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od qualities in the highest degree; most good, kind, desirable, suitable, etc.; most excellent; as, the best man; the best road; the best cloth; the best abilities. When he is best, he is a little worse than a man. Shak. Heaven's last, best gift, my ever new delight. Milton.

To put in violent motion; to agitate; to disturb; to toss. "My betossed soul." Shak.

In a superior or more excellent manner; with more skill and wisdom, courage, virtue, advantage, or success; as, Henry writes better than John; veterans fight better than recruits. I could have better spared a better man. Shak.

rly regarded as an unfailing antidote for poison, and a certain remedy for eruptive, pestilential, or putrid diseases. Hence: Any antidote or panacea.

In the composition of chemical names bi- denotes two atoms, parts, or equivalents of that constituent to the name of which it is prefixed, to one of the other component, or that such constituent is present in double the ordinary proportion; as, bichromate, bisulphide. Be- and di- are often used interchangeably.…

Containing two atoms or equivalents of carbon in the molecule. [Obs. or R.]

In a tumid, swelling, blustering manner; haughtily; violently. He brawleth bigly. Robynson (More's Utopia. )

The East Indian name of a virulent poison extracted from Aconitum ferox or other species of aconite: also, the plant itself.

A great wave or surge of the sea or other water, caused usually by violent wind. Whom the winds waft where'er the billows roll. Cowper.

A salt having two equivalents of arsenic acid to one of the base. Graham.

A salt having two equivalents of oxalic acid to one of the base; an acid oxalate.

or canoe birch (B. papyracea); the yellow birch (B. lutea); the black or cherry birch (B. lenta).

ear (365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 46 s.) above 365 days. But one day added every four years is equivalent to six hours each year, which is 11 m. 14 s. more than the excess of the real year. Hence, it is necessary to suppress the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible by 400, while it is retained at the…

Characterized by sharpness, severity, or cruelty; harsh; stern; virulent; as, bitter reproach. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Col. iii. 19.

A very bitter compound of quassia, cocculus Indicus, etc., used by fraudulent brewers in adulterating beer. Cooley.

The quality of being bivalent.

The black sea bass (Centropristis atrarius) of the Atlantic coast. It is excellent food fish; -- locally called also black Harry.

A violent gust of wind. And see where surly Winter passes off, Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts; His blasts obey, and quit the howling hill. Thomson.

To lose or shed one's blood, as in case of a violent death or severe wounds; to die by violence. "Cæsar must bleed." Shak. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day. Pope.

To mark with deformity; to injure or impair, as anything which is well formed, or excellent; to mar, or make defective, either the body or mind. Sin is a soil which blemisheth the beauty of thy soul. Brathwait.