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In the Southern and Southwestern States, a small silver coin (as the real) formerly current; commonly, one worth about 12 1/2 cents; also, the sum of 12 1/2 cents. Bit my bit, piecemeal. Pope.

One of several books of a political character, published at different times and for different purposes; -- so called either from the color of the binding, or from the character of the contents.

Black rent, or rent paid in corn, flesh, or the lowest coin, a opposed to "white rent", which paid in silver. To levy blackmail, to extort money by threats, as of injury to one's reputation.

A mode of tenure by the payment of a small duty in white rent (silver) or otherwise.

s where a mortgage secures various debts as a group, or subjects a group or class of different pieces of property to one general lien.

Speaking or writing blasphemy; uttering or exhibiting anything impiously irreverent; profane; as, a blasphemous person; containing blasphemy; as, a blasphemous book; a blasphemous caricature. "Blasphemous publications." Porteus. Nor from the Holy One of Heaven Refrained his tongue blasphemous. Milton.…

An indignity offered to God in words, writing, or signs; impiously irreverent words or signs addressed to, or used in reference to, God; speaking evil of God; also, the act of claiming the attributes or prerogatives of deity.

Rent open by an explosive. The blasted quarry thunders, heard remote. Wordsworth.

The method of laying on different tints so that they may mingle together while wet, and shade into each other insensibly. Weale.

The supposed faculty of perceiving subterraneous springs and currents by sensation; -- so called from one Bleton, of France.

ott. A friend of our own blood. Waller. Half blood (Law), relationship through only one parent. -- Whole blood, relationship through both father and mother. In American Law, blood includes both half blood, and whole blood. Bouvier. Peters.

Destitute of blood, or apparently so; as, bloodless cheeks; lifeless; dead. The bloodless carcass of my Hector sold. Dryden.

To produce a current of air; to move, as air, esp. to move rapidly or with power; as, the wind blows. Hark how it rains and blows ! Walton.

A device for producing a current of air; as: (a) A metal plate temporarily placed before the upper part of a grate or open fire. (b) A machine for producing an artificial blast or current of air by pressure, as for increasing the draft of a furnace, ventilating a building or shaft, cleansing gram, etc.…

A name given to several different species of plants having blue flowers, as the Houstonia coerulea, the Centaurea cyanus or bluebottle, and the Vaccinium angustifolium.

a core of soft iron which becomes magnetic when the wire is traversed by an electrical current. Bobbin and fly frame, a roving machine. -- Bobbin lace, lace made on a pillow with bobbins; pillow lace.

moved, as a liquid by the generation and rising of bubbles of steam (or vapor), or of currents produced by heating it to the boiling point; to be in a state of ebullition; as, the water boils.

at which a fluid is converted into vapor, with the phenomena of ebullition. This is different for different liquids, and for the same liquid under different pressures. For water, at the level of the sea, barometer 30 in., it is 212 º Fahrenheit; for alcohol, 172.96º; for ether, 94.8º; for mercury, about 675º. The boil…

An instrument for measuring minute quantities of radiant heat, especially in different parts of the spectrum; -- called also actinic balance, thermic balance. S. P. Langley.

n the Inns of Court. [Obs.] Bolting cloth, wire, hair, silk, or other sieve cloth of different degrees of fineness; -- used by millers for sifting flour. McElrath. -- Bolting hutch, a bin or tub for the bolted flour or meal; (fig.) a receptacle.