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round of grinding and waiting before Miss Torry could produce this highly finished . . . performance. Mrs. Alexander. A husband somewhere in the background. Thackeray.

atever is thrown back in its course, as water. Slackwater, or the backset caused by the overflow. Harper's Mag.

An accumulation of water overflowing the low lands, caused by an obstruction.

In a bad manner; poorly; not well; unskillfully; imperfectly; unfortunately; grievously; so as to cause harm; disagreeably; seriously.

A paragraph describing something wonderful, used to fill out a newspaper column; -- an allusion to the miracle of Balaam's ass speaking. Numb. xxii. 30. [Cant] Balaam basket or box (Print.), the receptacle for rejected articles. Blackw. Mag.

ch an adjustment of power among sovereign states that no one state is in a position to interfere with the independence of the others; international equilibrium; also, the ability ( of a state or a third party within a state) to control the relations between sovereign states or between dominant parties in a state. -- B…

An artistic dance performed as a theatrical entertainment, or an interlude, by a number of persons, usually women. Sometimes, a scene accompanied by pantomime and dancing.

he transmission of funds by drafts or bills of exchange; an institution incorporated for performing one or more of such functions, or the stockholders (or their representatives, the directors), acting in their corporate capacity.

religious ceremony, by which he is initiated into the visible church of Christ. This is performed by immersion, sprinkling, or pouring.

Relating to a base; performing the office of a base in a salt.

A performer on the bassoon. Busby.

A positive or nonacid constituent of compound, either elementary, or, if compound, performing the functions of an element.

various purposes; as, the baton of a field marshal; the baton of a conductor in musical performances. He held the baton of command. Prescott.

A little perforated ball, to be strung on a thread, and worn for ornament; or used in a rosary for counting prayers, as by Roman Catholics and Mohammedans, whence the phrases to tell beads, to at one's beads, to bid beads, etc., meaning, to be at prayer.

iotous 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.

s foetidus), with digitate leaves. It has an offensive smell and acrid taste, and is a powerful emetic, cathartic, and anthelmintic.

In insects, the hairs of the labial palpi of moths and butterflies.

the dust. (Man.) (a) To take in too little ground with the fore legs, as a horse. (b) To perform curvets too precipitately or too low. -- To beat the hoof, to walk; to go on foot. -- To beat the wing, to flutter; to move with fluttering agitation. -- To beat time, to measure or regulate time in music by the motion o…

The superficial earthwork, or ballast, of a railroad.

The solid rock underlying superficial formations. Also Fig.