BASHAW, ba-shaw', _n._ a pasha: a haughty man--now usually written PASHA or
PACHA (q.v.).--_ns._ BASHAW'ISM, BASHAW'SHIP. [Turk.]
BASHFUL, bash'f[=oo]l, _adj._ easily confused: modest: shy: wanting
confidence.--_v.i._ BASH (_Spens._), to be abashed.--_adv._
BASH'FULLY.--_n._ BASH'FULNESS.--_adj._ BASH'LESS, unashamed. [See ABASH.]
BASHI-BAZOUK, bash'i-ba-z[=oo]k', _n._ a Turkish irregular trooper. They
are mostly Asiatics, and are brutal plundering ruffians, capable, as in
1876 in Bulgaria, of the most devilish atrocities. [Turk. _bashi-bozuq_.]
BASHLYK, bash'lik, _n._ a kind of hood with long ends worn in Russia.
[Russ. _bashluik[)u]_, a Caucasian hood.]
BASIL, baz'il, _n._ a mainly tropical or subtropical genus of Labiatæ,
characterised by a pleasant aromatic smell and taste, and reckoned amongst
_sweet herbs_.--SWEET BASIL is an Indian annual long cultivated in Europe
for seasoning purposes. [O. Fr. _basile_--L. _basilisca_--Gr. _basilikon_,
royal.]
BASIL, baz'il, _n._ a sheepskin roughly tanned and undressed.
BASIL. See BEZEL.
BASILICA, baz-il'ik-a, _n._ among the Romans, a large oblong hall, with
double colonnades and a semicircular apse at the end, used for judicial and
commercial purposes--many of them were afterwards converted into Christian
churches: a magnificent church built after the plan of the ancient
basilica.--_adj._ BASIL'ICAN. [L. _basilica_, Gr. _basilik[=e]_ (_oikia_, a
house), belonging to a king, from _basileus_, a king.]
BASILICON, baz-il'ik-on, _n._ a name given to various kinds of ointment as
possessing sovereign virtues. [Gr. _basilikon_, royal.]
BASILISK, baz'il-isk, _n._ a fabulous creature, about a foot long, with a
black-and-yellow skin and fiery red eyes, so named, according to Pliny,
from the crest on the head like a crown--variously regarded as a kind of
dragon or cockatrice: in modern zoology, a harmless crested lizard of
tropical South America: an ancient brass cannon throwing a shot of about
200 lb. weight. [Gr. _basiliskos_, dim. of _basileus_, a king.]
BASIN, b[=a]s'n, _n._ a wide open vessel or dish: any hollow place
containing water, as a dock: the area drained by a river and its
tributaries. [O. Fr. _bacin_--Low L. _bachinus_, perh. from the Celtic.]
[Illustration]
BASINET, bas'i-net, _n._ a light globular headpiece worn alone with a
visor, or with the great helm resting on the shoulders, worn over it.--Also
BAS'NET.
BASIS, b[=a]s'is, _n._ the foundation, or that on which a thing rests: the
pedestal of a column: the groundwork or first principle:--_pl._ BAS'ES.
[See BASE (1).]
BASK, bask, _v.i._ to lie in the warmth or sunshine. [Scand. _badask_, to
bathe.]
BASKET, bas'ket, _n._ a vessel made of plaited twigs, rushes, or other
flexible materials.--_ns._ BAS'KETFUL, as much as fills a basket;
BAS'KET-HILT, the hilt of a sword with a covering wrought like basket-work
to defend the hand from injury; BAS'KET-MAK'ER; BAS'KET-WORK, any structure
of interlaced twigs or the like. [Prob. the L. _bascauda_; the W. _basged_
is apparently borrowed from the English.]
BASQUE, bask, _adj._ relating to the _Basques_, or their wonderful
language, with its extreme variability of dialects--the only example of a
consistently incorporating language.--_n._ a native of the Basque
provinces: the distinctive language of the Basques: a kind of short-skirted
jacket worn by women, a continuation of the bodice a little below the
waist.--_adj._ BASQUED (baskt), furnished with a basque.--_n._ BASQ'UINE,
an outer petticoat worn by Basque and Spanish women. [Fr. _Basque_--Low L.
_Vasco_, an inhabitant of _Vasconia_, whence _Gascony_. The Basques
themselves call their tongue _Eskuara_, _Euscara_, whence the Fr.
_Euscarien_.]
BAS-RELIEF, bä-re-l[=e]f', BASS-RELIEF, bas're-l[=e]f', _n._ (_sculp._)
figures which do not stand far out from the ground on which they are
formed--also used in the Italian form BASS'O-RILIE'VO. [See BASE, low, and
RELIEF.]
BASS, b[=a]s, _n._ the low or grave part in music.--_adj._ low, deep,
grave.--_v.t._ to sound in a deep tone.--_ns._ BASS'-HORN, a musical
wind-instrument, a modification of the bassoon, much lower and deeper in
its tones; THOR'OUGH-BASS, the theory of harmony. [See BASE, low.]
BASS. Same as BAST.
BASS, BASSE, bas, _n._ a marine fish allied to the perch. [A.S. _bærs_; cf.
Ger. _bars_, the perch.]
BASSA, bas'sa, _n._ Same as BASHAW.
BASSET, bas'et, _n._ a short-legged dog used in unearthing foxes and
badgers: an old Venetian game at cards, resembling faro, widely popular in
the 18th century: (_geol._) the outcrop or emergence of mineral strata at
the surface.--_v.i._ to incline upward so as to appear at the surface, to
crop up.--_n._ BAS'SET-HORN (It. _corno di bassetto_), the richest and
softest of all wind-instruments, similar to a clarionet in tone and
fingering, but with a twice-bent wooden tube, having a compass of two and a
half octaves. [Fr. _bas_, low.]
BASSINET, BASSINETTE, bas'si-net, _n._ a kind of basket with a hood in
which an infant is placed as in a cradle: a similarly shaped perambulator.
[Fr. dim. of _basin_, a basin.]
BASSO, bas'so, _n._ the same as BASS (1): also a bass singer.
BASSOON, bas-[=oo]n', _n._ (It. _fagotto_) a musical wind-instrument
filling an important place in the modern orchestra, of the reed species,
made of maple-wood or plane-tree, its compass from B flat below the bass
stave to C in the treble.--The DOUBLE BASSOON (It. _contrafagotto_) sounds
an octave lower.--_n._ BASSOON'IST. [It. _bassone_, augmentative of
_basso_, low, from root of BASE.]
BASS-VIOL, b[=a]s'-v[=i]'ol, _n._ a musical instrument with four strings,
used for playing the bass in concerted music; the violoncello. [See BASS,
low, and VIOL.]
BAST, bast, _n._ the inner bark of the lime-tree: matting made of it. [A.S.
_bæst_; Dut., Dan., Ger. _bast_.]
BASTARD, bas'tard, _n._ a child born of parents not married.--_adj._ born
out of wedlock: not genuine: resembling, but not identical with, the
species bearing the name: of abnormal shape or size: false.--_n._
BAS'TARD-BAR, a popular but inaccurate name for the baton-sinister in
heraldry.--_v.t._ BAS'TARDISE, to prove to be a bastard.--_adv._ BAS'TARDLY
(_obs._).--_ns._ BAS'TARD-WING, three, four, or five feathers springing
from the side of the wing of a bird near the point, attached to a bony
process which is the homologue of the thumb in some mammalia; BAS'TARDY,
BAS'TARDISM, the state of being a bastard.--BASTARD TITLE, an abbreviated
title of a book on an otherwise blank page preceding the full title-page;
BASTARD TYPES, types cast with an extra deep bevel to obviate the use of
leads, as Longprimer face on Pica body. [Fr. _bâtard_; O. Fr. _fils de
bast_, son of the pack-saddle, _bast_ (_bât_) being a coarse saddle for
beasts of burden.]
BASTE, b[=a]st, _v.t._ to beat with a stick. [Prob. conn. with Ice.
_beysta_, Dan. _böste_, to beat.]
BASTE, b[=a]st, _v.t._ to drop fat or butter over meat while roasting to
keep it from burning and to improve the flavour. [Ety. unknown.]
BASTE, b[=a]st, _v.t._ to sew slightly or with long stitches. [O. Fr.
_bastír_, from Old High Ger. _bestan_, to sew.]
BASTILLE, bast-[=e]l', _n._ an old fortress in Paris long used as a stale
prison, and demolished by a revolutionary mob in July 1789: any prison
regarded as a symbol of tyranny. [Fr.--O. Fr. _bastir_ (Fr. _bâtir_), to
build.]
BASTINADO, bast-in-[=a]d'o, _v.t._ to beat with a baton or stick, esp. on
the soles of the feet (a form of punishment in the East):--_pr.p._
bastin[=a]d'ing or bastin[=a]d'oing; _pa.p._ bastin[=a]d'ed or
bastin[=a]d'oed.--_ns._ BASTINADE', BASTIN[=A]D'O. [Sp. _bastonada_, Fr.
_bastonnade_--_baston_, _bâton_. See BATON.]
BASTION, bast'yun, _n._ a kind of tower at the angles of a
fortification.--_adj._ BAST'IONED. [Fr.--O. Fr. _bastir_, to build.]
BAT, bat, _n._ a heavy stick: a flat club for striking the ball in cricket,
a club for base-balls, a batsman: the clown's sword in a pantomime: a piece
of brick: (_slang_) rate of speed, style.--_v.i._ to use the bat in
cricket:--_pr.p._ bat'ting; _pa.p._ bat'ted.--_ns._ BAT'TER, BATS'MAN, one
who wields the bat at cricket, &c.; BAT'TING, the management of a bat in
playing games: cotton fibre prepared in sheets. [Perh. from A.S. _bat_ (a
doubtful form), prob. Celt. _bat_, staff.]
BAT, bat, _n._ an animal with a body like a mouse, but which flies on wings
attached mainly to its fore-feet, but extending along its sides to the
hind-feet. [M. E. _bakke_, apparently from Scand.; cf. Dan. _aftenbakke_,
evening-bat.]
BATABLE, b[=a]t'a-bl, _adj._ debatable, disputable. [A contr. of
DEBATABLE.]
BATATA, ba-tä'ta, _n._ a plant with tuberous roots, the sweet potato. [Sp.
_batata_, potato.]
BATAVIAN, ba-t[=a]'vi-an, _adj._ pertaining to the ancient _Batavi_ in the
Low Countries, or to the modern Dutch, their descendants.
BATCH, bach, _n._ the quantity of bread baked or of anything made or got
ready at one time: a set. [From BAKE.]
BATE. Same as ABATE.
BATE, b[=a]t, _n._ (_Spens._) strife, contention.--_adj._ BATE'-BREED'ING
(_Shak._). [Abbrev. of DEBATE.]
BATE, b[=a]t, _n._ diminution (_dial._, esp. in combination).
BATE, b[=a]t, _v.i._ (_Shak._) to beat the wings impatiently: (_obs._) to
be impatient. [O. E. _batre_--Low L. _bat[)e]re_.]
BATEAU, bä-to', _n._ a light river-boat, esp. those used on Canadian
rivers. [Fr.--O. Fr. _batel_, boat.]
BATELESS, b[=a]t'les, _adj._ (_Shak._) that cannot be bated or blunted.
BATFOWLING, bat'fowl-ing, _n._ the catching birds at night when at roost.
[BAT, club, and FOWL.]
BATH, bäth, _n._ water for plunging the body into: a bathing: a house for
bathing: a place for undergoing medical treatment by means of bathing:
(_phot._) a solution in which plates are plunged:--_pl._ BATHS
(bä_th_z).--_ns._ BATH'-BRICK, a preparation of siliceous silt,
manufactured at Bridgwater in the form of bricks, and used in cleaning
knives; BATH'CHAIR, a large wheeled chair for invalids; BATH'HOUSE;
BATH'MAN; BATH'ROOM; BATH'-STONE, a building stone quarried at Bath;
BATH'WOMAN; BLOOD'-BATH, a massacre.--BATH GUIDE, a poem of the 18th
century, often taken as a type of 'Society' verse.--ORDER OF THE BATH, an
English order of knighthood, so named from the bath before installation
(including three classes--military and civil knights grand-cross, G.C.B.;
knights commanders, K.C.B.; and companions, C.B.). [A.S. _bæth_, cog. with
Ger. _bad_.]
BATH, bäth, _n._ the largest Jewish liquid measure, containing about six
gallons. [Heb.]
BATHE, b[=a]_th_, _v.t._ to wash as in a bath: to wash or moisten with any
liquid: to moisten, suffuse, encompass.--_v.i._ to take a bath.--_n._ the
act of taking a bath.--_ns._ BATH'ING-BOX, a box for bathers to undress and
dress in; BATH'ING-MACHINE', a small carriage in which a bather may be
carried out into water conveniently deep for bathing. [A.S. _bathian_; Old
High Ger. _badôn_, _bathôn_ (Ger. _baden_).]
BATHOMETER, bath-om'et-[.e]r, _n._ an instrument for ascertaining depth.
[Gr. _bathos_, depth, _metron_, measure.]
BATHORSE, baw'hors, _n._ a packhorse carrying the baggage of an officer.
[Fr. _bât_, a pack-saddle.]
BATHOS, b[=a]'thos, _n._ a ludicrous descent from the elevated to the mean
in writing or speech.--_adj._ BATHET'IC, irregularly formed on the analogy
of _pathos_, _pathetic_. [Gr. _bathos_, depth, from _bathys_, deep.]
BATHYBIUS, bath-ib'i-us, _n._ name given to a supposed low form of life at
the bottom of some parts of the deep sea. [Formed from Gr. _bathys_, deep,
and _bios_, life.]
BATHYMETRY, bath-im'et-ri, _n._ the science of measuring the depth of seas
and lakes. [Gr. _bathys_, deep, _metria_, measurement.]
BATING, b[=a]t'ing, _prep._ abating, excepting.
BATISTE, ba-t[=e]st', _n._ usual French name for cambric: applied in
commerce to a fine texture of linen and cotton. [Littré derives from
_Baptiste_, the original maker; others from its use in wiping the heads of
children after baptism.]
BATLET, bat'let, _n._ a wooden mallet used by laundresses for beating
clothes. [Dim. of BAT.]
BATMAN, bat'man, baw'man, _n._ a man who has charge of a bathorse. [See
BATHORSE.]
[Illustration]
BATON, bat'on, BATOON, ba-toon', _n._ a staff or truncheon, esp. of a
policeman: a marshal's staff.--_v.t._ to strike with a baton.--_n._
BAT'ON-SIN'ISTER, a well-known heraldic indication of illegitimacy,
improperly called BAR-SINISTER, a diminutive of a bend-sinister, not
extending to the sides of the shield, so as to resemble a marshal's baton
laid diagonally over the family arms from left to right. [Fr. _bâton_--Low
L. _basto_, a stick; of unknown origin.]
BATRACHIA, ba-tr[=a]'ki-a, _n.pl._ the order of reptiles which includes the
frogs.--_adj._ and _n._ BATR[=A]'CHIAN. [From Gr. _batrachos_, a frog.]
BATSWING, bats'wing, _n._ a kind of gas-burner, with a slit at the top
which causes the flame to take the shape of a bat's wing.
BATTA, bat'ta, _n._ an allowance to officers in the British Indian army in
addition to their ordinary pay: subsistence money. [Hind.]
BATTAILANT, bat't[=a]l-ant, _adj._ (_Spens._) fighting.--_adj._ BAT'TAILOUS
(_arch._), war-like. [Fr. _bataillant_, pr.p. of _batailler_, to fight. See
BATTLE.]
BATTALIA, bat-t[=a]l'ya, _n._ the order of battle: the main body of an army
in array. [It. _battaglia_. Doublet of BATTLE.]
BATTALIA PIE, bat-t[=a]l'ya p[=i], titbits in a pie: articles like
pin-cushions, embroidered by nuns in convents with scenes from the Bible.
[Corrupted from Fr. _béatilles_, dim. formed from L. _beatus_.]
BATTALION, bat-al'yun, _n._ a body of soldiers consisting of several
companies: a body of men drawn up in battle-array. [Fr.; from root of
BATTLE.]
BATTELS, bat'lz, _n.pl._ an Oxford term signifying accounts for provisions
received from college kitchens and butteries: applied generally to the
whole of the sums for tuition, &c., charged in college accounts.--_v.i._
BAT'TILL, BAT'TEL (_Spens._), to fatten. [Late L. _batilli_, perh. conn.
with BATTLE, to feed.]
BATTEN, bat'n, _v.i._ to grow fat: to live in luxury.--_v.t._ (_obs._) to
fatten. [Ice. _batna_, to grow better--_bati_, advantage; cf. Dut. _baten_,
to avail.]
BATTEN, bat'n, _n._ a piece of board: a ledge, clamp: in ships, a strip of
wood used to fasten down the hatches.--_n._ BAT'TENING, battens forming a
structure. [Same as BATON.]
BATTER, bat'er, _v.t._ to beat with successive blows: to wear with beating
or by use: to attack with artillery.--_n._ ingredients beaten along with
some liquid into a paste: paste for sticking.--_ns._ BAT'TERING-CHARGE, the
full charge of powder for a cannon; BAT'TERING-RAM, an ancient engine for
battering down walls, consisting of a large beam with an iron head like
that of a ram. [O. Fr. _batre_ (Fr. _battre_), from the root of BAT.]
BATTER, bat'[.e]r, _n._ the inclination of a wall from the
perpendicular.--_v.i._ to slope backward from the perpendicular. [Perh.
from Fr. _battre_, to beat down.]
BATTERY, bat'[.e]r-i, _n._ (_Shak._) a wound: a number of cannon with their
equipment: the place on which cannon are mounted: the men and horses
attending one battery, constituting the unit in the artillery: an
instrument used in electric and galvanic experiments: (_law_) an assault by
beating or wounding: apparatus for preparing or serving meals.--CROSS
BATTERIES, two batteries commanding the same spot from different
directions; FLOATING BATTERY (see FLOAT); MASKED BATTERY, a battery in
action out of the enemy's view; TO CHANGE ONE'S BATTERY, to alter the
direction of attacking.
BATTLE, bat'l, _n._ a contest between opposing armies: a fight or
encounter: (_arch._) a body of troops in battle array, esp. in phrase 'main
battle.'--_v.i._ to contend in fight: to maintain, champion (with
_against_, _with_).--_ns._ BAT'TLE-AXE, -AX, a kind of axe once used in
battle; BAT'TLE-CRY, a war-shout; BAT'TLEFIELD, the place on which a battle
is fought; BAT'TLE-PIECE, a passage, or a painting, describing a
battle.--_adj._ BAT'TLE-SCARRED, scarred in battle.--_ns._ BAT'TLESHIP, a
war-ship of the first class; PITCHED'-BAT'TLE, a battle fought on chosen
ground.--BATTLE ROYAL, a general mêlée--HALF THE BATTLE, said of anything
which ensures success.--LINE OF BATTLE, troops in array for battle;
LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIP, a ship strong enough to form one of the line.--TO
JOIN, DO BATTLE, to fight. [Fr. _bataille_--_battre_, to beat. See BATTER.]
BATTLE, bat'l, _adj._ (_dial._) nourishing.--_v.t._ (_obs._) to feed. [Most
prob. from Ice. _bati_, improvement. See BATTEN.]
BATTLEDOOR, BATTLEDORE, bat'l-d[=o]r, _n._ a light bat for striking a ball
or shuttlecock.--NOT TO KNOW A B FROM A BATTLEDOOR, to be thoroughly
ignorant. [Sp. _batidor_, a beater, a washing-beetle; but this is
doubtful.]
BATTLEMENT, bat'l-ment, _n._ a wall or parapet on the top of a building
with openings or embrasures, originally used only on fortifications: the
towering roof of heaven,--_adj._ BAT'TLEMENTED, fortified with
battlements--also _pa.p._ BAT'TLED (_poet._).
BATTOLOGY, bat-ol'o-ji, _n._ repetition in speech or writing.--_adj._
BATTOLOG'ICAL. [Gr. _battos_, a person who repeated himself, and _legein_,
to speak.]
BATTUE, bat-t[=oo]', _n._ a method of hunting in which the woods are beaten
and the game driven from cover into some place for the convenience of the
shooters: any indiscriminate slaughter. [Fr.--_battre_, to beat.]
[Illustration]
BAUBLE, baw'bl, _n._ a trifling piece of finery: a child's plaything: a
stick surmounted by a head with ass's ears, and forming the mock emblem of
the court-jester: a piece of childish foolery: (_Shak._) a foolish
person.--_adj._ BAU'BLING (_obs._), trifling. [O. Fr. _babel_, prob. from
the root seen in L. _babulus_, a babbler.]
BAUDEKIN, bawd'i-kin, BAWDKIN, bawd'kin. Same as BALDACHIN.
BAUDRIC, bawd'rik. Same as BALDRICK.
BAUDRONS, bawd'runs, _n._ Scotch name for the cat. [Perh. of Celt. origin;
cf. Ir. _beadrac_, frolicsome, Gael. _beadrach_, a frolicsome girl.]
BAUK, BAULK. Same as BALK.
BAUSOND, bawz'ond, _adj._ (_obs._) having white spots, esp. on the
forehead, or a white stripe down the face.--_adj._ BAUS'ON-FACED (_Scott_),
with a face like a badger. [O. Fr. _bausant_ (It. _balzano_), black and
white spotted. Further ety. dub.]
BAUXITE, b[=o]'z[=i]t, _n._ a clay found at Les _Baux_, near Arles,
yielding alumina.--Also BEAU'XITE.
BAVARDAGE, bav-ar-d[=a]j', _n._ chattering. [Fr. _bavard_,
garrulous--_bave_, drivel.]
BAVIN, bav'in, _n._ a fagot of brushwood.--BAVIN WITS (_Shak._), wits that
blaze and die like bavins. [O. Fr. _baffe_, a fagot; but this is doubtful.]
BAWBEE, baw-b[=e]', _n._ a halfpenny: originally a Scotch coin of base
silver equivalent to six Scotch pennies. [Ety. dub., but very prob. derived
from a 16th-cent. Scotch mint-master, the laird of _Sillebawby_; others
identify with 'baby.']
BAWBLE. Same as BAUBLE.
BAWCOCK, baw'kok, _n._ (_Shak._) a fine fellow. [From Fr. _beau_, fine, and
_coq_, a cock.]
BAWD, bawd, _n._ a procurer or procuress of women for lewd purposes--_fem._
only since about 1700.--_n._ BAWD'RY.--_adj._ BAWD'Y, obscene, unchaste,
filthy.--_n._ BAWD'Y-HOUSE, a brothel. [Perh. abbrev. from BAWD'STROT, a
word for a pander, now obsolete, derived from O. Fr. _baldestrot_--_bald_,
gay, and perh. the Teut. root found in _strut_.]