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One of the four standards that support a bedstead or the canopy over a bedstead.

In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house. His angel, who shall go Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire. Milton.

To stand or sit with anything between the legs, or with the legs astride; to stand over That horse that thou so often hast bestrid. Shak. Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus. Shak.

One who has a claim to precedence; a superior, as in merit, social standing, etc.; -- usually in the plural. Their betters would hardly be found. Hooker. For the better, in the way of improvement; so as to produce improvement. "If I have altered him anywhere for the better." Dryden.

The difference by which fine gold or silver exceeds in fineness the standard.

- Between ourselves, Between you and me, Between themselves, in confidence; with the understanding that the matter is not to be communicated to others.

ions as are necessary for a voyage, custom free. Wharton. -- Bills payable (pl.), the outstanding unpaid notes or acceptances made and issued by an individual or firm. -- Bills receivable (pl.), the unpaid promissory notes or acceptances held by an individual or firm. McElrath. -- A true bill, a bill of indictment s…

Of or relating to, or using, a double metallic standard (as gold and silver) for a system of coins or currency.

the faculty of discernment; destitute of intellectual light; unable or unwilling to understand or judge; as, authors are blind to their own defects. But hard be hardened, blind be blinded more, That they may stumble on, and deeper fall. Milton.

Making blind or as if blind; depriving of sight or of understanding; obscuring; as, blinding tears; blinding snow.

Without sight, discernment, or understanding; without thought, investigation, knowledge, or purpose of one's own. By his imperious mistress blindly led. Dryden.

A stupid fellow; a dolt; a person deficient in understanding. The bookful blockhead, ignorantly read, With loads of learned lumber in his head. Pope.

Like a block; deficient in understanding; stupid; dull. "Blockish Ajax." Shak. -- Block"ish*ly, adv. -- Block"ish*ness, n.

Dull in understanding; slow of discernment; stupid; -- opposed to acute. His wits are not so blunt. Shak.

The peepul tree; esp., the very ancient tree standing at Anurajahpoora in Ceylon, grown from a slip of the tree under which Gautama is said to have received the heavenly light and so to have become Buddha. The sacred bo tree of the Buddhists (Ficus religiosa), which is planted close to every temple, and attracts almost…

Standing prominently out to view; markedly conspicuous; striking the eye; in high relief. Shadows in painting . . . make the figure bolder. Dryden.

A stall or stand where books are sold.

A photometric standard used in France, having the value of one twentieth of the Violle platinum standard, or slightly less than a British standard candle. Called also decimal candle.

The square in which the pitcher stands.

Harness; warlike preparation. [Obs.] For that it stands not in such warlike brace. Shak.