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One who, or that which, backs; especially one who backs a person or thing in a contest.

Anything behind, serving as a foil; as, the statue had a background of red hangings.

The act of moving backward, or of putting or moving anything backward.

A piece, or plate which forms the back of anything, or which covers the back; armor for the back.

A person given to idle observation of everything, with wonder or astonishment; a credulous or gossipy idler.

Something characteristic; a mark; a token. Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge. Shak.

A sack or pouch, used for holding anything; as, a bag of meal or of money.

A trifle; a thing of no importance. Rich trifles, serious bagatelles. Prior.

The act of putting anything into, or as into, a bag.

A house for bathing, sweating, etc.; -- also, in Turkey, a prison for slaves. [Obs.]

Originally, a person put in charge of something especially, a chief officer, magistrate, or keeper, as of a county, town, hundred, or castle; one to whom power Abbott. Lausanne is under the canton of Berne, governed by a bailiff sent every three years from the senate. Addison.

Anything which allures; a lure; enticement; temptation. Fairfax.

To dry or harden (anything) by subjecting to heat, as, to bake bricks; the sun bakes the ground.

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.

are in relative force, importance, value, etc.; to estimate. Balance the good and evil of things. L'Estrange.

Evil; an evil, pernicious influence; something causing great injury. [Now chiefly poetic]

That which is used for steadying anything; ballast.

Anything that heals or that mitigates pain. "Balm for each ill." Mrs. Hemans. Balm cricket (Zoöl.), the European cicada. Tennyson. -- Balm of Gilead (Bot.), a small evergreen African and Asiatic tree of the terebinthine family (Balsamodendron Gileadense). Its leaves yield, when bruised, a strong aromatic scent; and fr…

Having the qualities of balm; odoriferous; aromatic; assuaging; soothing; refreshing; mild. "The balmy breeze." Tickell. Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep ! Young.

A bathing room. Sir T. Browne.