Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages)

Chapter 33

Chapter 332,572 wordsPublic domain

BeÏgore¶ (?), v. t. To besmear with gore. BeÏgot¶ (?), imp. & p. p. of Beget. BeÏgot¶ten (?), p. p. of Beget. BeÏgrave¶ (?), v. t. [Pref. beÏ + grave; akin to G. begraben, Goth. bigraban to dig a ditch around.] To bury; also, to engrave. [Obs.] Gower. BeÏgrease¶ (?), v. t. To soil or daub with grease or other oily matter. BeÏgrime¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begrimed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Begriming.] To soil with grime or dirt deeply impressed or rubbed in. Books falling to pieces and begrimed with dust. Macaulay. BeÏgrim¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, begrimes. BeÏgrudge¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Begrudged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Begrudging.] To grudge; to envy the possession of. BeÏguile¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beguiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Beguiling.] 1. To delude by guile, artifice, or craft; to deceive or impose on, as by a false statement; to lure. The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Gen. iii. 13. 2. To elude, or evade by craft; to foil. [Obs.] When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage. Shak. 3. To cause the time of to pass without notice; to relieve the tedium or weariness of; to while away; to divert. Ballads ... to beguile his incessant wayfaring. W. Irving. Syn. Ð To delude; deceive; cheat; insnare; mislead; amuse; divert; entertain. BeÏguile¶ment (?), n. The act of beguiling, or the state of being beguiled. BeÏguil¶er (?), n. One who, or that which, beguiles. BeÏguil¶ing, a. Alluring by guile; deluding; misleading; diverting. Ð BeÏguil¶ingÏly, adv. ØBe·guin¶ (?), n. [F.] See Beghard. ØBe·gui·nage¶ (?), n. [F.] A collection of small houses surrounded by a wall and occupied by a community of Beguines. ØBe·guine¶ (?), n. [F. b‚guine; LL. beguina, beghina; fr. Lambert le BŠgue (the Stammerer) the founder of the order. (Du Cange.)] A woman belonging to one of the religious and charitable associations or communities in the Netherlands, and elsewhere, whose members live in beguinages and are not bound by perpetual vows. ØBe¶gum (?), n. [Per., fr. Turk., perh. properly queen mother, fr. Turk. beg (see Beg, n.) + Ar. umm mother.] In the East Indies, a princess or lady of high rank. Malcom. BeÏgun¶ (?), p. p. of Begin. BeÏhalf¶ (?), n. [OE. onÏbehalve in the name of, bihalven by the side of, fr. AS. healf half, also side, part: akin to G. halb half, halber on account of. See BeÏ, and Half, n.] Advantage; favor; stead; benefit; interest; profit; support; defense; vindication. In behalf of his mistress's beauty. Sir P. Sidney. Against whom he had contracted some prejudice in behalf of his nation. Clarendon. In behalf of, in the interest of. Ð On behalf of, on account of; on the part of. BeÏhap¶pen (?), v. t. To happen to. [Obs.] BeÏhave¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Behaved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Behaving.] [AS. behabban to surround, restrain, detain (akin to G. gehaben (obs.) to have, sich gehaben to behave or carry one's self); pref. beÏ + habban to have. See Have, v. t. ] 1. To manage or govern in point of behavior; to discipline; to handle; to restrain. [Obs.] He did behave his anger ere 't was spent. Shak. 2. To carry; to conduct; to comport; to manage; to bear; Ð used reflexively. Those that behaved themselves manfully. 2 Macc. ii. 21. BeÏhave¶, v. i. To act; to conduct; to bear or carry one's self; as, to behave well or ill. µ This verb is often used colloquially without an adverb of manner; as, if he does not behave, he will be punished. It is also often applied to inanimate objects; as, the ship behaved splendidly. BeÏhav¶ior (?), n. Manner of behaving, whether good or bad; mode of conducting one's self; conduct; deportment; carriage; Ð used also of inanimate objects; as, the behavior of a ship in a storm; the behavior of the magnetic needle. A gentleman that is very singular in his behavior. Steele. To be upon one's good behavior, To be put upon one's good behavior, to be in a state of trial, in which something important depends on propriety of conduct. Ð During good behavior, while (or so long as) one conducts one's self with integrity and fidelity or with propriety. Syn. Ð Bearing; demeanor; manner. Ð Behavior, Conduct. Behavior is the mode in which we have or bear ourselves in the presence of others or toward them; conduct is the mode of our carrying ourselves forward in the concerns of life. Behavior respects our manner of acting in particular cases; conduct refers to the general tenor of our actions. We may say of soldiers, that their conduct had been praiseworthy during the whole campaign, and their behavior admirable in every instance when they met the enemy. BeÏhead¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beheaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Beheading.] [OE. bihefden, AS. behe fdian; pref. beÏ + he fod head. See Head.] To sever the head from; to take off the head of. BeÏhead¶al (?), n. Beheading. [Modern] BeÏheld¶ (?), imp. & p. p. of Behold. Be¶heÏmoth (?), n. [Heb. behem?th, fr. Egyptian PÏeheÏmaut hippopotamus.] An animal, probably the hippopotamus, described in Job xl. 15Ð24. Be¶hen (?), Behn (?), n. [Per. & Ar. bahman, behmen, an herb, whose leaves resemble ears of corn, saffron.] (Bot.) (a) The Centaurea behen, or sawÐleaved centaury. (b) The Cucubalus behen, or bladder campion, now called Silene inflata. (c) The Statice limonium, or sea lavender. BeÏhest¶ (?), n. [OE. biheste promise, command, AS. beh?s promise; pref. beÏ + h?s command. See Hest, Hight.] 1. That which is willed or ordered; a command; a mandate; an injunction. To do his master's high behest. Sir W. Scott. 2. A vow; a promise. [Obs.] The time is come that I should send it her, if I keep the behest that I have made. Paston. BeÏhest¶, v. t. To vow. [Obs.] Paston. BeÏhete¶ (?), v. t. See Behight. [Obs.] Chaucer. BeÏhight¶ (?), v. t. [imp. Behight; p. p. Behight, Behoten.] [ OE. bihaten, AS. beh¾tan to vow, promise; pref. beÏ + h¾tan to call, command. See Hight, v.] [Obs. in all its senses.] 1. To promise; to vow. Behight by vow unto the chaste Minerve. Surrey. 2. To give in trust; to commit; to intrust. The keys are to thy hand behight. Spenser. 3. To adjudge; to assign by authority. The second was to Triamond behight. Spenser. 4. To mean, or intend. More than heart behighteth. Mir. for Mag. 5. To consider or esteem to be; to declare to be. All the lookersÏon him dead behight. Spenser. 6. To call; to name; to address. Whom ... he knew and thus behight. Spenser. 7. To command; to order. He behight those gates to be unbarred. Spenser. BeÏhight¶, n. A vow; a promise. [Obs.] Surrey. BeÏhind¶ (?), prep. [AS. behindan; pref. beÏ + hindan. See Hind, a.] 1. On the side opposite the front or nearest part; on the back side of; at the back of; on the other side of; as, behind a door; behind a hill. A tall Brabanter, behind whom I stood. Bp. Hall. 2. Left after the departure of, whether this be by removing to a distance or by death. A small part of what he left behind him. Pope. 3. Left a distance by, in progress of improvement Hence: Inferior to in dignity, rank, knowledge, or excellence, or in any achievement. I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 2 Cor. xi. 5. BeÏhind¶, adv. 1. At the back part; in the rear. ½I shall not lag behind.¸ Milton. 2. Toward the back part or rear; backward; as, to look behind. 3. Not yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; out of sight; remaining. We can not be sure that there is no evidence behind. Locke. 4. Backward in time or order of succession; past. Forgetting those things which are behind. Phil. ii. 13. 5. After the departure of another; as, to stay behind. Leave not a rack behind. Shak. BeÏhind¶, n. The backside; the rump. [Low] BeÏhind¶hand· (?), adv. & a. [Behind + hand.] 1. In arrears financially; in a state where expenditures have exceeded the receipt of funds. 2. In a state of backwardness, in respect to what is seasonable or appropriate, or as to what should have been accomplished; not equally forward with some other person or thing; dilatory; backward; late; tardy; as, behindhand in studies or in work. In this also [dress] the country are very much behindhand. Addison. BeÏhith¶er (?), prep. On this side of. [Obs.] Two miles behither Clifden. Evelyn. BeÏhold¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Beheld (?) (p. p. formerly Beholden (?), now used only as a p. a.); p. pr. & vb. n. Beholding.] [OE. bihalden, biholden, AS. behealdan to hold, have in sight; pref. beÏ + healdan to hold, keep; akin to G. behalten to hold, keep. See Hold.] To have in sight; to see clearly; to look at; to regard with the eyes. When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Num. xxi. 9. Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. John. i. 29. Syn. Ð To scan; gaze; regard; descry; view; discern. BeÏhold¶, v. i. To direct the eyes to, or fix them upon, an object; to look; to see. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne, ... a lamb as it had been slain. Rev. v. 6. BeÏhold¶en (?), p. a. [Old p. p. of behold, used in the primitive sense of the simple verb hold.] Obliged; bound in gratitude; indebted. But being so beholden to the Prince. Tennyson. BeÏhold¶er (?), n. One who beholds; a spectator. BeÏhold¶ing, a. Obliged; beholden. [Obs.] I was much bound and beholding to the right reverend father. Robynson (More's Utopia). So much hath Oxford been beholding to her nephews, or sister's children. Fuller. BeÏhold¶ing, n. The act of seeing; sight; also, that which is beheld. Shak. BeÏhold¶ingÏness, n., The state of being obliged or beholden. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney. BeÏhoof¶ (?), n. [OE. to bihove for the use of, AS. beh?f advantage, a word implied in beh?flÆc necessary; akin to Sw. behof, Dan. behov, G. behuf, and E. heave, the root meaning to seize, hence the meanings ½to hold, make use of.¸ See Heave, v. t.] Advantage; profit; benefit; interest; use. No mean recompense it brings To your behoof. Milton. BeÏhoov¶aÏble (?), a. Supplying need; profitable; advantageous. [Obs.] Udall. BeÏhoove¶ (?), 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; Ð mostly used impersonally. And thus it behooved Christ to suffer. Luke xxiv. 46. [Also written behove.] BeÏhoove¶ (?), v. i. To be necessary, fit, or suitable; to befit; to belong as due. Chaucer. BeÏhoove¶, n. Advantage; behoof. [Obs.] It shall not be to his behoove. Gower. BeÏhoove¶ful (?), a. Advantageous; useful; profitable. [Archaic] Ð BeÏhoove¶fulÏly, adv. Ð BeÏhoove¶fulÏness, n. [Archaic] BeÏhove¶ (?), v., and derivatives. See Behoove, & c. BeÏhove¶ly, a. & adv. Useful, or usefully. [Obs.] BeÏhowl¶ (?), v. t. To howl at. [Obs.] The wolf behowls the moon. Shak. ØBeige (?), n. [F.] Debeige. 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. Be¶ing (?), p. pr. from Be. Existing. µ Being was formerly used where we now use having. ½Being to go to a ball in a few days.¸ Miss Edgeworth. µ 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, aÐbuilding 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.) 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. Be¶ing, adv. Since; inasmuch as. [Obs. or Colloq.] And being you have Declined his means, you have increased his malice. Beau. & Fl. BeÏjade¶ (?), v. t. To jade or tire. [Obs.] Milton. BeÏjape¶ (?), v. t. To jape; to laugh at; to deceive. [Obs.] Chaucer. BeÏjaun¶dice (?), v. t. To infect with jaundice. BeÏjew¶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. ½Bejeweled hands.¸ Thackeray. BeÏjum¶ble (?), v. t. To jumble together. ØBe¶kah (?), n. [Heb.] Half a shekel. BeÏknave¶ (?), v. t. To call knave. [Obs.] Pope. BeÏknow¶ (?), v. t. To confess; to acknowledge. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bel (?), n. The Babylonian name of the god known among the Hebrews as Baal. See Baal. Baruch vi. 41. BeÏla¶bor (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belabored (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Belaboring.] 1. To ply diligently; to work carefully upon. ½If the earth is belabored with culture, it yieldeth corn.¸ Barrow. 2. To beat soundly; to cudgel. Ajax belabors there a harmless ox. Dryden. Bel·ÐacÏcoyle¶ (?), n. [F. bel beautiful + accueil reception.] A kind or favorable reception or salutation. [Obs.] BeÏlace¶ (?), 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. BeÏlam¶ (?), v. t. [See Lam.] To beat or bang. [Prov. & Low, Eng.] Todd. Bel¶aÏmour (?), 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. Bel¶aÏmy (?), n. [F. bel ami fair friend.] Good friend; dear friend. [Obs.] Chaucer. BeÏlate¶ (?), v. t. [imp. & p.p. Belated; p. pr. & vb. n. Belating.] To retard or make too late. Davenant. BeÏlat¶ed, a. Delayed beyond the usual time; too late; overtaken by night; benighted. ½Some belated peasant.¸ Milton. Ð BeÏlat¶edÏness, n. Milton. BeÏlaud¶ (?), v. t. To laud or praise greatly. BeÏlay¶ (?), 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. beÏ, and lay to place: for sense 3, OE. beleggen, AS. belecgan. See pref. BeÏ, 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.

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