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An old woman in general; especially, an ugly old woman; a hag. Around the beldam all erect they hang. Akenside.

at the character, abilities, and purposes of a person are worthy of entire confidence; -- especially that his promises are wholly trustworthy. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." John xiv. 1. (c) To believe that the qualities or effects of an action or state are beneficial: as, to b…

A man who rings a bell, especially to give notice of anything in the streets. Formerly, also, a night watchman who called the hours. Milton.

To overtake with night or darkness, especially before the end of a day's journey or task. Some virgin, sure, . . . benighted in these woods. Milton.

To give or leave by will; to give by testament; -- said especially of personal property. My heritage, which my dead father did bequeath to me. Shak.

Something especially hated or dreaded; a bugbear.

A company; an assembly or collection of persons, especially of ladies. What a bevy of beaten slaves have we here ! Beau. & Fl.

A worshiper of books; especially, a worshiper of the Bible; a believer in its verbal inspiration. De Quincey.

An offer of a price, especially at auctions; a statement of a sum which one will give for something to be received, or will take for something to be done or furnished; that which is offered.

Barley, especially the hardy four-rowed kind. "Bear interchanges in local use, now with barley, now with bigg." New English Dict.

An opprobrious name for a woman, especially a lewd woman. Pope.

es as the receptacle of some fluid; as, the urinary bladder; the gall bladder; -- applied especially to the urinary bladder, either within the animal, or when taken out and inflated with air.

Properly, the leaf, or flat part of the leaf, of any plant, especially of gramineous plants. The term is sometimes applied to the spire of grasses. The crimson dulse . . . with its waving blade. Percival. First the blade, then ear, after that the full corn in the ear. Mark iv. 28.

A paper unwritten; a paper without marks or characters a blank ballot; -- especially, a paper on which are to be inserted designated items of information, for which spaces are left vacant; a bland form. The freemen signified their approbation by an inscribed vote, and their dissent by a blank. Palfrey.…

A sudden, pernicious effect, as if by a noxious wind, especially on animals and plants; a blight. By the blast of God they perish. Job iv. 9. Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast. Shak.

heaves are compounded, to change the rate of motion, or to exert increased force; -- used especially in the rigging of ships, and in tackles.

Descent; lineage; especially, honorable birth; the highest royal lineage. Give us a prince of blood, a son of Priam. Shak. I am a gentleman of blood and breeding. Shak.

A blot or spot, as of color or of ink; especially a large or irregular spot. Also Fig.; as, a moral blotch. Spots and blotches . . . some red, others yellow. Harvey.

A light, loose over-garment, like a smock frock, worn especially by workingmen in France; also, a loose coat of any material, as the undress uniform coat of the United States army.

A plant of the genus Campanula, especially the Campanula rotundifolia, which bears blue bell-shaped flowers; the harebell.