Buffer - Bulau

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Buffel duck (bŭffĕl dŭk). [See .] (Zoöl.) A small duck (Charitonetta albeola); the spirit duck, or butterball. The head of the male is covered with numerous elongated feathers, and thus appears large. Called also bufflehead.
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Buffer (bŭfẽr), n. [Prop a striker. See a blow.] 1. (Mech.) (a) An elastic apparatus or fender, for deadening the jar caused by the collision of bodies; as, a buffer at the end of a railroad car. (b) A pad or cushion forming the end of a fender, which receives the blow; -- sometimes called buffing apparatus.
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2. One who polishes with a buff.
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3. A wheel for buffing; a buff.
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4. A good-humored, slow-witted fellow; -- usually said of an elderly man. [Colloq.] Dickens.
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5. (Chem.) a substance or mixture of substances which can absorb or neutralize a certain quantity of acid or base and thus keep the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution (as measured by pH) relatively stable. Sometimes the term is used in a medical context to mean antacid.
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6. (Computers) a data storage device or portion of memory used to temporarily store input or output data until the receiving device is ready to process it.
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7. any object or person that shields another object or person from harm, shock, or annoyance; as, the President's staff is his buffer from constant interruptions of his work.
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buffer (bŭfẽr), v. t. (Chem.) to add a buffer{5} to (a solution), so as to reduce unwanted fluctuation of acidity.
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buffered (bŭfẽrd), a. (Chem.) containing a buffer{5}; -- of solutions, usually aqueous solutions.
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Bufferhead (�), n. The head of a buffer, which recieves the concussion, in railroad carriages.
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Bufferin n. [trademark.] a brand of tablets coated with a substance capable of neutralizing acid (a “buffer”); -- sometimes applied generically to any buffered aspirin preparation.
Syn. -- buffered aspirin.
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Buffet (b�ffā), n. [F. buffet, LL. bufetum; of uncertain origin; perh. fr. the same source as E. buffet a blow, the root meaning to puff, hence (cf. puffed up) the idea of ostentation or display.] 1. A cupboard or set of shelves, either movable or fixed at one side of a room, for the display of plate, china, etc., a sideboard.
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Not when a gilt buffet's reflected pride
Turns you from sound philosophy aside. Pope.
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2. A counter for food or refreshments.
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3. Hence: A restaurant containing such a counter, as at a railroad station, or place of public gathering.
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4. A meal set out on a buffet[2], arranged so that guests may serve themselves and choose those items that they desire; as, a buffet dinner. Diners usually take a plate provided and move in a line past the items on the buffet[2], placing those items they desire on the plate, to be eaten at some convenient place.
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Buffet (bŭffĕt), n. [OE. buffet, boffet, OF. buffet a slap in the face, a pair of bellows, fr. buffe blow, cf. F. bouffer to blow, puff; prob. akin to E. puff. For the meaning slap, blow, cf. F. soufflet a slap, souffler to blow. See , v. i., and cf. sidebroad, ] 1. A blow with the hand; a slap on the face; a cuff.
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When on his cheek a buffet fell. Sir W. Scott.
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2. A blow from any source, or that which affects like a blow, as the violence of winds or waves; a stroke; an adverse action; an affliction; a trial; adversity.
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Those planks of tough and hardy oak that used for yeas to brave the buffets of the Bay of Biscay. Burke.
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Fortune's buffets and rewards. Shak.
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3. A small stool; a stool for a buffet or counter.
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Go fetch us a light buffet. Townely Myst.
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Buffet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Buffeted; p. pr. & vb. n. Buffeting.] [OE. buffeten, OF. buffeter. See the preceding noun.] 1. To strike with the hand or fist; to box; to beat; to cuff; to slap.
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They spit in his face and buffeted him. Matt. xxvi. 67.
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2. To affect as with blows; to strike repeatedly; to strive with or contend against; as, to buffet the billows.
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The sudden hurricane in thunder roars,
Buffets the bark, and whirls it from the shores. Broome.
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You are lucky fellows who can live in a dreamland of your own, instead of being buffeted about the world. W. Black.
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3. [Cf. .] To deaden the sound of (bells) by muffling the clapper.
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Buffet, v. i. 1. To exercise or play at boxing; to strike; to smite; to strive; to contend.
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If I might buffet for my love, or bound my horse for her favors, I could lay on like a butcher. Shak.
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2. To make one's way by blows or struggling.
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Strove to buffet to land in vain. Tennyson.
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buffeted adj. struck repeatedly; -- used especially of impact from winds, and sometimes metaphorically; as, buffeted by criticism.
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Buffeter (�), n. One who buffets; a boxer. Jonson.
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Buffeting, n. 1. A striking with the hand.
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2. A succession of blows; continued violence, as of winds or waves; afflictions; adversity.
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He seems to have been a plant of slow growth, but . . . fitted to endure the buffeting on the rudest storm. Wirt.
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Buffin (�), n. [So called from resembling buff �eather.] A sort of coarse stuff; as, buffin gowns. [Obs.]
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Buffing apparatus (�). See , 1.
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Buffle (�), n. [OE., from F. buffle. See .] The buffalo. [Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.
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Buffle, v. i. To puzzle; to be at a loss. [Obs.] Swift.
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Bufflehead (�), n. [Buffle + head.] 1. One who has a large head; a heavy, stupid fellow. [Obs.]
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What makes you stare so, bufflehead? Plautus (trans. 1694).
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2. (Zoöl.) The buffel duck. See .
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Buffle-headed, a. Having a large head, like a buffalo; dull; stupid; blundering. [Obs.]
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So fell this buffle-headed giant. Gayton.
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buffo (�), n. masc. [It. See .] (Mus.) The comic actor in an opera.
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buffoon (�), n. [F. bouffon (cf. It. buffone, buffo, buffa, puff of wind, vanity, nonsense, trick), fr. bouffer to puff out, because the buffoons puffed out their cheeks for the amusement of the spectators. See a blow.] A man who makes a practice of amusing others by low tricks, antic gestures, etc.; a droll; a mimic; a harlequin; a clown; a merry-andrew.
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buffoon (�), a. Characteristic of, or like, a buffoon. “Buffoon stories.” Macaulay.
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To divert the audience with buffoon postures and antic dances. Melmoth.
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buffoon, v. i. To act the part of a buffoon. [R.]
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Buffoon, v. t. To treat with buffoonery. Glanvill.
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Buffoonery (�), n.; pl. Buffooneries (�). [F. bouffonnerie.] The arts and practices of a buffoon, as low jests, ridiculous pranks, vulgar tricks and postures.
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Nor that it will ever constitute a wit to conclude a tart piece of buffoonery with a “What makes you blush?” Spectator.
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Buffoonish, a. Like a buffoon; consisting in low jests or gestures. Blair.
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Buffoonism (�), n. The practices of a buffoon; buffoonery.
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Buffoonly, a. Low; vulgar. [R.]
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Apish tricks and buffoonly discourse. Goodman.
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Buffy (�), a. (Med.) Resembling, or characterized by, buff.
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Coloq. Buffy coat , the coagulated plasma of blood when the red corpuscles have so settled out that the coagulum appears nearly colorless. This is common in diseased conditions where the corpuscles run together more rapidly and in denser masses than usual. Huxley.
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Bufo (�), n. [L. bufo a toad.] (Zoöl.) A genus of Amphibia including various species of toads.
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Bufonidae n. a natural family comprising the true toads.
Syn. -- family Bufonidae.
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Bufonite (�), n. [L. bufo toad: cf. F. bufonite.] (Paleon.) An old name for a fossil consisting of the petrified teeth and palatal bones of fishes belonging to the family of Pycnodonts (thick teeth), whose remains occur in the oölite and chalk formations; toadstone; -- so named from a notion that it was originally formed in the head of a toad.
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Bug (bŭg), n. [OE. bugge, fr. W. bwg, bwgan, hobgoblin, scarecrow, bugbear. Cf. , .] 1. A bugbear; anything which terrifies. [Obs.]
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Sir, spare your threats:
The bug which you would fright me with I seek. Shak.
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2. (Zoöl.) A general name applied to various insects belonging to the Hemiptera; as, the squash bug; the chinch bug, etc.
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3. (Zoöl.) An insect of the genus Cimex, especially the bedbug (Cimex lectularius). See .
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4. (Zoöl.) One of various species of Coleoptera; as, the ladybug; potato bug, etc.; loosely, any beetle.
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5. (Zoöl.) One of certain kinds of Crustacea; as, the sow bug; pill bug; bait bug; salve bug, etc.
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☞ According to popular usage in England and among housekeepers in America around 1900, bug, when not joined with some qualifying word, was used specifically for bedbug. As a general term it is now used very loosely in America as a colloquial term to mean any small crawling thing, such as an insect or arachnid, and was formerly used still more loosely in England. “God's rare workmanship in the ant, the poorest bug that creeps.” Rogers (Naaman). “This bug with gilded wings.” Pope.
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6. (Computers) An error in the coding of a computer program, especially one causing the program to malfunction or fail. See, for example, . “That's not a bug, it's a feature!”
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7. Any unexpected defect or flaw, such as in a machine or a plan.
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8. A hidden electronic listening device, used to hear or record conversations surreptitiously.
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9. An infectious microorganism; a germ{4}. [Colloq.]
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10. An undiagnosed illness, usually mild, believed to be caused by an infectious organism. [Colloq.] In some communities in the 1990's, the incidence of AIDS is high and AIDS is referred to colloquially as “the bug”.
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11. An enthusiast; -- used mostly in combination, as a camera bug. [Colloq.]
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Coloq. Bait bug . See under . -- Coloq. Bug word , swaggering or threatening language. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.
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Bug (bŭg), v. t. to ; to bother or pester.
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{ Bugaboo (�), Bugbear } (�), n. [See .] Something frightful, as a specter; anything imaginary that causes needless fright; something used to excite needless fear; also, something really dangerous, or an imaginary monster, used to frighten children, etc. “Bugaboos to fright ye.” Lloyd.
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But, to the world no bugbear is so great
As want of figure and a small estate. Pope.
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The bugaboo of the liberals is the church pray. S. B. Griffin.
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The great bugaboo of the birds is the owl. J. Burroughs.
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2. a source of concern; as, the old bugaboo of inflation still bothers them.
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Syn. -- Hobgoblin; goblin; specter; ogre; scarecrow; bogeyman; boogeyman; booger.
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Bugbane (�), n. (Bot.) A perennial white-flowered herb of the order Ranunculaceæ and genus Cimiciguga; bugwort. There are several species.
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Bugbear (�), n. Same as . -- a. Causing needless fright. Locke.
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Bugbear, v. t. To alarm with idle phantoms.
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Bugfish (�), n. (Zoöl.) The menhaden. [U.S.]
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Bugger (�), n. [F. bougre, fr. LL. Bulgarus, a Bulgarian, and also a heretic; because the inhabitants of Bulgaria were infected with heresy. Those guilty of the crime of buggery were called heretics, because in the eyes of their adversaries there was nothing more heinous than heresy, and it was therefore thought that the origin of such a vice could only be owing to heretics.] 1. One guilty of buggery or unnatural vice; a sodomite.
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2. A wretch; -- sometimes used humorously or in playful disparagement. [Low]
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Buggery (�), n. [OF. bougrerie, bogrerie, heresy. See .] Unnatural sexual intercourse; sodomy.
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Bugginess (�), n. [From , a.] The state of being infested with bugs.
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Buggy (�), a. [From .] Infested or abounding with bugs.
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Buggy, n.; pl. Buggies. 1. A light one horse two-wheeled vehicle. [Eng.]
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Villebeck prevailed upon Flora to drive with him to the race in a buggy. Beaconsfield.
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2. A light, four-wheeled vehicle, usually with one seat, and with or without a calash top. [U.S.]
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Coloq. Buggy cultivator , a cultivator with a seat for the driver. -- Coloq. Buggy plow , a plow, or set of plows, having a seat for the driver; -- called also sulky plow.
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Bugle (�), n. [OE. bugle buffalo, buffalo's horn, OF. bugle, fr. L. buculus a young bullock, steer, dim. of bos ox. See the animal.] A sort of wild ox; a buffalo. E. Phillips.
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Bugle, n. [See a wild ox.] 1. A horn used by hunters.
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2. (Mus.) A copper instrument of the horn quality of tone, shorter and more conical that the trumpet, sometimes keyed; formerly much used in military bands, very rarely in the orchestra; now superseded by the cornet; -- called also the Kent bugle.
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Bugle, n. [LL. bugulus a woman's ornament: cf. G. bügel a bent piece of metal or wood, fr. the same root as G. biegen to bend, E. bow to bend.] An elongated glass bead, of various colors, though commonly black.
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Bugle, a. [From a bead.] Jet black. “Bugle eyeballs.” Shak.
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Bugle, n. [F. bugle; cf. It. bugola, L. bugillo.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Ajuga of the Mint family, a native of the Old World.
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Coloq. Yellow bugle , the Ajuga chamæpitys.
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Bugled (�), a. Ornamented with bugles.
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Bugle horn (�). 1. A bugle.
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One blast upon his bugle horn
Were worth a thousand men. Sir W. Scott.
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2. A drinking vessel made of horn. [Obs.]
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And drinketh of his bugle horn the wine. Chaucer.
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Bugler (�), n. One who plays on a bugle.
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Bugleweed (�), n. (Bot.) A plant of the Mint family and genus Lycopus; esp. Lycopus Virginicus, which has mild narcotic and astringent properties, and is sometimes used as a remedy for hemorrhage.
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Bugloss (�), n.; pl. Buglosses (�). [F. buglosse, L. buglossa, buglossus, fr. Gr. � oxtongue � ox + � tongue.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Anchusa, and especially the Anchusa officinalis, sometimes called alkanet; oxtongue.
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Coloq. Small wild bugloss , the Asperugo procumbens and the Lycopsis arvensis. -- Coloq. Viper's bugloss , a species of Echium.
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Bugwort (�), n. (Bot.) Bugbane.
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{ Buhl (�), Buhlwork } (�), n. [From A. Ch. Boule, a French carver in wood.] Decorative woodwork in which tortoise shell, yellow metal, white metal, etc., are inlaid, forming scrolls, cartouches, etc. [Written also boule, boulework.]
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Buhlbuhl (�), n. (Zoöl.) See .
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Buhrstone (�), n. [OE. bur a whetstone for scythes.] (Min.) A cellular, flinty rock, used for mill stones. [Written also burrstone.]
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Build (bĭld), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Built (bĭlt); p. pr. & vb. n. Building. The regular imp. & p. p. Builded is antiquated.] [OE. bulden, bilden, AS. byldan to build, fr. bold house; cf. Icel. bōl farm, abode, Dan. bol small farm, OSw. bol, böle, house, dwelling, fr. root of Icel. būa to dwell; akin to E. be, bower, boor. √97.] 1. To erect or construct, as an edifice or fabric of any kind; to form by uniting materials into a regular structure; to fabricate; to make; to raise.
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Nor aught availed him now
To have built in heaven high towers. Milton.
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2. To raise or place on a foundation; to form, establish, or produce by using appropriate means.
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Who builds his hopes in air of your good looks. Shak.
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3. To increase and strengthen; to increase the power and stability of; to settle, or establish, and preserve; -- frequently with up; as, to build up one's constitution.
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I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up. Acts xx. 32.
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Syn. -- To erect; construct; raise; found; frame.
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Build (bĭld), v. i. 1. To exercise the art, or practice the business, of building.
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2. To rest or depend, as on a foundation; to ground one's self or one's hopes or opinions upon something deemed reliable; to rely; as, to build on the opinions or advice of others.
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Build, n. Form or mode of construction; general figure; make; as, the build of a ship; a great build on a man.
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Builder (�), n. One who builds; one whose occupation is to build, as a carpenter, a shipwright, or a mason.
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In the practice of civil architecture, the builder comes between the architect who designs the work and the artisans who execute it. Eng. Cyc.
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Building, n. 1. The act of constructing, erecting, or establishing.
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Hence it is that the building of our Sion rises no faster. Bp. Hall.
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2. The art of constructing edifices, or the practice of civil architecture.
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The execution of works of architecture necessarily includes building; but building is frequently employed when the result is not architectural. Hosking.
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3. That which is built; a fabric or edifice constructed, as a house, a church, etc.
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Thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife's attire
Have cost a mass of public treasury. Shak.
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buildup, build-up n. 1. the act of building up an accumulation.
Syn. -- build-up.
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2. the events, such as advertising or publicity, causing increased interest in some coming event. The buildup to Superbowl XXIV was the most intense of the series.
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Built (bĭlt), n. Shape; build; form of structure; as, the built of a ship. [Obs.] Dryden.
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Built, a. Formed; shaped; constructed; made; -- often used in composition and preceded by the word denoting the form; as, frigate-built, clipper-built, etc.
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Like the generality of Genoese countrywomen, strongly built. Landor.
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buirdly adj. strong and heavily built; -- of people. [Scottish]
Syn. -- beefy, burly, husky, strapping, strong, vigorous.
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Buke muslin (�). See .
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Bukshish (�), n. See .
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Bulau (�), n. [Native name.] (Zoöl.) An East Indian insectivorous mammal (Gymnura Rafflesii), somewhat like a rat in appearance, but allied to the hedgehog.
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