Bournous, Burnoose, or Burnos. A kind of cloak or overcoat, used by the Arabs, and which constitutes a part of the military clothing of some corps of the French army.
Bouton, or Boutoou (Fr.). A kind of war-club, formerly used by the Caribs of the Antilles.
Bovianum (now Bojano). A town of Italy, 10 miles southwest of Campobasso. It was sacked by the Romans in 311, 305, and 298 B.C. During the second Punic war it was several times the headquarters of the Roman army.
Bouvines (Northern France). The site of a desperate battle, July 27, 1214, in which Philip Augustus of France was victorious over the emperor Otho and his allies, consisting of more than 150,000 men. The Counts of Flanders and Boulogne were taken prisoners.
Bow. A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic material, with a cord connecting the two ends, by means of which, when drawn back and suffered to return, an arrow is propelled.
Bow, Cross. An ancient weapon of offense of the 11th century. Philip II., surnamed the Conqueror, introduced cross-bows into France. In this reign Richard I. of England was killed by a cross-bow at the siege of Chalus.
Bowie-knife. A knife from 10 to 15 inches long, and about 2 inches broad, worn as a weapon in the Southern and Southwestern States of the United States,—so named from its inventor, Col. James Bowie.
Bowman. A man who uses a bow; an archer.
Bow-shot. The space which an arrow may pass when shot from a bow.
Bowstring. The string of a bow. Also a string used by the Turks for strangling offenders.