Chapter 87

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.

Be*lief" (&?;), n. [OE. bileafe, bileve; cf. AS. geleáfa. 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.

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

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

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. 27.

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

Syn. -- See Expect.

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.

To believe in. (a) To believe that the subject of the thought (if a person or thing) exists, or (if an event) that it has occurred, or will occur; -- as, to believe in the resurrection of the dead. "She does not believe in Jupiter." J. H. Newman. (b) To believe that the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; -- especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." John xiv. 1. (c) To believe that the qualities or effects of an action or state are beneficial: as, to believe in sea bathing, or in abstinence from alcoholic beverages. -- To believe on, to accept implicitly as an object of religious trust or obedience; to have faith in.

Be*liev"er (&?;), n. 1. One who believes; one who is persuaded of the truth or reality of some doctrine, person, or thing.

2. (Theol.) One who gives credit to the truth of the Scriptures, as a revelation from God; a Christian; -- in a more restricted sense, one who receives Christ as his Savior, and accepts the way of salvation unfolded in the gospel.

Thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Book of Com. Prayer.

3. (Eccl. Hist.) One who was admitted to all the rights of divine worship and instructed in all the mysteries of the Christian religion, in distinction from a catechumen, or one yet under instruction.

Be*liev"ing, a. That believes; having belief. -- Be*liev"ing*ly, adv.

Be*light" (&?;), v. t. To illuminate. [Obs.] Cowley.

Be*like" (&?;), adv. [Pref. be- (for by) + like.] It is likely or probably; perhaps. [Obs. or Archaic] -- Be*like"ly, adv.

Belike, boy, then you are in love. Shak.

Be*lime" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Belimed (&?;).] To besmear or insnare with birdlime.

Be*lit"tle (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Belittled (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Belittling.] To make little or less in a moral sense; to speak of in a depreciatory or contemptuous way. T. Jefferson.

Be*live" (&?;), adv. [Cf. Live, a.] Forthwith; speedily; quickly. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Belk (&?;), v. t. [See Belch.] To vomit. [Obs.]

Bell (&?;), n. [AS. belle, fr. bellan to bellow. See Bellow.] 1. A hollow metallic vessel, usually shaped somewhat like a cup with a flaring mouth, containing a clapper or tongue, and giving forth a ringing sound on being struck.

Bells have been made of various metals, but the best have always been, as now, of an alloy of copper and tin.

The Liberty Bell, the famous bell of the Philadelphia State House, which rang when the Continental Congress declared the Independence of the United States, in 1776. It had been cast in 1753, and upon it were the words "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, to all the inhabitants thereof."

2. A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved.

3. Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower. "In a cowslip's bell I lie." Shak.

4. (Arch.) That part of the capital of a column included between the abacus and neck molding; also used for the naked core of nearly cylindrical shape, assumed to exist within the leafage of a capital.

5. pl. (Naut.) The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated.

On shipboard, time is marked by a bell, which is struck eight times at 4, 8, and 12 o'clock. Half an hour after it has struck "eight bells" it is struck once, and at every succeeding half hour the number of strokes is increased by one, till at the end of the four hours, which constitute a watch, it is struck eight times.

To bear away the bell, to win the prize at a race where the prize was a bell; hence, to be superior in something. Fuller. -- To bear the bell, to be the first or leader; -- in allusion to the bellwether or a flock, or the leading animal of a team or drove, when wearing a bell. -- To curse by bell, book, and candle, a solemn form of excommunication used in the Roman Catholic church, the bell being tolled, the book of offices for the purpose being used, and three candles being extinguished with certain ceremonies. Nares. -- To lose the bell, to be worsted in a contest. "In single fight he lost the bell." Fairfax. -- To shake the bells, to move, give notice, or alarm. Shak.

Bell is much used adjectively or in combinations; as, bell clapper; bell foundry; bell hanger; bell- mouthed; bell tower, etc., which, for the most part, are self- explaining.

Bell arch (Arch.), an arch of unusual form, following the curve of an ogee. -- Bell cage, or Bell carriage (Arch.), a timber frame constructed to carry one or more large bells. -- Bell cot (Arch.), a small or subsidiary construction, frequently corbeled out from the walls of a structure, and used to contain and support one or more bells. -- Bell deck (Arch.), the floor of a belfry made to serve as a roof to the rooms below. -- Bell founder, one whose occupation it is to found or cast bells. -- Bell foundry, or Bell foundery, a place where bells are founded or cast. -- Bell gable (Arch.), a small gable-shaped construction, pierced with one or more openings, and used to contain bells. -- Bell glass. See Bell jar. -- Bell hanger, a man who hangs or puts up bells. -- Bell pull, a cord, handle, or knob, connecting with a bell or bell wire, and which will ring the bell when pulled. Aytoun. -- Bell punch, a kind of conductor's punch which rings a bell when used. -- Bell ringer, one who rings a bell or bells, esp. one whose business it is to ring a church bell or chime, or a set of musical bells for public entertainment. -- Bell roof (Arch.), a roof shaped according to the general lines of a bell. -- Bell rope, a rope by which a church or other bell is rung. -- Bell tent, a circular conical-topped tent. -- Bell trap, a kind of bell shaped stench trap.

Bell (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Belled (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Belling.] To put a bell upon; as, to bell the cat.

2. To make bell-mouthed; as, to bell a tube.

Bell, v. i. To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell.

Bell, v. t. [AS. bellan. See Bellow.] To utter by bellowing. [Obs.]

Bell, v. i. To call or bellow, as the deer in rutting time; to make a bellowing sound; to roar.

As loud as belleth wind in hell. Chaucer.

The wild buck bells from ferny brake. Sir W. Scott.

Bel`la*don"na (&?;), n. [It., literally fine lady; bella beautiful + donna lady.] (Bot.) (a) An herbaceous European plant (Atropa belladonna) with reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining black berries. The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the root and leaves are used as powerful medicinal agents. Its properties are largely due to the alkaloid atropine which it contains. Called also deadly nightshade. (b) A species of Amaryllis (A. belladonna); the belladonna lily.

Bell" an`i*mal"cule (&?;). (Zoöl.) An infusorian of the family Vorticellidæ, common in fresh-water ponds.

Bell" bear`er (&?;). (Zoöl.) A Brazilian leaf hopper (Bocydium tintinnabuliferum), remarkable for the four bell- shaped appendages of its thorax.

Bell"bird` (&?;), n. [So called from their notes.] (Zoöl.) (a) A South American bird of the genus Casmarhincos, and family Cotingidæ, of several species; the campanero. (b) The Myzantha melanophrys of Australia.

Bell" crank` (&?;). A lever whose two arms form a right angle, or nearly a right angle, having its fulcrum at the apex of the angle. It is used in bell pulls and in changing the direction of bell wires at angles of rooms, etc., and also in machinery.

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Belle (bl), n. [F. belle, fem. of bel, beau, beautiful, fine. See Beau.] A young lady of superior beauty and attractions; a handsome lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady.

Belled (bld), a. Hung with a bell or bells.

Belle-let"trist (&?;), n. One versed in belles-lettres.

||Bel*ler"o*phon (&?;), n. (Paleon.) A genus of fossil univalve shells, believed to belong to the Heteropoda, peculiar to the Paleozoic age.

||Belles-let"tres (&?;), n. pl. [F.] Polite or elegant literature; the humanities; -- used somewhat vaguely for literary works in which imagination and taste are predominant.

{ Bel`le*tris"tic (&?;), Bel`le*tris"tic*al (&?;), } a. Occupied with, or pertaining to, belles- lettres. "An unlearned, belletristic trifler." M. Arnold.

Bell"-faced` (&?;), a. Having the striking surface convex; -- said of hammers.

Bell"flow`er (&?;), n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Campanula; -- so named from its bell-shaped flowers.

Bell"flow`er, n. [F. bellefleur, lit., beautiful flower.] A kind of apple. The yellow bellflower is a large, yellow winter apple. [Written also bellefleur.]

Bel"li*bone (&?;), n. [F. belle et bonne, beautiful and good.] A woman excelling both in beauty and goodness; a fair maid. [Obs.] Spenser.

{ Bel"lic (&?;), Bel"li*cal (&?;), } a. [L. bellicus. See Bellicose.] Of or pertaining to war; warlike; martial. [Obs.] "Bellic Cæsar." Feltham.

Bel"li*cose` (&?;), a. [L. bellicosus, fr. bellicus of war, fr. bellum war. See Duel.] Inclined to war or contention; warlike; pugnacious.

Arnold was, in fact, in a bellicose vein. W. Irving.

Bel"li*cose`ly, adv. In a bellicose manner.

Bel"li*cous (&?;), a. Bellicose. [Obs.]

Bel"lied (&?;), a. Having (such) a belly; puffed out; -- used in composition; as, pot-bellied; shad- bellied.

{ Bel*lig"er*ence (&?;), Bel*lig"er*en*cy (&?;), } n. The quality of being belligerent; act or state of making war; warfare.

Bel*lig"er*ent (&?;), a. [L. bellum war + gerens, -entis, waging, p. pr. of gerere to wage: cf. F. belligérant. See Bellicose, Jest.] 1. Waging war; carrying on war. "Belligerent powers." E. Everett.

2. Pertaining, or tending, to war; of or relating to belligerents; as, a belligerent tone; belligerent rights.

Bel*lig"er*ent, n. A nation or state recognized as carrying on war; a person engaged in warfare.

Bel*lig"er*ent*ly, adv. In a belligerent manner; hostilely.

Bell"ing (&?;), n. [From Bell to bellow.] A bellowing, as of a deer in rutting time. Johnson.

Bel*lip"o*tent (&?;), a. [L. bellipotens; bellum war + potens powerful, p. pr. of posse to be able.] Mighty in war; armipotent. [R.] Blount.

Bell" jar` (&?;). (Phys.) A glass vessel, varying in size, open at the bottom and closed at the top like a bell, and having a knob or handle at the top for lifting it. It is used for a great variety of purposes; as, with the air pump, and for holding gases, also for keeping the dust from articles exposed to view.

Bell"man (&?;), n. A man who rings a bell, especially to give notice of anything in the streets. Formerly, also, a night watchman who called the hours. Milton.

Bell" met`al (&?;). A hard alloy or bronze, consisting usually of about three parts of copper to one of tin; -- used for making bells.

Bell metal ore, a sulphide of tin, copper, and iron; the mineral stannite.

Bell"-mouthed` (&?;), a. Expanding at the mouth; as, a bell-mouthed gun. Byron.

Bel"lon (&?;), n. Lead colic.

||Bel*lo"na (&?;), n. [L., from bellum war.] (Rom. Myth.) The goddess of war.

Bel"low (&?;), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bellowed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Bellowing.] [OE. belwen, belowen, AS. bylgean, fr. bellan; akin to G. bellen, and perh. to L. flere to weep, OSlav. bleja to bleat, Lith. balsas voice. Cf. Bell, n. & v., Bawl, Bull.] 1. To make a hollow, loud noise, as an enraged bull.

2. To bowl; to vociferate; to clamor. Dryden.

3. To roar; as the sea in a tempest, or as the wind when violent; to make a loud, hollow, continued sound.

The bellowing voice of boiling seas. Dryden.

Bel"low, v. t. To emit with a loud voice; to shout; -- used with out. "Would bellow out a laugh." Dryden.

Bel"low, n. A loud resounding outcry or noise, as of an enraged bull; a roar.

Bel"low*er (&?;), n. One who, or that which, bellows.

Bel"lows (&?;), n. sing. & pl. [OE. bely, below, belly, bellows, AS. bælg, bælig, bag, bellows, belly. Bellows is prop. a pl. and the orig. sense is bag. See Belly.] An instrument, utensil, or machine, which, by alternate expansion and contraction, or by rise and fall of the top, draws in air through a valve and expels it through a tube for various purposes, as blowing fires, ventilating mines, or filling the pipes of an organ with wind.

Bellows camera, in photography, a form of camera, which can be drawn out like an accordion or bellows. -- Hydrostatic bellows. See Hydrostatic. -- A pair of bellows, the ordinary household instrument for blowing fires, consisting of two nearly heart-shaped boards with handles, connected by leather, and having a valve and tube.

Bel"lows fish` (&?;). (Zoöl.) A European fish (Centriscus scolopax), distinguished by a long tubular snout, like the pipe of a bellows; -- called also trumpet fish, and snipe fish.

Bell" pep`per (&?;). (Bot.) A species of Capsicum, or Guinea pepper (C. annuum). It is the red pepper of the gardens.

Bell"-shaped` (-shpt`), a. Having the shape of a wide-mouthed bell; campanulate.

Bel"lu*ine (&?;), a. [L. belluinus, fr. bellua beast.] Pertaining to, or like, a beast; brutal. [R.]

Animal and belluine life. Atterbury.

Bell"weth`er (&?;), n. 1. A wether, or sheep, which leads the flock, with a bell on his neck.

2. Hence: A leader. [Contemptuous] Swift.

Bell"wort" (&?;), n. (Bot.) A genus of plants (Uvularia) with yellowish bell-shaped flowers.

Bel"ly (bl"l), n.; pl. Bellies (-lz). [OE. bali, bely, AS. belg, bælg, bælig, bag, bellows, belly; akin to Icel. belgr bag, bellows, Sw. bälg, Dan. bælg, D. & G. balg, cf. W. bol the paunch or belly, dim. boly, Ir. bolg. Cf. Bellows, Follicle, Fool, Bilge.] 1. That part of the human body which extends downward from the breast to the thighs, and contains the bowels, or intestines; the abdomen.

Formerly all the splanchnic or visceral cavities were called bellies; -- the lower belly being the abdomen; the middle belly, the thorax; and the upper belly, the head. Dunglison.

2. The under part of the body of animals, corresponding to the human belly.

Underneath the belly of their steeds. Shak.

3. The womb. [Obs.]

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee. Jer. i. 5.

4. The part of anything which resembles the human belly in protuberance or in cavity; the innermost part; as, the belly of a flask, muscle, sail, ship.

Out of the belly of hell cried I. Jonah ii. 2.

5. (Arch.) The hollow part of a curved or bent timber, the convex part of which is the back.

Belly doublet, a doublet of the 16th century, hanging down so as to cover the belly. Shak. -- Belly fretting, the chafing of a horse's belly with a girth. Johnson. -- Belly timber, food. [Ludicrous] Prior. -- Belly worm, a worm that breeds or lives in the belly (stomach or intestines). Johnson.

Bel"ly, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bellied (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bellying.] To cause to swell out; to fill. [R.]

Your breath of full consent bellied his sails. Shak.

Bel"ly, v. i. To swell and become protuberant, like the belly; to bulge.

The bellying canvas strutted with the gale. Dryden.

Bel"ly*ache` (&?;), n. Pain in the bowels; colic.

Bel"ly*band` (&?;), n. 1. A band that passes under the belly of a horse and holds the saddle or harness in place; a girth.

2. A band of flannel or other cloth about the belly.

3. (Naut.) A band of canvas, to strengthen a sail.

Bel"ly*bound` (&?;), a. Costive; constipated.

Bel"ly*cheat` (&?;), n. An apron or covering for the front of the person. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

Bel"ly*cheer` (&?;), n. [Perh. from F. belle chère.] Good cheer; viands. [Obs.] "Bellycheer and banquets." Rowlands. "Loaves and bellycheer." Milton.

Bel"ly*cheer`, v. i. To revel; to feast. [Obs.]

A pack of clergymen [assembled] by themselves to bellycheer in their presumptuous Sion. Milton.

Bel"ly*ful (&?;), n. As much as satisfies the appetite. Hence: A great abundance; more than enough. Lloyd.

King James told his son that he would have his bellyful of parliamentary impeachments. Johnson.

Bel"ly-god` (&?;), n. One whose great pleasure it is to gratify his appetite; a glutton; an epicure.

Bel"ly-pinched` (&?;), a. Pinched with hunger; starved. "The belly-pinched wolf." Shak.

Be*lock" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Belocked (&?;).] [Pref. be- + lock: cf. AS. bel&?;can.] To lock, or fasten as with a lock. [Obs.] Shak.

Bel"o*man`cy (&?;), n. [Gr. &?;; &?; arrow + &?; a diviner: cf. F. bélomancie.] A kind of divination anciently practiced by means of marked arrows drawn at random from a bag or quiver, the marks on the arrows drawn being supposed to foreshow the future. Encyc. Brit.

Be*long" (&?;), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Belonged (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Belonging.] [OE. belongen (akin to D. belangen to concern, G. belangen to attain to, to concern); pref. be- + longen to desire. See Long, v. i.] [Usually construed with to.] 1. To be the property of; as, Jamaica belongs to Great Britain.

2. To be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service.

A desert place belonging to . . . Bethsaids. Luke ix. 10.

The mighty men which belonged to David. 1 Kings i. 8.

3. To be the concern or proper business or function of; to appertain to. "Do not interpretations belong to God ?" Gen. xl. 8.

4. To be suitable for; to be due to.

Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age. Heb. v. 14.

No blame belongs to thee. Shak.

5. To be native to, or an inhabitant of; esp. to have a legal residence, settlement, or inhabitancy, whether by birth or operation of law, so as to be entitled to maintenance by the parish or town.

Bastards also are settled in the parishes to which the mothers belong. Blackstone.

Be*long" (&?;), v. t. To be deserved by. [Obs.]

More evils belong us than happen to us. B. Jonson.

Be*long"ing, n. [Commonly in the pl.] 1. That which belongs to one; that which pertains to one; hence, goods or effects. "Thyself and thy belongings." Shak.

2. That which is connected with a principal or greater thing; an appendage; an appurtenance.

3. Family; relations; household. [Colloq.]

Few persons of her ladyship's belongings stopped, before they did her bidding, to ask her reasons. Thackeray.

Bel"o*nite (&?;), n. [Gr. &?; a needle.] (Min.) Minute acicular or dendritic crystalline forms sometimes observed in glassy volcanic rocks.

{ Bel*oo"che Bel*oo"chee } (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to Beloochistan, or to its inhabitants. -- n. A native or an inhabitant of Beloochistan.

Be*lord" (&?;), v. t. 1. To act the lord over.

2. To address by the title of "lord".

Be*love" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Beloved (&?;).] [OE. bilufien. See pref. Be- , and Love, v. t.] To love. [Obs.] Wodroephe.

Be*loved" (&?;), p. p. & a. Greatly loved; dear to the heart.

Antony, so well beloved of Cæsar. Shak.

This is my beloved Son. Matt. iii. 17.

Be*lov"ed (&?;), n. One greatly loved.

My beloved is mine, and I am his. Cant. ii. 16.

Be*low" (&?;), prep. [Pref. be- by + low.] 1. Under, or lower in place; beneath not so high; as, below the moon; below the knee. Shak.

2. Inferior to in rank, excellence, dignity, value, amount, price, etc.; lower in quality. "One degree below kings." Addison.

3. Unworthy of; unbefitting; beneath.

They beheld, with a just loathing and disdain, . . . how below all history the persons and their actions were. Milton.

Who thinks no fact below his regard. Hallam.

Syn. -- Underneath; under; beneath.

Be*low", adv. 1. In a lower place, with respect to any object; in a lower room; beneath.

Lord Marmion waits below. Sir W. Scott.

2. On the earth, as opposed to the heavens.

The fairest child of Jove below. Prior.

3. In hell, or the regions of the dead.

What business brought him to the realms below. Dryden.

4. In court or tribunal of inferior jurisdiction; as, at the trial below. Wheaton.

5. In some part or page following.

Be*lowt" (&?;), v. t. To treat as a lout; to talk abusively to. [Obs.] Camden.

Bel"sire` (&?;), n. [Pref. bel- + sire. Cf. Beldam.] A grandfather, or ancestor. "His great belsire Brute." [Obs.] Drayton.

Bel"swag`ger (&?;), n. [Contr. from bellyswagger.] A lewd man; also, a bully. [Obs.] Dryden.

Belt (blt), n. [AS. belt; akin to Icel. belti, Sw. bälte, Dan. bælte, OHG. balz, L. balteus, Ir. & Gael. balt border, belt.] 1. That which engirdles a person or thing; a band or girdle; as, a lady's belt; a sword belt.

The shining belt with gold inlaid. Dryden.

2. That which restrains or confines as a girdle.

He cannot buckle his distempered cause Within the belt of rule. Shak.

3. Anything that resembles a belt, or that encircles or crosses like a belt; a strip or stripe; as, a belt of trees; a belt of sand.

4. (Arch.) Same as Band, n., 2. A very broad band is more properly termed a belt.

5. (Astron.) One of certain girdles or zones on the surface of the planets Jupiter and Saturn, supposed to be of the nature of clouds.

6. (Geog.) A narrow passage or strait; as, the Great Belt and the Lesser Belt, leading to the Baltic Sea.

7. (Her.) A token or badge of knightly rank.