List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary

Brode, brōd, adv. (Spens.). Same as Abroad.

Brodekin, Brodkin, brōd′kin, n. a buskin. [Fr. brodequin.]

Brog, brog, n. a pointed steel instrument used for piercing holes: (Scot.) an awl.—v.t. to prick. [Ety. dub.; the Gael. brog; an awl, is prob. borrowed.]

Brogue, brōg, n. a stout coarse shoe: a dialect or manner of pronunciation, esp. the Irish. [Ir. and Gael. brog, a shoe.]

Broider, broid′ėr, Broidery, broid′ėr-i. Same as Embroider, Embroidery.—Broidered (B.) = Embroidered.

Broil, broil, n. a noisy quarrel: a confused disturbance—(Scot.) Brul′yie, Brul′zie.—n. Broil′er, one who stirs up broils. [Fr. brouiller, to trouble.]

Broil, broil, v.t. to cook over hot coals: to grill.—v.i. to be greatly heated. [Ety. dub.]

Broke, brōk, pa.t. and old pa.p. of Break.—p.adj. Brok′en, rent asunder: infirm: humbled or crushed: dispersed, routed: altered in direction: shattered in estate or position: incomplete, fragmentary: uncertain.—adjs. Brok′en-backed, having the back broken, applied to a ship so loosened in her frame as to droop at both ends; Brok′en-down, decayed, ruined in character or strength; Brok′en-heart′ed, crushed with grief: greatly depressed in spirit.—adv. Brok′enly.—ns. Brok′en-man, one under outlawry, esp. in the Highlands and Border country; Brok′en-meat, the leavings of a banquet; Brok′enness.—adj. Brok′en-wind′ed, having short breath or disordered respiration, as a horse.

Broker, brōk′ėr, n. one employed to buy and sell for others: a second-hand dealer: a pander: a commissioner.—v.i. Broke, to bargain, negotiate: (Shak.) to act as a pander or go-between:—pr.p. brōk′ing; pa.p. brōked.—ns. Brok′erage, Brok′age, the business of a broker: the commission charged by a broker: a commission charged for transacting business for others; Brok′ery, the business of a broker.—p.adj. Brok′ing, doing business as a broker: practised by brokers. [M. E. brocour—A.S. brucan; Ger. brauchen, to use, to profit.]

Bromate. See Bromine.

Brome-grass, brōm′-gras, n. a kind of grass bearing a strong resemblance to oats. [Gr. brōmos, and bromos, grass.]

Bromine, brōm′in, n. one of the elements, closely allied to chlorine, so called from its disagreeable smell.—adj. Brom′ic, pertaining to bromine.—ns. Brom′ate, a combination of bromic acid with a salifiable base; Brom′ide, a combination of bromine with a base.—Bromic acid, an acid composed of bromine and oxygen. [Gr. brōmos, a disagreeable odour.]

Bronchiæ, brongk′i-ē, n.pl. a name given to the ramifications of the windpipe which carry air into the lungs.—adjs. Bronch′ic, Bronch′ial.—n. Bronchī′tis, inflammation of the bronchiæ. [L.—Gr. bronchia, the bronchial tubes.]

Broncho, Bronco, brong′ko, n. (U.S.) a half-tamed horse. [Sp. bronco, rough, sturdy.]

Brond. Same as Brand.

Bronze, bronz, n. an alloy of copper and tin used in various ways since the most ancient times: anything cast in bronze: the colour of bronze: (fig.) impudence.—adj. made of bronze: coloured like bronze.—v.t. to give the appearance of bronze to: (fig.) to harden.—adj. Bronzed, coated with bronze: hardened.—ns. Bronze′-steel, or Steel-bronze, a specially hardened bronze; Bronze′-wing, Bronze′-pi′geon, a species of Australian pigeon having wings marked with a lustrous bronze colour.—v.t. Bronz′ify, to make into bronze.—ns. Bronz′ing, the process of giving the appearance of bronze; Bronz′ite, a lustrous kind of diallage.—adj. Bronz′y, having the appearance of bronze.—Bronze age or period, a term in prehistoric archæology denoting the condition or stage of culture of a people using bronze as the material for cutting implements and weapons—as a stage of culture coming between the use of stone and the use of iron for those purposes—not an absolute division of time, but a relative condition of culture. [Fr.—It. bronzo—L. Brundusium, the modern Brindisi.]

Broo, brōō (mod. Scot.—vowel sounded like Ger. ü), n. (Scot.) broth. [Ety. dub.: prob. O. Fr. bro, breu, broth; prob conn. with Bree.]

Brooch, brōch, n. an ornamental pin or instrument for fastening any article of dress, consisting for the most part either of a ring or disc, or of a semicircle, there being a pin in either case passing across it, fastened at one end with a joint or loop, and at the other with a hook.—v.t. (Shak.) to adorn as with a brooch. [Fr. broche, a spit. See Broach.]

Brood, brōōd, v.t. to sit upon or cover in order to breed or hatch: to hatch: to cover, as with wings: to mature or foster with care: to meditate moodily upon.—v.i. to sit as a hen on eggs: to hover over: to think anxiously for some time: to meditate silently (with on, over): to be bred.—n. something bred: offspring, children, or family: a race, kind: parentage: the number hatched at once.—adj. for breeding, as in brood-mare, &c.—adv. Brood′ingly.—adj. Brood′y, inclined to sit or incubate. [A.S. bród; Dut. broed; what is hatched.]

Brook, brōōk, n. a small stream.—ns. Brook′let, a little brook; Brook′lime, a species of speedwell found in ditches. [A.S. bróc, water breaking forth; Dut. broek, Ger. bruch.]

Brook, brōōk, v.t. to enjoy: to bear or endure. [A.S. búrcan, to use, enjoy; Ger. brauchen, L. frui, fructus.]

Brool, brōōl, n. a deep murmur. [Ger. brüll, a roar.]

Broom, brōōm, n. a name given to a number of species of shrubs of the closely allied genera Cytisus, Genista, and Spartium: a besom made of its twigs.—v.t. to sweep with a broom.—ns. Broom′-corn, a species of plant resembling maize, cultivated for its seed and its spikes, of which brooms are made; Broom′-rape, a parasitic plant found adhering to the root of broom, clover, &c.; Broom′staff, Broom′stick, the staff or handle of a broom.—adj. Broom′y, abounding in or consisting of broom.—To marry over the broomstick, or To jump the besom, to go through an irregular form of marriage, in which both jump over a broomstick. [A.S. bróm; Ger. bram.]

Broose, brüz, n. (Scot.) a race at weddings in Scotland. [Derivation unknown.]

Brose, brōz, n. a simple and nutritious food, made by pouring boiling water or milk on oatmeal, seasoned with salt and butter.—Athole brose, a mixture of whisky and honey. [Scot.; O. Fr. broez.]

Broth, broth, n. an infusion or decoction of vegetable and animal substances in water.—A broth of a boy (Irish), a first-rate fellow. [A.S. broth—bréowan, to brew. See Brew.]

Brothel, broth′el, n. a house of ill-fame. [M. E. brothel—A. S. broð-en, ruined, bréðen, to go to ruin.]

Brother, bruth′ėr, n. a male born of the same parents: any one closely united with or resembling another; associated in common interests, occupation, &c.: a fellow-member of a religious order, a fellow-member of a guild, &c.: a fellow-creature, fellow-citizen, a co-religionist: (B.) a kinsman: pl. Broth′ers and Breth′ren, the latter esp. used in the sense of fellow-membership of guilds, religious communities, &c., and is a name given to certain sections of the Church of Christ, as Christian Brethren, Moravian Brethren, Plymouth Brethren, &c.—ns. Broth′er-ger′man, a brother having the same father and mother, in contradistinction to a half-brother, by one parent only; Broth′erhood, the state of being a brother: an association of men for any purpose; Broth′er-in-law, the brother of a husband or wife: a sister's husband.—adjs. Broth′er-like, Broth′erly, like a brother: kind: affectionate.—n. Broth′erliness, state of being brotherly: kindness. [A.S. broðor; cog. with Ger. bruder, Gael. brathair, Fr. frère, L. frater, Sans. bhrátar.]

Brougham, brōō′am, or brōōm, n. a one-horse close carriage, either two or four wheeled, named after Lord Brougham (1778-1868).

Brought, brawt, pa.t. and pa.p. of Bring.

Brow, brow, n. the eyebrow: the ridge over the eyes: the forehead: the edge of a hill: a gallery in a coalmine running across the face of the coal: (fig.) aspect, appearance.—v.t. Brow′beat, to bear down with stern looks or speech: to bully.—adjs. Brow′-bound, having the brow bound as with a crown: crowned; Brow′less, without shame. [A.S. brú; Ice. brün.]

Brown, brown, adj. of a dark or dusky colour, inclining to red or yellow: dark-complexioned: sunburnt.—n. a dark-reddish colour: (slang) a copper.—v.t. to make brown, or give a brown colour to: to roast brown.—ns. Brown′-bess, the old British flint-lock musket—from the brown walnut stock; Brown′-bill, a foot-soldier's or watchman's halbert, painted brown; Brown′-bread, bread of a brown colour, made of unbolted flour; Brown′-coal, commonly called Lignite, an imperfect kind of coal which exhibits more of its woody structure than ordinary coal; Brown′-George, a hard biscuit: a brown earthen vessel; Brown′ing, the process of imparting a brown colour to iron articles: a preparation for giving a brown colour to gravy, &c., or for dressing brown leather.—adj. Brown′ish.—ns. Brown′ness; Brown′-pā′per, coarse and strong paper used chiefly for wrapping; Brown′-spar, a name given to certain varieties of dolomite or magnesian limestone, distinguished by their brownish colour; Brown′-stout, a kind of porter; Brown′-stud′y, gloomy reverie: absent-mindedness.—adj. Brown′y (Shak.), of a brown colour.—To do brown (slang), to do thoroughly, to deceive or take in completely. [A.S. brún; Dut. bruin, Ger. braun.]

Brownie, brown′i, n. a kind of domestic spirit in the folklore of Scotland, represented as a good-humoured, drudging goblin, who attached himself to farmhouses, and occupied himself overnight in churning, thrashing corn, and the like. [Brown.]

Brownist, brown′ist, n. one holding the Church principles of Robert Browne (1550-1633), which may be said to have given birth to the Independents or Congregationalists of England.

Browse, browz, v.t. and v.i. to feed on the shoots or leaves of plants.—ns. Browse, Brows′ing, the shoots and leaves of plants: fodder: the action of the verb browse. [O. Fr. brouster (Fr. brouter)—broust, a sprout.]

Browst, browst, n. (Scot.) a brewing. [Brew.]

Bruckle, bruk′l, adj. (Scot.) liable to break, brittle. [A.S. brucol—brekan, to Break.]

Bruin, brōō′in, n. a bear, so called from the name of the bear in the famous beast-epic Reynard the Fox, just as reynard and chanticleer have also passed from proper names into common names, often written without capitals. [Bruin = brown.]

Bruise, brōōz, v.t. to crush by beating or pounding: to oppress: to box or fight with the fists: to ride recklessly in hunting, careless alike of horse and crops: to reduce to small fragments.—n. a wound made by anything heavy and blunt.—p.adj. Bruised, hurt by a heavy blow, with skin crushed and discoloured.—n. Bruis′er, one that bruises: a boxer.—p.adj. Bruis′ing, boxing. [A.S. brýsan, to crush, with which, says Dr Murray, afterwards coalesced Fr. brisie-r; bruisier, bruser, to break.]

Bruit, brōōt, n. noise: something noised abroad: a rumour or report.—v.t. to noise abroad: to report: to celebrate. [Fr. bruit—Fr. bruire; cf. Low L. brugītus; prob. imit.]

Brulzie, bruilzie, brül′yi, n. Scotch and northern form of Broil.

Brumaire, brōōmār′, n. the second month in the French revolutionary calendar, extending from Oct. 22 to Nov. 20. [Fr. brume, fog—L. bruma, winter.]

Brume, brōōm, n. fog.—adjs. Brum′al, relating to winter; Brum′ous, foggy, wintry. [L. bruma, winter, contr. from brevima, the shortest day.]

Brummagem, brum′a-jem, adj. showy but worthless, sham, counterfeit. [From a popular pronunciation of Birmingham.]

Brunette, brōōn-et′, n. a girl with a brown or dark complexion. [Fr. dim. of brun, brown.]

Brunonian, brōō-no′ni-an, adj. relating to the system of medicine founded by Dr John Brown of Edinburgh (1736-88)—all diseases sthenic, those depending on an excess of excitement, or asthenic, those resulting from a deficiency of it.

Brunt, brunt, n. the shock of an onset or contest: the force of a blow: the chief stress or crisis of anything.—v.t. to bear the brunt of. [Ice. bruna, to advance like fire, is usually given; Dr Murray suggests that it may be an onomatopœia of Eng. itself (cf. Dunt), or connected with burnt—Scot. brunt.]

Brush, brush, n. an instrument for removing dust, usually made of bristles, twigs, feathers, or stiff grass stems: a kind of hair-pencil used by painters: a painter, one who uses the brush: brushwood: a skirmish or encounter: the tail of a fox: (elect.) a brush-like discharge of sparks: one of the bundles of copper wires or flexible strips in contact with the commutator of the armature on opposite sides, and which carry off the positive and negative currents of electricity generated.—v.t. to remove dust, &c., from by sweeping: to touch lightly in passing: remove (with off): to thrash.—v.i. to move over lightly: to make off with a rush.—n. Brush′ing, the act of rubbing or sweeping.—adj. in a lively manner: brisk.—ns. Brush′-wheel, a wheel used in light machinery to turn another by having the rubbing surface covered with stiff hairs or bristles; Brush′wood, rough close bushes: a thicket.—adj. Brush′y, rough, rugged.—To brush up, to brighten, revive. [O. Fr. brosse, a brush, brushwood—Low L. bruscia; Diez connects the Fr. with Old High Ger. burst, bursta, bristle.]

Brusque, brōōsk, adj. blunt, abrupt in manner, rude.—adv. Brusque′ly.—ns. Brusque′ness; Brusque′rie. [Fr. brusque; rude. See Brisk.]

Brussels, brus′elz, n. contracted from Brussels-carpet, a kind of carpet in which the worsted threads are arranged in the warp, and are interwoven into a network of linen. Still, the bulk of the carpet consists of wool.—n.pl. Bruss′els-sprouts, a variety of the common cabbage with sprouts like miniature cabbages. [Named from Brussels in Belgium.]

Brust, brust, pa.p. (Spens.). Same as Burst.

Brute, brōōt, adj. belonging to the lower animals: irrational: stupid: rude.—n. one of the lower animals.—adj. Brut′al, like a brute: unfeeling: inhuman.—v.t. Brut′alise, to make like a brute, to degrade.—v.i. to live like a brute.—n. Brutal′ity.—adv. Brut′ally.—n. Brute′ness, brute-like state: brutality: (Spens.) stupidity.—v.t. Brut′ify, to make brutal, stupid, or uncivilised:—pr.p. brutify′ing; pa.p. brutifīed′.—adj. Brut′ish, brutal: (B.) unwise.—adv. Brut′ishly.—n. Brut′ishness.—The brute creation, the lower animals. [Fr. brut—L. brutus, dull, irrational.]

Brutus, brōō′tus, n. a kind of wig: a way of wearing the hair brushed back from the forehead, popular at the time of the French Revolution, when it was an affectation to admire the old Romans, as Brutus.

Bryology, brī-ol′o-ji, n. the study of mosses. [Gr. bryon, moss, and logia—legein, to speak.]

Bryony, brī′o-ni, n. a wild climbing plant, common in English hedgerows.—Black bryony, a climbing plant similar to bryony in habit and disposition, but which may be readily distinguished by its simple, entire, heart-shaped leaves, which are smooth and somewhat glossy. [L.—Gr. bryōnia.]

Bryozoa, brī-ō-zō′a, n.pl. an old name for the Polyzoa, from their resemblance to mosses.

Brythonic, brīth-on′ik, adj. a name introduced by Prof. Rhys for the second of the two great divisions of Celtic ethnology. The Goidelic or Gadhelic group embraces Irish, Manx, and Gaelic; the Brythonic group, Welsh, Breton, and Cornish. [Brython, one of the Welsh words for the Welsh and so-called Ancient Britons.]

Bub, bub, n. (slang) strong drink.

Bubalis, bū′bal-is, n. a genus in the Antelope division of hollow-horned, even-toed Ruminants, not to be confused with the genus Bubalus, the Buffalo. [Gr.]

Bubble, bub′l, n. a bladder of water blown out with air: anything empty: a cheating scheme.—adj. unsubstantial, deceptive.—v.i. to rise in bubbles.—v.t. to cheat with bubble schemes:—pr.p. bubb′ling; pa.p. bubb′led.—adj. Bubb′ly.—n. Bubb′ly-jock, a Scotch name for a turkey-cock.—Bubble and squeak, meat and cabbage fried together.—To bubble over, as of a pot boiling, with anger, mirth, &c. [Cf. Sw. bubbla, Dut. bobbel.]

Bubo, bū′bo, n. an inflammatory swelling of the glands in the groin or armpit.—adj. Bubon′ic, accompanied by buboes.—n. Būb′ukle, a ridiculous word of Fluellen's for a red pimple, corrupted from bubo and carbuncle. [L.—Gr. boubōn, the groin.]

Buccal, buk′al, adj. pertaining to the cheek. [L.]

Buccaneer, Buccanier, buk-an-ēr′, n. one of the piratical adventurers in the West Indies during the 17th century, who plundered the Spaniards chiefly.—v.i. to act as a buccaneer.—n. Buccaneer′ing.—adj. Buccaneer′ish. [Fr. boucaner, to smoke meat—Carib. boucan, a wooden gridiron. The French settlers in the W.I. cooked their meat on a boucan in native fashion, and were hence called boucaniers.]

Buccinator, buk-sin-ā′tor, n. the name of a flat muscle forming the wall of the cheek, assisting in mastication and in the blowing of wind-instruments.—adj. Buccinat′ory. [L.;—buccinare.]

Bucentaur, bōō-sen′tawr, n. a mythical monster half man and half bull: the state barge of Venice used annually on Ascension Day in the ancient ceremony of the marriage of the state with the Adriatic. [It. bucentoro, usually explained as from Gr. bous, an ox, kentauros, a centaur.]

Bucephalus, bū-sef′a-lus, n. the famous war-horse of Alexander the Great: a familiar name for a riding-horse. [Gr.; bous, ox, kephalē, head.]

Buck, buk, n. the male of the deer, goat, hare, and rabbit—often used specifically of the male of the fallow-deer: a dashing young fellow.—v.i. (of a horse or mule—a Buck′jumper) to attempt to throw by a series of rapid jumps into the air, coming down with the back arched, the head down, and the forelegs stiff: (U.S.) to make obstinate resistance to any improvements.—ns. Buck′een, a poor Irish gentleman, without means to support his gentility; Buck′-eye, the American horse-chestnut; Buck′horn, the material of a buck's horn; Buck′-hound, a small kind of staghound used for hunting bucks; Buck′-shot, a large kind of shot, used in shooting deer; Buck′skin, a soft leather made of deerskin or sheepskin: a strong twilled woollen cloth, cropped of nap and carefully finished.—adj. made of the skin of a buck.—n.pl. Buck′skins, breeches made usually of the cloth, not of the leather.—ns. Buck′thorn, a genus of shrubs, the berry of which supplies the sap-green used by painters; Buck′-tooth, a projecting tooth. [A.S. buc, bucca; Dut. bok, Ger. bock, a he-goat.]

Buck, buk, v.t. to soak or steep in lye, a process in bleaching.—n. lye in which clothes are bleached.—n. Buck′-bas′ket, a basket in which clothes are carried to be bucked. [Ety. obscure; M. E. bouken; cog. words are Ger. bäuchen, beuchen.]

Buckbean, buk′bēn, n. the marsh-trefoil, a plant common in bogs in Britain. [Corr. of Bogbean.]

Bucket, buk′et, n. a vessel for drawing or holding water, &c.; one of the compartments on the circumference of a water-wheel, or one of the scoops of a dredging-machine: the leather socket for holding the whip in driving, or for the carbine or lance when mounted: a name given to the pitcher in some orchids.—ns. Buck′etful, as much as a bucket will hold; Buck′eting (U.S.), jerky rowing; Buck′et-shop, slang term for the offices of 'outside brokers'—mere agents for bets on the rise or fall of prices of stock, &c.; Buck′et-wheel, a contrivance for raising water by means of buckets attached to the circumference of a wheel.—Give the bucket, to dismiss; Kick the bucket (slang), to die. [Prob. conn. with A.S. búc, a pitcher; or O. Fr. buket, a pail. Not Gael. bucaid, a bucket.]

Buckie, buk′i, n. (Scot.) a shellfish such as the whelk: a refractory person. [Scot., prob. related somehow to L. buccinum, a shellfish.]

Buckle, buk′l, n. a metal instrument consisting of a rim and tongue, used for fastening straps or bands in dress, harness, &c.—v.t. to fasten with a buckle: to prepare for action: to engage in close fight.—v.i. to bend or bulge out: to engage with zeal in a task.—n. Buck′ler, a small shield used for parrying. [Fr. boucle, the boss of a shield, a ring—Low L. buccula, dim. of bucca, a cheek.]

Buckra, buk′ra, n. a word used by West Indian and American negroes for a white man—said in a dialect of the Calabar coast to mean 'demon.'

Buckram, buk′ram, n. a coarse open-woven fabric of cotton or linen made very stiff with size, used for the framework of ladies' bonnets, for the inside of belts and collars of dresses, and for bookbinding: stiffness in manners and appearance.—adj. made of buckram: stiff: precise.—v.t. to give the quality of buckram. [O. Fr. boquerant.]

Buckshish. Same as Backsheesh.

Buckwheat, buk′hwēt, n. a species of Polygonum, grown in Germany, Brittany, &c., for feeding horses, cattle, and poultry—buckwheat cakes are esteemed on American breakfast-tables. [Prob. Dut. boekweit, or Ger. buckweize.]

Bucolic, -al, bū-kol′ik, -al, adj. pertaining to the tending of cattle: pastoral: rustic, countrified.—n. Bucol′ic, a pastoral poem. [L.—Gr. boukolikos—boukolos, a herdsman.]

Bud, bud, n. the first shoot of a tree or plant: used of young people, as a term of endearment.—v.i. to put forth buds: to begin to grow.—v.t. to put forth as buds: to graft, as a plant, by inserting a bud under the bark of another tree:—pr.p. bud′ding; pa.p. bud′ded.—n. Bud′ding, a method of propagation by means of buds.—adjs. Bud′dy; Bud′less.—To nip in the bud, to destroy at its very beginning. [M. E. budde; prob. related to Dut. bot, a bud.]

Buddha, bōōd′da, n. an epithet applied to Sakyamuni or Gautama, the founder of the Buddhist religion.—ns. Bud′dhism, the religion founded by Buddha; Bud′dhist, a believer in Buddhism.—adjs. Buddhist′ic, Bud′dhist, pertaining to Buddhism.—Esoteric Buddhism (see Theosophy). [Sans. buddha, wise, from budh, to know.]

Buddle, bud′l, v.t. to wash ore with a buddle or inclined hutch over which water flows.

Budge, buj, v.i. and v.t. to move or stir.—n. Budg′er, one who stirs. [Fr. bouger—It. bulicare, to boil, to bubble—L. bullire.]

Budge, buj, n. lambskin fur.—adj. pompous: stiff. [Derivation unknown.]

Budget, buj′et, n. a sack with its contents: a compact collection of things: a socket in which the end of a cavalry carbine rests: that miscellaneous collection of matters which aggregate into the annual financial statement made to parliament by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. [Fr. bougette, dim. of bouge, a pouch—L. bulga.]

Buff, buf, n. a pliant and uncracking leather used for soldiers' belts and other military purposes, made out of salted and dried South American light ox and cow hides: a military coat: the colour of buff: a light yellow: the bare skin: (pl.) certain regiments in the British army, so named from their buff-coloured facings—e.g. East Kent Regiment, Ross-shire Buffs.—ns. Buff′-coat, a strong military coat: a soldier; Buff′-wheel, Buff′-stick, a wheel or stick covered with buff-leather or the like, and sprinkled with emery, for polishing.—In buff, naked. [Fr. buffle, a buffalo.]

Buff, buf, n. (obs.) a buffet, blow, or stroke.—v.t. to strike. [O. Fr. buffe, a blow.]

Buffalo, buf′a-lō, n. a genus of the ox kind, the tame, often domesticated Asiatic buffalo, and the entirely wild and fierce Cape buffalo. The so-called American buffalo is really a 'bison.' [It. buffalo, through L. from Gr. boubalos.]

Buffer, buf′ėr, n. a mechanical apparatus for deadening the force of a concussion, as in railway carriages: a fellow, as in 'old buffer.'—n. Buff′er-state, a neutral country lying between two others, whose relations are or may become strained.

Buffet, buf′et, n. a blow with the fist, a slap.—v.t. to strike with the hand or fist: to contend against.—n. Buff′eting, a striking with the hand, boxing: contention. [O. Fr. bufet—bufe, a blow, esp. on the cheek.]

Buffet, buf′et, n. a kind of sideboard: a low stool: a refreshment-bar (in this sense often pronounced buf'ā). [Fr. buffet; origin unknown.]

Buffoon, buf-ōōn′, n. one who amuses by jests, grimaces, &c.: a clown: a fool.—ns. Buff′o, the comic actor in an opera; Buffoon′ery, the practices of a buffoon; ludicrous or vulgar jesting. [Fr. bouffon—It. buffone, buffare, to jest.]

Bug, bug, n. an object of terror.—ns. Big-bug (slang), an aristocrat; Bug′aboo, a bogy, or object of terror; Bug′bear, an object of terror, generally imaginary.—adj. causing fright. [M. E. bugge, prob. W. bwg, a hobgoblin.]

Bug, bug, n. a name applied loosely to certain insects, esp. to one (Cimex lectularius) that infests houses and beds: in America applied to any insect.

Buggery, bug′gėr-i, n. the crime of bestiality, unnatural vice. [Fr. bougre—L. Bulgarus, a Bulgarian, a heretic.]

Buggy, bug′i, n. a name given to several kinds of light carriages or gigs—in America, a light one-horse, four-wheeled vehicle with one seat; in England, two-wheeled; in India, provided with a hood to ward off the sun. [By some conn. with Bogie; ety. really quite unknown.]

Bugle, bū′gl, Bugle-horn, bū′gl-horn, n. a hunting-horn, originally a buffalo-horn: a treble musical instrument, usually made of copper, like the trumpet, but having the bell less expanded and the tube shorter and more conical: (Spens.) a buffalo or wild ox—dim. Bū′glet.—v.i. Bū′gle, to sound a bugle.—n. Bū′gler, one who plays upon the bugle. [O. Fr. bugle;—L. buculus, dim. of bos, an ox.]

Bugle, bū′gl, n. a slender elongated kind of bead, usually black.—adj. (Shak.) like bugles. [Prob. conn. with Low L. bugulus; prob. obscurely conn. with Dut. beugel, a ring.]

Bugle, bū′gl, n. a palæarctic genus of plants of the natural order Labiatæ, with blue or sometimes white or purple flowers. [Fr., It. bugola—Low L. bugula, bugillo.]

Bugloss, bū′glos, n. a name popularly applied to many plants of the natural order Boragineæ, more strictly to Anchusa arvensis, a common weed in corn-fields in Britain. [Fr. buglosse—L. buglossa—Gr. bouglōssos—bous, ox, glōssa, tongue.]

Bugong, bū′gong, n. a noctuoid moth.

Buhl, būl, n. unburnished gold, brass, or mother-of-pearl worked in patterns for inlaying: furniture ornamented with such. [From André Charles Boule (1642-1732), a cabinet-maker in the service of Louis XIV.]

Buhrstone, bur′stōn, n. a variety of quartz, containing many small empty cells, which give it a peculiar roughness of surface, particularly adapting it for millstones.—Often Burr′-stone. [Perh. conn. with Burr, from its roughness.]

Build, bild, v.t. to erect, as a house or bridge: to form or construct, as a railway, &c.—v.i. to depend (with on, upon):—pa.p. built or build′ed.—n. construction: make.—ns. Build′er, one who builds, or who controls the actual work of building; Build′ing, the art of erecting houses, &c.: anything built: a house.—p.adj. Built, formed or shaped.—Build in, to enclose by building; Build up, to close up by building, as a door: to erect any edifice, as a reputation: to edify spiritually, as the church. [A.S. gebyld, bold, a dwelling, from an assumed byldan, to build.]

Buirdly, bürd′li, adj. stalwart, large and well made. [Scot., a variant of Burly.]

Buisson, bwē-song, n. a fruit-tree trained on a low stem, the branches closely pruned. [Fr.]

Buist, büst, n. (Scot.) a mark put on sheep or cattle to indicate ownership: a box.—v.t. to mark with such. [Ety. dub.]

Bukshi, Bukshee, buk′shē, n. the paymaster in native Indian states. [Hind. bakshi—baksh, pay.]

Bulb, bulb, n. an onion-like root: any protuberance or enlargement resembling such.—v.i. to form bulbs: to bulge out or swell.—adjs. Bul′bar, Bulbed, Bul′bous, Bulbā′ceous, Bulb′iform, Bulbif′erous, Bul′bose, Bul′by.—ns. Bul′bule, a little bulb: a young bulb which grows from an old one; Bul′bus, a bulb. [L. bulbus—Gr. bolbos, an onion.]

Bulbul, bool′bool, n. the Persian nightingale. [Arab.]

Buldering, bul′der-ing, adj. (prov.) hot, sultry.

Bulgarian, bul-gā′ri-an, adj. pertaining to Bulgaria or its language.—n. a native of Bulgaria: the Bulgarian language (Slavonic).—n. Bul′gar, a member of an ancient Finnic or Ugrian tribe which moved from the Volga towards Bulgaria.—adj. Bulgar′ic.—n. the ancient language of the foregoing.

Bulge, bulj, n. the widest part of a cask, a round protuberance, swelling.—v.i. to swell out.—ns. Bul′ger, a wooden golf-club with a convex face; Bul′giness.—adj. Bul′gy—To get the bulge on one (slang), to get a decided advantage over a person. [O. Fr. boulge, prob. L. bulga, a leather knapsack; a Gallic word.]

Bulimy, būl′i-mi, n. an unnatural hunger. [Gr.; bous, ox, limos, hunger.]

Bulk, bulk, n. a stall or framework built in front of a shop.—n. Bulk′er, a street thief or strumpet. [Ety. dub.; Prof. Skeat suggests Scand. bálk-r, beam, and Dr Murray quotes also an A.S. bolca, gangway of a ship.]

Bulk, bulk, n. magnitude or size: the greater part: any huge body or structure: the whole cargo in the hold of a ship.—v.i. to be in bulk: to be of weight or importance.—v.t. to put or hold in bulk.—ns. Bulk′head, a partition separating one part of the interior of a ship from another, either transverse or longitudinal, and usually made watertight; Bulk′iness.—adj. Bulk′y, having bulk: of great size, unwieldy.—Collision bulkhead, that nearest the bow—usually the only one in sailing-ships.—To load in bulk, to put the cargo in loose; To sell in bulk, to sell the cargo as it is in the hold: to sell in large quantities. [Prob. Scand.; Ice. bulki, a heap.]

Bull, bool, n. the male of the ox kind: an old male whale, fur-seal, &c.: a sign of the zodiac: one who tries artificially and unduly to raise the price of stocks, and speculates on a rise.—adj. denoting largeness of size—used in composition, as bull-trout: favourable to the bulls, rising.—v.t. to try to raise, as the price of shares, artificially: to copulate with a cow, of a bull.—v.i. to be in heat, of a cow.—ns. Bull′-baiting, the sport of baiting or exciting bulls with dogs; Bull′-bat (U.S.), the night-hawk or goat-sucker; Bull′-beef, the beef or flesh of bulls, coarse beef: (Shak., in pl.) Bull′-beeves; Bull′-begg′ar, a hobgoblin, &c.; Bull′-calf, a male calf: a stupid fellow, a lout; Bull′-dance, a dance of men only; Bull′dog, a breed of dogs of great courage, formerly used for baiting bulls, its general appearance that of a smooth-coated, compact dog, low in stature, but broad and powerful, with a massive head, large in proportion to its body: a person of obstinate courage: a short-barrelled revolver of large calibre: a proctor's attendant at Oxford and Cambridge.—v.t. Bull′-dose (U.S.) to intimidate, bully: flog.—n. Bull′-dōs′er.—adj. Bull′-faced, having a large face.—ns. Bull′-fight, a popular spectacle in Spain, in which a bull is goaded to fury in a kind of circus by mounted picadores armed with lances, and finally despatched by a specially skilful espada or swordsman; Bull′-fight′er; Bull′-finch, a species of red-breasted finch a little larger than the common linnet, closely allied to the grossbeaks and crossbills: a kind of hedge hard to jump; Bull′-frog, a large North American frog.—adj. Bull′-front′ed, having a front or forehead like a bull.—n. Bull′-head, or Miller's Thumb, a small river fish remarkable for its large, flat head.—adj. Bull′-head′ed, impetuous and obstinate.—n. Bull′-head′edness.—adj. Bull′ish.—ns. Bull′ock, an ox or castrated bull; Bull′-roar′er, a provincial English name for a boy's plaything, made of an oblong piece of wood, to one end of which a string is tied, then twisted tightly round the finger, when the whole is whirled rapidly round and round until a loud and peculiar whirring noise is produced—the native Australian turndun, the rhombos of the Greek mysteries; Bull's′-eye, the central boss formed in making a sheet of blown glass (hence adj. Bull's′-eyed), a round piece of glass in a lantern, a policeman's lantern, a round opening or window: the centre of a target, of a different colour from the rest, and usually round: a thick lump of coloured or striped candy; Bull′-terr′ier, a species of dog, a cross-breed between the bulldog and the terrier; Bull′-trout, a large trout of the salmon genus, also migratory in its habits, often called the Gray Trout; Bull′-whack, a heavy whip.—v.t. to lash with such.—n. Bull′wort, the bishop's weed.—Bull into, to plunge hastily into.—A bull in a china-shop, a synonym for a man who does harm through ignorance or fury, a man completely out of place.—Take the bull by the horns, to face a danger or difficulty with courage, to take the initiative boldly in a struggle. [M.E. bole, prob. Scand. bole, boli; most prob. cog. with Bellow.]

Bull, bool, n. an edict of the pope which has his seal affixed.—adj. Bullan′tic—n. Bull′ary, a collection of papal bulls. [L. bulla, a knob, a leaden seal.]

Bull, bool, n. a ludicrous blunder in speech implying some obvious absurdity or contradiction, often said to be an especial prerogative of Irishmen—'I was a fine child, but they changed me.' [Prob. O. Fr. boul, cheat.]

Bull, bool, n. drink made by pouring water into a cask that had held liquor.

Bulla, bool′a, n. a round metal ornament worn by ancient Roman children: a seal attached to a document: anything rounded or globular. [L.]

Bullace, bool′lās, n. a shrub closely allied to the sloe and the plum, its fruit making excellent pies or tarts. [O. Fr. beloce, of uncertain origin; prob. Celt.]

Bullate, bul′āt, adj. blistered, inflated—ns. Bullā′tion; Bulles′cence.

Bullary, bul′a-ri, n. a house in which salt is prepared by boiling.

Buller, bool′er, n. the boiling of a torrent. [Dan. bulder.]

Bullet, bool′et, n. the projectile of lead or other metal discharged from any kind of small-arm: a plumb or sinker in fishing.—n. Bull′et-head, a head round like a bullet: (U.S.) an obstinate fellow.—adjs. Bull′et-head′ed; Bull′et-proof, proof against bullets. [Fr. boulet, dim. of boule, a ball—L. bulla. See Bull, an edict.]

Bulletin, bool′e-tin, n. an official report of public news. [Fr.,—It. bullettino.]

Bullion, bool′yun, n. gold and silver in the mass and uncoined, though occasionally used as practically synonymous with the precious metals, coined and uncoined: a heavy twisted cord fringe, often covered with gold or silver wire.—n. Bull′ionist, one in favour of an exclusive metallic currency. [Ety. dub.; but apparently related to Low L. bullio, a boiling, melting.]

Bully, bool′i, n. a blustering, noisy, overbearing fellow: a ruffian hired to beat or intimidate any one: a fellow who lives upon the gains of a prostitute: (obs.) a term of familiarity to either man or woman.—adj. blustering: brisk: (U.S.) first-rate.—v.i. to bluster.—v.t. to threaten in a noisy way:—pr.p. bull′ying; pa.p. bull′ied.—n. Bull′yism.—v.t. Bull′yrag (coll.), to assail with abusive language, to overawe.—ns. Bull′yragging; Bull′y-rook, a bully.—Bully for you, bravo! [Perh. Dut. boel, a lover; cf. Ger. buhle.]

Bully, bool′i, n. a miner's hammer.

Bully-tree, bool′i-trē, n. a name given to several West Indian sapotaceous trees yielding good timber.—Also Bull′et-tree, Bull′etrie, Boll′etrie.

Bulrush, bool′rush, n. a large strong rush, which grows on wet land or in water—often applied to the cat's-tail (Typha).—adj. Bul′rushy.

Bulse, buls, n. a bag for diamonds, &c.: a package or certain quantity of such. [Port. bolsa—Low L. bursa, a purse. See Purse.]

Bulwark, bool′wark, n. a fortification or rampart: a breakwater or sea-wall: any means of defence or security.—v.t. to defend. [Cf. Ger. bollwerk.]

Bum, bum, n. (Shak.) the buttocks.—ns. Bum′-bail′iff, an under-bailiff; Bum′-boat, boat for carrying provisions to a ship, originally a Thames scavenger's boat. [Ety. dub., prob. from bump, from sense of 'swelling.']

Bum, bum, v.i. to hum or make a murmuring sound, as a bee: (slang) to live dissolutely.—pr.p. bum′ming; pa.p. bummed.—n. a humming sound: a spree, debauch: a dissipated fellow. [Onomatopœic.]

Bumbaze, bum′bāz, v.t. to confound, bamboozle.

Bumble-bee, bum′bl-bē, n. a large kind of bee that makes a bumming or humming noise: the humble-bee.—n. Bum′-clock (Scot.), a drone-beetle. [M. E. bumble, freq. of Bum, and Bee.]

Bumbledom, bum′bl-dom, n. fussy pomposity. [From Bumble, name of the beadle in Dickens's Oliver Twist.]

Bumble-foot, bum′bl-foot, n. a disease of domestic fowls, marked by inflammation of the ball of the foot: a club-foot.—adj. Bum′ble-foot′ed, club-footed.

Bumble-puppy, bum′bl-pup′i, n. whist played regardless of rules: the game of nine-holes.—n. Bum′ble-pupp′ist, one who plays whist without knowing the game.

Bumbo, bum′bō, n. a punch of rum or gin with sugar, nutmeg, &c.

Bumkin, Bumpkin, bum′kin, n. a short beam of timber projecting from each bow of a ship, for the purpose of extending the lower corner of the foresail to windward: a small outrigger over the stern of a boat, usually serving to extend the mizzen. [From Boom, and dim. termination kin.]

Bummalo, bum′a-lō, n. a small fish dried and salted all round the coast of India—Bombay duck and nehar.—Also Bummalō′ti. [East Ind.]

Bummaree, bum′ar-ē, n. a middleman in the Billingsgate fish-market. [Ety. unknown: hardly the Fr. bonne marée, good fresh sea-fish.]

Bummer, bum′ėr, n. a plundering straggler or camp-follower during the American Civil War: a dissolute fellow, a loafer, a sponge.

Bummle, bum′l, v.i. (prov.) to blunder.—n. an idle fellow.

Bummock, bum′ok, n. (Scot.) a brewing of ale. [Ety. unknown.]

Bump, bump, v.i. to make a heavy or loud noise.—v.t. to strike with a dull sound: to strike against: to overtake and impinge upon the stern or side of a boat by the boat following, the bumper consequently taking the place of the bumped in rank—also 'to make a bump:' to spread out material in printing so as to fill any desired number of pages.—n. a dull heavy blow: a thump: a lump caused by a blow, one of the protuberances on the surface of the skull confidently associated by phrenologists with certain distinct qualities or propensities of the mind, hence colloquially for organ: the noise of the bittern.—n. Bump′er, a cup or glass filled to the brim for drinking a toast: anything large or generous in measure: a crowded house at a theatre or concert.—adj. as in a 'bumper house.'—v.i. to drink bumpers.—n. Bumpol′ogy, phrenology.—adj. Bump′y. [Onomatopœic.]

Bumpkin, bump′kin, n. an awkward, clumsy rustic: a clown.—adj. Bump′kinish. [Prob. Dut. boomken, a log.]

Bumptious, bump′shus, adj. offensively self-assertive.—adv. Bump′tiously.—n. Bump′tiousness. [Prob. formed from Bump.]

Bun, bun, n. a kind of sweet cake. [Prob. from O. Fr. bugne, a swelling.]

Bun, bun, n. a dry stalk: a hare's scut: a rabbit. [Prob. Gael. bun, a root.]

Bunce, buns, n. (slang) extra gain—used as an interjection.

Bunch, bunsh, n. a number of things tied together or growing together: a definite quantity fastened together, as of linen yarn (180,000 yards), &c.: a cluster: something in the form of a tuft or knot.—v.i. to swell out in a bunch.—v.t. to make a bunch of, to concentrate.—adjs. Bunch′-backed (Shak.), having a bunch on the back, crook-backed; Bunched, humped, protuberant.—ns. Bunch′-grass, a name applied to several West American grasses, growing in clumps; Bunch′iness, the quality of being bunchy: state of growing in bunches.—adj. Bunch′y, growing in bunches or like a bunch, bulging.—Bunch of fives, the fist with the five fingers clenched. [Ety. obscure.]