3. Marriage. George, the eldest son of this second bed, was, after the death of his father, by the singular care and affection of his mother, well brought up. Clarendon. Bank of earth raised in a garden. Herbs will be tenderer and fairer, if you take them out of beds, when they are newly come up, and remove them into pots, with better earth." Bacon. 5. The channel of a river, or any hollow. So high as heav'd the tumid hills, so low Down sunk a hollow bottom, broad, and deep, Capacious bed of waters. Milton. The great magazine for all kinds of treasure is supposed to be the bed of the Tiber. We may be sure, when the Romans lay under the apprehensions of seeing their city sacked by a barbarous enemy, that they would take care to bestow such of their riches that way, as could best bear the water. Addison. 6. The place where any thing is generat-. ed, or reposited. See hoary Albula's infected tide O'er the warm bed of smoaking sulphur glide. Addison. 7. A layer; a stratum; a body spread over another. I see no reason, but the surface of the land should be as regular as that of the water, in the first production of it; and the strata, or beds within, lie as even. Burnet. 8. To bring to BED. To deliver of a child. It is often used with the particle of; as, she was brought to bed of a daughter. Ten months after Florimel happen'd to wed, And was brought in a laudable manner to bed. Prior. 9. To make the BED. To put the bed in order after it has been used. I keep his house, and I wash, wring, brew, bake, scour, dress meat, and make the beds, and do all myself. Shakspeare. BED of a Mortar. [with gunners.] A solid piece of oak, hollowed in the middle, to receive the breech and half Dict. the trunnions. BED of a great Gun. That thick plank which lies immediately under the piece, being, as it were, the body of the carriage. To BED. v. a. [from the noun.] 1. To go to bed with. Dict. They have married me: I'll to the Tuscan wars, and never bed her. If he be married, and bed with his wife, and afterwards relapse, he may possibly fancy that she infected him. Wiseman. TO BEDA'BBLE. v. a. [from dabble.] To wet; to besprinkle. It is generally applied to persons, in a sense including inconvenience. Never so weary, never so in woe, Bedabbled with the dew, and torn with briars,' I can no further crawl, no further go. Shaksp. TO BEDA'GGLE. v. a. [from daggle] To bemire; to soil clothes, by letting them reach the dirt in walking. To BEDA'SH. v. a. [from dash.] To bemire by throwing dirt; to bespatter; to wet with throwing water. When thy warlike father, like a child, Told the sad story of my father's death, That all the standers-by had wet their cheeks, Like trees bedash'd with rain. Shakspeare. To BEDA'UB. v. a. [from daub.] To daub over; to besmear; to soil, with spreading any viscous body over it. A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse, Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaub'd in blood, All in gore blood. Shakspeare. To BEDA'ZZLE. v. a. [from dazzle.] To make the sight dim by too much lustre. My mistaken eyes, That have been so bedazzled by the sun, That every thing I look on seemeth green. Sbak. BE'DCHAMBER. n. s. [from bed and chamber.] The chamber appropriated to rest. They were brought to the king, abiding them in his bedchamber. Hayreard He was now one of the bedchamber to the prince. Clarendon. BE'DCLOTHES. n. s. [from bed and clothes. It has no singular.] Coverlets spread over a bed. For he will be swine drunk; and in his sleep he does little harm, save to his bedclothes about him. Shakspeare. BE'DDER, n. s. [from bed.] The neBEDE'TTER. ther-stone of an oil-mill. BEDDING. n. s. [from bed.] The materials of a bed; a bed. There be no inns where meet bedding may be had; so that his mantle serves him then for a bed. Spenser, First, with assiduous care from winter keep, Well fother'd in the stalls, thy tender sheep; Then spread with straw the bedding of thy fold, With fern beneath, to fend the bitter cold. Dryden. Arcite return'd, and, as in honour tied, His foe with bedding and with food supply'd. Dryden, To BEDECK. v. a. [from deck.] To deck; to adorn; to grace. Thou sham'st thy shape, thy love, thy wit Norris. Now Ceres, in her prime, Smiles fertile, and with ruddiest freight bedeckt. Philips. BE'DEHOUSE. n. s. [from bede, Sax. a prayer, and house.] A hospital or almshouse, where the poor people prayed for their founders and benefactors. BEDE'TTER. See BEDDER. TO BEDE'W. v.a. [from derv.] To moisten gently, as with the fall of dew. Bedew her pasture's grass with English blood. Shakspeare. Let all the tears that should beder my herse, Be drops of balin to sanctify thy head. Shaksp. The countess received a letter from him, whereunto all the while she was writing her answer, she bedewed the paper with her tears. Wotton. What slender youth,bedew'd with liquid odours, Courts thee on roses, in some pleasant cave? Milton. Balm, from a silver box distill'd around, Shall all bedew the roots, and scent the sacred ground. Dryden. He said: and falling tears his face bader. Dryden. BE'DFELLOW. n. s. [from bed and fellow.] One that lies in the same bed. lors. He loves your people, But tie him not to be their bedfellow. Shaksp. Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfelShakspeare. Why doth the crown lie there upon his pillow, Being so troublesome a bedfellow? Shakspeare. A man would as soon choose him for his bedfellow as his playfellow. L'Estrange. What charming bedfellors, and companions for life, men choose out of such women! Addison. To BEDIGHT. v. a, [from dight.] To adorn; to dress; to set off: an old word, now only used in humorous writings. A maiden fine bedight he hapt to love; The maiden fine bedight his love retains, And for the village he forsakes the plains. Gay." To BEDI'M. v. a. [from dim.] To make dim; to obscure; to cloud; to darken. I have bedimm'd The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds, And 'twixt the green sea and the azure vault Set roaring war. Shakspeare. To BEDI'ZEN. v. a. [from dizen.] To dress out a low word. BE'DLAM. n. s. [corrupted from Bethlebem, the name of a religious house in London, converted afterward into a hospital for the mad and lunatick.] 1. A madhouse; a place appointed for the cure of lunacy. 2. A madman; a lunatick; an inhabitant of Bedlam. Let's follow the old earl, and get the bedlam To lead him where he would; his roguish mad BE'DLAM. adj. [from the noun.] Belong- If wild ambition in thy bosom reign, I was deeply in love with my bedmaker, upon which I was rusticated for ever. Spectator. BE'DMATE. n. s. [from bed and mate.] A bedfellow; one that partakes of the same bed. Had I so good occasion to lie long As you, prince Paris, nought but heav'nly busi ness Should rob my bedmate of my company. Shaks. BE'DMOULDING. n. s. [from bed BEDDING MOULDING. and mould.] A term used by workmen, to signify those members in the cornice,which are placed below the coronet. Builder's Dict. BE'D POST. n. s. [from bed and post.] The post at the corner of the bed, which sup ports the canopy. I came the next day prepared, and placed her in a clear light, her head leaning to a bedpost another standing behind, holding it steady. Wiseman's Surgery. BE'DPRESSER. 7. s. [from bed and press.] A heavy lazy fellow. This sanguine coward, this bedpresser, this horseback breaker, this huge hill of flesh. Sbak. To BELRA'GGLE. v. a. [from be and draggle. To soil the clothes, by suffering them, in walking, to reach the dirt. Poor Patty Blount, no more be seen Bedraggled in my walks so green. Srift. To BEDRE'NCH. v, a. [from be and drench.] To drench; to soak; to saturate with moisture. Far off from the mind of Bolingbroke It is, such crimson tempest should bedrench The fresh green lap of fair king Richard's land. Shakspeare. BE'DRID. adj. [from bed and ride.] Confined to the bed by age or sickness. Norway, uncle of young Fontinbras, Who, impotent and bedrid, scarcely hears Of this his nephew's purpose. Shakspeare.. Lies he not bedrid? and again does nothing, But what he did being childish? Shakspeare. Now, as a myriad Of ants durst th' emperor's lov'd snake invade; The crawling galleys, seagulls, finny chips, Might brave our pinnaces, our bedrid ships. Denne. Hanging old men, who were bedrid, because they would not discover where their money was. Clarendon Infirm persons, when they come to be so weak as to be fixed to their beds, hold out many years; some have lain bedy id twenty years. Ray BE'DRITE. n. s. [from bed and rite.] The privilege of the marriage bed. Whose vows are, that no bedrite shall be paid Till Hymen's torch be lighted. Shakspeare. To BEDRO'P. v. a. [from be and drop.] To besprinkle; to mark with spots or drops; to speckle. Not so thick swarm'd once the soil Bedrop'd with blood of Gorgon. Milton. Our plenteous streams a various race supply; The silver eel, in shining volumes roll'd; The yellow carp, in scales bedrop'd with gold. Pope. BE'DSTAFF. n. s. [bed and staff.] A wooden pin suck anciently on the sides of the bedstead, to hold the clothes from slipping on either side. Hostess, accommodate us with a bedstaff. Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour. BEDSTEAD. n. s. [from bed and stead.] The frame on which the bed is placed. Chimnies with scorn rejecting smoke; Stools, tables, chairs, and bedsteads broke. Swift. BE'DSTRAW. n. s. [from bed and straw.] The straw laid under a bed to make it soft. Fleas breed principally of straw or mats, where there hath been a little moisture; or the chamber or bedstraw kept close, and not aired. Bacon. BEDSWE'RVER. 2. s. [from bed and saverve.] One that is false to the bed; one that ranges or swerves from one bed to another. She's a bedserver, even as bad as those That vulgars give the boldest titles to. Shaksp. BEDTIME. n. s. [from bed and time.] The hour of rest; sleeping time. What masks, what dances shall we have, To wear away this long age of three hours, Between our after-supper and bedtime? Shaks. After evening repasts, till bedtime, their thoughts will be best taken up in the easy grounds of religion. Milton. The scouring drunkard, if he does not fight Before his bedtime, takes no rest that night. Dryden. To BEDUNG. v. a. [from be and dung.] To cover or manure with dung. To BEDU'ST. v. a. [from be and dust.] To sprinkle with dust. BE'DWARD. adv. [from bed and ward.] Toward bed. So work the honey bees; Creatures that, by a ruling mature, teach The art of order to a peopled kingdom. Shaks, From the Moorish camp There has been heard a distant humming noise, Like bees disturb'd, and arming in their hives. Dryden. A company of poor insects, whereof some are bees, delighted with flowers, and their sweetness; others beetles, delighted with other viands. Locke. 2. An industrious and careful person. This signification is only used in familiar language. BFE-EATER. n. s. [from bee and eat.] A A convenient and necessary place ought to be made choice of for your apiary, or bee-garden. Mortimer, BEE-HIVE. n. s. [from bee and hive.] The case, or box, in which bees are kept. BEE-MASTER. n.s. [from bee and master.] One that keeps bees. They that are bec-masters, and have not care enough of them, must not expect to reap any considerable advantage by them. Mortimer. BEECH. n. s. [bece, or boc, Saxon; fagus.] A tree that bears mast. There is but one species of this tree at present known; except two varieties, with striped leaves. It will grow to a considerable stature, though the soil be stony and barren; as also, upon the declivities of inountains. The shade of this tree is very injurious to plants, but is believed to be very salubrious to human bodies. The timber is of great use to turners and joiners. The mast is very good to fatten swine and deer. Miller. Black was the forest, thick with beech it stood. Dryden. Nor is that sprightly wildness in their notes, Which, clear and vigorous,warbles from the beecb. Thomson. BE'ECHEN. adj. [bucene, Sax.] Consisting of the wood of the beech; belonging to the beech. With diligence he 'll serve us when we dine, And in plain berchen vessels fill our wine. Dryd. BEEF. n. s. [bauf, French.] 1. The flesh of black-cattle prepared for food. What say you to a piece of beef and mustard? baste them. 2. An ox, bull, or cow, considered as fit for food. In this sense it has the plural beeves; the singular is seldom found. A pound of man's flesh Is not so estimable or profitable, Shaksh As flesh of muttons, beeves, or goats. swine, Two crook-haunch'd beeves. Chapman. There was not any captain, but had credit for more victuals than we spent there; and yet they had of me fifty beeves among them. Sir Water Raleigh. On hides of beeves before the palace gate, Sad spoils of luxury! the suitors sate. BEEF. adj. [from the substantive.] Consisting of the flesh of black-cattle. Pope. If you are employed in marketing, do not ac cept of a treat of a beef stake, and a pot of ale, from the butcher. Swift. BEEF-EATER. n. s. [from beef and eat, because the commons is beef when on waiting. Mr. Steevens derives it thus: Beef-eater may come from beaufetier, one who attends at the sideboard, which was anciently placed in a beaufet. The business of the beef-eaters was, and perhaps is still, to attend the king at meals.] A yeoman of the guard. BEEF-WITTED. adj. [from beef and quit.] Dull; stupid; heavy-headed. Beef-witted lord. Shakspeare. BE'EMOL. n. s. This word I have found only in the example, and know nothing of the etymology, unless it be a corruption of bymodule, from by and modulus, a note; that is, a note out of the regular order. There be intervenient in the rise of eight, in tones, two beemols, or half notes; so as, if you divide the tones equally, the eight is but seven whole and equal notes. BEEN. [beon, Saxon.] The participle preterit of To Br. Bacon. Enough that virtue filled the space between, Prov'd by the ends of being to have been. Pope. BEER. n. s. [bir, Welsh.] Liquor made of malt and hops. It is distinguished from ale, either by being older or smaller. Here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour; drink. Shakspeare. Try clarifying with almonds in new beer. Bacon. Flow, Welsted! flow, like thine inspirer, beer; Tho' stale, not ripe; tho' thin, yet never clear; So sweetly mawkish, and so smoothly dull; Heady, not strong; and foaming, the not full. Pope. BE'ESTINGS. See BIESTINGS. The species are, 1. The common white beet. 2. The common green beet. 3. The common red beet. 4. The turnep-rooted red beet. 5. The great red heet. 6. The yellow beet. 7. The Swiss or Chard beet. Miller. BEETLE. 7. s. [býtel, Saxon.] 1. An insect distinguished by having hard cases or sheaths, under which he folds his wings.. They are as shards, and he their beetle. Shaks. The poor beetle that we tread upon, In corporal suffrance finds a pang as great As when a giant dies. Shakspeare. Others come sharp of sight, and too provident for that which concerned their own interest; but as blind as beetles in foreseeing this great and common danger. Knolles's History of the Turks. Agrot there was with hoary moss o'ergrown; The clasping ivics up the ruins creep, And there the bat and drowsy beetle sleep. Garth. The butterflies and beetles are such numerous tribes, that I believe, in our own native country alone, the species of each kind may amount to one hundred and fifty, or more. Ray. 2. A heavy mallet, or wooden hammer, with which wedges are driven, and pavements rammed. If I do, fillip me with a three man beetle. Shakspeare. When, by the help of wedges and beetles, an image is cleft out of the trunk of some wellgrown tree; yet, after all the skill of artificers to High in the beetling cliff his airy builds. Thomson. BEETLE BROWED. adj. [from beetle and brow. Having prominent brows. Enquire for the beetle-brow'd critic, &c. Swift. BEETLEHEADED. adj. [from beetle and bead.] Loggerheaded; wooden-headed; having a head stupid, like the head of a wooden beetle. A whoreson, beetle-headed, flap-ear'd, knave. Shakspeare. BEETLESTOCK. n. s. [from beetle and stock] The handle of a beetle. BE'ETRAVE. BE ETRADISH. } n. s. A plant. BEEVES. n. s. [the plural of beef.] Blackcattle; oxen. One way, a band select from forage drives A herd of beeves, fair oxen, and fair kine, From a fat meadow ground. Milton. Others make good the paucity of their breed with the length and duration of their days; whereof there want not examples in animals uniparous, first, in bisulcous or cloven-hoofed, as camels; and beeves, whereof there is above a million annually slain in England. Brown. Beeves, at his touch, at once to jelly turn, And the huge boar is shrunk into an urn. Pope. To BEFA'LI. v. n. [from fall. It befell, it bath befallen.] 1. To happen to: used generally of ill. The worst that may befall me in this case. Sbak. men. Milton. This venerable person, who probably heard our Saviour's prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, drew his congregation out of these unparalleled calamities, which befell his countryAddison. This disgrace has befallen them, not because they deserved it, but because the people love new faces. Addison. 2. To happen to, as good or neutral. Bien asked an envious man, that was very sad, what harm had befallen unto him, or what good had befallen unto another man? Bacon. No man can certainly conclude God's love or hatred to any person, from what befalls him in this world. Tillotson. 3. To happen; to come to pass. I have reveal'd Do me the favour to dilate at full What hath befall'n of them, and thee, till now. Shakspeare. To BEFIT. v. a. [from be and fit.] To suit; to be suitable to; to become. Blind is his love, and best befits the dark. Shakspeare. Out of my sight, thou serpent!-that name best Befits thee, with him leagued; thyself as false. Paradise Lost. I will bring you where she sits, Clad in splendour, as befits Her deity. Milton. Dryden. Thou, what befits the new lord mayor, Art anxiously inquisitive to know. To BEFOOL. v. a. from be and fool.] To infatuate; to fool; to deprive of understanding; to lead into errour. Men befool themselves infinitely, when, by venting a few sighs, they will needs persuade themselves that they have repented. South. Jeroboam thought policy the best piety: though in nothing more fooled; the nature of sin being not only to defile, but to infatuate. South. BEFORE. prep. [biforan, Sax.] 1. Further onward in place. Their common practice was to look no further before them than the next line; whence it will follow that they can drive to no certain point. Dryden. 2. In the front of; not behind. Before them, in a cloud and pillar of fire, 3. In the presence of: noting authority or They represent our poet betwixt a farmer and a courtier, when he drest himself in his best habit, to appear before his patron. Dryden. 5. In sight of. Before the eyes of both our armies here, Let us not wrangle. Shakspeare. 6. Under the cognizance of: noting jurisdiction. If a suit be begun before an archdeacon, the ordinary may license the suit to an higher court. Ayliffe. 7. In the power of: noting the right of choice. The world was all before them, where to chuse Their place of rest, and Providence their guide. Milton. Give us this evening; thou hast morn and night, And all the year, before thee for delight. Dryd, He hath put us in the hands of our own counsel. Life and death, prosperity and destruction, are before us. Tillotson, 8. By the impulse of something behind. Het part, poor soul! seeming as burdened With lesser weight, but not with lesser woe, Was carried with more speed before the wind. Shakspeare, Hurried by fate, he cries, and borne before A furious wind, we leave the faithful shore. Dryd. Preceding in time, We think poverty to be infinitely desirable before the torments of covetousness. Taylor. 11. Prior to ; nearer to any thing; as, the eldest son is before the younger in suc cession. 12. Superiour to; as, he is before his com petitors both in right and power. BEFORE. adv. 1. Sooner than; earlier in time. Heav'nly born, Before the hills appear'd, or fountain flow'd, Thou with eternal wisdom didst converse. Milt, Before two months their orb with light adorn, If heav'n allow me life, I will return. Dryden. 2. In time past. Such a plenteous crop they bore 3. In some time lately past. Dryden I shall resume somewhat which hath been be foresaid, touching the question beforegoing. Hale. 4. Previously to; in order to. Before this elaborate treatise can become of use to my country, two points are necessary. Swift, 5. To this time; hitherto. The peaceful cities of th' Ausonian shore, Lull'd in her ease, and undisturb'd before, Are all on fire. 6. Already. Dryden You tell me, mother, what I knew before, The swiftest wing of recompence is slow Shakspeare, BEFOREHAND. adv. [from before and band.] 1. In a state of anticipation, or preoccupation sometimes with the particle with. Quoth Hudibras, I am beforehand In that already with your command. Hudibras. Your soul has been beforehand with your body, And drunk so deep a draught of promis'd bliss, She slumbers o'er the cup. Dryden. I have not room for many reflections; the last cited author has been beforehand with me, in its proper moral. Addison. 2. Previously; by way of preparation, or preliminary. His profession is to deliver precepts necessary to eloquent speech; yet so, that they which re ceive them, may be taught beforehand the skill of speaking. Hooker. When the lawyers brought extravagant bills, sir Roger used to bargain beforehand, to cut off a quarter of a yard in any part of the bill. 3. Antecedently; aforetime. Arbuthnot. It would be resisted by such as had beforeband resisted the general proofs of the gospel. Atterbury. 4. In a state of accumulation, or so as that more has been received than expended. Stranger's house is at this time rich, and much beforeband; for it hath laid up revenue these thirty-seven years. |