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.
Bŭtt or Bŭt, n. p. 179The larger end of a thing, as of a piece of timber, or of a fallen tree; an end; a limit; a bound. Here is my journey’s end, here is my butt And very sea-mark of my utmost sail. Shak. As applied to…Bŭtt or Būt, v. i. p. 179To join at the butt, end, or outward extremity; to terminate; to be bounded; to abut. And Barnsdale there doth butt on Don's well-watered ground. Drayton. 2. To thrust the head forward; to strike by…Bŭtt, v. t. p. 179To strike by thrusting the head against, as a ram; to strike with the head. Two harmless lambs are butting one the other. Wotton.Bütte, n. p. 179An isolated peak or abrupt elevation of land in the central and western parts of North America, too high to be called a hill or ridge, and not high enough to be called a mountain. The creek . . .…Büt'ter, n. p. 179An oily, unctuous substance obtained from cream or milk by churning. 2. Any substance resembling butter in degree of consistence, or other qualities, especially, in old chemistry, the chlorides, as…Bŭt'ter, v. t. p. 179To cover or spread with butter. I know what's what. I know on which side My bread is buttered. Ford. 2. To increase, as stakes, at every throw or every game. [Cant.] Johnson.Bŭt'ter-and-ěggs, n. p. 179(Bot.) A plant of the genus Narcissus (N. incomparabilis). Loudon.Bŭt'ter-bird, n. p. 179The rice-bunting or bobolink; — so called in Jamaica.Bŭt'ter-bŭmp, n. p. 179The bittern. Johnson.Bŭt'ter-bŭr, n. p. 179(Bot.) A plant of the genus Tussilago, or coltsfoot. The common butter-bur is T. petasites, also the common Linaria (L. vulgaris), growing in wet lands, and having the largest leaves of any British…Bŭt'ter-cŭp, n. p. 179(Bot.) A plant of the genus Ranunculus, or crowfoot, particularly R. bulbosa, with bright yellow flowers;—called also golden-cup and king's-cup; the cuckoo-bud of Shakespeare. London.Bŭt'ter-flow'er, n. p. 179A yellow flower; the buttercup.Bŭt'ter-fly, n. p. 179(Entom.) An insect of different species of the order Lepidoptera, and especially of the family Papilio. SeeBŭt'ter-fly-shell, n. p. 179(Conch.) A shell of the genus Voluta.Bŭt'ter-fly-vălve, n. p. 179(Mech.) A species of double clock-valve, consisting of two semicircular clappers or wings hinged to a cross-rib cast in the pump-bucket, and so named from its resemblance to a butterfly when open.Bŭt'ter-is, n. p. 179(Far.) An instrument of steel set in a wooden handle, used for paring the hoof of a horse.Bŭt'ter-milk, n. p. 179The milk that remains after the butter is separated from it.Bŭt'ter-nŭt, n. p. 179(Bot.) An American tree (the Juglans cinerea) and its fruit, so called from the oil contained in the latter; — sometimes called oil-nut and white walnut. 2. The nut of the Caryocar butyraceum and C.…Bŭt′ter-prĭnt or Bŭt′ter-stămp, n. p. 179A piece of carved wood used to mark cakes of butter.Bŭt'ter-tōōth, n. p. 179A broad fore-tooth. Johnson.Bŭt'ter-tree, n. p. 179(Bot.) A tree of the genus Bassia, the seeds of which yield a substance very closely resembling butter. ☞ The butter-tree of India is the B. butyracea; that of Africa is the Shea tree, described by…Bŭt'ter-wife or Bŭt'ter-wom'an, n. p. 179A woman who makes or sells butter. Johnson.Bŭt'ter-wort, n. p. 179(Bot.) A plant of the genus Pinguicula (P. vulgaris), of the Bladderwort family, growing on bogs or soft grounds, having leaves covered with soft prickles, which secrete a glutinous liquor.Bŭt'ter-y, a. p. 179Having the qualities, consistence, or appearance, of butter.Bŭt'ter-y, n. p. 179An apartment in a house where butter, milk, provisions, and utensils are kept. All that need a cool and fresh temper, as cellars, pantries, and butteries, to the north. Wotton. 2. A room in some…Bŭtt'-hĭnge, n. p. 179See BUTT.Bŭt'ting, n. p. 179An abuttal; a boundary. Without buttings or boundings on any side. Bp. Beveridge.Bŭtt'-joint or Bŭt'ting-joint, n. p. 179(Carp.) A joint between two pieces of timber or wood, at the end of one or both, and either at right angles or oblique to the grain, as the joints which the struts and braces form with the…Bŭt'tock, n. p. 179The rump, or protuberant part of the body behind. 2. (Naut.) The convexity of a ship behind, under the stern. Mar. Dict.Bŭt'ton, n. p. 179A knob; a small ball; a small, round mass. 2. A catch, of various forms and materials, used to fasten together the different parts of dress, by being attached to one part, and passing through a slit…Bŭt'ton, v. t. p. 179To fasten with a button or buttons; to inclose or make secure with buttons;—often followed by up. He was a tall, fat, long-bodied man, buttoned up to the throat in a tight green coat. Dickens. 2. To…Bŭt'ton, v. i. p. 179To be fastened by a button or buttons; as, the coat will not button.Bŭt'ton-bush, n. p. 179(Bot.) A shrub, the Cephalanthus occidentalis, growing by the water-side;—so called from its globular head of flowers.Bŭt'ton-hōle, n. p. 179The loop or hole in which a button is caught.Bŭt'ton-hōle, v. t. p. 179To hold by the button or button-hole; to detain in conversation to weariness; to bore; as, he button-holed me a full hour.Bŭt'ton-mōld or Bŭt'ton-mōuld, n. p. 179A disk of bone, wood, or other material, which is made into a button by covering it, as with silk or with cloth of some kind. Fossil button-molds, joints of encrinites. See ENCRINITE.Bŭt'ton-tree, n. p. 179(Bot.) The Conocarpus, a genus of plants, natives of the West Indies.Bŭt'ton-weed, n. p. 179(Bot.) A plant, of different species, of the genera Spermacoce and Diodia, of the Cinchona family.Bŭt'ton-wood, n. p. 179(Bot.) The Platanus Occidentalis, Western plane-tree, a large tree growing in North America, producing rough balls, from which it is named;—called also button-ball tree. Michaux.Bŭt'tress, n. p. 179(Arch.) A projecting support to the exterior of a wall, most commonly applied to churches in the Gothic style, but also to other buildings, and sometimes to mere walls; a prop; a support.Bŭt'tress, v. t. p. 179To support by a buttress; to prop. To set it upright again, and to prop and buttress it up for duration. Burke.Bŭtt'-shäft or Bŭt'-shäft, n. p. 179An arrow to shoot at butts with; an arrow. Shak.Bŭtt'-wĕld, n. p. 179(Mech.) A weld formed by forcing together the flattened ends of two pieces of iron or steel, at a welding heat;—called also jump-weld.Bū'ty-rā'ceous or Bū'ty-rōus, a. p. 179Having the qualities of butter; resembling butter.Bu-tyr'ic, a. p. 179(Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, butter. Butyric acid, an acid found in butter; an oily, limpid fluid, having the smell of rancid butter, and an acrid taste, with a sweetish after-taste, like…Bŭx'e-oŭs, a. p. 180Belonging to the box-tree.Bŭx'i-nā or Bŭx'ine, n. p. 180(Chem.) An alkaloid obtained from the Buxus sempervirens, or common box-tree.Bŭx'om, a. p. 180Yielding; pliable or compliant; ready to obey; obedient; meek. [Obs.] So wild a beast, so tame taught to be, And buxom to his bands, is joy to see. Spenser. I submit myself unto this holy church of…Bŭx'om-ly, adv. p. 180In a buxom manner; briskly.Bŭx'om-ness, n. p. 180The quality of being buxom, brisk, or frolicsome.Buy, v. t. p. 180To acquire the property, right, or title to, by paying a consideration or an equivalent, usually in money; to purchase; to acquire by paying a price to the satisfaction of the seller;—opposed to…Buy (bī), v. i. p. 180To negotiate or treat about a purchase. I will buy with you, sell with you. Shak.Buy'er, n. p. 180One who buys; a purchaser.Būzz, v. i. p. 180To make a low, continuous, humming sound, as bees; hence, to utter a murmuring sound; to speak with a low, humming voice. However these disturbers of our peace Buzz in the people's ears. Shak.Būzz, v. t. p. 180To sound forth, or make known by buzzing. How would he [a fly] hang his slender gilded wings And buzz lamenting doings in the air? Shak. 2. To whisper; to spread, as report, by whispers; or to spread…Bŭzz, n. p. 180A continuous, humming noise, as of bees. “The constant buzz of a fly.” Macaulay. 2. A whisper; a report spread secretly or cautiously; an active or general expression of opinion. There’s a certain…Bŭz'zard, n. p. 180(Ornith.) A bird of prey, of the Falcon family, and genus Buteo. ☞ The B. vulgaris is the common buzzard of Europe. The American species (of which the most common are B. borealis and B. lineatus) are…Bŭz'zard, a. p. 180Senseless; stupid. [Rare.] Milton.Bŭz'zard-et, n. p. 180(Ornith.) A species of hawk, resembling the buzzard in most respects, but its legs are, in proportion, rather longer. Pennant.Bŭzz'er, n. p. 180One who buzzes; a whisperer; one who is busy in telling tales secretly. Shak.