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of inanimate objects; as, the behavior of a ship in a storm; the behavior of the magnetic needle. A gentleman that is very singular in his behavior. Steele. To be upon one's good behavior, To be put upon one's good behavior, to be in a state of trial, in which something important depends on propriety of conduct. -- Du…

A collected series of benedictions. The benedictionary of Bishop Athelwold. G. Gurton's Needle.

A short needle with a strong point. See Needle.

A kind of needle with a large eye and a blunt point, for drawing tape, ribbon, etc., through a loop or a hem; a tape needle. Wedged whole ages in a bodkin's eye. Pope.

take; to derive. Any drop thou borrowedst from thy mother. Shak. To borrow trouble, to be needlessly troubled; to be overapprehensive.

To adorn with needlework representing branches, flowers, or twigs. The train whereof loose far behind her strayed, Branched with gold and pearl, most richly wrought. Spenser.

A pointed instrument, as a joiner's awl, a brad awl, a needle, or a small ship stick.

Something frightful, as a specter; anything imaginary that causes needless fright; something used to excite needless fear; also, something really dangerous, used to frighten children, etc. "Bugaboos to fright ye." Lloyd. But, to the world no bugbear is so great As want of figure and a small estate. Pope. The bugaboo of…

Causing needless fright. Locke.

A slaughterer; one who kills in large numbers, or with unusual cruelty; one who causes needless loss of life, as in battle. "Butcher of an innocent child." Shak. Butcher bird (Zoöl.), a species of shrike of the genus Lanius.

The act of slaughtering; the act of killing cruelly and needlessly. That dreadful butchering of one another. Addison.

ing, by rubbing the back of it with red or black chalk, and then passing a blunt style or needle over the lines, so as to leave a tracing on the paper or other thing against which it is laid or held. [Writting also calque]

g a passage through its interior length for wire, thread, etc.; as, a cannulated (suture) needle. [Written also canulated.]

A coarse cloth so woven as to form regular meshes for working with the needle, as in tapestry, or worsted work.

of the engine piston, the supply of gasoline being regulated by a float which actuates a needle valve controlling the outlet of the feed pipe. Alcohol and other volatile inflammable liquids may be used instead of gasoline.

center of the base of the capsule, instead of being contained in its rim. In the Prussian needle gun the fulminate is applied to the middle of the base of the bullet. Rim-fire cartridge, a cartridge in which the fulminate is contained in a rim surrounding its base. -- Cartridge bag, a bag of woolen cloth, to hold a ch…

A kind of breechloading, center-fire rifle, or improved needle gun.

king horizontal angles and bearings; a surveyor's compass. It consists of a compass whose needle plays over a circle graduated to 360º, and of a horizontal brass bar at the ends of which are standards with narrow slits for sighting, supported on a tripod by a ball and socket joint.

s. Beyond comparison, so far superior as to have no likeness, or so as to make comparison needless. -- In comparison of, In comparison with, as compared with; in proportion to. [Archaic] "So miserably unpeopled in comparison of what it once was." Addison. -- Comparison of hands (Law), a mode of proving or disproving…

ument for determining directions upon the carth's surface by means of a magnetized bar or needle turning freely upon a pivot and pinting in a northerly and southerly direction. He that firat discovered the use of the compass did more for the supplying and increase of useful commodities than those who built workhouses.…