List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary

Bar, bär, n. a rod of any solid substance: a bolt: a hindrance or obstruction—the barrier of a city or street, as the bars of York, Temple Bar, a toll-bar: a bank of sand or other matter at the mouth of a river: any terminus or limit (of life)—e.g. as in To cross the bar: the railing that encloses a space in a tavern, the counter across which drinks are served, a public-house: the wooden rail dividing off the judge's seat, at which prisoners are placed for arraignment or sentence—hence, To appear at the bar, To pass the bar = to be formally referred for trial from a lower court to a higher: any tribunal: the pleaders in a court as distinguished from the judges: a division in music.—v.t. to fasten or secure, as with a bar: to hinder or exclude:—pr.p. bar′ring; pa.p. barred.—ns. Bar′-ī′ron, iron in malleable bars; Bar′maid, a female waiter at the bar of a tavern or hotel.—prep. Bar′ring, excepting, saving.—ns. Bar′ring-out, the shutting of the school-room doors and windows by the pupils against the master, in order to enforce assent to their demands; Bar′wood, a kind of red dye-wood imported from Africa in bars. [O. Fr. barre—Low L. barra, perh. of Celt. origin.]

Baracan. Same as Barracan.

Baragouin, bä-rag-wēn, n. any jargon or unintelligible language. [Fr.; from Bret. bara, bread, and gwîn, wine, supposed to have originated in the Breton soldiers' astonishment at white bread.]

Barb, bärb, n. the beard-like jag near the point of an arrow, fish-hook, &c.—v.t. to arm with barbs, as an arrow, &c.: to shave, trim, mow, to pierce, as with a barb.—adjs. Barb′ate (bot.), bearing a hairy tuft; Barb′ated, barbed, bearded.—n. Barbe, a term applied by the Waldenses to their teachers.—adjs. Barbed, furnished with a barb: of a horse, armed or caparisoned with a barb or bard; Barb′ellate (bot.), having barbed or bearded bristles. [Fr.—L. barba, a beard.]

Barb, bärb, n. a swift kind of horse, the breed of which came from Barbary in North Africa.

Barbacan. See Barbican.

Barbarous, bär′bar-us, adj. uncivilised: rude: savage: brutal.—adjs. Bar′baresque, pertaining to Barbary: barbarous, esp. in art; Barbār′ian, uncivilised: savage: without taste or refinement: foreign.—n. an uncivilised man, a savage: a cruel, brutal man.—adj. Barbar′ic, foreign: uncivilised.—n. Barbarisā′tion.—v.t. Bar′barise, to make barbarous: to corrupt as a language.—ns. Bar′barism, savage life: rudeness of manners: an incorrect form of speech; Barbar′ity, savageness: cruelty.—adv. Bar′barously.—n. Bar′barousness. [L.—Gr. barbaros, foreign, lit. stammering, from the unfamiliar sound of foreign tongues.]

Barbary ape, bär′bar-i āp, n. the magot, or small tailless ape found in Africa and also on the rock of Gibraltar.

Barbecue, bärb′e-kū, v.t. to roast whole, as a pig: to cure flesh by exposing it on a barbecue.—n. a framework on which to dry and smoke meat above a fire: an animal roasted whole: an open floor on which coffee-beans and the like are spread out to dry: (Amer.) a large social or political entertainment, where the hospitalities are on a lavish scale. [Sp. barbacoa—Haytian barbacòa, a framework of sticks set upon posts.]

Barbel, bärb′el, n. a fresh-water fish with beard-like appendages at its mouth. [O. Fr. barbel—Low L. barbellus—L. barba, a beard.]

Barber, bärb′ėr, n. one who shaves beards and dresses hair.—ns. Barb′er-mong′er (Shak.), a man decked out by his barber, a fop; Barb′er-sur′geon, one who let blood and drew teeth as well as shaved—the company of Barber-surgeons was incorporated in 1461, but by an act in 1545 barbers were confined to the more humble function.—Barber's block, a round block on which wigs are made; Barber's pole, the barber's sign in England, a pole striped spirally with alternate bands of colours, generally red or black and white, having often a brass basin hung at the end. [Fr.—L. barba, a beard.]

Barberry, bär′ber-i, n. a thorny shrub with yellow flowers and red berries, common in hedges. [Low L. berberis; the Ar. barbaris is borrowed.]

Barbette, bar-bėt′, n. an earthen terrace inside the parapet of a rampart, serving as a platform for heavy guns: in ironclad ships, a heavily armoured redoubt amidships. [Fr.]

Barbican, bär′bi-kan, n. a projecting watch-tower over the gate of a castle or fortified town, esp. the outwork intended to defend the drawbridge. [O. Fr. barbacane, also in Sp., Port., and It. forms; perh. of Ar. or Pers. origin. Col. Yule suggests bābkhānah, gate-house, name in the East for a towered gateway.]

Barbule, bärb′ūl, n. (bot.) a small barb or beard: a pointed barb-like process fringing the barbs of a feather. [See Barbel.]

Barcarolle, bär′ka-rōl, n. a boat-song of the Venetian gondoliers: a musical composition of a similar character. [It. barcaruolo, a boatman, from barca, a bark, a barge, a boat.]

Bard, bärd, n. a poet and singer among the ancient Celts: a poet—dims. Bard′ling, Bard′let, poetaster.—n. Bard′-craft (Browning).—adj. Bard′ic. [Gael. and Ir. bàrd.]

Barded, bärd′ed, adj. caparisoned, as horses.—n. Bard (obs.), the protective covering of a war-horse or a man-at-arms. [Fr. barde—Sp. albarda, pack-saddle, perh. from Ar. al-barda‛ah; al, the, and barda‛ah, mule's pack-saddle.]

Bare, bār, adj. uncovered: naked: open to view: poor, scanty: unadorned: (Shak.) unarmed: mere or by itself: (Shak.) paltry, desolate: empty: (Spens.) rude.—v.t. to strip or uncover.—adj. Bare′backed, with bare back: unsaddled.—n. Bare′bone (Shak.), a very lean person.—adj. Bare′faced, with the face uncovered: (Shak.) avowed: impudent.—adv. Bare′facedly.—n. Bare′facedness.—adjs. Bare′foot, -ed, having the feet bare, often of some monastic orders; Bare′-gnawn (Shak.), gnawed bare; Bare′headed, having the head bare; Bar′ish (Carlyle), somewhat bare; Bare′legged, having the legs bare.—adv. Bare′ly.—ns. Bare′ness; Bare′sark, a fierce Norse fighter, a berserker.—adv. in a shirt only. [A.S. bær; Ger. baar, bar; Ice. berr.]

Bare, bār, old pa.t. of Bear.

Barage, ba-rāzh′, n. a light, silky dress-stuff, named from Barèges in the Pyrenees.

Bargain, bär′gin, n. a contract or agreement: a favourable transaction: an advantageous purchase: (Shak.) chaffering.—v.i. to make a contract or agreement: to chaffer: to count on, take into consideration (with for): to lose by bad bargaining (with away).—n. Bar′gainer.—Bargain and sale, in law, a mode of conveyance whereby property may be assigned or transferred for valuable consideration.—Into the bargain, over and above; To make the best of a bad bargain, to make the best of difficult circumstances; To sell any one a bargain (Shak.), to befool him; To strike a bargain, to come to terms about a purchase. [O. Fr. bargaigner—Low L. barcaniare; acc. to Diez from barca, a boat.]

Barge, bärj, n. flat-bottomed freight boat, with or without sails, used on rivers and canals: the second boat of a man-of-war: a large pleasure or state boat.—ns. Bar′gee, a bargeman; Barge′man, The manager of a barge; Barge′-mas′ter, the proprietor of a barge. [O. Fr. barge—Low L. barga. Prob. a doublet of Bark, a barge.]

Barge-board, barj′-bōrd, n. a board extending along the edge of the gable of a house to cover the rafters and keep out the rain. [The barge here may be conn. with Low L. bargus, a gallows.]

Barghest, bär′gest, n. a dog-like goblin portending death. [Perh. conn. with Ger. berg-geist, mountain-ghost.]

Baric. See Barium.

Barilla, bar-il′a, n. an impure carbonate of soda obtained by burning several marine plants (that grow chiefly on the east coast of Spain), used in the manufacture of soap, glass, &c. [Sp. barrilla.]

Baritone, bar′i-tōn. Same as Barytone.

Barium, bā′ri-um, n. the metal present in heavy spar (sulphate of baryta) and baryta, formerly thought to be white, but now known to possess a yellow colour.—adj. Bar′ic. [From Baryta; cf. soda, sodium.]

Bark, bärk, n. the abrupt cry uttered by a dog, wolf, &c.—v.i. to yelp like a dog: to clamour.—v.t. (Spens.) to utter with a bark.—n. Bark′er, a shop-tout: (slang) a pistol, cannon.—His bark is worse than his bite, his angry expressions are worse than his actual deeds. [A.S. beorcan, prob. a variety of brecan, to crack, snap. See Break.]

Bark, Barque, bärk, n. a barge: a ship of small size, square-sterned, without head-rails: technically, a three-masted vessel whose mizzen-mast is fore-and-aft rigged instead of being square-rigged, like the fore and main masts—barks of over 3000 tons are now frequently built.—ns. Bar′kantine, Bar′quentine, a three-masted vessel, with the fore-mast square-rigged, and the main-mast and mizzen-mast fore-and-aft rigged. [Fr. barque—Low L. barca; perh. from Gr. baris, a Nile-boat.]

Bark, bärk, n. the rind or covering of the trunk and branches of a tree: that used in tanning or dyeing, or the residue thereof, laid upon a street to deaden the sound, &c.: the envelopment or outer covering of anything.—v.t. to strip or peel the bark from: to rub off (skin).—n. Bark′-bed, a hotbed made of spent bark.—v.t. Bark′en, to dry up into a barky substance.—v.i. to become like bark.—adjs. Bark′less; Bark′y.—Cinchona, Jesuits', Peruvian bark, the bark of the cinchona, from which quinine is made. [Scand. börkr; Dan. bark.]

Barker's mill, bärk′ėrz mil, a water-wheel invented in the 18th century by Dr Barker.

Barley, bär′li, n. a hardy grain used for food, but chiefly for making malt liquors and spirits.—ns. Bar′ley-bree, -broth, strong ale; Bar′ley-corn, personified as John Barleycorn, the grain from which malt is made: a single grain of barley: a measure of length = ⅓ of an inch; Bar′ley-su′gar, a mixture of sugar with a decoction of pearl-barley, boiled till it is candied; Bar′ley-wat′er, a decoction of pearl-barley; Pearl′-bar′ley, the grain stripped of husk and pellicle, and completely rounded by grinding; Pot′-bar′ley, the grain deprived by milling of its outer husk, used in making broth, &c. [A.S. bærlíc, bere, and suffix -líc.]

Barley, bär′li, interj. (Scot.) a term used in games in demand of a truce, parley (of which it is most prob. a corruption).

Barley-brake, bär′li-brāk, n. an old country game, originally played by three couples, of which one, left in a middle den called 'hell,' had to catch the others, who could break or separate when about to be overtaken. [Perh. from the grain, barley, because often played in a barley-field; or perh. from the word preceding.]

Barm, bärm, n. froth of beer or other fermenting liquor, used as leaven: yeast.—adjs. Barm′y; Barm′y-brained, flighty. [A.S. beorma; cog. with Dan. bärme, Ger. bärme.]

Barmbrack, bärm′brak, n. a currant-bun. [Ir. bairigen breac, speckled cake.]

Barm-cloth, bärm′-kloth, n. (Morris) an apron. [A.S. barm, bosom, -beran, to bear, and Cloth.]

Barmecide, bär′me-sīd, n. one who offers an imaginary or pretended banquet or other benefit.—adjs. Bar′mecide, Barmecī′dal. [From a story in the Arabian Nights, in which a beggar is entertained to an imaginary feast by one of the Barmecides, a Persian family who attained to great influence at the court of the Abbasside caliphs.]

Barmkin, bärm′kin, n. the rampart of a castle.

Barn, bärn, n. a building in which grain, hay, &c. are stored.—v.t. to store in a barn.—ns. and adjs. Barn′-door, Barn′-yard, as in barn-yard fowl.—n. Barn′-owl, the commonest of British owls.—Barn-door, in cricket, used of a player who blocks every ball: humorously, any large target. [A.S. bere-ern, contracted bern, from bere, barley, ern, a house.]

Barnaby, bärn′a-bi, n. form of Barnabas, the apostle.—n. Bar′nabite, a member of the congregation of regular canons of St Paul, founded at Milan in 1530, so called from their preaching in the church of St Barnabas there.—Barnaby-day, Barnaby bright, or Long Barnaby, St Barnabas' Day, 11th June, in Old Style reckoned the longest day.

Barnacle, bär′na-kl, n. a shellfish which adheres to rocks and the bottoms of ships: a companion who sticks closely.—n. Bar′nacle-goose, a species of wild goose belonging to the Northern seas, so called from a notion that they were produced from the barnacles mentioned. [O. Fr. bernaque—Low L. bernaca; by some referred to a supposed form pernacula, dim. of perna, a kind of shellfish; by others to a Celtic origin.]

Barnacle, bär′na-kl, n. an instrument consisting of two branches joined by a hinge, placed on the nose of horses to keep them quiet: (pl.) a colloquial term for 'spectacles.'—adj. Bar′nacled. [O. Fr. bernac, of which bernacle seems to be a dim. form. The sense of 'spectacles' has been traced to O. Fr. bericle, eye-glass—berillus, beryl; but this is improbable.]

Barney, bär′ni, n. (slang) humbug: a prize-fight.

Barnumise, bär′num-īz, v.t. to advertise and display on a great scale.—n. Bar′numism. [From Barnum, a great showman (1810-91).]

Barograph, bar′o-graf, n. a barometer which records automatically variations of atmospheric pressure. [Gr. baros, weight, graphein, to write.]

Barometer, bar-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument by which the weight or pressure of the atmosphere is measured, and changes of weather, or heights above sea-level, indicated.—adj. Baromet′ric.—adv. Baromet′rically.—n. Barom′etry. [Gr. baros, weight, metron, measure.]

Barometz, bar′o-metz, n. the hairy prostrate stem of a fern found near the Caspian Sea, at one time supposed to be at once plant and animal, to grow on a stalk, and to eat grass like a lamb, &c.; hence also called, as by Mandeville, the Scythian Lamb. [Erroneous form of Russ. baranetz, dim. of baran, ram.]

Baron, bar′on, n. a title of rank, the lowest in the House of Peers: formerly a title of the judges of the Court of Exchequer: in feudal times the tenants-in-chief of the Crown, later the peers or great lords of the realm generally: till 1832, the name for the parliamentary representatives of the Cinque Ports: in Germany, the signification, instead of becoming restricted as in England, has become extended—the greater or dynasty barons having all been elevated to higher titles, a large number being designated barons in virtue of a diploma from some reigning prince, the title being used also by all his descendants.—ns. Bar′onage, the whole body of barons; Bar′on-bail′ie, a magistrate appointed by the lord-superior in a burgh of barony; Bar′oness, a baron's wife, or a lady holding a baronial title in her own right.—adj. Barōn′ial, pertaining to a baron or barony.—n. Bar′ony, the territory of a baron: in Ireland, a division of a county: in Scotland, a large freehold estate, or manor, even though not carrying with it a baron's title and rank: the rank of baron.—Baron of beef, a joint consisting of two sirloins left uncut at the backbone. [O. Fr. barun, -on—Low L. baro, -onem; in the Romance tongues the word meant a man as opposed to a woman, a strong man, a warrior; traced by some to Celt. bar, a hero; by others to Old High Ger. bero, bearer, carrier.]

Baronet, bar′on-et, n. the lowest hereditary title in the United Kingdom (of England—now of Great Britain—since 1611; of Scotland—or of Nova Scotia—since 1625; of Ireland, since 1619).—ns. Bar′onetage, the whole body of baronets: a list of such; Bar′onetcy.—adj. Baronet′ical. [Dim. of Baron.]

Baroque, bar-ōk′, adj. originally a jeweller's term, but applied in art generally to extravagant ornamental designs: whimsical, odd. [Fr. baroque; perh. from L. verruca, wart, but referred by some to Ar. burāq, hard earth mixed with stones.]

Baroscope, bar′ō-skōp, n. an instrument for indicating changes in the density of the air. [Gr. baros, weight, skopein, to see.]

Barouche, ba-rōōsh′, n. a double-seated four-wheeled carriage with a falling top. [It. baroccio—L. birotus, two-wheeled, from bis, twice, rota, a wheel.]

Barque. Same as Bark (2).

Barquentine, bär′ken-tēn, n. same as Barkantine (q.v. under Bark, a ship). [Formed from Barque, like Brigantine from Brig.]

Barracan, bar′a-kan, n. a thick, strong stuff resembling camlet. [Fr.; It.—Ar. barrakān, a dark dress, Pers. barak, a stuff made of camel's hair.]

Barrace, bar′as, n. (obs.) the lists in a tournament. [O. Fr. barras—barre, bar.]

Barrack, bar′ak, n. a building for soldiers, esp. in garrison (generally in pl.). [Fr. baraque (It. baracca, Sp. barraca, a tent); acc. to Diez from barra, bar.]

Barracoon, bar′a-kōōn, n. a depôt for slaves. [Sp.—barraca.]

Barracoota, -cuda, bar′a-kōō′ta, -kōō′da, n. a voracious West Indian fish.—Also Barracou′ta, an Australian food-fish. [Sp.]

Barrage, bär′āj, n. the forming of an artificial bar in order to deepen a river. [Fr. barrage—barre, bar.]

Barrator, bar-āt′or, n. one who vexatiously stirs up lawsuits, quarrels, &c.—adj. Bar′ratrous.—adv. Bar′ratrously.—n. Bar′ratry, fraudulent practices on the part of the master or mariners of a ship to the prejudice of the owners: vexatious litigation, or the stirring up of suits and quarrels among subjects, forbidden under penalties to lawyers: traffic in offices of church or state. [O. Fr. barateor—barat, deceit; traced by some to Gr. prattein, by others to a Celt. or a Scand. origin.]

Barrel, bar′el, n. a cylindrical wooden vessel made of curved staves bound with hoops: the quantity which such a vessel contains (36 imperial gallons of ale and beer): a certain weight or quantity of other goods usually sold in casks called barrels: anything long and hollow, as the barrel of a gun, or cylindrical and barrel-shaped.—v.t. to put in a barrel.—n. Bar′rel-bulk, a measurement of five cubic feet.—p.adj. Bar′relled, having a barrel or barrels: placed in a barrel.—ns. Bar′rel-or′gan, an organ in which the music is produced by a barrel or cylinder set with pins, the revolution of which opens the key-valves and produces the music; Barrel-vault, a vault with a simple semi-cylindrical roof.—adj. Bar′rel-vault′ed. [Fr. baril (Sp. barril, It. barile)—Low L. barile, barillus, possibly from barra, bar.]

Barren, bar′en, adj. incapable of bearing offspring: unfruitful: dull, stupid: unprofitable (with of).—adj. Bar′ren-beat′en.—adv. Bar′renly.—n. Bar′renness.—adjs. Bar′ren-spir′ited; Bar′ren-wit′ted. [O. Fr. barain, brahain, brehaing, perh. from bar, man, as if 'male-like, not producing offspring.']

Barret, bar′et, n. a flat cap, esp. the Biretta (q.v.). [Fr. barrette, Sp. birreta. See Biretta.]

Barricade, bar′ik-ād, n. a temporary fortification raised to hinder the advance of an enemy, as in the street fights of Parisian insurrections.—v.t. to obstruct: to fortify.—Earlier form Barricā′do. [Fr.; barrique, a cask, the first street barricades having consisted of casks filled with stones, &c. See Bar.]

Barrico, bar-ē′ko, n. a small cask. [Sp.]

Barrier, bar′i-ėr, n. a defence against attack: a limit or boundary: a fence, railing, gate where customs are collected: the lists in a tournament: any obstacle that keeps apart: (pl.) a martial exercise in 15th and 16th centuries.—v.t. to shut by means of a barrier.—n. Bar′rier-reef, a coral-reef surrounding an island or fringing a coast with a navigable channel inside.—Barrier Act, an act passed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1697 as a security against innovations, decreeing that changes in the law of the Church, even when approved by the Assembly, shall not become law till approved also by a majority of presbyteries. [O. Fr. barrière—Low L. barraria—barra, bar.]

Barrister, bar′is-tėr, n. one who is qualified to plead at the bar in an English or Irish law-court.—adj. Barristēr′ial.—n. Bar′ristership.—Revising barrister, a barrister appointed annually by the English judges to revise the lists and settle who are the persons entitled to vote for members of parliament. [From barra, bar, the suffix being undetermined.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. a small hand or one-wheel carriage used to bear or convey a load.—n. Bar′row-tram, the shaft of a barrow. [M. E. barewe, from an assumed A.S. form bearwe—beran, to bear.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. originally a mountain, hillock: a mound raised over graves in former times. [A.S. beorg; cog. with Ger. berg.]

Barrow, bar′rō, n. a long sleeveless flannel garment for infants. [A.S. beorgan, to protect.]

Bar-sinister. Variant of Baton-sinister (q.v. under Baton).

Barter, bär′tėr, v.t. to give one thing in exchange for another (with for, away).—v.i. to traffic by exchanging.—n. traffic by exchange of commodities.—n. Bar′terer, one who barters. [Prob. from O. Fr. barat.]

Bartholomew-tide, bar-thol′o-mū-tīd, n. the day of the festival of St Bartholomew, 24th August: the name was also applied to things sold at the fair.—Often spelt Bar′tlemy.—Black Bartholomew, 24th August 1662, the day on which the Act of Uniformity came into force within the Church of England.

Bartisan, bär′ti-zan, n. a small overhanging turret projecting from an angle on the top of a tower. [Apparently an adaptation by Scott of Scot. bertisene, traceable to O. Fr. bretesche, a parapet of wood.]

Barton, bar′ton, n. a farm-yard. [A.S. bere-tún, yard, bere, barley, and tún, enclosure.]

Barycentric, bar-i-sen′trik, adj. pertaining to the centre of gravity. [Gr. barys, heavy, kentron, centre.]

Baryta, ba-rī′ta, Barytes, ba-rī′tēz, n. the earth present in the minerals witherite and heavy spar.—adj. Baryt′ic, of or containing baryta. [From Gr. barys, heavy.]

Barytone, bar′i-tōn, n. a deep-toned male voice between bass and tenor: a singer with such a voice: in Greek, applied to words not having an acute accent on the last syllable. [Through Fr. from Gr. barys, heavy, deep, and tonos, a tone.]

Basalt, bas-awlt′, n. a hard, dark-coloured rock of igneous origin.—adj. Basalt′ic. [L. basaltes, an African word.]

Basanite, bas′an-īt, n. a kind of quartz serviceable for testing the purity of the precious metals by the marks made. [Gr. basanos, touchstone.]

Basbleu. Same as Blue-stocking (q.v. under Blue).

Bascinet. Same as Basinet.

Bascule, bas′kūl, n. an apparatus of the lever kind, in which one end is raised while the other is depressed. [Fr. bas, down, and cul, the posteriors.]

Base, bās, n. that on which a thing rests: foot: bottom: foundation: support: the chief ingredient, as in dyeing and chemistry: the starting-point, in a race: the fixed goal across which the ball is struck in hockey, the fixed stations at base-ball: the point from which the operations of a campaign are conducted: a measured line serving as a basis for trigonometrical calculations: the surface on which a plane or solid figure stands: (chem.) a term applied to a compound body, generally consisting of a metal united with oxygen; (archit.) the foot or lower member of a pillar, on which the shaft rests: (her.) the lower portion of the shield—any figure placed on it is said to be 'in base:' a small portion of the base of a shield parted off by a horizontal line is sometimes called a base.—v.t. to found or place on a base:—pr.p. bās′ing; pa.p. based (bāst).—adjs. Bas′al, Bas′ilar, pertaining to or situated at the base, esp. of the skull; Base′less, without a base or foundation.—ns. Base′lessness; Base′ment, the base or lowest story of a building.—adj. Bas′en-wide (Spens.), widely extended.—n. Base′-plate, the foundation plate of a piece of heavy machinery.—n.pl. Bas′es, a kind of embroidered mantle which hung down from the middle to about the knees or lower, worn by knights on horseback: (Spens.) armour for the legs.—ns. Base′-string, the string of a musical instrument that gives the lowest note; Base′-vīol (same as Bass-viol).—adj. Bas′ic (chem.), belonging to or of the nature of a base.—v.t. Bas′ify (chem.), to convert into a salifiable base:—pr.p. bās′ifying; pa.p. bās′ifīed. [Fr.—L.—Gr. basis—ba-, in bainein, to go.]

Base, bās, adj. low in place, value, estimation, or principle: mean: vile: worthless: debased: counterfeit: (law) servile, as opposed to free: humble: (B. and Shak.) lowly.—adj. Base′-born, illegitimate.—adv. Base′ly.—adj. Base′-mind′ed, of a low mind or spirit: mean.—n. Base′ness.—adj. Base′-spir′ited, mean-spirited. [Fr. bas—Low L. bassus, thick, fat, a vulgar Roman word, found also in name Bassus.]

Base, bās, v.t. a form of Abase.

Base, bās, n. an old game played by two sides occupying contiguous spaces, called bases or homes, off which any player is liable to be touched with the hand or struck by a ball by the enemy, and so attached to their sides. Forms of this game are known as Prisoner's Base or Bars, and Rounders, and the national American game of Base-ball is a development from it.

Base-ball, bās′-bawl, n. a game played with a bat and a ball, and run round bases, marking the circuit to be taken by each player of the inside after striking the ball. There are nine players on each side; the pitcher, of the one side, throws the ball; one of the other side tries to hit it as it passes him; and the runs to the bases are regulated according as the ball falls inside or outside certain lines, &c. A development from rounders, base-ball has been the American national game since 1865. [Coupled with cricket in Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (written 1798).]

Basecourt, bās′kōrt, n. the outer court of a mansion, which contained the stable-yard and servants' accommodation, as distinguished from the principal quadrangle: an inferior court of justice. [Fr. basse-court.]

Basenet. Same as Basinet.

Bash, bash, v.t. to beat or smash in.—n. Bash. [Prob. Scand.]

Bashaw, ba-shaw′, n. a pasha: a haughty man—now usually written Pasha or Pacha (q.v.).—ns. Bashaw′ism, Bashaw′ship. [Turk.]

Bashful, bash′fōōl, adj. easily confused: modest: shy: wanting confidence.—v.i. Bash (Spens.), to be abashed.—adv. Bash′fully.—n. Bash′fulness.—adj. Bash′less, unashamed. [See Abash.]

Bashi-bazouk, bash′i-ba-zōōk′, n. a Turkish irregular trooper. They are mostly Asiatics, and are brutal plundering ruffians, capable, as in 1876 in Bulgaria, of the most devilish atrocities. [Turk. bashi-bozuq.]

Bashlyk, bash′lik, n. a kind of hood with long ends worn in Russia. [Russ. bashluikŭ, a Caucasian hood.]

Basil, baz′il, n. a mainly tropical or subtropical genus of Labiatæ, characterised by a pleasant aromatic smell and taste, and reckoned amongst sweet herbs.—Sweet basil is an Indian annual long cultivated in Europe for seasoning purposes. [O. Fr. basile—L. basilisca—Gr. basilikon, royal.]

Basil, baz′il, n. a sheepskin roughly tanned and undressed.

Basil. See Bezel.

Basilica, baz-il′ik-a, n. among the Romans, a large oblong hall, with double colonnades and a semicircular apse at the end, used for judicial and commercial purposes—many of them were afterwards converted into Christian churches: a magnificent church built after the plan of the ancient basilica.—adj. Basil′ican. [L. basilica, Gr. basilikē (oikia, a house), belonging to a king, from basileus, a king.]

Basilicon, baz-il′ik-on, n. a name given to various kinds of ointment as possessing sovereign virtues. [Gr. basilikon, royal.]

Basilisk, baz′il-isk, n. a fabulous creature, about a foot long, with a black-and-yellow skin and fiery red eyes, so named, according to Pliny, from the crest on the head like a crown—variously regarded as a kind of dragon or cockatrice: in modern zoology, a harmless crested lizard of tropical South America: an ancient brass cannon throwing a shot of about 200 lb. weight. [Gr. basiliskos, dim. of basileus, a king.]

Basin, bās′n, n. a wide open vessel or dish: any hollow place containing water, as a dock: the area drained by a river and its tributaries. [O. Fr. bacin—Low L. bachinus, perh. from the Celtic.]

Basinet, bas′i-net, n. a light globular headpiece worn alone with a visor, or with the great helm resting on the shoulders, worn over it.—Also Bas′net.

Basis, bās′is, n. the foundation, or that on which a thing rests: the pedestal of a column: the groundwork or first principle:—pl. Bas′es. [See Base (1).]

Bask, bask, v.i. to lie in the warmth or sunshine. [Scand. badask, to bathe.]

Basket, bas′ket, n. a vessel made of plaited twigs, rushes, or other flexible materials.—ns. Bas′ketful, as much as fills a basket; Bas′ket-hilt, the hilt of a sword with a covering wrought like basket-work to defend the hand from injury; Bas′ket-mak′er; Bas′ket-work, any structure of interlaced twigs or the like. [Prob. the L. bascauda; the W. basged is apparently borrowed from the English.]

Basque, bask, adj. relating to the Basques, or their wonderful language, with its extreme variability of dialects—the only example of a consistently incorporating language.—n. a native of the Basque provinces: the distinctive language of the Basques: a kind of short-skirted jacket worn by women, a continuation of the bodice a little below the waist.—adj. Basqued (baskt), furnished with a basque.—n. Basq′uine, an outer petticoat worn by Basque and Spanish women. [Fr. Basque—Low L. Vasco, an inhabitant of Vasconia, whence Gascony. The Basques themselves call their tongue Eskuara, Euscara, whence the Fr. Euscarien.]

Bas-relief, bä-re-lēf′, Bass-relief, bas′re-lēf′, n. (sculp.) figures which do not stand far out from the ground on which they are formed—also used in the Italian form Bass′o-rilie′vo. [See Base, low, and Relief.]

Bass, bās, n. the low or grave part in music.—adj. low, deep, grave.—v.t. to sound in a deep tone.—ns. Bass′-horn, a musical wind-instrument, a modification of the bassoon, much lower and deeper in its tones; Thor′ough-bass, the theory of harmony. [See Base, low.]

Bass. Same as Bast.

Bass, Basse, bas, n. a marine fish allied to the perch. [A.S. bærs; cf. Ger. bars, the perch.]

Bassa, bas′sa, n. Same as Bashaw.

Basset, bas′et, n. a short-legged dog used in unearthing foxes and badgers: an old Venetian game at cards, resembling faro, widely popular in the 18th century: (geol.) the outcrop or emergence of mineral strata at the surface.—v.i. to incline upward so as to appear at the surface, to crop up.—n. Bas′set-horn (It. corno di bassetto), the richest and softest of all wind-instruments, similar to a clarionet in tone and fingering, but with a twice-bent wooden tube, having a compass of two and a half octaves. [Fr. bas, low.]

Bassinet, Bassinette, bas′si-net, n. a kind of basket with a hood in which an infant is placed as in a cradle: a similarly shaped perambulator. [Fr. dim. of basin, a basin.]

Basso, bas′so, n. the same as Bass (1): also a bass singer.

Bassoon, bas-ōōn′, n. (It. fagotto) a musical wind-instrument filling an important place in the modern orchestra, of the reed species, made of maple-wood or plane-tree, its compass from B flat below the bass stave to C in the treble.—The Double bassoon (It. contrafagotto) sounds an octave lower.—n. Bassoon′ist. [It. bassone, augmentative of basso, low, from root of Base.]

Bass-viol, bās′-vī′ol, n. a musical instrument with four strings, used for playing the bass in concerted music; the violoncello. [See Bass, low, and Viol.]

Bast, bast, n. the inner bark of the lime-tree: matting made of it. [A.S. bæst; Dut., Dan., Ger. bast.]

Bastard, bas′tard, n. a child born of parents not married.—adj. born out of wedlock: not genuine: resembling, but not identical with, the species bearing the name: of abnormal shape or size: false.—n. Bas′tard-bar, a popular but inaccurate name for the baton-sinister in heraldry.—v.t. Bas′tardise, to prove to be a bastard.—adv. Bas′tardly (obs.).—ns. Bas′tard-wing, three, four, or five feathers springing from the side of the wing of a bird near the point, attached to a bony process which is the homologue of the thumb in some mammalia; Bas′tardy, Bas′tardism, the state of being a bastard.—Bastard title, an abbreviated title of a book on an otherwise blank page preceding the full title-page; Bastard types, types cast with an extra deep bevel to obviate the use of leads, as Longprimer face on Pica body. [Fr. bâtard; O. Fr. fils de bast, son of the pack-saddle, bast (bât) being a coarse saddle for beasts of burden.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to beat with a stick. [Prob. conn. with Ice. beysta, Dan. böste, to beat.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to drop fat or butter over meat while roasting to keep it from burning and to improve the flavour. [Ety. unknown.]

Baste, bāst, v.t. to sew slightly or with long stitches. [O. Fr. bastír, from Old High Ger. bestan, to sew.]

Bastille, bast-ēl′, n. an old fortress in Paris long used as a stale prison, and demolished by a revolutionary mob in July 1789: any prison regarded as a symbol of tyranny. [Fr.—O. Fr. bastir (Fr. bâtir), to build.]

Bastinado, bast-in-ād′o, v.t. to beat with a baton or stick, esp. on the soles of the feet (a form of punishment in the East):—pr.p. bastinād′ing or bastinād′oing; pa.p. bastinād′ed or bastinād′oed.—ns. Bastinade′, Bastinād′o. [Sp. bastonada, Fr. bastonnade—baston, bâton. See Baton.]

Bastion, bast′yun, n. a kind of tower at the angles of a fortification.—adj. Bast′ioned. [Fr.—O. Fr. bastir, to build.]

Bat, bat, n. a heavy stick: a flat club for striking the ball in cricket, a club for base-balls, a batsman: the clown's sword in a pantomime: a piece of brick: (slang) rate of speed, style.—v.i. to use the bat in cricket:—pr.p. bat′ting; pa.p. bat′ted.—ns. Bat′ter, Bats′man, one who wields the bat at cricket, &c.; Bat′ting, the management of a bat in playing games: cotton fibre prepared in sheets. [Perh. from A.S. bat (a doubtful form), prob. Celt. bat, staff.]

Bat, bat, n. an animal with a body like a mouse, but which flies on wings attached mainly to its fore-feet, but extending along its sides to the hind-feet. [M. E. bakke, apparently from Scand.; cf. Dan. aftenbakke, evening-bat.]

Batable, bāt′a-bl, adj. debatable, disputable. [A contr. of Debatable.]

Batata, ba-tä′ta, n. a plant with tuberous roots, the sweet potato. [Sp. batata, potato.]

Batavian, ba-tā′vi-an, adj. pertaining to the ancient Batavi in the Low Countries, or to the modern Dutch, their descendants.

Batch, bach, n. the quantity of bread baked or of anything made or got ready at one time: a set. [From Bake.]

Bate. Same as Abate.

Bate, bāt, n. (Spens.) strife, contention.—adj. Bate′-breed′ing (Shak.). [Abbrev. of Debate.]

Bate, bāt, n. diminution (dial., esp. in combination).

Bate, bāt, v.i. (Shak.) to beat the wings impatiently: (obs.) to be impatient. [O. E. batre—Low L. batĕre.]

Bateau, bä-to′, n. a light river-boat, esp. those used on Canadian rivers. [Fr.—O. Fr. batel, boat.]

Bateless, bāt′les, adj. (Shak.) that cannot be bated or blunted.

Batfowling, bat′fowl-ing, n. the catching birds at night when at roost. [Bat, club, and Fowl.]

Bath, bäth, n. water for plunging the body into: a bathing: a house for bathing: a place for undergoing medical treatment by means of bathing: (phot.) a solution in which plates are plunged:—pl. Baths (bäthz).—ns. Bath′-brick, a preparation of siliceous silt, manufactured at Bridgwater in the form of bricks, and used in cleaning knives; Bath′chair, a large wheeled chair for invalids; Bath′house; Bath′man; Bath′room; Bath′-stone, a building stone quarried at Bath; Bath′woman; Blood′-bath, a massacre.—Bath Guide, a poem of the 18th century, often taken as a type of 'Society' verse.—Order of the Bath, an English order of knighthood, so named from the bath before installation (including three classes—military and civil knights grand-cross, G.C.B.; knights commanders, K.C.B.; and companions, C.B.). [A.S. bæth, cog. with Ger. bad.]

Bath, bäth, n. the largest Jewish liquid measure, containing about six gallons. [Heb.]

Bathe, bāth, v.t. to wash as in a bath: to wash or moisten with any liquid: to moisten, suffuse, encompass.—v.i. to take a bath.—n. the act of taking a bath.—ns. Bath′ing-box, a box for bathers to undress and dress in; Bath′ing-machine′, a small carriage in which a bather may be carried out into water conveniently deep for bathing. [A.S. bathian; Old High Ger. badôn, bathôn (Ger. baden).]

Bathometer, bath-om′et-ėr, n. an instrument for ascertaining depth. [Gr. bathos, depth, metron, measure.]

Bathorse, baw′hors, n. a packhorse carrying the baggage of an officer. [Fr. bât, a pack-saddle.]

Bathos, bā′thos, n. a ludicrous descent from the elevated to the mean in writing or speech.—adj. Bathet′ic, irregularly formed on the analogy of pathos, pathetic. [Gr. bathos, depth, from bathys, deep.]

Bathybius, bath-ib′i-us, n. name given to a supposed low form of life at the bottom of some parts of the deep sea. [Formed from Gr. bathys, deep, and bios, life.]

Bathymetry, bath-im′et-ri, n. the science of measuring the depth of seas and lakes. [Gr. bathys, deep, metria, measurement.]

Bating, bāt′ing, prep. abating, excepting.

Batiste, ba-tēst′, n. usual French name for cambric: applied in commerce to a fine texture of linen and cotton. [Littré derives from Baptiste, the original maker; others from its use in wiping the heads of children after baptism.]

Batlet, bat′let, n. a wooden mallet used by laundresses for beating clothes. [Dim. of Bat.]

Batman, bat′man, baw′man, n. a man who has charge of a bathorse. [See Bathorse.]

Baton, bat′on, Batoon, ba-toon′, n. a staff or truncheon, esp. of a policeman: a marshal's staff.—v.t. to strike with a baton.—n. Bat′on-sin′ister, a well-known heraldic indication of illegitimacy, improperly called Bar-sinister, a diminutive of a bend-sinister, not extending to the sides of the shield, so as to resemble a marshal's baton laid diagonally over the family arms from left to right. [Fr. bâton—Low L. basto, a stick; of unknown origin.]

Batrachia, ba-trā′ki-a, n.pl. the order of reptiles which includes the frogs.—adj. and n. Batrā′chian. [From Gr. batrachos, a frog.]

Batswing, bats′wing, n. a kind of gas-burner, with a slit at the top which causes the flame to take the shape of a bat's wing.

Batta, bat′ta, n. an allowance to officers in the British Indian army in addition to their ordinary pay: subsistence money. [Hind.]

Battailant, bat′tāl-ant, adj. (Spens.) fighting.—adj. Bat′tailous (arch.), war-like. [Fr. bataillant, pr.p. of batailler, to fight. See Battle.]

Battalia, bat-tāl′ya, n. the order of battle: the main body of an army in array. [It. battaglia. Doublet of Battle.]

Battalia pie, bat-tāl′ya pī, titbits in a pie: articles like pin-cushions, embroidered by nuns in convents with scenes from the Bible. [Corrupted from Fr. béatilles, dim. formed from L. beatus.]

Battalion, bat-al′yun, n. a body of soldiers consisting of several companies: a body of men drawn up in battle-array. [Fr.; from root of Battle.]

Battels, bat′lz, n.pl. an Oxford term signifying accounts for provisions received from college kitchens and butteries: applied generally to the whole of the sums for tuition, &c., charged in college accounts.—v.i. Bat′till, Bat′tel (Spens.), to fatten. [Late L. batilli, perh. conn. with Battle, to feed.]