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The state or practice of an athlete; the characteristics of an athlete.

Of or pertaining to a pipe (flute) or piper. [R.] Ash.

A bar or beam of wood or iron, connecting the opposite wheels of a carriage, on the ends of which the wheels revolve.

The company of persons who perform the ballet.

A small band or fillet; any little band or flat molding, compassing a column, like a ring. Gwilt.

Same as Bandelet.

A little cask, or something resembling one. Smart.

A diminutive of the bar, having one fourth its width.

A Bartlett pear, a favorite kind of pear, which originated in England about 1770, and was called Williams' Bonchrétien. It was brought to America, and distributed by Mr. Enoch Bartlett, of Dorchester, Massachusetts.

A short bat for beating clothes in washing them; -- called also batler, batling staff, batting staff. Shak.

A small beam of light.

One versed in belleslettres.

Polite or elegant literature; the humanities; -- used somewhat vaguely for literary works in which imagination and taste are predominant.

Occupied with, or pertaining to, belles-lettres. "An unlearned, belletristic trifler." M. Arnold.

A narrow bend, esp. one half the width of the bend.

A small paper; a note; a short letter. "I got your melancholy billet." Sterne.

A love letter or note. A lover chanting out a billet-doux. Spectator.

A round piece of timber at the bow or stern of a whaleboat, around which the harpoon lone is run out when the whale darts off.

A little bird; a nestling.

The old English or Gothic letter, in which the Early English manuscripts were written, and the first English books were printed. It was conspicuous for its blackness. See Type.