BEAUTY, b[=u]'ti, _n._ a pleasing combination of qualities in a person or
object: a particular grace or excellence: a beautiful person, esp. a woman,
also applied collectively to the beautiful women of a special place:
(_pl._) beautiful passages or extracts from the poets.--_v.t._ (_Shak._) to
make beautiful.--_adj._ BEAU'TEOUS, full of beauty: fair: handsome.--_adv._
BEAU'TEOUSLY.--_ns._ BEAU'TEOUSNESS; BEAU'TIFIER, one who or that which
beautifies or makes beautiful.--_adj._ BEAU'TIFUL, fair: with qualities
that give delight to the senses, esp. the eye and ear, or which awaken
admiration in the mind.--_adv._ BEAU'TIFULLY.--_v.t._ BEAU'TIFY, to make
beautiful: to grace: to adorn.--_v.i._ (_rare_) to become beautiful, or
more beautiful.--_ns._ BEAU'TY-SLEEP, the sleep before midnight, considered
the most refreshing; BEAU'TY-SPOT, a patch placed on the face to heighten
or draw attention to a woman's beauty; a foil, or anything that emphasises
beauty by contrast. [O. Fr. _biaute_ (Fr. _beauté_)--Low L.
_bellitat-em_--L. _bellus_.]
BEAUXITE. See BAUXITE.
BEAVER, b[=e]v'[.e]r, _n._ an amphibious rodent quadruped valuable for its
fur: the fur of the beaver: a hat made of the beaver's fur: a hat: a glove
of beaver fur.--_adj._ BEAV'ERISH (_Carlyle_), like a beaver, merely
instinctive.--_n._ BEAV'ERY, a place where beavers are kept. [A.S. _befer_,
_beofor_; Dut. _bever_, Ger. _biber_, Gael, _beabhar_, L. _fiber_.]
BEAVER, b[=e]v'[.e]r, _n._ in medieval armour, the covering for the lower
part of the face, the visor being that for the upper part--later the
movable beaver was confounded with the visor.--_adj._ BEAV'ERED. [So called
from a fancied likeness to a child's bib. O. Fr. _bavière_, from _bave_,
slaver.]
BEBEERU, b[=e]-b[=e]'r[=oo], _n._ the native name of the green-heart tree
of Guiana.--_n._ BEBEERINE (b[=e]-b[=e]'rin), an alkaloid yielded by it,
and used as a substitute for quinine.
BEBLUBBERED, be-blub'[.e]rd, _p.adj._ disfigured by weeping [Pfx. _be-_,
and BLUBBER.]
BECALL, be-kawl', _v.t._ to call names, miscall.
BECALM, be-käm', _v.t._ to make calm, still, or quiet.--_p.adj._ BECALMED',
motionless from want of wind. [Pfx. _be-_, and CALM.]
BECAME, be-k[=a]m', _pa.t._ of BECOME.
BECAUSE, be-kawz', _adv._ and _conj._ because of: for the reason that: on
account of: for (followed by _of_). [Prep. _by_, and CAUSE.]
BECCAFICO, bek-a-f[=e]'ko, _n._ a small bird of the family of Sylviadæ or
Warblers, considered a delicacy by the Italians:--_pl._ BECCAFI'COES. [It.,
from _beccare_ to peck, and _fico_, a fig.]
BECHANCE, be-chans', _v.t._ to happen by chance: to befall--_adv._ by
chance: accidentally. [A.S. _be-_, by, and CHANCE.]
BECHARM, be-chärm', _v.t._ to charm: to enchant.
BÊCHE-DE-MER, b[=a]sh'-d[.e]-m[=a]r, _n._ the trepang or sea-slug, a
species of Holothuria, much esteemed in China as a food delicacy. [Fr.]
BECK, bek, _n._ (_Spens._). Same as BEAK.