Chapter XLIII: Appendix: Vermiformis (22)

BETIDE Be*tide", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betided, Obs. Betid; p. pr. & vb. n. Betiding.] Etym: [OE. bitiden; pref. bi-, be- + tiden, fr. AS. tidan, to happen, fr. tid time. See Tide.]

Defn: To happen to; to befall; to come to ; as, woe betide the wanderer. What will betide the few Milton.

BETIDE Be*tide", v. i.

Defn: To come to pass; to happen; to occur. A salve for any sore that may betide. Shak.

Note: Shakespeare has used it with of. "What would betide of me "

BETIME; BETIMES Be*time", Be*times", adv. Etym: [Pref. be- (for by) + time; that is, by the proper time. The -s is an adverbial ending.]

1. In good season or time; before it is late; seasonably; early. To measure life learn thou betimes. Milton. To rise betimes is often harder than to do all the day's work. Barrow.

2. In a short time; soon; speedily; forth with. He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes. Shak.

BETITLE Be*ti"tle, v. t.

Defn: To furnish with a title or titles; to entitle. [Obs.] Carlyle.

BETOKEN Be*to"ken, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betokened; p. pr. & vb. n. Betokening.]

1. To signify by some visible object; to show by signs or tokens. A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow . . . Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. Milton.

2. To foreshow by present signs; to indicate something future by that which is seen or known; as, a dark cloud often betokens a storm.

Syn. -- To presage; portend; indicate; mark; note.

BETON Bé`ton", n. Etym: [F. béton, fr. L. bitumen bitumen.] (Masonry)

Defn: The French name for concrete; hence, concrete made after the French fashion.

BETONGUE Be*tongue", v. t.

Defn: To attack with the tongue; to abuse; to insult.

BETONY Bet"o*ny, n.; pl. Betonies. Etym: [OE. betony, betany, F. betoine, fr. L. betonica, vettonica.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Betonica (Linn.).

Note: The purple or wood betony (B. officinalis, Linn.) is common in Europe, being formerly used in medicine, and (according to Loudon) in dyeing wool a yellow color.

BETOOK Be*took", imp.

Defn: of Betake.

BETORN Be*torn", a.

Defn: Torn in pieces; tattered.

BETOSS Be*toss, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betossed.]

Defn: To put in violent motion; to agitate; to disturb; to toss. "My betossed soul." Shak.

BETRAP Be*trap", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betrapped.]

1. To draw into, or catch in, a trap; to insnare; to circumvent. Gower.

2. To put trappings on; to clothe; to deck. After them followed two other chariots covered with red satin, and the horses betrapped with the same. Stow.

BETRAY Be*tray", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betrayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Betraying.] Etym: [OE. betraien, bitraien; pref. be- + OF. traïr to bertray, F. trahir, fr. L. tradere. See Traitor.]

1. To deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; to give up treacherously or faithlessly; as, an officer betrayed the city. Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men. Matt. xvii. 22.

2. To prove faithless or treacherous to, as to a trust or one who trusts; to be false to; to deceive; as, to betray a person or a cause. But when I rise, I shall find my legs betraying me. Johnson.

3. To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honor not to make known. Willing to serve or betray any government for hire. Macaulay.

4. To disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally. Be swift to hear, but cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance. T. Watts.

5. To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin. Genius . . . often betrays itself into great errors. T. Watts.

6. To lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon.

7. To show or to indicate; -- said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed. All the names in the country betray great antiquity. Bryant.

BETRAYAL Be*tray"al n.

Defn: The act or the result of betraying.

BETRAYER Be*tray"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, betrays.

BETRAYMENT Be*tray"ment, n.

Defn: Betrayal. [R.] Udall.

BETRIM Be*trim", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betrimmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Betrimming.]

Defn: To set in order; to adorn; to deck, to embellish; to trim. Shak.

BETROTH Be*troth", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betrothed; p. pr. & vb. n. Betrothing.] Etym: [Pref. be- + troth, i. e., truth. See Truth.]

1. To contract to any one for a marriage; to engage or promise in order to marriage; to affiance; -- used esp. of a woman. He, in the first flower of my freshest age, Betrothed me unto the only heir. Spenser. Ay, and we are betrothed. Shak.

2. To promise to take (as a future spouse); to plight one's troth to. What man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her Deut. xx. 7.

3. To nominate to a bishopric, in order to consecration. Ayliffe.

BETROTHAL Be*troth"al, n.

Defn: The act of betrothing, or the fact of being betrothed; a mutual promise, engagement, or contract for a future marriage between the persons betrothed; betrothment; affiance. "The feast of betrothal." Longfellow.

BETROTHMENT Be*troth"ment, n.

Defn: The act of betrothing, or the state of being betrothed; betrothal.

BETRUST Be*trust", v. t.

Defn: To trust or intrust. [Obs.]

BETRUSTMENT Be*trust"ment, n.

Defn: The act of intrusting, or the thing intrusted. [Obs.] Chipman.

BETSO Bet"so, n. Etym: [It. bezzo.]

Defn: A small brass Venetian coin. [Obs.]

BETTER Bet"ter, a.; compar. of Good. Etym: [OE. betere, bettre, and as adv. bet, AS. betera, adj., and bet, adv.; akin to Icel. betri, adj., betr, adv., Goth. batiza, adj., OHG. bezziro, adj., baz, adv., G. besser, adj. and adv., bass, adv., E. boot, and prob. to Skr. bhadra excellent. See Boot advantage, and cf. Best, Batful.]

1. Having good qualities in a greater degree than another; as, a better man; a better physician; a better house; a better air. Could make the worse appear The better reason. Milton.

2. Preferable in regard to rank, value, use, fitness, acceptableness, safety, or in any other respect. To obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Sam. xv. 22. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes. Ps. cxviii. 9.

3. Greater in amount; larger; more.

4. Improved in health; less affected with disease; as, the patient is better.

5. More advanced; more perfect; as, upon better acquaintance; a better knowledge of the subject. All the better. See under All, adv. -- Better half, an expression used to designate one's wife. My dear, my better half (said he), I find I must now leave thee. Sir P. Sidney. -- To be better off, to be in a better condition. -- Had better. (See under Had).

Note: The phrase had better, followed by an infinitive without to, is idiomatic. The earliest form of construction was "were better" with a dative; as, "Him were better go beside." (Gower.) i. e., It would be better for him, etc. At length the nominative (I, he, they, etc.) supplanted the dative and had took the place of were. Thus we have the construction now used. By all that's holy, he had better starve Than but once think this place becomes thee not. Shak.

BETTER Bet"ter, n.

1. Advantage, superiority, or victory; -- usually with of; as, to get the better of an enemy.

2. One who has a claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; -- usually in the plural. Their betters would hardly be found. Hooker. For the better, in the way of improvement; so as to produce improvement. "If I have altered him anywhere for the better." Dryden.

BETTER Bet"ter, adv.; compar. of Well.

1. In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, courage, virtue, advantage, or success; as, Henry writes better than John; veterans fight better than recruits. I could have better spared a better man. Shak.

2. More correctly or thoroughly. The better to understand the extent of our knowledge. Locke.

3. In a higher or greater degree; more; as, to love one better than another. Never was monarch better feared, and loved. Shak.

4. More, in reference to value, distance, time, etc.; as, ten miles and better. [Colloq.] To think better of (any one), to have a more favorable opinion of any one. -- To think better of (an opinion, resolution, etc.), to reconsider and alter one's decision.

BETTER Bet"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bettered; p. pr. & vb. n. Bettering.] Etym: [AS. beterian, betrian, fr. betera better. See Better, a.]

1. To improve or ameliorate; to increase the good qualities of. Love betters what is best. Wordsworth. He thought to better his circumstances. Thackeray.

2. To improve the condition of, morally, physically, financially, socially, or otherwise. The constant effort of every man to better himself. Macaulay.

3. To surpass in excellence; to exceed; to excel. The works of nature do always aim at that which can not be bettered. Hooker.

4. To give advantage to; to support; to advance the interest of. [Obs.] Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us and worse our foes. Milton.

Syn. -- To improve; meliorate; ameliorate; mend; amend; correct; emend; reform; advance; promote.

BETTER Bet"ter, v. i.

Defn: To become better; to improve. Carlyle.

BETTER Bet"ter, n.

Defn: One who bets or lays a wager.

BETTERMENT Bet"ter*ment, n.

1. A making better; amendment; improvement. W. Montagu.

2. (Law)

Defn: An improvement of an estate which renders it better than mere repairing would do; -- generally used in the plural. [U. S.] Bouvier.

BETTERMOST Bet"ter*most`, a.

Defn: Best. [R.] "The bettermost classes." Brougham.

BETTERNESS Bet"ter*ness, n.

1. The quality of being better or superior; superiority. [R.] Sir P. Sidney.

2. The difference by which fine gold or silver exceeds in fineness the standard.

BETTONG Bet"tong, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small, leaping Australian marsupial of the genus Bettongia; the jerboa kangaroo.

BETTOR Bet"tor, n.

Defn: One who bets; a better. Addison.

BETTY Bet"ty, n.

1. Etym: [Supposed to be a cant word, from Betty, for Elizabeth, as such an instrument is also called Bess (i. e., Elizabeth) in the Canting Dictionary of 1725, and Jenny (i. e., Jane).]

Defn: A short bar used by thieves to wrench doors open. [Written also bettee.] The powerful betty, or the artful picklock. Arbuthnot.

2. Etym: [Betty, nickname for Elizabeth.]

Defn: A name of contempt given to a man who interferes with the duties of women in a household, or who occupies himself with womanish matters.

3. A pear-shaped bottle covered round with straw, in which olive oil is sometimes brought from Italy; -- called by chemists a Florence flask. [U. S.] Bartlett.

BETULIN Bet"u*lin, n. Etym: [L. betula birch tree.] (Chem.)

Defn: A substance of a resinous nature, obtained from the outer bark of the common European birch (Betula alba), or from the tar prepared therefrom; -- called also birch camphor. Watts.

BETUMBLE Be*tum"ble, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betumbled.]

Defn: To throw into disorder; to tumble. [R.] From her betumbled couch she starteth. Shak.

BETUTOR Be*tu"tor, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betutored.]

Defn: To tutor; to instruct. Coleridge.

BETWEEN Be*tween", prep. Etym: [OE. bytwene, bitweonen, AS. betweónan, betweónum; prefix be- by + a form fr. AS. twa two, akin to Goth. tweihnai two apiece. See Twain, and cf. Atween, Betwixt.]

1. In the space which separates; betwixt; as, New York is between Boston and Philadelphia.

2. Used in expressing motion from one body or place to another; from one to another of two. If things should go so between them. Bacon.

3. Belonging in common to two; shared by both. Castor and Pollux with only one soul between them. Locke.

4. Belonging to, or participated in by, two, and involving reciprocal action or affecting their mutual relation; as, opposition between science and religion. An intestine struggle, open or secret, between authority and liberty. Hume.

5. With relation to two, as involved in an act or attribute of which another is the agent or subject; as, to judge between or to choose between courses; to distinguish between you and me; to mediate between nations.

6. In intermediate relation to, in respect to time, quantity, or degree; as, between nine and ten o'clock. Between decks, the space, or in the space, between the decks of a vessel. -- Between ourselves, Between you and me, Between themselves, in confidence; with the understanding that the matter is not to be communicated to others.

Syn. -- Between, Among. Between etymologically indicates only two; as, a quarrel between two men or two nations; to be between two fires, etc. It is however extended to more than two in expressing a certain relation. I . . . hope that between public business, improving studies, and domestic pleasures, neither melancholy nor caprice will find any place for entrance. Johnson. Among implies a mass or collection of things or persons, and always supposes more than two; as, the prize money was equally divided among the ship's crew.

BETWEEN Be*tween", n.

Defn: Intermediate time or space; interval. [Poetic & R.] Shak.

BETWIXT Be*twixt", prep. Etym: [OE. betwix, bitwix, rarely bitwixt, AS. betweox, betweohs, betweoh, betwih; pref. be- by + a form fr. AS. twa two. See Between.]

1. In the space which separates; between. From betwixt two aged oaks. Milton.

2. From one to another of; mutually affecting. There was some speech of marriage Betwixt myself and her. Shak. Betwixt and between, in a midway position; so-so; neither one thing nor the other. [Colloq.]

BEURRE Beur*ré", n. Etym: [F., fr. beurre butter.] (Bot.)

Defn: A beurré (or buttery) pear, one with the meas, Beurré d'Anjou; Beurré Clairgeau.

BEVEL Bev"el, n. Etym: [C. F. biveau, earlier buveau, Sp. baivel; of unknown origin. Cf. Bevile.]

1. Any angle other than a right angle; the angle which one surface makes with another when they are not at right angles; the slant or inclination of such surface; as, to give a bevel to the edge of a table or a stone slab; the bevel of a piece of timber.

2. An instrument consisting of two rules or arms, jointed together at one end, and opening to any angle, for adjusting the surfaces of work to the same or a given inclination; -- called also a bevel square. Gwilt.

BEVEL Bev"el, a.

1. Having the slant of a bevel; slanting.

2. Hence: Morally distorted; not upright. [Poetic] I may be straight, though they themselves be bevel. Shak. A bevel angle, any angle other than one of 90º. -- Bevel wheel, a cogwheel whose working face is oblique to the axis. Knight.

BEVEL Bev"el, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Beveled (Bevelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Beveling or Bevelling.]

Defn: To cut to a bevel angle; to slope the edge or surface of.

BEVEL Bev"el, v. i.

Defn: To deviate or incline from an angle of 90 Their houses are very ill built, the walls bevel. Swift.

BEVELED; BEVELLED Bev"eled, Bev"elled, a.

1. Formed to a bevel angle; sloping; as, the beveled edge of a table.

2. (Min.) Replaced by two planes inclining equally upon the adjacent planes, as an edge; having its edges replaces by sloping planes, as a cube or other solid.

BEVEL GEAR Bev"el gear`. (Mech.)

Defn: A kind of gear in which the two wheels working together lie in different planes, and have their teeth cut at right angles to the surfaces of two cones whose apices coincide with the point where the axes of the wheels would meet.

BEVELMENT Bev"el*ment, n. (Min.)

Defn: The replacement of an edge by two similar planes, equally inclined to the including faces or adjacent planes.

BEVER Be"ver, n. Etym: [OE. bever a drink, drinking time, OF. beivre, boivre, to drink, fr. L. bibere.]

Defn: A light repast between meals; a lunch. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

BEVER Be"ver, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bevered (

Defn: To take a light repast between meals. [Obs.]

BEVERAGE Bev"er*age, n. Etym: [OF. bevrage, F. breuvage, fr. beivre to drink, fr. L. bibere. Cf. Bib, v. t., Poison, Potable.]

1. Liquid for drinking; drink; -- usually applied to drink artificially prepared and of an agreeable flavor; as, an intoxicating beverage. He knew no beverage but the flowing stream. Thomson.

2. Specifically, a name applied to various kinds of drink.

3. A treat, or drink money. [Slang]

BEVILE Bev"ile, n. Etym: [See Bevel.] (Her.)

Defn: A chief broken or opening like a carpenter's bevel. Encyc. Brit.

BEVILED; BEVILLED Bev"iled, Bev"illed, a. (Her.)

Defn: Notched with an angle like that inclosed by a carpenter's bevel; -- said of a partition line of a shield.

BEVY Bev"y, n.; pl. Bevies. Etym: [Perhaps orig. a drinking company, fr. OF. bevée (cf. It. beva) a drink, beverage; then, perh., a company in general, esp. of ladies; and last applied by sportsmen to larks, quails, etc. See Beverage.]

1. A company; an assembly or collection of persons, especially of ladies. What a bevy of beaten slaves have we here ! Beau. & Fl.

2. A flock of birds, especially quails or larks; also, a herd of roes.

BEWAIL Be*wail", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bewailing.]

Defn: To express deep sorrow for, as by wailing; to lament; to wail over. Hath widowed and unchilded many a one, Which to this hour bewail the injury. Shak.

Syn. -- To bemoan; grieve. -- See Deplore.

BEWAIL Be*wail", v. i.

Defn: To express grief; to lament. Shak.

BEWAILABLE Be*wail"a*ble, a.

Defn: Such as may, or ought to, be bewailed; lamentable.

BEWAILER Be*wail"er, n.

Defn: One who bewails or laments.

BEWAILING Be*wail"ing, a.

Defn: Wailing over; lamenting. -- Be*wail"ing*ly, adv.

BEWAILMENT Be*wail"ment, n.

Defn: The act of bewailing.

BEWAKE Be*wake", v. t. & i.

Defn: To keep watch over; to keep awake. [Obs.] Gower.

BEWARE Be*ware", v. i. Etym: [Be, imperative of verb to be + ware. See Ware, Wary.]

1. To be on one's guard; to be cautious; to take care; -- commonly followed by of or lest before the thing that is to be avoided. Beware of all, but most beware of man ! Pope. Beware the awful avalanche. Longfellow.

2. To have a special regard; to heed. [Obs.] Behold, I send an Angel before thee. . . . Beware of him, and obey his voice. Ex. xxiii. 20, 21.

Note: This word is a compound from be and the Old English ware, now wary, which is an adjective. "Be ye war of false prophetis." Wyclif, Matt. vii. 15. It is used commonly in the imperative and infinitive modes, and with such auxiliaries (shall, should, must, etc.) as go with the infinitive.

BEWARE Be*ware", v. t.

Defn: To avoid; to take care of; to have a care for. [Obs.] "Priest, beware your beard." Shak. To wish them beware the son. Milton.

BEWASH Be*wash", v. t.

Defn: To drench or souse with water. "Let the maids bewash the men." Herrick.

BEWEEP Be*weep", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewept; p. pr. & vb. n. Beweeping.] Etym: [AS. bew; pref. be- + weep.]

Defn: To weep over; to deplore; to bedew with tears. "His timeless death beweeping." Drayton.

BEWEEP Be*weep", v. i.

Defn: To weep. [Obs.] Chaucer.

BEWET Be*wet", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewet, Bewetted.]

Defn: To wet or moisten. Gay.

BEWHORE Be*whore", v. t.

1. To corrupt with regard to chastity; to make a whore of. J. Fletcher.

2. To pronounce or characterize as a whore. Shak.

BEWIG Be*wig", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewigged.]

Defn: To cover (the head) with a wig. Hawthorne.

BEWILDER Be*wil"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewildered; p. pr. & vb. n. Bewildering.] Etym: [Pref. be- + wilder.]

Defn: To lead into perplexity or confusion, as for want of a plain path; to perplex with mazes; or in general, to perplex or confuse greatly. Lost and bewildered in the fruitless search. Addison.

Syn. -- To perplex; puzzle; entangle; confuse; confound; mystify; embarrass; lead astray.

BEWILDERED Be*wil"dered, a.

Defn: Greatly perplexed; as, a bewildered mind.

BEWILDEREDNESS Be*wil"dered*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being bewildered; bewilderment. [R.]

BEWILDERING Be*wil"der*ing, a.

Defn: Causing bewilderment or great perplexity; as, bewildering difficulties. -- Be*wil"der*ing*ly, adv.

BEWILDERMENT Be*wil"der*ment, n.

1. The state of being bewildered.

2. A bewildering tangle or confusion. He . . . soon lost all traces of it amid bewilderment of tree trunks and underbrush. Hawthorne.

BEWINTER Be*win"ter, v. t.

Defn: To make wintry. [Obs.]

BEWIT Bew"it, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. buie bond, chain, fr. L. boja neck collar, fetter. Cf. Buoy.]

Defn: A double slip of leather by which bells are fastened to a hawk's legs.

BEWITCH Be*witch", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewitched; p. pr. & vb. n. Bewitching.]

1. To gain an ascendency over by charms or incantations; to affect (esp. to injure) by witchcraft or sorcery. See how I am bewitched; behold, mine arm Is like a blasted sapling withered up. Shak.

2. To charm; to fascinate; to please to such a degree as to take away the power of resistance; to enchant. The charms of poetry our souls bewitch. Dryden.

Syn. -- To enchant; captivate; charm; entrance.

BEWITCHEDNESS Be*witch"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being bewitched. Gauden.

BEWITCHER Be*witch"er, n.

Defn: One who bewitches.

BEWITCHERY Be*witch"er*y, n.

Defn: The power of bewitching or fascinating; bewitchment; charm; fascination. There is a certain bewitchery or fascination in words. South.

BEWITCHING Be*witch"ing, a.

Defn: Having power to bewitch or fascinate; enchanting; captivating; charming. -- Be*witch"ing*ly, adv. -- Be*witch"ing*ness, n.

BEWITCHMENT Be*witch"ment, n.

1. The act of bewitching, or the state of being bewitched. Tylor.

2. The power of bewitching or charming. Shak.

BEWONDER Be*won"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewondered.]

1. To fill with wonder. [Obs.]

2. To wonder at; to admire. [Obs.]

BEWRAP Be*wrap", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewrapped.]

Defn: To wrap up; to cover. Fairfax.

BEWRAY Be*wray", v. t.

Defn: To soil. See Beray.

BEWRAY Be*wray", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bewrayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bewraying.] Etym: [OE. bewraien, biwreyen; pref. be- + AS. wr to accuse, betray; akin to OS. wr, OHG. ruog, G. rügen, Icel. rægja, Goth. wr to accuse.]

Defn: To expose; to reveal; to disclose; to betray. [Obs. or Archaic] The murder being once done, he is in less fear, and in more hope that the deed shall not be bewrayed or known. Robynson (More's Utopia. ) Thy speech bewrayeth thee. Matt. xxvi. 73.

BEWRAYER Be*wray"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, bewrays; a revealer. [Obs. or Archaic] Addison.

BEWRAYMENT Be*wray"ment, n.

Defn: Betrayal. [R.]

BEWRECK Be*wreck", v. t.

Defn: To wreck. [Obs.]

BEWREKE Be*wreke", v. t. Etym: [Pref. be- + wreak.]

Defn: To wreak; to avenge. [Obs.] Ld. Berners.

BEWROUGHT Be*wrought", a. Etym: [Pref. be- + wrought, p. p. of work, v. t. ]

Defn: Embroidered. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

BEY Bey, n. Etym: [See Beg a bey.]

Defn: A governor of a province or district in the Turkish dominions; also, in some places, a prince or nobleman; a beg; as, the bey of Tunis.

BEYLIC Bey"lic, n. Etym: [Turk.]

Defn: The territory ruled by a bey.

BEYOND Be*yond", prep. Etym: [OE. biyonde, bi, AS. begeondan, prep. and adv.; pref. be- + geond yond, yonder. See Yon, Yonder.]

1. On the further side of; in the same direction as, and further on or away than. Beyond that flaming hill. G. Fletcher.

2. At a place or time not yet reached; before. A thing beyond us, even before our death. Pope.

3. Past, out of the reach or sphere of; further than; greater than; as, the patient was beyond medical aid; beyond one's strength.

4. In a degree or amount exceeding or surpassing; proceeding to a greater degree than; above, as in dignity, excellence, or quality of any kind. "Beyond expectation." Barrow. Beyond any of the great men of my country. Sir P. Sidney. Beyond sea. (Law) See under Sea. -- To go beyond, to exceed in ingenuity, in research, or in anything else; hence, in a bed sense, to deceive or circumvent. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter. 1 Thess. iv. 6.

BEYOND Be*yond", adv.

Defn: Further away; at a distance; yonder. Lo, where beyond he lyeth languishing. Spenser.

BEZANT Be*zant", n. Etym: [See Byzant.]

1. A gold coin of Byzantium or Constantinople, varying in weight and value, usually (those current in England) between a sovereign and a half sovereign. There were also white or silver bezants. [Written also besant, byzant, etc.]

2. (Her.)

Defn: A circle in or, i. e., gold, representing the gold coin called bezant. Burke.

3. A decoration of a flat surface, as of a band or belt, representing circular disks lapping one upon another.

BEZ-ANTLER Bez`-ant"ler, n. Etym: [L. bis twice (OF. bes) + E. antler.]

Defn: The second branch of a stag's horn.

BEZEL Bez"el, n. Etym: [From an old form of F. biseau sloping edge, prob. fr. L. bis double. See Bi-.]

Defn: The rim which encompasses and fastens a jewel or other object, as the crystal of a watch, in the cavity in which it is set.

BEZIQUE Bé*zique", n. Etym: [F. bésigue.]

Defn: A game at cards in which various combinations of cards in the hand, when declared, score points.

BEZOAR Be"zoar, n. Etym: [F. bézoard, fr. Ar. bazahr, badizahr, fr. Per. pad-zahr bezoar; pad protecting + zahr poison; cf. Pg. & Sp. bezoar.]

Defn: A calculous concretion found in the intestines of certain ruminant animals (as the wild goat, the gazelle, and the Peruvian llama) formerly regarded as an unfailing antidote for poison, and a certain remedy for eruptive, pestilential, or putrid diseases. Hence: Any antidote or panacea.

Note: Two kinds were particularly esteemed, the Bezoar orientale of India, and the Bezoar occidentale of Peru. Bezoar antelope. See Antelope. -- Bezoar goat (Zoöl.), the wild goat (Capra ægagrus). -- Bezoar mineral, an old preparation of oxide of antimony. Ure.

BEZOARDIC Bez`o*ar"dic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. bézoardique, bézoartique.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or compounded with, bezoar. -- n.

Defn: A medicine containing bezoar.

BEZOARTIC; BEZOARTICAL Bez`o*ar"tic, Bez`o*ar"tic*al, a. Etym: [See Bezoardic.]

Defn: Having the qualities of an antidote, or of bezoar; healing. [Obs.]

BEZONIAN Be*zo"ni*an, n. Etym: [Cf. F. besoin need, want, It bisogno.]

Defn: A low fellow or scoundrel; a beggar. Great men oft die by vile bezonians. Shak.

BEZPOPOVTSY Bez`po*pov"tsy, n. [Russ.; bez without + popovtsy, a derivative of pop priest.]

Defn: A Russian sect. See Raskolnik.

BEZZLE Bez"zle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bezzled; p. pr. & vb. n. Bezzling.] Etym: [OF. besillier, besiler, to maltreat, pillage; or shortened fr. embezzle. Cf. Embezzle.]

Defn: To plunder; to waste in riot. [Obs.]

BEZZLE Bez"zle, v. i.

Defn: To drink to excess; to revel. [Obs.]

BHANG Bhang, n. Etym: [Per. bang; cf. Skr. bhanga hemp.]

Defn: An astringent and narcotic drug made from the dried leaves and seed capsules of wild hemp (Cannabis Indica), and chewed or smoked in the East as a means of intoxication. See Hasheesh.

BHEESTY; BHEESTIE Bhees"ty, Bhees"tie, n. [Written also bhistee, bhisti, etc.] [Per. bihishti lit., heavenly.]

Defn: A water carrier, as to a household or a regiment. [India]

BHISTEE; BHISTI Bhis"tee, Bhis"ti, n.

Defn: Same as Bheesty. [India]

BHUNDER Bhun"der, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An Indian monkey (Macacus Rhesus), protected by the Hindoos as sacred. See Rhesus.

BI; BI- Bi*. Etym: [L. bis twice, which in composition drops the -s, akin to E. two. See Bis-, Two, and cf. Di-, Dis-.]

1. In most branches of science bi- in composition denotes two, twice, or doubly; as, bidentate, two-toothed; biternate, doubly ternate, etc.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: In the composition of chemical names bi- denotes two atoms, parts, or equivalents of that constituent to the name of which it is prefixed, to one of the other component, or that such constituent is present in double the ordinary proportion; as, bichromate, bisulphide. Be- and di- are often used interchangeably.

BIACID Bi*ac"id, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + acid.] (Chem.)

Defn: Having two hydrogen atoms which can be replaced by negative atoms or radicals to form salts; -- said of bases. See Diacid.

BIACUMINATE Bi`a*cu"mi*nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + acuminate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having points in two directions.

BIANGULAR Bi*an"gu*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + angular.]

Defn: Having two angles or corners.

BIANGULATE; BIANGULATED Bi*an"gu*late, Bi*an"gu*la`ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + angulate, angulated.]

Defn: Biangular.

BIANGULOUS Bi*an"gu*lous,a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + angulous.]

Defn: Biangular. [R.]

BIANNUAL Bi*an"nu*al, a. [Pref. bi- + annual.]

Defn: Occurring twice a year; half-yearly; semiannual.

BIANTHERIFEROUS Bi*an`ther*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + antherigerous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two anthers.

BIARTICULATE Bi`ar*tic"u*late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + articulate.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having, or consisting of, tow joints.

BIAS Bi"as, n.; pl. Biases. Etym: [F. biasis, perh. fr. LL. bifax two- faced; L. bis + facies face. See Bi-, and cf. Face.]

1. A weight on the side of the ball used in the game of bowls, or a tendency imparted to the ball, which turns it from a straight line. Being ignorant that there is a concealed bias within the spheroid, which will . . . swerve away. Sir W. Scott.

2. A learning of the mind; propensity or prepossession toward an object or view, not leaving the mind indifferent; bent inclination. Strong love is a bias upon the thoughts. South. Morality influences men's lives, and gives a bias to all their actions. Locke.

3. A wedge-shaped piece of cloth taken out of a garment (as the waist of a dress) to diminish its circumference.

4. A slant; a diagonal; as, to cut cloth on the bias.

Syn. -- Prepossession; prejudice; partiality; inclination. See Bent.

BIAS Bi"as, a.

1. Inclined to one side; swelled on one side. [Obs.] Shak.

2. Cut slanting or diagonally, as cloth.

BIAS Bi"as, adv.

Defn: In a slanting manner; crosswise; obliquely; diagonally; as, to cut cloth bias.

BIAS Bi"as, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Biased; p. pr. & vb. n. Biasing.]

Defn: To incline to one side; to give a particular direction to; to influence; to prejudice; to prepossess. Me it had not biased in the one direction, nor should it have biased any just critic in the counter direction. De. Quincey.

BIAURICULATE Bi`au*ric"u*late, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + au riculate.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Having two auricles, as the heart of mammals, birds, and reptiles.

2. (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two earlike projections at its base, as a leaf.

BIAXAL; BIAXIAL Bi*ax"al, Bi*ax"i*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + axal, axial.] (Opt.)

Defn: Having two axes; as, biaxial polarization. Brewster. -- Bi*ax"i*al*ly, adv.

BIB Bib, n. Etym: [From Bib, v., because the bib receives the drink that the child slavers from the mouth.]

1. A small piece of cloth worn by children over the breast, to protect the clothes.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An arctic fish (Gadus luscus), allied to the cod; -- called also pout and whiting pout.

3. A bibcock.

BIB; BIBBE Bib, Bibbe, v. t. Etym: [L. bibere. See Beverage, and cf. Imbibe.]

Defn: To drink; to tipple. [Obs.] This miller hath . . . bibbed ale. Chaucer.

BIB Bib, v. i.

Defn: To drink; to sip; to tipple. He was constantly bibbing. Locke.

BIBACIOUS Bi*ba"cious, a. Etym: [L. bibax, bibacis, fr. bibere. See Bib.]

Defn: Addicted to drinking.

BIBACITY Bi*bac"i*ty, n.

Defn: The practice or habit of drinking too much; tippling. Blount.

BIBASIC Bi*ba"sic, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + basic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Having to hydrogen atoms which can be replaced by positive or basic atoms or radicals to form salts; -- said of acids. See Dibasic.

BIBB Bibb, n.

Defn: A bibcock. See Bib, n., 3.

BIBBER Bib"ber, n.

Defn: One given to drinking alcoholic beverages too freely; a tippler; -- chiefly used in composition; as, winebibber.

BIBBLE-BABBLE Bib"ble-bab"ble, n. Etym: [A reduplication of babble.]

Defn: Idle talk; babble. Shak.

BIBBS Bibbs, n. pl. (Naut.)

Defn: Pieces of timber bolted to certain parts of a mast tp support the trestletrees.

BIBCOCK Bib"cock`, n.

Defn: A cock or faucet having a bent down nozzle. Knight.

BIBELOT Bi`be*lot", n. [F.]

Defn: A small decorative object without practical utility.

Her pictures, her furniture, and her bibelots. M. Crawford.

BIBIRINE Bi*bi"rine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Bebeerine.

BIBITORY Bib"i*to*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to drinking or tippling.

BIBLE Bi"ble, n. Etym: [F. bible, L. biblia, pl., fr. Gr. , pl. of , dim. of , , book, prop. Egyptian papyrus.]

1. A book. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. The Book by way of eminence, -- that is, the book which is made up of the writings accepted by Christians as of divine origin and authority, whether such writings be in the original language, or translated; the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; -- sometimes in a restricted sense, the Old Testament; as, King James's Bible; Douay Bible; Luther's Bible. Also, the book which is made up of writings similarly accepted by the Jews; as, a rabbinical Bible.

3. A book containing the sacred writings belonging to any religion; as, the Koran is often called the Mohammedan Bible. Fig.)

Defn: A book with an authoritative exposition of some topic, respected by many experts on the field. Bible Society, an association for securing the multiplication and wide distribution of the Bible. -- Douay Bible. See Douay Bible. -- Geneva Bible. See under Geneva.

BIBLER Bib"ler, n. Etym: [See Bib, v. t.]

Defn: A great drinker; a tippler. [Written also bibbler and bibbeler.]

BIBLICAL Bib"li*cal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, the Bible; as, biblical learning; biblical authority.

BIBLICALITY Bib`li*cal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being biblical; a biblical subject. [R.]

BIBLICALLY Bib"li*cal*ly, adv.

Defn: According to the Bible.

BIBLICISM Bib"li*cism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. biblicisme.]

Defn: Learning or literature relating to the Bible. [R.]

BIBLICIST Bib"li*cist, n.

Defn: One skilled in the knowledge of the Bible; a demonstrator of religious truth by the Scriptures.

BIBLIOGRAPH Bib"li*o*graph`, n.

Defn: Bibliographer.

BIBLIOGRAPHER Bib`li*og"ra*pher, n. Etym: [Gr. , fr. book + to write : cf. F. bibliographe.]

Defn: One who writes, or is versed in, bibliography.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC; BIBLIOGRAPHICAL Bib`li*o*graph"ic, Bib`li*o*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. bibliographique.]

Defn: Pertaining to bibliography, or the history of books. -- Bib`li*o*graph"ic*al*ly, adv.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bib`li*og"ra*phy n.; pl. Bibliographies. Etym: [Gr. : cf. F. bibliographie.]

Defn: A history or description of books and manuscripts, with notices of the different editions, the times when they were printed, etc.

BIBLIOLATER; BIBLIOLATRIST Bib`li*ol"a*ter, Bib`li*ol"a*trist, n. Etym: [See. Bibliolatry.]

Defn: A worshiper of books; especially, a worshiper of the Bible; a believer in its verbal inspiration. De Quincey.

BIBLIOLATRY Bib`li*ol"a*try, n. Etym: [Gr. book + service, worship, to serve.]

Defn: Book worship, esp. of the Bible; -- applied by Roman Catholic divine Coleridge. F. W. Newman.

BIBLIOLOGICAL Bib`li*o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Relating to bibliology.

BIBLIOLOGY Bib`li*ol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. book + -logy.]

1. An account of books; book lore; bibliography.

2. The literature or doctrine of the Bible.

BIBLIOMANCY Bib"li*o*man`cy, n. Etym: [Gr. book + -mancy: cf. F. bibliomancie.]

Defn: A kind of divination, performed by selecting passages of Scripture at hazard, and drawing from them indications concerning future events.

BIBLIOMANIA Bib`li*o*ma"ni*a, n. Etym: [Gr. book + madness: cf. F. bibliomanie.]

Defn: A mania for acquiring books.

BIBLIOMANIAC Bib`li*o*ma"ni*ac, n.

Defn: One who has a mania for books. -- a.

Defn: Relating to a bibliomaniac.

BIBLIOMANIACAL Bib`li*o*ma*ni"ac*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a passion for books; relating to a bibliomaniac.

BIBLIOPEGIC Bib`li*o*peg"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. book + to make fast.]

Defn: Relating to the binding of books. [R.]

BIBLIOPEGIST Bib`li*op"e*gist, n.

Defn: A bookbinder.

BIBLIOPEGISTIC Bib`li*op`e*gis"tic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to the art of binding books. [R.] Dibdin.

BIBLIOPEGY Bib`li*op"e*gy, n. Etym: [See Bibliopegic.]

Defn: The art of binding books. [R.]

BIBLIOPHILE Bib"li*o*phile, n. Etym: [Gr. book + to love: cf. F. bibliophile.]

Defn: A lover of books.

BIBLIOPHILISM Bib`li*oph"i*lism, n.

Defn: Love of books.

BIBLIOPHILIST Bib`li*oph"i*list, n.

Defn: A lover of books.

BIBLIOPHOBIA Bib`li*o*pho"bi*a, n. Etym: [Gr. book + to fear.]

Defn: A dread of books. [R.]

BIBLIOPOLE Bib"li*o*pole, n. Etym: [L. bibliopola, Gr. ; book + to sell: cf. F. bibliopole.]

Defn: One who sells books.

BIBLIOPOLIC; BIBLIOPOLAR Bib`li*o*pol"ic, Bib`li*op"o*lar, a. Etym: [See Bibliopole.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the sale of books. "Bibliopolic difficulties." Carlyle.

BIBLIOPOLISM Bib`li*op"o*lism, n.

Defn: The trade or business of selling books.

BIBLIOPOLIST Bib`li*op"o*list, n.

Defn: Same as Bibliopole.

BIBLIOPOLISTIC Bib`li*op`o*lis"tic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to bibliopolism. Dibdin.

BIBLIOTAPH; BIBLIOTAPHIST Bib"li*o*taph, Bib`li*ot"a*phist, n. Etym: [Gr. book + a burial.]

Defn: One who hides away books, as in a tomb. [R.] Crabb.

BIBLIOTHEC Bib"li*o*thec, n.

Defn: A librarian.

BIBLIOTHECA Bib`li*o*the"ca, n. Etym: [L. See Bibliotheke.]

Defn: A library.

BIBLIOTHECAL Bib`li*o*the"cal, a. Etym: [L. bibliothecalis. See Bibliotheke.]

Defn: Belonging to a library. Byrom.

BIBLIOTHECARY Bib`li*oth"e*ca*ry, n. Etym: [L. bibliothecarius: cf. F. bibliothécaire.]

Defn: A librarian. [Obs.] Evelin.

BIBLIOTHEKE Bib"li*o*theke, n. Etym: [L. bibliotheca, Gr. ; book + a case, box, fr. to place: cf. F. bibliothèque.]

Defn: A library. [Obs.] Bale.

BIBLIST Bib"list, n. Etym: [Cf. F. bibliste. See Bible.]

1. One who makes the Bible the sole rule of faith.

2. A biblical scholar; a biblicist. I. Taylor.

BIBRACTEATE Bi*brac"te*ate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + bracteate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Furnished with, or having, two bracts.

BIBULOUS Bib"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. bibulus, fr. bibere to drink. See Bib, v. t. ]

1. Readily imbibing fluids or moisture; spongy; as, bibulous blotting paper.

2. Inclined to drink; addicted to tippling.

BIBULOUSLY Bib"u*lous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a bibulous manner; with profuse imbibition or absorption. De Quincey.

BICALCARATE Bi*cal"ca*rate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + calcarate.]

Defn: Having two spurs, as the wing or leg of a bird.

BICALLOSE; BICALLOUS Bi*cal"lose, Bi*cal"lous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + callose, callous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two callosities or hard spots. Gray.

BICAMERAL Bi*cam"er*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + camera.]

Defn: Consisting of, or including, two chambers, or legislative branches. Bentham.

BICAPSULAR Bi*cap"su*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + capsular: cf. F. bicapsulaire.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two capsules; as, a bicapsular pericarp.

BICARBONATE Bi*car"bon*ate, n. Etym: [Pref. bi-+ carbonate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A carbonate in which but half the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by a positive element or radical, thus making the proportion of the acid to the positive or basic portion twice what it is in the normal carbonates; an acid carbonate; -- sometimes called supercarbonate.

BICARBURETED; BICARBURETTED Bi*car"bu*ret`ed or -ret`ted, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + carbureted.] (Chem.)

Defn: Containing two atoms or equivalents of carbon in the molecule. [Obs. or R.]

BICARINATE Bi*car"i*nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + carinate.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having two keel-like projections, as the upper palea of grasses.

BICAUDAL Bi*cau"dal, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + caudal.]

Defn: Having, or terminating in, two tails.

BICAUDATE Bi*cau"date, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + caudate.]

Defn: Two-tailed; bicaudal.

BICCHED Bic"ched, a. Etym: [Of unknown origin.]

Defn: Pecked; pitted; notched. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bicched bones, pecked, or notched, bones; dice.

BICE; BISE Bice, Bise, n. Etym: [F. bis, akin to It. bigio light gray, tawny.] (Paint.)

Defn: A pale blue pigment, prepared from the native blue carbonate of copper, or from smalt; -- called also blue bice. Green bice is prepared from the blue, by adding yellow orpiment, or by grinding down the green carbonate of copper. Cooley. Brande & C.

BICENTENARY Bi*cen"te*na*ry, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + centenary.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to two hundred, esp. to two hundred years; as, a bicentenary celebration. -- n.

Defn: The two hundredth anniversary, or its celebration.

BICENTENNIAL Bi`cen*ten"ni*al, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + centennial.]

1. Consisting of two hundred years.

2. Occurring every two hundred years.

BICENTENNIAL Bi`cen*ten"ni*al, n.

Defn: The two hundredth year or anniversary, or its celebration.

BICEPHALOUS Bi*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + cephalous: cf. F. bicéphale.]

Defn: Having two heads.

BICEPS Bi"ceps, n. Etym: [L., two-headed; bis twice + caput head. See Capital.] (Anat.)

Defn: A muscle having two heads or origins; -- applied particularly to a flexor in the arm, and to another in the thigh.

BICHIR Bi*chir", n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A remarkable ganoid fish (Polypterus bichir) found in the Nile and other African rivers. See Brachioganoidei.

BICHLORIDE Bi*chlo"ride, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + chloride.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound consisting of two atoms of chlorine with one or more atoms of another element; -- called also dichloride. Bichloride of mercury, mercuric chloride; -- sometimes called corrosive sublimate.

BICHO Bi"cho, n. Etym: [Sp.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Jigger.

BICHROMATE Bi*chro"mate, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + chromate.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt containing two parts of chromic acid to one of the other ingredients; as, potassium bichromate; -- called also dichromate.

BICHROMATIZE Bi*chro"ma*tize, v. t.

Defn: To combine or treat with a bichromate, esp. with bichromate of potassium; as, bichromatized gelatine.

BICIPITAL Bi*cip"i*tal, a. Etym: [L. biceps, bicipitis: cf. F. bicipital. See Biceps.]

1. (Anat.) (a) Having two heads or origins, as a muscle. (b) Pertaining to a biceps muscle; as, bicipital furrows, the depressions on either side of the biceps of the arm.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Dividing into two parts at one extremity; having two heads or two supports; as, a bicipital tree.

BICIPITOUS Bi*cip"i*tous, a.

Defn: Having two heads; bicipital. "Bicipitous serpents." Sir T. Browne.

BICKER Bick"er, n. Etym: [See Beaker.]

Defn: A small wooden vessel made of staves and hoops, like a tub. [Prov. Eng.]

BICKER Bick"er, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bickered; p. pr. & vb. n. Bickering.] Etym: [OE. bikeren, perh. fr. Celtic; cf. W. bicra to fight, bicker, bicre conflict, skirmish; perh. akin to E. beak.]

1. To skirmish; to exchange blows; to fight. [Obs.] Two eagles had a conflict, and bickered together. Holland.

2. To contend in petulant altercation; to wrangle. Petty things about which men cark and bicker. Barrow.

3. To move quickly and unsteadily, or with a pattering noise; to quiver; to be tremulous, like flame. They [streamlets] bickered through the sunny shade. Thomson.

BICKER Bick"er, n.

1. A skirmish; an encounter. [Obs.]

2. A fight with stones between two parties of boys. [Scot.] Jamieson.

3. A wrangle; also, a noise,, as in angry contention.

BICKERER Bick"er*er, n.

Defn: One who bickers.

BICKERING Bick"er*ing, n.

1. A skirmishing. "Frays and bickerings." Milton.

2. Altercation; wrangling.

BICKERMENT Bick"er*ment, n.

Defn: Contention. [Obs.] Spenser.

BICKERN Bick"ern, n. Etym: [F. bigorne. See Bicorn.]

Defn: An anvil ending in a beak or point (orig. in two beaks); also, the beak or horn itself.

BICKFORD FUSE; BICKFORD FUZE; BICKFORD MATCH Bick"ford fuse, Bick"ford fuze, Bick"ford match.

Defn: A fuse used in blasting, consisting of a long cylinder of explosive material inclosed in a varnished wrapping of rope or hose. It burns from 2 to 4 feet a minute.

BICOLLIGATE Bi*col"li*gate, a. Etym: [L. bis twice + colligatus, p. p. See Colligate, v. t. ] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the anterior toes connected by a basal web.

BICOLOR; BICOLORED Bi"col`or, Bi"col`ored, a. Etym: [L. bicolor; bis twice + color color.]

Defn: Of two colors.

BICONCAVE Bi*con"cave, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + concave.]

Defn: Concave on both sides; as, biconcave vertebræ.

BICONJUGATE Bi*con"ju*gate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + conjugate, a.] (Bot.)

Defn: Twice paired, as when a petiole forks twice. Gray.

BICONVEX Bi*con"vex, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + convex.]

Defn: Convex on both sides; as, a biconvex lens.

BICORN; BICORNED; BICORNOUS Bi"corn, Bi"corned, Bi*cor"nous, a. Etym: [L. bicornis; bis twice + cornu horn: cf. F. bicorne. Cf. Bickern.]

Defn: Having two horns; two-horned; crescentlike.

BICORPORAL Bi*cor"po*ral, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + corporal.]

Defn: Having two bodies.

BICORPORATE Bi*cor"po*rate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + corporate.] (Her.)

Defn: Double-bodied, as a lion having one head and two bodies.

BICOSTATE Bi*cos"tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + costate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having two principal ribs running longitudinally, as a leaf.

BICRENATE Bi*cre"nate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + crenate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Twice crenated, as in the case of leaves whose crenatures are themselves crenate.

BICRESCENTIC Bi`cres*cen"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + crescent.]

Defn: Having the form of a double crescent.

BICRURAL Bi*cru"ral, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + crural.]

Defn: Having two legs. Hooker.

BICUSPID; BICUSPIDATE Bi*cus"pid, Bi*cus"pid*ate, a. Etym: [See pref. Bi-, and Cuspidate.]

Defn: Having two points or prominences; ending in two points; -- said of teeth, leaves, fruit, etc.

BICUSPID Bi*cus"pid, n. (Anat.)

Defn: One of the two double-pointed teeth which intervene between the canines (cuspids) and the molars, on each side of each jaw. See Tooth, n.

BICYANIDE Bi*cy"a*nide, n.

Defn: See Dicyanide.

BICYCLE Bi"cy*cle, n. Etym: [Pref. bi- + cycle.]

Defn: A light vehicle having two wheels one behind the other. It has a saddle seat and is propelled by the rider's feet acting on cranks or levers.

BICYCLER Bi"cy*cler, n.

Defn: One who rides a bicycle.

BICYCLIC Bi*cyc"lic, a.

Defn: Relating to bicycles.

BICYCLING Bi"cy*cling, n.

Defn: The use of a bicycle; the act or practice of riding a bicycle.

BICYCLISM Bi"cy*clism, n.

Defn: The art of riding a bicycle.

BICYCLIST Bi"cy*clist, n.

Defn: A bicycler.

BICYCULAR Bi*cyc"u*lar, a.

Defn: Relating to bicycling.

BID Bid, v. t. [imp. Bade, Bid, (Obs.) Bad; p. p. Bidden, Bid; p. pr. & vb. n. Bidding.] Etym: [OE. bidden, prop to ask, beg, AS. biddan; akin to OS. biddian, Icel. bi, OHG. bittan, G. bitten, to pray, ask, request, and E. bead, also perh. to Gr. to persuade, L. fidere to trust, E. faith, and bide. But this word was early confused with OE. beden, beoden, AS. beódan, to offer, command; akin to Icel. bj, Goth. biudan (in comp.), OHG. biotan to command, bid, G. bieten, D. bieden, to offer, also to Gr. to learn by inquiry, Skr. budh to be awake, to heed, present OSlav. bud to be awake, E. bode, v. The word now has the form of OE. bidden to ask, but the meaning of OE. beden to command, except in "to bid beads." sq. root30.]

1. To make an offer of; to propose. Specifically : To offer to pay ( a certain price, as for a thing put up at auction), or to take (a certain price, as for work to be done under a contract).

2. To offer in words; to declare, as a wish, a greeting, a threat, or defiance, etc.; as, to bid one welcome; to bid good morning, farewell, etc. Neither bid him God speed. 2. John 10. He bids defiance to the gaping crowd. Granrille.

3. To proclaim; to declare publicly; to make known. [Mostly obs.] "Our banns thrice bid !" Gay.

4. To order; to direct; to enjoin; to command. That Power who bids the ocean ebb and flow. Pope Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee. Matt. xiv. 28 I was bid to pick up shells. D. Jerrold.

5. To invite; to call in; to request to come. As many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. Matt. xxii. 9 To bid beads, to pray with beads, as the Roman Catholics; to distinguish each bead by a prayer. [Obs.] -- To bid defiance to , to defy openly; to brave. -- To bid fair, to offer a good prospect; to make fair promise; to seem likely.

Syn. -- To offer; proffer; tender; propose; order; command; direct; charge; enjoin.

BID Bid,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Bid.

BID Bid, n.

Defn: An offer of a price, especially at auctions; a statement of a sum which one will give for something to be received, or will take for something to be done or furnished; that which is offered.

BID Bid, v. i. Etym: [See Bid, v. t.]

1. To pray. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To make a bid; to state what one will pay or take.

BIDALE Bid"ale`, n. Etym: [Bid + ale.]

Defn: An invitation of friends to drink ale at some poor man's house, and there to contribute in charity for his relief. [Prov. Eng.]

BIDARKEE; BIDARKA Bi*dar"kee, Bi*dar"ka, n. [Russ. baidarka, dim. Cf. Baidar.]

Defn: A portable boat made of skins stretched on a frame. [Alaska] The Century.

BIDDABLE Bid"da*ble, a.

Defn: Obedient; docile. [Scot.]

BIDDEN Bid"den, p. p.

Defn: of Bid.

BIDDER Bid"der, n. Etym: [AS. biddere. ]

Defn: One who bids or offers a price. Burke.

BIDDERY WARE Bid"der*y ware`. Etym: [From Beder or Bidar a town in India.]

Defn: A kind of metallic ware made in India. The material is a composition of zinc, tin, and lead, in which ornaments of gold and silver are inlaid or damascened. [Spelt also bidry, bidree, bedery, beder.]

BIDDING Bid"ding, n.

1. Command; order; a proclamation or notifying. "Do thou thy master's bidding." Shak.

2. The act or process of making bids; an offer; a proposal of a price, as at an auction.

BIDDING PRAYER Bid"ding prayer`.

1. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: The prayer for the souls of benefactors, said before the sermon.

2. (Angl. Ch.)

Defn: The prayer before the sermon, with petitions for various specified classes of persons.

BIDDY Bid"dy, n. Etym: [Etymology uncertain.]

Defn: A name used in calling a hen or chicken. Shak.

BIDDY Bid"dy, n. Etym: [A familiar form of Bridget.]

Defn: An Irish serving woman or girl. [Colloq.]

BIDE Bide, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bided; p. pr. & vb. n. Biding.] Etym: [OE. biden, AS. bidan; akin to OHG. bitan, Goth. beidan, Icel. bi; perh. orig., to wait with trust, and akin to bid. See Bid, v. t., and cf. Abide.]

1. To dwell; to inhabit; to abide; to stay. All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide In heaven or earth, or under earth, in hell. Milton.

2. To remain; to continue or be permanent in a place or state; to continue to be. Shak.

BIDE Bide, v. t.

1. To encounter; to remain firm under (a hardship); to endure; to suffer; to undergo. Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm. Shak.

2. To wait for; as, I bide my time. See Abide.

BIDENT Bi"dent, n. Etym: [L. bidens, -entis, having two prongs; bis twice + dens a tooth.]

Defn: An instrument or weapon with two prongs.

BIDENTAL Bi*den"tal, a.

Defn: Having two teeth. Swift.

BIDENTATE Bi*den"tate, a. (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two teeth or two toothlike processes; two-toothed.

BIDET Bi*det", n. Etym: [F. bidet, perh. fr. Celtic; cr. Gael. bideach very little, diminutive, bidein a diminutive animal, W. bidan a weakly or sorry wretch.]

1. A small horse formerly allowed to each trooper or dragoon for carrying his baggage. B. Jonson.

2. A kind of bath tub for sitting baths; a sitz bath.

BIDIGITATE Bi*dig"i*tate, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + digitate.]

Defn: Having two fingers or fingerlike projections.

BIDING Bid"ing, n.

Defn: Residence; habitation. Rowe.

BIELA'S COMET Bie"la's com"et. (Astron.)

Defn: A periodic coment, discovered by Biela in 1826, which revolves around the sun in 6.6 years. The November meteors (Andromedes or Bielids) move in its orbit, and may be fragments of the comet.

BIELD Bield, n.

Defn: A shelter. Same as Beild. [Scot.]

BIELD Bield, v. t.

Defn: To shelter. [Scot.]

BIELID Bie"lid, n. (Astron.)

Defn: See Andromede.

BIENNIAL Bi*en"ni*al, a. Etym: [L. biennalis and biennis, fr. biennium a space of two years; bis twice + annus year. Cf. Annual.]

1. Happening, or taking place, once in two years; as, a biennial election.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Continuing for two years, and then perishing, as plants which form roots and leaves the first year, and produce fruit the second.

BIENNIAL Bi*en"ni*al, n.

1. Something which takes place or appears once in two years; esp. a biennial examination.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A plant which exists or lasts for two years.

BIENNIALLY Bi*en"ni*al*ly, adv.

Defn: Once in two years.

BIER Bier, n. Etym: [OE. bæe, beere, AS. b, b; akin to D. baar, OHG. bara, G. bahre, Icel barar, Dbaare, L. feretrum, Gr. , from the same bear to produce. See 1st Bear, and cf. Barrow.]

1. A handbarrow or portable frame on which a corpse is placed or borne to the grave.

2. (Weaving)

Defn: A count of forty threads in the warp or chain of woolen cloth. Knight.

BIERBALK Bier"balk`, n. Etym: [See Bier, and Balk, n.]

Defn: A church road (e. g., a path across fields) for funerals. [Obs.] Homilies.

BIESTINGS; BEESTINGS Biest"ings, Beest"ings, n. pl. Etym: [OE. bestynge, AS. b, fr. b, beost; akin to D. biest, OHG. biost, G. biest; of unknown origin.]

Defn: The first milk given by a cow after calving. B. Jonson. The thick and curdy milk . . . commonly called biestings. Newton. (1574).

BIFACIAL Bi*fa"cial, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + facial.]

Defn: Having the opposite surfaces alike.

BIFARIOUS Bi*fa"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. bifarius; bis twice + fari to speak. Cf. Gr.

1. Twofold; arranged in two rows.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Pointing two ways, as leaves that grow only on opposite sides of a branch; in two vertical rows.

BIFARIOUSLY Bi*fa"ri*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a bifarious manner.

BIFEROUS Bif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. bifer; bis twice + ferre to bear.]

Defn: Bearing fruit twice a year.

BIFFIN Bif"fin, n. Etym: [Cf. Beaufin.]

1. A sort of apple peculiar to Norfolk, Eng.

Note: [Sometimes called beaufin; but properly beefin (it is said), from its resemblance to raw beef.] Wright.

2. A baked apple pressed down into a flat, round cake; a dried apple. Dickens.

BIFID Bi"fid, a. Etym: [L. bifidus; bis twice + root of findere to cleave or split: cf. F. bifide.]

Defn: Cleft to the middle or slightly beyond the middle; opening with a cleft; divided by a linear sinus, with straight margins.

BIFIDATE Bif"i*date, a. Etym: [L. bifidatus.]

Defn: See Bifid.

BIFILAR Bi*fi"lar, a. Etym: [Pref. bi- + filar.]