Part 32

BIRD, b[.e]rd, _n._ a general name for feathered animals.--_v.i._ to catch or snare birds.--_ns._ BIRD'-BOLT (_Shak._), a short thick bolt or arrow with a blunted point, used for killing birds without piercing them; BIRD'-CAGE, a cage or box made of wire and wood for holding birds; BIRD'-CALL, an instrument used by fowlers to call or allure birds to them, by imitating their notes; BIRD'-CATCH'ER, one who catches birds: a fowler; BIRD'-CATCH'ING, the art or practice of catching birds; BIRD'-CHER'RY, a bush bearing an astringent wild-fruit in drupes.--_adj._ BIRD'-EYED, having eyes quick of sight, like those of a bird: quick-sighted.--_ns._ BIRD'-FAN'CIER, one who has a fancy for rearing birds: one who keeps birds for sale; BIRD'ING (_Shak._), catching birds by means of hawks trained for the purpose; BIRD'ING-PIECE, a fowling-piece; BIRD'-LIME, a sticky substance used for catching birds; BIRD'-OF-PAR'ADISE, a kind of Eastern bird with splendid plumage; BIRD'S'-EYE, a kind of tobacco; BIRD'S'-NEST, the nest in which a bird lays her eggs and hatches her young; BIRD'-SP[=I]'DER, a species of large spiders which prey on small birds, found in Brazil.--_adj._ BIRD'-WIT'TED, flighty: incapable of sustained attention.--BIRD'S-EYE VIEW, a general view from above, as if by a bird on the wing, a representation of such, a general view or résumé of a subject; BIRD'S-FOOT TREFOIL, the popular name of several leguminous plants, having clusters of cylindrical pods resembling a bird's foot.--A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME, I heard in a way I will not reveal. [A.S. _brid_, the young of a bird, a bird: either from root of BREED (_bredan_, to breed) or of BIRTH (_beran_, to bear).]

BIREME, b[=i]'r[=e]m, _n._ an ancient vessel with two rows of oars. [Fr.--L. _biremis_--_bi-_, twice, and _remus_, an oar.]

BIRETTA, bir-et'a, _n._ a square cap worn by clergy--by priests, black; bishops, purple; cardinals, red. [It. _berretta_--Low L. _birretum_, a cap.]

BIRK, b[.e]rk, _n._ Scotch and prov. Eng. for BIRCH.--_adj._ BIRK'EN (_Scot._), birchen.

BIRKIE, birk'i, _n._ a strutting or swaggering fellow: a fellow generally.--_adj._ active. [_Scot._ A dubious connection with Scand. _berkja_, to bark, boast, has been suggested.]

BIRL, birl, _v.t._ to spin anything round: to throw down a coin as one's share in a joint contribution.--_v.i._ to whirl round. [_Scot._, an onomatopoeic word.]

BIRLE, birl, _v.t._ and _v.i._ (_Scot._) to ply with drink: to carouse.--_ns._ BIRL'ER (_Cumberland_); BIRL'ING, the act of drawing liquor. [A.S. _byrelian_, _byrele_, a cup-bearer, _beran_, to bear.]

BIRLINN, bir'lin, _n._ a chief's barge in the Western Isles. [Gael.]

BIRMINGHAMISE, bir'ming-ham-[=i]z, _v.t._ to make up artificially. [See BRUMMAGEM.]

BIROSTRATE, b[=i]-ros'tr[=a]t, _adj._ having a double beak. [L. _bi-_, twice, and _rostratus_, beaked--_rostrum_, a beak.]

BIRR, bir, _n._ impetus: a violent push: stress in pronunciation: any sharp whirring sound. [_Scot._; Ice. _byrr_, a favouring wind.]

BIRSE, birs, _n._ bristle.--_adj._ BIRS'Y.--TO LICK THE BIRSE, to draw a hog's bristle through the mouth--part of the ceremony of citizenship in Selkirk; TO SET UP ONE'S BIRSE, to rouse the wrath of, from the habit of animals bristling up when enraged. [Scot.; A.S. _byrst_.]

BIRSLE, birs'l, _v.t._ to scorch, to toast. [Scot.]

BIRTH, b[.e]rth, _n._ a ship's station at anchor. [Same as BERTH.]

BIRTH, b[.e]rth, _n._ the act of bearing or bringing forth: the offspring born: dignity of family: origin.--_n._ BIRTH'DAY, the day on which one is born, or the anniversary of that day.--_adj._ relating to the day of one's birth.--_ns._ BIRTH'DAY-BOOK, a book in diary form, in which the birthdays of one's friends are entered in their autographs; BIRTH'DOM (_Shak._), birthright; BIRTH'-MARK, a peculiar mark on one's body at birth; BIRTH'NIGHT, the night on which one is born, or the anniversary of that night; BIRTH'PLACE, the place of one's birth; BIRTH'RIGHT, the right or privilege to which one is entitled by birth: native rights.--_adj._ BIRTH'-STRANG'LED (_Shak._), strangled in birth.--_n._ BIRTH'-WORT, a genus of perennial plants, formerly used medicinally in cases of difficult parturition. [M. E. _birÞe_, prob. Scand.; cf. Goth, _ga-baurÞs_, Ger. _ge-burt_.]

BIS, bis, _adv._ twice: (_mus._) a direction that a passage is to be repeated [L.].--_n._ B[=I]SEG'MENT, a segment of a line or figure cut into two equal parts.--_adjs._ B[=I]SER'RATE (_bot._), doubly serrate; B[=I]SEX'UAL, of both sexes: (_bot._) applied to flowers which contain both stamens and pistils within the same envelope.

BISCAYAN, bis'k[=a]-an, _adj._ and _n._ of or pertaining to the Basque province of _Biscay_ in Spain, or its people: Basque generally: a long heavy musket, or the bullet fired by such.

BISCUIT, bis'kit, _n._ hard dry bread in small cakes: a kind of unglazed earthenware. [O. Fr. _bescoit_ (mod. _biscuit_)--L. _bis_, twice, _coqu[)e]re_, _coctum_, to cook or bake.]

BISE, b[=e]z, _n._ a cold north or north-east wind prevalent at certain seasons in Switzerland and neighbouring parts of France and Italy. [Fr.]

BISECT, b[=i]-sekt', _v.t._ to cut into two equal parts.--_n._ BISEC'TION. [L. _bi_, twice, and _sec[=a]re_, _sectum_, to cut.]

BISERIAL, b[=i]-s[=e]'ri-al, _adj._ arranged in two series or rows. [L. _bi-_, and SERIES.]

BISHOP, bish'op, _n._ in the Western and Eastern Churches, and in the Anglican communion, a clergyman consecrated for the spiritual direction of a diocese, under an archbishop, and over the priests or presbyters and deacons: a spiritual overseer in the early Christian Church, whether of a local church or of a number of churches--the terms _bishop_ [Gr. _episcopos_] and _presbyter_ [Gr. _presbyteros_] are used interchangeably in the New Testament for the officers who direct the discipline and administer the affairs of a single congregation--the differentiation in function and dignity is, however, well marked by the end of the 2d century: one of the pieces or men in chess, from the upper part being carved into the shape of a bishop's mitre (formerly the _archer_): a wholesome hot drink compounded of red wine (claret, Burgundy, &c.) poured warm or cold upon ripe bitter oranges, sugared and spiced to taste.--_v.t._ (_jocularly_) to play the bishop, to confirm: to supply with bishops: to let milk or the like burn while cooking.--_ns._ BISH'OPESS, a she-bishop, a bishop's wife; BISH'OPRIC, the office and jurisdiction of a bishop: a diocese--also BISH'OPDOM.--BISHOP IN PARTIBUS (see PARTIBUS). [A.S. _biscop_--L. _episcopus_--Gr. _episcopos_, an overseer--_epi_, upon, _skop-ein_, to view.]

BISK. See BISQUE (1).

BISMAR, bis'mar, _n._ a kind of steelyard still used in Orkney. [Dan. _bismer_.]

BISMILLAH, bis-mil'a, _interj._ in the name of Allah or God--a common Mohammedan exclamation. [Ar.]

BISMUTH, biz'muth, _n._ a brittle metal of a reddish-white colour used in the arts and in medicine. [Ger. _bismuth_, _wissmuth_; origin unknown.]

BISON, b[=i]'son, or bis'on, _n._ a large wild animal like the bull, found in Lithuania, the Caucasus, &c., with shaggy hair and a fatty hump on its shoulders.--The American 'buffalo' is also a bison. [From L. pl. _bisontes_, prob. of Teut. origin; cf. Old High Ger. _wisunt_, A.S. _wesend_.]

BISQUE, bisk, _n._ a rich soup made of meat or fish slowly stewed and seasoned, crayfish soup.--Also BISK. [Fr.]

BISQUE, bisk, _n._ pottery that has undergone the first firing before being glazed. [See BISCUIT.]

BISQUE, bisk, _n._ a term at tennis for the odds given by one player to another, in allowing him to score one point once during the set--a means of equalising a strong and a weak player. [Fr.]

BISSEXTILE, bis-sext'il, _n._ leap-year.--_adj._ containing the BISSEXT (L. _bissextus_), or extra day which the Julian calendar inserts in leap-year--the sixth before the kalends of March, 24th February. [L. _bis_, twice, and _sextus_, sixth.]

BISSON, bis'son, _adj._ (_Shak._) blind, blinding. [A.S. _bísene_, blind.]

BISTORT, bis'tort, _n._ a perennial plant with astringent properties (_Polygonum bistorta_), so named from its twisted roots, called also _Snakeweed_ and _Adder's Wort_. [Fr.--L. _bistorta_; _bis_, twice, _torta_, twisted.]

BISTOURY, bis't[=oo]r-i, _n._ a narrow surgical knife for making incisions, having a straight, convex, or concave edge. [Fr.]

BISTRE, BISTER, bis't[.e]r, _n._ a pigment of a warm brown colour made from the soot of wood, esp. beechwood.--_adj._ BIS'TRED. [Fr. _bistré_; origin unknown.]

BISULCATE, b[=i]-sul'k[=a]t, _adj._ (_zool._) cloven-footed. [L. _bi-_, twice, _sulcus_, a furrow.]

BISULPHATE, b[=i]-sul'f[=a]t, _n._ a salt of sulphuric acid, in which one-half of the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by a metal. [L. _bi-_, twice, and SULPHATE.]

BIT, bit, _n._ a bite, a morsel: a small piece: the smallest degree: a small tool for boring (see BRACE): the part of the bridle which the horse holds in his mouth (see BRIDLE)--hence, TO TAKE THE BIT IN HIS TEETH, to be beyond restraint.--_v.t._ to put the bit in the mouth; to curb or restrain:--_pr.p._ bit'ting; _pa.p._ bit'ted.--BIT BY BIT, piecemeal, gradually. [From BITE.]

BITCH, bich, _n._ the female of the dog, wolf, and fox. [A.S. _bicce_; Ice. _bikkja_.]

BITE, b[=i]t, _v.t._ to seize or tear with the teeth: to sting or pain: to wound by reproach: to deceive, or take in--now only passive:--_pa.t._ bit; _pa.p._ bit or bit'ten.--_n._ a grasp by the teeth: a nibble at the bait by a fish: something bitten off: a mouthful.--_v.t._ BITE'-IN, to eat out the lines of an etching with acid: to repress.--_n._ BIT'ER, one who bites: a fish apt to take the bait: a cheat.--_n._ and _adj._ BIT'ING.--TO BITE THE DUST, to fall, to die; TO BITE THE THUMB, to express defiance by putting the thumbnail into the mouth and knocking it against the teeth. [A.S. _bítan_; Goth. _beitan_, Ice. _bita_, Ger. _beissen_.]

BITT, bit, _v.t._ (_naut._) to fasten round the BITTS (q.v.).

BITTACLE. Same as BINNACLE.

BITTER, bit'[.e]r, _adj._ biting or acrid to the taste: sharp: painful.--_n._ any substance having a bitter taste.--_adj._ BITT'ERISH.--_adv._ BITT'ERLY.--_n._ BITT'ERNESS.--_n.pl._ BITT'ERS, a liquid prepared from bitter herbs or roots, and used as a stomachic.--_n._ BITT'ER-SWEET, the Woody Nightshade, a slender, climbing hedge-plant, having red poisonous berries, said to be named from its root, when chewed, having first a bitter, then a sweet taste: (_Shak._) an apple that has a compound taste of sweet and bitter: a mixture of sweet and bitter. [A.S. _bítan_, to bite.]

BITTER (_Spens._), used for BITTERN.

BITTERN, bit'[.e]rn, _n._ a bird of the heron family, said to have been named from the resemblance of its voice to the lowing of a bull. [M. E. _bittour_--Fr.--Low L. _butorius_ (_bos_, _taurus_).]

BITTERN, bit'[.e]rn, _n._ an oily liquid remaining in salt-works after the crystallisation of the salt, and used in the manufacture of Epsom salts.

BITTOR, BITTOUR, bit'tur, _n._ (_Dryden_) the bird BITTERN.

BITTS, bits, _n._ a frame in the forepart of a ship round which the cables are passed when the vessel rides at anchor.

BITUMEN, bi-t[=u]'men, or bit'yu-men, _n._ a name applied to various inflammable mineral substances, as naphtha, petroleum, asphaltum.--_v.t._ BIT[=U]'MINATE, to mix with or make into bitumen--also BIT[=U]'MINISE.--_adjs._ BIT[=U]'MINOUS, BIT[=U]MED' (_Shak._), impregnated with bitumen. [L.]

BIVALVE, b[=i]'valv, _n._ an animal having a shell in two valves or parts, like the oyster: a seed-vessel of like kind.--_adj._ having two valves.--_adj._ BIVALV'ULAR. [L. _bi-_, twice, _valva_, a valve.]

BIVIOUS, biv'i-us, _adj._ leading two, or different, ways. [L. _bivius_--_bi-_, twice, _via_, a way.]

BIVOUAC, biv'[=oo]-ak, _n._ the resting at night of soldiers in the open air, instead of under cover in camp.--_v.i._ to pass the night in the open air:--_pr.p._ biv'ouacking; _pa.p._ biv'ouacked. [Fr.--Ger. _beiwacht_, to watch beside--_bei_ by, _wachen_, to watch.]

BI-WEEKLY, b[=i]'-w[=e]k'li, _adj._ properly, occurring once in two weeks, but usually twice in every week. [L. _bi-_, twice, and WEEK.]

BIZARRE, bi-zär', _adj._ odd: fantastic: extravagant.--_n._ BIZAR'RERIE. [Fr.--Sp. _bizarro_, high-spirited; acc. to Littré, adapted from Basque _bizarre_, the beard.]

BIZCACHA. See VISCACHA.

BLAB, blab, _v.i._ to talk much: to tell tales.--_v.t._ to tell what ought to be kept secret (with _out_, _forth_):--_pr.p._ blab'bing; _pa.p._ blabbed.--_n._ an open-mouthed person, a tattler: tattling.--_n._ BLAB'BER, one who blabs. [M. E. _blabbe_, a chatterer, also BLABBER, to babble, with which cf. Norse _blabbra_, Ger. _plappern_.]

BLACK, blak, _adj._ of the darkest colour: without colour: obscure: dismal: sullen: horrible: dusky: foul, dirty: malignant: dark-haired, wearing dark armour or clothes.--_n._ black colour: absence of colour: a negro: mourning: the dark smut which attacks wheat: a speck of black on the face, a sooty particle in the air: black clothes, esp. dress trousers.--_v.t._ to make black: to soil or stain: to draw in black.--_n._ BLACK'AMOOR, a black Moor: a negro.--_adjs._ BLACK'-AND-TAN, having black hair on the back, and tan or yellowish-brown elsewhere, esp. of a terrier; BLACK'-A-VISED, of dark complexion (probably originally _black-à-vis_).--_v.t._ BLACK'BALL, to reject in voting by putting a black ball into a ballot-box.--_ns._ BLACK'BALLING, the act of so rejecting a candidate; BLACK'-BAND, iron ore containing enough of coal to calcine it; BLACK'-BEE'TLE, a cockroach; BLACK'BERRY, the berry of the bramble; BLACK'BIRD, a species of thrush of a black colour: a current name for a negro or Polynesian kidnapped for labour; BLACK'BIRDING, the kidnapping of such; BLACK'BOARD, a board painted black, used in schools for writing, forming figures, &c.--_adjs._ BLACK'-BOD'ING, of evil omen; BLACK'-BROWED, having black eyebrows: sullen.--_ns._ BLACK'-CAP, a bird, a species of warbler, so called from its black crown: (_cook._) an apple roasted until it is black, and served up in a custard: the full-dress cap put on by English judges when about to pronounce sentence of death; BLACK'-CATT'LE, oxen, bulls, and cows; BLACK'-CHALK, a variety of clay-slate of a bluish-black colour, used for drawing, and also for making black paint; BLACK'COCK, a species of grouse, common in the north of England and in Scotland; BLACK'-CURR'ANT, a garden shrub with black fruit used in making preserves; BLACK'-DEATH, a name given to the plague of the 14th century from the black spots which appeared on the skin; BLACK'-DRAUGHT, the popular name for a purgative medicine consisting chiefly of senna and Epsom salts; BLACK'-DROP, a liquid preparation of opium, vinegar, and sugar.--_v.t._ BLACK'EN, to make black: to defame.--_adj._ BLACK'FACED, having a black face: dismal.--_ns._ BLACK'-FLAG, the flag of a pirate, or that hoisted at the execution of a criminal--from its colour; BLACK'-FRIAR, a friar of the Dominican order, so called from his black mantle (over a white woollen habit): (_pl._) the region in a city, as London, where their convent stood; BLACKGUARD (blag'ärd), originally applied to the lowest menials about a court, who took charge of the pots, kettles, &c.: a low, ill-conducted fellow.--_adj._ low: scurrilous.--_v.t._ to treat as a blackguard; _v.i._ to play the blackguard.--_n._ BLACK'GUARDISM.--_adv._ BLACK'GUARDLY.--_ns._ BLACK'-HEART'EDNESS; BLACK'-HOLE, formerly the name for the punishment-cell in a barrack: the memorable black-hole in the Fort-William barracks at Calcutta, into which, in in 1756, as many as 146 Europeans were thrust over night, of whom only 23 were found surviving in the morning; BLACK'ING, a substance used for blacking leather, &c.--_adj._ BLACK'ISH.--_ns._ BLACK'-JACK, a vessel for holding drink, originally made of leather: (_naut._) the flag of a pirate; BLACK'-LEAD, a black mineral (plumbago, not lead) used in making pencils, blacking grates, &c.; BLACK'LEG, a low, gambling fellow: a turf-swindler: a term applied by strikers to men willing to work for the wages against which themselves have struck--also BLACK'-NEB; BLACK'-LET'TER, the old English (also called Gothic) letter ([Black-letter]); BLACK'-LIST, a list of defaulters; BLACK'-MAR[=I]'A, the closely covered, usually black-painted van in which prisoners are conveyed between the court and the prison; BLACK'-MON'DAY, Easter Monday, so called on account of the sufferings experienced by the army of Edward III. from the severity of the weather on that day in 1360; BLACK'-MONK, a monk of the order of St Benedict, from his garments; BLACK'NESS; BLACK'-PUDD'ING, a blood-pudding (q.v.).; BLACK'-ROD, the usher of the chapter of the Garter and of the House of Lords, so called from the black wand tipped with a golden lion which he carries; BLACK'-SHEEP, a disreputable member of a family or group; BLACK'SMITH, a smith who works in iron, as opposed to a _Whitesmith_, or one who works in tin; BLACK'THORN, a species of dark-coloured thorn: the sloe: a stick made from its stem.--_adjs._ BLACK'-TRESSED, having black tresses; BLACK-VISAGED (blak'-viz'[=a]jd), having a black visage or appearance.--_n._ BLACK'-WASH, a lotion of calomel and lime-water: anything that blackens.--BLACK AND BLUE, with the livid colour of a bruise in the flesh; BLACK BOOK, an official book bound in black, a book recording the names of persons deserving punishment; BLACK EYE, an eye of which the iris is dark--a point of beauty: a discoloration around the eye due to a blow or fall; BLACK FELLOW, a native in Australia.--IN BLACK AND WHITE, in writing or in print: in art, in no colours but black and white.--TO BE BLACK IN THE FACE, to have the face purple through strangulation, passion, or effort; TO BE IN ANY ONE'S BLACK BOOKS, to have incurred any one's displeasure; TO BLACK OUT, to obliterate with black. [A.S. _blac_, _blæc_, black.]

BLACK-ART, blak'-ärt, _n._ necromancy: magic. [Acc. to Trench, a translation of the Low L. _nigromantia_, substituted erroneously for the Gr. _necromanteia_ (see NECROMANCY), as if the first syllable had been L. _niger_, black.]

BLACKMAIL, blak'm[=a]l, _n._ rent or tribute formerly paid to robbers for protection: hush-money extorted under threat of exposure or denunciation, esp. of a baseless charge.--_v.t._ to extort money from a person by this expedient. [BLACK and A.S. _mal_, tribute, toll.]

BLAD, blad, _n._ a fragment of anything, a good lump. [Scot.]

BLADDER, blad'[.e]r, _n._ a thin bag distended with liquid or air: the receptacle for the urine.--_adjs._ BLADD'ERED, BLADD'ERY, swollen like a bladder.--_n._ BLADD'ERWORT, a genus of slender aquatic plants, the leaves floating. [A.S. _bl['æ]dre_--_blawan_; Old Ger. _blahan_, _blajan_, to blow; Ger. _blase_, bladder--_blasen_, to blow; cf. L. _flat-us_, breath.]

BLADE, bl[=a]d, _n._ the leaf or flat part of grass or corn: the cutting part of a knife, sword, &c.: the flat part of an oar: a dashing fellow.--_n._ BLADE'BONE, the flat bone at the back of the shoulder: the scapula.--_adj._ BLAD'ED. [A.S. _blæd_; Ice. _blad_, Ger. _blatt_.]

BLAE, bl[=a], _adj._ blackish or blue in colour: livid: bleak.--_n._ BLAE'BERRY, Scotch name for the bilberry or whortleberry. [M. E. _blo_, _bloo_--Scand. _blá_.]

BLAGUE, blag, _n._ blustering humbug. [Fr.]

BLAIN, bl[=a]n, _n._ a boil or blister. [A.S. _blegen_, a blister, prob. from _blawan_, to blow.]

BLAME, bl[=a]m, _v.t._ to find fault with: to censure.--_n._ imputation of a fault: crime: censure.--_adj._ BLAM'ABLE, deserving of blame: faulty.--_n._ BLAM'ABLENESS.--_adv._ BLAM'ABLY.--_adj._ BLAME'FUL, meriting blame: criminal.--_adv._ BLAME'FULLY.--_n._ BLAME'FULLNESS.--_adj._ BLAMELESS, without blame: guiltless: innocent.--_adv._ BLAME'LESSLY.--_ns._ BLAME'LESSNESS; BLAME'WORTHINESS, quality of being worthy of blame: blamableness.--_adj._ BLAME'WORTHY, worthy of blame: culpable. [Fr. _blâmer_, _blasmer_--Gr. _blasph[=e]me_-_ein_, to speak ill. See BLASPHEME.]

BLANCH, blansh, _v.t._ to whiten.--_v.i._ to grow white. [Fr. _blanchir_--_blanc_, white. See BLANK.]

BLANC-MANGE, bla-mawngzh', _n._ a white jelly prepared with milk. [Fr. _blanc_, white, _manger_, food.]

BLAND, bland, _adj._ smooth: gentle: mild.--_adv._ BLANDLY.--_n._ BLAND'NESS. [L. _blandus_, perh.--_mla_(_n_)_dus_--Eng. _mild_.]

BLAND, bland, _n._ an Orcadian name for butter-milk and water. [Scand. _blanda_.]

BLANDISH, bland'ish, _v.t._ to flatter and coax, to cajole.--_n._ BLAND'ISHMENT, act of expressing fondness: flattery: winning expressions or actions. [Fr. _blandir_, _blandiss-_, from L. _bland[=i]ri_.]

BLANK, blangk, _adj._ without writing or marks, as in white paper: empty, empty of results: vacant, confused: (_poetry_) not having rhyme.--_n._ a paper without writing: a lottery-ticket having no mark, and therefore valueless: an empty space, a void, or vacancy: (_archery_) the white mark in the centre of a target at which an arrow is aimed, hence the object or aim of anything: a form of document having blank spaces afterwards to be filled in.--_v.t._ to make pale: (_Milton_) to confuse.--_n._ BLANK'-CART'RIDGE, a cartridge without a bullet.--_p.adj._ BLANKED, a minced form of _damned_, from the usual form of printing d----d.--_adv._ BLANK'LY.--_ns._ BLANK'NESS; BLANK'-VERSE, verse without rhyme, esp. the heroic verse of five feet. [Fr. _blanc_, from root of Ger. _blinken_, to glitter--Old High Ger. _blichen_, Gr. _phlegein_, to shine.]

BLANKET, blangk'et, _n._ a white woollen covering for beds: a covering for horses, &c.--_v.t._ to cover with a blanket: to toss in a blanket.--_n._ BLANK'ETING, cloth for blankets: the punishment of being tossed in a blanket. [Fr. _blanchet_, dim. of _blanc_, from its null white colour,]

BLARE, bl[=a]r, _v.i._ to roar, to sound loudly, as a trumpet.--_n._ roar, noise. [M. E. _blaren_, orig. _blasen_, from A.S. _blæsan_, to blow. See BLAST.]

BLARNEY, blar'ni, _n._ pleasing flattery or cajoling talk.--_v.t._ to beguile with such. [_Blarney_ Castle, near Cork, where there is a stone difficult to reach, he who kisses which ever after possesses the gift of blarney.]

BLASÉ, bla-z[=a], _adj._ fatigued with pleasures, used up. [Fr. _blaser_.]

BLASH, blash, _n._ watery stuff.--_adj._ BLASH'Y. [Scot.]

BLASPHEME, blas-f[=e]m', _v.t._ and _v.i._ to speak impiously of, as of God: to curse and swear.--_n._ BLASPHEM'ER.--_adj._ BLAS'PHEMOUS, containing blasphemy: impious.--_adv._ BLAS'PHEMOUSLY.--_n._ BLAS'PHEMY, profane speaking: contempt or indignity offered to God. [Gr. _blasph[=e]me-ein_--_blaptein_, to hurt, _ph[=e]mi_ to speak. See BLAME.]

BLAST, blast, _n._ a blowing or gust of wind: a forcible stream of air: sound of a wind instrument; an explosion of gunpowder: anything pernicious.--_v.t._ to strike with some pernicious influence, to blight: to affect with sudden violence or calamity: to rend asunder with gunpowder.--_adj._ BLAST'ED, blighted: cursed, damned.--_ns._ BLAST'-FUR'NACE, a smelting furnace into which hot air is blown; BLAST'-HOLE, a hole in the bottom of a pump through which water enters; BLAST'ING, the separating of masses of stone by means of an explosive substance; BLAST'ING-GEL'ATINE, a powerful explosive made of gun-cotton and nitro-glycerine; BLAST'MENT, withering or shrivelling up caused by blasting; BLAST'-PIPE, a pipe in a steam-engine, to convey the waste-steam up the chimney. [A.S. _bl['æ]st_; cf. Ice. _beása_; Ger. _blasen_.]

BLASTODERM, blas'to-derm, _n._ an embryological term applied to the layer or layers of cells arising from the germinal disc, or the portion of a partially segmenting egg which undergoes division. [Gr. _blasto-_, _blastos_, a sprout, _derma_, _dermat-_, skin.]

BLATANT, bl[=a]t'ant, _adj._ noisy, clamorous, loud.--_adv._ BLAT'ANTLY. [Prob. a coinage of Spenser.]

BLATE, bl[=a]t, _adj._ bashful, timidly awkward. [Scot.; A.S. _blát_, pale.]