Chapter 133

Shak.

Barren flower , a flower which has only stamens without a pistil, or which as neither stamens nor pistils. -- Barren Grounds (Geog.) , a vast tract in British America northward of the forest regions. -- Barren Ground bear (Zo\'94l.) , a peculiar bear, inhabiting the Barren Grounds, now believed to be a variety of the brown bear of Europe. -- Barren Ground caribou (Zo\'94l.) , a small reindeer ( Rangifer Gr\'d2nlandicus ) peculiar to the Barren Grounds and Greenland.

Barren <Xpage=121>

Bar"ren , n. 1. A tract of barren land.

2. pl. Elevated lands or plains on which grow small trees, but not timber; as, pine barrens ; oak barrens . They are not necessarily sterile, and are often fertile. [Amer.]

J. Pickering.

Barrenly <Xpage=121>

Bar"ren*ly , adv. Unfruitfully; unproductively.

Barrenness <Xpage=121>

Bar"ren*ness , n. The condition of being barren; sterility; unproductiveness.

A total barrenness of invention. Dryden.

Barrenwort <Xpage=121>

Bar"ren*wort` (?) , n. (Bot.) An herbaceous plant of the Barberry family ( Epimedium alpinum ), having leaves that are bitter and said to be sudorific.

Barret <Xpage=121>

Bar"ret (?) , n. [F. barrette , LL. barretum a cap. See Berretta , and cf. Biretta .] A kind of cap formerly worn by soldiers; -- called also barret cap . Also, the flat cap worn by Roman Catholic ecclesiastics.

Barricade <Xpage=121>

Bar`ri*cade" (?) , n. [F. barricade , fr. Sp. barricada , orig. a barring up with casks; fr. barrica cask, perh. fr. LL. barra bar. See Bar , n. , and cf. Barrel , n. ]

1. (Mil.) A fortification, made in haste, of trees, earth, palisades, wagons, or anything that will obstruct the progress or attack of an enemy. It is usually an obstruction formed in streets to block an enemy's access.

2. Any bar, obstruction, or means of defense.

Such a barricade as would greatly annoy, or absolutely stop, the currents of the atmosphere. Derham.

Barricade <Xpage=121>

Bar`ri*cade" , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Barricaded ; p. pr. & vb. n. Barricading .] [Cf. F. barricader . See Barricade , n. ] To fortify or close with a barricade or with barricades; to stop up, as a passage; to obstruct; as, the workmen barricaded the streets of Paris .

The further end whereof [a bridge] was barricaded with barrels. Hakluyt.

Barricader <Xpage=121>

Bar`ri*cad"er (?) , n. One who constructs barricades.

Barricado <Xpage=121>

Bar`ri*ca"do (?) , n. & v. t. See Barricade .

Shak.

Barrier <Xpage=121>

Bar"ri*er (?) , n. [OE. barrere , barere , F. barri\'8are , fr. barre bar. See Bar , n. ] 1. (Fort.) A carpentry obstruction, stockade, or other obstacle made in a passage in order to stop an enemy.

2. A fortress or fortified town, on the frontier of a country, commanding an avenue of approach.

3. pl. A fence or railing to mark the limits of a place, or to keep back a crowd.

No sooner were the barriers opened, than he paced into the lists. Sir W. Scott.

4. An any obstruction; anything which hinders approach or attack. "Constitutional barriers ."

Hopkinson.

5. Any limit or boundary; a line of separation.

'Twixt that [instinct] and reason, what a nice barrier ! Pope.

Barrier gate , a heavy gate to close the opening through a barrier. -- Barrier reef , a form of coral reef which runs in the general direction of the shore, and incloses a lagoon channel more or less extensive. -- To fight at barriers , to fight with a barrier between, as a martial exercise. [Obs.]

Barrigudo <Xpage=121>

Bar`ri*gu"do (?) , n. [Native name, fr. Sp. barrigudo big-bellied.] (Zo\'94l.) A large, dark-colored, South American monkey, of the genus Lagothrix , having a long prehensile tail.

Barringout <Xpage=121>

Bar`ring*out" (?) , n. The act of closing the doors of a schoolroom against a schoolmaster; -- a boyish mode of rebellion in schools.

Swift.

Barrister <Xpage=121>

Bar"ris*ter (?) , n. [From Bar , n. ] Counselor at law; a counsel admitted to plead at the bar, and undertake the public trial of causes, as distinguished from an attorney or solicitor. See Attorney . [Eng.]

Barroom <Xpage=121>

Bar"room` (?) , n. A room containing a bar or counter at which liquors are sold.

Barrow <Xpage=121>

Bar"row (?) , n. [OE. barow , fr. AS. beran to bear. See Bear to support, and cf. Bier .] 1. A support having handles, and with or without a wheel, on which heavy or bulky things can be transported by hand. See Handbarrow , and Wheelbarrow .

2. (Salt Works) A wicker case, in which salt is put to drain.

Barrow <Xpage=121>

Bar"row (?) , n. [OE. barow , bargh , AS. bearg , bearh ; akin to Icel. b\'94rgr , OHG. barh , barug , G. barch . <?/95.] A hog, esp. a male hog castrated.

Holland.

Barrow <Xpage=121>

Bar"row , n. [OE. bergh , AS. beorg , beorh , hill, sepulchral mound; akin to G. berg mountain, Goth. bairgahei hill, hilly country, and perh. to Skr. b<?/hant high, OIr. brigh mountain. Cf. Berg , Berry a mound, and Borough an incorporated town.] 1. A large mound of earth or stones over the remains of the dead; a tumulus.

2. (Mining) A heap of rubbish, attle, etc.

Barrowist <Xpage=121>

Bar"row*ist , n. (Eccl. Hist.) A follower of Henry Barrowe, one of the founders of Independency or Congregationalism in England. Barrowe was executed for nonconformity in 1953.

Barrulet <Xpage=121>

Bar"ru*let (?) , n. [Dim. of bar , n.] (Her.) A diminutive of the bar, having one fourth its width.

Barruly <Xpage=121>

Bar"ru*ly (?) , a. (Her.) Traversed by barrulets or small bars; -- said of the field.

Barry <Xpage=121>

Bar"ry (?) , a. (Her.) , Divided into bars; -- said of the field.

Barse <Xpage=121>

Barse (?) , n. [AS. bears , b\'91rs , akin to D. baars , G. bars , barsch . Cf. 1st Bass , n. ] The common perch. See 1st Bass . [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

Bartender <Xpage=121>

Bar"tend`er (?) , n. A barkeeper.

Barter <Xpage=121>

Bar"ter (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Bartered (<?/); p. pr. & vb. n. Bartering .] [OE. bartren , OF. barater , bareter , to cheat, exchange, perh. fr. Gr. <?/ to do, deal (well or ill), use practices or tricks, or perh. fr. Celtic; cf. Ir. brath treachery, W. brad . Cf. Barrator .] To traffic or trade, by exchanging one commodity for another, in distinction from a sale and purchase , in which money is paid for the commodities transferred; to truck.

Barter <Xpage=121>

Bar"ter , v. t. To trade or exchange in the way of barter; to exchange (frequently for an unworthy consideration); to traffic; to truck; -- sometimes followed by away ; as, to barter away goods or honor .

Barter <Xpage=121>

Bar"ter , n. 1. The act or practice of trafficking by exchange of commodities; an exchange of goods.

The spirit of huckstering and barter . Burke.

2. The thing given in exchange.

Syn. -- Exchange; dealing; traffic; trade; truck.

Barterer <Xpage=121>

Bar"ter*er (?) , n. One who barters.

Bartery <Xpage=121>

Bar"ter*y (?) , n. Barter. [Obs.]

Camden.

Barth <Xpage=121>

Barth (?) , n. [Etymol. unknown.] A place of shelter for cattle. [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

Bartholomew tide <Xpage=121>

Bar*thol"o*mew tide` (?) . Time of the festival of St. Bartholomew, August 24th.

Shak.

Bartizan <Xpage=121>

Bar"ti*zan` (?) , n. [Cf. Brettice .] (Arch.) A small, overhanging structure for lookout or defense, usually projecting at an angle of a building or near an entrance gateway.

Bartlett <Xpage=121>

Bart"lett (?) , n. (Bot.) A Bartlett pear, a favorite kind of pear, which originated in England about 1770, and was called Williams' Bonchr\'82tien . It was brought to America, and distributed by Mr. Enoch Bartlett, of Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Barton <Xpage=121>

Bar"ton (?) , n. [AS. beret<?/n courtyard, grange; bere barley + t<?/n an inclosure. ] 1. The demesne lands of a manor; also, the manor itself. [Eng.]

Burton.

2. A farmyard. [Eng.]

Southey.

Bartram <Xpage=121>

Bar"tram (?) , n. (Bot.) See Bertram .

Johnson.

Barway <Xpage=121>

Bar"way` (?) , n. A passage into a field or yard, closed by bars made to take out of the posts.

Barwise <Xpage=121>

Bar"wise` (?) , adv. (Her.) Horizontally.

Barwood <Xpage=121>

Bar"wood` (?) , n. A red wood of a leguminous tree ( Baphia nitida ), from Angola and the Gaboon in Africa. It is used as a dyewood, and also for ramrods, violin bows and turner's work.

Barycentric <Xpage=121>

Bar`y*cen"tric (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ heavy + <?/ center.] Of or pertaining to the center of gravity. See Barycentric calculus , under Calculus .

Baryphony <Xpage=121>

Ba*ryph"o*ny (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ heavy + <?/ a sound voice.] (Med.) Difficulty of speech.

Baryta <Xpage=121>

Ba*ry"ta (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ heavy. Cf. Baria .] (Chem.) An oxide of barium (or barytum); a heavy earth with a specific gravity above 4.

Barytes <Xpage=121>

Ba*ry"tes (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ heavy: cf. Gr. <?/ heaviness, F. baryte .] (Min.) Barium sulphate, generally called heavy spar or barite . See Barite .

Barytic <Xpage=121>

Ba*ryt"ic (?) , a. Of or pertaining to baryta.

Baryto-calcite <Xpage=121>

Ba*ry"to-cal"cite (?) , n. [ Baryta + calcite .] (Min.) A mineral of a white or gray color, occurring massive or crystallized. It is a compound of the carbonates of barium and calcium.

Barytone, Baritone <Xpage=121>

Bar"y*tone , Bar"i*tone (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ ; <?/ heavy + <?/ tone.] 1. (Mus.) Grave and deep, as a kind of male voice.

2. (Greek Gram.) Not marked with an accent on the last syllable, the grave accent being understood.

Barytone, Baritone <Xpage=121>

Bar"y*tone , Bar"i*tone , n. [F. baryton : cf. It. baritono .] 1. (Mus.) (a) A male voice, the compass of which partakes of the common bass and the tenor, but which does not descend as low as the one, nor rise as high as the other. (b) A person having a voice of such range. (c) The viola di gamba, now entirely disused.

2. (Greek Gram.) A word which has no accent marked on the last syllable, the grave accent being understood.

Barytum <Xpage=121>

Ba*ry"tum (?) , n. [NL.] (Chem.) The metal barium. See Barium . [R.]

Basal <Xpage=121>

Ba"sal (?) , a. Relating to, or forming, the base.

Basal cleavage . See under Cleavage . -- Basal plane (Crystallog.) , one parallel to the lateral or horizontal axis.

Basal-nerved <Xpage=121>

Ba"sal-nerved` (?) , a. (Bot.) Having the nerves radiating from the base; -- said of leaves.

Basalt <Xpage=121>

Ba*salt" (?) , n. [N. basaltes (an African word), a dark and hard species of marble found in Ethiopia: cf. F. basalte .] 1. (Geol.) A rock of igneous origin, consisting of augite and triclinic feldspar, with grains of magnetic or titanic iron, and also bottle-green particles of olivine frequently disseminated.

&hand; It is usually of a greenish black color, or of some dull brown shade, or black. It constitutes immense beds in some regions, and also occurs in veins or dikes cutting through other rocks. It has often a prismatic structure as at the Giant's Causeway, in Ireland, where the columns are as regular as if the work of art. It is a very tough and heavy rock, and is one of the best materials for macadamizing roads.

2. An imitation, in pottery, of natural basalt; a kind of black porcelain.

Basaltic <Xpage=121>

Ba*salt"ic (?) , a. [Cf. F. basaltique .] Pertaining to basalt; formed of, or containing, basalt; as basaltic lava.

Basaltiform <Xpage=121>

Ba*salt"i*form (?) , a. [ Basalt + -form .] In the form of basalt; columnar.

Basaltoid <Xpage=121>

Ba*salt"oid (?) , a. [ Basalt + -oid .] Formed like basalt; basaltiform.

Basan <Xpage=121>

Bas"an (?) , n. Same as Basil , a sheepskin.

Basanite <Xpage=121>

Bas"a*nite (?) , n. [L. basanites lapis, Gr. <?/ the touchstone: cf. F. basanite .] (Min.) Lydian stone, or black jasper, a variety of siliceous or flinty slate, of a grayish or bluish black color. It is employed to test the purity of gold, the amount of alloy being indicated by the color left on the stone when rubbed by the metal.

Basbleu <Xpage=121>

Bas`bleu" (?) , n. [F., fr. bas stocking + bleu blue.] A bluestocking; a literary woman. [Somewhat derisive]

Bascinet <Xpage=121>

Bas"ci*net (?) , n. [OE. bacinet , basnet , OF. bassinet , bacinet , F. bassinet , dim. of OF. bacin , F. bassin , a helmet in the form of a basin.] A light helmet, at first open, but later made with a visor. [Written also basinet , bassinet , basnet .]

Bascule <Xpage=121>

Bas"cule (?) , n. [F., a seesaw.] In mechanics an apparatus on the principle of the seesaw, in which one end rises as the other falls.

Bascule bridge , a counterpoise or balanced drawbridge, which is opened by sinking the counterpoise and thus lifting the footway into the air.

Base <Xpage=121>

Base (?) , a. [OE. bass , F. bas , low, fr. LL. bassus thick, fat, short, humble; cf. L. Bassus , a proper name, and W. bas shallow. Cf. Bass a part in music.] 1. Of little, or less than the usual, height; of low growth; as, base shrubs . [Archaic]

Shak.

2. Low in place or position. [Obs.]

Shak.

3. Of humble birth; or low degree; lowly; mean. [Archaic] "A pleasant and base swain."

Bacon.

4. Illegitimate by birth; bastard. [Archaic]

Why bastard? wherefore base ? Shak.

5. Of little comparative value, as metal inferior to gold and silver, the precious metals.

6. Alloyed with inferior metal; debased; as, base coin; base bullion.

7. Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations. "A cruel act of a base and a cowardish mind." Robynson (More's Utopia) . " Base ingratitude."

Milton.

8. Not classical or correct. " Base Latin."

Fuller.

9. Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin . [In this sense, commonly written bass. ]

10. (Law) Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate, one held by services not honorable; held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base , or low, and the tenant, a base tenant.

Base fee , formerly, an estate held at the will of the lord; now, a qualified fee. See note under Fee , n. , 4. -- Base metal . See under Metal .

Syn. -- Dishonorable; worthless; ignoble; low-minded; infamous; sordid; degraded. -- Base , Vile , Mean . These words, as expressing moral qualities, are here arranged in the order of their strength, the strongest being placed first. Base marks a high degree of moral turpitude; vile and mean denote, in different degrees, the want of what is valuable or worthy of esteem. What is base excites our abhorrence; what is vile provokes our disgust or indignation; what is mean awakens contempt. Base is opposed to high-minded; vile , to noble; mean , to liberal or generous. Ingratitude is base ; sycophancy is vile ; undue compliances are mean .

Base <Xpage=121>

Base , n. [F. base , L. basis , fr. Gr. <?/ a stepping step, a base, pedestal, fr. <?/ to go, step, akin to E. come . Cf. Basis , and see Come .] 1. The bottom of anything, considered as its support, or that on which something rests for support; the foundation; as, the base of a statue . "The base of mighty mountains."

Prescott.

2. Fig.: The fundamental or essential part of a thing; the essential principle; a groundwork.

3. (Arch.) (a) The lower part of a wall, pier, or column, when treated as a separate feature, usually in projection, or especially ornamented. (b) The lower part of a complete architectural design, as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration.

4. (Bot.) That extremity of a leaf, fruit, etc., at which it is attached to its support.

<-- p. 122 -->

5. (Chem.) The positive, or non-acid component of a salt; a substance which, combined with an acid, neutralizes the latter and forms a salt; -- applied also to the hydroxides of the positive elements or radicals, and to certain organic bodies resembling them in their property of forming salts with acids.

6. (Pharmacy) The chief ingredient in a compound.

7. (Dyeing) A substance used as a mordant.

Ure.

8. (Fort.) The exterior side of the polygon, or that imaginary line which connects the salient angles of two adjacent bastions.

9. (Geom.) The line or surface constituting that part of a figure on which it is supposed to stand.

10. (Math.) The number from which a mathematical table is constructed; as, the base of a system of logarithms .

11. [See Base low.] A low, or deep, sound. (Mus.) (a) The lowest part; the deepest male voice. (b) One who sings, or the instrument which plays, base. [Now commonly written bass .]

The trebles squeak for fear, the bases roar. Dryden.

12. (Mil.) A place or tract of country, protected by fortifications, or by natural advantages, from which the operations of an army proceed, forward movements are made, supplies are furnished, etc.