{ Bun, Bunn } (&?;), n. [Scot. bun, bunn, OE. bunne, bonne; fr. Celtic; cf. Ir. bunna, Gael. bonnach, or OF. bugne tumor, Prov. F. bugne a kind of pancake; akin to OHG. bungo bulb, MHG. bunge, Prov. E. bung heap, cluster, bunny a small swelling.] A slightly sweetened raised cake or bisquit with a glazing of sugar and milk on the top crust.
Bunch (&?;), n. [Akin to OSw. & Dan. bunke heap, Icel. bunki heap, pile, bunga tumor, protuberance; cf. W. pwng cluster. Cf. Bunk.] 1. A protuberance; a hunch; a knob or lump; a hump.
They will carry . . . their treasures upon the bunches of camels.
Isa. xxx. 6.
2. A collection, cluster, or tuft, properly of things of the same kind, growing or fastened together; as, a bunch of grapes; a bunch of keys.
3. (Mining) A small isolated mass of ore, as distinguished from a continuous vein. Page.
Bunch, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bunched (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bunching.] To swell out into a bunch or protuberance; to be protuberant or round.
Bunching out into a large round knob at one end.
Woodward.
Bunch, v. t. To form into a bunch or bunches.
Bunch"-backed` (&?;), a. Having a bunch on the back; crooked. "Bunch-backed toad." Shak.
Bunch"ber`ry (&?;), n. (Bot.) The dwarf cornel (Cornus Canadensis), which bears a dense cluster of bright red, edible berries.
Bunch" grass` (&?;). (Bot.) A grass growing in bunches and affording pasture. In California, Atropis tenuifolia, Festuca scabrella, and several kinds of Stipa are favorite bunch grasses. In Utah, Eriocoma cuspidata is a good bunch grass.
Bunch"i*ness (&?;), n. The quality or condition of being bunchy; knobbiness.
Bunch"y (&?;), a. 1. Swelling out in bunches.
An unshapen, bunchy spear, with bark unpiled.
Phaer.
2. Growing in bunches, or resembling a bunch; having tufts; as, the bird's bunchy tail.
3. (Mining) Yielding irregularly; sometimes rich, sometimes poor; as, a bunchy mine. Page.
{ Bun"combe, Bun"kum } (&?;), n. [Buncombe a county of North Carolina.] Speech-making for the gratification of constituents, or to gain public applause; flattering talk for a selfish purpose; anything said for mere show. [Cant or Slang, U.S.]
All that flourish about right of search was bunkum -- all that brag about hanging your Canada sheriff was bunkum . . . slavery speeches are all bunkum.
Haliburton.
To speak for Buncombe, to speak for mere show, or popularly.
"The phrase originated near the close of the debate on the famous ‘Missouri Question,' in the 16th Congress. It was then used by Felix Walker -- a naïve old mountaineer, who resided at Waynesville, in Haywood, the most western country of North Carolina, near the border of the adjacent county of Buncombe, which formed part of his district. The old man rose to speak, while the house was impatiently calling for the ‘Question,' and several members gathered round him, begging him to desist. He preserved, however, for a while, declaring that the people of his district expected it, and that he was bound to ‘make a speech for Buncombe.'" W. Darlington.
||Bund (&?;), n. [G.] League; confederacy; esp. the confederation of German states.
||Bund (&?;), n. [Hindi band.] An embankment against inundation. [India] S. Wells Williams.
||Bun"der (&?;), n. [Pers. bandar a landing place, pier.] A boat or raft used in the East Indies in the landing of passengers and goods.
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||Bun"des*rath` (bn"ds*rät`), n. [G., from bund (akin to E. bond) confederacy + rath council, prob. akin to E. read.] The federal council of the German Empire. In the Bundesrath and the Reichstag are vested the legislative functions. The federal council of Switzerland is also so called.
The Bundesrath of the German empire is presided over by a chancellor, and is composed of sixty-two members, who represent the different states of the empire, being appointed for each session by their respective governments.
By this united congress, the highest tribunal of Switzerland, -- the Bundesrath -- is chosen, and the head of this is a president.
J. P. Peters (Trans. Müller's Pol. Hist.).
Bun"dle (bn"d'l), n. [OE. bundel, AS. byndel; akin to D. bondel, bundel, G. bündel, dim. of bund bundle, fr. the root of E. bind. See Bind.] A number of things bound together, as by a cord or envelope, into a mass or package convenient for handling or conveyance; a loose package; a roll; as, a bundle of straw or of paper; a bundle of old clothes.
The fable of the rods, which, when united in a bundle, no strength could bend.
Goldsmith.
Bundle pillar (Arch.), a column or pier, with others of small dimensions attached to it. Weale.
Bun"dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bundled (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bundling (&?;).] 1. To tie or bind in a bundle or roll.