Chapter 146

Be*hoof" (?) , n. [OE. to bihove for the use of, AS. beh<?/f advantage, a word implied in beh<?/fl\'c6c necessary; akin to Sw. behof , Dan. behov , G. behuf , and E. heave , the root meaning to seize , hence the meanings "to hold, make use of." See Heave , v. t. ] Advantage; profit; benefit; interest; use.

No mean recompense it brings To your behoof . Milton.

Behoovable <Xpage=133>

Be*hoov"a*ble (?) , a. Supplying need; profitable; advantageous. [Obs.]

Udall.

Behoove <Xpage=133>

Be*hoove" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Behooved (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Behooving .] [OE. bihoven , behoven , AS. beh<?/fian to have need of, fr. beh<?/f . See Behoof .] To be necessary for; to be fit for; to be meet for, with respect to necessity, duty, or convenience; -- mostly used impersonally.

And thus it behooved Christ to suffer. Luke xxiv. 46.

[Also written behove .]

Behoove <Xpage=133>

Be*hoove" (?) , v. i. To be necessary, fit, or suitable; to befit; to belong as due.

Chaucer.

Behoove <Xpage=133>

Be*hoove" , n. Advantage; behoof. [Obs.]

It shall not be to his behoove . Gower.

Behooveful <Xpage=133>

Be*hoove"ful (?) , a. Advantageous; useful; profitable. [Archaic] -- Be*hoove"ful*ly , adv. -- Be*hoove"ful*ness , n. [Archaic]

Behove <Xpage=133>

Be*hove" (?) , v. , and derivatives. See Behoov e, & c.

Behovely <Xpage=133>

Be*hove"ly , a. & adv. Useful, or usefully. [Obs.]

Behowl <Xpage=133>

Be*howl" (?) , v. t. To howl at. [Obs.]

The wolf behowls the moon. Shak.

Beige <Xpage=133>

Beige (?) , n. [F.] Debeige.

Beild <Xpage=133>

Beild (?) , n. [Prob. from the same root as build , v. t.] A place of shelter; protection; refuge. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.] [Also written bield and beeld .]

The random beild o' clod or stane. Burns.

Being <Xpage=133>

Be"ing (?) , p. pr. from Be . Existing.

&hand; Being was formerly used where we now use having . " Being to go to a ball in a few days." Miss Edgeworth .

&hand; In modern usage, is , are , was or were being , with a past participle following (as built , made , etc.) indicates the process toward the completed result expressed by the participle. The form is or was building , in this passive signification, is idiomatic, and, if free from ambiguity, is commonly preferable to the modern is or was being built . The last form of speech is, however, sufficiently authorized by approved writers. The older expression was is , or was , a-building or in building .

A man who is being strangled. Lamb.

While the article on Burns was being written. Froude.

Fresh experience is always being gained. Jowett (Thucyd. )

Being <Xpage=133>

Be"ing , n. 1. Existence, as opposed to nonexistence; state or sphere of existence.

In Him we live, and move, and have our being . Acts xvii. 28.

2. That which exists in any form, whether it be material or spiritual, actual or ideal; living existence, as distinguished from a thing without life; as, a human being ; spiritual beings .

What a sweet being is an honest mind ! Beau. & Fl.

A Being of infinite benevolence and power. Wordsworth.

3. Lifetime; mortal existence. [Obs.]

Claudius, thou Wast follower of his fortunes in his being . Webster (1654).

4. An abode; a cottage. [Prov. Eng.]

Wright.

It was a relief to dismiss them [Sir Roger's servants] into little beings within my manor. Steele.

Being <Xpage=133>

Be"ing , adv. Since; inasmuch as. [Obs. or Colloq.]

And being you have Declined his means, you have increased his malice. Beau. & Fl.

Bejade <Xpage=133>

Be*jade" (?) , v. t. To jade or tire. [Obs.]

Milton.

Bejape <Xpage=133>

Be*jape" (?) , v. t. To jape; to laugh at; to deceive. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Bejaundice <Xpage=133>

Be*jaun"dice (?) , v. t. To infect with jaundice.

Bejewel <Xpage=133>

Be*jew"el (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bejeweled or Bejewelled (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bejeweling or Bejewelling .] To ornament with a jewel or with jewels; to spangle. " Bejeweled hands."

Thackeray.

Bejumble <Xpage=133>

Be*jum"ble (?) , v. t. To jumble together.

Bekah <Xpage=133>

Be"kah (?) , n. [Heb.] Half a shekel.

Beknave <Xpage=133>

Be*knave" (?) , v. t. To call knave. [Obs.]

Pope.

Beknow <Xpage=133>

Be*know" (?) , v. t. To confess; to acknowledge. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Bel <Xpage=133>

Bel (?) , n. The Babylonian name of the god known among the Hebrews as Baal . See Baal .

Baruch vi. 41.

Belabor <Xpage=133>

Be*la"bor (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belabored (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Belaboring .] 1. To ply diligently; to work carefully upon. "If the earth is belabored with culture, it yieldeth corn."

Barrow.

2. To beat soundly; to cudgel.

Ajax belabors there a harmless ox. Dryden.

Bel-accoyle <Xpage=133>

Bel`-ac*coyle" (?) , n. [F. bel beautiful + accueil reception.] A kind or favorable reception or salutation. [Obs.]

Belace <Xpage=133>

Be*lace" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belaced (#) .]

1. To fasten, as with a lace or cord. [Obs.]

2. To cover or adorn with lace. [Obs.]

Beaumont.

3. To beat with a strap. See Lace . [Obs.]

Wright.

Belam <Xpage=133>

Be*lam" (?) , v. t. [See Lam .] To beat or bang. [Prov. & Low, Eng.]

Todd.

Belamour <Xpage=133>

Bel"a*mour (?) , n. [F. bel amour fair love.] 1. A lover. [Obs.]

Spenser.

2. A flower, but of what kind is unknown. [Obs.]

Her snowy brows, like budded belamours . Spenser.

Belamy <Xpage=133>

Bel"a*my (?) , n. [F. bel ami fair friend.] Good friend; dear friend. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Belate <Xpage=133>

Be*late" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Belating .] To retard or make too late.

Davenant.

Belated <Xpage=133>

Be*lat"ed , a. Delayed beyond the usual time; too late; overtaken by night; benighted. "Some belated peasant." Milton . -- Be*lat"ed*ness , n. Milton .

Belaud <Xpage=133>

Be*laud" (?) , v. t. To laud or praise greatly.

Belay <Xpage=133>

Be*lay" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belaid , Belayed (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Belaying .] [For senses 1 & 2, D. beleggen to cover, belay; akin to E. pref. be- , and lay to place: for sense 3, OE. beleggen , AS. belecgan . See pref. Be- , and Lay to place.] 1. To lay on or cover; to adorn. [Obs.]

Jacket . . . belayed with silver lace. Spenser.

2. (Naut.) To make fast, as a rope, by taking several turns with it round a pin, cleat, or kevel.

Totten.

3. To lie in wait for with a view to assault. Hence: to block up or obstruct. [Obs.]

Dryden.

Belay thee ! Stop.

<page="134"> Page 134

Belaying pin <Xpage=134>

Be*lay"ing pin` (?) . (Naut.) A strong pin in the side of a vessel, or by the mast, round which ropes are wound when they are fastened or belayed.

Belch <Xpage=134>

Belch (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belched (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Belching .] [OE. belken , AS. bealcan , akin to E. bellow . See Bellow , v. i. ] 1. To eject or throw up from the stomach with violence; to eruct.

I belched a hurricane of wind. Swift.

2. To eject violently from within; to cast forth; to emit; to give vent to; to vent.

Within the gates that now Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame. Milton.

Belch <Xpage=134>

Belch , v. i. 1. To eject wind from the stomach through the mouth; to eructate.

2. To issue with spasmodic force or noise.

Dryden.

Belch <Xpage=134>

Belch , n. 1. The act of belching; also, that which is belched; an eructation.

2. Malt liquor; -- vulgarly so called as causing eructation. [Obs.]

Dennis.

Belcher <Xpage=134>

Belch"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, belches.

Beldam Beldame <Xpage=134>

Bel"dam Bel"dame (?) , n. [Pref. bel- , denoting relationship + dame mother: cf. F. belledame fair lady, It. belladonna . See Belle , and Dame .]

1. Grandmother; -- corresponding to belsire.

To show the beldam daughters of her daughter. Shak.

2. An old woman in general; especially, an ugly old woman; a hag.

Around the beldam all erect they hang. Akenside.

Beleaguer <Xpage=134>

Be*lea"guer (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Beleaguered (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Beleaguering .] [D. belegeren (akin to G. belagern , Sw. bel\'84gra , Dan. beleire ); pref. be- = E. be- + leger bed, camp, army, akin to E. lair . See Lair .] To surround with an army so as to preclude escape; to besiege; to blockade.

The wail of famine in beleaguered towns. Longfellow.

Syn. -- To block up; environ; invest; encompass.

Beleaguerer <Xpage=134>

Be*lea"guer*er (?) , n. One who beleaguers.

Beleave <Xpage=134>

Be*leave" (?) , v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Beleft (#) .] To leave or to be left. [Obs.]

May.

Belecture <Xpage=134>

Be*lec"ture (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belectured (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Belecturing .] To vex with lectures; to lecture frequently.

Belee <Xpage=134>

Be*lee" (?) , v. t. To place under the lee, or unfavorably to the wind.

Shak.

Belemnite <Xpage=134>

Be*lem"nite (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ dart, fr. <?/ dart, fr. <?/ to throw: cf. F. b\'82lemnite .] (Paleon.) A conical calcareous fossil, tapering to a point at the lower extremity, with a conical cavity at the other end, where it is ordinarily broken; but when perfect it contains a small chambered cone, called the phragmocone, prolonged, on one side, into a delicate concave blade; the thunderstone. It is the internal shell of a cephalopod related to the sepia, and belonging to an extinct family. The belemnites are found in rocks of the Jurassic and Cretaceous ages. -- Bel*em*nit"ic , a.

Beleper <Xpage=134>

Be*lep"er (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belepered (#) .] To infect with leprosy. [Obs.]

Beau. & Fl.

Bel-esprit <Xpage=134>

Bel"-es*prit" (?) , n. ; pl. Beaux -esprits (#) . [F., fine wit.] A fine genius, or man of wit. "A man of letters and a bel esprit ."

W. Irving.

Belfry <Xpage=134>

Bel"fry (?) , n. [OE. berfray movable tower used in sieges, OF. berfreit , berfroit , F. beffroi , fr. MHG. bervrit , bercvrit , G. bergfriede , fr. MHG. bergen to protect (G. bergen to conceal) + vride peace, protection, G. friede peace; in compounds often taken in the sense of security, or place of security; orig. therefore a place affording security. G. friede is akin to E. free . See Burg , and Free .] 1. (Mil. Antiq.) A movable tower erected by besiegers for purposes of attack and defense.

2. A bell tower, usually attached to a church or other building, but sometimes separate; a campanile.

3. A room in a tower in which a bell is or may be hung; or a cupola or turret for the same purpose.

4. (Naut.) The framing on which a bell is suspended.

Belgard <Xpage=134>

Bel*gard" (?) , n. [It. bel guardo .] A sweet or loving look. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Belgian <Xpage=134>

Bel"gi*an (?) , a. Of or pertaining to Belgium. -- n. A native or inhabitant of Belgium.

Belgic <Xpage=134>

Bel"gic (?) , a. [L. Belgicus , fr. Belgae the Belgians.] 1. Of or pertaining to the Belg\'91 , a German tribe who anciently possessed the country between the Rhine, the Seine, and the ocean.

How unlike their Belgic sires of old. Goldsmith.

2. Of or pertaining to the Netherlands or to Belgium.

Belgravian <Xpage=134>

Bel*gra"vi*an (?) , a. Belonging to Belgravia (a fashionable quarter of London, around Pimlico), or to fashionable life; aristocratic.

Belial <Xpage=134>

Be"li*al (?) , n. [Heb. beli ya'al ; beli without + ya'al profit.] An evil spirit; a wicked and unprincipled person; the personification of evil.

What concord hath Christ with Belia ? 2 Cor. vi. 15.

A son (or man) of Belial , a worthless, wicked, or thoroughly depraved person. 1 Sam. ii. 12.

Belibel <Xpage=134>

Be*li"bel (?) , v. t. [See Libel , v. t. ] To libel or traduce; to calumniate.

Fuller.

Belie <Xpage=134>

Be*lie" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Belied (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Belying (#) .] [OE. bilien , bili<?/en , AS. bele\'a2gan ; pref. be- + le\'a2gan to lie. See Lie , n. ] 1. To show to be false; to convict of, or charge with, falsehood.

Their trembling hearts belie their boastful tongues. Dryden.

2. To give a false representation or account of.

Should I do so, I should belie my thoughts. Shak.

3. To tell lie about; to calumniate; to slander.

Thou dost belie him, Percy, thou dost belie him. Shak.

4. To mimic; to counterfeit. [Obs.]

Dryden.

5. To fill with lies. [Obs.] "The breath of slander doth belie all corners of the world."

Shak.

Belief <Xpage=134>

Be*lief" (?) , n. [OE. bileafe , bileve ; cf. AS. gele\'a0fa . See Believe .] 1. Assent to a proposition or affirmation, or the acceptance of a fact, opinion, or assertion as real or true, without immediate personal knowledge; reliance upon word or testimony; partial or full assurance without positive knowledge or absolute certainty; persuasion; conviction; confidence; as, belief of a witness; the belief of our senses.

Belief admits of all degrees, from the slightest suspicion to the fullest assurance. Reid.

2. (Theol.) A persuasion of the truths of religion; faith.

No man can attain [to] belief by the bare contemplation of heaven and earth. Hooker.

3. The thing believed; the object of belief.

Superstitious prophecies are not only the belief of fools, but the talk sometimes of wise men. Bacon.

4. A tenet, or the body of tenets, held by the advocates of any class of views; doctrine; creed.

In the heat of persecution to which Christian belief was subject upon its first promulgation. Hooker.

Ultimate belief , a first principle incapable of proof; an intuitive truth; an intuition.

Sir W. Hamilton.

Syn. -- Credence; trust; reliance; assurance; opinion.

Beliefful <Xpage=134>

Be*lief"ful (?) , a. Having belief or faith.

Believable <Xpage=134>

Be*liev"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being believed; credible. -- Be*liev"a*ble*ness , n. -- Be*liev`a*bil"i*ty (<?/) , n.

Believe <Xpage=134>

Be*lieve" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Believed (#) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Believing .] [OE. bileven (with pref. be- for AS. ge- ), fr. AS. gel<?/fan , gel<?/fan ; akin to D. gelooven , OHG. gilouban , G. glauben , OS. gil<?/bian , Goth. galaubjan , and Goth. liubs dear. See Lief , a. , Leave , n. ] To exercise belief in; to credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of, upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by circumstances other than personal knowledge; to regard or accept as true; to place confidence in; to think; to consider; as, to believe a person, a statement, or a doctrine .

Our conqueror (whom I now Of force believe almighty). Milton.

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets ? Acts xxvi.<?/7.

Often followed by a dependent clause. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts viii. 37.

Syn. -- See Expect .

Believe <Xpage=134>

Be*lieve" , v. i. 1. To have a firm persuasion, esp. of the truths of religion; to have a persuasion approaching to certainty; to exercise belief or faith.

Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief. Mark ix. 24.

With the heart man believeth unto righteousness. Rom. x. 10.

2. To think; to suppose.

I will not believe so meanly of you. Fielding.