Bdellium, del′i-um, n. a kind of gum. [Gr. bdellion, used to translate, but prob. unconnected with Heb. b'dōlakh, Gen. ii. 12.]
Be, bē, v.i. to live: to exist: to have a certain state or quality:—pr.p. bē′ing; pa.p. been.—n. Be′-all (Shak.), the whole being. [A.S. béon; Ger. bin; Gael. bi, to exist; W. byw, to live; Gr. phu-ein, L. fui, fio, Sans. bhu, to be, orig. meaning to grow.]
Beach, bēch, n. the shore of the sea or of a lake, esp. when sandy or pebbly: the strand.—v.t. to haul a boat up on the beach.—n. Beach′-comb′er, a long rolling wave: a drunken loafer about the wharfs in Pacific seaports: a settler on a Pacific island who maintains himself by pearl-fishery, and often by less reputable means.—adjs. Beached, having a beach, driven on a beach; Beach′y, pebbly. [Orig. a prov. Eng. word for shingle. The derivation from Ice. bakki, bank, is untenable.]
Beacon, bē′kn, n. a fire on an eminence used as a sign of danger: a hill on which such could be lighted: anything that warns of danger, esp. an erection of stone, wood, or iron often bearing a light, and marking rocks or shoals in rivers or navigable channels.—v.t. to act as a beacon to: to light up: to mark by means of beacons.—n. Float′ing-bea′con, a light-ship. [A.S. béacn, a beacon, a sign.]
Bead, bēd, n. a little ball pierced for stringing, a series of which forms the rosary or paternoster, used in counting the prayers recited: any small ball of glass, amber, &c. strung in a series to form a necklace: a bead-like drop: the small knob of metal forming the front-sight of a gun—whence the Americanism, To draw a bead upon = to take aim at: (archit.) a narrow moulding with semicircular section.—v.t. to furnish with beads.—v.i. to form a bead or beads.—adj. Bead′ed, furnished with beads.—ns. Bead′-house, a house for poor people who were required to pray for the soul of the founder: an almshouse; Bead′ing, a moulding in imitation of beads.—adj. Bead′-proof, of such proof or strength as to carry beads or bubbles when shaken, as alcoholic liquors.—ns. Bead′-roll, in pre-Reformation times, a roll or list of the dead to be prayed for, hence a list of names, a long series: a rosary; Beads′man, Bedes′man, one employed to pray for others, or one endowed to do so: (Scot.) a public alms-man or licensed beggar:—fem. Beads′woman.—adj. Bead′y, bead-like, small and bright (of eyes): covered with beads or bubbles.—To say, tell, count one's beads, to offer a prayer. [A.S. bed, gebed, a prayer, from biddan, to pray. See Bid.]
Beadle, bēd′l, n. a mace-bearer (esp. of the 'bedels' or 'bedells,' official attendants of the Oxford and Cambridge vice-chancellors): a petty officer of a church, college, parish, &c.: a parish officer with the power of punishing petty offenders: in Scotland, used of the 'church-officer' attending on the clergyman: (obs.) a messenger or crier of a court.—ns. Bead′ledom, Bead′lehood, stupid officiousness; Bead′leship, Bed′elship, the office of beadle or bedel. [A.S. bydel—béodan, to proclaim, to bid.]
Beadman. Same as Beadsman (q.v. under Bead).
Beagle, bē′gl, n. a small hound tracking by scent, formerly much used in hunting hares, but now superseded by the harrier: a spy: a bailiff: a small kind of shark.—The beagle was often followed by men on foot, hence Foot′-bea′gle. [Ety. unknown. The Fr. bigle is borrowed from English. Dr Murray suggests Fr. bégueule, from béer, to gape, and gueule, throat.]
Beak, bēk, n. the bill of a bird: anything pointed or projecting: the nose: in the ancient galley, a pointed iron fastened to the prow for piercing the enemy's vessel: (slang) a magistrate.—adj. Beaked (bēkt). [O. Fr. bec—Low L. beccus, of Celt. (Gaulish) origin.]
Beaker, bēk′ėr, n. a large drinking-bowl or cup, or its contents: a glass vessel marked for measuring liquids, with a beak or pointed mouth, used by chemists. [Scand. bikarr (Scot. bicker), prob. from Low L. bicarium, acc. to Diez from Gr. bikos, a drinking-bowl.]