BONNET, bon'et, _n._ a covering for the head worn by women, without a brim,
tied on by strings, and now letting the whole face be seen, although
formerly a bonnet (esp. a POKE'-BONN'ET) covered the sides of the face: a
soft cap: the velvet cap within a coronet: (_fort._) a small work before
the salient or flanked angle of the ravelin: (_naut._) an additional part
laced to the foot of jibs, or other fore-and-aft sails, to gather more
wind: a wire-covering over a chimney-top: a decoy or pretended player or
bidder at a gaming-table or an auction, the accomplice of a thimble-rigger
or other petty swindler.--_v.t._ to put a bonnet on: to crush a man's hat
over his eyes.--_adj._ and _p.adj._ BONN'ETED.--_ns._ BONN'ET-PIECE, a gold
coin of James V. of Scotland, on which the king wears a bonnet instead of a
crown; BONN'ET-ROUGE, the red cap of liberty of the French Revolution,
shaped like a nightcap.--BONNET LAIRD, a Scotch name for a petty landowner
who wore a bonnet, not the hat of the gentry.--BALMORAL BONNET, a flat cap
resembling the Scotch (Lowland) bonnet; GLENGARRY BONNET, rising to a point
in front, with ribbons hanging down behind; SCOTCH BONNET, of a broad,
round, flat shape, of dark-blue colour, with a tuft on the top, the fabric
thick-milled woollen, without seam or lining--like the Basque _béret_. [O.
Fr.--Low L. _bonnetum_, orig. the name of a stuff.]
BONNY, bon'i, _adj._ beautiful: handsome: gay: plump: pleasant-looking: as
a general term expressing appreciation = considerable, &c., often
ironically: cheerful: (_Shak._) stout, strong.--_adv._ BONN'ILY,
beautifully: gaily.--_n._ BONN'INESS, handsomeness: gaiety. [Fr. _bon_,
_bonne_--L. _bonus_.]
BONSPIEL, bon'sp[=e]l, _n._ a great curling-match. [Dr Murray suggests an
assumed Dut. _bondspel_, from _bond_ = _verbond_, 'covenant, alliance,
compact,' and; _spel_, play; the word having entered Scotch as a whole,
_spiel_, _spel_, having never been in common use for 'play.']
BONUS, b[=o]n'us, _n._ a premium beyond the usual interest for a loan: an
extra dividend to shareholders: an extra gratuity paid to workmen: a
douceur or bribe. [L. _bonus_, good.]