Historical source · 1908
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.
Coverage: the complete A–Z main-entry clusters and dictionary Addenda. Derivative words remain within their original entry clusters. Non-dictionary appendices and standalone illustrations are excluded.
United States Publisher marks these historical texts public domain in the USA. Transformed book text excludes Gutenberg branding; source attribution is a bibliographic acknowledgment. No non-US public-domain determination is made. Rights statement ↗
Bondage, bond′āj, n. state of being bound: captivity: slavery.—n. Bond′ager, a female outworker in the Border and North country, whom the hind or married cottar was bound to provide for the farm-work. [O. Fr.; Low L. bon
English · e-37683-3181Bone, bōn, n. a hard substance forming the skeleton of mammalian animals: a piece of the skeleton of an animal: (pl.) the bones collectively: mortal remains: pieces of bone held between the fingers of the hand and rattle
English · e-37683-3182Bonfire, bon′fīr, n. a large fire in the open air on occasions of public rejoicing, &c.—originally a fire in which bones were burnt. [Not Fr. bon, good, and Fire.]
English · e-37683-3183Bongrace, bon′grās, n. a shade from the sun once worn by women on the front of the bonnet: a broad-brimmed hat or bonnet. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3184Bonhomie, bon′o-mē, n. easy good-nature. [Fr.; bon homme, a good fellow.]
English · e-37683-3185 · brief source recordBoniface, bon′i-fās, n. a generic name for an innkeeper, like 'mine host' or 'landlord'—from the hearty Boniface of Farquhar's Beaux' Stratagem.
English · e-37683-3186Boning, bōn′ing, n. the act of estimating straightness by looking along a series of poles, as in boning-rod or telescope.
English · e-37683-3187Bonito, bo-nēto, n. a name given to several fishes of the mackerel family—the Stripe-bellied Tunny of the tropical parts of the Atlantic and Pacific; the Mediterranean Bonito; the Plain Bonito. [Sp.]
English · e-37683-3188Bonne, bon, n. a French nursemaid. [Fr.; fem. of bon, good.]
English · e-37683-3189 · brief source recordBonne-bouche, bon-bōōsh, n. a delicious morsel. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3190 · brief source recordBonnet, bon′et, n. a covering for the head worn by women, without a brim, tied on by strings, and now letting the whole face be seen, although formerly a bonnet (esp. a Poke′-bonn′et) covered the sides of the face: a sof
English · e-37683-3191Bonny, bon′i, adj. beautiful: handsome: gay: plump: pleasant-looking: as a general term expressing appreciation = considerable, &c., often ironically: cheerful: (Shak.) stout, strong.—adv. Bonn′ily, beautifully: gaily.—n
English · e-37683-3192Bonspiel, bon′spēl, n. a great curling-match. [Dr Murray suggests an assumed Dut. bondspel, from bond = verbond, 'covenant, alliance, compact,' and; spel, play; the word having entered Scotch as a whole, spiel, spel, hav
English · e-37683-3193Bonus, bōn′us, n. a premium beyond the usual interest for a loan: an extra dividend to shareholders: an extra gratuity paid to workmen: a douceur or bribe. [L. bonus, good.]
English · e-37683-3194Bonze, bon′ze, n. a Buddhist priest. [Jap. bonzó or bonzi, a priest.]
English · e-37683-3195 · brief source recordBoo, Booh, bōō, interj. a sound expressive of disapprobation or contempt.—v.i. to utter 'boo!' to hoot.—v.t. Boo′-hoo′, to weep noisily.
English · e-37683-3196Booby, bōō′bi, n. a silly or stupid fellow: a sea-bird, of the gannet tribe, remarkable for its apparent stupidity in allowing itself to be knocked down with a stick.—adjs. Boo′by, Boo′byish, like a booby: stupid.—ns. Bo
English · e-37683-3197Boodle, bōōd′l, n. a crowd, pack—'the whole boodle:' stock-in-trade, capital. [May be conn. with Dut. boedel.]
English · e-37683-3198 · brief source recordBoodle, bōōd′l, n. (slang) a stupid noodle.
English · e-37683-3199 · brief source recordBoody, bōōd′i, v.i. to sulk or mope. [Fr. bouder, to pout.]
English · e-37683-3200 · brief source recordBook, book, n. a collection of sheets of paper bound together, either printed, written on, or blank: a literary composition: a division of a volume or subject: the Bible: a betting-book, or record of bets made with diffe
English · e-37683-3201Boom, bōōm, n. a pole by which a sail is stretched: a chain or bar stretched across a harbour. [Dut. boom, a beam, a tree.]
English · e-37683-3202Boom, bōōm, v.i. to make a hollow sound or roar: to go on with a rush, to become suddenly prosperous.—v.t. to push anything into sudden prominence:—pa.p. boomed (bōōmd); pr.p. boom′ing.—n. a hollow roar, as of the sea, t
English · e-37683-3203Boomerang, bōōm′e-rang, n. a hard-wood missile used by the natives of Australia, shaped like the segment of a circle, and so balanced that when thrown to a distance it returns towards the thrower. [Australian.]
English · e-37683-3204Boon, bōōn, n. a petition: a gift or favour. [Ice. bôn, a prayer; A.S. ben.]
English · e-37683-3205 · brief source recordBoon, bōōn, adj. gay, merry, or kind. [Fr. bon—L. bonus, good.]
English · e-37683-3206 · brief source recordBoor, bōōr, n. a countryman, a peasant: a Dutch colonist in South Africa: a coarse or awkward person.—adj. Boor′ish, like a boor: awkward or rude.—adv. Boor′ishly.—n. Boor′ishness. [Dut. boer; Ger. bauer. The A.S. gebúr,
English · e-37683-3207Boord, an obsolete form of Board.
English · e-37683-3208 · brief source recordBoose. See Bouse.
English · e-37683-3209 · brief source recordBoot, bōōt, n. a covering for the foot and lower part of the leg generally made of leather: an infamous instrument of judicial torture, in which the legs were forced into a strong case and wedges driven in until bone, mu
English · e-37683-3210Boot, bōōt, v.t. to profit or advantage.—n. advantage: profit: any reparation or compensation paid, like the man-bote of old English law: (Shak.) booty.—adj. Boot′less, without boot or profit: useless.—adv. Boot′lessly.—
English · e-37683-3211Bootes, bo-ō′tez, n. a northern constellation beside the Great Bear, containing the bright star Arcturus. [Gr.; an ox-driver.]
English · e-37683-3212Booth, bōōth, n. a hut or temporary erection formed of slight materials: a covered stall at a fair or market. [Ice. buð, Ger. bude.]
English · e-37683-3213Booty, bōōt′i, n. spoil taken in war or by force: plunder, a prize.—To play booty, to join with others in order to cheat one player, to play a game with intention to lose. [Ice. býti, share—býta, to divide.]
English · e-37683-3214Booze. See Bouse.
English · e-37683-3215 · brief source recordBora, bō′ra, n. a strong north-east wind in the upper Adriatic. [Diez explains the word as a Venetian variant of It. borea—L. boreas; acc. to others, Slav.; cf. Servian bura.]
English · e-37683-3217Borachio, bor-ach′i-o, n. a Spanish wine-bottle of leather: a drunken fellow. [Sp. borracha.]
English · e-37683-3218 · brief source recordBorage, bur′āj, n. a plant of the genus Borago, formerly in great repute as a cordial. [Low L. borago.]
English · e-37683-3219 · brief source recordBorax, bō′raks, n. a mineral salt used for soldering, as a flux in metallurgy, in enamelling and glazing, as a mordant in dyeing, as a substitute for soap, and also in medicine.—adj. Borac′ic, of or relating to borax.—ns
English · e-37683-3220Bord-raging. See Bodraging.
English · e-37683-3225 · brief source recordBordar, bord′ar, n. a villein who held his hut at his lord's pleasure. [Low L. bordarius; of Teut. origin. See Board.]
English · e-37683-3221 · brief source recordBordeaux, bor-dō′, n. claret, wine of Bordeaux, a great city in the south-west of France.
English · e-37683-3222 · brief source recordBordel, bor′del, n. a house for prostitution. [O. Fr. bordel, a cabin—Low L. borda.]
English · e-37683-3223 · brief source recordBorder, bord′ėr, n. the edge or margin of anything: the march or boundary of a country, esp. that between England and Scotland: a flower-bed in a garden: a piece of ornamental edging or trimming round a garment, &c.—v.i.
English · e-37683-3224Bordure, bor′dūr, n. (her.) a border surrounding a shield, generally said to occupy one-fifth of the field. [Border.]
English · e-37683-3226 · brief source recordBore, bōr, v.t. to pierce so as to form a hole; to weary or annoy.—n. a hole made by boring: the size of the cavity of a gun; a person or thing that wearies (not from the foregoing, according to Dr Murray, who says both
English · e-37683-3227Bore, bōr, did bear, pa.t. of Bear.
English · e-37683-3228 · brief source recordBore, bōr, n. a tidal flood which rushes with great violence up the estuaries of certain rivers, also called Eagre. [Ice. bára, a wave or swell.]
English · e-37683-3229Boreas, bō′re-as, n. the north wind.—adj. Bō′real. [L. and Gr.]
English · e-37683-3230 · brief source recordBoric. Same as Boracic (q.v. under Borax).
English · e-37683-3231 · brief source recordBorn, bawrn,—pa.p. of Bear, to bring forth.—Born again, having received new spiritual life or regeneration through Christ.—Born in, or with, inherited by birth; Born of, sprung from.—A born fool, one whose folly is from
English · e-37683-3232Borne, bōrn, pa.p. of Bear, to carry.
English · e-37683-3233 · brief source recordBorné, bor′nā, adj. limited, narrow-minded. [Fr. pa.p. of borner, to limit.]
English · e-37683-3234 · brief source recordBoron, bō′ron, n. a simple non-metallic element present in borax and boracic acid, obtained in crystals which resemble diamonds. [See Borax.]
English · e-37683-3235Borough, bur′ō, n. a town with a corporation and special privileges granted by royal charter; a town that sends representatives to parliament.—ns. Bor′ough-English, a custom in some ancient English boroughs, by which est
English · e-37683-3236Borrel, bor′el, adj. (Spens.) rustic, clownish. [O. Fr. burel, coarse cloth worn by peasantry.]
English · e-37683-3237 · brief source recordBorrow, bor′ō, v.t. to obtain on loan or trust: to adopt from a foreign source: to derive one's authority from another (with from, of).—p.adj. Borr′owed, taken on loan, counterfeit, assumed.—n. Borr′ower.—Borrowing days,
English · e-37683-3238Borstall, bor′stal, n. a way up a hill, still used in the district of the Downs. [A.S. beorh, a hill, and stigel, a stile.]
English · e-37683-3239Bort, bort, n. diamond-dust. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3240 · brief source recordBorzoi, bor′zoi, n. a breed of dogs of great grace and beauty, in shape like a gigantic greyhound, though covered with a soft coat about the length of a deerhound's. [Russ.]
English · e-37683-3241Boscage, bosk′āj, n. thick foliage: woodland. [Fr. boscage, bocage—Low L. boscus (hence Fr. bois), conn. with Ger. busch, Eng. Bush.]
English · e-37683-3242Bosh, bosh, n. used also as interj. nonsense, foolish talk or opinions. [Turk. bosh, worthless, frequent in Morier's popular novel Ayesha (1834).]
English · e-37683-3243Bosky, bosk′i, adj. woody or bushy: shady.—ns. Bosk′et, Bosk (Tennyson), a thicket.
English · e-37683-3244 · brief source recordBosom, bōōz′um, n. the breast of a human being, or the part of the dress which covers it: (fig.) the seat of the passions and feelings: the heart: embrace, enclosure, as within the arms: any close or secret receptacle.—a
English · e-37683-3245Boson, bō′sn, n. a corruption of Boatswain.
English · e-37683-3246 · brief source recordBoss, bos, n. a knob or stud: a raised ornament.—v.t. to ornament with bosses.—adj. Boss′y, having bosses.—p.adj. Bossed, embossed. [O. Fr. boce (Fr. bosse), from Old Ger. bôzan, to beat.]
English · e-37683-3247Boss, bos, n. the chief or leader: the master, manager, or foreman: the person who pulls the wires in political intrigues.—adj. chief: excellent.—v.t. to manage or control.—To boss the show, to be supreme director of an
English · e-37683-3248Bostangi, bos-tan′ji, n. a Turkish guard of the palace. [Turk.]
English · e-37683-3249 · brief source recordBoston, bost′on, n. a game at cards, somewhat similar to whist. [From Boston in Mass., U.S.]
English · e-37683-3250 · brief source recordBoswellian, bos-wel′li-an, adj. after the manner of Boswell, the famous biographer of Samuel Johnson.—v.i. Bos′wellise, to write after the manner of Boswell—full of an absolute admiration for one's hero and interest in h
English · e-37683-3251Bot. See Bots.
English · e-37683-3252 · brief source recordBotany, bot′an-i, n. the science of plants.—adj. Botan′ic.—adv. Botan′ically.—v.i. Bot′anise, to seek for and collect plants for study.—ns. Bot′anist, one skilled in botany; Bot′anomancy, divination by means of plants, e
English · e-37683-3253Botargo, bot-ar′go, n. a relish made of mullet or tunny roe. [It.—Ar.]
English · e-37683-3254 · brief source recordBotch, boch, n. a swelling on the skin: a clumsy patch: ill-finished work.—v.t. to patch or mend clumsily: to put together unsuitably or unskilfully.—ns. Botch′er, one who botches; Botch′work, Botch′ery.—adj. Botch′y, ma
English · e-37683-3255Botfly. See Bots.
English · e-37683-3256 · brief source recordBoth, bōth, adj. and pron. the two: the one and the other.—conj. as well: on the one side. [Ice. bathi, Ger. beide; A.S. bâ; cf. L. am-bo, Gr. am-phō, Sans. ubha, orig. ambha.]
English · e-37683-3257Bother, both′ėr, v.t. to perplex or tease.—ns. Both′er; Botherā′tion.—adj. Both′ersome. [Murray notes that the word first appeared in the writings of Irish-born men, as Dr Sheridan, Swift, and Sterne. Perh. from Ir. buai
English · e-37683-3258Bothy, Bothie, both′i, n. a humble cottage or hut: a temporary house for men engaged in some common work, esp. the barely furnished quarters provided for farm-servants, generally unmarried men, in the eastern and north-e
English · e-37683-3259Botoné, Bottony, bot′un-i, adj. (her.) having buds or knobs at the extremity, applied to a cross having each arm terminated in three buds, like trefoil. [O. Fr. See Button.]
English · e-37683-3260Bots, Botts, botz, n. the larvæ of the botfly found in the flesh and in the intestines of animals.—n. Bot′fly, a family of dipterous insects, resembling the blue-bottle fly, which deposit their eggs on cattle. [Ety. unkn
English · e-37683-3262Bottine, bot′ēn, n. a high boot, a half-boot. [Fr., dim. of botte, a boot.]
English · e-37683-3263 · brief source recordBottle, bot′l, n. a bundle of hay.—To look for a needle in a bottle of hay, to engage in a hopeless search. [O. Fr. botel.]
English · e-37683-3264Bottle, bot′l, n. a hollow vessel for holding liquids: the contents of such a vessel: the habit of drinking.—v.t. to enclose in bottles.—n. Bott′le-chart, one which purports to show the track of sealed bottles thrown fro
English · e-37683-3265Bottom, bot′um, n. the lowest part of anything: that on which anything rests or is founded: the sitting part of the human body: the foot of a page, &c.: low land, as in a valley: the keel of a ship, hence the vessel itse
English · e-37683-3266Bottony. See Botoné.
English · e-37683-3267 · brief source recordBoudoir, bōōd′war, n. a lady's private room. [Fr.—bouder, to pout, to be sulky.]
English · e-37683-3268 · brief source recordBouffant, boof′ang, adj. puffed out, in dressmaking. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3269 · brief source recordBouffe. See Opera-bouffe.
English · e-37683-3270 · brief source recordBougainvillæa, bōōg-ān-vil-ē′a, n. a neotropical genus of Nyctaginaceæ, frequently trained over trellises or under the roofs of greenhouses, their triplets of flowers almost concealed by rosy or purple bracts. [From the
English · e-37683-3271Bough, bow, n. a branch of a tree: the gallows. [A.S. bóg, bóh, an arm, the shoulder (Ger. bug, the shoulder, the bow of a ship)—A.S. bugan, to bend.]
English · e-37683-3272Bought, bawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Buy.—Bought′en in an archaic form.
English · e-37683-3273 · brief source recordBought, bowt, n. a bight or bend: (Spens.) a twist or coil: the bend of a sling in which the stone is placed. [See Bight.]
English · e-37683-3274Bougie, bōō′zhi, n. an instrument made of elastic, gum, wax, or metal, for distending contracted mucous canals, as the gullet, bowels, or urethra. [Fr. a 'wax candle,' because the instrument was orig. made of waxed linen
English · e-37683-3275Bouillabaisse, bōō-lya-bās′, n. a Provençal kind of fish chowder, familiar through Thackeray's appreciative ballad. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3276Bouilli, bōō′-yē, n. boiled or stewed meat.—n. Bouillon (bōō-yong), soup. [Fr. See Boil.]
English · e-37683-3277 · brief source recordBoulder, bōld′ėr, n. a large stone rounded by the action of water: (geol.) a mass of rock transported by natural agencies from its native bed.—adj. containing boulders.—n. Bould′er-clay (see Till, 4). [Acc. to Wedgwood,
English · e-37683-3278Boulevard, bōōl′e-vär, n. a broad walk or promenade bordered with trees, originally applied to those formed upon the demolished fortifications of a town.—n. Boul′evardier, a frequenter of the boulevards. [Fr.—Ger. bollwe
English · e-37683-3279Bouleversement, bōōl-vers-mang, n. an overturning. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3280 · brief source recordBoult, bōlt, v.t. (Spens.). Same as Bolt (2).
English · e-37683-3281 · brief source recordBoun, Bowne, bown, v.t. (used refl.) to prepare one's self, to have recourse to.—v.i. to prepare, dress: to set out, to go to a place—(Spens.) Bound. [Boun, earlier form of bound—revived by Scott.]
English · e-37683-3282Bounce, bowns, v.i. to jump or spring suddenly: to bound like a ball, to throw one's self about: (obs.) to beat: to burst into or out of a room, &c.: to boast, to exaggerate.—n. a heavy, sudden blow: a leap or spring: a
English · e-37683-3283Bound, bownd, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bind, confined, bandaged: intimately connected with—'bound up in:' of books, having a cover of, as 'bound in morocco,' &c. (with in): under obligation or necessity to, as 'bound to win.'—
English · e-37683-3284Bound, bownd, n. a limit or boundary: the limit of anything, as patience—'to break bounds,' to go beyond what is reasonable or allowable: (pl.) a border-land, land generally within certain understood limits, the district
English · e-37683-3285Bound, bownd, v.i. to spring or leap.—n. a spring or leap.—p.adj. Bound′ing, moving forward with a bound: leaping.—By leaps and bounds, by startlingly rapid stages. [Fr. bondir, to spring, in O. Fr. to resound—L. bombitā
English · e-37683-3286Bound, bownd, adj. ready to go—as in 'outward bound,' &c. [Ice. búinn, pa.p of búa, to prepare.]
English · e-37683-3287 · brief source recordBounden, bownd′n, adj. binding: required: obligatory. [From Bind.]
English · e-37683-3288 · brief source recordBounty, bown′ti, n. liberality in bestowing gifts: the gift bestowed: money offered as an inducement to enter the army, or as a premium to encourage any branch of industry.—adjs. Boun′teous, Boun′tiful, liberal in giving
English · e-37683-3289Bouquet, bōōk′ā, n. a bunch of flowers: a nosegay: the perfume exhaled by wine. [Fr. bosquet, dim. of bois, a wood—It. bosco. See Boscage, Bush.]
English · e-37683-3290Bourasque, bōō-rask′, n. a tempest. [Fr. bourrasque; It. borasco, a storm.]
English · e-37683-3291 · brief source recordBourbonist, bōōr′bun-ist, n. an adherent of the Bourbons, the old French royal dynasty.
English · e-37683-3292 · brief source recordBourd, bōōrd, n. (Spens.) a jest, sport.—n. Bourd′er (obs.), a jester. [O. Fr. bourde, origin unknown.]
English · e-37683-3293 · brief source recordBourdon, bōōr′dun, n. the refrain of a song: a bass stop in an organ or harmonium. [See Burden.]
English · e-37683-3294 · brief source recordBourdon, bōōr′dun, n. (obs.) a pilgrim's staff: a club. [Fr.—Low L. burdon-em, a mule.]
English · e-37683-3295 · brief source recordBourg, burg, n. Same as Burgh, Borough.
English · e-37683-3296 · brief source recordBourgeois, bur-jois′, n. a kind of printing type, larger than brevier and smaller than longprimer. [Fr.—perh. from the name of the typefounder.]
English · e-37683-3297Bourgeoisie, bōōrzh′waw-zē, n. the middle class of citizens, esp. traders. [From Fr. bourgeois, a citizen, often taken as a typical word for the mercantile middle class—used also adjectively, like such in manners or ways
English · e-37683-3298Bourgeon, bur′jun, v.i. to put forth sprouts or buds: to grow. [Fr. bourgeon, a bud, shoot.]
English · e-37683-3299 · brief source recordBourignian, bōōr-in′yan, adj. of or pertaining to Antoinette Bourignon (1616-80), a religious visionary who made religion consist in inward emotion, not in knowledge or practice.—Bourign′ianism was strong in Scotland abo
English · e-37683-3300Bourlaw. See Byrlaw.
English · e-37683-3301 · brief source recordBourn, Bourne, bōrn, or bōōrn, n. a boundary, a limit, or goal: (Keats) domain. [Fr. borne, a limit. See Bound (2).]
English · e-37683-3302 · brief source recordBourn, Bourne. See Burn (1).
English · e-37683-3303 · brief source recordBourse, bōōrs, n. an exchange where merchants meet for business. [Fr. bourse. See Purse.]
English · e-37683-3304 · brief source recordBourtree, bōōr′trē, n. the elder-tree—also Boun′tree.—n. Bour′tree-gun, a pop-gun made of a piece of its wood by taking out the pith. [Scot.; ety. unknown.]
English · e-37683-3305Bouse, Booze, Boose, bōōz, v.i. to drink deeply.—n. a drinking bout.—adj. Bous′ing, drinking.—n. Bous′ingken, a low drinking-shop.—adj. Bous′y, inclined to bouse: drunken. [Dut. buysen, to drink deeply—buis, a tube or fl
English · e-37683-3306Boustrophedon, bow-strof-ē′don, adj. and adv. written ploughwise, alternately from right to left and from left to right—a form of alphabetic writing intermediate between the oldest Greek inscriptions (from right to left,
English · e-37683-3307Bout, bowt, n. a turn, trial, or round: an attempt: a contest or trial—a fencing bout, or a continued fit of drinking. [Doublet of Bight; from root of Bow, to bend.]
English · e-37683-3308Boutade, bōō-tad′, n. a sudden outburst. [Fr.; bouter, to thrust.]
English · e-37683-3309 · brief source recordBouts-rimés, bōō-rē-mā′, n.pl. rhyming words given out by some one of a party as the endings of a stanza, the others having to fill up the lines as best they may. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3310Bovine, bō′vīn, adj. pertaining to cattle. [L. bos, bovis, Gr. bous, an ox or cow.]
English · e-37683-3311 · brief source recordBovril, bov′ril, n. a registered trade-mark applied to a special meat extract. [Coined from Gr. bous, bovis, an ox, and vril, the electric fluid represented as the one common origin of the forces in matter, in Lytton's n
English · e-37683-3312Bow, bow, v.i. to bend the body in saluting a person, acknowledging a compliment, &c.: to submit.—v.t. to bend or incline downwards, to crush down (with down, to, in or out, up or down).—n. a bending of the body in salut
English · e-37683-3313Bow, bō, n. a piece of elastic wood or other material for shooting arrows, bent by means of a string stretched between its two ends: anything of a bent or curved shape, as the rainbow: the instrument by which the strings
English · e-37683-3314Bow, bow, n. the general name for the stem and forepart of a ship, or that which cuts the water—often used in pl., the ship being considered to have starboard and port bows, meeting at the stem.—ns. Bow′er, Bow′er-anch′o
English · e-37683-3315Bowdlerise, bowd′lėr-īz, v.t. to expurgate a book or writing, to remove indelicate words or phrases, esp. to do so unnecessarily.—ns. Bowdlerisā′tion; Bowd′leriser; Bowd′lerism. [From Dr T. Bowdler (1754-1825), who publi
English · e-37683-3316Bowels, bow′elz, n.pl. the interior parts of the body, the entrails, the intestines: the interior part of anything: (fig.) the heart, pity, tenderness (the emotions being supposed to be seated in the bowels—B. and Shak.)
English · e-37683-3317Bower, bow′ėr, n. a shady enclosure or recess in a garden, an arbour: an inner apartment, esp. the private room of a lady, a boudoir.—n. Bow′er-bird, an Australian bird of the Starling family, remarkable for its habit of
English · e-37683-3318Bower, bow′ėr, n. the name in euchre for the two highest cards, the knave of trumps, and the other knave of the same colour, the right and left bower respectively. [Ger. bauer, peasant.]
English · e-37683-3319Bowie-knife, bō′i-nīf, n. a dagger-knife with a blade about twelve inches long, carried in the southern states of America—so named from its inventor, Colonel Bowie.
English · e-37683-3320Bowl, bōl, n. a wooden ball used for rolling along the ground.—v.t. and v.i. to play at bowls: to roll along like a bowl: to throw a ball, as in cricket.—ns. Bowl′er, one who plays at bowls: one who bowls the ball in cri
English · e-37683-3321Bowl, bōl, n. a basin for domestic use, esp. of earthenware or porcelain, nearly hemispherical in shape: a large punch-bowl, for brewing punch in: a round drinking-cup, rather wide than deep—hence 'the bowl,' 'the flowin
English · e-37683-3322Bowlder, bōld′ėr, n. Same as Boulder.
English · e-37683-3323 · brief source recordBowse. Same as Bouse.
English · e-37683-3324 · brief source recordBowsprit, bō′sprit, n. a strong spar projecting over the stem-head or bows of a sailing-ship, and also of a steamship when her stem is of the curved or cutwater description. [Dut. boegspriet.]
English · e-37683-3325Box, boks, n. a tree remarkable for the hardness and smoothness of its wood—also Box-tree (Shak.): a case or receptacle for holding anything: the contents of a box: a small house or lodge, as a shooting-box, &c.: in a th
English · e-37683-3326Box, boks, n. a blow on the head or ear with the hand.—v.t. to strike with the hand or fist.—v.i. to fight with the fists.—ns. Box′er; Box′ing, the act of fighting with the fists: a combat with the fists; Box′ing-glove,
English · e-37683-3327Boxhaul, boks′hawl, v.t. to veer a ship sharp round on her heel, by putting the helm a-lee, bracing the head-yards flat aback, and hauling to windward the head-sheets.
English · e-37683-3328Boy, boy, n. a male child: a lad: a young man generally, used for 'man' in Ireland and elsewhere: (Shak.) a camp-follower: (obs.) knave: a native servant in South India, China, a male negro slave or native labourer in th
English · e-37683-3329Boyar, boy′är, n. an order of the old Russian aristocracy, holding the chief military and civil offices prior to the reforms of Peter the Great.
English · e-37683-3330Boycott, boy′kot, v.t. to shut out from all social and commercial intercourse—a kind of secular excommunication. [From Captain Boycott of County Mayo, who was so treated by his neighbours in Dec. 1880.]
English · e-37683-3331Brabble, brab′bl, v.i. to babble or clamour: to brawl or wrangle.—n. (Shak.) a clamorous contest, a brawl: a quibble. [Dut. brabbelen, to stammer, to jabber.]
English · e-37683-3332Braccio, brach′yo, n. an Italian measure of length, varying from half a yard to a yard:—pl. Braccia (brach-ya). [It., an arm.]
English · e-37683-3333Brace, brās, n. anything that draws together and holds tightly: a bandage: a pair or couple: an instrument of wood or iron used by carpenters and metal-workers for turning boring tools: in printing, a mark connecting two
English · e-37683-3334Brace, brās, v.t. (Spens.) to embrace, encompass.
English · e-37683-3335 · brief source recordBracelet, brās′let, n. an ornament for the wrist. [Fr.; dim. of O. Fr. brac. See Brace.]
English · e-37683-3336 · brief source recordBrach, brach, n. a dog for the chase, a bitch-hound. [O. Fr. brachet, pl. brachès, dim. of brac—Low L. bracco, of Teut. origin.]
English · e-37683-3337Brachial, brak′i-al, adj. belonging to the arm.—Brachial artery, the great arterial trunk supplying the upper extremity between the armpit and the elbow—the direct continuation of the axillary artery. [See Brace.]
English · e-37683-3338Brachiopoda, brak-i-op′o-da, Brachiopods, brak′i-o-pods, n.pl. a class of shelled animals having certain affinities with worms and with Polyzoa, but less with molluscs, provided with two long arm-like processes arising f
English · e-37683-3339Brachycephalic, brak-i-sef-al′ik (also sef′-), Brachycephalous, brak-i-sef′al-us, adj. short-headed, applied in ethnology to skulls of which the breadth is at least four-fifths of the length—opp. to Dolichocephalic.
English · e-37683-3340Brachypterous, brak-ip′tėr-us, adj. lit. short-winged: having wings which, when folded, do not reach to the base of the tail. [Gr. brachys, short, pteron, a wing.]
English · e-37683-3341Brack, brak, n. a flaw in cloth. [See Break.]
English · e-37683-3342 · brief source recordBracken, brak′en, n. fern. [See Brake.]
English · e-37683-3343 · brief source recordBracket, brak′et, n. a support for something fastened to a wall, the ornamental metal pipe bearing gas-lamps, &c.: (pl.) in printing, the marks [ ] used to enclose one or more words: one of the side pieces of a gun-carri
English · e-37683-3344Brackish, brak′ish, adj. saltish: applied to water mixed with salt or with sea-water.—n. Brack′ishness. [Dut. brak, brackish; prob. the same as brak, refuse.]
English · e-37683-3345Bract, brakt, n. an irregularly developed leaf at the base of the flower-stalk.—adjs. Brac′teal, Brac′teate, Bract′ed, Brac′teolate.—n. Brac′teole, a little bract at the base of the stalk of a single flower which is itse
English · e-37683-3346Brad, brad, n. a small nail having a slight projection at the top on one side instead of a head.—n. Brad′awl, an awl to pierce holes. [Scot. brod, an instrument for pricking with; Ice. broddr, a pointed piece of iron.]
English · e-37683-3347Bradypeptic, brad-i-pep′tik, adj. slow of digestion. [Gr. bradys, slow, and Peptic.]
English · e-37683-3348 · brief source recordBrae, brā, n. (Scot.) the slope above a river bank, a hill-slope. [Scand. brá.]
English · e-37683-3349 · brief source recordBrag, brag, v.i. to boast or bluster:—pr.p. brag′ging; pa.p. bragged.—n. a boast or boasting: the thing boasted of: a game at cards, very like poker.—adj. Brag′ging.—advs. Brag′gingly, Brag′ly (Spens.). [Most prob. Celt.
English · e-37683-3350Braggadocio, brag-a-dō′shi-o, n. and adj. a braggart or boaster: empty boasting. [From Braggadochio, a boastful character in Spenser's Faerie Queene.]
English · e-37683-3351Braggart, brag′art, adj. boastful.—n. a vain boaster.—n. Bragg′ardism (Shak.), boastfulness. [Fr. bragard, vain, bragging; prob. of Celt. origin; Diez prefers Scand., and quotes Sw. brak, Dan. brag, &c.]
English · e-37683-3352Brahman, brä′man, Brahmin, brä′min, n. a person of the highest or priestly caste among the Hindus.—adjs. Brahman′ic, -al, Brahmin′ic, -al, Brah′minee, appropriated to the Brahmans.—ns. Brah′manism, Brah′minism, one of th
English · e-37683-3353Braid, brād, v.t. to plait or entwine.—n. cord, or other texture made by plaiting.—p.adj. Braid′ed, plaited, embroidered, trimmed with braid.—n. Braid′ing, the act of making braids: embroidery with braid. [A.S. bregdan;
English · e-37683-3354Braid, brād, adj. (Shak.) dissembling, deceitful. [A.S. brægd, falsehood, from bregdan, brægd, to weave.]
English · e-37683-3355 · brief source recordBraid, brād, v.t. (Shak.) to upbraid, to reproach. [Prob. from Abraid, or Braid (1).]
English · e-37683-3356 · brief source recordBraidism, brād′ism, n. mesmerism or hypnotism. [From Dr James Braid, who practised it about 1842.]
English · e-37683-3357 · brief source recordBrail, brāl, n. a piece of leather to bind up a hawk's wing: (pl.) the feathers about a hawk's rump: (naut.) one of the ropes used to truss up a sail.—v.t. to haul in, as a sail, by pulling upon the brails. [O. Fr. brail
English · e-37683-3358Braille, brāl, n. and adj. a kind of type for the blind, having arbitrary signs consisting of varying combinations of six points arranged thus ( [Image: Braille pattern] ), there being sixty-two possible combinations of
English · e-37683-3359Brain, brān, n. the term applied to that part of the central nervous system which in vertebrated animals is contained within the cranium or skull, and in the invertebrata, to the nervous ganglia near the head end of the
English · e-37683-3360Braird, brārd, n. the first shoots of corn or other crop.—v.i. to appear above ground. [Orig. Scot.; A.S. brerd, the edge, and brord, a point.]
English · e-37683-3361Braise, brāz, v.t. to stew meat together with slices of bacon, &c., properly with a charcoal fire above and below the braising-pan.—p.adj. Braised. [Fr. braiser.]
English · e-37683-3362Brake, brāk, obsolete, pa.t. of Break.
English · e-37683-3363 · brief source recordBrake, brāk, n. a fern: a place overgrown with ferns or briers; a thicket.—adj. Brak′y. [A doublet of Bracken; ety. dub.]
English · e-37683-3364Brake, brāk, n. an instrument to break flax or hemp: a harrow: a contrivance for retarding by friction the speed of carriages, wagons, trains, or revolving drums.—adj. Brake′less, without a brake.—ns. Brake′man, the man
English · e-37683-3365Brake, brāk, n. a handle, as of a pump: a lever for working a machine. [Prob. through O. Fr. brac, from L. brachium, an arm.]
English · e-37683-3366Bramah-press, brä′ma-pres, n. a hydraulic press invented by Joseph Bramah of London (1748-1814), inventor also of the Bramah-lock, &c.
English · e-37683-3367Bramble, bram′bl, n. a wild prickly shrub bearing blackberries, a blackberry bush: any rough prickly shrub.—ns. Bram′ble-berr′y, Bram′ble-bush, a collection of brambles growing together; Bram′ble-finch, Bram′bling, a bir
English · e-37683-3368Brame, brām, n. (Spens.) sharp passion, longing. [It. brama.]
English · e-37683-3369 · brief source recordBran, bran, n. the refuse of grain: the inner husks of corn sifted from the flour: the coarser part of anything.—n. Bran′fulness.—adj. Bran′ny. [O. Fr. bran, bran; prob. Celt.]
English · e-37683-3370Bran-new, bran′-nū, adj. corruption of Brand-new.
English · e-37683-3382 · brief source recordBrancard, brank′ard, n. a horse litter. [Fr.]
English · e-37683-3371 · brief source recordBranch, bransh, n. a shoot or arm-like limb of a tree: anything like a limb of a tree: any offshoot or subdivision, a section or department of a subject: any subordinate division of a business, &c., as a branch-bank or p
English · e-37683-3372Branchiæ, brangk′i-ē, n.pl. gills.—adjs. Branch′ial; Branch′iate, furnished with branchiæ.—n. Branchiop′oda, a sub-order of Crustaceans in the order with leaf-like feet (Phyllopods), to which the gills are attached. [L.—
English · e-37683-3373Brand, brand, n. a piece of wood burning or partly burned: a mark burned into anything with a hot iron: a trade-mark, made by burning or otherwise, as on casks: a particular sort of goods, from the trade-marks by which t
English · e-37683-3374Brandish, brand′ish, v.t. to wave or flourish as a brand or weapon.—n. a waving or flourish. [Fr. brandissant—brandir, from root of Brand.]
English · e-37683-3375Brandy, brand′i, n. an ardent spirit distilled from wine.—adj. Bran′died, heartened or strengthened with brandy.—n. Brand′y-pawnee′, brandy and water. [Formerly brandwine—Dut. brandewijn—branden, to burn, to distil, and
English · e-37683-3376Brangle, brang′l, v.i. (arch.) to wrangle, squabble.—n. (obs.) a brawl.—v.t. and v.i. Brand′le, to shake, cause to waver: to waver.—n. Brang′ling, disputing. [Prob. the two words are the same; Fr. branler.]
English · e-37683-3377Brank, brangk, n. buckwheat. [Prob. Celt.; cf. L. brance, a Gallic name of a white kind of corn.]
English · e-37683-3378 · brief source recordBrank, brangk, v.i. to prance, toss the head: to strut or swagger.—adj. Brank′y (Scot.), showy. [Prob. a variant of Prank.]
English · e-37683-3379Branks, brangks, n. (seldom in sing.) a scold's bridle, having a hinged iron framework to enclose the head and a bit or gag to fit into the mouth and compress the tongue. [Scot.; ety. very obscure; cf. M. E. bernak, when
English · e-37683-3380Brankursine, brangk′ur-sin, n. the plant Acanthus, called also Bear's-breech. [Low L. branca, ursina, a bear's paw.]
English · e-37683-3381 · brief source recordA historical dictionary can preserve useful evidence and superseded analyses at the same time. These records retain their source identity; no parent edge, sound law, first-use date or confidence score is generated from a sentence’s position.
Inspect acquisition and rights →