Part 22

BASE, b[=a]s, _n._ that on which a thing rests: foot: bottom: foundation: support: the chief ingredient, as in dyeing and chemistry: the starting-point, in a race: the fixed goal across which the ball is struck in hockey, the fixed stations at base-ball: the point from which the operations of a campaign are conducted: a measured line serving as a basis for trigonometrical calculations: the surface on which a plane or solid figure stands: (_chem._) a term applied to a compound body, generally consisting of a metal united with oxygen; (_archit._) the foot or lower member of a pillar, on which the shaft rests: (_her._) the lower portion of the shield--any figure placed on it is said to be 'in base:' a small portion of the base of a shield parted off by a horizontal line is sometimes called a base.--_v.t._ to found or place on a base:--_pr.p._ b[=a]s'ing; _pa.p._ based (b[=a]st).--_adjs._ BAS'AL, BAS'ILAR, pertaining to or situated at the base, esp. of the skull; BASE'LESS, without a base or foundation.--_ns._ BASE'LESSNESS; BASE'MENT, the base or lowest story of a building.--_adj._ BAS'EN-WIDE (_Spens._), widely extended.--_n._ BASE'-PLATE, the foundation plate of a piece of heavy machinery.--_n.pl._ BAS'ES, a kind of embroidered mantle which hung down from the middle to about the knees or lower, worn by knights on horseback: (_Spens._) armour for the legs.--_ns._ BASE'-STRING, the string of a musical instrument that gives the lowest note; BASE'-V[=I]OL (same as BASS-VIOL).--_adj._ BAS'IC (_chem._), belonging to or of the nature of a base.--_v.t._ BAS'IFY (_chem._), to convert into a salifiable base:--_pr.p._ b[=a]s'ifying; _pa.p._ b[=a]s'if[=i]ed. [Fr.--L.--Gr. _basis_--_ba-_, in _bainein_, to go.]

BASE, b[=a]s, _adj._ low in place, value, estimation, or principle: mean: vile: worthless: debased: counterfeit: (_law_) servile, as opposed to _free_: humble: (_B._ and _Shak._) lowly.--_adj._ BASE'-BORN, illegitimate.--_adv._ BASE'LY.--_adj._ BASE'-MIND'ED, of a low mind or spirit: mean.--_n._ BASE'NESS.--_adj._ BASE'-SPIR'ITED, mean-spirited. [Fr. _bas_--Low L. _bassus_, thick, fat, a vulgar Roman word, found also in name _Bassus_.]

BASE, b[=a]s, _v.t._ a form of ABASE.

BASE, b[=a]s, _n._ an old game played by two sides occupying contiguous spaces, called _bases_ or _homes_, off which any player is liable to be touched with the hand or struck by a ball by the enemy, and so attached to their sides. Forms of this game are known as _Prisoner's Base_ or _Bars_, and _Rounders_, and the national American game of _Base-ball_ is a development from it.

BASE-BALL, b[=a]s'-bawl, _n._ a game played with a bat and a ball, and run round bases, marking the circuit to be taken by each player of the inside after striking the ball. There are nine players on each side; the pitcher, of the one side, throws the ball; one of the other side tries to hit it as it passes him; and the runs to the bases are regulated according as the ball falls inside or outside certain lines, &c. A development from rounders, base-ball has been the American national game since 1865. [Coupled with cricket in Jane Austen's _Northanger Abbey_ (written 1798).]

BASECOURT, b[=a]s'k[=o]rt, _n._ the outer court of a mansion, which contained the stable-yard and servants' accommodation, as distinguished from the principal quadrangle: an inferior court of justice. [Fr. _basse-court_.]

BASENET. Same as BASINET.

BASH, bash, _v.t._ to beat or smash in.--_n._ BASH. [Prob. Scand.]

BASHAW, ba-shaw', _n._ a pasha: a haughty man--now usually written PASHA or PACHA (q.v.).--_ns._ BASHAW'ISM, BASHAW'SHIP. [Turk.]

BASHFUL, bash'f[=oo]l, _adj._ easily confused: modest: shy: wanting confidence.--_v.i._ BASH (_Spens._), to be abashed.--_adv._ BASH'FULLY.--_n._ BASH'FULNESS.--_adj._ BASH'LESS, unashamed. [See ABASH.]

BASHI-BAZOUK, bash'i-ba-z[=oo]k', _n._ a Turkish irregular trooper. They are mostly Asiatics, and are brutal plundering ruffians, capable, as in 1876 in Bulgaria, of the most devilish atrocities. [Turk. _bashi-bozuq_.]

BASHLYK, bash'lik, _n._ a kind of hood with long ends worn in Russia. [Russ. _bashluik[)u]_, a Caucasian hood.]

BASIL, baz'il, _n._ a mainly tropical or subtropical genus of Labiatae, characterised by a pleasant aromatic smell and taste, and reckoned amongst _sweet herbs_.--SWEET BASIL is an Indian annual long cultivated in Europe for seasoning purposes. [O. Fr. _basile_--L. _basilisca_--Gr. _basilikon_, royal.]

BASIL, baz'il, _n._ a sheepskin roughly tanned and undressed.

BASIL. See BEZEL.

BASILICA, baz-il'ik-a, _n._ among the Romans, a large oblong hall, with double colonnades and a semicircular apse at the end, used for judicial and commercial purposes--many of them were afterwards converted into Christian churches: a magnificent church built after the plan of the ancient basilica.--_adj._ BASIL'ICAN. [L. _basilica_, Gr. _basilik[=e]_ (_oikia_, a house), belonging to a king, from _basileus_, a king.]

BASILICON, baz-il'ik-on, _n._ a name given to various kinds of ointment as possessing sovereign virtues. [Gr. _basilikon_, royal.]

BASILISK, baz'il-isk, _n._ a fabulous creature, about a foot long, with a black-and-yellow skin and fiery red eyes, so named, according to Pliny, from the crest on the head like a crown--variously regarded as a kind of dragon or cockatrice: in modern zoology, a harmless crested lizard of tropical South America: an ancient brass cannon throwing a shot of about 200 lb. weight. [Gr. _basiliskos_, dim. of _basileus_, a king.]

BASIN, b[=a]s'n, _n._ a wide open vessel or dish: any hollow place containing water, as a dock: the area drained by a river and its tributaries. [O. Fr. _bacin_--Low L. _bachinus_, perh. from the Celtic.]

[Illustration]

BASINET, bas'i-net, _n._ a light globular headpiece worn alone with a visor, or with the great helm resting on the shoulders, worn over it.--Also BAS'NET.

BASIS, b[=a]s'is, _n._ the foundation, or that on which a thing rests: the pedestal of a column: the groundwork or first principle:--_pl._ BAS'ES. [See BASE (1).]

BASK, bask, _v.i._ to lie in the warmth or sunshine. [Scand. _badask_, to bathe.]

BASKET, bas'ket, _n._ a vessel made of plaited twigs, rushes, or other flexible materials.--_ns._ BAS'KETFUL, as much as fills a basket; BAS'KET-HILT, the hilt of a sword with a covering wrought like basket-work to defend the hand from injury; BAS'KET-MAK'ER; BAS'KET-WORK, any structure of interlaced twigs or the like. [Prob. the L. _bascauda_; the W. _basged_ is apparently borrowed from the English.]

BASQUE, bask, _adj._ relating to the _Basques_, or their wonderful language, with its extreme variability of dialects--the only example of a consistently incorporating language.--_n._ a native of the Basque provinces: the distinctive language of the Basques: a kind of short-skirted jacket worn by women, a continuation of the bodice a little below the waist.--_adj._ BASQUED (baskt), furnished with a basque.--_n._ BASQ'UINE, an outer petticoat worn by Basque and Spanish women. [Fr. _Basque_--Low L. _Vasco_, an inhabitant of _Vasconia_, whence _Gascony_. The Basques themselves call their tongue _Eskuara_, _Euscara_, whence the Fr. _Euscarien_.]

BAS-RELIEF, b[:a]-re-l[=e]f', BASS-RELIEF, bas're-l[=e]f', _n._ (_sculp._) figures which do not stand far out from the ground on which they are formed--also used in the Italian form BASS'O-RILIE'VO. [See BASE, low, and RELIEF.]

BASS, b[=a]s, _n._ the low or grave part in music.--_adj._ low, deep, grave.--_v.t._ to sound in a deep tone.--_ns._ BASS'-HORN, a musical wind-instrument, a modification of the bassoon, much lower and deeper in its tones; THOR'OUGH-BASS, the theory of harmony. [See BASE, low.]

BASS. Same as BAST.

BASS, BASSE, bas, _n._ a marine fish allied to the perch. [A.S. _baers_; cf. Ger. _bars_, the perch.]

BASSA, bas'sa, _n._ Same as BASHAW.

BASSET, bas'et, _n._ a short-legged dog used in unearthing foxes and badgers: an old Venetian game at cards, resembling faro, widely popular in the 18th century: (_geol._) the outcrop or emergence of mineral strata at the surface.--_v.i._ to incline upward so as to appear at the surface, to crop up.--_n._ BAS'SET-HORN (It. _corno di bassetto_), the richest and softest of all wind-instruments, similar to a clarionet in tone and fingering, but with a twice-bent wooden tube, having a compass of two and a half octaves. [Fr. _bas_, low.]

BASSINET, BASSINETTE, bas'si-net, _n._ a kind of basket with a hood in which an infant is placed as in a cradle: a similarly shaped perambulator. [Fr. dim. of _basin_, a basin.]

BASSO, bas'so, _n._ the same as BASS (1): also a bass singer.

BASSOON, bas-[=oo]n', _n._ (It. _fagotto_) a musical wind-instrument filling an important place in the modern orchestra, of the reed species, made of maple-wood or plane-tree, its compass from B flat below the bass stave to C in the treble.--The DOUBLE BASSOON (It. _contrafagotto_) sounds an octave lower.--_n._ BASSOON'IST. [It. _bassone_, augmentative of _basso_, low, from root of BASE.]

BASS-VIOL, b[=a]s'-v[=i]'ol, _n._ a musical instrument with four strings, used for playing the bass in concerted music; the violoncello. [See BASS, low, and VIOL.]

BAST, bast, _n._ the inner bark of the lime-tree: matting made of it. [A.S. _baest_; Dut., Dan., Ger. _bast_.]

BASTARD, bas'tard, _n._ a child born of parents not married.--_adj._ born out of wedlock: not genuine: resembling, but not identical with, the species bearing the name: of abnormal shape or size: false.--_n._ BAS'TARD-BAR, a popular but inaccurate name for the baton-sinister in heraldry.--_v.t._ BAS'TARDISE, to prove to be a bastard.--_adv._ BAS'TARDLY (_obs._).--_ns._ BAS'TARD-WING, three, four, or five feathers springing from the side of the wing of a bird near the point, attached to a bony process which is the homologue of the thumb in some mammalia; BAS'TARDY, BAS'TARDISM, the state of being a bastard.--BASTARD TITLE, an abbreviated title of a book on an otherwise blank page preceding the full title-page; BASTARD TYPES, types cast with an extra deep bevel to obviate the use of leads, as Longprimer face on Pica body. [Fr. _b[^a]tard_; O. Fr. _fils de bast_, son of the pack-saddle, _bast_ (_b[^a]t_) being a coarse saddle for beasts of burden.]

BASTE, b[=a]st, _v.t._ to beat with a stick. [Prob. conn. with Ice. _beysta_, Dan. _b[:o]ste_, to beat.]

BASTE, b[=a]st, _v.t._ to drop fat or butter over meat while roasting to keep it from burning and to improve the flavour. [Ety. unknown.]

BASTE, b[=a]st, _v.t._ to sew slightly or with long stitches. [O. Fr. _bast['i]r_, from Old High Ger. _bestan_, to sew.]

BASTILLE, bast-[=e]l', _n._ an old fortress in Paris long used as a stale prison, and demolished by a revolutionary mob in July 1789: any prison regarded as a symbol of tyranny. [Fr.--O. Fr. _bastir_ (Fr. _b[^a]tir_), to build.]

BASTINADO, bast-in-[=a]d'o, _v.t._ to beat with a baton or stick, esp. on the soles of the feet (a form of punishment in the East):--_pr.p._ bastin[=a]d'ing or bastin[=a]d'oing; _pa.p._ bastin[=a]d'ed or bastin[=a]d'oed.--_ns._ BASTINADE', BASTIN[=A]D'O. [Sp. _bastonada_, Fr. _bastonnade_--_baston_, _b[^a]ton_. See BATON.]

BASTION, bast'yun, _n._ a kind of tower at the angles of a fortification.--_adj._ BAST'IONED. [Fr.--O. Fr. _bastir_, to build.]

BAT, bat, _n._ a heavy stick: a flat club for striking the ball in cricket, a club for base-balls, a batsman: the clown's sword in a pantomime: a piece of brick: (_slang_) rate of speed, style.--_v.i._ to use the bat in cricket:--_pr.p._ bat'ting; _pa.p._ bat'ted.--_ns._ BAT'TER, BATS'MAN, one who wields the bat at cricket, &c.; BAT'TING, the management of a bat in playing games: cotton fibre prepared in sheets. [Perh. from A.S. _bat_ (a doubtful form), prob. Celt. _bat_, staff.]

BAT, bat, _n._ an animal with a body like a mouse, but which flies on wings attached mainly to its fore-feet, but extending along its sides to the hind-feet. [M. E. _bakke_, apparently from Scand.; cf. Dan. _aftenbakke_, evening-bat.]

BATABLE, b[=a]t'a-bl, _adj._ debatable, disputable. [A contr. of DEBATABLE.]

BATATA, ba-t[:a]'ta, _n._ a plant with tuberous roots, the sweet potato. [Sp. _batata_, potato.]

BATAVIAN, ba-t[=a]'vi-an, _adj._ pertaining to the ancient _Batavi_ in the Low Countries, or to the modern Dutch, their descendants.

BATCH, bach, _n._ the quantity of bread baked or of anything made or got ready at one time: a set. [From BAKE.]

BATE. Same as ABATE.

BATE, b[=a]t, _n._ (_Spens._) strife, contention.--_adj._ BATE'-BREED'ING (_Shak._). [Abbrev. of DEBATE.]

BATE, b[=a]t, _n._ diminution (_dial._, esp. in combination).

BATE, b[=a]t, _v.i._ (_Shak._) to beat the wings impatiently: (_obs._) to be impatient. [O. E. _batre_--Low L. _bat[)e]re_.]

BATEAU, b[:a]-to', _n._ a light river-boat, esp. those used on Canadian rivers. [Fr.--O. Fr. _batel_, boat.]

BATELESS, b[=a]t'les, _adj._ (_Shak._) that cannot be bated or blunted.

BATFOWLING, bat'fowl-ing, _n._ the catching birds at night when at roost. [BAT, club, and FOWL.]

BATH, b[:a]th, _n._ water for plunging the body into: a bathing: a house for bathing: a place for undergoing medical treatment by means of bathing: (_phot._) a solution in which plates are plunged:--_pl._ BATHS (b[:a]_th_z).--_ns._ BATH'-BRICK, a preparation of siliceous silt, manufactured at Bridgwater in the form of bricks, and used in cleaning knives; BATH'CHAIR, a large wheeled chair for invalids; BATH'HOUSE; BATH'MAN; BATH'ROOM; BATH'-STONE, a building stone quarried at Bath; BATH'WOMAN; BLOOD'-BATH, a massacre.--BATH GUIDE, a poem of the 18th century, often taken as a type of 'Society' verse.--ORDER OF THE BATH, an English order of knighthood, so named from the bath before installation (including three classes--military and civil knights grand-cross, G.C.B.; knights commanders, K.C.B.; and companions, C.B.). [A.S. _baeth_, cog. with Ger. _bad_.]

BATH, b[:a]th, _n._ the largest Jewish liquid measure, containing about six gallons. [Heb.]

BATHE, b[=a]_th_, _v.t._ to wash as in a bath: to wash or moisten with any liquid: to moisten, suffuse, encompass.--_v.i._ to take a bath.--_n._ the act of taking a bath.--_ns._ BATH'ING-BOX, a box for bathers to undress and dress in; BATH'ING-MACHINE', a small carriage in which a bather may be carried out into water conveniently deep for bathing. [A.S. _bathian_; Old High Ger. _bad[^o]n_, _bath[^o]n_ (Ger. _baden_).]

BATHOMETER, bath-om'et-[.e]r, _n._ an instrument for ascertaining depth. [Gr. _bathos_, depth, _metron_, measure.]

BATHORSE, baw'hors, _n._ a packhorse carrying the baggage of an officer. [Fr. _b[^a]t_, a pack-saddle.]

BATHOS, b[=a]'thos, _n._ a ludicrous descent from the elevated to the mean in writing or speech.--_adj._ BATHET'IC, irregularly formed on the analogy of _pathos_, _pathetic_. [Gr. _bathos_, depth, from _bathys_, deep.]

BATHYBIUS, bath-ib'i-us, _n._ name given to a supposed low form of life at the bottom of some parts of the deep sea. [Formed from Gr. _bathys_, deep, and _bios_, life.]

BATHYMETRY, bath-im'et-ri, _n._ the science of measuring the depth of seas and lakes. [Gr. _bathys_, deep, _metria_, measurement.]

BATING, b[=a]t'ing, _prep._ abating, excepting.

BATISTE, ba-t[=e]st', _n._ usual French name for cambric: applied in commerce to a fine texture of linen and cotton. [Littr['e] derives from _Baptiste_, the original maker; others from its use in wiping the heads of children after baptism.]

BATLET, bat'let, _n._ a wooden mallet used by laundresses for beating clothes. [Dim. of BAT.]

BATMAN, bat'man, baw'man, _n._ a man who has charge of a bathorse. [See BATHORSE.]

[Illustration]

BATON, bat'on, BATOON, ba-toon', _n._ a staff or truncheon, esp. of a policeman: a marshal's staff.--_v.t._ to strike with a baton.--_n._ BAT'ON-SIN'ISTER, a well-known heraldic indication of illegitimacy, improperly called BAR-SINISTER, a diminutive of a bend-sinister, not extending to the sides of the shield, so as to resemble a marshal's baton laid diagonally over the family arms from left to right. [Fr. _b[^a]ton_--Low L. _basto_, a stick; of unknown origin.]

BATRACHIA, ba-tr[=a]'ki-a, _n.pl._ the order of reptiles which includes the frogs.--_adj._ and _n._ BATR[=A]'CHIAN. [From Gr. _batrachos_, a frog.]

BATSWING, bats'wing, _n._ a kind of gas-burner, with a slit at the top which causes the flame to take the shape of a bat's wing.

BATTA, bat'ta, _n._ an allowance to officers in the British Indian army in addition to their ordinary pay: subsistence money. [Hind.]

BATTAILANT, bat't[=a]l-ant, _adj._ (_Spens._) fighting.--_adj._ BAT'TAILOUS (_arch._), war-like. [Fr. _bataillant_, pr.p. of _batailler_, to fight. See BATTLE.]

BATTALIA, bat-t[=a]l'ya, _n._ the order of battle: the main body of an army in array. [It. _battaglia_. Doublet of BATTLE.]

BATTALIA PIE, bat-t[=a]l'ya p[=i], titbits in a pie: articles like pin-cushions, embroidered by nuns in convents with scenes from the Bible. [Corrupted from Fr. _b['e]atilles_, dim. formed from L. _beatus_.]

BATTALION, bat-al'yun, _n._ a body of soldiers consisting of several companies: a body of men drawn up in battle-array. [Fr.; from root of BATTLE.]

BATTELS, bat'lz, _n.pl._ an Oxford term signifying accounts for provisions received from college kitchens and butteries: applied generally to the whole of the sums for tuition, &c., charged in college accounts.--_v.i._ BAT'TILL, BAT'TEL (_Spens._), to fatten. [Late L. _batilli_, perh. conn. with BATTLE, to feed.]

BATTEN, bat'n, _v.i._ to grow fat: to live in luxury.--_v.t._ (_obs._) to fatten. [Ice. _batna_, to grow better--_bati_, advantage; cf. Dut. _baten_, to avail.]

BATTEN, bat'n, _n._ a piece of board: a ledge, clamp: in ships, a strip of wood used to fasten down the hatches.--_n._ BAT'TENING, battens forming a structure. [Same as BATON.]

BATTER, bat'er, _v.t._ to beat with successive blows: to wear with beating or by use: to attack with artillery.--_n._ ingredients beaten along with some liquid into a paste: paste for sticking.--_ns._ BAT'TERING-CHARGE, the full charge of powder for a cannon; BAT'TERING-RAM, an ancient engine for battering down walls, consisting of a large beam with an iron head like that of a ram. [O. Fr. _batre_ (Fr. _battre_), from the root of BAT.]

BATTER, bat'[.e]r, _n._ the inclination of a wall from the perpendicular.--_v.i._ to slope backward from the perpendicular. [Perh. from Fr. _battre_, to beat down.]

BATTERY, bat'[.e]r-i, _n._ (_Shak._) a wound: a number of cannon with their equipment: the place on which cannon are mounted: the men and horses attending one battery, constituting the unit in the artillery: an instrument used in electric and galvanic experiments: (_law_) an assault by beating or wounding: apparatus for preparing or serving meals.--CROSS BATTERIES, two batteries commanding the same spot from different directions; FLOATING BATTERY (see FLOAT); MASKED BATTERY, a battery in

## action out of the enemy's view; TO CHANGE ONE'S BATTERY, to alter the

direction of attacking.

BATTLE, bat'l, _n._ a contest between opposing armies: a fight or encounter: (_arch._) a body of troops in battle array, esp. in phrase 'main battle.'--_v.i._ to contend in fight: to maintain, champion (with _against_, _with_).--_ns._ BAT'TLE-AXE, -AX, a kind of axe once used in battle; BAT'TLE-CRY, a war-shout; BAT'TLEFIELD, the place on which a battle is fought; BAT'TLE-PIECE, a passage, or a painting, describing a battle.--_adj._ BAT'TLE-SCARRED, scarred in battle.--_ns._ BAT'TLESHIP, a war-ship of the first class; PITCHED'-BAT'TLE, a battle fought on chosen ground.--BATTLE ROYAL, a general m[^e]l['e]e--HALF THE BATTLE, said of anything which ensures success.--LINE OF BATTLE, troops in array for battle; LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIP, a ship strong enough to form one of the line.--TO JOIN, DO BATTLE, to fight. [Fr. _bataille_--_battre_, to beat. See BATTER.]

BATTLE, bat'l, _adj._ (_dial._) nourishing.--_v.t._ (_obs._) to feed. [Most prob. from Ice. _bati_, improvement. See BATTEN.]

BATTLEDOOR, BATTLEDORE, bat'l-d[=o]r, _n._ a light bat for striking a ball or shuttlecock.--NOT TO KNOW A B FROM A BATTLEDOOR, to be thoroughly ignorant. [Sp. _batidor_, a beater, a washing-beetle; but this is doubtful.]

BATTLEMENT, bat'l-ment, _n._ a wall or parapet on the top of a building with openings or embrasures, originally used only on fortifications: the towering roof of heaven,--_adj._ BAT'TLEMENTED, fortified with battlements--also _pa.p._ BAT'TLED (_poet._).

BATTOLOGY, bat-ol'o-ji, _n._ repetition in speech or writing.--_adj._ BATTOLOG'ICAL. [Gr. _battos_, a person who repeated himself, and _legein_, to speak.]

BATTUE, bat-t[=oo]', _n._ a method of hunting in which the woods are beaten and the game driven from cover into some place for the convenience of the shooters: any indiscriminate slaughter. [Fr.--_battre_, to beat.]

[Illustration]

BAUBLE, baw'bl, _n._ a trifling piece of finery: a child's plaything: a stick surmounted by a head with ass's ears, and forming the mock emblem of the court-jester: a piece of childish foolery: (_Shak._) a foolish person.--_adj._ BAU'BLING (_obs._), trifling. [O. Fr. _babel_, prob. from the root seen in L. _babulus_, a babbler.]

BAUDEKIN, bawd'i-kin, BAWDKIN, bawd'kin. Same as BALDACHIN.

BAUDRIC, bawd'rik. Same as BALDRICK.

BAUDRONS, bawd'runs, _n._ Scotch name for the cat. [Perh. of Celt. origin; cf. Ir. _beadrac_, frolicsome, Gael. _beadrach_, a frolicsome girl.]

BAUK, BAULK. Same as BALK.

BAUSOND, bawz'ond, _adj._ (_obs._) having white spots, esp. on the forehead, or a white stripe down the face.--_adj._ BAUS'ON-FACED (_Scott_), with a face like a badger. [O. Fr. _bausant_ (It. _balzano_), black and white spotted. Further ety. dub.]

BAUXITE, b[=o]'z[=i]t, _n._ a clay found at Les _Baux_, near Arles, yielding alumina.--Also BEAU'XITE.

BAVARDAGE, bav-ar-d[=a]j', _n._ chattering. [Fr. _bavard_, garrulous--_bave_, drivel.]

BAVIN, bav'in, _n._ a fagot of brushwood.--BAVIN WITS (_Shak._), wits that blaze and die like bavins. [O. Fr. _baffe_, a fagot; but this is doubtful.]

BAWBEE, baw-b[=e]', _n._ a halfpenny: originally a Scotch coin of base silver equivalent to six Scotch pennies. [Ety. dub., but very prob. derived from a 16th-cent. Scotch mint-master, the laird of _Sillebawby_; others identify with 'baby.']

BAWBLE. Same as BAUBLE.

BAWCOCK, baw'kok, _n._ (_Shak._) a fine fellow. [From Fr. _beau_, fine, and _coq_, a cock.]

BAWD, bawd, _n._ a procurer or procuress of women for lewd purposes--_fem._ only since about 1700.--_n._ BAWD'RY.--_adj._ BAWD'Y, obscene, unchaste, filthy.--_n._ BAWD'Y-HOUSE, a brothel. [Perh. abbrev. from BAWD'STROT, a word for a pander, now obsolete, derived from O. Fr. _baldestrot_--_bald_, gay, and perh. the Teut. root found in _strut_.]

BAWD, bawd, _n._ (_Shak._) a hare. [Perh. a contr. of BAUDRONS.]

BAWL, bawl, _v.i._ to shout or cry out loudly (with _at_, _against_).--_n._ a loud cry or shout.--_n._ BAWL'ER. [Perh. from Low L. _baulare_, to bark like a dog; but cf. Ice. _baula_, to low like a cow, _baula_, a cow.]

BAWN, bawn, _n._ a fortification round a house: an enclosure for cattle. [Ir. _b['a]bhun_, enclosure.]

BAXTER. See BAKE.

BAY, b[=a], _adj._ reddish brown inclining to chestnut.--_n._ elliptical for 'bay-horse.'--_n._ BAYARD (b[=a]'ard), a bay-horse: a name for any horse generally, from 'Bayard,' the famous bay-coloured magic horse given to Renaud by Charlemagne: a man recklessly blind to danger: a fellow bold in his ignorance: a type of the knight, from _Bayard_ (1476-1524), 'the knight without fear and without reproach.' [Fr. _bai_--L. _badius_, chestnut-coloured.]

BAY, b[=a], _n._ an inlet of the sea with a wider opening than a gulf: an inward bend of the shore. [Fr. _baie_--Low L. _baia_, a harbour.]

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BAY, b[=a], _n._ the space between two columns: (_Shak._) the space under one house gable: any recess.--_n._ BAY'-WIN'DOW, any window forming a recess.--_adj._ BAY'-WIN'DOWED. [O. Fr. _ba['e]e_--_baer_, to gape, be open; prob. conn. with the foregoing word.]

BAY, b[=a], _n._ the laurel-tree: (_pl._) an honorary garland or crown of victory, originally of laurel: literary renown.--_ns._ BAY'BERRY; BAY'-RUM, an aromatic stimulant used for the skin and hair, and prepared by distilling the leaves of the bay-berry (_Pimenta acris_) with rum, or otherwise mixing the volatile oil of the leaves with alcohol. [O. Fr. _baie_, a berry--L. _baca_.]

BAY, b[=a], _n._ barking, baying (esp. of a dog when in pursuit): the combined cry of hounds in conflict with a hunted animal: used often of the last stand of a hunted animal when it faces the hounds at close quarters.--_v.i._ to bark (esp. of large dogs).--_v.t._ to bark at: to utter by baying: to follow with barking: to bring to bay.--TO HOLD, KEEP AT BAY, said of the hunted animal; TO STAND, BE, AT BAY, at close quarters. [These senses show a confusion of two distinct words, according to Murray: (1) to hold at bay = O. Fr. _tenir a bay_ = It. _tenere a bada_, _bay_, _bada_, denoting the suspense indicated by the open mouth; (2) in the phrase 'to stand at bay,' the word points to O. Fr. _abai_, barking, _bayer_, to bark.]

BAY, BAYE, b[=a], _v.t._ (_Spens._) to bathe.

BAYAD[`E]RE, b[=a]-ya-d[=e]r', _n._ a Hindu dancing-girl. [Fr.--Port. _bailadeira_.]

BAYONET, b[=a]'on-et, _n._ a stabbing instrument of steel fixed to the muzzle of a musket or rifle: military force: (_pl._) soldiers armed with bayonets.--_v.t._ to stab with a bayonet. [Fr. _baionnette_, perh. from _Bayonne_, in France, where it was supposed to have been first made; others derive from O. Fr. _bayon_, arrow.]

BAYOU, b[=a]'[=oo], _n._ name given to the marshy offshoots of lakes and rivers, esp. in North America. [Perh. corrupted from Fr. _boyau_, gut.]

BAY-SALT, b[=a]'-s[:a]lt, _n._ salt obtained by slow evaporation originally from sea-water. [Prob. from BAY, an inlet, and SALT.]

BAZAAR, BAZAR, ba-z[:a]r', _n._ an Eastern marketplace or exchange: a fancy fair in imitation of an Eastern bazaar. [Pers. _b[=a]z[=a]r_, a market.]

BDELLIUM, del'i-um, _n._ a kind of gum. [Gr. _bdellion_, used to translate, but prob. unconnected with Heb. _b'd[=o]lakh_, Gen. ii. 12.]