<-- Begin file 2 of 26: Letter B (Version 0.46)
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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This dictionary was derived from the
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
Version published 1913
by the C. & G. Merriam Co.
Springfield, Mass.
Under the direction of
Noah Porter, D.D., LL.D.
and from
WordNet, a semantic network created by
the Cognitive Science Department
of Princeton University
under the direction of
Prof. George Miller
and is being updated and supplemented by
an open coalition of volunteer collaborators from
around the world.
This electronic dictionary is the starting point for an
ongoing project to develop a modern on-line comprehensive encyclopedic
dictionary, by the efforts of all individuals willing to help build a
large and freely available knowledge base. Contributions of data,
time, and effort are requested from any person willing to assist creation
of a comprehensive and organized knowledge base for free access on the
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Last edit April 9, 2002.
-->
<-- p. 109 pr=SA -->
B.
B(bis the second letter of the English alphabet. (See Guide to Pronunciation, p, v, f, w, and m, letters representing sounds having a close organic affinity to its own sound; as in Eng. bursar and purser; Eng. bear and Lat. ferre; Eng. silver and Ger. silber; Lat. cubitum and It. gomito; Eng. seven, Anglo-Saxon seofon, Ger. sieben, Lat. septem, Gr."epta`, Sanskrit saptan. The form of letter B is Roman, from the Greek B (Beta), of Semitic origin. The small b was formed by gradual change from the capital B. 1913 Webster]
In (Music), B is the nominal of the seventh tone in the model major scale (the scale of C major), or of the second tone in it's relative minor scale (that of A minor). B 1913 Webster]
B-52n.A large long-range bomber airplane of the U. S. military aircraft fleet; B- stands for bomber. It has the capability of delivering nuclear weapons. WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
Ba(b, v. t.[Cf. OF. baer to open the mouth, F. bayer.]To kiss. [Obs.] Chaucer. 1913 Webster]
Baa(b, v. i.[Cf. G. b\'84en; an imitative word.]To cry baa, or bleat as a sheep. 1913 Webster]
He treble baas for help, but none can get.Sir P. Sidney. 1913 Webster]
Baa(b, n.; pl.Baas(b.[Cf. G. b\'84.]The cry or bleating of a sheep; a bleat. 1913 Webster]
Baa"ing, n.The bleating of a sheep.Marryat. 1913 Webster]
Ba"al(b, n.; Heb. pl. Baalim(-.[Heb. ba'al lord.]1.(Myth.)The supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations. 1913 Webster]
Baal-berith (the Covenant Baal), Baal-zebub (Baal of the fly). 1913 Webster]
2.pl.The whole class of divinities to whom the name Baal was applied.Judges x. 6. 1913 Webster]
Ba"al*ism(-, n.Worship of Baal; idolatry. 1913 Webster]
{ Ba"al*ist(, Ba"al*ite(, }n.A worshiper of Baal; a devotee of any false religion; an idolater. 1913 Webster]
Bab(?), n.[Per.]Lit., gate; -- a title given to the founder of Babism, and taken from that of Bab-ud-Din, assumed by him. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
\'d8Ba"ba(, n.[F.]A kind of plum cake. 1913 Webster]
babassun.1.a tall feather palm of northern Brazil (Orbignya barbosiana) with hard-shelled nuts yielding a valuable oil (
babassu oil) and a kind of vegetable ivory. Syn. -- babassu palm, coco de macao, Orbignya phalerata, Orbignya spesiosa, Orbignya martiana. WordNet 1.5]
babbiting, babbittingn.lining a surface or bearing with babbitt metal. Syn. -- babbitting WordNet 1.5]
Bab"bitt(, v. t.To line with Babbitt metal. 1913 Webster]
Bab"bitt met`al(. [From the inventor, Isaac Babbitt of Massachusetts.]A soft white alloy of variable composition (as a nine parts of tin to one of copper, or of fifty parts of tin to five of antimony and one of copper) used in bearings to diminish friction. 1913 Webster]
Bab"ble(b, v. i.[imp. & p. p.Babbled(b; p. pr. & vb. n.Babbling.][Cf. LG. babbeln, D. babbelen, G. bappeln, bappern, F. babiller, It. babbolare; prob. orig., to keep saying ba, imitative of a child learning to talk.]1.To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as a child babbles. 1913 Webster]
2.To talk incoherently; to utter unmeaning words. 1913 Webster]
3.To talk much; to chatter; to prate. 1913 Webster]
4.To make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones. 1913 Webster]
In every babbling brook he finds a friend.Wordsworth. 1913 Webster]
babble, or to be babbling, when they are too noisy after having found a good scent. 1913 Webster]
Syn. -- To prate; prattle; chatter; gossip. 1913 Webster]
Bab"ble, v. t.1.To utter in an indistinct or incoherent way; to repeat, as words, in a childish way without understanding. 1913 Webster]
These [words] he used to babble in all companies.Arbuthnot. 1913 Webster]
2.To disclose by too free talk, as a secret. 1913 Webster]
Bab"ble, n.1.Idle talk; senseless prattle; gabble; twaddle. \'bdThis is mere moral babble.\'b8 Milton. 1913 Webster]
2.Inarticulate speech; constant or confused murmur. 1913 Webster]
The babble of our young children.Darwin. 1913 Webster]
The babble of the stream.Tennyson. 1913 Webster]
Bab"ble*ment(, n.Babble.Hawthorne. 1913 Webster]
Bab"bler(, n.1.An idle talker; an irrational prater; a teller of secrets. 1913 Webster]
Great babblers, or talkers, are not fit for trust.L'Estrange. 1913 Webster]
2.A hound too noisy on finding a good scent. 1913 Webster]
3.(Zo\'94l.)A name given to any one of a family (Timalin\'91) of thrushlike birds, having a chattering note. 1913 Webster]
Bab"ble*ry(, n.Babble. [Obs.] Sir T. More. 1913 Webster]
Babe(, n.[Cf. Ir. bab, baban, W. baban, maban.] 1913 Webster]
1.An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby. 1913 Webster]
2.A doll for children.Spenser. 1913 Webster]
Babe"hood(, n.Babyhood. [R.] Udall. 1913 Webster]
Ba"bel(, n.[Heb. B\'bebel, the name of the capital of Babylonia; in Genesis associated with the idea of \'bdconfusion.\'b8]1.The city and tower in the land of Shinar, where the confusion of languages took place. 1913 Webster]
Therefore is the name of it called Babel.Gen. xi. 9. 1913 Webster]
2.Hence: A place or scene of noise and confusion; a confused mixture of sounds, as of voices or languages. 1913 Webster]
That babel of strange heathen languages.Hammond. 1913 Webster]
The grinding babel of the street. R. L. Stevenson. 1913 Webster]
Bab"er*y(, n.[Perh. orig. for baboonery. Cf. Baboon, and also Babe.]Finery of a kind to please a child. [Obs.] \'bdPainted babery.\'b8 Sir P. Sidney. 1913 Webster]
\'d8Bab"il*lard(, n.[F., a babbler.](Zo\'94l.)The lesser whitethroat of Europe; -- called also babbling warbler. 1913 Webster]
Bab"ing*ton*ite(, n.[From Dr. Babbington.](Min.)A mineral occurring in triclinic crystals approaching pyroxene in angle, and of a greenish black color. It is a silicate of iron, manganese, and lime. 1913 Webster]
{ \'d8Bab`i*rous"sa, \'d8Bab`i*rus"sa}(, n.[F. babiroussa, fr. Malay b\'beb\'c6 hog + r deer.](Zo\'94l.)A large hoglike quadruped (Sus babirussa, syn.Porcus babirussa) of the East Indies, sometimes domesticated; the Indian hog. Its upper canine teeth or tusks are large and recurved. 1913 Webster]
Bab"ish(, a.Like a babe; a childish; babyish. [R.] \'bdBabish imbecility.\'b8 Drayton. -- Bab"ish*ly, adv. -- Bab"ish*ness, n. [R.] 1913 Webster]
{ Bab"ism(?), Bab"i*ism(?) }, n.The doctrine of a modern religious pantheistical sect in Persia, which was founded, about 1844, by Mirza Ali Mohammed ibn Rabhik (1820 -- 1850), who assumed the title of Bab-ed-Din (Per., Gate of the Faith). Babism is a mixture of Mohammedan, Christian, Jewish, and Parsi elements. This doctrine forbids concubinage and polygamy, and frees women from many of the degradations imposed upon them among the orthodox Mohammedans. Mendicancy, the use of intoxicating liquors and drugs, and slave dealing, are forbidden; asceticism is discountenanced. -- Bab"ist, n. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Bab"ist, n.A believer in Babism. 1913 Webster]
\'d8Bab"lah(, n.[Cf. Per. bab a species of mimosa yielding gum arabic.]The rind of the fruit of several East Indian species of acacia; neb-neb. It contains gallic acid and tannin, and is used for dyeing drab. 1913 Webster]
{ \'d8Ba"boo, \'d8Ba"bu }(b, n.[Hind. b\'beb.]A Hindu gentleman; a native clerk who writes English; also, a Hindu title equivalent to the English Mr. or Esquire.Whitworth. 1913 Webster]
Bab*oon"(, n.[OE. babewin, baboin, fr. F. babouin, or LL. babewynus. Of unknown origin; cf. D. baviaan, G. pavian, baboon, F. babine lip of ape, dogs, etc., dial. G. b\'84ppe mouth.](Zo\'94l.)One of the Old World Quadrumana, of the genera Cynocephalus and Papio; the dog-faced ape. Baboons have dog-like muzzles and large canine teeth, cheek pouches, a short tail, and naked callosities on the buttocks. They are mostly African. See Mandrill, and Chacma, and Drill an ape. 1913 Webster]
{ Ba*bul", Ba*bool"(?) }, n.[See Bablah.](Bot.)Any one of several species of Acacia, esp. Acacia Arabica, which yelds a gum used as a substitute for true gum arabic. 1913 Webster]
In place of Putney's golden gorse babul blooms.Kipling. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Ba"by(b, n.; pl.Babies(-b.[Dim. of babe.]An infant or young child of either sex; a babe. 1913 Webster]
2.A small image of an infant; a doll. 1913 Webster]
Babies in the eyes, the minute reflection which one sees of one's self in the eyes of another. 1913 Webster]
She clung about his neck, gave him ten kisses, babies in his eyes.Heywood. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by, a.Pertaining to, or resembling, an infant; young or little; as, baby swans. \'bdBaby figure\'b8 Shak. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by, v. t.[imp. & p. p.Babied(b; p. pr. & vb. n.Babying.]To treat like a young child; to keep dependent; to humor; to fondle.Young. 1913 Webster]
baby-blue-eyesn.1.delicate California annual having blue flowers marked with dark spots. Syn. -- baby blue-eyes, Nemophila menziesii WordNet 1.5]
baby-facedadj.1.having a face resembling that of a baby WordNet 1.5]
Ba"by farm`(. A place where the nourishment and care of babies are offered for hire. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by farm`er(. One who keeps a baby farm. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by farm`ing. The business of keeping a baby farm. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by*hood(, n.The state or period of infancy. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by*house`(, n.A place for children's dolls and dolls' furniture.Swift. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by*ish, a.Like a baby; childish; puerile; simple. -- Ba"by*ish*ly, adv. -- Ba"by*ish*ness, n. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by*ism(, n.1.The state of being a baby. 1913 Webster]
2.A babyish manner of acting or speaking. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by jump`er(. A hoop suspended by an elastic strap, in which a young child may be held secure while amusing itself by jumping on the floor. 1913 Webster]
Bab`y*lo"ni*an(, a.Of or pertaining to the real or to the mystical Babylon, or to the ancient kingdom of Babylonia; Chaldean. 1913 Webster]
Bab`y*lo"ni*an, prop. n.1.An inhabitant of Babylonia (which included Chaldea); a Chaldean. 1913 Webster]
2.An astrologer; -- so called because the Chaldeans were remarkable for the study of astrology. 1913 Webster]
{ Bab`y*lon"ic(, Bab`y*lon"ic*al(, }a.1.Pertaining to Babylon, or made there; as, Babylonic garments, carpets, or hangings. 1913 Webster]
2.Tumultuous; disorderly. [Obs.] Sir J. Harrington. 1913 Webster]
Bab"y*lo`nish(, a.1.Of or pertaining to, or made in, Babylon or Babylonia. \'bdA Babylonish garment.\'b8 Josh. vii. 21. 1913 Webster]
2.Pertaining to the Babylon of Revelation xiv. 8. 1913 Webster]
3.Pertaining to Rome and papal power. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
The . . . injurious nickname of Babylonish.Gage. 1913 Webster]
Ba"by*ship(, n.The quality of being a baby; the personality of an infant. 1913 Webster]
baby-sitv.act as a baby-sitter Syn. -- babysit, sit WordNet 1.5]
babysitter, baby-sittern.A person engaged to care for children when the parents are not home. Syn. -- sitter WordNet 1.5]
babysittingn.the work of a baby sitter; caring for children when their parents are not home. WordNet 1.5]
baby-walkern.a framework on small wheels or casters designed to support small children while they are learning to walk, and usually having a fabric support that permits the child to sit. Called also walker and go-cart. Syn. -- walker, go-cart WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
Bac(, n.[F. See Back a vat.]1.A broad, flat-bottomed ferryboat, usually worked by a rope. 1913 Webster]
2.A vat or cistern. See 1st Back. 1913 Webster]
bac"can.1.an indehiscent fruit derived from a single ovary having one or many seeds within a fleshy wall or pericarp: e. g. grape; tomato; cranberry. Syn. -- simple fruit WordNet 1.5]
Bac"ca*lau"re*ate(, n.[NL. baccalaureatus, fr. LL. baccalaureus a bachelor of arts, fr. baccalarius, but as if fr. L. bacca lauri bayberry, from the practice of the bachelor's wearing a garland of bayberries. See Bachelor.]1.The degree of bachelor of arts (B.A. or A.B.), the first or lowest academical degree conferred by universities and colleges. 1913 Webster]
2.A baccalaureate sermon. [U.S.] 1913 Webster]
Bac`ca*lau"re*ate, a.Pertaining to a bachelor of arts. 1913 Webster]
Baccalaureate sermon, in some American colleges, a sermon delivered as a farewell discourse to a graduating class. 1913 Webster]
{ \'d8Bac`ca*ra", Bac`ca*rat" }(, n.[F.]A French game of cards, played by a banker and punters. 1913 Webster]
{ Bac*ca"re, Bac*ka"re }(, interj.Stand back! give place! -- a cant word of the Elizabethan writers, probably in ridicule of some person who pretended to a knowledge of Latin which he did not possess. 1913 Webster]
Baccare! you are marvelous forward.Shak. 1913 Webster]
Bac"cate(, a.[L. baccatus, fr. L. bacca berry.](Bot.)Pulpy throughout, like a berry; -- said of fruits.Gray. 1913 Webster]
Bac"ca*ted(, a.1.Having many berries. 1913 Webster]
2.Set or adorned with pearls. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
Bac"cha*nal(, a.[L. Bacchanalis. See Bacchanalia.]1.Relating to Bacchus or his festival. 1913 Webster]
2.Engaged in drunken revels; drunken and riotous or noisy. 1913 Webster]
Bac"cha*nal(b, n.1.A devotee of Bacchus; one who indulges in drunken revels; one who is noisy and riotous when intoxicated; a carouser. \'bdTipsy bacchanals.\'b8 Shak. 1913 Webster]
2.pl.The festival of Bacchus; the bacchanalia. 1913 Webster]
3.Drunken revelry; an orgy. 1913 Webster]
4.A song or a dance in honor of Bacchus. 1913 Webster]
\'d8Bac`cha*na"li*a(b, n. pl.[L. Bacchanal a place devoted to Bacchus; in the pl. Bacchanalia a feast of Bacchus, fr. Bacchus the god of wine, Gr. Ba`kchos.] 1913 Webster]
1.(Myth.)A feast or an orgy in honor of Bacchus. 1913 Webster]
2.Hence: A drunken feast; drunken revels; an orgy. 1913 Webster]
Bac`cha*na"li*an(b, a.Of or pertaining to the festival of Bacchus; relating to or given to reveling and drunkenness. 1913 Webster]
Even bacchanalian madness has its charms.Cowper. 1913 Webster]
Bac`cha*na"li*an, n.A bacchanal; a drunken reveler. 1913 Webster]
Bac`cha*na"li*an*ism(, n.The practice of bacchanalians; bacchanals; drunken revelry. 1913 Webster]
Bac"chant(, n.; pl. E. Bacchants, L. Bacchantes.[L. bacchans, -antis, p. pr. of bacchari to celebrate the festival of Bacchus.]1.A priest of Bacchus. 1913 Webster]
Bac"chante(, n.; L. pl. Bacchantes.1.A priestess of Bacchus. 1913 Webster]
2.A female bacchanal. 1913 Webster]
Bac*chan"tic(, a.Bacchanalian. 1913 Webster]
{ Bac"chic(, Bac"chic*al( }, a.[L. Bacchicus, Gr. Bakchiko`s.]Of or relating to Bacchus; hence, jovial, or riotous, with intoxication; riotously drunken; -- used of revelrous gatherings. Syn. -- bacchanalian, bacchanal, bibulous, carousing, drunken(prenominal), orgiastic, riotous 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
\'d8Bac*chi"us(, n.; pl.Bacchii(.[L. Bacchius pes, Gr. "o Bakchei^os (sc. poy`s foot).](Pros.)A metrical foot composed of a short syllable and two long ones; according to some, two long and a short. 1913 Webster]
Bac"chus(, n.[L., fr. Gr. Ba`kchos.](Myth.)The god of wine, son of Jupiter and Semele. 1913 Webster]
Bac"ci*form(, a.[L. bacca berry + -form.]Having the form of a berry. 1913 Webster]
Bac*civ"o*rous(, a.[L. bacca berry + vorare to devour.](Zo\'94l.)Eating, or subsisting on, berries; as, baccivorous birds. 1913 Webster]
Bace(, n., a., & v.See Base. [Obs.] Spenser. 1913 Webster]
{Bach"a*rach, Back"a*rack }(, n.A kind of wine made at Bacharach on the Rhine. 1913 Webster]
Bach"e*lor(b, n.[OF. bacheler young man, F. bachelier (cf. Pr. bacalar, Sp. bachiller, Pg. bacharel, It. baccalare), LL. baccalarius the tenant of a kind of farm called baccalaria, a soldier not old or rich enough to lead his retainers into battle with a banner, a person of an inferior academical degree aspiring to a doctorate. In the latter sense, it was afterward changed to baccalaureus. See Baccalaureate, n.]1.A man of any age who has not been married. 1913 Webster]
As merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound.W. Irving. 1913 Webster]
2.An unmarried woman. [Obs.] B. Jonson. 1913 Webster]
<-- p. 110 pr=SA -->
3.A person who has taken the first or lowest degree in the liberal arts, or in some branch of science, at a college or university; as, a bachelor of arts. 1913 Webster]
4.A knight who had no standard of his own, but fought under the standard of another in the field; often, a young knight. 1913 Webster]
5.In the companies of London tradesmen, one not yet admitted to wear the livery; a junior member. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
6.(Zo\'94l.)A kind of bass, an edible fresh-water fish (Pomoxys annularis) of the southern United States. 1913 Webster]
bachelor-at-armsn.a knight of the lowest order; he was permitted to display only a pennon. Syn. -- knight bachelor, bachelor WordNet 1.5]
Bach"e*lor*dom(b, n.The state of bachelorhood; the whole body of bachelors. 1913 Webster]
Bach"e*lor*hood(-h, n.The state or condition of being a bachelor; bachelorship. 1913 Webster]
Bach"e*lor*ism(-, n.Bachelorhood; also, a manner or peculiarity belonging to bachelors.W. Irving. 1913 Webster]
Bach"e*lor's but"ton(, (Bot.)A plant with flowers shaped like buttons; especially, several species of Ranunculus, and the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and globe amaranth (Gomphrena). 1913 Webster]
Bachelor's buttons, a name given to several flowers \'bdfrom their similitude to the jagged cloathe buttons, anciently worne in this kingdom,\'b8 according to Johnson's Gerarde, p. 472 (1633); but by other writers ascribed to \'bda habit of country fellows to carry them in their pockets to divine their success with their sweethearts.\'b8 Dr. Prior. 1913 Webster]
Bach"e*lor*ship, n.The state of being a bachelor. 1913 Webster]
Bach"el*ry(, n.[OF. bachelerie.]The body of young aspirants for knighthood. [Obs.] Chaucer. 1913 Webster]
Ba*cil"lar(, a.[L. bacillum little staff.](Biol.)1.Shaped like a rod or staff. 1913 Webster]
2.(Biol.)Pertaining to, or produced by, the organism bacillus; bacillary. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
\'d8Bac"il*la`ri*\'91(, n. pl.[NL., fr. L. bacillum, dim. of baculum stick.](Biol.)See Diatom. 1913 Webster]
Bac"il*la*ry(, a.1.Of or pertaining to little rods; rod-shaped. 1913 Webster]
2.(Biol.)Of or pertaining to bacilli; produced by, or containing, bacilli; bacillar; as, a bacillary disease. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
bacillin.plural of bacillus; usually designating aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacteria; they often occur in chainlike formations. Syn. -- bacillus WordNet 1.5]
Ba*cil"li*form(, a.[L. bacillum little staff + -form.]Rod-shaped. 1913 Webster]
Ba*cil"lus(, n.; pl.Bacilli(.[NL., for L. bacillum. See Bacillari\'91.](Biol.)A variety of bacterium; a microscopic, rod-shaped vegetable organism. 1913 Webster]
bacitracinn.(1940)[Bacillus + Margaret Tracy, (a child whose tissues contained Bacillus subtilis) + -in. RHUD.]a polypeptide antibacterial antibiotic of known chemical structure effective against several types of Gram-positive organisms, and usually used topically for superficial local infection.It is produced by Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis, and as produced commercially is composed of several closely related substances. The predominant component, Bacitracin A, has a formula C60H103N17O16S, and contains D-ornithine, D-phenylalanine and D-glutamine residues as well as the L-isomers of leucine, isoleucine, histidine, asparagine and aspartic acid.[MI11] WordNet 1.5]
Back(, n.[F. bac: cf. Arm. bag, bak a bark, D. bak tray, bowl.]1.A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc. 1913 Webster]
Hop back,
Jack back, the cistern which receives the infusion of malt and hops from the copper. --
Wash back, a vat in which distillers ferment the wort to form wash. --
Water back, a cistern to hold a supply of water; esp. a small cistern at the back of a stove, or a group of pipes set in the fire box of a stove or furnace, through which water circulates and is heated. 1913 Webster]
2.A ferryboat. See Bac, 1. 1913 Webster]
Back(b, n.[AS. b\'91c, bac; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG. bak, Dan. bag; cf. OHG. bahho ham, Skr. bhaj to turn, OSlav. b flight. Cf. Bacon.]1.In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster. 1913 Webster]
2.An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge. 1913 Webster]
[The mountains] their broad bare backs upheave Milton. 1913 Webster]
3.The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail. 1913 Webster]
Methought Love pitying me, when he saw this, backs and palms to kiss.Donne. 1913 Webster]
4.The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney. 1913 Webster]
5.The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village. 1913 Webster]
6.The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw. 1913 Webster]
7.A support or resource in reserve. 1913 Webster]
This project back or second, that might hold, Shak. 1913 Webster]
8.(Naut.)The keel and keelson of a ship. 1913 Webster]
9.(Mining)The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage. 1913 Webster]
10.A garment for the back; hence, clothing. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
A bak to walken inne by daylight.Chaucer. 1913 Webster]
Behind one's back, when one is absent; without one's knowledge; as, to ridicule a person behind his back. --
Full back,
Half back,
Quarter back(Football), players stationed behind those in the front line. --
To be on one's backor
To lie on one's back, to be helpless. --
To put one's back upor
to get one's back up, to assume an attitude of obstinate resistance (from the action of a cat when attacked). [Colloq.] --
To see the back of, to get rid of. --
To turn the back, to go away; to flee. --
To turn the back on one, to forsake or neglect him. 1913 Webster]
Back, a.1.Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements. 1913 Webster]
2.Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent. 1913 Webster]
3.Moving or operating backward; as, back action. 1913 Webster]
Back blocks, Australian pastoral country which is remote from the seacoast or from a river. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] --
Back charges, charges brought forward after an account has been made up. --
Back filling(Arch.), the mass of materials used in filling up the space between two walls, or between the inner and outer faces of a wall, or upon the haunches of an arch or vault. --
Back pressure. (Steam Engine)See under Pressure. --
Back rest, a guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work, to steady it in turning. --
Back slang, a kind of slang in which every word is written or pronounced backwards; as, nam for man. --
Back stairs, stairs in the back part of a house; private stairs. Also used adjectively. See Back stairs, Backstairs, and Backstair, in the Vocabulary. --
Back step(Mil.), the retrograde movement of a man or body of men, without changing front. --
Back stream, a current running against the main current of a stream; an eddy. --
To take the back track, to retrace one's steps; to retreat. [Colloq.] 1913 Webster]
Back(b, v. t.[imp. & p. p.Backed(b; p. pr. & vb. n.Backing.] 1913 Webster]
1.To get upon the back of; to mount. 1913 Webster]
I will back him [a horse] straight.Shak. 1913 Webster]
2.To place or seat upon the back. [R.] 1913 Webster]
Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed, Shak. 1913 Webster]
3.To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen. 1913 Webster]
4.To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books. 1913 Webster]
5.To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. 1913 Webster]
A garden . . . with a vineyard backed.Shak. 1913 Webster]
The chalk cliffs which back the beach.Huxley. 1913 Webster]
6.To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document. 1913 Webster]
7.To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend. \'bdThe Parliament would be backed by the people.\'b8 Macaulay. 1913 Webster]
Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments.South. 1913 Webster]
The mate backed the captain manfully.Blackw. Mag. 1913 Webster]
8.To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse. 1913 Webster]
To back an anchor(Naut.), to lay down a small anchor ahead of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened to the crown of the large one. --
To back the field, in horse racing, to bet against a particular horse or horses, that some one of all the other horses, collectively designated \'bdthe field\'b8, will win. --
To back the oars, to row backward with the oars. --
To back a rope, to put on a preventer. --
To back the sails, to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern. --
To back up, to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's friends. --
To back a warrant(Law), is for a justice of the peace, in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender. --
To back water(Naut.), to reverse the action of the oars, paddles, or propeller, so as to force the boat or ship backward. 1913 Webster]
Back, v. i.1.To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back. 1913 Webster]
2.(Naut.)To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind. 1913 Webster]
3.(Sporting)To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog. [Eng.] 1913 Webster]
To back and fill, to manage the sails of a ship so that the wind strikes them alternately in front and behind, in order to keep the ship in the middle of a river or channel while the current or tide carries the vessel against the wind. Hence: (Fig.) To take opposite positions alternately; to assert and deny. [Colloq.] --
To back out,
To back down, to retreat or withdraw from a promise, engagement, or contest; to recede. [Colloq.] 1913 Webster]
Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out.Jowett (Thucyd. ) 1913 Webster]
Back, adv.[Shortened from aback.]1.In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back. 1913 Webster]
2.To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one's native place; to put a book back after reading it. 1913 Webster]
3.To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism. 1913 Webster]
4.(Of time) In times past; ago. \'bdSixty or seventy years back.\'b8 Gladstone. 1913 Webster]
5.Away from contact; by reverse movement. 1913 Webster]
The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled back the stone from the door.Matt. xxviii. 2. 1913 Webster]
6.In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another. 1913 Webster]
7.In a state of restraint or hindrance. 1913 Webster]
The Lord hath kept thee back from honor.Numb. xxiv. 11. 1913 Webster]
8.In return, repayment, or requital. 1913 Webster]
What have I to give you back?Shak. 1913 Webster]
9.In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back the offensive words. 1913 Webster]
10.In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.] 1913 Webster]
Back and forth, backwards and forwards; to and fro. --
To go back on, to turn back from; to abandon; to betray; as, to go back on a friend; to go back on one's professions. [Colloq.] 1913 Webster]
back"achen.an ache localized in the back. WordNet 1.5]
Back"band`(b, n.[2nd back, n. + band.](Saddlery)The band which passes over the back of a horse and holds up the shafts of a carriage. 1913 Webster]
back"bench(b, n.1.any of the seats occupied by backbenchers in the House of Commons of Great Britain. WordNet 1.5]
backbencher(b, n.a member of the House of Commons of Great Britain who is not a party leader. WordNet 1.5]
back"bend(b, n.1.an acrobatic feat in which the trunk is bent backward from a standing position until the hands touch the floor. WordNet 1.5]
Back"bite`, v. t.[2d back, n. + bite.]To wound by clandestine detraction; to censure meanly or spitefully (an absent person); to slander or speak evil of (one absent).Spenser. 1913 Webster]
Back"bite`, v. i.To censure or revile the absent. 1913 Webster]
They are arrant knaves, and will backbite.Shak. 1913 Webster]
Back"bit`er(, n.One who backbites; a secret calumniator or detractor. 1913 Webster]
Backbiting, and bearing of false witness.Piers Plowman. 1913 Webster]
Back"board`(, n.[2d back, n. + board.] 1913 Webster]
1.A board which supports the back when one is sitting;specifically,the board athwart the after part of a boat. 1913 Webster]
2.A board serving as the back part of anything, as of a wagon. 1913 Webster]
3.A thin stuff used for the backs of framed pictures, mirrors, etc. 1913 Webster]
4.A board attached to the rim of a water wheel to prevent the water from running off the floats or paddles into the interior of the wheel.W. Nicholson. 1913 Webster]
5.A board worn across the back to give erectness to the figure.Thackeray. 1913 Webster]
Back"bond`(b, n.[Back, adv. + bond.](Scots Law)An instrument which, in conjunction with another making an absolute disposition, constitutes a trust. 1913 Webster]
Back"bone"(b, n.[2d back, n. + bone.] 1913 Webster]
1.The column of bones in the back which sustains and gives firmness to the frame; the spine; the vertebral or spinal column. 1913 Webster]
2.Anything like , or serving the purpose of, a backbone. 1913 Webster]
The lofty mountains on the north side compose the granitic axis, or backbone of the country.Darwin. 1913 Webster]
We have now come to the backbone of our subject.Earle. 1913 Webster]
3.Firmness; moral principle; steadfastness. 1913 Webster]
Shelley's thought never had any backbone.Shairp. 1913 Webster]
To the backbone, through and through; thoroughly; entirely. \'bdStaunch to the backbone.\'b8 Lord Lytton. 1913 Webster]
Back"boned"(, a.Vertebrate. 1913 Webster]
Back"cast`(b, n.[Back, adv. + cast.]Anything which brings misfortune upon one, or causes failure in an effort or enterprise; a reverse. [Scot.] 1913 Webster]
back"datev. t.1.to make effective from an earlier date; to make retroactive.The increase in tax was backdated to January. Syn. -- back-date WordNet 1.5]
2.to affix a date earlier than the present date; -- sometimes done for fraudulent purposes. Opposite of postdate. Syn. -- back-date; predate; antedate. PJC]
Backdate is sometimes used incorrectly for postdate.
Back" door"(. A door in the back part of a building; hence, an indirect way.Atterbury. 1913 Webster]
Back"door", a.Acting from behind and in concealment; backstairs; as, backdoor intrigues. 1913 Webster]
Back"down`(, n.A receding or giving up; a complete surrender. [Colloq.] 1913 Webster]
back"dropn.1.the scenery hung at back of stage. Also called in Britain backcloth. Syn. -- background, backcloth WordNet 1.5]
2.the background, setting, or circumstances of an event; as, the backdrop for the summit meeting. PJC]
Backed(b, a.Having a back; fitted with a back; as, a backed electrotype or stereotype plate. Used in composition; as, broad-backed; hump-backed. 1913 Webster]
Back"er(b, n.One who, or that which, backs; especially one who backs a person or thing in a contest. 1913 Webster]
Back"fall`(b, n.[2d back, n. + fall.]A fall or throw on the back in wrestling. 1913 Webster]
backfire, back fire. 1.A fire started ahead of a forest or prairie fire to burn only against the wind, so that when the two fires meet both must go out for lack of fuel. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2.(a)A premature explosion in the cylinder of a gas or oil engine during the exhaust or the compression stroke, tending to drive the piston in a direction reverse to that in which it should travel; also called a knock or ping.(b)an explosion in the exhaust passages of an internal combustion engine. Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]
Back"fire`Back"-fire`, v. i.1.(Engin.)To have or experience a back fire or back fires; -- said of an internal-combustion engine. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2.Of a Bunsen or similar air-fed burner, to light so that the flame proceeds from the internal gas jet instead of from the external jet of mixed gas and air. -- Back"-fir`ing, n. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
back"-for*ma`tionn.(Linguistics)1.a word invented (usually unwittingly by subtracting an affix) on the assumption that a familiar word derives from it, such as emote from emotion. WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
2.the process of inventing a back-formation{1}. PJC]
Back"friend`(, n.[Back, n. or adv. + friend.]A secret enemy. [Obs.] South. 1913 Webster]
back"gam`mon(, n.[Origin unknown; perhaps fr. Dan. bakke tray + E. game; or very likely the first part is from E. back, adv., and the game is so called because the men are often set back.]A game of chance and skill, played by two persons on a \'bdboard\'b8 marked off into twenty-four spaces called \'bdpoints\'b8. Each player has fifteen pieces, or \'bdmen\'b8, the movements of which from point to point are determined by throwing dice. Formerly called tables. 1913 Webster]
backgammon board, a board for playing backgammon, often made in the form of two rectangular trays hinged together, each tray containing two \'bdtables\'b8. 1913 Webster]
back`gam"mon, v. t.In the game of backgammon, to beat by ending the game before the loser is clear of his first \'bdtable\'b8. When played for betting purposes, the winner in such a case scores three times the wagered amount. 1913 Webster +PJC]
back"ground`(, n.[Back, a. + ground.] 1913 Webster]
1.Ground in the rear or behind, or in the distance, as opposed to the foreground, or the ground in front. 1913 Webster]
2.(Paint.)The space which is behind and subordinate to a portrait or group of figures. 1913 Webster]
background.Fairholt. 1913 Webster]
3.Anything behind, serving as a foil; as, the statue had a background of red hangings. 1913 Webster]
4.A place in obscurity or retirement, or out of sight. 1913 Webster]
I fancy there was a background of grinding and waiting before Miss Torry could produce this highly finished . . . performance.Mrs. Alexander. 1913 Webster]
A husband somewhere in the background.Thackeray. 1913 Webster]
5.The set of conditions within which an action takes place, including the social and physical conditions as well as the psychological states of the participants; as, within the background of the massive budget deficits of the 1980's, new spending programs had little chance of passage by the congress. PJC]
6.The set of conditions that precede and affect an action, such as the social and historical precedents for the event, as well as the general background{5}; as, against the background of their expulsion by the Serbs, the desire of Kosovars for vengeance is understandable though regrettable. PJC]
7.(Science)The signals that may be detected by a measurement which are not due to the phenomenon being studied, and tend to make the measurement uncertain to a greater or lesser degree.Specifically:(Physics)Electronic noise present in a system using electronic measuring instrument or in a telecommunications system, which may hide and which must be differentiated from the desired signal; also called background noise or noise. PJC]
8.(Journalism)An agreement between a journalist and an interviewee that the name of the interviewee will not be quoted in any publication, although the substance of the remarks may be reported; -- often used in the phrase \'bdon background\'b8. Compare deep background. PJC]
To place in the background, to make of little consequence.
To keep in the background, to remain unobtrusive, inconspicuous or out of sight; -- of people.
deep background, (Journalism)the status of an interview which must not be quoted in a publication, even without attribution. Compare background{8}. 1913 Webster +PJC]
back"ground*ingn.(Computers)The execution of low priority programs while higher priority programs are not using the processing system. Syn. -- background processing WordNet 1.5]
Back"hand`(, n.[Back, adv. + hand.]1.A kind of handwriting in which the downward slope of the letters is from left to right. 1913 Webster]
2.(Sports)The stroke of a ball with a racket or paddle, in which head of the racket starts from the side of the body opposite to that of the arm in which the racket is held, and proceeds forward to meet the ball. Contrasted with forehand. PJC]
Back"hand`, a.1.Sloping from left to right; -- said of handwriting. 1913 Webster]
Back"hand`ed, a.1.With the hand turned backward; as, a backhanded blow. 1913 Webster]
2.Indirect; awkward; insincere; sarcastic; as, a backhanded compliment. 1913 Webster]
3.Turned back, or inclining to the left; as, backhanded letters. 1913 Webster]
back"hand`ed, a. & adv.(Sport)Stroked with a backhand{2}; as, a backhanded drive. PJC]
Back"hand`ed*ness, n.State of being backhanded; the using of backhanded or indirect methods. 1913 Webster]
Back"hand`er(, n.A backhanded blow. 1913 Webster]
Back"heel`(?), n.(Wrestling)A method of tripping by getting the leg back of the opponent's heel on the outside and pulling forward while pushing his body back; a throw made in this way. -- v. t.To trip (a person) in this way. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Back"house`(, n.[Back, a. + house.]A building behind the main building.Specifically:A privy; an outhouse; a necessary. 1913 Webster]
Back"ing, n.1.The act of moving backward, or of putting or moving anything backward. 1913 Webster]
2.That which is behind, and forms the back of, anything, usually giving strength or stability. 1913 Webster]
3.Support or aid given to a person or cause. 1913 Webster]
4.(Bookbinding)The preparation of the back of a book with glue, etc., before putting on the cover. 1913 Webster]
Back"joint`(b, n.[Back, a. or adv. + joint.](Arch.)A rebate or chase in masonry left to receive a permanent slab or other filling. 1913 Webster]
Back"lash`(b, n.[Back, adv. + lash.]1.(Mech.)The distance through which one part of connected machinery, as a wheel, piston, or screw, can be moved without moving the connected parts, resulting from looseness in fitting or from wear; also, the jarring or reflex motion caused in badly fitting machinery by irregularities in velocity or a reverse of motion. 1913 Webster]
2.A strong and sudden reverse movement in a moving part of a machine. PJC]
3.A strong popular reaction serving to counter the effect of an action; -- used especially of adverse reactions to social or political developments. PJC]
Back"less, a.Without a back. 1913 Webster]
Back"log`(b, n.[Back, a. + log.]1.A large stick of wood, forming the back of a fire on the hearth. Contrasted to forestick. [U.S.] 1913 Webster]
There was first a backlog, from fifteen to four and twenty inches in diameter and five feet long, imbedded in the ashes.S. G. Goodrich. 1913 Webster]
2.An accumulation (of tasks or of materials) that were not performed or processed at the normal time and require attention; as, unexpected demand led to a large backlog of unfilled orders; politically motivated delays led to a large backlog of unconfirmed judicial appointments. PJC]
back"packn.a bag carried on the back, supported by straps looped over the shoulders. Syn. -- knapsack; rucksack; haversack.
[WordNet 1.5]
back"packv. i.to hike while carrying a backpack; -- often used in the form go backpacking; as, to backpack through the forest. PJC]
back"pack*ern.one who backpacks; as, two backpackers were mauled by bears in Yellowstone this week. PJC]
back"ped*alv. i.1.pedal backwards, as on a bicycle. WordNet 1.5]
2.step backwards, in boxing. WordNet 1.5]
3.modify one' opinion, usually by making it less strong or adding qualifications. WordNet 1.5]
{ Back"piece`(, Back"plate`(, }n.[Back, n. or a. + piece, plate. ]1.A piece, or plate which forms the back of anything, or which covers the back. 1913 Webster]
2.Specifically:A piece of plate armor protecting the back; -- it is worn as part of a cuirass. WordNet 1.5]
back"restn.1.a support that you can lean against while sitting. Syn. -- back. WordNet 1.5]
backroomn.1.the meeting place of a group of leaders who make their decisions via private negotiations. WordNet 1.5]
Backs(b, n. pl.Among leather dealers, the thickest and stoutest tanned hides. 1913 Webster]
Back"saw`(b, n.[2d back, n. + saw.]A saw (as a tenon saw) whose blade is stiffened by an added metallic back. 1913 Webster]
Back"set`(b, n.[Back, adv. + set.]1.A check; a relapse; a discouragement; a setback. 1913 Webster]
2.Whatever is thrown back in its course, as water. 1913 Webster]
Slackwater, or the backset caused by the overflow.Harper's Mag. 1913 Webster]
Back"set`, v. t.To plow again, in the fall; -- said of prairie land broken up in the spring. [Western U.S.] 1913 Webster]
Back"set"tler(b, n.[Back, a. + settler.]One living in the back or outlying districts of a community. 1913 Webster]
The English backsettlers of Leinster and Munster.Macaulay. 1913 Webster]
{ \'d8Back"sheesh`, \'d8Back"shish` }(, n.[Pers. bakhsh\'c6sh, fr. bakhsh\'c6dan to give.]In Egypt and the Turkish empire, a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter); a gratuity; a \'bdtip\'b8. Syn. -- gratuity, tip, baksheesh, bakshish, bakshis. 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
Back"side`(b, n.[Back, a. + side.]The hinder part, posteriors, or rump of a person or animal. 1913 Webster]
Backside (one word) was formerly used of the rear part or side of any thing or place, but in such senses is now two words. 1913 Webster]
Back"sight`(b, n.[Back, adv. + sight.](Surv.)The reading of the leveling staff in its unchanged position when the leveling instrument has been taken to a new position; a sight directed backwards to a station previously occupied. Cf. Foresight, n., 3. 1913 Webster]
Back"slide"(b, v. i.[imp.Backslid(; p. p.Backslidden(, Backslid; p. pr. & vb. n.Backsliding.][Back, adv. + slide.]To slide back; to fall away; esp. to abandon gradually the faith and practice of a religion that has been professed. 1913 Webster]
Back"slid"er(, n.One who backslides. 1913 Webster]
Back"slid"ing, a.Slipping back; falling back into sin or error; sinning. 1913 Webster]
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord.Jer. iii. 14. 1913 Webster]
Back"slid"ing, n.The act of one who backslides; abandonment of faith or duty. 1913 Webster]
Our backslidings are many.Jer. xiv. 7. 1913 Webster]
backspace, backspacern.1.The key on a typewriter or other keyboard used for back spacing. Syn. -- backspace key. WordNet 1.5]
backspace, v. i.In typing text, to press the backspace key so as to reposition the carriage or cursor on the previous space. PJC]
Back"staff`(, n.An instrument formerly used for taking the altitude of the heavenly bodies, but now superseded by the quadrant and sextant; -- so called because the observer turned his back to the body observed. 1913 Webster]
back"stagen.(theater)the area on the stage out of sight of the audience. Syn. -- wing, wings, offstage. WordNet 1.5]
backs"tageadj.concealed from the public; in private. Syn. -- behind the scenes.
[WordNet 1.5]
Back"stairs`, Back" stairs`. (bn.Stairs in the back part of a house, as distinguished from the front stairs; a second staircase at the rear of a building; hence, a private or indirect way. 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
{ Back"stairs`, Back"stair` }, a.Private; indirect; secret; conducted with secrecy; intriguing; -- as if finding access by the back stairs; as, backstairs gossip. Syn. -- clandestine, cloak-and-dagger, hugger-mugger, hush-hush, on the quiet(predicate), secret, subterranean, surreptitious, undercover, underground. 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
A backstairs influence.Burke. 1913 Webster]
Female caprice and backstair influence.Trevelyan. 1913 Webster]
Back"stay`(b, n.[Back, a. or n. + stay.]1.(Naut.)A rope or stay extending from the masthead to the side of a ship, slanting a little aft, to assist the shrouds in supporting the mast. [Often used in the plural.] 1913 Webster]
2.A rope or strap used to prevent excessive forward motion. 1913 Webster]
Back"stitch`(, n.[Back, adv. + stitch.]A stitch made by setting the needle back of the end of the last stitch, and bringing it out in front of the end. 1913 Webster]
Back"stitch`, v. t.To sew with backstitches; as, to backstitch a seam. 1913 Webster]
Back"stop`(?), n.1.In baseball, a fence, prop. at least 90 feet behind the home base, to stop the balls that pass the catcher; also, the catcher himself. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2.In rounders, the player who stands immediately behind the striking base. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
3.In cricket, the longstop; also, the wicket keeper. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
back"stroke`n.1.a swimming stroke that resembles the crawl except the swimmer lies on his or her back. It is usually executed with backward-moving circular arm strokes and a flutter kick. WordNet 1.5]
back"swept`adj.aligned from front to back; slanted toward the back; -- used of hair. Syn. -- sweptback. WordNet 1.5]
Back"sword`(, n.[2d back, n. + sword.]1.A sword with one sharp edge. 1913 Webster]
2.In England, a stick with a basket handle, used in rustic amusements; also, the game in which the stick is used. Also called singlestick.Halliwell. 1913 Webster]
back"swim`mern.any of numerous predaceous aquatic insects of the family Notonectidae (such as Notonecta undulata) that swim on their backs and may inflict painful bites; -- also called boat bug.[RHUD] WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
back-to-backadj.1.occurring immediately one after the other; consecutive.back-to-back home runs Syn. -- consecutive. WordNet 1.5]
2.oriented with the backs toward each other, and sometimes touching. WordNet 1.5]
back" up, v. i.1.to move in a reverse direction; -- used of vehicles or animals. PJC]
2.to accumulate due to a blockage of flow; as, a traffic backup due to an accident; a sewage backup. PJC]
back" up, v. t.1.to serve as a backup{3} for (another person or persons); as, the patrolmen backed up the detectives as they went inside to make the arrest; the center fielder backed up the shortstop on the play. PJC]
2.(Computers)to make a backup{5} of; as, the sysop backed up the purchasing data files every night. PJC]
back"up, n.1.anything kept in reserve to serve as a substitute in case of failure or unavailability of the normal or primary object; -- used for devices, plans, people, etc. Also used attributively; as, there was no backup for the electrical supply; a backup motor; a backup generator. PJC]
2.(Music)a musician or group of musicians accompanying a soloist, whether vocalists or instrumentalists. Syn. -- accompaniment.
[PJC]
3.a person or group of persons serving as reinforcement for another or others; as, the policeman called for backup when he was fired on. PJC]
4.an accumulation, overflow, or reverse flow (in traffic or a liquid flow system) caused by a stoppage or other malfunction. PJC]
5.(Computers)A copy of a program or data from a computer onto a data-storage medium, usually one that may be removed to safe storage at a distance from the computer; it is used to preserve data for use in the contingency that the original data on the computer may be lost or become unusable. A backup that is removed from the building housing the computer system (to provide protection against loss of data in a disastrous event such as a fire) is called off-site backup. Also used attributively; as, backup copy. PJC]
6.(Computers)The act or process of creating a backup{5}; as, they performed a full system backup every weekend. PJC]
{ Back"ward(, Back"wards(, }adv.[Back, adv. + -ward.]1.With the back in advance or foremost; as, to ride backward. 1913 Webster]
2.Toward the back; toward the rear; as, to throw the arms backward. 1913 Webster]
3.On the back, or with the back downward. 1913 Webster]
Thou wilt fall backward.Shak. 1913 Webster]
4.Toward, or in, past time or events; ago. 1913 Webster]
Some reigns backward.Locke. 1913 Webster]
5.By way of reflection; reflexively.Sir J. Davies. 1913 Webster]
6.From a better to a worse state, as from honor to shame, from religion to sin. 1913 Webster]
The work went backward.Dryden. 1913 Webster]
7.In a contrary or reverse manner, way, or direction; contrarily; as, to read backwards. 1913 Webster]
We might have . . . beat them backward home.Shak. 1913 Webster]
Back"ward, a.1.Directed to the back or rear; as, backward glances. 1913 Webster]
For wiser brutes were backward to be slaves.Pope. 1913 Webster]
3.Not well advanced in learning; not quick of apprehension; dull; inapt; as, a backward child. \'bdThe backward learner.\'b8 South. 1913 Webster]
4.Late or behindhand; as, a backward season. 1913 Webster]
5.Not advanced in civilization; undeveloped; as, the country or region is in a backward state. 1913 Webster]
6.Already past or gone; bygone. [R.] 1913 Webster]
And flies unconscious o'er each backward year.Byron. 1913 Webster]
Back"ward, n.The state behind or past. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
In the dark backward and abysm of time.Shak. 1913 Webster]
Back"ward, v. t.To keep back; to hinder. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
Back`war*da"tion(, n.[Backward, v. t. + -ation.](Stock Exchange)The seller's postponement of delivery of stock or shares, with the consent of the buyer, upon payment of a premium to the latter; -- also, the premium so paid. See Contango.Biddle. 1913 Webster]
Back"ward*ly(, adv.1.Reluctantly; slowly; aversely. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney. 1913 Webster]
2.Perversely; ill. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
And does he think so backwardly of me?Shak. 1913 Webster]
back"ward*ness, n.The state of being backward. 1913 Webster]
back"wash`(, v. t.1.To clean the oil from (wool) after combing.Ash. 1913 Webster]
2.(Chem.)To clean (a filter, a chromatography column, a water softener, etc.) by passing liquid through in the reverse of the normal direction of flow. This procedure dislodges particles which clog the pores of the filter or column packing, removing them from the filter or column. PJC]
back"wash`(, n.1.The flow of water propelled backward by the propeller, paddle wheel, or oars of a boat. PJC]
2.(Aeron.)The backward flowing air within the wash of an airplane, caused mostly by the engine. PJC]
Back"wa`ter(, n.[Back, a. or adv. + -water. ]1.Water turned back in its course by an obstruction, an opposing current, or the flow of the tide, as in a sewer or river channel, or across a river bar. 1913 Webster]
2.An accumulation of water overflowing the low lands, caused by an obstruction. 1913 Webster]
3.Water thrown back by the turning of a waterwheel, or by the paddle wheels of a steamer. 1913 Webster]
Back"woods"(, n. pl.[Back, a. + woods.]The forests or partly cleared grounds on the frontiers. 1913 Webster]
Back"woods"man(, n.; pl.Backwoodsmen(.A man living in the forest in or beyond the new settlements, especially on the western frontiers of the United States in former times.Fisher Ames. 1913 Webster +PJC]
Back"worm`(, n.[2d back, n. + worm.]A disease of hawks. See Filanders.Wright. 1913 Webster]
Ba"con(, n.[OF. bacon, fr. OHG. bacho, bahho, flitch of bacon, ham; akin to E. back. Cf. Back the back side.]The back and sides of a pig salted and smoked; formerly, the flesh of a pig salted or fresh. 1913 Webster]
Bacon beetle(Zo\'94l.), a beetle (Dermestes lardarius) which, especially in the larval state, feeds upon bacon, woolens, furs, etc. See Dermestes. --
To save one's bacon, to save one's self or property from harm or loss. [Colloq.] 1913 Webster]
Bacon, Roger Baconprop. n.Roger Bacon. A celebrated English philosopher of the thirteenth century. Born at or near Ilchester, Somersetshire, about 1214: died probably at Oxford in 1294. He is credited with a recognition of the importance of experiment in answering questions about the natural world, recognized the potential importance of gunpowder and explosives generally, and wrote comments about several of the physical sciences that anticipated facts proven by experiment only much later. PJC]
The Franciscan monk, Roger Bacon (c. 1214 - 1294) was an important transitional figure in chemistry as he was trained in the alchemical tradition, but introduced many of the modern concepts of experimental science. Bacon believed that experiment was necessary to support theory, but for him the theory as presented in the Bible was true and the experiment only underlined that truth. One of Bacon's lasting contributions was his references to gunpowder, bringing this discovery to the general attention of literate Europeans. Prof. Tom Bitterwolf, Univ. of Idaho (Post-class notes, 1999). PJC]
Roger Bacon was Born at or near Ilchester, Somersetshire, about 1214: died probably at Oxford in 1294. He was educated at Oxford and Paris (whence he appears to have returned to England about 1250), and joined the Franciscan order. In 1257 he was sent by his superiors to Paris where he was kept in close confinement for several years. About 1265 he was invited by Pope Clement IV. to write a general treatise on the sciences, in answer to which he composed his chief work, the "Opus Majus." He was in England in 1268. In 1278 his writings were condemned as heretical by a council of his order, in consequence of which he was again placed in confinement. He was at liberty in 1292. Besides the "Opus Majus," his most notable works are "Opus Minus," "Opus Tertium," and "Compendium Philosophiae." See Siebert, "Roger Bacon," 1861; Held, "Roger Bacon's Praktische Philosophie," 1881; and L. Schneider, "Roger Bacon," 1873.Century Dict. 1906. PJC]
Dr. Whewell says that Roger Bacon's Opus Majus is "the encyclopedia and Novam Organon of the Thirteenth Century, a work equally wonderful with regard to its general scheme and to the special treatises with which the outlines of the plans are filled up.James J. Walsh (Thirteenth Greatest of Centuries, 1913. PJC]
Bacon, Francis Baconprop. n.Francis Bacon. A celebrated English philosopher, jurist, and statesman, son of Sir Nicholas Bacon.
Born at York House, London, Jan. 22, 1561: died at Highgate, April 9, 1626, created Baron Verulam July 12, 1618, and Viscount St. Albans Jan. 27, 1621: commonly, but incorrectly, called Lord Bacon.
He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, April, 1573, to March, 1575, and at Gray's Inn 1575; became attached to the embassy of Sir Amias Paulet in France in 1576; was admitted to the bar in 1582; entered Parliament in 1584; was knighted in 1603; became solicitor-general in 1607, and attorney-general in 1613; was made a privy councilor in 1616, lord keeper in 1617, and lord chancellor in 1618; and was tried in 1621 for bribery, condemned, fined, and removed from office. A notable incident of his career was his connection with the Earl of Essex, which began in July, 1591, remained an intimate friendship until the fall of Essex (1600-01), and ended in Bacon's active efforts to secure the conviction of the earl for treason. (See Essex.) His great fame rests upon his services as a reformer of the methods of scientific investigation; and though his relation to the progress of knowledge has been exaggerated and misunderstood, his reputation as one of the chief founders of modern inductive science is well grounded. His chief works are the "Advancement of Learning," published in English as "The Two Books of Francis Bacon of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning Divine and Human," in 1605; the "Novum organum sive indicia vera de interpretatione naturae," published in Latin, 1620, as a "second part" of the (incomplete) "Instauratio magna"; the "De dignitate et
augmentis scientiarum," published in Latin in 1623; "Historia Ventorum" (1622), "Historia Vitae et Mortis" (1623), "Historia Densi et Rari" (posthumously, 1658), "Sylva Sylvarum" (posthumously, 1627), "New Atlantis," "Essays" (1597, 1612, 1625), "De Sapientia Veterum" (1609), "Apothegms New and Old," "History of Henry VII." (1622).
Works edited by Ellis, Spedding, and Heath (7 vols. 1857); Life by Spedding
(7 vols. 1861, 2 vols. 1878). See Shakspere.Century Dict. 1906. PJC]
Ba*co"ni*an(, a.Of or pertaining to Lord Francis Bacon, or to his system of philosophy. 1913 Webster]
Ba*co"ni*an(?), n.1.One who adheres to the philosophy of Lord Bacon. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2.One who maintains that Lord Bacon is the author of the works commonly attributed to Shakespeare. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Baconian method, the inductive method. See Induction. 1913 Webster]
bac`ter*e"mi*a(bor b, n.The presence of bacteria in the blood. Syn. -- bacteriemia. WordNet 1.5]
bacteremicadj.Of or pertaining to bacteremia. WordNet 1.5]
Bac*te"ri*a(, n. pl.See Bacterium. 1913 Webster]
Bac*te"ri*al(, a.(Biol.)Of, pertaining to, or caused by bacteria. 1913 Webster]
Bac*te"ri*ci`dal(, a.Destructive of bacteria. 1913 Webster]
Bac*te"ri*cide(b, n.[Bacterium + L. caedere to kill](Biol.)Same as Germicide. 1913 Webster]
bac*teri*e"mi*a(bn.The presence of bacteria in the blood; same as bacteremia. PJC]
Bac*te"ri*o*log`ic*al(b, a.Of or pertaining to bacteriology; as, bacteriological studies. 1913 Webster]
Bac*te"ri*ol`o*gist, n.One skilled in bacteriology. 1913 Webster]
Bac*te"ri*ol`o*gy(, n.[Bacterium + -logy.](Biol.)The branch of microbiology relating to bacteria. 1913 Webster]
\'d8Bac*te`ri*ol"y*sis(?), n.[NL.; fr. Gr. bakth`rion, bak`tron, a staff + 1.Chemical decomposition brought about by bacteria without the addition of oxygen. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2.The destruction or dissolution of bacterial cells. -- Bac*te`ri*o*lyt"ic(#), a. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
bacteriophagen. sing. & pl.a virus which infects bacteria; -- also colloquially called phage in laboratory jargon.Bacteriophages are of many varieties, generally specific for one or a narrow range of bacterial species, and almost every bacterium is susceptible to at least one bacteriophage. They may have DNA or RNA as their genetic component. Certain types of bacteriophage, called
temperate bacteriophage, may infect but not kill their host bacteria, residing in and replicating either as a plasmid or integrated into the host genome. Under certain conditions, a resident temperate phage may become induced to multiply rapidly and vegetatively, killing and lysing its host bacterium, and producing multiple progeny. The lambda phage of Eschericia coli, much studied in biochemical and genetic research, is of the temperate type. PJC]
bacteriophagicbacteriophagousadj.1.of or pertaining to bacteriophage. WordNet 1.5]
Bac*te`ri*o*scop"ic(, a.(Biol.)Relating to bacterioscopy; as, a bacterioscopic examination. 1913 Webster]
Bac*te`ri*os"co*pist(, n.(Biol.)One skilled in bacterioscopic examinations. 1913 Webster]
Bac*te`ri*os"co*py(b, n.[Bacterium + -scopy; fr. Gr. bakth`rion, ba`ktron, a staff + skopei^n to view.](Biol.)1.The application of a knowledge of bacteria for their detection and identification, as in the examination of polluted water. 1913 Webster]
2.Microscopic examination or investigation of bacteria. -- Bac*te`ri*o*scop"ic(#), a. -- *scop"ic*al*ly(#), adv. -- Bac*te`ri*os"co*pist(#), n. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
bacteriostasisn.inhibition of the growth of bacteria, without outright killing of the organism. WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
bacteriostatn.a chemical or biological material that inhibits bacterial growth. WordNet 1.5]
bacteriostaticadj.1.of or pertaining to bacteriostasis or a bacteriostat. WordNet 1.5]
2.causing bacteriostasis; -- said of chemical substances, such as certain antibacterial agents. PJC]
PJC]
bacterisev.to subject to the action of bacteria. Syn. -- bacterize. WordNet 1.5]
Bac*te"ri*um(b, n.; pl.Bacteria(b.[NL., fr. Gr. bakth`rion, ba`ktron, a staff: cf. F. bact\'82rie.](Biol.)A microscopic single-celled organism having no distinguishable nucleus, belonging to the kingdom Monera. Bacteria have varying shapes, usually taking the form of a jointed rodlike filament, or a small sphere, but also in certain cases having a branched form. Bacteria are destitute of chlorophyll, but in those members of the phylum Cyanophyta (the blue-green algae) other light-absorbing pigments are present. They are the smallest of microscopic organisms which have their own metabolic processes carried on within cell membranes, viruses being smaller but not capable of living freely. The bacteria are very widely diffused in nature, and multiply with marvelous rapidity, both by fission and by spores. Bacteria may require oxygen for their energy-producing metabolism, and these are called aerobes; or may multiply in the absence of oxygen, these forms being anaerobes. Certain species are active agents in fermentation, while others appear to be the cause of certain infectious diseases. The branch of science with studies bacteria is bacteriology, being a division of microbiology. See Bacillus. 1913 Webster +PJC]
bacterizev.to subject to the action of bacteria. Syn. -- bacterise. WordNet 1.5]
Bac"tri*an(, a.Of or pertaining to Bactria in Asia. -- n.A native of Bactria. 1913 Webster]
Bactrian camel, the two-humped camel. 1913 Webster]
Bac"ule(, n.[F.](Fort.)See Bascule. 1913 Webster]
baculiformadj.shaped like a rod. Syn. -- baccilar, bacillary, bacilliform, rod-shaped. WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
Bac"u*line(, a.[L. baculum staff.]Of or pertaining to the rod or punishment with the rod. 1913 Webster]
Bac"u*lite(, n.[L. baculum stick, staff; cf. F. baculite.](Paleon.)A cephalopod of the extinct genus Baculites, found fossil in the Cretaceous rocks. It is like an uncoiled ammonite. 1913 Webster]
Bac`u*lom"e*try(, n.[L. baculum staff + -metry.]Measurement of distance or altitude by a staff or staffs. 1913 Webster]
Bad(b, a.[Compar.Worse(w; superl.Worst(w.][Probably fr. AS. b\'91ddel hermaphrodite; cf. b\'91dling effeminate fellow.]Wanting good qualities, whether physical or moral; injurious, hurtful, inconvenient, offensive, painful, unfavorable, or defective, either physically or morally; evil; vicious; wicked; -- the opposite of good; as, a bad man; bad conduct; bad habits; bad soil; bad air; bad health; a bad crop; bad news. Sometimes used substantively. 1913 Webster]
The strong antipathy of good to bad.Pope. 1913 Webster]
\'d8Ba`daud"(?), n.[F.]A person given to idle observation of everything, with wonder or astonishment; a credulous or gossipy idler. 1913 Webster]
A host of stories . . . dealing chiefly with the subject of his great wealth, an ever delightful topic to the badauds of Paris.Pall Mall Mag. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Bad"der(, compar. of Bad, a. [Obs.] Chaucer. 1913 Webster]
Bad"der*locks(, n.[Perh. for Balderlocks, fr. Balder the Scandinavian deity.](Bot.)A large black seaweed (Alaria esculenta) sometimes eaten in Europe; -- also called murlins, honeyware, and henware. 1913 Webster]
Bade(b. A form of the past tense of Bid. 1913 Webster]
Badge(b, n.[LL. bagea, bagia, sign, prob. of German origin; cf. AS. be\'a0g, be\'a0h, bracelet, collar, crown, OS. b in comp., AS. b to bow, bend, G. biegen. See Bow to bend.]1.A distinctive mark, token, sign, or cognizance, worn on the person; as, the badge of a society; the badge of a policeman. \'bdTax gatherers, recognized by their official badges.\'b8 Prescott. 1913 Webster]
2.Something characteristic; a mark; a token. 1913 Webster]
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge.Shak. 1913 Webster]
3.(Naut.)A carved ornament on the stern of a vessel, containing a window or the representation of one. 1913 Webster]
Badge(b, v. t.To mark or distinguish with a badge. 1913 Webster]
Badge"less, a.Having no badge.Bp. Hall. 1913 Webster]
Badg"er(, n.[Of uncertain origin; perh. fr. an old verb badge to lay up provisions to sell again.]An itinerant licensed dealer in commodities used for food; a hawker; a huckster; -- formerly applied especially to one who bought grain in one place and sold it in another. [Now dialectic, Eng.] 1913 Webster]
Badg"er, n.[OE. bageard, prob. fr. badge + -ard, in reference to the white mark on its forehead. See Badge,n.]1.A carnivorous quadruped of the genus Meles or of an allied genus. It is a burrowing animal, with short, thick legs, and long claws on the fore feet. One species (Meles melesorMeles vulgaris), called also brock, inhabits the north of Europe and Asia; another species (Taxidea taxusorTaxidea AmericanaorTaxidea Labradorica) inhabits the northern parts of North America. See Teledu. 1913 Webster]
2.A brush made of badgers' hair, used by artists. 1913 Webster]
Badg"er, v. t.[imp. & p. p.Badgered(; p. pr. & vb. n.Badgering.][For sense 1, see 2d Badger; for 2, see 1st Badger.]1.To tease or annoy, as a badger when baited; to worry or irritate persistently. 1913 Webster]
2.To beat down; to cheapen; to barter; to bargain. 1913 Webster]
Badg"er*er(, n.1.One who badgers. 1913 Webster]
2.A kind of dog used in badger baiting. 1913 Webster]
Badg"er game. The method of blackmailing by decoying a person into a compromising situation and extorting money by threats of exposure. [Cant] Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Badg"er*ing, n.1.The act of one who badgers. 1913 Webster]
2.The practice of buying wheat and other kinds of food in one place and selling them in another for a profit. [Prov. Eng.] 1913 Webster]
Badg"er-legged`(, a.Having legs of unequal length, as the badger was thought to have.Shak. 1913 Webster]
Badger State. Wisconsin; -- a nickname. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
\'d8Bad`i*a"ga(bor b, n.[Russ. badiaga.](Zo\'94l.)A fresh-water sponge (Spongilla), common in the north of Europe, the powder of which is used to take away the livid marks of bruises. 1913 Webster]
\'d8Ba"di*an(, n.[F. badiane, fr. Per. b\'bedi\'ben anise.](Bot.)An evergreen Chinese shrub of the Magnolia family (Illicium anisatum), and its aromatic seeds; Chinese anise; star anise. 1913 Webster]
Ba*di"geon(b, n.[F.]A cement or distemper paste (as of plaster and powdered freestone, or of sawdust and glue or lime) used by sculptors, builders, and workers in wood or stone, to fill holes, cover defects, finish a surface, etc. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
\'d8Ba`di`nage"(, n.[F., fr. badiner to joke, OF. to trifle, be silly, fr. badin silly.]Playful raillery; banter. \'bdHe . . . indulged himself only in an elegant badinage.\'b8 Warburton. 1913 Webster]
Bad" lands"(. Barren regions, especially in the western United States, where horizontal strata (Tertiary deposits) have been often eroded into fantastic forms, and much intersected by ca\'a4ons, and where lack of wood, water, and forage increases the difficulty of traversing the country, whence the name, first given by the Canadian French, Mauvaises Terres (bad lands). 1913 Webster]
Bad"ly, adv.In a bad manner; poorly; not well; unskillfully; imperfectly; unfortunately; grievously; so as to cause harm; disagreeably; seriously. 1913 Webster]
Badly is often used colloquially for very much or very greatly, with words signifying to want or need. 1913 Webster]
Bad"min*ton(, n.[From the name of the seat of the Duke of Beaufort in England.]1.A game, similar to lawn tennis, played with shuttlecocks. 1913 Webster]
2.A preparation of claret, spiced and sweetened. 1913 Webster]
Bad"ness, n.The state of being bad. 1913 Webster]
\'d8B\'91"no*mere(, n.[Gr. bai`nein to walk + -mere.](Zo\'94l.)One of the somites (arthromeres) that make up the thorax of Arthropods.Packard. 1913 Webster]
B\'91"no*pod(, n.[Gr. bai`nein to walk + -pod.](Zo\'94l.)One of the thoracic legs of Arthropods. 1913 Webster]
\'d8B\'91"no*some(, n.[Gr. bai`nein to walk + -some body.](Zo\'94l.)The thorax of Arthropods.Packard. 1913 Webster]
\'d8B\'91"tu*lus(?), n.; pl. B(#). [L., fr. Gr. bai`tylos a sacred meteorite.](Antiq.)A meteorite, or similar rude stone artificially shaped, held sacred or worshiped as of divine origin. 1913 Webster]
All the evidence goes to prove that these menhirs are b\'91tuli, i. e., traditional and elementary images of the deity.I. Gonino (Perrot & Chipiez). Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Baff(b, n.1.A blow; a stroke; thud. [Scot.] H. Miller. 1913 Webster]
2.specif.(Golf), a stroke in which the sole of the club hits the ground and drives the ball aloft. [Scot. or Golf] Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Baff(b, v. t. & i.[Scot., prob. imitative; cf. G. baff, interj. imitating the sound of a shot.]To strike; to beat; to make a baff. [Scot. or Golf] Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Baf"fle(b, v. t.[imp. & p. p.Baffled (-f'ld); p. pr. & vb. n.Baffling(-fl.][Cf. Lowland Scotch bauchle to treat contemptuously, bauch tasteless, abashed, jaded, Icel. b\'begr uneasy, poor, or b\'begr, n., struggle, b\'91gja to push, treat harshly, OF. beffler, beffer, to mock, deceive, dial. G. b\'84ppe mouth, beffen to bark, chide.] 1913 Webster]
1.To cause to undergo a disgraceful punishment, as a recreant knight. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]
He by the heels him hung upon a tree, baffled so, that all which passed by Spenser. 1913 Webster]
2.To check by shifts and turns; to elude; to foil. 1913 Webster]
The art that baffles time's tyrannic claim.Cowper. 1913 Webster]
3.To check by perplexing; to disconcert, frustrate, or defeat; to thwart. \'bdA baffled purpose.\'b8 De Quincey. 1913 Webster]
A suitable scripture ready to repel and baffle them all.South. 1913 Webster]
Calculations so difficult as to have baffled, until within a . . . recent period, the most enlightened nations.Prescott. 1913 Webster]
The mere intricacy of a question should not baffle us.Locke. 1913 Webster]
Baffling wind(Naut.), one that frequently shifts from one point to another. 1913 Webster]
Syn. -- To balk; thwart; foil; frustrate; defeat. 1913 Webster]
Baf"fle, v. i.1.To practice deceit. [Obs.] Barrow. 1913 Webster]
2.To struggle against in vain; as, a ship baffles with the winds. [R.] 1913 Webster]
Baf"fle, n.1.A defeat by artifice, shifts, and turns; discomfiture. [R.] \'bdA baffle to philosophy.\'b8 South. 1913 Webster]
2.(Engin.)(a)A deflector, as a plate or wall, so arranged across a furnace or boiler flue as to mingle the hot gases and deflect them against the substance to be heated.(b)A grating or plate across a channel or pipe conveying water, gas, or the like, by which the flow is rendered more uniform in different parts of the cross section of the stream; -- used in measuring the rate of flow, as by means of a weir. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2.(Coal Mining)A lever for operating the throttle valve of a winding engine. [Local, U. S.] Webster 1913 Suppl.]
2.discouraged by failure to accomplish a goal and uncertain how to proceed; -- used especially of feelings of defeat and discouragement. Syn. -- balked, discomfited, discouraged, frustrated. WordNet 1.5]
Baf"fle*ment(b, n.The process or act of baffling, or of being baffled; frustration; check.
Baf"fler(b, n.One who, or that which, baffles. 1913 Webster]
Baff"y(b, n.[See Baff, v. t.](Golf)A short wooden club having a deeply concave face, seldom used. Webster 1913 Suppl.]
Baft(b. n.Same as Bafta. 1913 Webster]
Baf"ta(b, n.[Cf. Per. baft woven, wrought.]A coarse stuff, usually of cotton, originally made in India. Also, an imitation of this fabric made for export. 1913 Webster]
Bag(b, n.[OE. bagge; cf. Icel. baggi, and also OF. bague, bundle, LL. baga.]1.A sack or pouch, used for holding anything; as, a bag of meal or of money. 1913 Webster]
2.A sac, or dependent gland, in animal bodies, containing some fluid or other substance; as, the bag of poison in the mouth of some serpents; the bag of a cow. 1913 Webster]
3.A sort of silken purse formerly tied about men's hair behind, by way of ornament. [Obs.] 1913 Webster]