Bituminate - Blackboard

Prev Next

2. By extension, any one of the natural hydrocarbons, including the hard, solid, brittle varieties called asphalt, the semisolid maltha and mineral tars, the oily petroleums, and even the light, volatile naphthas.
[ Webster]

Bitumen process. (Photog.) Any process in which advantage is taken of the fact that prepared bitumen is rendered insoluble by exposure to light, as in photolithography.
[Webster Suppl.]

Bituminate (bĭtūmĭnāt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bituminated; p. pr. & vb. n. Bituminating.] [L. bituminatus, p. p. of bituminare to bituminate. See .] To treat or impregnate with bitumen; to cement with bitumen. “Bituminated walls of Babylon.” Feltham.
[ Webster]

Bituminiferous (�), a. [Bitumen + -ferous.] Producing bitumen. Kirwan.
[ Webster]

Bituminization (�), n. [Cf. F. bituminisation.] The process of bituminizing. Mantell.
[ Webster]

Bituminize (�), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bituminized (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Bituminizing.] [Cf. F. bituminiser.] To prepare, treat, impregnate, or coat with bitumen.
[ Webster]

bituminoid adj. of or pertaining to bitumen. like a bitumenoid remark
Syn. -- bitumenoid.
[WordNet 1.5]

Bituminous (�), a. [L. bituminosus: cf. F. bitumineux.] Having the qualities of bitumen; compounded with bitumen; containing bitumen.
[ Webster]

Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flamed. Milton.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Bituminous coal , a kind of coal which yields, when heated, a considerable amount of volatile bituminous matter. It burns with a yellow smoky flame. -- Coloq. Bituminous limestone , a mineral of a brown or black color, emitting an unpleasant smell when rubbed. That of Dalmatia is so charged with bitumen that it may be cut like soap. -- Coloq. Bituminous shale , an argillaceous shale impregnated with bitumen, often accompanying coal.
[ Webster]

Biuret (�), n. [Pref. bi- + urea.] (Chem.) A white, crystalline, nitrogenous substance, C2O2N3H5, formed by heating urea. It is intermediate between urea and cyanuric acid.
[ Webster]

Bivalency (�), n. (Chem.) The quality of being bivalent.
[ Webster]

Bivalent (�), a. [L. bis twice + valens, p. pr. See .] (Chem.) Equivalent in combining or displacing power to two atoms of hydrogen; dyad.
[ Webster]

Bivalve (�), n. [F. bivalve; bi- (L. bis) + valve valve.] 1. (Zoöl.) A mollusk having a shell consisting of two lateral plates or valves joined together by an elastic ligament at the hinge, which is usually strengthened by prominences called teeth. The shell is closed by the contraction of two transverse muscles attached to the inner surface, as in the clam, -- or by one, as in the oyster. See Mollusca.
[ Webster]

2. (Bot.) A pericarp in which the seed case opens or splits into two parts or valves.
[ Webster]

Bivalve (�), a. [Pref. bi- + valve.] (Zoöl. & Bot.) Having two shells or valves which open and shut, as the oyster and certain seed vessels.
[ Webster]

Bivalved (�), a. Having two valves, as the oyster and some seed pods; bivalve.
[ Webster]

Bivalvous (�), a. Bivalvular.
[ Webster]

Bivalvular (�), a. Having two valves.
[ Webster]

Bivaulted (�), a. [Pref. bi- + vault.] Having two vaults or arches.
[ Webster]

Bivector (�), n. [Pref. bi- + vector.] (Math.) A term made up of the two parts � + �1 �-1, where � and �1 are vectors.
[ Webster]

Biventral (�), a. [Pref. bi- + ventral.] (Anat.) Having two bellies or protuberances; as, a biventral, or digastric, muscle, or the biventral lobe of the cerebellum.
[ Webster]

Bivial (�), a. Of or relating to the bivium.
[ Webster]

Bivious (�), a. [L. bivius; bis twice + via way.] Having, or leading, two ways.
[ Webster]

Bivious theorems and Janus-faced doctrines. Sir T. Browne.
[ Webster]

Bivium (�), n. [L., a place with two ways. See .] (Zoöl.) One side of an echinoderm, including a pair of ambulacra, in distinction from the opposite side (trivium), which includes three ambulacra.
[ Webster]

Bivouac (�), n. [F. bivouac, bivac, prab. fr. G. beiwache, or beiwacht; bei by, near + wachen to watch, wache watch, guard. See , and .] (Mil.) (a) The watch of a whole army by night, when in danger of surprise or attack. (b) An encampment for the night without tents or covering.
[ Webster]

Bivouac, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bivouacked (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Bivouacking.] (Mil.) (a) To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army. (b) To encamp for the night without tents or covering.
[ Webster]

Biweekly (�), a. [Pref. bi- + weekly.] Occurring or appearing once every two weeks; fortnightly. -- n. A publication issued every two weeks. -- Biweekly, adv.
[ Webster]

Biwreye (�), v. t. To bewray; to reveal. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Bizantine (�). See .
[ Webster]

Bizarre (�), a. [F. bizarre odd, fr. Sp. bizarro gallant, brave, liberal, prob. of Basque origin; cf. Basque bizarra beard, whence the meaning manly, brave.] Odd in manner or appearance; fantastic; whimsical; extravagant; grotesque. C. Kingsley.
[ Webster]

bize n. a dry cold north wind in southeastern France.
Syn. -- bise.
[WordNet 1.5]

Bizet (�), n. [Cf. .] The upper faceted portion of a brilliant-cut diamond, which projects from the setting and occupies the zone between the girdle and the table. See , n.
[ Webster]

bizonal adj. relating to or concerned with the combined affairs of two administrative zones. Bizonal currency was used in occupied Germany after World War II
[WordNet 1.5]

Bk n. the chemical symbol for .
[WordNet 1.5]

Blab (blăb), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blabbed (blăbd); p. pr. & vb. n. Blabbing.] [Cf. OE. blaberen, or Dan. blabbre, G. plappern, Gael. blabaran a stammerer; prob. of imitative origin. Cf. also , v.] To utter or tell unnecessarily, or in a thoughtless manner; to publish (secrets or trifles) without reserve or discretion; -- sometimes used with out. Udall.
[ Webster]

And yonder a vile physician blabbing
The case of his patient. Tennyson.
[ Webster]

Blab, v. i. To talk thoughtlessly or without discretion; to tattle; to tell tales.
[ Webster]

She must burst or blab. Dryden.
[ Webster]

Blab, n. [OE. blabbe.] One who blabs; a babbler; a telltale. “Avoided as a blab.” Milton.
[ Webster]

For who will open himself to a blab or a babbler. Bacon.
[ Webster]

Blabber (�), n. one who blabr; a tattler; a telltale.
Syn. -- blabbermouth. [ Webster]

blabbermouth n. someone who gossips indiscreetly.
Syn. -- blabber, tattletale, taleteller, talebearer, telltale.
[WordNet 1.5]

blabbermouthed adj. 1. tending to talk excessively.
Syn. -- bigmouthed, blabby, talkative.
[WordNet 1.5]

2. prone to revealing secrets; -- of people.
Syn. -- leaky, talebearing(prenominal), tattling(prenominal).
[WordNet 1.5]

blabby adj. same as 1.
Syn. -- bigmouthed, blabbermouthed, talkative.
[WordNet 1.5]

Blaberus n. a genus of insects consisting of giant cockroaches.
Syn. -- genus Blaberus.
[WordNet 1.5]

Black (blăk), a. [OE. blak, AS. blæc; akin to Icel. blakkr dark, swarthy, Sw. bläck ink, Dan. blæk, OHG. blach, LG. & D. blaken to burn with a black smoke. Not akin to AS. blāc, E. bleak pallid. √98.] 1. Destitute of light, or incapable of reflecting it; of the color of soot or coal; of the darkest or a very dark color, the opposite of white; characterized by such a color; as, black cloth; black hair or eyes.
[ Webster]

O night, with hue so black! Shak.
[ Webster]

2. In a less literal sense: Enveloped or shrouded in darkness; very dark or gloomy; as, a black night; the heavens black with clouds.
[ Webster]

I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud. Shak.
[ Webster]

3. Fig.: Dismal, gloomy, or forbidding, like darkness; destitute of moral light or goodness; atrociously wicked; cruel; mournful; calamitous; horrible. “This day's black fate.” “Black villainy.” “Arise, black vengeance.” “Black day.” “Black despair.” Shak.
[ Webster]

4. Expressing menace, or discontent; threatening; sullen; foreboding; as, to regard one with black looks.
[ Webster]

☞ Black is often used in self-explaining compound words; as, black-eyed, black-faced, black-haired, black-visaged.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Black act , the English statute 9 George I, which makes it a felony to appear armed in any park or warren, etc., or to hunt or steal deer, etc., with the face blackened or disguised. Subsequent acts inflicting heavy penalties for malicious injuries to cattle and machinery have been called black acts. -- Coloq. Black angel (Zoöl.), a fish of the West Indies and Florida (Holacanthus tricolor), with the head and tail yellow, and the middle of the body black. -- Coloq. Black antimony (Chem.), the black sulphide of antimony, Sb2S3, used in pyrotechnics, etc. -- Coloq. Black bear (Zoöl.), the common American bear (Ursus Americanus). -- Coloq. Black beast . See . -- Coloq. Black beetle (Zoöl.), the common large cockroach (Blatta orientalis). -- Coloq. Black bonnet (Zoöl.), the black-headed bunting (Embriza Schœniclus) of Europe. -- Coloq. Black canker , a disease in turnips and other crops, produced by a species of caterpillar. -- Coloq. Black cat (Zoöl.), the fisher, a quadruped of North America allied to the sable, but larger. See . -- Coloq. Black cattle , any bovine cattle reared for slaughter, in distinction from dairy cattle. [Eng.] -- Coloq. Black cherry . See under . -- Coloq. Black cockatoo (Zoöl.), the palm cockatoo. See . -- Coloq. Black copper . Same as . -- Coloq. Black currant . (Bot.) See . -- Coloq. Black diamond . (Min.) See . -- Coloq. Black draught (Med.), a cathartic medicine, composed of senna and magnesia. -- Coloq. Black drop (Med.), vinegar of opium; a narcotic preparation consisting essentially of a solution of opium in vinegar. -- Coloq. Black earth , mold; earth of a dark color. Woodward. -- Coloq. Black flag , the flag of a pirate, often bearing in white a skull and crossbones; a signal of defiance. -- Coloq. Black flea (Zoöl.), a flea beetle (Haltica nemorum) injurious to turnips. -- Coloq. Black flux , a mixture of carbonate of potash and charcoal, obtained by deflagrating tartar with half its weight of niter. Brande & C. -- Coloq. Black Forest [a translation of G. Schwarzwald], a forest in Baden and Würtemburg, in Germany; a part of the ancient Hercynian forest. -- Coloq. Black game , or Coloq. Black grouse . (Zoöl.) See , , and . -- Coloq. Black grass (Bot.), a grasslike rush of the species Juncus Gerardi, growing on salt marshes, and making good hay. -- Coloq. Black gum (Bot.), an American tree, the tupelo or pepperidge. See . -- Coloq. Black Hamburg (grape) (Bot.), a sweet and juicy variety of dark purple or “black” grape. -- Coloq. Black horse (Zoöl.), a fish of the Mississippi valley (Cycleptus elongatus), of the sucker family; the Missouri sucker. -- Coloq. Black lemur (Zoöl.), the Lemurniger of Madagascar; the acoumbo of the natives. -- Coloq. Black list , a list of persons who are for some reason thought deserving of censure or punishment; -- esp. a list of persons stigmatized as insolvent or untrustworthy, made for the protection of tradesmen or employers. See , v. t. -- Coloq. Black manganese (Chem.), the black oxide of manganese, MnO2. -- Coloq. Black Maria , the close wagon in which prisoners are carried to or from jail. -- Coloq. Black martin (Zoöl.), the chimney swift. See . -- Coloq. Black moss (Bot.), the common so-called long moss of the southern United States. See . -- Coloq. Black oak . See under . -- Coloq. Black ocher . See . -- Coloq. Black pigment , a very fine, light carbonaceous substance, or lampblack, prepared chiefly for the manufacture of printers' ink. It is obtained by burning common coal tar. -- Coloq. Black plate , sheet iron before it is tinned. Knight. -- Coloq. Black quarter , malignant anthrax with engorgement of a shoulder or quarter, etc., as of an ox. -- Coloq. Black rat (Zoöl.), one of the species of rats (Mus rattus), commonly infesting houses. -- Coloq. Black rent . See , n., 3. -- Coloq. Black rust , a disease of wheat, in which a black, moist matter is deposited in the fissures of the grain. -- Coloq. Black sheep , one in a family or company who is unlike the rest, and makes trouble. -- Coloq. Black silver . (Min.) See under . -- Coloq. Black and tan , black mixed or spotted with tan color or reddish brown; -- used in describing certain breeds of dogs. -- Coloq. Black tea . See under . -- Coloq. Black tin (Mining), tin ore (cassiterite), when dressed, stamped and washed, ready for smelting. It is in the form of a black powder, like fine sand. Knight. -- Coloq. Black walnut . See under . -- Coloq. Black warrior (Zoöl.), an American hawk (Buteo Harlani).
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Dark; murky; pitchy; inky; somber; dusky; gloomy; swart; Cimmerian; ebon; atrocious.
[ Webster]

Black (�), adv. Sullenly; threateningly; maliciously; so as to produce blackness.
[ Webster]

Black, n. 1. That which is destitute of light or whiteness; the darkest color, or rather a destitution of all color; as, a cloth has a good black.
[ Webster]

Black is the badge of hell,
The hue of dungeons, and the suit of night. Shak.
[ Webster]

2. A black pigment or dye.
[ Webster]

3. A negro; a person whose skin is of a black color, or shaded with black; esp. a member or descendant of certain African races.
[ Webster]

4. A black garment or dress; as, she wears black; pl. (Obs.) Mourning garments of a black color; funereal drapery.
[ Webster]

Friends weeping, and blacks, and obsequies, and the like show death terrible. Bacon.
[ Webster]

That was the full time they used to wear blacks for the death of their fathers. Sir T. North.
[ Webster]

5. The part of a thing which is distinguished from the rest by being black.
[ Webster]

The black or sight of the eye. Sir K. Digby.
[ Webster]

6. A stain; a spot; a smooch.
[ Webster]

Defiling her white lawn of chastity with ugly blacks of lust. Rowley.
[ Webster]

Coloq. Black and white , writing or print; as, I must have that statement in black and white. -- Coloq. Blue black , a pigment of a blue black color. -- Coloq. Ivory black , a fine kind of animal charcoal prepared by calcining ivory or bones. When ground it is the chief ingredient of the ink used in copperplate printing. -- Coloq. Berlin black . See under .
[ Webster]

Black, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blacked; p. pr. & vb. n. Blacking.] [See , a., and cf. .]
[ Webster]

1. To make black; to blacken; to soil; to sully.
[ Webster]

They have their teeth blacked, both men and women, for they say a dog hath his teeth white, therefore they will black theirs. Hakluyt.
[ Webster]

Sins which black thy soul. J. Fletcher.
[ Webster]

2. To make black and shining, as boots or a stove, by applying blacking and then polishing with a brush.
[ Webster]

Blackamoor (�), n. [Black + Moor.] A negro or negress. Shak.
[ Webster]

black and blue, black-and-blue adj. discolored by or as if by bruising; -- of skin. livid bruises
Syn. -- livid.
[WordNet 1.5]

black and blue n. the dark color of a bruise in the flesh, which is accompanied with a mixture of blue. “To pinch the slatterns black and blue.” Hudibras.
[ Webster]

black-and-white, black and white n. print or writing, especially the result of the printing process.
Syn. -- print.
[WordNet 1.5]

black-and-white, black and white adj. (Photography, Imaging; Printing) depicted only in black and white colors, or in shades of gray; also called monochromatic and monochrome; -- of images. Opposite of color or in color, and contrasting with polychrome technicolor three-color; as, a black-and-white TV; black-and-white film; the movie “Schindler's List” was shot in black and white.
Syn. -- black and white, monochromatic, monochrome.
[WordNet 1.5]

Black art (�). The art practiced by conjurers and witches; necromancy; conjuration; magic.
[ Webster]

☞ This name was given in the Middle Ages to necromancy, under the idea that the latter term was derived from niger black, instead of nekros, a dead person, and manteia, divination. Wright.
[ Webster]

Black-a-vised (�), a. Dark-visaged; swart.
[ Webster]

Blackball (�), n. 1. A composition for blacking shoes, boots, etc.; also, one for taking impressions of engraved work.
[ Webster]

2. A ball of black color, esp. one used as a negative in voting; -- in this sense usually two words.
[ Webster]

Blackball, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Blackballed (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Blackballing.] 1. To vote against, by putting a black ball into a ballot box; to reject or exclude, as by voting against with black balls; to ostracize.
[ Webster]

He was blackballed at two clubs in succession. Thackeray.
[ Webster]

2. To blacken (leather, shoes, etc.) with blacking.
[ Webster]

Blackband (�), n. (Min.) An earthy carbonate of iron containing considerable carbonaceous matter; -- valuable as an iron ore.
[ Webster]

Black bass (�). (Zoöl.) 1. An edible, fresh-water fish of the United States, of the genus Micropterus. The small-mouthed kind is Micropterus dolomieī; the large-mouthed is Micropterus salmoides.
[ Webster]

2. The sea bass. See , 3.
[ Webster]

Black belt (blăkbĕlt), n. (Martial arts) a comedy that treats of morbid, tragic, gloomy, or grotesque situations as a major element of the plot.
[PJC]

Blackberry (blăkbĕrr�), n. [OE. blakberye, AS. blæcberie; blæc black + berie berry.] The fruit of several species of bramble (Rubus); also, the plant itself. Rubus fruticosus is the blackberry of England; Rubus villosus and Rubus Canadensis are the high blackberry and low blackberry of the United States. There are also other kinds.
[ Webster]

blackberry-lily n. garden plant whose capsule discloses when ripe a mass of seeds resembling a blackberry.
Syn. -- leopard lily, Belamcanda chinensis.
[WordNet 1.5]

Blackbird (blăkbẽrd), n. (Zoöl.) In England, a species of thrush (Turdus merula), a singing bird with a fin note; the merle. In America the name is given to several birds, as the Quiscalus versicolor, or crow blackbird; the Agelæus phœniceus, or red-winged blackbird; the cowbird; the rusty grackle, etc. See .
[ Webster]

Blackbird, n. 1. Among slavers and pirates, a negro or Polynesian. [Cant, pejorative]
[Webster Suppl.]

2. A native of any of the islands near Queensland; -- called also Kanaka. [Australia, pejorative]
[Webster Suppl.]

Blackbird (blăkbẽrd), v. i. to engage in the slave trade. [Colloq.]
[PJC]

Blackbirder (blăkbẽrdẽr), n. A slave ship; a slaver. [Colloq.] F. T. Bullen.
[Webster Suppl.]

Blackbirding, n. 1. The kidnaping of negroes or Polynesians to be sold as slaves.
[Webster Suppl.]

2. The act or practice of collecting natives of the islands near Queensland for service on the Queensland sugar plantations. [Australia]
[Webster Suppl.]

Blackboard (blăkbōrd), n. A broad board painted black, or any black surface on which writing, drawing, or the working of mathematical problems can be done with chalk or crayons. It is much used in schools. In late 20th century similar boards of a green slate as well as some colored white became common; wrioting on the slate bioards may be done with chalk, but writing on the white boards is done with colored pens, such as grease pens, which leaves a trace that can be easily erased. The newer boards, usualy called chalkboards are nevertheless still sometimes referred to as blackboards.
[ Webster]

Black book (blăk b�k). 1. One of several books of a political character, published at different times and for different purposes; -- so called either from the color of the binding, or from the character of the contents.
[ Webster]

Prev Next

Concept Explore Home

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z