Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Būzz'ing-ly, adv. p. 180With a low, humming sound.Bȳ, prep. p. 180In the neighborhood of; near or next to; not far from; close to; along with; at; on; as, sit by me. Long labors both by sea and land he bore. Dryden. By land, by water, they renew their charge. Pope.…Bȳ, adv. p. 180Near; in the neighborhood; present; in presence; as, there was no person by at the time. 2. Passing near; going or gone past; over; gone; as, the procession has gone by; John went by. 3. Aside; as…By or Bye, n. p. 180A thing not directly aimed at; something which is a secondary object of regard; an object by the way, and the like; as in on or upon the bye, in passing; indirectly; by implication. The Synod of Dort…By, a. p. 180Out of the common path; aside;—used in composition, giving the meaning of something aside or incidental, a collateral matter, a thing private or avoiding notice.By'ard, n. p. 180A piece of leather crossing the breast, used by the men who drag sledges in coal-mines.By'-bid'der, n. p. 180One who bids at an auction in behalf of the auctioneer or owner, for the purpose of running up the price of articles.By'-blōw, n. p. 180A side or incidental blow. 2. An illegitimate child. [Obs.] The Aga speedily . . . brought her [his disgraced slave] to court, together with her pretty by-blow, the present Padre Otomano. Evelyn.By'-bus'i-ness, n. p. 180Business aside of the common mode, or the principal business.By'-cŏf/fee-house, n. p. 180A coffee-house in an obscure place. Addison.By'-con-cĕrn'ment, n. p. 180An affair distinct from the main business. Dryden.Bȳ'-côr'ner, n. p. 180A private corner. Britain being a by-corner, out of the road of the world. Fuller.By'-de-pĕnd'ence, n. p. 180An appendage; that which depends on something else, or is distinct from the main dependence. Shak.By'-de-sign', n. p. 180An incidental design or purpose. Hudibras.Bȳe, n. p. 180A dwelling. Gibson. 2. In certain games, a station or place of an individual player.By'e'-ĕnd, n. p. 180Private end or interest; secret purpose or advantage. Atterbury.Bȳ'-gōne, a. p. 180Past; gone by. “By-gone fooleries.” Shak.Bŷ'-gōne, n. p. 180Something gone by or past; a past event. “Let the old by-gones be.” Tennyson. Let by-gones be by-gones, let the past be forgotten.Bȳ'-in'ter-est, n. p. 180Self-interest; private advantage. Atterbury.Bŷ'-lāne, n. p. 180A private lane, or one out of the usual road.Bŷ'-lāw, n. p. 180A law aside from the general or public law; a local or subordinate law; a private law or regulation made by a corporation for its own government. There was likewise a law to restrain the by-laws, or…Bŷ'-māt'ter, n. p. 180Something incidental. Bacon.Bŷ'-nāme, n. p. 180A nickname. Camden.Bȳ'-nāme, v. t. p. 180To give a nickname to. Camden.Bŷ'-pās/sage, n. p. 180A passage different from the usual one; a by-way.Bŷ'-pāst, a. p. 180Past; gone by. “By-past perils.” Shak.Bŷ'-pāth, n. p. 180A private path; an obscure way. Shak.