Biangular
Bi•an´gu•lar, a. [Pref. bi- + angular.] Having two angles or corners. { Bi•an´gu•late, Bi•an´gu•la•ted } a. [Pref. bi- + angulate, angulated.] Biangular.

Biangulous
Bi•an´gu•lous, a. [Pref. bi- + angulous.] Biangular. [R.]

Biannual
Bi•an´nu•al, a. [Pref. bi- + annual.] Occurring twice a year; half-yearly; semiannual.

Biantheriferous
Bi•an•ther•if´er•ous, a. [Pref. bi- + antherigerous.] (Bot.) Having two anthers.

Biarticulate
Bi•ar•tic´u•late, a. [Pref. bi- + articulate.] (Zoöl.) Having, or consisting of, tow joints.

Bias
Bi´as (bi"as), n. ; pl. Biases (-ez). [F. biasis, perh. fr. LL. bifax two-faced; L. bis + facies face. See Bi-, and cf. Face.]
1. A weight on the side of the ball used in the game of bowls, or a tendency imparted to the ball, which turns it from a straight line.
"Being ignorant that there is a concealed bias within the spheroid, which will … swerve away." - Sir W. Scott.
2. A leaning of the mind; propensity or prepossession toward an object or view, not leaving the mind indifferent; bent; inclination.
"Strong love is a bias upon the thoughts." - South.
"Morality influences men’s lives, and gives a bias to all their actions." - Locke.
3. A wedge-shaped piece of cloth taken out of a garment (as the waist of a dress) to diminish its circumference.
4. A slant; a diagonal; as to cut cloth on the bias.
Syn. — Prepossession; prejudice; partiality; inclination. See Bent.

Bias
Bi´as, a.
1. Inclined to one side; swelled on one side. [Obs.] Shak.
2. Cut slanting or diagonally, as cloth.

Bias
Bi´as, adv. In a slanting manner; crosswise; obliquely; diagonally; as to cut cloth bias.

Bias
Bi´as, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Biased (bi"ast); p. pr. & vb. n. Biasing.] To incline to one side; to give a particular direction to; to influence; to prejudice; to prepossess.
"Me it had not biased in the one direction, nor should it have biased any just critic in the counter direction." - De Quincey.

Bib, n. [From Bib, v., because the bib receives the drink that the child slavers from the mouth.]
1. A small piece of cloth worn by children over the breast, to protect the clothes.
2. (Zoöl.) An arctic fish ( Gadus luscus), allied to the cod; — called also pout and whiting pout.
3. A bibcock. { Bib, Bibbe }, v. t. [L. bibere. See Beverage, and cf. Imbibe.] To drink; to tipple. [Obs.]
"This miller hath … bibbed ale." - Chaucer.

Bib, v. i. To drink; to sip; to tipple.
"He was constantly bibbing." - Locke.

Bibacious
Bi•ba´cious, a. [L. bibax, bibacis, fr. bibere. See Bib.] Addicted to drinking.

Bibasic
Bi•ba´sic, a. [Pref. bi- + basic.] (Chem.) Having to hydrogen atoms which can be replaced by positive or basic atoms or radicals to form salts; — said of acids. See Dibasic.

Bibble-babble
Bib´ble-bab´ble, n. [A reduplication of babble.] Idle talk; babble. Shak.

Bibbs (bibz), n. pl. (Naut.) Pieces of timber bolted to certain parts of a mast to support the trestletrees.

Bibcock
Bib´cock (bib"kok), n. A cock or faucet having a bent down nozzle. Knight.

Bibelot
Bi•be•lot´, n. [F.] A small decorative object without practical utility.
"Her pictures, her furniture, and her bibelots." M. Crawford. { Bick"ford fuse >fuze, orBickford match }. A fuse used in blasting, consisting of a long cylinder of explosive material inclosed in a varnished wrapping of rope or hose. It burns from 2 to 4 feet a minute. { Bi•dar´kee, Bi•dar´ka }, n. [Russ. baidarka, dim. Cf. Baidar.] A portable boat made of skins stretched on a frame. [Alaska] The Century.

Bible
Bi´ble (bi"b’l), n. [F. bible, L. biblia, pl., fr. Gr. bibli•a, pl. of bibli•on, dim. of bi•blos, by•blos, book, prop. Egyptian papyrus.]
1. A book. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. The Book by way of eminence, — that is, the book which is made up of the writings accepted by Christians as of divine origin and authority, whether such writings be in the original language, or translated; the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; — sometimes in a restricted sense, the Old Testament; as King James’s Bible; Douay Bible; Luther’s Bible. also the book which is made up of writings similarly accepted by the Jews; as a rabbinical Bible.
3. A book containing the sacred writings belonging to any religion; as the Koran is often called the Mohammedan Bible. Bible Society, an association for securing the multiplication and wide distribution of the Bible. — Douay Bible. See Douay Bible. — Geneva Bible. See under Geneva.

Biblicality
Bib•li•cal´i•ty (-kal"i•ty), n. The quality of being biblical; a biblical subject. [R.]

Biblically
Bib´li•cal•ly, adv. According to the Bible.

Biblicism
Bib´li•cism, n. [Cf. F. biblicisme.] Learning or literature relating to the Bible. [R.]

Biblicist
Bib´li•cist, n. One skilled in the knowledge of the Bible; a demonstrator of religious truth by the Scriptures.

Bibliograph
Bib´li•o•graph, n. Bibliographer.

Bibliographer
Bib•li•og´ra•pher, n. [Gr., fr. book + to write : cf. F. bibliographe.] One who writes, or is versed in, bibliography. { Bib•li•o•graph´ic, Bib•li•o•graph´ic•al, } a. [Cf. F. bibliographique.] Pertaining to bibliography, or the history of books. — Bib•li•o•graph´ic•al•ly, adv.

Bibliography
Bib•li•og´ra•phy n. ; pl. Bibliographies . [Gr. : cf. F. bibliographie.] A history or description of books and manuscripts, with notices of the different editions, the times when they were printed, etc. { Bib•li•ol´a•ter, Bib•li•ol´a•trist } n. [See. Bibliolatry.] A worshiper of books; especially, a worshiper of the Bible; a believer in its verbal inspiration. De Quincey.

Bibliological
Bib•li•o•log´ic•al, a. Relating to bibliology.

Bibliology
Bib•li•ol´o•gy, n. [Gr. book + -logy.]
1. An account of books; book lore; bibliography.
2. The literature or doctrine of the Bible.

Bibliomancy
Bib´li•o•man•cy, n. [Gr. book + -mancy: cf. F. bibliomancie.] A kind of divination, performed by selecting passages of Scripture at hazard, and drawing from them indications concerning future events.

Bibliomania
Bib•li•o•ma´ni•a, n. [Gr. book + madness: cf. F. bibliomanie.] A mania for acquiring books.

Bibliomaniac
Bib•li•o•ma´ni•ac, n. One who has a mania for books. — a. Relating to a bibliomaniac.

Bibliomaniacal
Bib•li•o•ma•ni´ac•al, a. Pertaining to a passion for books; relating to a bibliomaniac.

Bibliopegic
Bib•li•o•peg´ic (-pej"ik), a. [Gr. bibli•on book + phgny•naito make fast.] Relating to the binding of books. [R.]

Bibliopegist
Bib•li•op´e•gist (bib•li•op"e•jist), n. A bookbinder.

Bibliopegistic
Bib•li•op•e•gis´tic (-op•e•jis"tik), a. Pertaining to the art of binding books. [R.] Dibdin.

Bibliopegy
Bib•li•op´e•gy, n. [See Bibliopegic.] The art of binding books. [R.]

Bibliophilism
Bib•li•oph´i•lism, n. Love of books.

Bibliophilist
Bib•li•oph´i•list, n. A lover of books.

Bibliophobia
Bib•li•o•pho´bi•a, n. [Gr. book + to fear.] A dread of books. [R.]

Bibliopole
Bib´li•o•pole, n. [L. bibliopola, Gr. ; book + to sell: cf. F. bibliopole.] One who sells books. { Bib•li•o•pol´ic, Bib•li•op´o•lar }, a. [See Bibliopole.] Of or pertaining to the sale of books. "Bibliopolic difficulties." Carlyle.

Bibliopolist
Bib•li•op´o•list, n. Same as Bibliopole.

Bibliothec
Bib´li•o•thec, n. A librarian.

Bibliotheca
Bib•li•o•the´ca, n. [L. See Bibliotheke.] A library.

Bibliotheke
Bib´li•o•theke, n. [L. bibliotheca, Gr. ; book + a case, box, fr. to place: cf. F. bibliothèque.] A library. [Obs.] Bale.

Biblist
Bib´list, n. [Cf. F. bibliste. See Bible.]
1. One who makes the Bible the sole rule of faith.
2. A biblical scholar; a biblicist. I. Taylor.

Bibulous
Bib´u•lous, a. [L. bibulus, fr. bibere to drink. See Bib, v. t. ]
1. Readily imbibing fluids or moisture; spongy; as bibulous blotting paper.
2. Inclined to drink; addicted to tippling.

Bicalcarate
Bi•cal´ca•rate, a. [Pref. bi- + calcarate.] Having two spurs, as the wing or leg of a bird. { Bi•cal´lose, Bi•cal´lous } a. [Pref. bi- + callose, callous.] (Bot.) Having two callosities or hard spots. Gray.

Bicameral
Bi•cam´er•al, a. [Pref. bi- + camera.] Consisting of, or including, two chambers, or legislative branches. Bentham.

Bicapsular
Bi•cap´su•lar, a. [Pref. bi- + capsular: cf. F. bicapsulaire.] (Bot.) Having two capsules; as a bicapsular pericarp.

Bicarbonate
Bi•car´bon•ate, n. [Pref. bi- + carbonate.] (Chem.) A carbonate in which but half the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by a positive element or radical, thus making the proportion of the acid to the positive or basic portion twice what it is in the normal carbonates; an acid carbonate; — sometimes called supercarbonate. {Bi•car´bu•ret•ed-ret•ted }, a. [Pref. bi- + carbureted.] (Chem.) Containing two atoms or equivalents of carbon in the molecule. [Obs. or R.]

Bicarinate
Bi•car´i•nate, a. [Pref. bi- + carinate.] (Biol.) Having two keel-like projections, as the upper palea of grasses.

Bicaudal
Bi•cau´dal, a. [Pref. bi- + caudal.] Having, or terminating in, two tails.

Bicaudate
Bi•cau´date, a. [Pref. bi- + caudate.] Two-tailed; bicaudal.

Bicched
Bic´ched, a. [Of unknown origin.] Pecked; pitted; notched. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bicched bones, pecked, or notched, bones; dice. { Bice, Bise }, n. [F. bis, akin to It. bigio light gray, tawny.] (Paint.) A pale blue pigment, prepared from the native blue carbonate of copper, or from smalt; — called also blue bice. Green bice is prepared from the blue, by adding yellow orpiment, or by grinding down the green carbonate of copper. Cooley. Brande & C.

Bicentenary
Bi•cen´te•na•ry, a. [Pref. bi- + centenary.] Of or pertaining to two hundred, esp. to two hundred years; as a bicentenary celebration. — n. The two hundredth anniversary, or its celebration.

Bicentennial
Bi•cen•ten´ni•al, a. [Pref. bi- + centennial.]
1. Consisting of two hundred years.
2. Occurring every two hundred years.

Bicentennial
Bi•cen•ten´ni•al, n. The two hundredth year or anniversary, or its celebration.

Bicephalous
Bi•ceph´a•lous, a. [Pref. bi- + cephalous: cf. F. bicephale.] Having two heads.

Biceps
Bi´ceps, n. [L., two-headed; bis twice + caput head. See Capital.] (Anat.) A muscle having two heads or origins; — applied particularly to a flexor in the arm, and to another in the thigh.

Bicho
Bi´cho, n. [Sp.] (Zoöl.) See Jigger.

Bichromatize
Bi•chro´ma•tize, v. t. To combine or treat with a bichromate, esp. with bichromate of potassium; as bichromatized gelatine.

Bicipital
Bi•cip´i•tal, a. [L. biceps, bicipitis: cf. F. bicipital. See Biceps.]
1. (Anat.) (a) Having two heads or origins, as a muscle. (b) Pertaining to a biceps muscle; as bicipital furrows, the depressions on either side of the biceps of the arm.
2. (Bot.) Dividing into two parts at one extremity; having two heads or two supports; as a bicipital tree.

Bicker
Bick´er, n. [See Beaker.] A small wooden vessel made of staves and hoops, like a tub. [Prov. Eng.]

Bicker
Bick´er, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Bickered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bickering.] [OE. bikeren, perh. fr. Celtic; cf. W. bicra to fight, bicker, bicre conflict, skirmish; perh. akin to E. beak.]
1. To skirmish; to exchange blows; to fight. [Obs.]
"Two eagles had a conflict, and bickered together." - Holland.
2. To contend in petulant altercation; to wrangle.
"Petty things about which men cark and bicker." - Barrow.
3. To move quickly and unsteadily, or with a pattering noise; to quiver; to be tremulous, like flame.
"They [streamlets] bickered through the sunny shade." - Thomson.

Bicker
Bick´er, n.
1. A skirmish; an encounter. [Obs.]
2. A fight with stones between two parties of boys. [Scot.] Jamieson.
3. A wrangle; also a noise,, as in angry contention.

Bickerer
Bick´er•er, n. One who bickers.

Bickering
Bick´er•ing, n.
1. A skirmishing. "Frays and bickerings." Milton.
2. Altercation; wrangling.

Bickerment
Bick´er•ment, n. Contention. [Obs.] Spenser.

Bickern
Bick´ern, n. [F. bigorne. See Bicorn.] An anvil ending in a beak or point (orig. in two beaks); also the beak or horn itself.

Biconjugate
Bi•con´ju•gate, a. [Pref. bi- + conjugate, a.] (Bot.) Twice paired, as when a petiole forks twice. Gray.

Biconvex
Bi•con´vex, a. [Pref. bi- + convex.] Convex on both sides; as a biconvex lens. { Bi´corn, Bi´corned, Bi•cor´nous, } a. [L. bicornis; bis twice + cornu horn: cf. F. bicorne. Cf. Bickern.] Having two horns; two-horned; crescentlike.

Bicorporate
Bi•cor´po•rate, a. [Pref. bi- + corporate.] (Her.) Double-bodied, as a lion having one head and two bodies.

Bicostate
Bi•cos´tate, a. [Pref. bi- + costate.] (Bot.) Having two principal ribs running longitudinally, as a leaf.

Bicrenate
Bi•cre´nate, a. [Pref. bi- + crenate.] (Bot.) Twice crenated, as in the case of leaves whose crenatures are themselves crenate.

Bicrescentic
Bi•cres•cen´tic, a. [Pref. bi- + crescent.] Having the form of a double crescent.

Bicrural
Bi•cru´ral, a. [Pref. bi- + crural.] Having two legs. Hooker. { Bi•cus´pid, Bi•cus´pid•ate } a. [See pref. Bi-, and Cuspidate.] Having two points or prominences; ending in two points; — said of teeth, leaves, fruit, etc.

Bicycler
Bi´cy•cler, n. One who rides a bicycle.

Bicyclic
Bi•cyc´lic, a. Relating to bicycles.

Bicycling
Bi´cy•cling, n. The use of a bicycle; the act or practice of riding a bicycle.

Bicyclism
Bi´cy•clism, n. The art of riding a bicycle.

Bicyclist
Bi´cy•clist, n. A bicycler.

Bicycular
Bi•cyc´u•lar, a. Relating to bicycling.

Bid (bid), v. t. [ imp. Bade (bad), Bid, (Obs.) Bad; p. p. Bidden, Bid; p. pr. & vb. n. Bidding.] [OE. bidden, prop to ask, beg, AS. biddan; akin to OS. biddian, Icel. biðja, OHG. bittan, G. bitten, to pray, ask, request, and E. bead, also perh. to Gr. teiqein to persuade, L. fidere to trust, E. faith, and bide. But this word was early confused with OE. beden, beoden, AS. beódan, to offer, command; akin to Icel. bjoða, Goth. biudan (in comp.), OHG. biotan to command, bid, G. bieten, D. bieden, to offer, also to Gr. pynqa•nesqai to learn by inquiry, Skr. budh to be awake, to heed, present OSlav. budeti to be awake, E. bode, v. The word now has the form of OE. bidden to ask, but the meaning of OE. beden to command, except in "to bid beads." rad.30.]
1. To make an offer of; to propose. Specifically : To offer to pay ( a certain price, as for a thing put up at auction), or to take (a certain price, as for work to be done under a contract).
2. To offer in words; to declare, as a wish, a greeting, a threat, or defiance, etc.; as to bid one welcome; to bid good morning, farewell, etc.
"Neither bid him God speed." - 2. John 10.
"He bids defiance to the gaping crowd." - Granrille.
3. To proclaim; to declare publicly; to make known. [Mostly obs.] "Our banns thrice bid !" Gay.
4. To order; to direct; to enjoin; to command.
"That Power who bids the ocean ebb and flow." - Pope
"Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee." - Matt. xiv. 28
"I was bid to pick up shells." - D. Jerrold.
5. To invite; to call in; to request to come.
"As many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage." - Matt. xxii. 9
To bid beads, to pray with beads, as the Roman Catholics; to distinguish each bead by a prayer. [Obs.] — To bid defiance to, to defy openly; to brave. — To bid fair, to offer a good prospect; to make fair promise; to seem likely.
Syn. — To offer; proffer; tender; propose; order; command; direct; charge; enjoin.

Bid, imp. & p. p. of Bid.

Bid, n. An offer of a price, especially at auctions; a statement of a sum which one will give for something to be received, or will take for something to be done or furnished; that which is offered.

Bid, v. i. [See Bid, v. t.]
1. To pray. [Obs.] Chaucer.
2. To make a bid; to state what one will pay or take.

Biddable
Bid´da•ble, a. Obedient; docile. [Scot.]

Bidden
Bid´den, p. p. of Bid.

Biddery ware
Bid"der•y ware . [From Beder or Bidar a town in India.] A kind of metallic ware made in India. The material is a composition of zinc, tin, and lead, in which ornaments of gold and silver are inlaid or damascened. [Spelt also bidry, bidree, bedery, beder.]

Bidding
Bid´ding, n.
1. Command; order; a proclamation or notifying. "Do thou thy master’s bidding." Shak.
2. The act or process of making bids; an offer; a proposal of a price, as at an auction.

Bidding prayer
Bid"ding prayer .
1. (R. C. Ch.) The prayer for the souls of benefactors, said before the sermon.
2. (Angl. Ch.) The prayer before the sermon, with petitions for various specified classes of persons.

Biddy
Bid´dy, n. [Etymology uncertain.] A name used in calling a hen or chicken. Shak.

Biddy
Bid´dy, n. [A familiar form of Bridget.] An Irish serving woman or girl. [Colloq.]

Bide, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Bided; p. pr. & vb. n. Biding.] [OE. biden, AS. bidan; akin to OHG. bitan, Goth. beidan, Icel. bi; perh. orig., to wait with trust, and akin to bid. See Bid, v. t., and cf. Abide.]
1. To dwell; to inhabit; to abide; to stay.
"All knees to thee shall bow of them that bide In heaven or earth, or under earth, in hell." - Milton.
2. To remain; to continue or be permanent in a place or state; to continue to be. Shak.

Bide, v. t.
1. To encounter; to remain firm under (a hardship); to endure; to suffer; to undergo.
"Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm." - Shak.
2. To wait for; as I bide my time. See Abide.

Bidental
Bi•den´tal, a. Having two teeth. Swift.

Bidentate
Bi•den´tate, a. (Bot. & Zoöl.) Having two teeth or two toothlike processes; two- toothed.

Bidet
Bi•det´, n. [F. bidet, perh. fr. Celtic; cr. Gael. bideach very little, diminutive, bidein a diminutive animal, W. bidan a weakly or sorry wretch.]
1. A small horse formerly allowed to each trooper or dragoon for carrying his baggage. B. Jonson.
2. A kind of bath tub for sitting baths; a sitz bath.

Bidigitate
Bi•dig´i•tate, a. [Pref. bi- + digitate.] Having two fingers or fingerlike projections.

Biding
Bid´ing, n. Residence; habitation. Rowe.

Biela’s comet
Bie"la’s com"et (Astron.) A periodic coment, discovered by Biela in 1826, which revolves around the sun in 6.6 years. The November meteors (Andromedes or Bielids) move in its orbit, and may be fragments of the comet.

Bield, n. A shelter. Same as Beild. [Scot.]

Bield, v. t. To shelter. [Scot.]

Bielid
Bie´lid, n. (Astron.) See Andromede.

Biennially
Bi•en´ni•al•ly, adv. Once in two years.

Bier, n. [OE. baee, beere, AS. br, bre; akin to D. baar, OHG. bara, G. bahre, Icel barar, D baare, L. feretrum, Gr., from the same bear to produce. See 1st Bear, and cf. Barrow.]
1. A handbarrow or portable frame on which a corpse is placed or borne to the grave.
2. (Weaving) A count of forty threads in the warp or chain of woolen cloth. Knight.

Bifarious
Bi•fa´ri•ous, a. [L. bifarius; bis twice + fari to speak. Cf. Gr. twofold; twice + to say.]
1. Twofold; arranged in two rows.
2. (Bot.) Pointing two ways, as leaves that grow only on opposite sides of a branch; in two vertical rows.

Bifariously
Bi•fa´ri•ous•ly, adv. In a bifarious manner.

Biferous
Bif´er•ous, a. [L. bifer; bis twice + ferre to bear.] Bearing fruit twice a year.

Biffin
Bif´fin, n. [Cf. Beaufin.]
1. A sort of apple peculiar to Norfolk, Eng. [Sometimes called beaufin; but properly beefin (it is said), from its resemblance to raw beef.] Wright.
2. A baked apple pressed down into a flat, round cake; a dried apple. Dickens.

Bifidate
Bif´i•date, a. [L. bifidatus.] See Bifid.

Biflabellate
Bi•fla•bel´late, a. [Pref. bi- + flabellate.] (Zoöl.) Flabellate on both sides.

Biflagellate
Bi•fla•gel´late, a. [Pref. bi- + flagellate.] Having two long, narrow, whiplike appendages. { Bi•flo´rate, Bi•flo´rous } a. [L. bis twice + flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.) Bearing two flowers; two-flowered.

Bifocal
Bi•fo´cal, a. [Pref. bi-+ focal.] Having two foci, as some spectacle lenses.

Bifold
Bi´fold, a. [Pref. bi- + fold.] Twofold; double; of two kinds, degrees, etc. Shak.

Bifoliate
Bi•fo´li•ate, a. [Pref. bi- + foliate.] (Bot.) Having two leaves; two- leaved.

Bifoliolate
Bi•fo´li•o•late, a. [Pref. bi- + foliolate.] (Bot.) Having two leaflets, as some compound leaves.

Biforate
Bif´o•rate, a. [L. bis twice + foratus, p. p. of forare to bore or pierce.] (Bot.) Having two perforations.

Biforine
Bif´o•rine, n. [L. biforis, biforus, having two doors; bis twice + foris door.] (Bot.) An oval sac or cell, found in the leaves of certain plants of the order Araceae. It has an opening at each end through which raphides, generated inside, are discharged.

Biforked
Bi´forked, a. Bifurcate.

Biform
Bi´form, a. [L. biformis; bis twice + forma shape: cf. F. biforme.] Having two forms, bodies, or shapes. Croxall.

Biformed
Bi´formed, a. [Pref. bi- + form.] Having two forms. Johnson.

Biformity
Bi•form´i•ty, n. A double form.

Biforn
Bi•forn´, prep. & adv. Before. [Obs.]

Biforous
Bif´o•rous, a. [L. biforis having two doors; bis twice, two + foris door.] See Biforate.

Bifurcate
Bi•fur´cate, v. i. To divide into two branches.

Bifurcation
Bi•fur•ca´tion, n. [Cf. F. bifurcation.] A forking, or division into two branches.

Bifurcous
Bi•fur´cous, a. [L. bifurcus; bis twice + furca fork.] See Bifurcate, a. [R.] Coles.

Biga
Bi´ga, n. [L.] (Antiq.) A two-horse chariot.

Bigam
Big´am, n. [L. bigamus twice married: cf. F. bigame. See Bigamy.] A bigamist. [Obs.]

Bigamy
Big´a•my, n. [OE. bigamie, fr. L. bigamus twice married; bis twice + Gr. marriage; prob. akin to Skt. jamis related, and L. gemini twins, the root meaning to bind, join: cf. F. bigamie. Cf. Digamy.] (Law) The offense of marrying one person when already legally married to another. Wharton. It is not strictly correct to call this offense bigamy: it more properly denominated polygamy, i. e., having a plurality of wives or husbands at once, and in several statutes in the United States the offense is classed under the head of polygamy. In the canon law bigamy was the marrying of two virgins successively, or one after the death of the other, or once marrying a widow. This disqualified a man for orders, and for holding ecclesiastical offices. Shakespeare uses the word in the latter sense. Blackstone. Bouvier.
"Base declension and loathed bigamy. Shak. " { Big•ar•reau´, Big•a•roon´ } n. [F. bigarreau, fr. bigarre variegated.] (Bot.) The large white-heart cherry.

Bigeminate
Bi•gem´i•nate, a. [Pref. bi- + geminate.] (Bot.) Having a forked petiole, and a pair of leaflets at the end of each division; biconjugate; twice paired; — said of a decompound leaf.

Bigential
Bi•gen´tial, a. [Pref. bi- + L. gens, gentis, tribe.] (Zoöl.) Including two tribes or races of men.

Bigeye
Big´eye, n. (Zoöl.) A fish of the genus Priacanthus, remarkable for the large size of the eye.

Bigg, n. & v. See Big, n. & v.

Bigger
Big´ger, a. , compar. of Big.

Bighorn
Big´horn, n. (Zoöl.) The Rocky Mountain sheep ( Ovis or Caprovis montana).

Bight (bit), n. [OE. bi&yogh;t a bending; cf. Sw. & Dan. bugt bend, bay; fr. AS. byht, fr. bugan. rad.88. Cf. Bout, Bought a bend, and see Bow, v. ]
1. A corner, bend, or angle; a hollow; as the bight of a horse’s knee; the bight of an elbow.
2. (Geog.) A bend in a coast forming an open bay; as the Bight of Benin.
3. (Naut.) The double part of a rope when folded, in distinction from the ends; that is, a round, bend, or coil not including the ends; a loop.

Bigly
Big´ly, adv. [From Big, a. ] In a tumid, swelling, blustering manner; haughtily; violently.
"He brawleth bigly. Robynson (More’s Utopia. )"

Bignonia
Big•no´ni•a, n. [Named from the Abbe Bignon.] (Bot.) A large genus of American, mostly tropical, climbing shrubs, having compound leaves and showy somewhat tubular flowers. B. capreolata is the cross vine of the Southern United States. The trumpet creeper was formerly considered to be of this genus.

Bignoniaceous
Big•no•ni•a´ceous, a. (Bot.) Of pertaining to, or resembling, the family of plants of which the trumpet flower is an example.

Bigot
Big´ot, n. [F. bigot a bigot or hypocrite, a name once given to the Normans in France. Of unknown origin; possibly akin to Sp. bigote a whisker; hombre de bigote a man of spirit and vigor; cf. It. s-bigottire to terrify, to appall. Wedgwood and others maintain that bigot is from the same source as Beguine, Beghard.]
1. A hypocrite; esp., a superstitious hypocrite. [Obs.]
2. A person who regards his own faith and views in matters of religion as unquestionably right, and any belief or opinion opposed to or differing from them as unreasonable or wicked. In an extended sense, a person who is intolerant of opinions which conflict with his own, as in politics or morals; one obstinately and blindly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion.
"To doubt, where bigots had been content to wonder and believe." - Macaulay.

Bigot
Big´ot, a. Bigoted. [Obs.]
"In a country more bigot than ours." - Dryden.

Bigoted
Big´ot•ed, a. Obstinately and blindly attached to some creed, opinion practice, or ritual; unreasonably devoted to a system or party, and illiberal toward the opinions of others. "Bigoted to strife." Byron.
Syn. — Prejudiced; intolerant; narrow-minded.

Bigotedly
Big´ot•ed•ly, adv. In the manner of a bigot.

Bigotry
Big´ot•ry, n. [Cf. F. bigoterie.]
1. The state of mind of a bigot; obstinate and unreasoning attachment of one’s own belief and opinions, with narrow-minded intolerance of beliefs opposed to them.
2. The practice or tenets of a bigot.

Bigwig
Big´wig, n. [ Big, a. + wig.] A person of consequence; as the bigwigs of society. [Jocose]
"In our youth we have heard him spoken of by the bigwigs with extreme condescension." - Dickens.

Big-wigged
Big´-wigged, a. characterized by pomposity of manner. [Eng.]

Bihydroguret
Bi•hy•drog´u•ret, n. [Pref. bi- + hydroguret.] (Chem.) A compound of two atoms of hydrogen with some other substance. [Obs.]

Bijou
Bi•jou´, n. ; pl. Bijoux . [F.; of uncertain origin.] A trinket; a jewel; — a word applied to anything small and of elegant workmanship.

Bijoutry
Bi•jou´try, n. [F. bijouterie. See Bijou.] Small articles of virtu, as jewelry, trinkets, etc.

Bijugous
Bij´u•gous, a. [L. bijugus yoked two together; bis twice + jugum yoke, pair.] (Bot.) Bijugate.

Bike, n. [Ethymol. unknown.] A nest of wild bees, wasps, or ants; a swarm. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Bikh, n. [Hind., fr. Skr. visha poison.] (Bot.) The East Indian name of a virulent poison extracted from Aconitum ferox or other species of aconite: also the plant itself.

Bilabiate
Bi•la´bi•ate, a. [Pref. bi- + labiate.] (Bot.) Having two lips, as the corols of certain flowers.

Bilaciniate
Bi•la•cin´i•ate, a. [Pref. bi- + laciniate.] Doubly fringed.

Bilalo
Bi•la´lo, n. A two-masted passenger boat or small vessel, used in the bay of Manila. { Bi•lam´el•late, Bi•lam´el•la•ted } a. [Pref. bi- + lamellate.] (Bot.) Formed of two plates, as the stigma of the Mimulus; also having two elevated ridges, as in the lip of certain flowers. { Bi•lam´i•nar, Bi•lam´i•nate } a. [Pref. bi- + laminar, laminate.] Formed of, or having, two laminae, or thin plates.

Biland
Bi´land, n. A byland. [Obs.] Holland.

Bilander
Bil´an•der, n. [D. bijlander; bij by + land land, country.] (Naut.) A small two-masted merchant vessel, fitted only for coasting, or for use in canals, as in Holland.
"Why choose we, then, like bilanders to creep Along the coast, and land in view to keep?" - Dryden.

Bilateral
Bi•lat´er•al, a. [Pref. bi- + lateral: cf. F. bilateral.]
1. Having two sides; arranged upon two sides; affecting two sides or two parties.
2. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to the two sides of a central area or organ, or of a central axis; as bilateral symmetry in animals, where there is a similarity of parts on the right and left sides of the body.

Bilaterality
Bi•lat•er•al´i•ty, n. State of being bilateral.

Bilberry
Bil´ber•ry, n. ; pl. Bilberries . [Cf. Dan. böllebaer bilberry, where bölle is perh. akin to E. ball.]
1. (Bot.) The European whortleberry ( Vaccinium myrtillus); also its edible bluish black fruit.
"There pinch the maids as blue as bilberry." - Shak.
2. (Bot.) Any similar plant or its fruit; esp., in America, the species Vaccinium myrtilloides, V. caespitosum and V. uliginosum.

Bilbo
Bil´bo, n. ; pl. Bilboes .
1. A rapier; a sword; so named from Bilbao, in Spain. Shak.
2. pl. A long bar or bolt of iron with sliding shackles, and a lock at the end, to confine the feet of prisoners or offenders, esp. on board of ships.
"Methought I lay Worse than the mutines in the bilboes." - Shak.

Bilboquet
Bil´bo•quet, n. [F.] The toy called cup and ball.

Bilcock
Bil´cock, n. (Zoöl.) The European water rail.

Bildstein
Bild´stein, n. [G., fr. bild image, likeness + stein stone.] Same as Agalmatolite.

Bilestone
Bile´stone, n. [ Bile + stone.] A gallstone, or biliary calculus. See Biliary. E. Darwin.

Bilgy
Bil´gy, a. Having the smell of bilge water.

Biliary
Bil´ia•ry (bil"ya•ry; 106), a. [L. bilis bile: cf. F. biliaire.] (Physiol.) Relating or belonging to bile; conveying bile; as biliary acids; biliary ducts. Biliary calculus (Med.), a gallstone, or a concretion formed in the gall bladder or its duct.

Biliation
Bil•i•a´tion, n. (Physiol.) The production and excretion of bile.

Biliferous
Bi•lif´er•ous, a. Generating bile.

Bilifuscin
Bil•i•fus´cin, n. [L. bilis bile + fuscus dark.] (Physiol.) A brownish green pigment found in human gallstones and in old bile. It is a derivative of bilirubin. { Bi•lim´bi, Bi•lim´bing } n. [Malay.] The berries of two East Indian species of Averrhoa, of the Oxalideae or Sorrel family. They are very acid, and highly esteemed when preserved or pickled. The juice is used as a remedy for skin diseases. [Written also blimbi and blimbing.]

Biliment
Bil´i•ment, n. A woman’s ornament; habiliment. [Obs.]

Bilin
Bi´lin, n. [Cf. F. biline, from L. bilis bile.] (Physiol. Chem.) A name applied to the amorphous or crystalline mass obtained from bile by the action of alcohol and ether. It is composed of a mixture of the sodium salts of the bile acids.

Bilinear
Bi•lin´e•ar, a. (Math.) Of, pertaining to, or included by, two lines; as bilinear coördinates.

Bilingual
Bi•lin´gual, a. [L. bilinguis; bis twice + lingua tongue, language.] Containing, or consisting of, two languages; expressed in two languages; as a bilingual inscription; a bilingual dictionary. — Bi•lin´gual•ly, adv.

Bilingualism
Bi•lin´gual•ism, n. Quality of being bilingual.
"The bilingualism of King’s English." - Earle.

Bilinguar
Bi•lin´guar, a. See Bilingual.

Bilinguous
Bi•lin´guous, a. [L. bilinguis.] Having two tongues, or speaking two languages. [Obs.]

Bilious
Bil´ious (bil"yus), a. [L. biliosus, fr. bilis bile.]
1. Of or pertaining to the bile.
2. Disordered in respect to the bile; troubled with an excess of bile; as a bilious patient; dependent on, or characterized by, an excess of bile; as bilious symptoms.
3. Choleric; passionate; ill tempered. "A bilious old nabob." Macaulay. Bilious temperament. See Temperament.

Biliprasin
Bil•i•pra´sin, n. [L. bilis bile + prasinus green.] (Physiol.) A dark green pigment found in small quantity in human gallstones.

Bilirubin
Bil•i•ru´bin, n. [L. bilis biel + ruber red.] (Physiol.) A reddish yellow pigment present in human bile, and in that from carnivorous and herbivorous animals; the normal biliary pigment.

Biliteral
Bi•lit´er•al, a. [L. bis twice + littera letter.] Consisting of two letters; as a biliteral root of a Sanskrit verb. Sir W. Jones. — n. A word, syllable, or root, consisting of two letters.

Biliteralism
Bi•lit´er•al•ism, n. The property or state of being biliteral.

Biliverdin
Bil•i•ver´din, n. [L. bilis bile + viridis green. Cf. Verdure.] (Physiol.) A green pigment present in the bile, formed from bilirubin by oxidation.

Bill, n. [OE. bile, bille, AS. bile beak of a bird, proboscis; cf. Ir. & Gael. bil, bile, mouth, lip, bird’s bill. Cf. Bill a weapon.] A beak, as of a bird, or sometimes of a turtle or other animal. Milton.

Bill, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Billed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Billing.]
1. To strike; to peck. [Obs.]
2. To join bills, as doves; to caress in fondness. "As pigeons bill." Shak. To bill and coo, to interchange caresses; — said of doves; also of demonstrative lovers. Thackeray.

Bill, n. The bell, or boom, of the bittern
"The bittern’s hollow bill was heard." - Wordsworth.

Bill, n. [OE. bil, AS. bill, bil; akin to OS. bil sword, OHG. bill pickax, G. bille. Cf. Bill bea.]
1. A cutting instrument, with hook-shaped point, and fitted with a handle; — used in pruning, etc.; a billhook. When short, called a hand bill, when long, a hedge bill.
2. A weapon of infantry, in the 14th and 15th centuries. A common form of bill consisted of a broad, heavy, double-edged, hook-shaped blade, having a short pike at the back and another at the top, and attached to the end of a long staff.
"France had no infantry that dared to face the English bows end bills." - Macaulay.
3. One who wields a bill; a billman. Strype.
4. A pickax, or mattock. [Obs.]
5. (Naut.) The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke.

Bill, v. t. To work upon ( as to dig, hoe, hack, or chop anything) with a bill.

Bill, n. [OE. bill, bille, fr. LL. billa (or OF. bille), for L. bulla anything rounded, LL., seal, stamp, letter, edict, roll; cf. F. bille a ball, prob. fr. Ger.; cf. MHG. bickel, D. bikkel, dice. Cf. Bull papal edict, Billet a paper.]
1. (Law) A declaration made in writing, stating some wrong the complainant has suffered from the defendant, or a fault committed by some person against a law.
2. A writing binding the signer or signers to pay a certain sum at a future day or on demand, with or without interest, as may be stated in the document. [Eng.] In the United States, it is usually called a note, a note of hand, or a promissory note.
3. A form or draft of a law, presented to a legislature for enactment; a proposed or projected law.
4. A paper, written or printed, and posted up or given away, to advertise something, as a lecture, a play, or the sale of goods; a placard; a poster; a handbill.
"She put up the bill in her parlor window." - Dickens.
5. An account of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, with the price or charge; a statement of a creditor’s claim, in gross or by items; as a grocer’s bill.
6. Any paper, containing a statement of particulars; as a bill of charges or expenditures; a weekly bill of mortality; a bill of fare, etc. Bill of adventure. See under Adventure. — Bill of costs, a statement of the items which form the total amount of the costs of a party to a suit or action. — Bill of credit. (a) Within the constitution of the United States, a paper issued by a State, on the mere faith and credit of the State, and designed to circulate as money. No State shall "emit bills of credit." U. S. Const. Peters. Wharton. Bouvier (b) Among merchants, a letter sent by an agent or other person to a merchant, desiring him to give credit to the bearer for goods or money. — Bill of divorce, in the Jewish law, a writing given by the husband to the wife, by which the marriage relation was dissolved. Jer. iii. 8. — Bill of entry, a written account of goods entered at the customhouse, whether imported or intended for exportation. — Bill of exceptions. See under Exception. — Bill of exchange (Com.), a written order or request from one person or house to another, desiring the latter to pay to some person designated a certain sum of money therein generally is, and, to be negotiable, must be, made payable to order or to bearer. So also the order generally expresses a specified time of payment, and that it is drawn for value. The person who draws the bill is called the drawer, the person on whom it is drawn is, before acceptance, called the drawee, — after acceptance, the acceptor; the person to whom the money is directed to be paid is called the payee. The person making the order may himself be the payee. The bill itself is frequently called a draft. See Exchange. Chitty. — Bill of fare, a written or printed enumeration of the dishes served at a public table, or of the dishes (with prices annexed) which may be ordered at a restaurant, etc. — Bill of health, a certificate from the proper authorities as to the state of health of a ship’s company at the time of her leaving port. — Bill of indictment, a written accusation lawfully presented to a grand jury. If the jury consider the evidence sufficient to support the accusation, they indorse it "A true bill," otherwise they write upon it "Not a true bill," or "Not found," or "Ignoramus", or "Ignored." — Bill of lading, a written account of goods shipped by any person, signed by the agent of the owner of the vessel, or by its master, acknowledging the receipt of the goods, and promising to deliver them safe at the place directed, dangers of the sea excepted. It is usual for the master to sign two, three, or four copies of the bill; one of which he keeps in possession, one is kept by the shipper, and one is sent to the consignee of the goods. — Bill of mortality, an official statement of the number of deaths in a place or district within a given time; also a district required to be covered by such statement; as a place within the bills of mortality of London. — Bill of pains and penalties, a special act of a legislature which inflicts a punishment less than death upon persons supposed to be guilty of treason or felony, without any conviction in the ordinary course of judicial proceedings. Bouvier. Wharton. — Bill of parcels, an account given by the seller to the buyer of the several articles purchased, with the price of each. — Bill of particulars (Law), a detailed statement of the items of a plaintiff’s demand in an action, or of the defendant’s set-off. - - Bill of rights, a summary of rights and privileges claimed by a people. Such was the declaration presented by the Lords and Commons of England to the Prince and Princess of Orange in 1688, and enacted in Parliament after they became king and queen. In America, a bill or declaration of rights is prefixed to most of the constitutions of the several States. — Bill of sale, a formal instrument for the conveyance or transfer of goods and chattels. — Bill of sight, a form of entry at the customhouse, by which goods, respecting which the importer is not possessed of full information, may be provisionally landed for examination. — Bill of store, a license granted at the customhouse to merchants, to carry such stores and provisions as are necessary for a voyage, custom free. Wharton. — Bills payable ( pl. ), the outstanding unpaid notes or acceptances made and issued by an individual or firm. — Bills receivable ( pl. ), the unpaid promissory notes or acceptances held by an individual or firm. McElrath. — A true bill, a bill of indictment sanctioned by a grand jury.

Bill, v. t.
1. To advertise by a bill or public notice.
2. To charge or enter in a bill; as to bill goods.

Bill book
Bill" book . (Com.) A book in which a person keeps an account of his notes, bills, bills of exchange, etc., thus showing all that he issues and receives.

Bill broker
Bill" bro•ker . One who negotiates the discount of bills.

Bill holder
Bill" hold•er (bil" hol•der).
1. A person who holds a bill or acceptance.
2. A device by means of which bills, etc., are held.

Billabong
Bil´la•bong, n. [Native name.] In Australia, a blind channel leading out from a river; — sometimes called an anabranch. This is the sense of the word as used in the Public Works Department; but the term has also been locally applied to mere back-waters forming stagnant pools and to certain water channels arising from a source.

Billage
Bil´lage, n. ∧ v. t. & i. Same as Bilge.

Billed, a. Furnished with, or having, a bill, as a bird; — used in composition; as broad- billed.

Billet
Bil´let, n. [F. billet, dim. of an OF. bille bill. See Bill a writing.]
1. A small paper; a note; a short letter. "I got your melancholy billet." Sterne.
2. A ticket from a public officer directing soldiers at what house to lodge; as a billet of residence.

Billet
Bil´let, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Billeted; p. pr. & vb. n. Billeting.] [From Billet a ticket.] (Mil.) To direct, by a ticket or note, where to lodge. Hence: To quarter, or place in lodgings, as soldiers in private houses.
"Billeted in so antiquated a mansion." - W. Irving.

Billet
Bil´let, n. [F. billette, bille, log; of unknown origin; a different word from bille ball. Cf. Billiards, Billot.]
1. A small stick of wood, as for firewood.
"They shall beat out my brains with billets." - Shak.
2. (Metal.) A short bar of metal, as of gold or iron.
3. (Arch.) An ornament in Norman work, resembling a billet of wood either square or round.
4. (Saddlery) (a) A strap which enters a buckle. (b) A loop which receives the end of a buckled strap. Knight.
5. (Her.) A bearing in the form of an oblong rectangle.

Billet
Bil´let, n. Quarters or place to which one is assigned, as by a billet or ticket; berth; position. Also used fig. [Colloq.]
"The men who cling to easy billets ashore." Harper’s Mag.
"His shafts of satire fly straight to their billet, and there they rankle." Pall Mall Mag. { Bil´ly•cock, n. , orBil"ly•cock hat• }. [Perh. from bully + cock; that is, cocked like the hats of the bullies.] A round, low-crowned felt hat; a wideawake. "The undignified billycocks and pantaloons of the West." B. H. Chamberlain.
"Little acquiesced, and Ransome disguised him in a beard, and a loose set of clothes, and a billicock hat." Charles Reade.

Billet-doux
Bil•let-doux´ (bil•la•doo"), n. ; pl. Billets-doux (bil•la•dooz"). [F. billet note + doux sweet, L. dulcis.] A love letter or note.
"A lover chanting out a billet-doux." - Spectator.

Billethead
Bil´let•head (bil"l&ect;t•hed), n. (Naut.) A round piece of timber at the bow or stern of a whaleboat, around which the harpoon line is run out when the whale darts off.

Billfish
Bill´fish (-fish•), n. (Zoöl.) A name applied to several distinct fishes: (a) The garfish ( Tylosurus, or Belone, longirostris) and allied species. (b) The saury, a slender fish of the Atlantic coast ( Scomberesox saurus). (c) The Tetrapturus albidus, a large oceanic species related to the swordfish; the spearfish. (d) The American fresh-water garpike ( Lepidosteus osseus).

Billhead
Bill´head (-hed•), n. A printed form, used by merchants in making out bills or rendering accounts.

Billhook
Bill´hook, n. [ Bill + hook.] A thick, heavy knife with a hooked point, used in pruning hedges, etc. When it has a short handle, it is sometimes called a hand bill; when the handle is long, a hedge bill or scimiter.

Billiard
Bil´liard, a. Of or pertaining to the game of billiards. "Smooth as is a billiard ball." B. Jonson.

Billiards
Bil´liards, n. [F. billiard billiards, OF. billart staff, cue form playing, fr. bille log. See Billet a stick.] A game played with ivory balls o a cloth-covered, rectangular table, bounded by elastic cushions. The player seeks to impel his ball with his cue so that it shall either strike (carom upon) two other balls, or drive another ball into one of the pockets with which the table sometimes is furnished.

Billingsgate
Bil´lings•gate, n.
1. A market near the Billings gate in London, celebrated for fish and foul language.
2. Coarsely abusive, foul, or profane language; vituperation; ribaldry.

Billion
Bil´lion, n. [F. billion, arbitrarily formed fr. L. bis twice, in imitation of million a million. See Million.] According to the French and American method of numeration, a thousand millions, or 1,000,000,000; according to the English method, a million millions, or 1,000,000,000,000. See Numeration.

Billon
Bil•lon´, n. [F. Cf. Billet a stick.] An alloy of gold and silver with a large proportion of copper or other base metal, used in coinage.

Billy
Bil´ly, n.
1. A club; esp., a policeman’s club.
2. (Wool Manuf.) A slubbing or roving machine.

Billy goat
Bil"ly goat . A male goat. [Colloq.]

Billyboy
Bil´ly•boy, n. A flat-bottomed river barge or coasting vessel. [Eng.]

Bilobate
Bi•lo´bate (bi•lo"bat or bi"lo•bat), a. [Pref. bi- + lobate.] Divided into two lobes or segments.

Bilobed
Bi´lobed (bi"lobd), a. [Pref. bi- + lobe.] Bilobate.

Bilocation
Bi•lo•ca´tion, n. [Pref. bi- + location.] Double location; the state or power of being in two places at the same instant; — a miraculous power attributed to some of the saints. Tylor.

Bilocular
Bi•loc´u•lar, a. [Pref. bi- + locular: cf. F. biloculaire.] Divided into two cells or compartments; as a bilocular pericarp. Gray.

Bilsted
Bil´sted, n. (Bot.) See Sweet gum.

Bimaculate
Bi•mac´u•late, a. [Pref. bi- + maculate, a.] Having, or marked with, two spots.

Bimana
Bim´a•na, n. pl. [NL. See Bimanous.] (Zoöl.) Animals having two hands; — a term applied by Cuvier to man as a special order of Mammalia.

Bimarginate
Bi•mar´gin•ate, a. [Pref. bi- + marginate.] Having a double margin, as certain shells.

Bimastism
Bi•mas´tism, n. [Pref. bi- + Gr. breast.] (Anat.) The condition of having two mammae or teats.

Bimedial
Bi•me´di•al, a. [Pref. bi- + medial.] (Geom.) Applied to a line which is the sum of two lines commensurable only in power (as the side and diagonal of a square).

Bimembral
Bi•mem´bral, a. [L. bis twice + membrum member.] (Gram.) Having two members; as a bimembral sentence. J. W. Gibbs.

Bimensal
Bi•men´sal, a. [Pref. bi- + mensal.] See Bimonthly, a. [Obs. or R.]

Bimetallic
Bi•me•tal´lic, a. [Pref. bi- + metallic: cf. F. bimetallique.] Of or relating to, or using, a double metallic standard (as gold and silver) for a system of coins or currency.

Bimetallic
Bi´me•tal´lic, a. Composed of two different metals; formed of two parts, each of a different metal; as bimetallic wire; bimetallic thermometer, etc.

Bimetallism
Bi•met´al•lism, n. [F. bimetalisme.] The legalized use of two metals (as gold and silver) in the currency of a country, at a fixed relative value; — in opposition to monometallism. The words bimetallisme and monometallisme are due to M. Cernuschi [1869]. Littre.

Bimetallist
Bi•met´al•list, n. An advocate of bimetallism.

Bimolecular
Bi´mo•lec´u•lar, a. [Pref. bi- + molecular.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or formed from, two molecules; as a bimolecular reaction (a reaction between two molecules).

Bimonthly
Bi•month´ly, a. [Pref. bi- + monthly.] Occurring, done, or coming, once in two months; as bimonthly visits; bimonthly publications. — n. A bimonthly publication.

Bimonthly
Bi•month´ly, adv. Once in two months.

Bimuscular
Bi•mus´cu•lar, a. [Pref. bi- + muscular.] (Zoöl.) Having two adductor muscles, as a bivalve mollusk.

Bin, n. [OE. binne, AS. binn manager, crib; perh. akin to D. ben, benne, basket, and to L. benna a kind of carriage ( a Gallic word), W. benn, men, wain, cart.] A box, frame, crib, or inclosed place, used as a receptacle for any commodity; as a corn bin; a wine bin; a coal bin.

Bin, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Binned ; p. pr. & vb. n. Binning.] To put into a bin; as to bin wine.

Bin. An old form of Be and Been. [Obs.]

Binary
Bi´na•ry, a. [L. binarius, fr. bini two by two, two at a time, fr. root of bis twice; akin to E. two: cf. F. binaire.] Compounded or consisting of two things or parts; characterized by two (things). Binary arithmetic, that in which numbers are expressed according to the binary scale, or in which two figures only, 0 and 1, are used, in lieu of ten; the cipher multiplying everything by two, as in common arithmetic by ten. Thus, 1 is one; 10 is two; 11 is three; 100 is four, etc. Davies & Peck. — Binary compound (Chem.), a compound of two elements, or of an element and a compound performing the function of an element, or of two compounds performing the function of elements. — Binary logarithms, a system of logarithms devised by Euler for facilitating musical calculations, in which 1 is the logarithm of 2, instead of 10, as in the common logarithms, and the modulus 1.442695 instead of .43429448. — Binary measure (Mus.), measure divisible by two or four; common time. — Binary nomenclature (Nat. Hist.), nomenclature in which the names designate both genus and species. — Binary scale (Arith.), a uniform scale of notation whose ratio is two. — Binary star (Astron.), a double star whose members have a revolution round their common center of gravity. — Binary theory (Chem.), the theory that all chemical compounds consist of two constituents of opposite and unlike qualities.

Binary
Bi´na•ry, n. That which is constituted of two figures, things, or parts; two; duality. Fotherby.

Binate
Bi´nate, a. [L. bini two and two.] (Bot.) Double; growing in pairs or couples. Gray.

Binaural
Bin•au´ral, a. [Pref. bin- + aural.] Of or pertaining to, or used by, both ears.

Binbashi
Bin•bash´i, n. [Turk., prop., chief of a thousand; bin thousand + bash head.] (Mil.) A major in the Turkish army.

Bind, v. t. [ imp. Bound ; p. p. Bound, formerly Bounden ; p. pr. & vb. n. Binding.] [AS. bindan, perfect tense band, bundon, p. p. bunden; akin to D. & G. binden, Dan. binde, Sw. & Icel. binda, Goth. bindan, Skr. bandh (for bhandh) to bind, cf. Gr. (for ) cable, and L. offendix. rad.90.]
1. To tie, or confine with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.; to fetter; to make fast; as to bind grain in bundles; to bind a prisoner.
2. To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind; as attraction binds the planets to the sun; frost binds the earth, or the streams.
"He bindeth the floods from overflowing." - Job xxviii. 11.
"Whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years." - Luke xiii. 16.
3. To cover, as with a bandage; to bandage or dress; — sometimes with up; as to bind up a wound.
4. To make fast ( a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something; as to bind a belt about one; to bind a compress upon a part.
5. To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action; as certain drugs bind the bowels.
6. To protect or strengthen by a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.
7. To sew or fasten together, and inclose in a cover; as to bind a book.
8. Fig.: To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other moral tie; as to bind the conscience; to bind by kindness; bound by affection; commerce binds nations to each other.
"Who made our laws to bind us, not himself." - Milton.
9. (Law) (a) To bring (any one) under definite legal obligations; esp. under the obligation of a bond or covenant. Abbott. (b) To place under legal obligation to serve; to indenture; as to bind an apprentice; — sometimes with out; as bound out to service. To bind over, to put under bonds to do something, as to appear at court, to keep the peace, etc. — To bind to, to contract; as to bind one’s self to a wife. — To bind up in, to cause to be wholly engrossed with; to absorb in.
Syn. — To fetter; tie; fasten; restrain; restrict; oblige.

Bind, v. i.
1. To tie; to confine by any ligature.
"They that reap must sheaf and bind." - Shak.
2. To contract; to grow hard or stiff; to cohere or stick together in a mass; as clay binds by heat. Mortimer.
3. To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.
4. To exert a binding or restraining influence. Locke.

Bind, n.
1. That which binds or ties.
2. Any twining or climbing plant or stem, esp. a hop vine; a bine.
3. (Metal.) Indurated clay, when much mixed with the oxide of iron. Kirwan.
4. (Mus.) A ligature or tie for grouping notes.

Binder
Bind´er, n.
1. One who binds; as a binder of sheaves; one whose trade is to bind; as a binder of books.
2. Anything that binds, as a fillet, cord, rope, or band; a bandage; — esp. the principal piece of timber intended to bind together any building.

Bindery
Bind´er•y, n. A place where books, or other articles, are bound; a bookbinder’s establishment.

Bindheimite
Bind´heim•ite, n. [From Bindheim, a German who analyzed it.] (Min.) An amorphous antimonate of lead, produced from the alteration of other ores, as from jamesonite.

Binding
Bind´ing, a. That binds; obligatory. Binding beam (Arch.), the main timber in double flooring. — Binding joist (Arch.), the secondary timber in double-framed flooring.
Syn. — Obligatory; restraining; restrictive; stringent; astringent; costive; styptic.

Binding
Bind´ing, n.
1. The act or process of one who, or that which, binds.
2. Anything that binds; a bandage; the cover of a book, or the cover with the sewing, etc.; something that secures the edge of cloth from raveling.
3. pl. (Naut.) The transoms, knees, beams, keelson, and other chief timbers used for connecting and strengthening the parts of a vessel.

Binding post
Bind"ing post. (Elec.) A metallic post attached to electrical apparatus for convenience in making connections.

Binding screw
Bind"ing screw. A set screw used to bind parts together, esp. one for making a connection in an electrical circuit. { Bi•o•dy•nam´ic, Bi•o•dy•nam´ic•al }, a. } (Biol.) Of or pertaining to biodynamics, or the doctrine of vital forces or energy.

Bindingly
Bind´ing•ly, adv. So as to bind.

Bindingness
Bind´ing•ness, n. The condition or property of being binding; obligatory quality. Coleridge.

Bindweed
Bind´weed, n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Convolvulus; as greater bindweed ( C. Sepium); lesser bindweed ( C. arvensis); the white, the blue, the Syrian, bindweed. The black bryony, or Tamus, is called black bindweed, and the Smilax aspera, rough bindweed.
"The fragile bindweed bells and bryony rings." - Tennyson.

Bine, n. [Bind, cf. Woodbine.] The winding or twining stem of a hop vine or other climbing plant.

Bing, n. [Cf. Icel. bingr, Sw. binge, G. beige, beuge. Cf. Prov. E. bink bench, and bench coal the uppermost stratum of coal.] A heap or pile; as a bing of wood. "Potato bings." Burns. "A bing of corn." Surrey. [Obs. or Dial. Eng. & Scot.]

Biniodide
Bin•i´o•dide, n. Same as Diiodide.

Binnacle
Bin´na•cle, n. [For bittacle, corrupted (perh. by influence of bin) fr. Pg. bitacola binnacle, fr. L. habitaculum dwelling place, fr. habitare to dwell. See Habit, and cf. Bittacle.] (Naut.) A case or box placed near the helmsman, containing the compass of a ship, and a light to show it at night. Totten.

Binocle
Bin´o•cle, n. [F. binocle; L. bini two at a time + oculus eye.] (Opt.) A dioptric telescope, fitted with two tubes joining, so as to enable a person to view an object with both eyes at once; a double-barreled field glass or an opera glass.

Binocular
Bin•oc´u•lar, a. [Cf. F. binoculaire. See Binocle.]
1. Having two eyes. "Most animals are binocular." Derham.
2. Pertaining to both eyes; employing both eyes at once; as binocular vision.
3. Adapted to the use of both eyes; as a binocular microscope or telescope. Brewster.

Binocular
Bin•oc´u•lar, n. A binocular glass, whether opera glass, telescope, or microscope.

Binocularly
Bin•oc´u•lar•ly, adv. In a binocular manner.

Binoculate
Bin•oc´u•late, a. Having two eyes.

Binomial
Bi•no´mi•al, n. [L. bis twice + nomen name: cf. F. binome, LL. binomius (or fr. bi- + Gr. distribution ?). Cf. Monomial.] (Alg.) An expression consisting of two terms connected by the sign plus (+) or minus (-); as a + b, or 7 - 3.

Binomial
Bi•no´mi•al, a.
1. Consisting of two terms; pertaining to binomials; as a binomial root.
2. (Nat. Hist.) Having two names; — used of the system by which every animal and plant receives two names, the one indicating the genus, the other the species, to which it belongs. Binomial theorem (Alg.), the theorem which expresses the law of formation of any power of a binomial.

Binominal
Bi•nom´i•nal, a. [See Binomial.] Of or pertaining to two names; binomial.

Binotonous
Bi•not´o•nous, a. [L. bini two at a time + tonus, fr. Gr., tone.] Consisting of two notes; as a binotonous cry.

Binous
Bi´nous, a. Same as Binate.

Binoxide
Bin•ox´ide, n. [Pref. bin- + oxide.] (Chem.) Same as Dioxide.

Binucleolate
Bi•nu´cle•o•late, a. [Pref. bi- + nucleolus.] (Biol.) Having two nucleoli.

Bioblast
Bi´o•blast, n. [Gr. life + -blast.] (Biol.) Same as Bioplast.

Biodynamics
Bi•o•dy•nam´ics, n. [Gr. life + E. dynamics.] (Biol.) The doctrine of vital forces or energy.

Biodynamics
Bi•o•dy•nam´ics, n. The branch of biology which treats of the active vital phenomena of organisms; — opposed to biostatics.

Biogen
Bi´o•gen, n. [Gr. life + -gen.] (Biol.) Bioplasm. { Bi•o•gen´e•sis, Bi•og´e•ny } n. [Gr. life +,, birth.] (Biol.) (a) A doctrine that the genesis or production of living organisms can take place only through the agency of living germs or parents; — opposed to abiogenesis. (b) Life development generally.

Biogenetic
Bi•o•ge•net´ic, a. (Biol.) Pertaining to biogenesis.

Biogenist
Bi•og´e•nist, n. A believer in the theory of biogenesis.

Biogeography
Bi•o•ge•og´ra•phy, n. [Gr. bi•os life + E. geography.] The branch of biology which deals with the geographical distribution of animals and plants. It includes both zoögeography and phytogeography. - - Bi•o•ge•o•graph´ic (#), a. — Bi•o•ge•o•graph´ic•al•ly (#), adv.

Biognosis
Bi•og•no´sis, n. [Gr. life + investigation.] (Biol.) The investigation of life.

Biograph
Bi´o•graph, n. [Gr. bi•os life + -graph.]
1. An animated picture machine for screen projection; a cinematograph.
2. [Cf. Biography.] A biographical sketch. [Rare]

Biographize
Bi•og´ra•phize, v. t. To write a history of the life of. Southey.

Biography
Bi•og´ra•phy, n. ; pl. Biographies . [Gr. ; life + to write: cf. F. biographie. See Graphic.]
1. The written history of a person’s life.
2. Biographical writings in general. { Bi•o•log´ic, Bi•o•log´ic•al } a. Of or relating to biology. — Bi•o•log´ic•al•ly, adv.

Biology
Bi•ol´o•gy, n. [Gr. life + -logy: cf. F. biologie.] The science of life; that branch of knowledge which treats of living matter as distinct from matter which is not living; the study of living tissue. It has to do with the origin, structure, development, function, and distribution of animals and plants.

Biolysis
Bi•ol´y•sis, n. [Gr. life + a dissolving.] (Biol.) The destruction of life.

Biolytic
Bi•o•lyt´ic, a. [Gr. life + to destroy.] Relating to the destruction of life.

Biomagnetic
Bi•o•mag•net´ic, a. Relating to biomagnetism.

Biomagnetism
Bi•o•mag´net•ism, n. [Gr. life + E. magnetism.] Animal magnetism.

Biometry
Bi•om´e•try, n. [Gr. life + -metry.] Measurement of life; calculation of the probable duration of human life.

Bion
Bi´on, n. [Gr. living, p. pr. of to live.] (Biol.) The physiological individual, characterized by definiteness and independence of function, in distinction from the morphological individual or morphon.

Bionomy
Bi•on´o•my, n. [Gr. life + law.] Physiology. [R.] Dunglison. { Bi´o•phor, Bi´o•phore• }, n. [Gr. life + bearing, fr. to bear.] (Biol.) One of the smaller vital units of a cell, the bearer of vitality and heredity. See Pangen, in Supplement.

Biophotophone
Bi•o•pho´to•phone, n. [Gr. bi•os life + photo + fwnh• sound, voice.] An instrument combining a cinematograph and a phonograph so that the moving figures on the screen are accompanied by the appropriate sounds.

Bioplasm
Bi´o•plasm (bi"o•plaz’m), n. [Gr. bi•os life + pla•sma form, mold, fr. pla•ssein to mold.] (Biol.) A name suggested by Dr. Beale for the germinal matter supposed to be essential to the functions of all living beings; the material through which every form of life manifests itself; unaltered protoplasm.

Bioplasmic
Bi•o•plas´mic (bi•o•plaz"mik), a. Pertaining to, or consisting of, bioplasm.

Bioplast
Bi´o•plast (-plast), n. [Gr. bi•os life + pla•ssein to form.] (Biol.) A tiny mass of bioplasm, in itself a living unit and having formative power, as a living white blood corpuscle; bioblast.

Bioplastic
Bi•o•plas´tic (bi•o•plas"tik), a. (Biol.) Bioplasmic.

Bioplastic
Bi•o•plas´tic, a. (Biol.) Bioplasmic. { Bi•o•psy´chic, Bi•o•psy´chic•al }, a. } [Gr. bi•os life + psychic, -cal.] Pertaining to psychical phenomena in their relation to the living organism or to the general phenomena of life.

Biorgan
Bi•or´gan, n. [Gr. life + E. organ.] (Biol.) A physiological organ; a living organ; an organ endowed with function; — distinguished from idorgan.

Bioscope
Bi´o•scope, n. [Gr. bi•os life + -scope.]
1. A view of life; that which gives such a view.
"Bagman’s Bioscope: Various Views of Men and Manners. [ Book Title.]" W. Bayley (1824).
2. An animated picture machine for screen projection; a cinematograph (which see).

Biostatics
Bi•o•stat´ics, n. [Gr. life + . See Statics.] (Biol.) The physical phenomena of organized bodies, in opposition to their organic or vital phenomena.

Biotaxy
Bi´o•tax•y, n. [Gr. life + arrangement.] (Biol.) The classification of living organisms according to their structural character; taxonomy.

Biotic
Bi•ot´ic, a. [Gr. pert. to life.] (Biol.) Relating to life; as the biotic principle.

Biotite
Bi´o•tite, n. [From Biot, a French naturalist.] (Min.) Mica containing iron and magnesia, generally of a black or dark green color; — a common constituent of crystalline rocks. See Mica.

Biparietal
Bi•pa•ri´e•tal, a. [Pref. bi- + parietal.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the diameter of the cranium, from one parietal fossa to the other.

Biparous
Bip´a•rous, a. [L. bis twice + parere to bring forth.] Bringing forth two at a birth.

Bipartible
Bi•part´i•ble, a. [Cf. F. bipartible. See Bipartite.] Capable of being divided into two parts.

Bipartile
Bi•par´tile, a. Divisible into two parts.

Bipartite
Bip´ar•tite, a. [L. bipartitus, p. p. of bipartire; bis twice + partire. See Partite.]
1. Being in two parts; having two correspondent parts, as a legal contract or writing, one for each party; shared by two; as a bipartite treaty.
2. Divided into two parts almost to the base, as a leaf; consisting of two parts or subdivisions. Gray.

Biped
Bi´ped, n. [L. bipes; bis twice + pes, pedis, oot: cf. F. bipède.] A two-footed animal, as man.

Biped
Bi´ped, a. Having two feet; two- footed.
"By which the man, when heavenly life was ceased, Became a helpless, naked, biped beast." - Byrom.

Bipedal
Bip´e•dal, a. [L. bipedalis: cf. F. bipedal. See Biped, n. ]
1. Having two feet; biped.
2. Pertaining to a biped.

Bipetalous
Bi•pet´al•ous, a. [Pref. bi- + petalous.] (Bot.) Having two petals.

Bipinnaria
Bi•pin•na´ri•a, n. [NL., fr. L. bis twice + pinna feather.] (Zoöl.) The larva of certain starfishes as developed in the free-swimming stage. { Bi•pin´nate, Bi•pin´na•ted } a. [Pref. bi- + pinnate; cf. F. bipinne. Cf. Bipennate.] Twice pinnate.

Biplane
Bi´plane, n. [Pref. bi- + plane.] (Aëronautics) An aëroplane with two main supporting surfaces one above the other.

Biplane
Bi´plane, a. (Aëronautics) Having, or consisting of, two superposed planes, aërocurves, or the like; of or pertaining to a biplane; as a biplane rudder.

Biplicate
Bip´li•cate, a. [Pref. bi- + plicate.] Twice folded together. Henslow.

Biplicity
Bi•plic´i•ty, n. The state of being twice folded; reduplication. [R.] Bailey.

Bipolar
Bi•po´lar, a. [Pref. bi- + polar. Cf. Dipolar.] Doubly polar; having two poles; as a bipolar cell or corpuscle.

Biprism
Bi´prism, n. [Pref. bi- + prism.]
1. A prism whose refracting angle is very nearly 180 degrees.
2. A combination of two short rectangular glass prisms cemented together at their diagonal faces so as to form a cube; — called also optical cube. It is used in one form of photometer.

Bipunctate
Bi•punc´tate, a. [Pref. bi- + punctate.] Having two punctures, or spots.

Bipunctual
Bi•punc´tu•al, a. Having two points.

Bipupillate
Bi•pu´pil•late, a. [Pref. bi- + pupil (of the eye).] (Zoöl.) Having an eyelike spot on the wing, with two dots within it of a different color, as in some butterflies.

Bipyramidal
Bi•py•ram´i•dal, a. [Pref. bi- + pyramidal.] Consisting of two pyramids placed base to base; having a pyramid at each of the extremities of a prism, as in quartz crystals.

Biquadrate
Bi•quad´rate, n. [Pref. bi- + quadrate.] (Math.) The fourth power, or the square of the square. Thus 4x4=16, the square of 4, and 16x16=256, the biquadrate of 4.

Biquadratic
Bi•quad•rat´ic, a. [Pref. bi- + quadratic: cf. F. biquadratique.] (Math.) Of or pertaining to the biquadrate, or fourth power. Biquadratic equation (Alg.), an equation of the fourth degree, or an equation in some term of which the unknown quantity is raised to the fourth power. — Biquadratic root of a number, the square root of the square root of that number. Thus the square root of 81 is 9, and the square root of 9 is 3, which is the biquadratic root of 81. Hutton.

Biquadratic
Bi•quad•rat´ic, n. (Math.) (a) A biquadrate. (b) A biquadratic equation.

Biquintile
Bi•quin´tile, n. [Pref. bi- + quintile: cf. F. biquintile.] (Astron.) An aspect of the planets when they are distant from each other by twice the fifth part of a great circle — that is, twice 72 degrees. { Bi•ra´di•ate, Bi•ra´di•a•ted } a. [Pref. bi- + radiate.] Having two rays; as a biradiate fin.

Biramous
Bi•ra´mous, a. [Pref. bi- + ramous.] (Biol.) Having, or consisting of, two branches.

Birch (berch), n. ; pl. Birches (-ez). [OE. birche, birk, AS. birce, beorc; akin to Icel. björk, Sw. björk, Dan. birk, D. berk, OHG. piricha, MHG. birche, birke, G. birke, Russ. bereza, Pol. brzoza, Serv. breza, Skr. bhurja. rad.254. Cf. 1st Birk.]
1. A tree of several species, constituting the genus Betula; as the white or common birch ( B. alba) (also called silver birch and lady birch); the dwarf birch ( B. glandulosa); the paper or canoe birch ( B. papyracea); the yellow birch ( B. lutea); the black or cherry birch ( B. lenta).
2. The wood or timber of the birch.
3. A birch twig or birch twigs, used for flogging. The twigs of the common European birch (B. alba), being tough and slender, were formerly much used for rods in schools. They were also made into brooms.
"The threatening twigs of birch." - Shak.
4. A birch-bark canoe. Birch of Jamaica, a species ( Bursera gummifera) of turpentine tree. — Birch partridge. (Zoöl.) See Ruffed grouse. — Birch wine, wine made of the spring sap of the birch. — Oil of birch. (a) An oil obtained from the bark of the common European birch ( Betula alba), and used in the preparation of genuine (and sometimes of the imitation) Russia leather, to which it gives its peculiar odor. (b) An oil prepared from the black birch ( B. lenta), said to be identical with the oil of wintergreen, for which it is largely sold.

Birch, a. Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen.

Birch, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Birched (bercht); p. pr. & vb. n. Birching.] To whip with a birch rod or twig; to flog.

Bird (berd), n. [OE. brid, bred, bird, young bird, bird, AS. bridd young bird. rad.92.]
1. Orig., a chicken; the young of a fowl; a young eaglet; a nestling; and hence, a feathered flying animal (see 2).
"That ungentle gull, the cuckoo’s bird." - Shak.
"The brydds [birds] of the aier have nestes. Tyndale (Matt. viii. 20)."
2. (Zoöl.) A warm-blooded, feathered vertebrate provided with wings. See Aves.
3. Specifically, among sportsmen, a game bird.
4. Fig.: A girl; a maiden.
"And by my word! the bonny bird In danger shall not tarry." - Campbell.
Arabian bird, the phenix. — Bird of Jove, the eagle. — Bird of Juno, the peacock. — Bird louse (Zoöl.), a wingless insect of the group Mallophaga, of which the genera and species are very numerous and mostly parasitic upon birds. — Bird mite (Zoöl.), a small mite (genera Dermanyssus, Dermaleichus and allies) parasitic upon birds. The species are numerous. — Bird of passage, a migratory bird. — Bird spider (Zoöl.), a very large South American spider ( Mygale avicularia). It is said sometimes to capture and kill small birds. — Bird tick (Zoöl.), a dipterous insect parasitic upon birds (genus Ornithomyia, and allies), usually winged.

Bird, v. i.
1. To catch or shoot birds.
2. Hence: To seek for game or plunder; to thieve. [R.] B. Jonson.

Bird cherry
Bird" cher•ry . (Bot.) A shrub ( Prunus Padus ) found in Northern and Central Europe. It bears small black cherries.

Bird fancier
Bird" fan•ci•er .
1. One who takes pleasure in rearing or collecting rare or curious birds.
2. One who has for sale the various kinds of birds which are kept in cages.

Bird of paradise
Bird" of par"a•dise . (Zoöl.) The name of several very beautiful birds of the genus Paradisea and allied genera, inhabiting New Guinea and the adjacent islands. The males have brilliant colors, elegant plumes, and often remarkable tail feathers. The Great emerald ( Paradisea apoda) and the Lesser emerald ( P. minor) furnish many of the plumes used as ornaments by ladies; the Red is P. rubra or sanguinea; the Golden is Parotia aurea or sexsetacea; the King is Cincinnurus regius. The name is also applied to the longer-billed birds of another related group ( Epimachinae) from the same region. The Twelve-wired ( Seleucides alba) is one of these. See Paradise bird, and Note under Apod.

Bird’s-beak
Bird’s´-beak, n. (Arch.) A molding whose section is thought to resemble a beak.

Bird’s-eye
Bird’s´-eye, a.
1. Seen from above, as if by a flying bird; embraced at a glance; hence, general; not minute, or entering into details; as a bird’s-eye view.
2. Marked with spots resembling bird’s eyes; as bird’s-eye diaper; bird’s-eye maple.

Bird’s-eye
Bird’s´-eye, n. (Bot.) A plant with a small bright flower, as the Adonis or pheasant’s eye, the mealy primrose ( Primula farinosa), and species of Veronica, Geranium, etc.

Bird’s-eye maple
Bird’s"-eye• ma"ple . See under Maple.

Bird’s-mouth, n. (Arch.) An interior angle or notch cut across a piece of timber, for the reception of the edge of another, as that in a rafter to be laid on a plate; — commonly called crow’s-foot in the United States. { Bird’s" nest•, or Bird’s-nest }, n.
1. The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young.
2. (Cookery) The nest of a small swallow ( Collocalia nidifica and several allied species), of China and the neighboring countries, which is mixed with soups. The nests are found in caverns and fissures of cliffs on rocky coasts, and are composed in part of algae. They are of the size of a goose egg, and in substance resemble isinglass. See Illust. under Edible.
3. (Bot.) An orchideous plant with matted roots, of the genus Neottia ( N. nidus-avis.) Bird’s-nest pudding, a pudding containing apples whose cores have been replaced by sugar. — Yellow bird’s nest, a plant, the Monotropa hypopitys.

Bird’s-tongue
Bird’s´-tongue, n. (Bot.) The knotgrass ( Polygonum aviculare).

Birdbolt
Bird´bolt, n. A short blunt arrow for killing birds without piercing them. Hence: Anything which smites without penetrating. Shak. { Bird" cage", or Bird´cage• }, n. A cage for confining birds.

Birdcall
Bird´call, n.
1. A sound made in imitation of the note or cry of a bird for the purpose of decoying the bird or its mate.
2. An instrument of any kind, as a whistle, used in making the sound of a birdcall.

Birdcatcher
Bird´catch•er, n. One whose employment it is to catch birds; a fowler.

Birdcatching
Bird´catch•ing, n. The art, act, or occupation or catching birds or wild fowls.

Birder
Bird´er, n. A birdcatcher.

Bird-eyed
Bird´-eyed, a. Quick-sighted; catching a glance as one goes.

Birdie
Bird´ie, n. A pretty or dear little bird; — a pet name. Tennyson.

Birdikin
Bird´i•kin, n. A young bird. Thackeray.

Birding
Bird´ing, n. Birdcatching or fowling. Shak. Birding piece, a fowling piece. Shak.

Birdlet
Bird´let, n. A little bird; a nestling.

Birdlike
Bird´like, a. Resembling a bird.

Birdlime
Bird´lime, n. [ Bird + lime viscous substance.] An extremely adhesive viscid substance, usually made of the middle bark of the holly, by boiling, fermenting, and cleansing it. When a twig is smeared with this substance it will hold small birds which may light upon it. Hence: Anything which insnares.
"Not birdlime or Idean pitch produce A more tenacious mass of clammy juice." - Dryden.
Birdlime is also made from mistletoe, elder, etc.

Birdlime
Bird´lime, v. t. To smear with birdlime; to catch with birdlime; to insnare.
"When the heart is thus birdlimed, then it cleaves to everything it meets with." - Coodwin.

Birdling
Bird´ling, n. A little bird; a nestling.

Birdman
Bird´man, n. A fowler or birdcatcher.

Birdman
Bird´man, n. An aviator; airman. [Colloq.]

Birdseed
Bird´seed, n. Canary seed, hemp, millet or other small seeds used for feeding caged birds.

Bird-witted
Bird´-wit•ted, a. Flighty; passing rapidly from one subject to another; not having the faculty of attention. Bacon.

Birdwoman
Bird´wom•an, n. An airwoman; an aviatress. [Colloq.] { Bis"ka•ra boil•, Bis"ka•ra but"ton }. [Named after the town Biskara, in Algeria.] (Med.) Same as Aleppo boil.

Birectangular
Bi•rec•tan´gu•lar, a. [Pref. bi- + rectangular.] Containing or having two right angles; as a birectangular spherical triangle.

Bireme
Bi´reme, n. [L. biremis; bis twice + remus oar: cf. F. birème.] An ancient galley or vessel with two banks or tiers of oars.

Biretta
Bi•ret´ta, n. Same as Berretta.

Birken
Birk´en, v. t. [From 1st Birk.] To whip with a birch or rod. [Obs.]

Birken
Birk´en, a. Birchen; as birken groves. Burns.

Birkie
Bir´kie, n. A lively or mettlesome fellow. [Jocular, Scot.] Burns.

Birl, v. t. & i. To revolve or cause to revolve; to spin. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Birl, v. t. & i. [AS. byrlian. rad.92.] To pour (beer or wine); to ply with drink; to drink; to carouse. [Obs. or Dial.] Skelton.

Birlaw
Bir´law, n. [See By -law.] (Law) A law made by husbandmen respecting rural affairs; a rustic or local law or by-law. [Written also byrlaw, birlie, birley.] { Bi•ros•trate, Bi•ros´tra•ted } a. [Pref. bi- + rostrate.] Having a double beak, or two processes resembling beaks.
"The capsule is bilocular and birostrated." - Ed. Encyc.

Birrus
Bir´rus, n. [LL., fr. L. birrus a kind of cloak. See Berretta.] A coarse kind of thick woolen cloth, worn by the poor in the Middle Ages; also a woolen cap or hood worn over the shoulders or over the head.

Birt (bert), n. [OE. byrte; cf. F. bertonneau. Cf. Bret, Burt.] (Zoöl.) A fish of the turbot kind; the brill. [Written also burt, bret, or brut.] [Prov. Eng.]

Birthdom
Birth´dom, n. [ Birth + - dom.] The land of one’s birth; one’s inheritance. [R.] Shak.

Birthing
Birth´ing, n. (Naut.) Anything added to raise the sides of a ship. Bailey.

Birthless
Birth´less, a. Of mean extraction. [R.] Sir W. Scott.

Birthmark
Birth´mark, n. Some peculiar mark or blemish on the body at birth.
"Most part of this noble lineage carried upon their body for a natural birthmark, … a snake." - Sir T. North.

Birthnight
Birth´night, n. The night in which a person is born; the anniversary of that night in succeeding years.
"The angelic song in Bethlehem field, On thy birthnight, that sung thee Savior born." - Milton.

Birthplace
Birth´place, n. The town, city, or country, where a person is born; place of origin or birth, in its more general sense. "The birthplace of valor." Burns.

Birthright
Birth´right, n. Any right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth, such as an estate descendible by law to an heir, or civil liberty under a free constitution; esp. the rights or inheritance of the first born.
"Lest there be any … profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright." - Heb. xii. 16.

Birthroot
Birth´root, n. (Bot.) An herbaceous plant ( Trillium erectum), and its astringent rootstock, which is said to have medicinal properties.

Birthwort
Birth´wort, n. A genus of herbs and shrubs ( Aristolochia), reputed to have medicinal properties.

Bis, adv. [L. bis twice, for duis, fr. root of duo two. See Two, and cf. Bi- .] Twice; — a word showing that something is, or is to be, repeated; as a passage of music, or an item in accounts.

Biscayan
Bis•cay´an, a. Of or pertaining to Biscay in Spain. — n. A native or inhabitant of Biscay.

Biscotin
Bis´co•tin, n. [F. biscotin. See Biscuit.] A confection made of flour, sugar, marmalade, and eggs; a sweet biscuit.

Bise, n. [F.] A cold north wind which prevails on the northern coasts of the Mediterranean and in Switzerland, etc.; — nearly the same as the mistral.

Bise, n. (Paint.) See Bice.

Bisector
Bi•sec´tor, n. One who, or that which, bisects; esp. (Geom.) a straight line which bisects an angle.

Bisectrix
Bi•sec´trix, n. The line bisecting the angle between the optic axes of a biaxial crystal.

Bisegment
Bi•seg´ment, n. [Pref. bi- + segment.] One of tow equal parts of a line, or other magnitude.

Biseptate
Bi•sep´tate, a. [Pref. bi- + septate.] With two partitions or septa. Gray. { Bi•se´ri•al, Bi•se´ri•ate } a. [Pref. bi- + serial, seriate.] In two rows or series.

Biserrate
Bi•ser´rate, a. [Pref. bi- + serrate.]
1. (Bot.) Doubly serrate, or having the serratures serrate, as in some leaves.
2. (Zoöl.) Serrate on both sides, as some antennae. { Bi•se´tose, Bi•se´tous } a. [Pref. bi- + setose, setous.] Having two bristles.

Bisexous
Bi•sex´ous, a. [L. bis twice + sexus sex: cf. F. bissexe.] Bisexual. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Bisexual
Bi•sex´u•al, a. [Pref. bi- + sexual.] (Biol.) Of both sexes; hermaphrodite; as a flower with stamens and pistil, or an animal having ovaries and testes.

Bisexuous
Bi•sex´u•ous, a. Bisexual.

Biseye
Bi•seye´, p. p. of Besee. [Obs.] Chaucer. Evil biseye, ill looking. [Obs.]

Bishop’s cap
Bish"op’s cap . (Bot.) A plant of the genus Mitella; miterwort. Longfellow.

Bishop’s length
Bish"op’s length . A canvas for a portrait measuring 58 by 94 inches. The half bishop measures 45 by 56.

Bishop’s-weed
Bish´op’s-weed, n. (Bot.) (a) An umbelliferous plant of the genus Ammi. (b) Goutweed ( AEgopodium podagraria).

Bishop’s-wort
Bish´op’s-wort, n. (Bot.) Wood betony ( Stachys betonica); also the plant called fennel flower ( Nigella Damascena), or devil-in-a-bush.

Bishopdom
Bish´op•dom, n. Jurisdiction of a bishop; episcopate. "Divine right of bishopdom." Milton.

Bishoplike
Bish´op•like, a. Resembling a bishop; belonging to a bishop. Fulke.

Bishoply
Bish´op•ly, a. Bishoplike; episcopal. [Obs.]

Bishoply
Bish´op•ly, adv. In the manner of a bishop. [Obs.]

Bishopric
Bish´op•ric, n. [AS. bisceoprice; bisceop bishop + rice dominion. See -ric.]
1. A diocese; the district over which the jurisdiction of a bishop extends.
2. The office of a spiritual overseer, as of an apostle, bishop, or presbyter. Acts i. 20.

Bisie
Bis´ie, v. t. To busy; to employ. [Obs.]

Bisilicate
Bi•sil´i•cate, n. (Min. Chem.) A salt of metasilicic acid; — so called because the ratio of the oxygen of the silica to the oxygen of the base is as two to one. The bisilicates include many of the most common and important minerals.

Bisk, n. [F. bisque.] Soup or broth made by boiling several sorts of flesh together. King.

Bisk, n. [F. bisque.] (Tennis) See Bisque. { Bi•smare´, Bi•smer´ }, n. [AS. bismer.] Shame; abuse. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Bismillah
Bis•mil´lah, interj. [Arabic, in the name of God!] An adjuration or exclamation common among the Mohammedans. [Written also Bizmillah.]

Bismite
Bis´mite, n. (Min.) Bismuth trioxide, or bismuth ocher.

Bismuth
Bis´muth, n. [Ger. bismuth, wismuth: cf. F. bismuth.] (Chem.) One of the elements; a metal of a reddish white color, crystallizing in rhombohedrons. It is somewhat harder than lead, and rather brittle; masses show broad cleavage surfaces when broken across. It melts at 507° Fahr., being easily fused in the flame of a candle. It is found in a native state, and as a constituent of some minerals. Specific gravity 9.8. Atomic weight 207.5. Symbol Bi. Chemically, bismuth (with arsenic and antimony is intermediate between the metals and nonmetals; it is used in thermo-electric piles, and as an alloy with lead and tin in the fusible alloy or metal. Bismuth is the most diamagnetic substance known. Bismuth glance, bismuth sulphide; bismuthinite. — Bismuth ocher, a native bismuth oxide; bismite.

Bismuthal
Bis´muth•al, a. Containing bismuth.

Bismuthic
Bis´muth•ic, a. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to bismuth; containing bismuth, when this element has its higher valence; as bismuthic oxide.

Bismuthiferous
Bis•muth•if´er•ous, a. [ Bismuth + -ferous.] Containing bismuth. { Bis´muth•ine, Bis´muth•in•ite } n. Native bismuth sulphide; — sometimes called bismuthite.

Bismuthous
Bis´muth•ous, a. Of, or containing, bismuth, when this element has its lower valence.

Bismuthyl
Bis´muth•yl, n. (Min.) Hydrous carbonate of bismuth, an earthy mineral of a dull white or yellowish color. [Written also bismuthite.]

Bison
Bi´son (bi"son; 277), n. [L. bison, Gr. bi•swn, a wild ox; akin to OHG. wisunt, wisant, G. wisent, AS. wesend, Icel. visundr: cf. F. bison.] (Zoöl.) (a) The aurochs or European bison. (b) The American bison buffalo ( Bison Americanus), a large, gregarious bovine quadruped with shaggy mane and short black horns, which formerly roamed in herds over most of the temperate portion of North America, but is now restricted to very limited districts in the region of the Rocky Mountains, and is rapidly decreasing in numbers.

Bispinose
Bi•spi´nose (bi•spi"nos), a. [Pref. bi- + spinose.] (Zoöl.) Having two spines.

Bisque, n. [A corruption of biscuit.] Unglazed white porcelain.

Bisque, n. [F.] A point taken by the receiver of odds in the game of tennis; also an extra innings allowed to a weaker player in croquet.

Bisque, n. [F.] A white soup made of crayfish.

Bissell truck
Bis"sell truck A truck for railroad rolling stock, consisting of two ordinary axle boxes sliding in guides attached to a triangular frame; — called also pony truck.

Bissextile
Bis•sex´tile, n. [L. bissextilis annus, fr. bissextus ( bis + sextus sixth, fr. sex six) the sixth of the calends of March, or twenty-fourth day of February, which was reckoned twice every fourth year, by the intercalation of a day.] Leap year; every fourth year, in which a day is added to the month of February on account of the excess of the tropical year (365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 46 s.) above 365 days. But one day added every four years is equivalent to six hours each year, which is 11 m. 14 s. more than the excess of the real year. Hence, it is necessary to suppress the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible by 400, while it is retained at the end of those which are divisible by 400.

Bissextile
Bis•sex´tile, a. Pertaining to leap year.

Bisson
Bis´son, a. [OE. bisen, bisne, AS. bisen, prob. for bisne; bi by + sne clear, akin to seón to see; clear when near, hence short-sighted. See See.] Purblind; blinding. [Obs.] "Bisson rheum." Shak. { Bis´ter, Bis´tre }, n. [F. bistre a color made of soot; of unknown origin. Cf., however, LG. biester frowning, dark, ugly.] (Paint.) A dark brown pigment extracted from the soot of wood.

Bistort
Bis´tort, n. [L. bis + tortus, p. p. of torquere to twist: cf. F. bistorte.] (Bot.) An herbaceous plant of the genus Polygonum, section Bistorta; snakeweed; adderwort. Its root is used in medicine as an astringent.

Bistoury
Bis´tou•ry, n. ; pl. Bistouries . [F. bistouri.] A surgical instrument consisting of a slender knife, either straight or curved, generally used by introducing it beneath the part to be divided, and cutting towards the surface.

Bistre
Bis´tre, n. See Bister.

Bisulcous
Bi•sul´cous, a. [L. bisulcus; bis twice + sulcus furrow.] Bisulcate. Sir T. Browne.

Bisulphate
Bi•sul´phate, n. [Pref. bi- + sulphate.] (Chem.) A sulphate in which but half the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by a positive element or radical, thus making the proportion of the acid to the positive or basic portion twice what it is in the normal sulphates; an acid sulphate.

Bisulphide
Bi•sul´phide, n. [Pref. bi- + sulphide.] (Chem.) A sulphide having two atoms of sulphur in the molecule; a disulphide, as in iron pyrites, FeS2; — less frequently called bisulphuret.

Bisulphite
Bi•sul´phite, n. (Chem.) A salt of sulphurous acid in which the base replaces but half the hydrogen of the acid; an acid sulphite.

Bisulphuret
Bi•sul´phu•ret, n. [Pref. bi- + sulphuret.] (Chem.) See Bisulphide.

Bitake
Bi•take´, v. t. [See Betake, Betaught.] To commend; to commit. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Bitartrate
Bi•tar´trate, n. (Chem.) A salt of tartaric acid in which the base replaces but half the acid hydrogen; an acid tartrate, as cream of tartar.

Bitch, n. [OE. biche, bicche, AS. bicce; cf. Icel. bikkja, G. betze, peize.]
1. The female of the canine kind, as of the dog, wolf, and fox.
2. An opprobrious name for a woman, especially a lewd woman. Pope.

Bite, v. t. [ imp. Bit ; p. p. Bitten, Bit; p. pr. & vb. n. Biting.] [OE. biten, AS. bitan; akin to D. bijten, OS. bitan, OHG. bizan, G. beissen, Goth. beitan, Icel. bita, Sw. bita, Dan. bide, L. findere to cleave, Skr. bhid to cleave. rad.87. Cf. Fissure.]
1. To seize with the teeth, so that they enter or nip the thing seized; to lacerate, crush, or wound with the teeth; as to bite an apple; to bite a crust; the dog bit a man.
"Such smiling rogues as these, Like rats, oft bite the holy cords atwain." - Shak.
2. To puncture, abrade, or sting with an organ (of some insects) used in taking food.
3. To cause sharp pain, or smarting, to; to hurt or injure, in a literal or a figurative sense; as pepper bites the mouth. "Frosts do bite the meads." Shak.
4. To cheat; to trick; to take in. [Colloq.] Pope.
5. To take hold of; to hold fast; to adhere to; as the anchor bites the ground.
"The last screw of the rack having been turned so often that its purchase crumbled, … it turned and turned with nothing to bite." - Dickens.
To bite the dust, To bite the ground, to fall in the agonies of death; as he made his enemy bite the dust. — To bite in (Etching), to corrode or eat into metallic plates by means of an acid. — To bite the thumb at (any one), formerly a mark of contempt, designed to provoke a quarrel; to defy. "Do you bite your thumb at us?" Shak. — To bite the tongue, to keep silence. Shak.

Bite, v. i.
1. To seize something forcibly with the teeth; to wound with the teeth; to have the habit of so doing; as does the dog bite?
2. To cause a smarting sensation; to have a property which causes such a sensation; to be pungent; as it bites like pepper or mustard.
3. To cause sharp pain; to produce anguish; to hurt or injure; to have the property of so doing.
"At the last it [wine] biteth like serpent, and stingeth like an adder." - Prov. xxiii. 32.
4. To take a bait into the mouth, as a fish does; hence, to take a tempting offer.
5. To take or keep a firm hold; as the anchor bites.

Bite, n. [OE. bite, bit, bitt, AS. bite bite, fr. bitan to bite, akin to Icel. bit, OS. biti, G. biss. See Bite, v. , and cf. Bit.]
1. The act of seizing with the teeth or mouth; the act of wounding or separating with the teeth or mouth; a seizure with the teeth or mouth, as of a bait; as to give anything a hard bite.
"I have known a very good fisher angle diligently four or six hours for a river carp, and not have a bite." - Walton.
2. The act of puncturing or abrading with an organ for taking food, as is done by some insects.
3. The wound made by biting; as the pain of a dog’s or snake’s bite; the bite of a mosquito.
4. A morsel; as much as is taken at once by biting.
5. The hold which the short end of a lever has upon the thing to be lifted, or the hold which one part of a machine has upon another.
6. A cheat; a trick; a fraud. [Colloq.]
"The baser methods of getting money by fraud and bite, by deceiving and overreaching." - Humorist.
7. A sharper; one who cheats. [Slang] Johnson.
8. (Print.) A blank on the edge or corner of a page, owing to a portion of the frisket, or something else, intervening between the type and paper.

Biternate
Bi•ter´nate, a. [Pref. bi- + ternate.] (Bot.) Doubly ternate, as when a petiole has three ternate leaflets. — Bi•ter´nate•ly, adv. Gray.

Bitheism
Bi´the•ism, n. [Pref. bi- + theism.] Belief in the existence of two gods; dualism.

Biting
Bit´ing, a. That bites; sharp; cutting; sarcastic; caustic. "A biting affliction." "A biting jest." Shak.

Biting in
Bit"ing in" . (Etching.) The process of corroding or eating into metallic plates, by means of an acid. See Etch. G. Francis.

Bitless
Bit´less, a. Not having a bit or bridle.

Bitstock
Bit´stock, n. A stock or handle for holding and rotating a bit; a brace.

Bitt, n. (Naut.) See Bitts.

Bitt, v. t. [See Bitts.] (Naut.) To put round the bitts; as to bitt the cable, in order to fasten it or to slacken it gradually, which is called veering away. Totten.

Bitten
Bit´ten, p. p. of Bite.

Bitten
Bit´ten, a. (Bot.) Terminating abruptly, as if bitten off; premorse.

Bitter
Bit´ter, n. [See Bitts.] (Naut.) AA turn of the cable which is round the bitts. Bitter end, that part of a cable which is abaft the bitts, and so within board, when the ship rides at anchor.

Bitter
Bit´ter, a. [AS. biter; akin to Goth. baitrs, Icel. bitr, Dan., Sw., D., & G. bitter, OS. bittar, fr. root of E. bite. See Bite, v. t.]
1. Having a peculiar, acrid, biting taste, like that of wormwood or an infusion of hops; as a bitter medicine; bitter as aloes.
2. Causing pain or smart; piercing; painful; sharp; severe; as a bitter cold day.
3. Causing, or fitted to cause, pain or distress to the mind; calamitous; poignant.
"It is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God." - Jer. ii. 19.
4. Characterized by sharpness, severity, or cruelty; harsh; stern; virulent; as bitter reproach.
"Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." - Col. iii. 19.
5. Mournful; sad; distressing; painful; pitiable.
"The Egyptians … made their lives bitter with hard bondage." - Ex. i. 14.
Bitter apple, Bitter cucumber, Bitter gourd. (Bot.) See Colocynth. — Bitter cress (Bot.), a plant of the genus Cardamine, esp. C. amara. — Bitter earth (Min.), tale earth; calcined magnesia. — Bitter principles (Chem.), a class of substances, extracted from vegetable products, having strong bitter taste but with no sharply defined chemical characteristics. — Bitter salt, Epsom salts; magnesium sulphate. — Bitter vetch (Bot.), a name given to two European leguminous herbs, Vicia Orobus and Ervum Ervilia. — To the bitter end, to the last extremity, however calamitous.
Syn. — Acrid; sharp; harsh; pungent; stinging; cutting; severe; acrimonious.

Bitter
Bit´ter, n. Any substance that is bitter. See Bitters.

Bitter
Bit´ter, v. t. To make bitter. Wolcott.

Bitter spar
Bit"ter spar" . A common name of dolomite; — so called because it contains magnesia, the soluble salts of which are bitter. See Dolomite.

Bitterful
Bit´ter•ful, a. Full of bitterness. [Obs.]

Bittering
Bit´ter•ing, n. A bitter compound used in adulterating beer; bittern.

Bitterish
Bit´ter•ish, a. Somewhat bitter. Goldsmith.

Bitterling
Bit´ter•ling, n. [G.] (Zoöl.) A roachlike European fish ( Rhodima amarus).

Bitterly
Bit´ter•ly, adv. In a bitter manner.

Bittern
Bit´tern, n. [OE. bitoure, betore, bitter, fr. F. butor; of unknown origin.] (Zoöl.) A wading bird of the genus Botaurus, allied to the herons, of various species. The common European bittern is Botaurus stellaris. It makes, during the brooding season, a noise called by Dryden bumping, and by Goldsmith booming. The American bittern is B. lentiginosus, and is also called stake-driver and meadow hen. See Stake- driver. The name is applied to other related birds, as the least bittern ( Ardetta exilis), and the sun bittern.

Bittern
Bit´tern, n. [From Bitter, a. ]
1. The brine which remains in salt works after the salt is concreted, having a bitter taste from the chloride of magnesium which it contains.
2. A very bitter compound of quassia, cocculus Indicus, etc., used by fraudulent brewers in adulterating beer. Cooley.

Bitternut
Bit´ter•nut´, n. (Bot.) The swamp hickory ( Carya amara). Its thin-shelled nuts are bitter.

Bitterroot
Bit´ter•root, n. (Bot.) A plant ( Lewisia rediviva) allied to the purslane, but with fleshy, farinaceous roots, growing in the mountains of Idaho, Montana, etc. It gives the name to the Bitter Root mountains and river. The Indians call both the plant and the river Spaet’lum.

Bitters
Bit´ters, n. pl. A liquor, generally spirituous in which a bitter herb, leaf, or root is steeped.

Bittersweet
Bit´ter•sweet, a. Sweet and then bitter or bitter and then sweet; esp. sweet with a bitter after taste; hence (Fig.), pleasant but painful.

Bittersweet
Bit´ter•sweet, n.
1. Anything which is bittersweet.
2. A kind of apple so called. Gower.
3. (Bot.) (a) A climbing shrub, with oval coral-red berries ( Solanum dulcamara); woody nightshade. The whole plant is poisonous, and has a taste at first sweetish and then bitter. The branches are the officinal dulcamara. (b) An American woody climber ( Celastrus scandens), whose yellow capsules open late in autumn, and disclose the red aril which covers the seeds; — also called Roxbury waxwork.

Bitterweed
Bit´ter•weed, n. (Bot.) A species of Ambrosia ( A. artemisiaefolia); Roman worm wood. Gray.

Bitterwood
Bit´ter•wood, n. A West Indian tree ( Picraena excelsa) from the wood of which the bitter drug Jamaica quassia is obtained.

Bitterwort
Bit´ter•wort, n. (Bot.) The yellow gentian ( Gentiana lutea), which has a very bitter taste.

Bittock
Bit´tock, n. [See Bit a morsel.] A small bit of anything, of indefinite size or quantity; a short distance. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott. { Bit´tor, Bit´tour }, n. [See Bittern] (Zoöl.) The bittern. Dryden.

Bitume
Bi•tume´, n. [F. See Bitumen.] Bitumen. [Poetic] May.