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.
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…Bŭrn, v. i. p. 176To be on fire; to flame. “The mount burned with fire.” Deut. ix. 15. 2. To suffer from, or be injured by, an excess of heat. Your meat doth burn, quoth I. Shak. 3. To have the appearance of flame or…Būrn, n. p. 176A hurt or injury of any thing caused by the action of fire. 2. The operation of burning or baking, as in brick-making; as, they have a good burn.Bŭrn, n. p. 176A small stream; a brook. [Scot.]Būrn'a-ble, a. p. 176Capable of being burnt; combustible. [Rare.] Cotgrave.Bûrn'er, n. p. 176A person who burns or sets fire to any thing. 2. An appendage to a lamp designed to promote combustion. 3. The jet-piece of a gas-fixture at which combustion takes place.Būr'net, n. p. 176(Bot.) A plant, the Poterium sanguisorba, common or garden burnet. ☞ The Sanguisorba officinalis is the wild burnet or great burnet; S. Canadensis, the Canadian burnet.Būr'net-săx'i-frāge, n. p. 176(Bot.) A plant of the genus Pimpinella, especially the Pimpinella saxifraga.Būr'nett-īze, v. t. p. 176(Manuf.) To preserve timber by a solution of chloride of zinc.Būr'nett-iz'ing, n. p. 176The process of preserving timber by a solution of chloride of zinc; — so named from the inventor.Būrn'ing, n. p. 176The act of burning or state of being burned; combustion; fire; inflammation. Syn.—Combustion; fire; conflagration; flame; blaze; inflammation.Būrn'ing, a. p. 176Much heated; very hot; scorching. “The burning plains of India.” S. S. Smith. 2. Powerful; vehement. “A burning shame.” Shak. “A burning scent.” Dryden. Syn.—Ardent; scorching; fiery; hot.Būrn'ing-bush, n. p. 176(Bot.) An ornamental shrub (Euonymus atropurpureus), bearing a crimson berry. Gray.Bŭrn'ing-glāss, n. p. 176A convex lens of considerable size, used for producing an intense heat by converging the sun's rays to a focus.Būrn'ing-house, n. p. 176The furnace in which tin ores are calcined, to sublime the sulphur from the pyrites. Weale.Būrn'ing-mir'ror, n. p. 176A concave mirror, or a combination of plane mirrors, used for concentrating the sun's rays so as to produce intense heat.Būr'nish, v. t. p. 176To make smooth and bright; to polish; specifically, to polish by rubbing with something hard and smooth, without scraping or removing any thing from the surface; as, to burnish brass or silver. The…Būr'nish, v. i. p. 176To grow or become smooth, or smooth and glossy, as from swelling or filling out; to grow full and plump. The slender poet must have time to grow, And spread and burnish as his brothers do. Dryden. My…Būr'nish, n. p. 176The effect of burnishing; gloss; brightness; luster. Crashaw.Būr'nish-er, n. p. 176One who burnishes. 2. A tool with a hard, smooth, rounded end or surface, as of steel, ivory, or agate, used in smoothing or polishing by rubbing, as the edges of books, metallic articles, &c. 3. A…Būr'nōose or Būr'nos, n. p. 177An upper cloak or garment, used by the Arabs. Parkhurst.Būnt'-ēar, n. p. 177A disease in grain resembling smut, caused by the Uredo carbo, by which the seed is rendered abortive, and its coat covered with a black powder, the interior remaining uninjured.Bûrnt'-ōf/fer-ing, n. p. 177Something offered and burnt on an altar, as an atonement for sin; a sacrifice; called also burnt-sacrifice. ☞— The offerings of the Jews were a clean animal, as an ox, a calf, a goat, or sheep; or…Būr, n. p. 177See Bur.Bŭr, v. i. p. 177To pronounce with a burr; to talk or whisper hoarsely; to murmur. See BUR. These hideous streets, these graves, where men alive, Packed close with earthworms, burr unconsciously About the plague that…Būr'ras-pīpe, n. p. 177(Surg.) An instrument or vessel used to keep corroding powders in.Būr'-reed, n. p. 177(Bot.) A plant of the genus Sparganium, having long, ribbon-like leaves. London.Būr'rel, n. p. 177A sort of pear, called also the red butter pear, from its smooth, delicious, soft pulp. Phillips.Būr'rel-flȳ, n. p. 177The ox-fly, gad-bee, or breeze.Būr'rel-shōt, n. p. 177(Gun.) Small shot, nails, stones, pieces of old iron, &c., put into cases to be discharged among enemies. [Rare.]Bŭrr'-mill/stone, n. p. 177See BUHR-STONE.Bŭrr'-ōak, n. p. 177(Bot.) A useful and ornamental species of oak (Quercus macrocarpa), occurring in the Middle and Western States, the wood of which is tough, close-grained, and durable.Bŭrr'-stōne, n. p. 177See BUHR-STONE.Būr'rock, n. p. 177A small wier or dam, where wheels are laid in a river for catching fish. Phillips.Būr'rōw, n. p. 177See BURGH, BOROUGH.Būr'rōw, n. p. 177A hole in the ground made by certain animals, as rabbits, &c., for shelter and habitation. 2. (Mining.) A heap or heaps of rubbish, or earth, void of ore, raised out of a mine and commonly lying…Bŭr'rōw, v. i. p. 177To excavate a hole to lodge in, as in the earth; to lodge in a hole excavated in the earth, as conies or rabbits. 2. To lodge, or take refuge, in any deep or concealed place; to hide. Sir, this…Būr'ry, a. p. 177Abounding in burs, or resembling burs; as, burry wool.Būr'sar, n. p. 177A treasurer, or cash-keeper; as, the bursar of a college, or of a monastery; a purser. 2. A student to whom a stipend is paid out of a burse or fund appropriated for that purpose, as the…Būr'sar-ship, n. p. 177The office of a bursar. Hale.Būr'sa-ry, n. p. 177The treasury of a college or monastery. 2. A charitable foundation in a university. No woman of rank or fortune but would have a bursary in her gift. Southey.Bursche, n. p. 177A youth, especially a student in a German university.Bûrse, n. p. 177A purse; a vesicle; a pod; a hull. [Obs.] Holland. 2. A fund or foundation for the maintenance of poor scholars in their studies. [France.] 3. (Middle Ages.) A little college, or a hall in a…Bŭrst, v. i. p. 177To fly or break open with force, or with sudden violence; to suffer a violent disruption by pressure from within; as, the boiler burst:—often used figuratively, as of the heart, in reference to the…Bŭrst, v. t. p. 177To break or rend by force or violence, as by strain or pressure from within; to open suddenly; as, to burst a chain or a door; to burst a cannon; to burst a blood-vessel. My breast I'll burst with…Bûrst, n. p. 177A sudden breaking forth; a disruption; a violent rending; a sudden explosion; as, a burst of thunder; a burst of applause; a burst of passion. Bursts of fox-hunting melody. W. Irving. 2. A rupture or…Bûrst'en, p. p. p. 177from burst. [Obs.] See BURST, v. i.Bûrst'en-ness, n. p. 177The state of having a rupture; the hernia. [Obs.]Bûrst'er, n. p. 177One that bursts.Būrst'ing-chärge, n. p. 177A small charge of the finest sporting powder, enclosed in a case and placed in the center of the charge of coarse powder, to secure ready ignition in the operation of blasting by voltaic electricity.Būrst'wort, n. p. 177(Bot.) A plant, the Herniaria glabra, supposed to be valuable for the cure of hernia or ruptures.