Bavian - Be

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Bavian (bāvĭ�n), n. [See .] A baboon.
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Bavin (băvĭn), n. [Cf. Gael. & Ir. baban tuft, tassel.] 1. A fagot of brushwood, or other light combustible matter, for kindling fires; refuse of brushwood. [Obs. or Dial. Eng.]
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2. Impure limestone. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
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Bawbee (�), n. [Perh. corrupt. fr. halfpenny.] A halfpenny. [Spelt also baubee.] [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]
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Bawble (�), n. A trinket. See .
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Bawbling, a. Insignificant; contemptible. [Obs.]
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Bawcock (�), n. [From F. beau fine + E. cock (the bird); or more prob. fr. OF. baud bold, gay + E. cock. Cf. .] A fine fellow; -- a term of endearment. [Obs.] “How now, my bawcock ?” Shak.
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Bawd (�), n. [OE. baude, OF. balt, baut, baude, bold, merry, perh. fr. OHG. bald bold; or fr. Celtic, cf. W. baw dirt. Cf. , .] A person who keeps a house of prostitution, or procures women for a lewd purpose; a procurer or procuress; a lewd person; -- usually applied to a woman.
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Bawd, v. i. To procure women for lewd purposes.
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Bawdily (�), adv. Obscenely; lewdly.
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Bawdiness, n. Obscenity; lewdness.
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Bawdrick (�), n. A belt. See .
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Bawdry (�), n. [OE. baudery, OF. bauderie, balderie, boldness, joy. See .] 1. The practice of procuring women for the gratification of lust.
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2. Illicit intercourse; fornication. Shak.
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3. Obscenity; filthy, unchaste language. “The pert style of the pit bawdry.” Steele.
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Bawdy, a. 1. Dirty; foul; -- said of clothes. [Obs.]
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It [a garment] is al bawdy and to-tore also. Chaucer.
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2. Obscene; filthy; unchaste. “A bawdy story.” Burke.
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Bawdyhouse (�), n. A house of prostitution; a house of ill fame; a brothel.
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Bawhorse (�), n. Same as .
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Bawl (b�l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bawled (b�ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Bawling.] [Icel. baula to low, bellow, as a cow; akin to Sw. böla; cf. AS bellan, G. bellen to bark, E. bellow, bull.] 1. To cry out with a loud, full sound; to cry with vehemence, as in calling or exultation; to shout; to vociferate.
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2. To cry loudly, as a child from pain or vexation.
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Bawl, v. t. To proclaim with a loud voice, or by outcry, as a hawker or town-crier does. Swift.
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Bawl, n. A loud, prolonged cry; an outcry.
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Bawler (�), n. One who bawls.
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Bawn (�), n. [Ir. & Gael. babhun inclosure, bulwark.] 1. An inclosure with mud or stone walls, for keeping cattle; a fortified inclosure. [Obs.] Spenser.
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2. A large house. [Obs.] Swift.
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Bawrel (�), n. [Cf. It. barletta a tree falcon, or hobby.] A kind of hawk. [Obs.] Halliwell.
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{ Bawsin (�), Bawson (�), } n. [OE. bawson, baucyne, badger (named from its color), OF. bauzan, bauçant, bauchant, spotted with white, pied; cf. It. balzano, F. balzan, a white-footed horse, It. balza border, trimming, fr. L. balteus belt, border, edge. Cf. .] 1. A badger. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
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2. A large, unwieldy person. [Obs.] Nares.
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Baxter (�), n. [OE. bakestre, bakistre, AS. bæcestre, prop. fem. of bæcere baker. See .] A baker; originally, a female baker. [Old Eng. & Scotch]
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Bay (bā), a. [F. bai, fr. L. badius brown, chestnut-colored; -- used only of horses.] Reddish brown; of the color of a chestnut; -- applied to the color of horses.
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Coloq. Bay cat (Zoöl.), a wild cat of Africa and the East Indies (Felis aurata). -- Coloq. Bay lynx (Zoöl.), the common American lynx (Lynx lynx, formerly Felis rufa or Lynx rufa).
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Bay, n. [F. baie, fr. LL. baia. Of uncertain origin: cf. Ir. & Gael. badh or bagh bay, harbor, creek; Bisc. baia, baiya, harbor, and F. bayer to gape, open the mouth.] 1. (Geog.) An inlet of the sea, usually smaller than a gulf, but of the same general character.
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☞ The name is not used with much precision, and is often applied to large tracts of water, around which the land forms a curve; as, Hudson's Bay. The name is not restricted to tracts of water with a narrow entrance, but is used for any recess or inlet between capes or headlands; as, the Bay of Biscay.
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2. A small body of water set off from the main body; as a compartment containing water for a wheel; the portion of a canal just outside of the gates of a lock, etc.
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3. A recess or indentation shaped like a bay.
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4. A principal compartment of the walls, roof, or other part of a building, or of the whole building, as marked off by the buttresses, vaulting, mullions of a window, etc.; one of the main divisions of any structure, as the part of a bridge between two piers.
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5. A compartment in a barn, for depositing hay, or grain in the stalks.
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6. A kind of mahogany obtained from Campeachy Bay.
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Coloq. Sick bay , in vessels of war, that part of a deck appropriated to the use of the sick. Totten.
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Bay, n. [F. baie a berry, the fruit of the laurel and other trees, fr. L. baca, bacca, a small round fruit, a berry, akin to Lith. bapka laurel berry.] 1. A berry, particularly of the laurel. [Obs.]
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2. The laurel tree (Laurus nobilis). Hence, in the plural, an honorary garland or crown bestowed as a prize for victory or excellence, anciently made or consisting of branches of the laurel.
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The patriot's honors and the poet's bays. Trumbull.
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3. A tract covered with bay trees. [Local, U. S.]
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Coloq. Bay leaf , the leaf of the bay tree (Laurus nobilis). It has a fragrant odor and an aromatic taste, and is used for flavoring in food.
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Bay, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bayed (bād); p. pr. & vb. n. Baying.] [OE. bayen, abayen, OF. abaier, F. aboyer, to bark; of uncertain origin.] To bark, as a dog with a deep voice does, at his game.
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The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bayed. Dryden.
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Bay (�), v. t. To bark at; hence, to follow with barking; to bring or drive to bay; as, to bay the bear. Shak.
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Bay (�), n. [See , v. i.] 1. Deep-toned, prolonged barking. “The bay of curs.” Cowper.
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2. [OE. bay, abay, OF. abai, F. aboi barking, pl. abois, prop. the extremity to which the stag is reduced when surrounded by the dogs, barking (aboyant); aux abois at bay.] A state of being obliged to face an antagonist or a difficulty, when escape has become impossible.
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Embolden'd by despair, he stood at bay. Dryden.
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The most terrible evils are just kept at bay by incessant efforts. I. Taylor
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Bay, v. t. [Cf. OE. bæwen to bathe, and G. bähen to foment.] To bathe. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Bay, n. A bank or dam to keep back water.
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Bay, v. t. To dam, as water; -- with up or back.
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Baya (�), n. [Native name.] (Zoöl.) The East Indian weaver bird (Ploceus Philippinus).
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{ Bayad (�), Bayatte } (�), n. [Ar. bayad.] (Zoöl.) A large, edible, siluroid fish of the Nile, of two species (Bagrina bayad and Bagrina docmac).
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Bayadere (�), n. [F., from Pg. bailadeira a female dancer, bailar to dance.] A female dancer in the East Indies. [Written also bajadere.]
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Bayamo (?), n. (Meteor.) A violent thunder squall occurring on the south coast of Cuba, esp. near Bayamo. The gusts, called bayamo winds, are modified foehn winds.
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Bay-antler (�), n. [See .] (Zoöl.) The second tine of a stag's horn. See under .
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Bayard (�), n. 1. [OF. bayard, baiart, bay horse; bai bay + -ard. See , a., and .] Properly, a bay horse, but often any horse. Commonly in the phrase blind bayard, an old blind horse.
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Blind bayard moves the mill. Philips.
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2. [Cf. F. bayeur, fr. bayer to gape.] A stupid, clownish fellow. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
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Bayardly, a. Blind; stupid. [Obs.] “A formal and bayardly round of duties.” Goodman.
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Bayberry (�), n. (Bot.) (a) The fruit of the bay tree or Laurus nobilis. (b) A tree of the West Indies related to the myrtle (Pimenta acris). (c) The fruit of Myrica cerifera (wax myrtle); the shrub itself; -- called also candleberry tree.
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Coloq. Bayberry tallow , a fragrant green wax obtained from the bayberry or wax myrtle; -- called also myrtle wax.
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Baybolt (�), n. A bolt with a barbed shank.
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Bayed (�), a. Having a bay or bays. “The large bayed barn.” Drayton.
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Bayeux tapestry (?). A piece of linen about 1 ft. 8 in. wide by 213 ft. long, covered with embroidery representing the incidents of William the Conqueror's expedition to England, preserved in the town museum of Bayeux in Normandy. It is probably of the 11th century, and is attributed by tradition to Matilda, the Conqueror's wife.
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Bay ice (�). See under .
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Bay leaf (�). See under 3d .
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Bayman (?), n. (Nav.) In the United States navy, a sick-bay nurse; -- now officially designated as hospital apprentice.
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Bayonet (�), n. [F. bayonnette, baïonnette; -- so called, it is said, because the first bayonets were made at Bayonne.]
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1. (Mil.) A pointed instrument of the dagger kind fitted on the muzzle of a musket or rifle, so as to give the soldier increased means of offense and defense.
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☞ Originally, the bayonet was made with a handle, which required to be fitted into the bore of the musket after the soldier had fired.
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2. (Mach.) A pin which plays in and out of holes made to receive it, and which thus serves to engage or disengage parts of the machinery.
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Coloq. Bayonet clutch . See . -- Coloq. Bayonet joint , a form of coupling similar to that by which a bayonet is fixed on the barrel of a musket. Knight. -- Coloq. bayonet mount , (photography) a coupling mechanism for attaching removable lenses to the body of a camera, using a bayonet socket. -- Coloq. bayonet socket , a coupling mechanism for attaching matching cylindrical parts to each other, where each of which has an arced L-shaped slot with the longer side perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder, such that the slots slide inside each other. There is also usually a knoblike projection on the mount so that when the two parts to be connected are fully inserted in proper alignment, they are locked in place. It is designed for rapid coupling and decoupling, requiring the turning of one part through only a small arc, in place of a screw-type arrangement, which requires several full turns.
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Bayonet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bayoneted; p. pr. & vb. n. Bayoneting.] 1. To stab with a bayonet.
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2. To compel or drive by the bayonet.
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To bayonet us into submission. Burke.
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Bayou (�), n.; pl. Bayous (�). [North Am. Indian bayuk, in F. spelling bayouc, bayouque.] An inlet from the Gulf of Mexico, from a lake, or from a large river, sometimes sluggish, sometimes without perceptible movement except from tide and wind. [Southern U. S.]
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A dark slender thread of a bayou moves loiteringly northeastward into a swamp of huge cypresses. G. W. Cable.
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Bayou State (?). Mississippi; -- a nickname, from its numerous bayous.
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Bay rum (�). A fragrant liquid, used for cosmetic and medicinal purposes.
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☞ The original bay rum, from the West Indies, is prepared, it is believed, by distillation from the leaves of the bayberry (Myrcia acris). The bay rum of the Pharmacopœia (spirit of myrcia) is prepared from oil of myrcia (bayberry), oil of orange peel, oil of pimento, alcohol, and water.
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{ Bays, Bayze } (�), n. See . [Obs.]
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Bay salt (�). Salt which has been obtained from sea water, by evaporation in shallow pits or basins, by the heat of the sun; the large crystalline salt of commerce. Bacon. Ure.
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Bay State. Massachusetts, which had been called the Colony of Massachusetts Bay; -- a nickname.
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Bay tree. A species of laurel. (Laurus nobilis).
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Bay window (�). 1. (Arch.) A window forming a bay or recess in a room, and projecting outward from the wall, either in a rectangular, polygonal, or semicircular form; -- often corruptly called a bow window.
Syn. -- bay window, bow window, bow-window.
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2. a protruding abdomen. [informal]
Syn. -- belly, paunch, pot, potbelly, corporation, tummy.
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Bay yarn (�). Woolen yarn. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.
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{ Bazaar Bazar } (bȧzär), n. [Per. bāzar market.] 1. In the East, an exchange, marketplace, or assemblage of shops where goods are exposed for sale.
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2. A spacious hall or suite of rooms for the sale of goods, as at a fair.
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3. A fair for the sale of fancy wares, toys, etc., commonly for a charitable purpose. Macaulay.
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BC, B. C. n. before Christ; used in reckoning dates before the supposed year Christ was born, i.e. 1 a. d..
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bdellium (�), n. [L., fr. Gr. bdellion; cf. Heb. b'dolakh bdellium (in sense 1).] 1. An unidentified substance mentioned in the Bible (Gen. ii. 12, and Num. xi. 7), variously taken to be a gum, a precious stone, or pearls, or perhaps a kind of amber found in Arabia.
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2. A gum resin of reddish brown color, brought from India, Persia, and Africa.
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☞ Indian bdellium or false myrrh is an exudation from Balsamodendron Roxburghii. Other kinds are known as African bdellium, Sicilian bdellium, etc.
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Bdelloidea (�), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. bdella leech + -oid.] (Zoöl.) The order of Annulata which includes the leeches. See .
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Bdellometer (�), n. [Gr. bdella leech + -meter.] (Med.) A cupping glass to which are attached a scarificator and an exhausting syringe. Dunglison.
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Bdellomorpha (�),n. [NL., fr. Gr. bdella leech + morfh form.] (Zoöl.) An order of Nemertina, including the large leechlike worms (Malacobdella) often parasitic in clams.
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Be (bē), v. i. [imp. Was (wŏz); p. p. Been (bĭn); p. pr. & vb. n. Being.] [OE. been, beon, AS. beón to be, beóm I am; akin to OHG. bim, pim, G. bin, I am, Gael. & Ir. bu was, W. bod to be, Lith. bu-ti, O. Slav. by-ti, to be, L. fu-i I have been, fu-turus about to be, fo-re to be about to be, and perh. to fieri to become, Gr. fy^nai to be born, to be, Skr. bhū to be. This verb is defective, and the parts lacking are supplied by verbs from other roots, is, was, which have no radical connection with be. The various forms, am, are, is, was, were, etc., are considered grammatically as parts of the verb “to be”, which, with its conjugational forms, is often called the substantive verb. √97. Cf. , .] 1. To exist actually, or in the world of fact; to have existence.
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To be contents his natural desire. Pope.
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To be, or not to be: that is the question. Shak.
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2. To exist in a certain manner or relation, -- whether as a reality or as a product of thought; to exist as the subject of a certain predicate, that is, as having a certain attribute, or as belonging to a certain sort, or as identical with what is specified, -- a word or words for the predicate being annexed; as, to be happy; to be here; to be large, or strong; to be an animal; to be a hero; to be a nonentity; three and two are five; annihilation is the cessation of existence; that is the man.
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3. To take place; to happen; as, the meeting was on Thursday.
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4. To signify; to represent or symbolize; to answer to.
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The field is the world. Matt. xiii. 38.
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The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Rev. i. 20.
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☞ The verb to be (including the forms is, was, etc.) is used in forming the passive voice of other verbs; as, John has been struck by James. It is also used with the past participle of many intransitive verbs to express a state of the subject. But have is now more commonly used as the auxiliary, though expressing a different sense; as, “Ye have come too late -- but ye are come. ” “The minstrel boy to the war is gone.” The present and imperfect tenses form, with the infinitive, a particular future tense, which expresses necessity, duty, or purpose; as, government is to be supported; we are to pay our just debts; the deed is to be signed to-morrow.
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Have or had been, followed by to, implies movement. “I have been to Paris.” Sydney Smith. “Have you been to Franchard ?” R. L. Stevenson.
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☞ Been, or ben, was anciently the plural of the indicative present. “Ye ben light of the world.” Wyclif, Matt. v. 14. Afterwards be was used, as in our Bible: “They that be with us are more than they that be with them.” 2 Kings vi. 16. Ben was also the old infinitive: “To ben of such power.” R. of Gloucester. Be is used as a form of the present subjunctive: “But if it be a question of words and names.” Acts xviii. 15. But the indicative forms, is and are, with if, are more commonly used.
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Coloq. Be it so , a phrase of supposition, equivalent to suppose it to be so; or of permission, signifying let it be so. Shak. -- Coloq. If so be , in case. -- Coloq. To be from , to have come from; as, from what place are you? I am from Chicago. -- Coloq. To let be , to omit, or leave untouched; to let alone. “Let be, therefore, my vengeance to dissuade.” Spenser.
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Syn. -- , . The verb to be, except in a few rare cases, like that of Shakespeare's “To be, or not to be”, is used simply as a copula, to connect a subject with its predicate; as, man is mortal; the soul is immortal. The verb to exist is never properly used as a mere copula, but points to things that stand forth, or have a substantive being; as, when the soul is freed from all corporeal alliance, then it truly exists. It is not, therefore, properly synonymous with to be when used as a copula, though occasionally made so by some writers for the sake of variety; as in the phrase “there exists [is] no reason for laying new taxes.” We may, indeed, say, “a friendship has long existed between them,” instead of saying, “there has long been a friendship between them;” but in this case, exist is not a mere copula. It is used in its appropriate sense to mark the friendship as having been long in existence.
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Be-. [AS. be, and in accented form bī, akin to OS. be and bī, OHG. bi, pi, and pī, MHG. be and bī, G. be and bei, Goth. bi, and perh. Gr. 'amfi about (cf. AS. beseón to look about). √203. Cf. , .] A prefix, originally the same word as by; joined with verbs, it serves: (a) To intensify the meaning; as, bespatter, bestir. (b) To render an intransitive verb transitive; as, befall (to fall upon); bespeak (to speak for). (c) To make the action of a verb particular or definite; as, beget (to get as offspring); beset (to set around).
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It is joined with certain substantives, and a few adjectives, to form verbs; as, bedew, befriend, benight, besot; belate (to make late); belittle (to make little). It also occurs in certain nouns, adverbs, and prepositions, often with something of the force of the preposition by, or about; as, belief (believe), behalf, bequest (bequeath); because, before, beneath, beside, between.
In some words the original force of be is obscured or lost; as, in become, begin, behave, behoove, belong.
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