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The emotion inspired by something dreadful and sublime; an undefined sense of the dreadful and the sublime; reverential fear, or solemn wonder; profound reverence. There is an awe in mortals' joy, A deep mysterious fear. Keble. To tame the pride of that power which held the Continent in awe. Macaulay. The solitude of t…

The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village.

cted parts, resulting from looseness in fitting or from wear; also, the jarring or reflex motion caused in badly fitting machinery by irregularities in velocity or a reverse of motion.

A rope or strap used to prevent excessive forward motion.

To fluctuate between motives which appear of equal force; to waver; to hesitate. He would not balance or err in the determination of his choice. Locke.

. Ball and socket joint, a joint in which a ball moves within a socket, so as to admit of motion in every direction within certain limits. -- Ball bearings, a mechanical device for lessening the friction of axle bearings by means of small loose metal balls. -- Ball cartridge, a cartridge containing a ball, as disting…

A large piece of silk or other cloth, with a device or motto, extended on a crosspiece, and borne in a procession, or suspended in some conspicuous place.

Formerly, a local judge among miners; now, an officer of the barmote. [Eng.]

; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations. "A cruel act of a base and a cowardish mind." Robynson (More's Utopia). "Base ingratitude." Milton.

A series of stamps operated by one motive power, for crushing ores containing the precious metals. Knight.

A heavy iron lever having an oscillating motion on a central axis, one end of which is connected with the piston rod from which it receives motion, and the other with the crank of the wheel shaft; -- called also working beam or walking beam.

the sport of baiting bears with dogs. -- Bear caterpillar (Zoöl.), the hairy larva of a moth, esp. of the genus Euprepia. -- Bear garden. (a) A place 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 performin…

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

time of producing or giving birth; as, a tree in full bearing; a tree past bearing. [His mother] in travail of his bearing. R. of Gloucester.

with fluttering agitation. -- To beat time, to measure or regulate time in music by the motion of the hand or foot. -- To beat up, to attack suddenly; to alarm or disturb; as, to beat up an enemy's quarters.

To keep from motion, or stop the progress of, by the stilling of the wind; as, the fleet was becalmed.

To notify or call by a nod, or a motion of the head or hand; to intimate a command to. [Archaic] When gold and silver becks me to come on. Shak.

To make a significant sign to; hence, to summon, as by a motion of the hand. His distant friends, he beckons near. Dryden. It beckons you to go away with it. Shak.

n (Zoöl.), the kingbird (Tyrannus Carolinensis) which occasionally feeds on bees. -- Bee moth (Zoöl.), a moth (Galleria cereana) whose larvæ feed on honeycomb, occasioning great damage in beehives. -- Bee wolf (Zoöl.), the larva of the bee beetle. See Illust. of Bee beetle. -- To have a bee in the head or in the bon…

In time past; previously; already. You tell me, mother, what I knew before. Dryden.