Aviculture
Aviculture, ā′vi-kul-tūr, n. rearing of birds: bird-fancying. [L. avis, bird, and Culture.]
English · e-37683-1980 · brief source recordHistorical source · 1908
Chambers’s Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language · page 11
Thomas Davidson (editor). Read this edition’s full extracted entries and its original proposals. Publication here preserves a source; it does not endorse every claim.
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Page 11 of 179Avidity
Avidity, a-vid′i-ti, n. eagerness: greediness.—adj. Av′id, greedy: eager. [L. aviditas—avidus, greedy—avēre, to pant after.]
English · e-37683-1981Avifauna
Avifauna, ā′vi-fawn-a, n. the whole of the birds found in a region or country: the fauna as regards birds. [L. avis, bird, and Fauna.]
English · e-37683-1982Avised
Avised. See Black-avised.
English · e-37683-1983 · brief source recordAviso
Aviso. See Adviso (under Advice).—Avis, Avise, obsolete forms of Advise.—adj. Avise′ful (Spens.), watchful, circumspect.
English · e-37683-1984Avital
Avital, av′i-tal, adj. of a grandfather: ancestral. [L. avitus, pertaining to a grandfather (avus).]
English · e-37683-1985 · brief source recordAvizandum
Avizandum, av-iz-an′dum, n. (Scots law) private consideration of a case by a judge before giving judgment.—Also Avisan′dum. [Gerund of Low L. avisare, to advise.]
English · e-37683-1986Avocado
Avocado, a-vo-kä′do, n. the alligator-pear, a West Indian fruit. [Corr. from Mexican.]
English · e-37683-1987 · brief source recordAvocation
Avocation, a-vo-kā′shun, n. formerly and properly, a diversion or distraction from one's regular employment—now, one's proper business = Vocation: business which calls for one's time and attention: (arch.) diversion of t
English · e-37683-1988Avocet
Avocet, Avoset, av′o-set, n. a widely spread genus of birds, with webbed feet, long legs, bare thighs, a long, slender, upward-curved, elastic bill, and snipe-like habit. [Fr. avocette, It. avosetta.]
English · e-37683-1989Avoid
Avoid, a-void′, v.t. to try to escape from: to shun: (law) to invalidate: (Shak.) to leave, to quit.—adj. Avoid′able.—n. Avoid′ance, the act of avoiding or shunning: act of annulling. [Pfx. a- = Fr. es = L. ex, out, and
English · e-37683-1990Avoirdupois
Avoirdupois, av-or-dū-poiz′, adj. or n. a system of weights in which the lb. equals 16 oz. [O. Fr. aveir de pes (avoir du pois), to have weight—L. hab-ēre, to have, pensum, that which is weighed.]
English · e-37683-1991Avoset
Avoset. See Avocet.
English · e-37683-1992 · brief source recordAvouch
Avouch, a-vowch′, v.t. to avow: to assert or own positively: to maintain: guarantee; to appeal to. v.i. to give assurance of.—n. (Shak.) evidence.—adj. Avouch′able.—n. Avouch′ment. [O. Fr. avochier—L. advocāre, to call t
English · e-37683-1993Avoure
Avoure, a-vowr′, n. (Spens.) confession, acknowledgment, justification. [See Avow.]
English · e-37683-1994 · brief source recordAvow
Avow, a-vow′, v.t. to declare openly: to own or confess: to affirm or maintain: (law) to justify an act done.—n. a solemn promise: a vow.—pa.p. as adj. self-acknowledged.—adj. Avow′able.—ns. Avow′ableness, Avow′ance (obs
English · e-37683-1995Avulse
Avulse, a-vuls′, v.t. to pluck or tear away.—n. Avul′sion, forcible separation. [L. avell-ĕre, avulsum.]
English · e-37683-1996 · brief source recordAvuncular
Avuncular, a-vung′kū-lar, adj. pertaining to an uncle.—v.t. or v.i. Avunc′ulise (Fuller), to act like an uncle. [L. avunculus, an uncle.]
English · e-37683-1997Await
Await, a-wāt′, v.t. to wait or look for: to be in store for: to attend: (obs.) to lie in wait for, to watch. [Through Fr. from the common Teutonic root of Ger. wacht, en, Eng. Wait.]
English · e-37683-1998Awake
Awake, a-wāk′, v.t. to rouse from sleep: to rouse from a state of inaction.—v.i. to cease sleeping: to rouse one's self from sleep or indifference:—pa.p. awaked′, or awoke′.—adj. not asleep: vigilant.—adj. Awak′able, cap
English · e-37683-1999Awanting
Awanting, a-wont′ing, adj. wanting: missing. [Framed as if from a verb awant—mostly Scotch.]
English · e-37683-2000 · brief source recordAward
Award, a-wawrd′, v.t. to adjudge: to determine.—n. judgment: final decision, esp. of arbitrators.—adj. Award′able, that may be awarded.—n. Award′ment. [O. Fr. ewarder, eswarder, from an assumed Romanic form compounded of
English · e-37683-2001Aware
Aware, a-wār′, adj. wary: informed, conscious (with of)—ns. Aware′dom (H. Walpole), Aware′ness. [A.S. gewær, pfx. ge-, and wær, cautious. See Wary.]
English · e-37683-2002Awarn
Awarn, a-wawrn′, v.t. (Spens.) to warn. [Pfx, a-, and Warn.]
English · e-37683-2003 · brief source recordAwash
Awash, a-wosh′, adv. on a level with the surface of the water: floating at the mercy of the waves. [Pfx. a-, and Wash.]
English · e-37683-2004 · brief source recordAwaste
Awaste, a-wāst′, adv. wasting.
English · e-37683-2005 · brief source recordAwatch
Awatch, a-wotch′, adv. watching.
English · e-37683-2006 · brief source recordAwave
Awave, a-wāv′, adv. waving.
English · e-37683-2007 · brief source recordAway
Away, a-wā′, adv. onward, along: forthwith: in the direction of, about: absent: gone, dead, fainted.—interj. begone!—Away (elliptically), to go away, esp. imperatively, Away! or Away with you!—Away with him = take him aw
English · e-37683-2008Awe
Awe, aw, n. reverential fear, or wonder: dread: (arch.) power to inspire awe.—v.t. to strike with or influence by fear.—adj. Awe′less, without fear.—n. Awe′lessness.—adjs. Awe′some, Aw′some (Scot.), full of awe: inspirin
English · e-37683-2009Aweary
Aweary, a-wē′ri, adj. weary (with of).—adj. Awea′ried, weary. [Pfx. a-, and Weary.]
English · e-37683-2010 · brief source recordAwhape
Awhape, a-hwāp′, v.t. (Spens.) to strike: to terrify. [Dr Murray compares the Goth. af hwapjan, to choke, which would give an A.S. ofhweppan. See Whap.]
English · e-37683-2014Awhile
Awhile, a-hwīl′, adv. for some time: for a short time. [A.S. áne hwíle = a while; combined as early as 13th century.]
English · e-37683-2015 · brief source recordAwkward
Awkward, awk′ward, adj. clumsy: ungraceful: embarrassed: difficult to deal with: (Shak.) unfavourable: (obs.) froward.—adj. Awk′wardish.—adv. Awk′wardly, clumsily, embarrassingly, dangerously.—n. Awk′wardness. [Prob. Ice
English · e-37683-2017Awl
Awl, awl, n. a pointed instrument for boring small holes in leather. [A.S. æl; cog. with Ice. alr, Ger. ahle.]
English · e-37683-2018 · brief source recordAwn
Awn, awn, n. a scale or husk: beard of corn or grass.—adjs. Awned; Awn′less; Awn′y. [Ice. ögn; Ger. ahne.]
English · e-37683-2019 · brief source recordAwning
Awning, awn′ing, n. a covering to shelter from the sun's rays. [Perh. due to the Fr. auvent, a screen of cloth before a shop window, with Eng. ending -ing. Skeat suggests Pers. áwan, áwang, anything suspended. The histor
English · e-37683-2020Awoke
Awoke, a-wōk′, did awake—pa.t. of Awake.
English · e-37683-2021 · brief source recordAwork
Awork, a-wurk′, adv. at work. [Prep. a, and Work.]
English · e-37683-2022 · brief source recordAwrack
Awrack, a-rak′, adv. in a state of wreck.
English · e-37683-2023 · brief source recordAwrong
Awrong, a-rong′, adv. wrongly.
English · e-37683-2024 · brief source recordAwry
Awry, a-rī′, adj. twisted to one side: distorted, crooked: wrong: perverse.—adv. unevenly: perversely: erroneously.—To look awry, to look askance at anything; To walk awry, to go wrong. [Prep. a, on, and Wry.]
English · e-37683-2025Axe
Axe, Ax, aks, n. a well-known tool or instrument for hewing or chopping, usually of iron with a steel edge:—pl. Ax′es. [A.S. æx; L. ascia; Gr. axinē.]
English · e-37683-2026Axile
Axile, aks′il, adj. lying in the axis of anything, as an embryo in the axis of a seed.
English · e-37683-2027 · brief source recordAxilla
Axilla, aks′il-la, n. (anat.) the armpit.—ns. Ax′illa, Ax′il (bot.), the angle between the upper side of a branch and the trunk, or a petiole and the stem it springs from.—adjs. Ax′illar, Ax′illary. [L. axilla, the armpi
English · e-37683-2028Axinomancy
Axinomancy, aks′in-o-man-si, n. a mode of divination from the motions of an axe poised upon a stake, or of an agate placed upon a red-hot axe. [Gr. axinē, an axe, and manteia, divination.]
English · e-37683-2029Axiom
Axiom, aks′yum, n. a self-evident truth: a universally received principle in an art or science.—adjs. Axiomat′ic, Axiomat′ical.—adv. Axiomat′ically. [Gr. axiōma—axio-ein, to think worth, to take for granted—axios, worth.
English · e-37683-2030Axis
Axis, aks′is, n. the axle, or the line, real or imaginary, on which a body revolves: the straight line about which the parts of a body or system are systematically arranged, or which passes through the centre of all the
English · e-37683-2031Axis
Axis, aks′is, n. the hog-deer of India. [L. axis, Pliny's name for an Indian quadruped.]
English · e-37683-2032 · brief source recordAxle
Axle, aks′l, Axle-tree, aks′l-trē, n. the pin or rod in the nave of a wheel on which the wheel turns: a pivot or support of any kind; the imaginary line of ancient cosmographers on which a planet revolved.—adj. Ax′led. [
English · e-37683-2033Axolotl
Axolotl, aks′o-lotl, n. a reptile found in Mexico, allied to the tailed batrachia, but distinguished by retaining its gills through life. [Mexican.]
English · e-37683-2034Ay
Ay, ā, interj. ah! oh! alas! esp. in ay me! [M. E. ey, ei, perh. from Fr. ahi, aï; cf. Sp. ay de mi!]
English · e-37683-2035 · brief source recordAy
Ay, Aye, ī, adv. yea: yes: indeed.—n. Aye (ī), a vote in the affirmative: (pl.) those who vote in the affirmative. [Perh. a dial. form of aye, ever; perh. a variant of yea.]
English · e-37683-2036Ayah
Ayah, ā′ya, n. a native Indian waiting-maid. [Anglo-Ind.: Hind. āya, derived from the Port. aia, nurse.]
English · e-37683-2037 · brief source recordAye
Aye, Ay, ā, adv. ever: always: for ever.—For aye, For ever and aye, for ever, to all eternity.—In combination, with sense of 'ever,' as in Shakespeare's 'aye-remaining,' &c. [Ice. ei, ever; A.S. a; conn. with Age, Ever.]
English · e-37683-2038Aye-aye
Aye-aye, ī′ī, n. a quadruped about the size of a hare found in Madagascar, closely allied to the lemurs, with much of the aspect of a squirrel. [Malagasy aiay.]
English · e-37683-2039Ayelp
Ayelp, a-yėlp′, adv. yelping.
English · e-37683-2040 · brief source recordAyenbite
Ayenbite, ī′en-bīt, n. (obs.) remorse, as in the book-title Ayenbite of Inwyt ('remorse of conscience'). [M. E. ayen, again bite.]
English · e-37683-2041Aygulets
Aygulets, obsolete form of Aiglets.
English · e-37683-2042 · brief source recordAyme
Ayme, obsolete form of Aim.
English · e-37683-2043 · brief source recordAyry
Ayry. See Eyry.
English · e-37683-2044 · brief source recordAzalea
Azalea, a-zā′le-a, n. a genus of shrubby plants, with fine white, yellow, or crimson flowers, mostly natives of China or North America, closely allied to the rhododendron. [Gr. azaleos, dry—aza, dryness.]
English · e-37683-2045Azimuth
Azimuth, az′im-uth, n. the arc of the horizon between the meridian of a place and a vertical circle passing through any celestial body.—adj. Az′imuthal, pertaining to the azimuth. [Ar. as-sumūt, as = al, the, sūmut, samt
English · e-37683-2046Azo-
Azo-, in combination, for Azote.
English · e-37683-2047 · brief source recordAzoic
Azoic, a-zō′ik, adj. without life: before the existence of animal life: formed when there was no animal life on the globe, as rocks. [Gr. a, neg., and zōē, life—za-ein, to live.]
English · e-37683-2048Azonic
Azonic, a-zon′ik, adj. not limited to a zone, not local. [Gr.; a, neg., zōnē, a belt region.]
English · e-37683-2049 · brief source recordAzote
Azote, a-zōt′, n. an old name for nitrogen, so called because it does not sustain animal life.—adj. Azot′ic.—v.t. Az′otise, to impregnate with acid.—n. Az′otite, a salt of azotic or nitrous acid.—adj. Azot′ous, nitrous.
English · e-37683-2050Azoth
Azoth, äz′ōth, n. the alchemist's name for mercury: Paracelsus's universal remedy. [From Ar. az-zāūg, az = al, the, zāūg, from Pers. zhīwah, quicksilver.]
English · e-37683-2051Azrael
Azrael, az′rā-el, n. in Mohammedan mythology, the angel of death.
English · e-37683-2052 · brief source recordAztec
Aztec, az′tek, adj. relating to or descended from the Aztecs, the dominant tribe in Mexico at the time of the arrival of the Spaniards.
English · e-37683-2053Azure
Azure, azh′ūr, or ā′zhūr, adj. of a faint blue: sky-coloured; clear, cloudless.—n. a delicate blue colour: the sky.—adjs. Azurē′an, Az′urine, azure.—n. Az′urite, blue carbonate of copper.—adjs. Az′urn (Milton), azure; Az
English · e-37683-2054Azygous
Azygous, az′i-gus, adj. not yoked or joined with another: (anat.) not one of a pair, as a muscle. [Gr. azygos—a, neg., and zygos, a yoke, from zeugnumi, to join.]
English · e-37683-2055Azymous
Azymous, az′i-mus, adj. unfermented: unleavened.—ns. Az′ym, Az′yme, unleavened bread; Az′ymite, a member of a church using unleavened bread in the Eucharist—a name applied by the Eastern Church to the Western, as well as
English · e-37683-2056B
B, the second letter of our alphabet, called by the Phœnicians beth, 'the house,' coresponding to Greek βετα, 'beta.'—B in music is the seventh note of the scale of C major; B or B flat, a humorous euphemism for the dome
English · e-37683-2057Baa
Baa, bä, n. the cry of a sheep.—v.i. to cry or bleat as a sheep.—n. Baa′ing. [From the sound.]
English · e-37683-2058 · brief source recordBaal
Baal, bā′al, n. the chief male deity of the Phœnician nations: a false god generally:—pl. Bā′alim.—ns. Bā′alism; Bā′alite. [Heb.]
English · e-37683-2059Babble
Babble, bab′bl, v.i. to speak like a baby: to make a continuous murmuring sound like a brook, &c.: to make a babbling noise: to tell secrets.—v.t. to prate: to utter.—adjs. Bab′blative, Bab′bly.—ns. Bab′ble, Bab′blement,
English · e-37683-2060Babe
Babe, bāb, Baby, bā′bi, n. an infant or child: a doll, puppet: the reflection of one's self in miniature seen in the pupil of another's eye.—ns. Bā′by-farm′er, one who takes in infants to nurse on payment; Bā′byhood.—adj
English · e-37683-2061Babel
Babel, bā′bel, n. a lofty structure: a confused combination of sounds: a scene of confusion.—ns. Bā′beldom, Bā′belism. [Heb. Babel, explained in Gen. xi. as confusion.]
English · e-37683-2062Babiroussa
Babiroussa, -russa, ba-bi-rōō′sa, n. a species of wild hog found in the East Indies, often called the horned or deer hog. [Malay bâbi, hog, and rûsa, deer.]
English · e-37683-2063Baboo
Baboo, bä′bōō, n. orig. the Hindu title corresponding to our Mr, but often applied disparagingly to a Hindu with a superficial English education, or adjectively as in 'baboo English,' which is more copious than correct,
English · e-37683-2064Baboon
Baboon, ba-bōōn′, n. a species of large monkey, having a long face, dog-like tusks, large lips, and a short tail.—n. Baboon′ery.—adj. Baboon′ish. [Fr. babouin; remoter origin unknown.]
English · e-37683-2065Babylonian
Babylonian, bab-i-lōn′i-an, adj. pertaining to Babylon: hence (fig.) huge, gigantic: Romish, popish (obs. from the identification with Rome of the scarlet woman of Rev. xvii.); Babel-like, confused in language.—Also Baby
English · e-37683-2066Baccalaureate
Baccalaureate, bak-ka-law′re-āt, n. the university degree of bachelor.—adj. Baccalau′rean [Low L. baccalaureus, corrupted from, baccalarius, with some imaginary reference to bacca lauri, the laurel berry. See Bachelor.]
English · e-37683-2067Baccarat
Baccarat, Baccara, bak-ar-ā′, n. a French game of cards played by any number of betters and a banker. [Fr. baccara.]
English · e-37683-2068 · brief source recordBaccate
Baccate, bak′āt, adj. having berries: berry-like or pulpy.—adjs. Bacciferous (bak-sif′ėr-us), bearing berries; Bac′ciform, of the shape of a berry; Bacciv′orous, living on berries. [L. baccatus—bacca, a berry.]
English · e-37683-2069Bacchanal
Bacchanal, bak′a-nal, n. a worshipper of Bacchus: one who indulges in drunken revels: a dance or song in honour of Bacchus.—adj. relating to drunken revels—also Bacchanā′lian.—ns.pl. Bacchanā′lia, Bac′chanals, originally
English · e-37683-2070Baccy
Baccy, Bacco, abbreviations of Tobacco.
English · e-37683-2071 · brief source recordBacharach
Bacharach, bak′ar-ak, n. an excellent wine named from Bacharach, a town on the Rhine.
English · e-37683-2072 · brief source recordBachelor
Bachelor, bach′el-or, n. a young knight who followed the banner of another, as being too young to display his own: an unmarried man: one who has taken his first degree at a university.—ns. Bach′elorhood, Bach′elorship; B
English · e-37683-2073Bacillus
Bacillus, ba-sil′us, n. properly the name of a distinct genus of Schizomycetes, but popularly used in the same sense as Bacterium:—pl. Bacil′lī.—adjs. Bacil′lar, Bacil′lary, of the shape or nature of a bacillus, consisti
English · e-37683-2074Back
Back, bak, n. a brewer's or dyer's tub or trough. [Dut. bak.]
English · e-37683-2075 · brief source recordBack
Back, bak, n. the hinder part of the body in man, and the upper part in beasts, extending from the neck and shoulders to the extremity of the backbone: put for the whole body in speaking of clothes: the hinder part, or t
English · e-37683-2076Backare
Backare, Baccare, bak′āre, interj. (Shak.) back! stand back! [Perh. for back there!]
English · e-37683-2077 · brief source recordBacket
Backet, bak′et (Scot.), n. a shallow wooden trough for carrying ashes, coals, &c. [Fr. baquet, dim. of bac, back.]
English · e-37683-2078 · brief source recordBackgammon
Backgammon, bak-gam′un, n. a game played by two persons on a board with dice and fifteen men or pieces each. [M.E. gamen, play; and named from the fact that the pieces are sometimes taken up and obliged to go back—that i
English · e-37683-2079Backsheesh
Backsheesh, Backshish, bak′shēsh, n. a gift or present of money in the East, a gratuity or tip. [Pers.]
English · e-37683-2080 · brief source recordBackward
Backward, bak′ward, adv. towards the back: on the back: towards the past: from a better to a worse state: in a direction opposite to the normal—also Back′wards.—adj. Back′ward, keeping back: unwilling: slow: late: dull o
English · e-37683-2081Bacon
Bacon, bā′kn, n. swine's flesh salted or pickled and dried: (Shak.) a rustic, 'chaw-bacon.'—To save or sell one's bacon, i.e. one's own flesh or body. [O. Fr. bacon, of Teut. origin; cf. Old High Ger. bahho, bacho; Ger.
English · e-37683-2082Baconian
Baconian, bak-ōn′i-an, adj. pertaining to Lord Bacon (1561-1626), or to his philosophy, which was inductive or based on experience.
English · e-37683-2083Bacterium
Bacterium, bak-tē′ri-um, n., Bacteria, bak-tē′ri-a, n.pl. Schizomycetes, extremely small, single-celled, fungoid plants, single or grouped, reproducing rapidly by cross division or by the formation of spores, almost alwa
English · e-37683-2084Baculine
Baculine, bak′ū-līn, adj. pertaining to the stick or cane—in flogging. [L. baculum.]
English · e-37683-2085 · brief source recordBaculite
Baculite, bak′ū-līt, n. a genus of fossil shells, allied to the ammonites, having a shell of perfectly straight form, tapering to a point. [L. baculum, a stick.]
English · e-37683-2086Bad
Bad, bad, adj. ill or evil: wicked: hurtful: incorrect, faulty: unfavourable: painful:—comp. Worse; superl. Worst.—adj. Bad′dish, somewhat bad: not very good.—adv. Bad′ly.—ns. Bad′ness.—Bad blood, angry feeling; Bad coin
English · e-37683-2087Bade
Bade, bad, pa.t. of Bid.
English · e-37683-2088 · brief source recordBadge
Badge, baj, n. a mark or sign by which a person or object is known or distinguished. [M.E. bage—Low L. bagia, bagea, connected by Skeat with Low L. baga, a golden ring, from L. bacca, baca, a berry, also the link of a ch
English · e-37683-2089Badger
Badger, baj′ėr, n. a burrowing, nocturnal, hibernating animal about the size of a fox, eagerly hunted by dogs.—v.t. to pursue with eagerness, as dogs hunt the badger: to pester or worry.—ns. Badg′er-bait′ing, the sport o
English · e-37683-2090Badinage
Badinage, bad′in-äzh, n. light playful talk: banter. [Fr. badinage—badin, playful or bantering.]
English · e-37683-2091 · brief source recordBadminton
Badminton, bad′min-ton, n. a cooling summer drink compounded of claret, sugar, and soda-water: a predecessor of lawn-tennis, played with shuttlecocks. [From Badminton in Gloucester, a seat of the Duke of Beaufort.]
English · e-37683-2092Baff
Baff, bäf, v.t. (golf) to strike the ground with a club in playing, and so to send the ball up in the air.
English · e-37683-2093 · brief source recordBaffle
Baffle, baf′fl, v.t. to check or make ineffectual: (obs.) to cheat, hoodwink, bewilder, bring to nought: (obs.) to disgrace publicly.—ns. Baf′fle (obs.), confusion, check; Baf′fler, a bewilderer, confounder.—To baffle ou
English · e-37683-2094Baft
Baft, baft, n. a coarse fabric, originally Oriental, now manufactured in and shipped from England. [Pers. baft, woven.]
English · e-37683-2095 · brief source recordBaft
Baft, baft, n. adv. and prep. behind, in the rear (mostly naut.). [A.S. beæftan, from be, by, and æftan, behind.]
English · e-37683-2096 · brief source recordBag
Bag, bag, n. a sack, pouch: specially the silken pouch to contain the back-hair of the wig: a measure of quantity for produce: a game-bag, i.e. the quantity of fish or game secured: an udder: (vulg. in pl.) trousers.—v.i
English · e-37683-2097Bagasse
Bagasse, ba-gas′, n. refuse in sugar-making. [Fr.; Sp. bagazo, husks of grapes or olives after pressing.]
English · e-37683-2098 · brief source recordBagatelle
Bagatelle, bag-a-tel′, n. a trifle: a piece of music in a light style: a game played on a board (7 feet long and 21 inches broad) with nine balls and a cue, the object being to put the balls down into as many numbered ho
English · e-37683-2099Baggage
Baggage, bag′āj, n. the tents, provisions, and other necessaries of an army: (U.S.) traveller's luggage; a worthless woman: a saucy woman. [O. Fr. bagage—baguer, to bind up, from which we may infer all the meanings, with
English · e-37683-2100Bagnio
Bagnio, ban′yō, n. a bath, esp. one with hot baths: an Oriental place of detention: a stew or house of ill-fame. [It. bagno—L. balneum, a bath.]
English · e-37683-2101Bagpipe
Bagpipe, bag′pīp, n. a musical wind-instrument, consisting of a leathern bag fitted with pipes. The Highland bagpipe has five pipes: a, the mouthpiece, to keep the bag filled with air; b, the chanter, having a reed and f
English · e-37683-2102Bah
Bah, bä, interj. an exclamation of disgust or contempt. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-2103 · brief source recordBahadur
Bahadur, ba-had′ōōr, n. a title of respect often added by natives to the names of English officers in India. [Hind. bahadur, brave.]
English · e-37683-2104Baignoire
Baignoire, bān′war, n. a box at the theatre on a level with the stalls. [Orig. = 'bathing-box,' Fr. baigner, to bathe.]
English · e-37683-2105 · brief source recordBail
Bail, bāl, n. one who procures the release of an accused person by becoming guardian or security for his appearing in court: the security given: (Spens.) jurisdiction.—v.t. to set a person free by giving security for him
English · e-37683-2106Bail
Bail, bāl, v.t. (rare) to confine.—To bail up (Australia), to secure a cow's head during milking: to disarm travellers so as to be able to rob them without resistance. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]
English · e-37683-2107Bail
Bail, bāl, n. palisades, barriers: a pole separating horses in an open stable. [M. E.—O. Fr. baile, perh. from baillier, to enclose. Others suggest a derivation from L. baculum, a stick.]
English · e-37683-2108Bail
Bail, bāl, n. one of the cross pieces on the top of the wicket in cricket.—n. Bail′er, a ball bowled so as to hit the bails. [Prob. conn. with the preceding word.]
English · e-37683-2109Bail
Bail, bāl, v.t. to clear (a boat) of water with bails or shallow buckets.—n. a man or instrument for bailing water out of a ship, pit, &c.—Also spelled Bale. [Fr. baille, a bucket, perh. from Low L. bacula, dim. of baca.
English · e-37683-2110Bailey
Bailey, bāl′i, n. the outer court of a feudal castle: either of the two courts formed by the spaces between the circuits of walls, hence Outer and Inner Bailey.—The Old Bailey in London, the Central Criminal Court, from
English · e-37683-2111Bailie
Bailie, bāl′i, n. a municipal officer in Scotland corresponding to an English alderman: (obs.) a sheriff's officer; but cf. Scotch Wat′er-bail′ies, constables employed to carry out the Tweed Fisheries Acts: (obs.) the ch
English · e-37683-2112Bailiff
Bailiff, bāl′if, n. formerly any king's officer, e.g. sheriffs, mayors, &c., but applied specially to the chief officer of a hundred, still the title of the chief magistrate of various towns (e.g. High-bailiff of Westmin
English · e-37683-2113Bairam
Bairam, bī′ram, n. the name of two Mohammedan festivals—the Lesser Bairam lasting three days, after the feast of Ramadan, and the Greater Bairam seventy days later, lasting four days. [Pers.]
English · e-37683-2114Bairn
Bairn, bārn, n. (Scot.) a child.—adj. Bairn′-like.—ns. Bairn′team, Bairn′time, brood of children. [A.S. bearn—beran, to bear.]
English · e-37683-2115Baisemain
Baisemain, bāz′mang, n. (obs.) mostly in pl., compliment paid by kissing the hand. [Fr. baiser, to kiss, and main, hand.]
English · e-37683-2116Bait
Bait, bāt, n. food put on a hook to allure fish or make them bite: any allurement or temptation: a refreshment taken on a journey, or the time taken up by such.—v.t. to set food as a lure: to give refreshment on a journe
English · e-37683-2117Baize
Baize, bāz, n. a coarse woollen cloth with a long nap, used mainly for coverings, linings, &c., but in some countries for clothing. [Fr. baies, pl. of bai—L. badius, bay-coloured.]
English · e-37683-2118Bajan
Bajan. See Bejan.
English · e-37683-2119 · brief source recordBake
Bake, bāk, v.t. to dry, harden, or cook by the heat of the sun or of fire: to prepare bread or other food in an oven: to harden as by frost.—v.i. to work as a baker: to become firm through heat.—pa.p. baked (bākt); pr.p.
English · e-37683-2120Baksheesh
Baksheesh. See Backsheesh.
English · e-37683-2121 · brief source recordBalaam
Balaam, bā′lam, n. a prophet who strives to mislead, like Balaam in Numb. xxii.-xxiv.: unimportant paragraphs kept in readiness to fill up a newspaper.—ns. Bā′laam-box, or -bas′ket, a place in which paragraphs such as th
English · e-37683-2122Balance
Balance, bal′ans, n. an instrument for weighing, usually formed of two dishes or scales hanging from a beam supported in the middle: act of weighing two things: equality or just proportion of weight or power, as the bala
English · e-37683-2123Balanus
Balanus. See Acorn-shell.
English · e-37683-2124 · brief source recordBalas
Balas, bal′as, n. a variety of the spinel ruby. [O. Fr. balais (It. balascio)—Low L. balascus—Pers. Badakhshān, a place near Samarcand where they are found.]
English · e-37683-2125Balata
Balata, bal′a-ta, n. the gum of the bullet or bully tree of South America, used as a substitute for gutta-percha in insulating telegraph-wires.
English · e-37683-2126Balbutient
Balbutient, bal-bū′shi-ent, adj. stammering. [L. balbutiens—balbūtīre, to stutter.]
English · e-37683-2127 · brief source recordBalcony
Balcony, balk′on-i (18th c., bal-kō′ni), n. a stage or platform projecting from the wall of a building within or without, supported by pillars or consoles, and surrounded with a balustrade or railing: in theatres, usuall
English · e-37683-2128Bald
Bald, bawld, adj. without hair (feathers, &c.) on the head (or on other parts of the body): bare, unadorned, destitute of literary grace: paltry, trivial: undisguised.—ns. Bald′-coot, popular name for the coot, from its
English · e-37683-2129Baldachin
Baldachin, bal′da-kin, n. silk brocade: a canopy, either supported on pillars, or fastened to the wall, over a throne, pulpit, or altar, &c.: in R.C. processions, a canopy borne over the priest who carries the Host. [It.
English · e-37683-2130Balderdash
Balderdash, bawl′dėr-dash, n. idle senseless talk: anything jumbled together without judgment: obscene language or writing. [Ety. dub.; but cf. the prov. Eng. balder, to use coarse language, Dut. balderen, to roar. Some
English · e-37683-2131Baldmoney
Baldmoney, bawld′mun-i, n. popular name for several kinds of Gentian. [Ety. quite unknown.]
English · e-37683-2132 · brief source recordBaldrick
Baldrick, bawld′rik, n. a warrior's belt or shoulder-sash: (Spens.) the zodiac, being regarded as a gem-studded belt. [O. Fr. baldrei (Mid. High Ger. balderich, girdle)—Low L. baldringus, perh. from L. balteus.]
English · e-37683-2133Bale
Bale, bāl, n. a bundle, or package of goods: (obs.) the set of dice for any special game.—v.t. to make into bales. [M. E. bale, perh. from O. Fr. bale—Old High Ger. balla, palla, ball. See Ball.]
English · e-37683-2134Bale
Bale, bāl, v.t. to throw out water [See Bail.]
English · e-37683-2135 · brief source recordBale
Bale, bāl, n. evil, injury, mischief: misery: woe.—adj. Bale′ful, full of misery, destructive: full of sorrow, sad.—adv. Bale′fully.—n. Bale′fulness.—Bliss and bale are often alliteratively opposed; also Boot and bale. [
English · e-37683-2136Bale
Bale, bāl, n. (arch.—Morris) a fire, funeral pyre: (Scot.) a beacon-fire.—n. Bale′-fire, a blazing fire: a beacon-fire: a bonfire. Spenser confounds with Bale, woe. [A.S. bæl; Scand. bál; cog. with Gr. phalos, bright. Se
English · e-37683-2137Baleen
Baleen, bā-lēn′, n. the whalebone of commerce. [Fr.—L. balæna, whale.]
English · e-37683-2138 · brief source recordBalistraria
Balistraria, bal-is-trār′i-a, n. an aperture or loophole in the wall of a fortification through which crossbowmen might discharge their bolts.—n. Bal′ister (obs.), name for an arbalester or crossbowman, also an arbalest
English · e-37683-2139Balk
Balk, Baulk, bawk, n. a ridge left unploughed, intentionally or through carelessness: (obs.) an omission: squared timber: a tie-beam of a house, stretching from wall to wall, esp. when laid so as to form a loft, 'the bal
English · e-37683-2140Ball
Ball, bawl, n. anything round: any celestial body, esp. the 'globe:' the golden orb borne with the sceptre as the emblem of sovereignty: a globular body to play with in tennis, football, golf, billiards, &c.: any rounded
English · e-37683-2141Ball
Ball, bawl, n. an entertainment of dancing.—n. Ball′room.—To open the ball, to begin the dancing, to begin operations. [O. Fr. bal, baller, to dance—Low L. ballare, referred by some to Gr. ballizein.]
English · e-37683-2142Ballad
Ballad, bal′lad, n. a simple spirited narrative poem in short stanzas of two or four lines, in which a story is told in straightforward verse, often with great elaborateness and detail in incident, but always with graphi
English · e-37683-2143Ballade
Ballade, ba-lad′, n. a poem of one or more terns or triplets of seven or eight lined stanzas, each ending with the same line as refrain, and usually an envoy: now frequently used of any poem in stanzas of equal length.—B
English · e-37683-2144Balladine
Balladine, bal′a-dēn, n. a female public dancer. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-2145 · brief source recordBallast
Ballast, bal′last, n. heavy matter employed to give a ship sufficient immersion in the water, to insure her safe sailing with spread canvas, when her cargo and equipment are too light: that which renders anything steady.
English · e-37683-2146Ballerina
Ballerina, bal-ler-ēn′a, n. a female dancer:—pl. Ballerine (bal-ler-in′), Ballerin′as. [It.]
English · e-37683-2147 · brief source recordBallet
Ballet, bal′lā, n. a theatrical exhibition composed of dancing, posturing, and pantomimic action: (obs.) a dance. [Fr.; dim. of bal, a dance.]
English · e-37683-2148Ballista
Ballista, Balista, bal-lis′ta, n. a Roman military engine in the form of a crossbow, which, like the catapulta and the onager, propelled large and heavy missiles, chiefly through the reaction of a tightly twisted rope, o
English · e-37683-2149Ballium
Ballium, bal′li-um, n. the Low L. form of Bailey.
English · e-37683-2150 · brief source recordBalloon
Balloon, bal-lōōn′, n. an inflated air-tight envelope of paper or silk, constructed to float in the air and carry a considerable weight when filled with heated air or light gas: anything inflated, empty: (obs.) a game pl
English · e-37683-2151Ballot
Ballot, bal′ut, n. a little ball or ticket used in voting: a method of secret voting by putting a ball or ticket into an urn or box.—v.i. to vote by ballot: to select by secret voting (with for): draw lots for:—pr.p. bal
English · e-37683-2152Balm
Balm, bäm, n. an aromatic substance: a fragrant and healing ointment: aromatic fragrance: anything that heals or soothes pain: a tree yielding balm: name of some fragrant garden herbs.—v.t. (arch.) to embalm: (Shak.) to
English · e-37683-2153Balm-cricket
Balm-cricket, bäm′-krik′et, n. (Tennyson) a cicada. [Ger. baum, a tree, and Cricket.]
English · e-37683-2154 · brief source recordBalmoral
Balmoral, bal-mor′al, n. a kind of Scotch cap: a figured woollen petticoat: a kind of boot lacing in front.
English · e-37683-2155 · brief source recordBalneology
Balneology, bal-ne-ol′o-ji, n. the scientific study of bathing and of mineral springs. [L. balneum, bath.]
English · e-37683-2156 · brief source recordBalsam
Balsam, bawl′sam, n. the common name of a genus of succulent herbaceous plants: a resinous oily substance generally supposed to be derived from a species of Balsamodendron, early famous in the East for its fragrance and
English · e-37683-2157Baltimore
Baltimore, bal′tim-ōr, n. a finch-like perching bird of the starling family, very common in North America, called also Baltimore oriole, Fire-bird, &c. [From Lord Baltimore, whose livery was orange and black—its colour.]
English · e-37683-2158Baluster
Baluster, bal′ust-ėr, n. a small pillar used as a support to the rail of a staircase, &c.—adj. Bal′ustered.—n. Bal′ustrade, a row of balusters joined by a rail, forming an ornamental parapet to a balcony, &c. [Fr. balust
English · e-37683-2159Bam
Bam, bam, n. a slang word for a hoax: a false tale.—v.t. to cheat or hoax. [See Bamboozle.]
English · e-37683-2160 · brief source recordBambino
Bambino, bam-bi′no, n. a term in art descriptive of the child Jesus, esp. of the swaddled figure of the infant Saviour exhibited at Christmas in Catholic churches. [It., dim. of bambo.]
English · e-37683-2161Bamboo
Bamboo, bam-bōō′, n. a gigantic Indian reed or grass, with hollow-jointed stem, and of hard texture. [Malay bambu.]
English · e-37683-2162 · brief source recordBamboozle
Bamboozle, bam-bōō′zl, v.t. to deceive: to confound or mystify.—n. Bamboo′zlement. [Of cant origin—but not Gipsy; first appears about 1700.]
English · e-37683-2163Ban
Ban, ban, n. a proclamation: sentence of banishment: outlawry: anathematisation: a denunciation: a curse.—v.t. (arch.) to curse: (prov.) to chide or rail upon: to anathematise: to proscribe. [A.S. bannan, to summon; the
English · e-37683-2164Ban
Ban, ban, n. the governor of a Banat, an old name for the military divisions on the eastern boundaries of the Hungarian kingdom.—ns. Banate, Bannat. [Pers. bān, lord.]
English · e-37683-2165Banal
Banal, bān′al, or ban′al, adj. commonplace, trivial.—n. Banal′ity, triviality. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-2166 · brief source recordBanana
Banana, ba-nä′na, n. a gigantic herbaceous plant, remarkable for its nutritious fruit. [Sp. or Port. banana, from the native name in Guinea.]
English · e-37683-2167Banbury
Banbury, ban′ber-i, n. a kind of cake made at Banbury, a town in Oxfordshire.
English · e-37683-2168 · brief source recordBanco
Banco, bang′ko, n. a commercial term meaning the standard money in which a bank keeps its accounts, as distinguished from the current money of the place.—In banco, applied to the sittings of a superior court of common la
English · e-37683-2169Band
Band, band, n. that by which loose things are held together: (fig.) a moral bond of restraint or of obligation: a tie or connecting piece: (pl.) shackles, bonds, fetters (B.): (arch.) an agreement or promise given: (arch
English · e-37683-2170Band
Band, band, n. a strip of cloth, or the like, to bind round anything, as a hat-band, waist-band, &c.: a stripe crossing a surface distinguished by its colour or appearance: the neck-band or collar of a shirt, also the co
English · e-37683-2171Band
Band, band, n. a number of persons bound together for any common purpose: a troop of conspirators, confederates, &c.: a body of musicians, the company of musicians attached to a particular regiment in the army: (Scot.) b
English · e-37683-2172Band
Band, band, v.t. (Spens.) to ban or banish.
English · e-37683-2173 · brief source recordBand
Band, an obsolete pa.t. of Bind.
English · e-37683-2174 · brief source recordBandana
Bandana, Bandanna, ban-dan′a, n. a kind of silk or cotton coloured handkerchief, with a pattern of spots or diamond prints, originally from India. [Hind. bandhnū, the mode of dyeing these, bāndh, a cord.]
English · e-37683-2175Bandeau
Bandeau, ban′dō, n. a fillet or narrow band worn by women to bind their hair:—pl. Ban′deaux. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-2176 · brief source recordBandelet
Bandelet, band′e-let, n. (archit.) a small flat moulding or fillet surrounding a column. [Fr. bandelette.]
English · e-37683-2177 · brief source recordBandelier
Bandelier, ban-de-lēr′, n. a form of Bandoleer.
English · e-37683-2178 · brief source recordBanderol
Banderol, Banderole, ban′de-rōl, n. a small banner or streamer, as that borne on the shaft of a lance: (archit.) a flat band with an inscription common in Renaissance buildings. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-2179Bandicoot
Bandicoot, ban′di-kōōt, n. a genus of insectivorous marsupials found in Australia: the largest species of rat, found in India and Ceylon, called also Malabar rat and Pig-rat. [Telegu pandikokku, pig-rat.]
English · e-37683-2180Bandied
Bandied. See Bandy.
English · e-37683-2181 · brief source recordBandit
Bandit, ban′dit, n. an outlaw: a robber:—pl. Ban′dits, Banditt′i. [It. bandito—Low L. bannire, bandire, to proclaim. See Ban.]
English · e-37683-2182Bandog
Bandog, ban′dog, n. a dog tied up as a watch-dog, or because of its ferocity. [Band, fastening, and Dog.]
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