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A supernatural being supposed to warn a family of the approaching death of one of its members, by wailing or singing in a mournful voice.

and many tribes whose names begin with Aba-, Ama-, Ba-, Ma-, Wa-, variants of the Bantu plural personal prefix Aba-, as in Ba-ntu, or Aba-ntu, itself a combination of this prefix with the syllable -ntu, a person. -- Ban"tu, a.

A gigantic African tree (Adansonia digitata), also naturalized in India. See Adansonia.

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.

An imitation, in pottery, of natural basalt; a kind of black porcelain.

The lower part of a complete architectural design, as of a monument; also, the lower part of any elaborate piece of furniture or decoration.

with holes, which are stopped by the fingers, and by keys, as in flutes. It forms the natural bass to the oboe, clarinet, etc.

A "natural" child; a child begotten and born out of wedlock; an illegitimate child; one born of an illicit union.

The laurel tree (Laurus nobilis). Hence, in the plural, an honorary garland or crown bestowed as a prize for victory or excellence, anciently made or consisting of branches of the laurel. The patriot's honors and the poet's bays. Trumbull.

To exist actually, or in the world of fact; to have ex To be contents his natural desire. Pope. To be, or not to be: that is the question. Shak.

The past participle of Be. In old authors it is also the pr. tense plural of Be. See 1st Bee. Assembled been a senate grave and stout. Fairfax.

; plural of Beef, the animal.

A conformation like a bench; a long stretch of flat ground, or a kind of natural terrace, near a lake or river. Bench mark (Leveling), one of a number of marks along a line of survey, affixed to permanent objects, to show where leveling staffs were placed. -- Bench of bishops, the whole body of English prelates assemb…

Natural advantaged; endowments; accomplishments. [R.] "The benefits of your own country." Shak. Benefit of clergy. (Law) See under Clergy.

human desires and actions, and that these are the sufficient explanation of ethical and jural conceptions.

r engage against a future time; as, to bespeak goods, a right, or a favor. Concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favor. Sir W. Scott.

Unnatural connection with a beast.

A nitrogenous base, C5H11NO2, produced artificially, and also occurring naturally in beetroot molasses and its residues, from which it is extracted as a white crystalline substance; -- called also lycine and oxyneurine. It has a sweetish taste.

claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; -- usually in the plural. Their betters would hardly be found. Hooker. For the better, in the way of improvement; so as to produce improvement. "If I have altered him anywhere for the better." Dryden.

n estate which renders it better than mere repairing would do; -- generally used in the plural. [U. S.] Bouvier.