Bay, bā, n. the space between two columns: (Shak.) the space under one house gable: any recess.—n. Bay′-win′dow, any window forming a recess.—adj. Bay′-win′dowed. [O. Fr. baée—baer, to gape, be open; prob. conn. with the foregoing word.]
Bay, bā, n. the laurel-tree: (pl.) an honorary garland or crown of victory, originally of laurel: literary renown.—ns. Bay′berry; Bay′-rum, an aromatic stimulant used for the skin and hair, and prepared by distilling the leaves of the bay-berry (Pimenta acris) with rum, or otherwise mixing the volatile oil of the leaves with alcohol. [O. Fr. baie, a berry—L. baca.]
Bay, bā, n. barking, baying (esp. of a dog when in pursuit): the combined cry of hounds in conflict with a hunted animal: used often of the last stand of a hunted animal when it faces the hounds at close quarters.—v.i. to bark (esp. of large dogs).—v.t. to bark at: to utter by baying: to follow with barking: to bring to bay.—To hold, keep at bay, said of the hunted animal; To stand, be, at bay, at close quarters. [These senses show a confusion of two distinct words, according to Murray: (1) to hold at bay = O. Fr. tenir a bay = It. tenere a bada, bay, bada, denoting the suspense indicated by the open mouth; (2) in the phrase 'to stand at bay,' the word points to O. Fr. abai, barking, bayer, to bark.]
Bay, Baye, bā, v.t. (Spens.) to bathe.
Bayadère, bā-ya-dēr′, n. a Hindu dancing-girl. [Fr.—Port. bailadeira.]
Bayonet, bā′on-et, n. a stabbing instrument of steel fixed to the muzzle of a musket or rifle: military force: (pl.) soldiers armed with bayonets.—v.t. to stab with a bayonet. [Fr. baïonnette, perh. from Bayonne, in France, where it was supposed to have been first made; others derive from O. Fr. bayon, arrow.]
Bayou, bā′ōō, n. name given to the marshy offshoots of lakes and rivers, esp. in North America. [Perh. corrupted from Fr. boyau, gut.]
Bay-salt, bā′-sält, n. salt obtained by slow evaporation originally from sea-water. [Prob. from Bay, an inlet, and Salt.]
Bazaar, Bazar, ba-zär′, n. an Eastern marketplace or exchange: a fancy fair in imitation of an Eastern bazaar. [Pers. bāzār, a market.]