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Kind; gracious; favorable. -- Be*nig"nant*ly, adv.

beforehand; to order or engage against a future time; as, to bespeak goods, a right, or a favor. Concluding, naturally, that to gratify his avarice was to bespeak his favor. Sir W. Scott.

r ability. At best, in the utmost degree or extent applicable to the case; under the most favorable circumstances; as, life is at best very short. -- For best, finally. [Obs.] "Those constitutions . . . are now established for best, and not to be mended." Milton. -- To get the best of, to gain an advantage over, whet…

e, etc.; as, ten miles and better. [Colloq.] To think better of (any one), to have a more favorable opinion of any one. -- To think better of (an opinion, resolution, etc.), to reconsider and alter one's decision.

To admit into the church by confirmation; to confirm; hence, to receive formally to favor.

Fig.: To whiten; to give a favorable appearance to; to whitewash; to palliate. Blanch over the blackest and most absurd things. Tillotson.

. -- Blank indorsement (Law), an indorsement which omits the name of the person in whose favor it is made; it is usually made by simply writing the name of the indorser on the back of the bill. -- Blank line (Print.), a vacant space of the breadth of a line, on a printed page; a line of quadrats. -- Blank tire (Mech…

ake happy, blithesome, or joyous; to confer prosperity or happiness upon; to grant divine favor to. The quality of mercy is . . . twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. Shak. It hath pleased thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue forever before thee. 1 Chron. xvii. 27 (R. V. )…

Enjoying happiness or bliss; favored with blessings; happy; highly favored. All generations shall call me blessed. Luke i. 48. Towards England's blessed shore. Shak.

The state of being blessed; happiness; felicity; bliss; heavenly joys; the favor of God. The assurance of a future blessedness. Tillotson. Single blessedness, the unmarried state. "Grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness." Shak.

A declaration of divine favor, or an invocation imploring divine favor on some or something; a benediction; a wish of happiness pronounces. This is the blessing, where with Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel. Deut. xxxiii. 1.

g to my face. Bartlett. To blow hot and cold Etym: (a saying derived from a fable of , to favor a thing at one time and treat it coldly at another; or to appear both to favor and to oppose. -- To blow off, to let steam escape through a passage provided for the purpose; as, the engine or steamer is blowing off. -- To…

impression of a woodcut by an excess of ink. But time hath nothing blurred those lines of favor Which then he wore. Shak.

To have a rapid growth in market value or in popular favor; to go on rushingly.

That which is asked or granted as a benefit or favor; a gift; a benefaction; a grant; a present. Every good gift and every perfect boon is from above. James i. 17 (Rev. Ver. ).

Under obligation; bound by some favor rendered; obliged; beholden. This holy word, that teacheth us truly our bounden duty toward our Lord God in every point. Ridley.

Free in giving; liberal in bestowing gifts and favors. God, the bountiful Author of our being. Locke.

Liberality in bestowing gifts or favors; gracious or liberal giving; generosity; munificence. My bounty is as boundless as the sea. Shak.

A price, reward, gift, or favor bestowed or promised with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness, voter, or other person in a position of trust. Undue reward for anything against justice is a bribe. Hobart.

A knot of ribbons worn by a guest at a wedding; a wedding favor. [Obs.]