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A badge, usually in the form of a rosette, or knot, and generally worn upon the hat; -- used as an indication of military or naval service, or party allegiance, and in England as a part of the livery to indicate that the wearer is the servant of a military or naval officer. Seduced by military liveries and cockades. Bu…

A short knotted rope formerly used as an instrument of punishment in the navy. Ham. Nav. Encyc. Colt's tooth, an imperfect or superfluous tooth in young horses. -- To cast one's colt's tooth, to cease from youthful wantonness. "Your colt's tooth is not cast yet." Shak. -- To have a colt's tooth, to be wanton. Chaucer…

or brownish red color, parasitic on roots of other plants, and having curious jointed or knotted roots not unlike some kinds of coral. See Illust. under Coralloid. -- Coral snake. (Zo) (a) A small, venomous, Brazilian snake (Elaps corallinus), coral-red, with black bands. (b) A small, harmless, South American snake (…

d; an enticement; as, the cords of the wicked; the cords of sin; the cords of vanity. The knots that tangle human creeds, The wounding cords that bind and strain The heart until it bleeds. Tennyson.

A Franciscan; -- so called in France from the girdle of knotted cord worn by all Franciscans.

Knotty; difficult. [R.] Care being taken not to add any of the cramp reasons for this opinion. Coleridge.

a lodgment upon, as upon the crest of the glacis, or the summit of the breach. To crown a knot (Naut.), to lay the ends of the strands over and under each other.

own expenses. (d) (Naut.) To raze; as, to cut down a frigate into a sloop. -- To cut the knot or the Gordian knot, to dispose of a difficulty summarily; to solve it by prompt, arbitrary action, rather than by skill or patience. -- To cut lots, to determine lots by cuttings cards; to draw lots. -- To cut off. (a) To…

elf or itself discernible. [R.] The little embryo . . . first distinguishes into a little knot. Jer. Taylor.

the same caliber. She has a displacement of 17,900 tons at load draft, and a speed of 21 knots per hour.

To entangle mischievously, as an elf might do. Elf all my hair in knots. Shak.

Hair matted, or twisted into a knot, as if by elves.

The act or operation of clearing of knots, or of untying; hence, also, the solution of a difficulty. [R.] Bailey.

To clear of knots; to make clear. [Obs.] Cockeram.

of rank being marked by some peculiar form or device, as a star, eagle, etc.; a shoulder knot.

A knot formed upon or in the wood of trees by disease.

To explain; to unfold. [Obs.] Like Solon's self explatest the knotty laws. B. Jonson.

A knot or coarse part in cloth. [Obs.]

To fix firmly; to make fast; to secure, as by a knot, lock, bolt, etc.; as, to fasten a chain to the feet; to fasten a door or window.

A gift or represent; something bestowed as an evidence of good will; a token of love; a knot of ribbons; something worn as a token of affection; as, a marriage favor is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding. Wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in thy cap. Shak.