An American Dictionary of the English Language

BEER-HOUSE, n. A house where malt liquors are sold; ❘ BE-GET, v. t.; pret. begot, begat; pp. begot, begotten. [Sax.

an ale-house.

BEESTINGS. See BIESTINGS.

BEESWAX, n. The wax collected by bees, and of which their cells are constructed.

BEET, n. [D. biet; Ger. beete. A sweet, succulent root, much used as a vegetable, of the genus beta.

BEET-RADISH,

A kind of beet, used for salad.-Ash. BEETLE, n. [Sax. bitl or bytl, a mallet; betel, the insect, beetle.] 1. A heavy mallet or wooden hammer, used to drive wedges, &c., having one, two, or three handles, for as many men to use it.-2. In zoology, the popular name of a genus of insects, the scarabæus, of many species. This term is popularly applied to all insects with hard or shelly wing-cases.

BEETLE, v. i. To jut; to be prominent; to hang or extend out.

BEETLE-BROW, n. A prominent brow.

BEETLE-BROWED, a. Having prominent brows.

BEETLE-HEAD, n. A stupid fellow. -Scot.

begetan.] 1. To procreate, as a father or sire; to gener
ate. 2. To produce, as an effect; to cause to exist; to
generate; as, to beget strife.

BE-GETTER, n. One who begets or procreates; a father.
BEGGA-BLE, a. That may be begged. Butler.

BEGGAR, n. 1. One who lives by asking alms, or makes
it his business to beg for charity. 2. One who supplicates
with humility; a petitioner. 3. One who assumes in ar
gument what he does not prove.

BEGGAR, v. 1. 1. To reduce to beggary; to impoverish.
2. To deprive or make destitute; to exhaust; as, "to beg-
gar all description."

BEGGAR-MAID, n. A maid who is a beggar.-Shak
BEGGAR-MAN, π. A man who is a beggar.-Shak.
BEGGAR-WOM-AN, n. A female beggar.-Shak.
BEG'GARED, pp. Reduced to extreme poverty.
BEGGAR-ING, ppr. Reducing to indigence or a state of
beggary.

BEETLE-HEAD-ED (bē'tl-hed-ed), a. Having a head like BEGGAR-LY, a. Mean; poor; in the condition of a beg a beetle; dull: stupid.-Shak.

BEGGAR-LI-NESS, n. The state of being beggarly; mean

ness; extreme poverty.-Barret.

BEETLE-STOCK, n. The handle of a beetle.

gar; extremely indigent-Shak. [Used of persons and things.

BEGGAR-LY, adv. Meanly; indigently; despicably. BEGGAR'S LICE, n. The name of an obnoxious weed (Echinaspernum Virginicum), having a bur-like fruit, or nuts, furnished with hooked prickles, which fastens on those who pass by.

BEGGAR-Y, n. A state of extreme indigence.
BEGGED, pp. Entreated; supplicated; asked in charity.

without proof.

BEGGING, n. The act of soliciting alms; the practice of asking alms.

BE-FALL', v. i. To happen; to come to pass.

BE-FALL'EN (be-fawln'), pp. Fallen on.

BE-FALLING, ppr. Happening to; occurring to; coming BEGGING, ppr. Asking alms; supplicating; assuming

to pass. n. That which befalls.

BE-FELL', pret. of befall.

BE-FIT", v. 1. To suit; to be suitable; to become.

BE-FITTING, ppr. or a. Having the quality of fitness or propriety. SYN. Fit; becoming; suitable; meet; decent; appropriate.

BE-FLATTER, v. t. To flatter much.

BE-FOAM', v. t. To cover with foam. [Little used.]
BE-FOGGED (be-fogd'), a. Involved in a fog.-Irving.
BE-FOOL', . 1. To fool; to infatuate; to delude.

BE-FOOL'ED (be-foold'), pp. Fooled; deceived; led into

error.

BE-FOOLING, ppr. Fooling; making a fool of; deceiving; infatuating.

BE-FORE', prep. [Sax. before, or beforan.] 1. In front; on the side with the face, at any distance; used of persons. 2. In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect. 3. In sight of; as, before the face. 4. In the presence of, noting cognizance or jurisdiction. 5. In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess; free to the choice. 6. In front of any object. 7. Preceding in time. 8. In preference to. 9. Superior; preceding in dignity. 10. Prior to; having prior right; preceding in order. 11. Previous to; in previous order; in order to. 12. Before the wind, denotes in the direction of the wind and by its impulse.

BE-GHARDS', n. A German word, denoting one who BE-GUARDS, begs hard, or with importunity; applied formerly to some of the Franciscan and other mendicant orders of Rome. The name was also given to certain classes of persons distinguished for the frequency and fervor of their prayers.

BE-GILT, a. Gilded. -Ben Jonson.

BE-GIN', v. i.; pret. began; pp. begun. [Sax. gynnan, agin-
nan, and beginnan.] 1. To have an original or first exist
ence; to come into existence. 2. To do the first act; to
enter upon something new; to take the first step.
BE-GIN v. t. 1. To do the first act of any thing; to enter
on; to commence. 2. To trace from any thing, as the
first ground; to lay the foundation.-SYN. To commence;
originate; enter upon; set about.

BE-GIN'NER, n. 1. The person who begins. 2. One who
first enters upon any art, science, or business; one who
is in his rudiments; a young practitioner.
BE-GIN'NING, ppr. First entering upon; commencing;
giving rise or original; taking rise or origin.
BE-GINNING, n. 1. The first cause; origin. 2. That which
is first; the first state; commencement; entrance into
being. 3. The rudiments, first ground, or materials.

BE-FORE', adv. 1. In time preceding. 2. In time preced-BE-GINNING-LESS, a. That hath no beginning.

ing to the present, or to this time; hitherto. 3. Further

onward in place, in progress, or in front. 4. In front;
on the fore part.

BE-FORECIT-ED, a. Cited in a preceding part.
BE-FOREHAND, adv. 1. In a state of anticipation or pre-
occupation; often followed by with. 2. Antecedently; by
way of preparation or preliminary; aforetime. 3. In a
state of accumulation, so as that more has been received
than expended. 4. At first; before any thing is done.
BE-FORE MEN-TIONED, a. Mentioned before.
†BE-FORE-TIME, adv. Formerly; of old time.
BE-FORTUNE, v. t. To happen to; to betide.
BE-FOUL', v. t. [Sax. befylan.) To make foul; to soil.
BE-FRIEND' (be-frend'), v. t. To favor; to act as a friend
to; to countenance, aid, or benefit.
BE-FRIENDED, pp. Favored; countenanced.
BE-FRIENDING, ppr. Favoring; assisting as a friend;
showing kindness to.
BE-FRINGE' (be-frinj), v. t. To furnish with a fringe; to
adorn as with fringe.

BE-FRINGED (be-frinjd), pp. Adorned as with a fringe.
BE-FUR'RED (be-furd'), a. Covered with fur.

BEG, n. [the Turks write this word begh, or bek, but pro-
BEY, nounce it bey (bā).] In the Turkish dominions, a
governor of a town or district; more particularly, the
lord of a sangiac or banner.-In Tunis, the beg, or bey, is
the prince or king, answering to the Dey of Algiers.

BEG, v. t. 1. To ask earnestly, or with humility. 2. To ask or supplicate in charity. 3. To take for granted; to assume without proof; as, to beg the question. SYN. TO intreat; solicit; implore; supplicate; beseech; petition; crave; request; ask.

BEG, v. i. To ask alms or charity; to practice begging; to live by asking alms.

BE-GIRD, v. t.; pret. begirt, begirded; pp. begirt. [Sax. be-
gyrdan.] 1. To bind with a band or girdle. 2. To sur-
round; to inclose; to encompass. 3. To besiege.-То
begirt, used by Ben Jonson, is a corrupt orthography.
BE-GIRD'ED, pp. Bound with a girdle; surrounded; in
BE-GIRT, Sclosed; besieged.

BE-GIRDING, ppr. Binding with a girdle; surrounding;
besieging.

BEG'LER-BEG, n. [Sce BEG.] The governor of a province in the Turkish empire, next in dignity to the grand-vizier. His province is called beglerbeglic.

† BE-GLOOM', v. t. To make gloomy; to darken. - Bad
cock.

BE-GNAW' (be-naw), v. t. [Sax. begnagan.] To bite or
gnaw; to eat away; to corrode; to nibble.
BE-GOD', v. t. To deify.-More.

BE-GONE' (pro. nearly be-gawn'). Go away; depart. These
two words have been improperly united. Be retains the
sense of a verb, and gone that of a participle.

BE-GOR'ED, a. Besmeared with gore.
BE-GOT,

BE-GOTTEN. PP. of get. Procreated; generated.

BE-GRAVE, v. t. 1. To deposit in the grave; to bury. 2.
To engrave.-Gower.

BE-GREASE', v. t. To soil or daub with grease, or other
oily matter.

BE-GRIME', o. t. To soil with dirt deep impressed, so that
the natural hue can not easily be recovered.-Shak.

BE-GRIM'ED (be-grimd'). pp. Deeply soiled.
BE-GRIMER, n. One who begrimes.
BE-GRUDGE' (be-grudj), v. t. To grudge; to envy the pos
session of.

BE-GRUDG'ED (be-grudgd), pp. Having excited envy
BE-GRUDGING, ppr. Envying the possession of.

BE-GUILE (be-gile), v. t. 1. To impose on by artifice or craft. 2. To elude by craft. 3. To elude any thing disagreeable by amusement, or other means; to pass pleasingly. SYN. To delude; deceive; cheat; insnare; amuse. BE-GUTL'ED (be-gild'), pp. Deluded; imposed on; misled by craft: eluded by stratagem; passed pleasingly. BE-GUILE MENT, . Act of beguiling or deceiving. BE-GUILER (be-giler), n. He or that which beguiles or

deceives.

BE-GUILING, ppr. or a. Deluding; deceiving by craft; eluding by artifice; amusing.

BE-GUILING-LY, adv. In a manner to deceive.

BE-GUILTY (be-gil'te), v. t. To render guilty. Sanderson. A barbarous word.]

BE-GUINE (ba-geen), n. One of a congregation of half muns in Flanders. Similar societies of males were called beghards or beguins. See BEGHARD.

BEGUM, In the East Indies, a princess or lady of BE GAUM, high rank.-Malcom.

BE-GUN', pp. of begin. Commenced; originated. BE-HALF (be-haf), n. [Sax. behefc.) 1. Favor; advantage; convenience; profit; support; defense; vindication; as, to speak in behalf of some one. 2. Part; side; noting substitution, or the act of taking the part of another; as, to appear in behalf of a client.

BE-HAPPEN (-hap'pn), v. i. To happen to.-Spenser.

BE-HAVE, .t. [G. gehaben.] 1. To restrain; to govern; to subdue. [This sense is obsolete.] 2. To carry; to conduct; used with the reciprocal pronoun; as, he behaves himself manfully.

BE-HAVE, . . To act; to conduct; generally applied to manners, or to conduct in any particular business; and in a good or bad sense. He behaves well or ill.

BE-HAVED (be-hävd), pp. Conducted. BE-HAVING, ppr. Carrying; conducting. BE-HAVIOR (be-hav'yur), n. Manner of behaving, whether good or bad; conduct; manners; carriage of one's self, with respect to propriety, or morals; deportment. To be upon one's behavior, is to be in a state of trial, in which something important depends on propriety of conduct. The modern phrase is, to be, or to be put, upon one's good behavior. Judges hold their offices during good behavior, &e, while they conduct with integrity and fidelity. SYN. Deportment; conduct; demeanor; carriage; manner; address; breeding.

BE-HEAD' (be-hed), v. t. To cut off the head; to sever the head from the body with a cutting instrument. BE-HEADED (be-hed'ed), pp. Having the head cut off. BE-HEADING (be-heding), ppr. Severing the head from the body.

BE-HRADING (be-heding), n. The act of separating the head from the body by a cutting instrument; decollation. BE-HELD', pret, and pp. of behold, which see.

observe with care. 2. To look upon; to see. SYN. To look upon; consider; eye; view; contemplate; observe; regard; attend to.

BE-HOLD', v. i. 1. To look; to direct the eyes to an object. 2. To fix the attention upon an object; to direct or fix the mind.

BE-HOLD'EN (be-hol'dn), pp. or a. Obliged; bound in grat itude; indebted.

BE-HOLDER, n. One who beholds; one who looks upon, or sees. SYN. Spectator; observer; witness; looker on. BE-HOLDING. ppr. 1. Fixing the eyes upon; looking on; seeing. 2. Fixing the attention; regarding with attention. 3. Obliged. A mistaken use of the word for beholden.4. n. Obligation.-Carew, [not used.]

BE-HOLDING-NESS, n. The state of being obliged. BE-HONEY, v. t. To sweeten with honey. Sherwood. BE-HOOF', n. [Sax. behofian.] 1. Need; necessity. Hence, 2. In present usage, that which is advantageous; advan tage; profit; benefit.

BE-HOOV'A-BLE, a. Needful; profitable. BE-HOOVE' (be-hoov'), v. t. [Sax. behofian.] To be neces sary for; to be fit for; to be meet for, with respect to necessity, duty, or convenience. It may, perhaps, be sometimes used intransitively; as, let him behave as it be hooveth.

BE-HOOVEFUL (be-hoov'ful), a. Needful; useful; profitable; advantageous.

†BE-HOOVEFUL-LY (be-hoov'ful-ly), adv. Usefully; prof itably.

+ BE-HOOVELY, a Profitable. Gower.

BE-HOT, pret. of behight.

BE-HOVE' (be-hoov), and its derivatives. See BEHOOVE. † BE-HOWL', v. i. To howl at.-Shak.

BEING, ppr. (See BE.) Existing in a certain state. BEING, n. 1. Existence; a particular state or condition. 2. A person existing. 3. An immaterial, intelligent exist ence, or spirit. 4. An animal; any living creature. BEING-PLACE, n. An existence.-Spenser. BE IT SO. A phrase of anticipation, suppose it be so; or of

permission, let it be so.-Shak.

BE-JADE', v. L. To tire.-Milton.

BE-JAPE', v. 1. To laugh at; to deceive. -Chaucer. BE-JESU-IT, v. t. To initiate in Jesuitism.-Milton. ;BE-KISS', v. t. To kiss or salute.-Jonson. BE-KNAVE', v. t. To call knave.-Pope. BE-KNOW' (be-no), v. t. To acknowledge.-Chaucer. BE-LABOR, v. t. To ply diligently; to beat soundly; to thump.-Dryden.

BE-HELt. To torture as with the pains of hell.-Hewyt. BEHE-MOTH, n.Heb. בהסות.[ Authors are divided in opinion as to the animal intended in Scripture by this name; some supposing it to be an ox or elephant, and others the hippopotamus, or river-horse. It seems to unite some of the peculiar characteristics of all; and hence, some consider it as a kind of type or representation of the largest land animals, under the general name of behemoth, which is a plural, denoting, literally, beasts.

Kitto.

BEHEN,). A plant. The beken of the shops, or white behen, is spatling poppy. Red behen is seaΒΕΚΕΝ. lavender.

BEN.

BE-HEST, . [be, and Sax. hase.] Command; precept; injunction: charge: mandate.

BE-HIGHT (be-hite), D. L.; pret. behot. [Sax. behetan.] To promise; to intrust; to call, or name; to command; to adjudge; to address; to inform; to mean; to reckon.

BE-HIND, prep. [Sax. behindan.] 1. At the back of another. 2. On the back part, at any distance; in the rear. 3. Remaining; left after the departure of another, whether by removing to a distance, or by death. 4. Left at a distance, in progress or improvement. 5. Inferior to another in dignity and excellence. 6. On the side opposite the front or nearest part, or opposite to that which fronts a person; on the other side.-Behind the back, in Scripture, signifies out of notice, or regard; overlooked; disregarded. BE-HIND', adv. 1. Out of sight; not produced, or exhibited to view; remaining; as, there is still much evidence behind. 2. Backward; on the back part; as, to come behind. 3. Past in the progress of time. 4. Future, or remaining to be endured. 5. Remaining after a payment; unpaid. 6. Remaining after the departure of; as, to be left behind. BE-HIND HAND, a. In arrear; in an exhausted state; in a state in which rent or profit has been anticipated, and expenditures precede the receipt of funds to supply them. In popular use, a state of poverty. Behindhand with, denotes behind in progress.

BE-HOLD, z. t.; pret, and pp. beheld. (Sax. behealdan, behcoldan.] 1. To fix the eyes upon; to see with attention; to

BE-LACE', v. t. 1. To fasten, as with a lace or cord. 2. Το beat; to whip.

BE-LAC'ED (be-läste), a. Adorned with lace.-Beaumont. BE-LAM', v. t. To beat; to bang.

BEL'A-MOUR, n. [Fr. bel-amour.] A gallant; a consort. -Spenser.

BEL'A-MY, n. [Fr. bel-ami.] A good friend; an intimate. -Spenser.

1 BE-LATE', v. 1. To retard or make too late. BE-LATED, a. 1. Benighted; abroad late at night. 2. Too late for the hour appointed or intended; later than the proper time.

BE-LATED-NESS. n. A being too late. --Milton. BE-LAVE', v. t. To wash. BE-LAW GIVE, v. t. To give a law to. --Milton. BE-LAY, v. t. 1. To block up, or obstruct. 2. To place in ambush. 3. To adorn, surround, or cover. 4. In scamanship, to fasten, or make fast, by winding a rope round a cleat, kevil, or belaying-pin.

BE-LAY'ED (be-lade), pp. Obstructed; ambushed; made fast.

BE-LAY-ING, ppr Blocking up; laying an ambush; making fast.

BE-LAYING-PIN, n. A strong pin in the side of a vessel, or by the mast, around which ropes are wound, when they are fastened or belayed.

BELCH, v. t. [Sax. bealcan.] 1. To throw or eject wind from the stomach with violence. 2. To eject violently from within; as, to belch forth curses.

BELCH, v. i. [Sax. bealcan.] 1. To eject wind from the stomach. 2. To issue out, as by eructation. BELCH, n. 1. The act of throwing out from the stomach, or violently from within; eructation. 2. A cant name for malt liquor.

BELCH'ED (belcht), pp. Ejected from the stomach, or from a hollow place.

BELCHING, ppr. Ejecting from the stomach, or any deep, hollow place.

BELCHING, n. Eructation.-Barret. BEL'DAM, n. [Fr. belle, and dame. It seems to be used in contempt, or as a cant term.] 1. An old woman.-Shak. 2. A hag.-Dryden.

BE-LEAGUER (be-le'ger), v. t. [Ger. belagern.] To surround with an army, so as to preclude escape. SYN. To block up; besiege; environ; invest; encompass.

BE-LEAGUERED, pp. Besieged.
BE-LEAGUER-ER, n. One who besieges.
BE-LEAGUER-ING, ppr. Besieging; blocking up.
+ BE-LEAVE', v. 1. To leave.-May.
BE-LECTURED, a. Lectured frequently or much.
BE-LEE', v. t. To place on the lee.-Shak.

BE-LEM'NITE, n. [Gr. βελεμνον.] Arrow-head, or finger-
stone; vulgarly called thunder-bolt, or thunder-stone; a
genus of extinct fossils, having a straight, tapering shell.
They belonged to the animals of the class cephalopods.

BE-LEPER, v. t. To infect with leprosy.

BEL ES-PRIT' (bel'es-pree'), n.; pl. BEAUX ESPRITS (bōz'es-pree). [Fr.) A man of wit; a fine genius.

BELFRY, n. [Fr. befroy.] 1. Among military writers of the middle age, a tower erected by besiegers to overlook the place besieged, in which sentinels were placed. 2. That part of a steeple, or other building, in which a bell is hung. BEL-GARD', n. [Fr. bel and egard.] A soft look or glance. BELGI-AN, a. Belonging to Belgium, or the Netherlands. BELGI-AN, n. A native of Belgium, or the Netherlands. BELGIE, a. [L. Belgicus.] Pertaining to the Belga, or to the Netherlands.

BELI-AL, n. [Heb. בליעל. As a noun, unprofitableness; wickedness. Hence, an evil spirit of that name.-Milton. As an adjective, worthless; wicked.-Sons of Belial, wicked men.-Parkhurst.

BE-LIBEL, v. t. To libel or traduce.-Fuller.

BE-LIE' (be-li'). v. t. [be and lie. Sax. beleegan.] 1. To give the lie to; to show to be false; as, his looks belic his words. 2. To counterfeit; to mimic; to feign resemblance. 3. To give a false representation. 4. To tell lies concerning; to calumniate by false reports. 5. To fill with lies.-Shak.

BE-LI'ED (be-lide), pp. Falsely represented, either by word or obvious evidence and indication; counterfeited; mim icked.

BELL-FOUND-ER, n. A man whose occupation is to found
or cast bells.

BELL-FOUNDER-Y, n. A place for founding or casting
BELL-FOUND'RY, 3 bells.

BELL-MAN, n. A man who rings a bell, especially to give
notice of any thing in the streets.
BELL-MET-AL (bel'met-tl), n. A mixture of copper and
tin, in the proportion of from three to five parts of copper
to one of tin, and usually a small portion of brass or zinc;
used for making bells.

BELL-PEP-PER, n. A name of the Guinea pepper, a spe-
cies of capsicum.

BELL-PULL, n. A bell-cord.
BELL-RING-ER, n. One whose business is to ring a

church or other bell.

BELL-SHAPED (-shāpt), a. Having the form of a bellIn botany, campanulate; swelling out without a tube at the base.

BELL-WETH-ER, n. A wether or sheep which leads the
flock with a bell on his neck.

BELL-WORT, n. A plant, the uvularia.
BEL-LA-DON'NA, n. The deadly nightshade, a species of

atropa.

BEL-LATRIX, n. [L.) A ruddy, glittering star, of the sec
ond magnitude, in the left shoulder of Orion.

BELLE (bel), n. [Fr.] A gay young lady. In popular use,
a lady of superior beauty, and much admired.
BELL'ED (beld), a. Hung with bells.

* BELLES-LETTRES (bel-letter), n. pl. [Fr.] Polite lit-
erature; a word of very vague signification. It includes
poetry and oratory; but authors are not agreed to what par-
ticular branches of learning the term should be restricted.
† BELLT-BONE, n. [Fr. belle and bonne.] A woman excell-
ing both in beauty and goodness.

BELLIED (bellid), pp. or a. Swelled or prominent, like the
belly. In botany, ventricose; swelled out in the middle.
BEL-LIGER-ATE, v. i. To make war. Cockeram.

BE-LIEF' (be-leef), n. [Sax. geleaf, geleafan, gelefan, gelief-
an, gelyfan, to believe.] 1. A persuasion of the truth, or
an assent of mind to the truth of a declaration, proposition,
or alleged fact, on the ground of evidence.-2. In theology,
faith, or a firm persuasion of the truths of religion. 3. Re-BEL-LIGER-OUS, a. The same as belligerent.

BEL-LIGER-ENT, a. [L. belliger, belligero.] Waging war,
carrying on war.

ligious tenets or faith. 4. Persuasion or opinion. 5. The thing believed; the object of belief. 6. A creed; a form or summary of articles of faith.-SYN. Credence; trust; faith; credit; confidence; persuasion.

BE-LIEV'A-BLE (be-lē'va-bl), a. That may be believed;

credible.

BE-LIEVE' (be-leev), v. t. 1. To credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of something. 2. To expect or hope with confidence; to trust.

BE-LIEVE', v. i. 1. To have a firm persuasion of any thing. 2. In popular use, the term denotes more loosely, to think, or suppose. In theology, to believe sometimes expresses a mere assent of the understanding; and sometimes it implies, with this assent of the mind, a yielding of the will and affections.

BE-LIEV'ED (be-leevd), pp. Credited; assented to, as true.
BE-LIEVER, n. 1. One who believes; one who gives
credit to other evidence than that of personal knowledge.
-2. In theology, one who gives credit to the truth of the
Scriptures, as a revelation from God. In a more restricted
sense, a professor of Christianity.

BE-LIEVING, ppr. Giving credit to testimony, or to other
evidence than personal knowledge.
BE-LIEVING-LY, adv. In a believing manner.
BE-LIKE', adv. [be and like.] Probably; likely; perhaps.
BE-LIKELY, adv. Probably.-Hall.
†BE-LIME', v. t. To besmear with lime.-Bp. Hall.
BE-LITTLE, v. t. To make smaller; to lower in character.
-Jefferson. [Rare in America: not used in England.]
BE-LIVE', adv. Speedily; quickly.-Spenser.

BELL, n. [Sax. bell, bella, belle.] 1. A vessel or hollow body
of cast metal, used for making sounds. Its constituent
parts are a barrel or hollow body enlarged or expanded at
one end, an ear or cannon by which it is hung to a beam,
and a clapper on the inside. 2. A hollow body of metal,
perforated, and containing a solid ball, to give sounds
when shaken; used on animals. 3. Any thing in form of
a bell, as the cup, or caliz, of a flower.- To bear the bell, is
to be the first, or leader, in allusion to the bell-wether of a
flock. To curse by bell, book, and candle, was to read the
curse in English, with the ringing of bells, and candles
lighted, to inspire greater dread. To shake the bells, in
Shakspeare, is to give an alarm.

BELL, v. i. To grow in the form of bells, as buds or flowers.
BELL, v. t. To bell the cat, to encounter and cripple one
of greatly superior force; from the fable of the mice re-
solving to put a bell on the cat, in order to guard them
against her attacks.-Sir W. Scott.

BELL-FASH-IONED, a. Having the form of a bell.
BELL-FLOW-ER, n. A genus of plants, so named from
the shape of the flower.

BEL-LIGER-ENT, n. A nation, or state carrying on war

BELL'ING, n. [Sax. bellan.] 1. The noise of a roe in rutting time. 2. a. Growing or forming like a bell; growing full and ripe; used of hops; from bell.

BEL-LIPO-TENT, a. [L. bellipotens.] Powerful or mighty
in war. (Little used.]

+ BELLI-TUDE, n. [L. bellitudo.] Beauty.-Cockeram.
BEL-LIQUE' (bel-leek), a. [Old Fr.] Warlike.
BELL'LESS, a. Having no bell.-Scott.
BEL'LON, n. A disease, attended with languor and intol-
erable griping of the bowels; the lead colic.
BEL-LO'NA, n. The goddess of war.
BELLOW, v. i. [Sax. bellan.] 1. To make a hollow, loud
noise, as a bull; to make a loud outcry; to roar.-In con
tempt, to vociferate or clamor. 2. To roar, as the sea in a
tempest, or as the wind when violent; to make a loud
hollow, continued sound.

BELLOW, n. A loud outery; roar.
BELLOW-ER, n. One who bellows.
BELLOW-ING, ppr. or a. Making a loud, hollow sound, as a
bull, or as the roaring of billows.
BELLOW-ING, n. A loud, hollow sound, or roar, as of a bull.
* BELLOWS, n. sing. and pl. [Sax. bilig, or bylig; Goth.
balgs.) An instrument, utensil, or machine for blowing fire
BELLOWS-FISH, n. The trumpet-fish.

BEL'LU-INE, a. [L. belluinus.) Beastly; pertaining to or
like a beast; brutal. (Little used.]

BELLY, n. [Ir. bolg; W.boly.] 1. That part of the human
body which extends from the breast to the thighs, con-
taining the bowels. 2. The part of a beast corresponding
to the human belly. 3. The womb. Jer., i., 5. 4. The
receptacle of food; that which requires food. 5. The
part of any thing which resembles the human belly in pro-
tuberance or cavity, as of a harp or a bottle. 6. Any hol-
low, inclosed place.-7. In the Scripture, belly is used for
carnal lusts.

BELLY, v. t. To fill; to swell out.-Shak.
BELLY, v. i. 1. To swell and become protuberant, like the
belly. 2. To strut.

BELLY-ACHE, n. Pain in the bowels; the colic. [Vulgar.]
BELLY-ÄCHE BUSH or WEED, n. A species of jatropha
BELLY-BAND, n. A band that encompasses the belly of a
horse, and fastens the saddle; a girth.
BELLY-BOUND, a. Diseased in the belly; costive.
+ BELLY-CHEER, n. Good cheer. -Chaucer.
BELLY-FRET-TING, n. The chafing of a horse's belly
with a fore girt. 2. A violent pain in a horse's belly
caused by worms.

BELLY-GOD, n. A glutton; one who makes a god of his
belly.

BELLY-PINCHED (-pincht), a. Pinched with hunger. BELLY-ROLL, n. A roller protuberant in the middle, to roll land between ridges, or in hollows.

GELLI-SLIVE, . A slave to the appetite.

BELLY-TIM-BER, n. Food; that which supports the belly. -Prier. Vulgar.)

BELLY-WORM, R. A worm that breeds in the belly or stomach-Johnson.

RELLY-FUL, a. As much as fills the belly, or satisfies the appetite-in familier language, a sufficiency; more than enough-Johnson. [Vulgar.]

BELLY-ING, ppr. or a. Enlarging capacity; swelling out, like the belly.

BE-LOCK', [Sax. belucan.] To lock, or fasten as with

a lock.-Shak.

BELO-MAN-CY, π. [Gr. βέλος and μαντεια.] A kind of divination by arrows, practiced by the ancient Scythians, Babylonians, and other nations.

BELO-NE, . [Gr. βελονη.] A name given by Cuvier to the gar, parfish, or sea-needle, a species of esoz.

BE-LONG, && [D. belangen.] 1. To be the property of. 2. To be the concern or proper business of; to appertain. 3. To be appendant to. 4. To be a part of, or connected with, though detached in place. 5. To have relation to. 6. To be the quality or attribute of. 7. To be suitable for. 8. To relate to, or be referred to. 9. To have a legal residence, settlement, or inhabitancy. 10. To be the native of; to have original residence.-11. In common language, to have a settled residence; to be domiciliated.

BE-LONGING, ppr. Pertaining; appertaining; being the property of; being a quality of; being the concern of; being appendant to; being a native of, or having a legal or permanent settlement in.

FBE-LONGING, R. A quality.-Shak.

BE-LOVE, e. L. To love.

BE-LOVED, pp. or a.; pron, beluvd' as a participle; beluved as an adjective; [be and loved, from love. Belove, as a verb, is not used.] Loved; greatly loved; dear to the heart.

BE-LOW', prep. 1. Under in place; beneath; not so high. 2. Inferior in rank, excellence, or dignity. 3. Unworthy of; unbefitting.

BE-LOW, adv. 1. In a lower place, with respect to any object. 2. On the earth, as opposed to the heavens. 3. In hell, or the region of the dead. 4. In a court of inferior jurisdiction.

†BE-LOWT, τ. 4. To treat with contemptuous language. BEL'SWAG-GER, R. A lewd man; a bully.-Dryden. BELT, [Sax. belt.) 1. A girdle; a band; a circlet; as, a lady's belt, a sword belt, a belt of trees. 2. A term applied to two narrow passages at the entrance of the Baltic. 3. A bandage or band used by surgeons for various purposes. 4. In astronomy, certain girdles or rings which surround the planet Jupiter are called belts. 5. A disease among sheep, cured by cutting off the tail, laying the sore bare, then casting mold on it, and applying tar and goose

grease.

BELT,.. To encircle.-Warton.

BELTANE, (n. May-day and its attendant ceremonies BELTIN, among the Scottish Highlanders; as, the beltane-fire, &c-Brande.

BELTED, a. Wearing a belt.

BE-LUGA,. A fish of the cetaceous order.

BEL'VE-DERE' (belve-deer), n. [It.] In Italian architecture, a pavilion on the top of an edifice; an artificial eminence in a garden.

BEL'VI-DERE, n. [L. bellus and video.] A plant, a species of chenopodium, goosefoot or wild orach.

BE-LYE. See BELIE.

↑ BEMA, . [Gr. Br.] 1. A chancel. 2. In ancient Greece, a stage or kind of pulpit.

↑ BE-MAD, ct. To make mad.-Shak.

BE-MAN GLE, . 4 To mangle; to tear asunder.-Beau

BE-MIN GLE, . &. To mingle; to mix. (Little used.)

BENCH, n. [Sax. benc.] 1. A long seat, usually of board or plank. 2. The seat where judges sit in court; the seat of justice. Hence, 3. The persons who sit as judges; the court-Dryden. 4. In old writers, an idler; one who sits much on tavern benches.

BENCH, v. 4. 1. To furnish with benches. 2. To seat on a bench. 3. v. i. To sit on a seat of justice. --Shak.

BENCH-WAR-RANT, n. An order or warrant issued by a court for the apprehension of a person guilty of contempt, or indicted for crime.-Bouvier.

BENCH'ER, n. 1. In England, the benchers, in the inns of court, are the senior members of the society, who have the government of it, and have been readers. 2. The alderman of a corporation. 3. A judge.-Shak.

BEND, v.t.; pret. bended, or bent; pp. bended, or bent. [Sax. bendan.] 1. To strain or to crook by straining, as a bow. 2. To crook; to make crooked; to curve; to inflect, as the arm. 3. To direct to a certain point, as one's course. 4. To exert; to apply closely; to exercise laboriously; to intend or stretch, as one's faculties. 5. To prepare or put in order for use; to stretch or strain. 6. To incline; to be determined; that is, to stretch toward, or cause to tend; as, bent on doing it. 7. To subdue; to cause to yield; to make submissive.-8. In seamanship, to fasten, as one rope to another, or to an anchor; to fasten, as a sail to its yard or stay; to fasten, as a cable to the ring of an anchor.-9. To bend the brow, is to knit the brow; to scowl; to frown. BEND, v. i. 1. To be crooked; to crook, or be curving. 2. To incline; to lean or turn. 3. To jut over; as, a bending cliff. 4. To resolve, or determine. 5. To bow, or be submissive.

BEND, n. 1. A curve; a crook; a turn in a road or river; flexure; incurvation.-2. In marine language, a knot by which one part of a rope is fastened to another, or to an anchor. 3. Bends of a ship are the thickest and strongest planks in her sides, more generally called wales.-4. In heraldry, one of the nine honorable ordinaries, containing a third part of the field, when charged, and a fifth, when plain. BEND. n. A band.-Spenser.

BEND-WITH, n. A plant-Dict.
BEND'A-BLE, a. That may be bent or incurvated.
BENDED, (pp. or a. Strained; incurvated; made crooked;

BENT,

inclined; subdued.

BENDER, n. The person who bends, or makes crooked; also, an instrument for bending other things. BENDING, ppr. Incurvating; forming into a curve; stooping; subduing; turning, as a road or river; inclining; leaning; applying closely, as the mind; fastening.

BENDLET, n. In heraldry, a little bend, which occupies a sixth part of a shield.-Bailey.

BENDY, n. In heraldry, the field divided into four, six, or more parts, diagonally, and varying in metal and color. BENE, n. The popular name of the sesamum orientale, or, oil plant, called in the West Indies vangloe. BE-NEAP'ED (be-neept), a. Among seamen, a ship is beneaped when the water does not flow high enough to float her from a dock or over a bar.

BE-NEATH', prep. [Sax. beneath.] 1. Under; lower in place, with something directly over or on. 2. Under, in a figurative sense; bearing heavy impositions, as taxes, or oppressive government. 3. Lower in rank, dignity, or excellence. 4. Unworthy of; unbecoming; not equal to. BE-NEATH', adv. 1. In a lower place. Mortimer. 2. Below, as opposed to heaven, or to any superior region. BENE-DICT, n. A newly-married man. (Derived from BENE-DICK, the name of Benedick, one of the characters in Shakspeare's Much Ado about Nothing.]

† BENE-DIET, a. [L. benedictus.) Having mild and salubrious qualities,-Bacon.

BEN-E-DICTINE, a. Pertaining to the order or monks of St. Benedict, or St. Benet.

mont. [Little used.]

BE-MASK, D. t. To mask; to conceal.-Shelton.

BE-MAZE, a. 1. To bewilder. [Little used.]

+ BE-METE, .t. To measure.-Shak.

BEN-E-DICTINES, n. pl. An order of monks, who profess

BE-MIRE', t. . To drag or encumber in the mire.

+ BE-MIST, n. 2. To cover or involve in mist.

to follow the rules of St. Benedict. In the canon law, they are called black friars.

ΒΕ-ΜΟΑΝ, Β.z. To lament; to bewail; to express sorrow for. BEN-F-DICTION, n. [L. benedictio.] 1. The act of blessing;

+ BE-MOAN'A-BLE, a. That may be lamented.

a giving praise to God, or rendering thanks for his favors;

BE-MOAN'ED, pp. Lamented; bewailed.

ΒΕ-ΜΟΑΝER, n. One who laments.

a blessing pronounced. 2. Blessing, prayer, or kind wishes, uttered in favor of any person or thing; a solemn or affectionate invocation of happiness; thanks; expression of gratitude. 3. The advantage conferred by blessing. 4. The form of instituting an abbot, answering to the consecration of a bishop.

cumber with mire and dirt-Shak.

† BEN-E-DICTIVE, a. Tending to bless; giving a blessing. -Gauden.

BE-MOISTEN, v. t. To moisten; to wet.
BE'MOL, a. In music, B flat, a semi-tone below B natural. BEN-E-FACTION, n. [L. benefacio.] 1. The act of confer-

vantage, or kindness. But, in present usage, an ecclesiastic-BE-NIGNI-TY, n. 1. Goodness of disposition or heart; kind

al living inferior to that of a bishop. 2. In the middle ages, benefice was used for a fee, or an estate in lands. BENE-FICED (ben'e-tist), a. Possessed of a benefice or church preferment.-Auliffe.

BENE-FICE-LESS, a. Having no benefice.
BE-NEFT-CENCE, n. [L. beneficentia.] The practice of doing
good; active goodness, kindness, or charity.
BE-NEFT-CENT, a. Doing good; performing acts of kind-
ness and charity. SYN. Bountiful; bounteous; liberal;
munificent; generous; charitable.

BE-NEFT-CENT-LY, adv. In a beneficent manner.
BEN-E-FICIAL (ben-e-fish'al), a. 1. Conferring benefits;
contributing to a valuable end. 2. Receiving or entitled to
have or receive advantage, use, or benetit; as, the bene-
ficial proprietor of an estate. SYN. Advantageous; use-
ful; profitable; helpiul.

BEN-E-FICIAL, n. A benefice.-Spenser.
BEN-E-FICIAL-LY, adv. Advantageously; profitably; help-
fully.

BEN-E-FICIAL-NESS, n. Usefulness; profitableness.
BEN-E-FI CIA-RY (ben-e-fish'a-ry), a. [L. beneficiarius.]
Holding some office or valuable possession in subordina-
tion to another.

BEN-E-FI CIA-RY (ben-e-fish'a-ry), n. 1. One who holds a
benefice. 2. One who receives any thing as a gift, or is
maintained by charity.

BEN-E-FI CIEN-CY, n. Kindness or favor bestowed.
BEN-E-FICIENT, a. Doing good.-Adam Smith.

ΒΕΝE-FIT, n. [L. beneficium; Fr. bienfait.] 1. An act of
kindness; a favor conferred. 2. That which is useful or

ness of nature; graciousness. 2. Actual goodness; beneficence. 3. Salubrity; wholesome quality; or that which tends to promote health.- Wiseman.

BE-NIGNLY (be-ninely), adv. Favorably; kindly; graciously.

BENT-SON (ben'e-zn), n. [Fr. benir, benissant.] Blessing; benediction. [Nearly antiquated.]

BEN'JA-MIN, n. 1. A tree, the laurus benzoin, called, also, spice-bush. 2. A gum or resin, or, rather, a balsam. Sce BENZOIN.

BEN'NET, n. The herb bennet, or avens; known in botany by the generic term geum.

BEN'NET-FISH, n. An African fish of two feet in length. BENT, pp. or a., from bend. Incurvated; inflected; inchned. prone to, or having a fixed propensity; determined.-Bent on, having a fixed mclination.

BENT, n. 1. The state of being curving, or crooked; flexure; curvity. 2. Declivity; as, the beat of a hill-Dryden, [unusual.) 3. A leaning or bias of mind. 4. Flexion; par ticular direction. 5. Application of the mind.-SYN. Inclination; tendency; disposition; prepossession; fixed purpose. 1. A kind of grass, called in botany

BENT,

BENT-GRASS, agrostis. 2. A withered stalk of grass. BENTING-TIME, n. The time when pigeons feed on bents, before pease are ripe.

BE-NUMB' (-num), v. t. [Sax. beniman, benyman; pp. benumen.] 1. To make torpid; to deprive of sensation. 2. Το stupefy; to render inactive.

BE-NUMB'ED (benumd'), pp. Rendered torpid; deprived of sensation; stupefied.

beneficial; a word of extensive use, and expressing what-BE-NUMBED-NESS, n. Destitution of feeling.-Smith.
ever contributes to promote prosperity and happiness. 3.
A períormance at a theater, the proceeds of which go to
one of the actors as part of his recompense. The term is
also applied to a periormance for the benefit of some indi-
gent, deserving person, or some public institution or chari-
ty.4. In law, benefit of clergy. See CLERGY.]-SYN. Ad-
vantage; profit; service; use; avail.

BE-NUMBING, ppr. Depriving of sensation; stupefying.
BE-NUMBMENT, n. Act of benumbing.-Kirby.
BENZOATE, n. A salt formed by the union of the benzoie
acid with any salitiable base.

BENE-FIT, v. t. To do good to; to advantage; to advance
in health or prosperity.

ΒΕΝE-FIT, . i. To gain advantage; to make improvement.
BENE-FIT-ED, pp. Profited; having received benefit.
BENE-FIT-ING, ppr. Doing good to; profiting; gaining ad-

BE-NET, v. t. To catch in a net; to insnare.

BE-NEVO-LENCE, n. [L. benevolentia.] 1. The disposition to do good; the love of others, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness. 2. An act of kindness; good done; charity given. 3. A species of contribution or tax, nominally a gratuity, but in fact illegally exacted by arbi trary kings of England.-SYN. Love; kindness; goodwill; goodness; tenderness; affection; charity; benignity; generosity.

BE-NEVO-LENT, a. [L. benevolens.) Having a disposition to do good; possessing love to mankind, and a desire to promote their prosperity and happiness.-SYN. Kind; affectionate; tender; loving; charitable; generous; hu

BENGAL STRIPES, n. A kind of cotton cloth, covered with colored stripes.

BEN-GAL-EE', n. The language or dialect spoken in Bengal. BEN-GAL-ESE', n. sing. and pl. A native, or the natives of Bengal.-As. Res., vii., 171.

BE-NIGHT, v. 1. To involve in darkness; to shroud with the shades of night. 2. To overtake with night. 3. To involve in moral darkness or ignorance; to debar from intellectual light.

BE-NIGHTED, pp. or a. Involved in darkness, physical or moral; overtaken by the night.

BE-NIGN' (be-nine'), a. [L. benignus.) 1. Having qualities or dispositions which tend to produce good; having a stdutary influence; [applied to persons and things.)-SYN. Kind; propitious; favorable; salutary; gracious; wholesome; liberal; generous.

BE-NIGNANT, a. Kind; gracious; favorable.

BEN-ZOTE, a. Pertaining to benzoin. -Benzoic acid, or florsers of benzoin, is a peculiar vegetable acid, obtained from benzoin and other balsams by sublmation or decoction. BEN-ZOIN', (n. Gum benjamin; a fragrant, concrete resBENJA-MIN, 3 inous juice, flowing from the styraz benze in, a tree of Sumatra, &c.

BENZULE. π. A compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, regarded as the base of benzoic acid; (also spelled benzyle.)

BE-PAINT, .t. To paint; to cover with paint.-Shak. [Lit
tle used.]

1 BE-PALE, v. t. To make pale.-Carew.
BE-PINCH', v. t. To mark with pinches.

BE-PINCH'ED, pp. Marked with pinches.-Chapman.

BE-PINCHT,

BE-PLÄITED, a. Plaited.-Mrs. Butler.
BE-POWDER, v. t. To powder; to sprinkle or cover with
powder.

BE-PRAISE', v. t. To praise greatly or extravagantly.
BE-PUCKERED, a. Puckered.
BE-PUFFED (be-puft), a. Putted.
BE-PURPLE, v. t. To tinge or dye with a purple color.
BE-QUEATH', v. t. [Sax. becwathan.] 1. To give or leave by
will; to devise some species of property by testament.
Hence, 2. To hand down to posterity; as, to bequeath
family quarrel..

BE-QUEATHED (be-kweefhd), pp. Given or left by will.
BE-QUEATHER, n. One who bequeaths; a testator.
BE-QUEATHING, ppr. Giving or devising by testament.
BE-QUEATHMENT, n. The act of bequeathing; a bequest.
BE-QUEST, n. Something left by will; a legacy.
BE-QUOTE, v. 1. To quote frequently.

† BE-RAIN', v. 1. Toran upon.-Chaucer.
BE-RATE', v. t. To chide vehemently; to scold.
BE-RATTLE, v. t. To till with rattling sounds or noise

Shak.

+ BE-RAY', v. t. To make foul; to soil.-Milton.

BERBE-RIN, n. A yellow, bitter principle, contained in the
alcoholic solution of the extract of the barberry plant.
BERBER-RY, n. [L. berberis.) See BARBERKY.
BERE, n. The name of a species of barley in Scotland.
BE-REAVE', v. 1.; pret, bereared, bereft; pp. bercaved, bereft
[Sax. bercafian.] 1. To deprive; to strip; to make desti-
tute; with of before the taing taken away. 2. To take
away from.-Shak.

BE-KEAV'ED (be-reevd), pp. or a. Deprived; stripped, and
left destitute.

BE-REAVE MENT, n. Deprivation, particularly by the loss
of a friend by death.

BE-REAVER, n. He who bereaves.
BE-REAVING, ppr. Stripping bare; depriving.
RE-REFT, pp. ot bereave. Deprived; made destitute.
BER-EN-GARI-ANS, n. pl. A sect in the cleventa century,
named from Berengurius, who denied the doctrine of
transubstantiation.

BERG, n. [Sax. beorg.] A borough; a town that sends
burgesses to parliament; a castle.-Ash. See BURG.

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An American Dictionary of the English Language: Exhibiting the Origin ...