Brilliant - Brittleness

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Brilliant (brĭly�nt), a. [F. brillant, p. pr. of briller to shine or sparkle (cf. Pr. & Sp. brillar, It. brillare), fr. L. beryllus a precious stone of sea-green color, Prov. It. brill. See .] 1. Sparkling with luster; glittering; very bright; as, a brilliant star.
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2. Distinguished by qualities which excite admiration; splendid; shining; as, brilliant talents.
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Washington was more solicitous to avoid fatal mistakes than to perform brilliant exploits. Fisher Ames.
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3. Exceedingly intelligent, or of distinguished accomplishment in a field; -- as, a brilliant chemist.
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Syn. -- See .
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Brilliant, n. [F. brillant. See , a.] 1. A diamond or other gem of the finest cut, formed into faces and facets, so as to reflect and refract the light, by which it is rendered more brilliant. It has at the middle, or top, a principal face, called the table, which is surrounded by a number of sloping facets forming a bizet; below, it has a small face or collet, parallel to the table, connected with the girdle by a pavilion of elongated facets. It is thus distinguished from the rose diamond, which is entirely covered with facets on the surface, and is flat below.
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This snuffbox -- on the hinge see brilliants shine. Pope.
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2. (Print.) The smallest size of type used in England printing.
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☞ This line is printed in the type called Brilliant.
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3. A kind of cotton goods, figured on the weaving.
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Brilliantine (?), n. [F. brillantine. See lst .] 1. An oily composition used to make the hair manageable and glossy.
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2. A dress fabric having a glossy finish on both sides, resembling alpaca but of superior quality.
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Brilliantly, adv. In a brilliant manner.
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Brilliantness, n. Brilliancy; splendor; glitter.
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Brills (�), n. pl. [CF. G. brille spectacles, D. bril, fr. L. berillus. See .] The hair on the eyelids of a horse. Bailey.
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Brim (�), n. [OE. brim, brimme, AS. brymme edge, border; akin to Icel. barmr, Sw. bräm, Dan. bræmme, G. brame, bräme. Possibly the same word as AS. brim surge, sea, and properly meaning, the line of surf at the border of the sea, and akin to L. fremere to roar, murmur. Cf. a fly.] 1. The rim, border, or upper edge of a cup, dish, or any hollow vessel used for holding anything.
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Saw I that insect on this goblet's brim
I would remove it with an anxious pity. Coleridge.
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2. The edge or margin, as of a fountain, or of the water contained in it; the brink; border.
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The feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water. Josh. iii. 15.
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3. The rim of a hat. Wordsworth.
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Brim, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Brimmed (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Brimming.] To be full to the brim. “The brimming stream.” Milton.
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Coloq. To brim over (literally or figuratively), to be so full that some of the contents flows over the brim; as, a cup brimming over with wine; a man brimming over with fun.
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Brim, v. t. To fill to the brim, upper edge, or top.
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Arrange the board and brim the glass. Tennyson.
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Brim, a. Fierce; sharp; cold. See . [Obs.]
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Brimful (�), a. Full to the brim; completely full; ready to overflow. “Her brimful eyes.” Dryden.
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Brimless, a. Having no brim; as, brimless caps.
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Brimmed (�), a. 1. Having a brim; -- usually in composition. “Broad-brimmed hat.” Spectator.
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2. Full to, or level with, the brim. Milton.
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Brimmer (�), n. A brimful bowl; a bumper.
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Brimming, a. Full to the brim; overflowing.
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Brimstone (�), n. [OE. brimston, bremston, bernston, brenston; cf. Icel. brennistein. See , v. t., and .] Sulphur; See .
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Brimstone, a. Made of, or pertaining to, brimstone; as, brimstone matches.
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From his brimstone bed at break of day
A-walking the devil has gone. Coleridge.
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Brimstony (�), a. Containing or resembling brimstone; sulphurous. B. Jonson.
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Brin (�), n. [F.] One of the radiating sticks of a fan. The outermost are larger and longer, and are called panaches. Knight.
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Brinded (�), a. [Cf. Icel. bröndōttr brindled, fr. brandr brand; and OE. bernen, brinnen, to burn. See , .] Of a gray or tawny color with streaks of darker hue; streaked; brindled. “Three brinded cows,” Dryden. “The brinded cat.” Shak.
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Brindle (�), n. [See .] 1. The state of being brindled.
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2. A brindled color; also, that which is brindled.
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Brindle, a. Brindled.
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Brindled (�), a. [A dim. form of brinded.] Having dark streaks or spots on a gray or tawny ground; brinded. “With a brindled lion played.” Churchill.
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Brine (�), n. [AS. bryne a burning, salt liquor, brine, fr. brinnan, brynnan, to burn. See .] 1. Water saturated or strongly impregnated with salt; pickle; hence, any strong saline solution; also, the saline residue or strong mother liquor resulting from the evaporation of natural or artificial waters.
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2. The ocean; the water of an ocean, sea, or salt lake.
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Not long beneath the whelming brine . . . he lay. Cowper.
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3. Tears; -- so called from their saltness.
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What a deal of brine
Hath washed thy sallow cheecks for
Rosaline! Shak.
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Coloq. Brine fly (Zoöl.), a fly of the genus Ephydra, the larvæ of which live in artificial brines and in salt lakes. -- Coloq. Brine gauge , an instrument for measuring the saltness of a liquid. -- Coloq. Brine pan , a pit or pan of salt water, where salt is formed by cristallization. -- Coloq. Brine pit , a salt spring or well, from which water is taken to be boiled or evaporated for making salt. -- Coloq. Brine pump (Marine Engin.), a pump for changing the water in the boilers, so as to clear them of the brine which collects at the bottom. -- Coloq. Brine shrimp , Coloq. Brine worm (Zoöl.), a phyllopod crustacean of the genus Artemia, inhabiting the strong brines of salt works and natural salt lakes. See . -- Coloq. Brine spring , a spring of salt water. -- Coloq. Leach brine (Saltmaking), brine which drops from granulated salt in drying, and is preserved to be boiled again.
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Brine (�), v. t. 1. To steep or saturate in brine.
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2. To sprinkle with salt or brine; as, to brine hay.
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Bring (�), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brought (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Bringing.] [OE. bringen, AS. bringan; akin to OS. brengian, D. brengen, Fries. brenga, OHG. bringan, G. bringen, Goth. briggan.] 1. To convey to the place where the speaker is or is to be; to bear from a more distant to a nearer place; to fetch.
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And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread. 1 Kings xvii. 11.
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To France shall we convey you safe,
And bring you back. Shak.
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2. To cause the accession or obtaining of; to procure; to make to come; to produce; to draw to.
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There is nothing will bring you more honor . . . than to do what right in justice you may. Bacon.
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3. To convey; to move; to carry or conduct.
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In distillation, the water . . . brings over with it some part of the oil of vitriol. Sir I. Newton.
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4. To persuade; to induce; to draw; to lead; to guide.
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It seems so preposterous a thing . . . that they do not easily bring themselves to it. Locke.
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The nature of the things . . . would not suffer him to think otherwise, how, or whensoever, he is brought to reflect on them. Locke.
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5. To produce in exchange; to sell for; to fetch; as, what does coal bring per ton?
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Coloq. To bring about , to bring to pass; to effect; to accomplish. -- Coloq. To bring back . (a) To recall. (b) To restore, as something borrowed, to its owner. -- Coloq. To bring by the lee (Naut.), to incline so rapidly to leeward of the course, when a ship sails large, as to bring the lee side suddenly to the windward, any by laying the sails aback, expose her to danger of upsetting. -- Coloq. To bring down . (a) To cause to come down. (b) To humble or abase; as, to bring down high looks. -- Coloq. To bring down the house , to cause tremendous applause. [Colloq.] -- Coloq. To bring forth . (a) To produce, as young fruit. (b) To bring to light; to make manifest. -- Coloq. To bring forward (a) To exhibit; to introduce; to produce to view. (b) To hasten; to promote; to forward. (c) To propose; to adduce; as, to bring forward arguments. -- Coloq. To bring home . (a) To bring to one's house. (b) To prove conclusively; as, to bring home a charge of treason. (c) To cause one to feel or appreciate by personal experience. (d) (Naut.) To lift of its place, as an anchor. -- Coloq. To bring in . (a) To fetch from without; to import. (b) To introduce, as a bill in a deliberative assembly. (c) To return or repot to, or lay before, a court or other body; to render; as, to bring in a verdict or a report. (d) To take to an appointed place of deposit or collection; as, to bring in provisions or money for a specified object. (e) To produce, as income. (f) To induce to join. -- Coloq. To bring off , to bear or convey away; to clear from condemnation; to cause to escape. -- Coloq. To bring on . (a) To cause to begin. (b) To originate or cause to exist; as, to bring on a disease. -- Coloq. To bring one on one's way , to accompany, guide, or attend one. -- Coloq. To bring out , to expose; to detect; to bring to light from concealment. -- Coloq. To bring over . (a) To fetch or bear across. (b) To convert by persuasion or other means; to cause to change sides or an opinion. -- Coloq. To bring to . (a) To resuscitate; to bring back to consciousness or life, as a fainting person. (b) (Naut.) To check the course of, as of a ship, by dropping the anchor, or by counterbracing the sails so as to keep her nearly stationary (she is then said to lie to). (c) To cause (a vessel) to lie to, as by firing across her course. (d) To apply a rope to the capstan. -- Coloq. To bring to light , to disclose; to discover; to make clear; to reveal. -- Coloq. To bring a sail to (Naut.), to bend it to the yard. -- Coloq. To bring to pass , to accomplish to effect. “Trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” Ps. xxxvii. 5. -- Coloq. To bring under , to subdue; to restrain; to reduce to obedience. -- Coloq. To bring up . (a) To carry upward; to nurse; to rear; to educate. (b) To cause to stop suddenly. (c) [v. i. by dropping the reflexive pronoun] To stop suddenly; to come to a standstill. [Colloq.] -- Coloq. To bring up (any one) with a round turn , to cause (any one) to stop abruptly. [Colloq.] -- Coloq. To be brought to bed . See under .
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Syn. -- To fetch; bear; carry; convey; transport; import; procure; produce; cause; adduce; induce.
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Bringer (�), n. One who brings.
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Yet the first bringer of unwelcome news
Hath but a losing office. Shak.
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Coloq. Bringer in , one who, or that which, introduces.
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Brininess (�), n. The state or quality of being briny; saltness; brinishness.
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Brinish (�), a. Like brine; somewhat salt; saltish. “Brinish tears.” Shak.
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Brinishness, n. State or quality of being brinish.
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Brinjaree (�), n. [Native name.] (Zoöl.) A rough-haired East Indian variety of the greyhound.
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Brink (brĭṉk), n. [Dan. brink edge, verge; akin to Sw. brink declivity, hill, Icel. brekka; cf. LG. brink a grassy hill, W. bryn hill, bryncyn hillock.] The edge, margin, or border of a steep place, as of a precipice; a bank or edge, as of a river or pit; a verge; a border; as, the brink of a chasm. Also Fig. “The brink of vice.” Bp. Porteus. “The brink of ruin.” Burke.
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The plashy brink of weedy lake. Bryant.
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brinkmanship, brinksmanship n. [brink + -manship. (1956).] the policy or practise of pushing a dangerous situation to the brink of disaster (to the limits of safety), in order to achieve the most advantageous outcome; -- used especially of diplomatic maneuvers in crisis situations, and originally applied to the policies of John Foster Dulles under President Eisenhower.
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Briny (�), a. [From .] Of or pertaining to brine, or to the sea; partaking of the nature of brine; salt; as, a briny taste; the briny flood.
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Brioche (?), n. [F.] 1. A light sweet pastry (cake, bun or roll) made with flour, butter, yeast, and eggs.
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2. A knitted foot cushion.
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Briolette (?), n. [F.] An oval or pearshaped diamond having its entire surface cut in triangular facets.
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Briony (�), n. See . Tennyson.
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Brioschi n. [trademark.] a type of antacid sold over-the-counter.
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briquet, Briquette (?), n. [Also briquet.] [F., dim. of brique brick.] 1. A block of compacted charcoal, coal dust, or peat, etc., used as a fuel. Charcoal briquettes are a common fuel used for the outdoor barbecue grill.
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2. A block of artificial stone in the form of a brick, used for paving; also, a molded sample of solidified cement or mortar for use as a test piece for showing the strength of the material.
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Bris n. the Jewish rite of circumcision.
Syn. -- Berith, Brith.
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brisance n. the shattering or crushing effect of a sudden release of energy as in an explosion; -- used especially as a measure of such a shattering power, applied to high explosives.
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brisant adj. 1. of or pertaining to brisance.
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2. having the ability to shatter, as contrasted with merely fracturing; -- of explosives. the more brisant explosives, such as dynamite, will shatter rock into smaller fragments than the less brisant, such as gunpowder.
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Brisk (brĭsk), a. [Cf. W. brysg, fr. brys haste, Gael. briosg quick, lively, Ir. broisg a start, leap, jerk.] 1. Full of liveliness and activity; characterized by quickness of motion or action; lively; spirited; quick.
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Cheerily, boys; be brick awhile. Shak.
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Brisk toil alternating with ready ease. Wordworth.
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2. Full of spirit of life; effervesc�ng, as liquors; sparkling; as, brick cider.
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Syn. -- Active; lively; agile; alert; nimble; quick; sprightly; vivacious; gay; spirited; animated.
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Brisk (�), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Bricked (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Bricking.] To make or become lively; to enliven; to animate; to take, or cause to take, an erect or bold attitude; -- usually with up.
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brisken v. to become brisk.
Syn. -- brisk, brisk up.
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Brisket (�), n. [OE. bruskette, OF. bruschet, F. bréchet, brichet; prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. brysced the breast of a slain animal, brisket, Corn. vrys breast, Armor. brusk, bruched, the front of the chest, Gael. brisgein the cartilaginous part of a bone.] That part of the breast of an animal which extends from the fore legs back beneath the ribs; also applied to the fore part of a horse, from the shoulders to the bottom of the chest. [See Illust. of .]
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Briskly (�), adv. In a brisk manner; nimbly.
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Briskness, n. Liveliness; vigor in action; quickness; gayety; vivacity; effervescence.
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brisling n. 1. a small fatty European fish; usually smoked or canned.
Syn. -- sprat.
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2. a small herring (Clupea sprattus) processed like a sardine.
Syn. -- sprat.
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Bristle (brĭss'l), n. [OE. bristel, brustel, AS. bristl, byrst; akin to D. borstel, OHG. burst, G. borste, Icel. burst, Sw. borst, and to Skr. bhṛshti edge, point, and prob, L. fastigium extremity, Gr. 'aflaston stern of a ship, and E. brush, burr, perh. to brad. √96.] 1. A short, stiff, coarse hair, as on the back of swine.
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2. (Bot.) A stiff, sharp, roundish hair. Gray.
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Bristle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bristled (�); p. pr. & vb. n. Bristling (�).] 1. To erect the bristles of; to cause to stand up, as the bristles of an angry hog; -- sometimes with up.
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Now for the bare-picked bone of majesty
Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest. Shak.
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Boy, bristle thy courage up. Shak.
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2. To fix a bristle to; as, to bristle a thread.
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Bristle, v. i. 1. To rise or stand erect, like bristles.
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His hair did bristle upon his head. Sir W. Scott.
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2. To appear as if covered with bristles; to have standing, thick and erect, like bristles.
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The hill of La Haye Sainte bristling with ten thousand bayonets. Thackeray.
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Ports bristling with thousands of masts. Macaulay.
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3. To show defiance or indignation.
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Coloq. To bristle up , to show anger or defiance.
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bristlegrass n. grasses of grasslands and woodlands having large gracefully arching spikes with long bristles beneath each spikelet.
Syn. -- bristle grass.
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bristlelike adj. resembling a bristle in stiffness.
Syn. -- bristly.
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Bristle-pointed (�), a. (Bot.) Terminating in a very fine, sharp point, as some leaves.
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Bristle-shaped (�), a. Resembling a bristle in form; as, a bristle-shaped leaf.
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Bristletail (�), n. (Zoöl.) An insect of the genera Lepisma, Campodea, etc., belonging to the Thysanura.
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Bristliness (�), n. The quality or state of having bristles.
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Bristly (�), a. Thick set with bristles, or with hairs resembling bristles; rough.
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The leaves of the black mulberry are somewhat bristly. Bacon.
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Bristol (�), n. A seaport city in the west of England.
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Coloq. Bristol board , a kind of fine pasteboard, made with a smooth but usually unglazed surface. -- Coloq. Bristol brick , a brick of siliceous matter used for polishing cultery; -- originally manufactured at Bristol. -- Coloq. Bristol stone , rock crystal, or brilliant crystals of quartz, found in the mountain limestone near Bristol, and used in making ornaments, vases, etc. When polished, it is called Bristol diamond.
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Brisure (�), n. [F.] 1. (Fort.) Any part of a rampart or parapet which deviates from the general direction.
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2. (Her.) A mark of cadency or difference.
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{ Brit, Britt } (�), n. (Zoöl.) (a) The young of the common herring; also, a small species of herring; the sprat. (b) The minute marine animals (chiefly Entomostraca) upon which the right whales feed.
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Britannia (�), n. [From L. Britannia Great Britain.] A white-metal alloy of tin, antimony, bismuth, copper, etc. It somewhat resembles silver, and is used for table ware. Called also Britannia metal.
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Britannic (�), a. [L. Britannicus, fr. Britannia Great Britain.] Of or pertaining to Great Britain; British; as, her Britannic Majesty.
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{ Brite, Bright } (�), v. t. To be or become overripe, as wheat, barley, or hops. [Prov. Eng.]
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Brith n. 1. the Jewish rite of circumcision.
Syn. -- Berith, Bris.
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Briticism (�), n. A word, phrase, or idiom peculiar to Great Britain; any manner of using a word or words that is peculiar to Great Britain.
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British (brĭtĭsh), a. [AS. Brittisc, Bryttisc.] Of or pertaining to Great Britain or to its inhabitants; -- sometimes restricted to the original inhabitants.
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Coloq. British gum , a brownish substance, very soluble in cold water, formed by heating dry starch at a temperature of about 600° Fahr. It corresponds, in its properties, to dextrin, and is used, in solution, as a substitute for gum in stiffering goods. -- Coloq. British lion , the national emblem of Great Britain. -- Coloq. British seas , the four seas which surround Great Britain.
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British, n. pl. People of Great Britain.
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Britisher, n. An Englishman; a subject or inhabitant of Great Britain, esp. one in the British military or naval service. [Now used jocosely]
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Britishism n. 1. an expression that is limited to English as spoken by Englishmen (especially as contrasted with American English).
Syn. -- Anglicism, Briticism.
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2. a custom that is peculiar to England or its citizens.
Syn. -- Anglicism.
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Briton (�), a. [AS. bryten Britain.] British. [Obs.] Spenser. -- n. A native of Great Britain.
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Brits n. the people of Great Britain. [informal]
Syn. -- British, British people, the British.
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britt n. 1. the young of a herring or sprat or similar fish.
Syn. -- brit.
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2. minute crustaceans, forming food for right whales.
Syn. -- brit.
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Brittle (�), a. [OE. britel, brutel, AS. bryttian to dispense, fr. breótan to break; akin to Icel. brytja, Sw. bryta, Dan. bryde. Cf. .] Easily broken; apt to break; fragile; not tough or tenacious.
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Farewell, thou pretty, brittle piece
Of fine-cut crystal. Cotton.
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Coloq. Brittle silver ore , the mineral stephanite.
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brittlebush n. 1. fragrant rounded shrub of SW US and adjacent Mexico having brittle stems and small crowded blue-green leaves and yellow flowers; produces a resin used in incense and varnish and in folk medicine.
Syn. -- brittle bush, incienso, Encelia farinosa.
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Brittlely, adv. In a brittle manner. Sherwood.
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Brittleness, n. Aptness to break; fragility.
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