Search the Dictionary

An ancient rural game, commonly played round stacks of barley, or other grain, in which some of the party attempt to catch others who run from a goal.

Strix flammea), which frequents barns and other buildings. -- Barn swallow (Zoöl.), the common American swallow (Hirundo horreorum), which attaches its nest of mud to the beams and rafters of barns.

asunder at the backbone. -- Barons of the Cinque Ports, formerly members of the House of Commons, elected by the seven Cinque Ports, two for each port. -- Baron of the exchequer, the judges of the Court of Exchequer, one of the three ancient courts of England, now abolished.

hose of the Garter. It is the lowest degree of honor that is hereditary. The baronets are commoners.

There are 252 of these baronies. In Scotland, an extensive freehold. It may be held by a commoner. Brande & C.

A building for soldiers, especially when in garrison. Commonly in the pl., originally meaning temporary huts, but now usually applied to a permanent structure or set of buildings. He lodged in a miserable hut or barrack, composed of dry branches and thatched with straw. Gibbon.

The common perch. See 1st Bass. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

A male voice, the compass of which partakes of the common bass and the tenor, but which does not descend as low as the one, nor rise as high as the other.

Deep or grave in sound; as, the base tone of a violin. [In this sense, commonly written bass.]

hes, which bears the spores in that division of fungi called Basidiomycetes, of which the common mushroom is an example.

The name given to several aromatic herbs of the Mint family, but chiefly to the common or sweet basil (Ocymum basilicum), and the bush basil, or lesser basil (O. minimum), the leaves of which are used in cookery. The name is also given to several kinds of mountain mint (Pycnanthemum). Basil thyme, a name given to the f…

A group of Pulmonifera having the eyes at the base of the tentacles, including the common pond snails.

ngs are formed by a membrane stretched between the elongated fingers, legs, and tail. The common bats are small and insectivorous. See Cheiroptera and Vampire. Bat tick (Zoöl.), a wingless, dipterous insect of the genus Nycteribia, parasitic on bats.

oöl.), a wild cat of Africa and the East Indies (Felis aurata). -- Bay lynx (Zoöl.), the common American lynx (Felis, or Lynx, rufa).

Properly, a bay horse, but often any horse. Commonly in the phrase blind bayard, an old blind horse. Blind bayard moves the mill. Philips.

A fair for the sale of fancy wares, toys, etc., commonly for a charitable objects. Macaulay.

ed by the waves; especially, a sandy or pebbly shore; the strand. Beach flea (Zoöl.), the common name of many species of amphipod Crustacea, of the family Orchestidæ, living on the sea beaches, and leaping like fleas. -- Beach grass (Bot.), a coarse grass (Ammophila arundinacea), growing on the sandy shores of lakes a…

A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning. No flaming beacons cast their blaze afar. Gay.

Ignatius bean, or St. Ignatius's bean (Bot.), a species of Strychnos. -- Navy bean, the common dried white bean of commerce; probably so called because an important article of food in the navy. -- Pea bean, a very small and highly esteemed variety of the edible white bean; -- so called from its size. -- Sacred bean…

ce where bears are kept for diversion or fighting. (b) Any place where riotous conduct is common or permitted. M. Arnold. -- Bear leader, one who leads about a performing bear for money; hence, a facetious term for one who takes charge of a young man on his travels.