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A calling together of the king's (esp. the French king's) vassals for military service; also, the body of vassals thus assembled or summoned. In present usage, in France and Prussia, the most effective part of the population liable to military duty and not in the standing army.

A large piece of silk or other cloth, with a device or motto, extended on a crosspiece, and borne in a procession, or suspended in some conspicuous place.

In early times, a separate building, usually polygonal, used for baptismal services. Small churches were often changed into baptisteries when larger churches were built near.

To make a bargain; to make a contract for the exchange of property or services; -- followed by with and for; as, to bargain with a farmer for a cow. So worthless peasants bargain for their wives. Shak.

Not held by honorable service; as, a base estate, one held by services not honorable; held by villenage. Such a tenure is called base, or low, and the tenant, a base tenant. Base fee, formerly, an estate held at the will of the lord; now, a qualified fee. See note under Fee, n., 4. -- Base metal. See under Metal.…

y not so. That bastard self-love which is so vicious in itself, and productive of so many vices. Barrow.

A number of similar machines or devices in position; an apparatus consisting of a set of similar parts; as, a battery of boilers, of retorts, condensers, etc.

officer in England having a variety of duties, as the preservation of order in church service, the chastisement of petty offenders, etc.

nature of a beast; contrary to the nature and dignity of man; brutal; filthy. The beastly vice of drinking to excess. Swift.

To be a part of, or connected with; to be appendant or related; to owe allegiance or service. A desert place belonging to . . . Bethsaids. Luke ix. 10. The mighty men which belonged to David. 1 Kings i. 8.

n the Church of England; a church endowed with a revenue for the maintenance of divine service. See Advowson.

; to commit. [Obs.] To whom, with all submission, on my knee I do bequeath my faithful services And true subjection everlastingly. Shak.

An account of goods sold, services rendered, or work done, with the price or charge; a statement of a creditor's claim, in gross or by items; as, a grocer's bill.

A device by means of which bills, etc., are held.

erve; to indenture; as, to bind an apprentice; -- sometimes with out; as, bound out to service. To bind over, to put under bonds to do something, as to appear at court, to keep the peace, etc. -- To bind to, to contract; as, to bind one's self to a wife. -- To bind up in, to cause to be wholly engrossed with; to abso…

The act or practice of collecting natives of the islands near Queensland for service on the Queensland sugar plantations. [Australia]

To defame; to sully, as reputation; to make infamous; as, vice blackens the character.

To describe in proper terms (the figures of heraldic devices); also, to delineate (armorial bearings); to emblazon. The coat of , arms, which I am not herald enough to blazon into English. Addison.

One who, or that which blots; esp. a device for absorbing superfluous ink.

A device for producing a current of air; as: (a) A metal plate temporarily placed before the upper part of a grate or open fire. (b) A machine for producing an artificial blast or current of air by pressure, as for increasing the draft of a furnace, ventilating a building or shaft, cleansing gram, etc.…