burning in the furnaces of engines. 2. A three cornered flag, or distinguishing pennant, used by cutters, yachts, and merchant vessels.Bur-geois', n. p. 175A burgess; a citizen. See BOURGEOIS.Bur-geois', n. p. 175(Print.) A species of type, or printing letter, smaller than long primer, and larger than brevier. See BOURGEOIS.Būr'geon, v. n. p. 175To bud. See BOURGEON.Būr'gees, n. p. 175An inhabitant of a borough or walled town, or one who possesses a tenement therein; a citizen or freeman of a borough. Blackstone. “A burgess of a borough corresponds with a citizen of a city.”…Būr'gess-shīp, n. p. 175The state or privilege of a burgess. South.Būrg'grāve, n. p. 175(Germany.) Originally, one appointed to the command of a burg; but the title afterward became hereditary, with a domain attached.Būrgh, n. p. 175See BURG and BOROUGH.Būrgh'al, a. p. 175Belonging to a burgh.Būrgh'-bōte, n. p. 175(Old Law.) A contribution toward the building or repairing of castles, or walls, for the defense of a city or town.Būrgh'-brēch, n. p. 175(A-S. Law.) The offense of violating the pledge given by every inhabitant of a tithing to keep the peace; breach of the peace. Burrill.Būrgh'er, n. p. 175An inhabitant of a burgh or borough, who enjoys the privileges of the borough of which he is a freeman. 2. (Eccl. Hist.) A member of that party, among the Scotch seceders, which asserted the…Būrgh'er-mās'ter, n. p. 175See BURGOMASTER.Būrgh'er-ship, n. p. 175The state or privilege of a burgher.Būrgh'-hōld'er, n. p. 175See BORS-HOLDER.Būrgh'-mās'ter, n. p. 175A burgomaster. 2. An officer in the tin mines who directs and lays out the meers for the workmen;—called also bailiff, and bar-master. [Eng.]Būrgh'-mōte, n. p. 175The court or meeting of a burgh or borough. Burrill.Būrg'lar, n. p. 175(Law.) One guilty of the crime of burglary; one who breaks and enters a mansion or dwelling-house, in the night-time, with intent to commit a felony.Bûrg'lar-er, n. p. 176A burglar. [Obs.] Sir William Brain was sent to the tower only for procuring the pope's bull against certain burglarers that robbed his own house. State Trials, 1646.Bur-glā'ri-oūs, a. p. 176Pertaining to burglary; constituting the crime of burglary. To come down a chimney is held a burglarious entry. Blackstone.Bur-glā'ri-oûs-ly, adv. p. 176With an intent to commit burglary; in the manner of a burglar. Blackstone.Bûrg'la-ry, n. p. 176(Law.) The breaking and entering the dwelling-house of another, in the night-time, with intent to commit a felony therein, whether the felonious purpose be accomplished or not. Wharton. Burrill.…Bŭrg'o-mâs'ter, n. p. 176A burgh-master; a chief magistrate of a municipal town in Holland, Flanders, and Germany, corresponding to mayor in England and the United States. 2. (Ornith.) An aquatic bird, the glaucous gull…Bûr'go-nĕt, n. p. 176See BURGANET.Bûr'gout or Bûr'go͞o, n. p. 176A kind of oat-meal pudding, or thick gruel, used by seamen.Bûr'grȧss, n. p. 176(Bot.) Grass of the genus Cenchrus.Bûr'grāve, n. p. 176See BURGGRAVE.Bûr'gun-dy, n. p. 176A superior kind of wine;—so called from Burgundy, in France, where it is made.Bûr'gun-dy-pitch, n. p. 176Turpentine from which the essential oil has been distilled off;—so called from Burgundy, in France, where it was first prepared from the Pinus abies, or spruce fir; also, pitch produced from other…Bûrh, n. p. 176A city; castle; house; tower. 2. A defense; protection;—used in composition; as, Cwenburh (queen-burh), a woman ready to assist: Cuthburh, eminent for assistances. Gibson.Bu'ri-al, n. p. 176The act of burying; specifically, depositing a dead body in the earth, in a tomb or vault, or in the water, usually with the attendant ceremonies; funeral solemnity; sepulture; interment. “Now to…Bu'ri-er, n. p. 176One who buries a deceased person; that which buries or covers. And darkness be the barier of the dead. Shak.Bū'rin, n. p. 176An engraver's tool, of tempered steel, with one end ground off obliquely so as to produce a sharp cutting point, and the other end inserted in a handle; a graver. 2. The manner or style of execution…Bûrke, v. t. p. 176To murder, particularly by suffocation, or so as to produce few marks of violence, for the purpose of obtaining a body for dissection. [Rare.] 2. To dispose of quietly or indirectly; to smother; to…Bûrk'er, n. p. 176One who is guilty of burking. [Rare.]Bûrk'ism, n. p. 176The practice of killing persons for the purpose of selling their bodies for dissection.Bûrl, v. t. p. 176(Manuf.) To dress, as cloth, by fulling. Bailey. 2. To pick knots, loose threads, &c., from, as in finishing cloth.Bûrl, n. p. 176A knot or lump in thread or cloth.Bûr'laçe, n. p. 176A sort of grape. Johnson.Būr'ler, n. p. 176A dresser of cloth; one who picks off knots, &c., in finishing cloth.Bur-lĕsque', a. p. 176Tending to excite laughter by ludicrous images, or by a contrast between the subject and the manner of treating it, as when a trifling subject is treated with gravity; jocular; ironical. It is a…Bur-lĕsque' (-lĕsk'), n. p. 176Ludicrous representation; exaggerated parody; satire. Burlesque is therefore of two kinds: the first represents mean persons in the accouterments of heroes, the other describes great persons acting…Bur-lĕsque', v. t. p. 176To turn into ridicule, or to make ludicrous by representation. They burlesqued the prophet Jeremiah's words, and turned the expression he used into ridicule. Stillingfleet.Bur-lĕsque'r, n. p. 176One who burlesques or turns to ridicule.Bur-lĕt'tă, n. p. 176(Mus.) A comic opera; a musical farce.Bûr'li-ness, n. p. 176State or quality of being burly.Bûr'l'ing-ī'ron, n. p. 176An instrument similar to large tweezers, used in burling cloth. Halliwell.Bûr'ly, a. p. 176Of great bulk, especially with the idea of strength and coarseness of appearance; full in figure; stout; lusty. In his latter days, with over-liberal diet, [he was] somewhat corpulent and burly. Sir…Bûr'-mâr'i-gōld, n. p. 176(Bot.) Beggar-tick, a plant of the genus Bidens.Bûrn, v. t. p. 176To consume with fire; to reduce to ashes by the action of heat or fire;—frequently with up; as, to burn up wood. We'll burn his body in the holy place. Shak. 2. To injure by fire or heat; to change…