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mise. An attempt to bribe, though unsuccessful, has been holden to be criminal, and the offender may be indicted. Bouvier. The bard may supplicate, but cannot bribe. Goldsmith.

The spread of a river into a sheet of water; a flooded fen. [Local, Eng.] Southey.

y with off. As wicked dew as e'er my mother brushed With raven's feather from unwholesome fen. Shak. And from the boughts brush off the evil dew. Milton. To brush aside, to remove from one's way, as with a brush. -- To brush away, to remove, as with a brush or brushing motion. -- To brush up, to paint, or make clean…

To shield; to defend. [Obs.] Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right, Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree Shak.

A coarse cloth of linen or hemp, stiffened with size or glue, used in garments to keep them in the form intended, and for wrappers to cover merchandise.

lo skin, or other thick and elastic material, worn by soldiers in the 17th century as a defensive covering. -- Buff jerkin, originally, a leather waistcoat; afterward, one of cloth of a buff color. [Obs.] Nares. -- Buff stick (Mech.), a strip of wood covered with buff leather, used in polishing.

An elastic apparatus or fender, for deadening the jar caused by the collision of bodies; as, a buffer at the end of a railroad car.

That which secures against an enemy, or defends from attack; any means of defense or protection. The royal navy of England hath ever been its greatest defense, . . . the floating bulwark of our island. Blackstone.

A contribution toward the building or repairing of castles or walls for the defense of a city or town.

The offense of violating the pledge given by every inhabitant of a tithing to keep the peace; breach of the peace. Burrill.

A thrust in fencing. To prove who gave the fairer butt, John shows the chalk on Robert's coat. Prior.

To accuse falsely and maliciously of a crime or offense, or of something disreputable; to slander; to libel. Hatred unto the truth did always falsely report and calumniate all godly men's doings. Strype. Syn. asperse; slander; defame; vilify; traduce; belie; bespatter; blacken; libel. See Asperse.

False accusation of crime or offense, or a malicious and false representation of the words or actions of another, with a view to injure his good name. The calumniation of her principal counselors. Bacon.

False accusation of a crime or offense, maliciously made or reported, to the injury of another; malicious misrepresentation; slander; detraction. "Infamouse calumnies." Motley. Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Shak.

f candle. -- Excommunication by inch of candle, a form of excommunication in which the offender is allowed time to repent only while a candle burns. -- Not worth the candle, not worth the cost or trouble. -- Rush candle, a candle made of the pith of certain rushes, peeled except on one side, and dipped in grease. -…

A very broad and heavy wooden collar which certain offenders in China are compelled to wear as a punishment.

tal punishment. Many crimes that are capital among us. Swift. To put to death a capital offender. Milton.

A piece of defensive or ornamental armor (with or without a vizor) for the head and neck; a helmet. His casque overshadowed with brilliant plumes. Prescott.

ping each other, and it has a group of long sharp spines on each wing which are used as defensive organs. It is a shy bird, and runs with great rapidity. Other species inhabit New Guinea, Australia, etc.

eman; a fortress. The house of every one is to him castle and fortress, as well for his defense againts injury and violence, as for his repose. Coke. Our castle's strength Will laugh a siege to scorn. Shak.