Beech, bēch, n. a common forest tree with smooth silvery-looking bark and small edible nuts.—adj. Beech′en.—ns. Beech′-mast, the mast or nuts of the beech-tree, which yield a valuable oil; Beech′-oil, oil expressed from the nuts of the beech-tree. [A.S. bóece, béce; Ger. buche, L. fagus, Gr. phēgos—from root of phag-ein, to eat.]
Beef, bēf, n. the flesh of an ox or cow:—pl. Beeves, used in original sense, oxen.—adj. consisting of beef.—ns. Beef′-eat′er (bēf′-ēt′ėr), a popular name for a yeoman of the sovereign's guard, also of the warders of the Tower of London [the obvious ety. is the right one, there being no such form as buffetier, connected with buffet, a sideboard, as often stated]; Beef′iness; Beef′steak, a thick slice of beef for broiling or frying; Beef′tea, a stimulating rather than nutritious food for invalids, being the juice of beef strained off, after simmering chopped beef in water.—adjs. Beef′-wit′ted, Beef′-brained, dull or heavy in wits: stupid.—n. Beef′-wood, an Australian wood, of reddish colour, used in cabinetwork.—adj. Beef′y, like beef, fleshy, stolid. [O. Fr. boef (Fr. bœuf)—L. bos, bovis; cf. Gr. bous, Gael. bò, Sans. go, A.S. cú.]
Beelzebub, bē-el′ze-bub, n. the name under which the Philistines at Ekron worshipped their god Baal or Bel: (New Test.) the prince of the evil spirits. [Heb. ba'al z'būb, fly-lord.]
Been, bēn, pa.p. of Be.
Beenah, bē′na, n. a primitive form of marriage (the name taken from Ceylon) in which the man goes to live with his wife's family—he is an unimportant person in the family, and the children are not counted his, but belong to the family and kindred of the wife.
Beer, bēr, n. an alcoholic beverage made by fermentation from malted barley flavoured with hops. It was anciently distinguished from ale by being hopped; now beer is the generic name of malt liquor, including ale and porter.—ns. Beer′-en′gine, Beer′-pump, a machine for drawing beer up from the casks to the bar; Beer′-house, a house where beer or malt liquors are sold; Beer′iness; Beer′-mon′ey, money given to soldiers in the British army, in lieu of beer and spirits.—adj. Beer′y, of or affected by beer.—Beer and skittles, a phrase used vaguely for Bohemian pleasures, from a simple form supposed to be a rustic ideal.—Bitter beer = pale ale, a highly hopped beer made from the very finest selected malt and hops; Mild or Sweet ale being of greater gravity or strength, and comparatively lightly hopped; Black beer, a kind of beer made at Danzig, black and syrupy; Small beer, weak beer, hence trifling things, as in the familiar phrase, 'to think no small beer of one's self.' [A.S. béor; Ger. and Dut. bier, Ice. bjorr.]
Beestings, bēst′ingz, n. the first milk drawn from a cow after calving. [A.S. býsting, béost; Ger. and Dut. biest.]
Beet, bēt, n. a plant with a carrot-shaped succulent root, eaten as food, from which sugar is extracted.—ns. Beet′-fly, a two-winged insect, which deposits its eggs on beet or mangel-wurzel, and whose larvæ are injurious to the plant; Beet′root, the root of the beet plant. [A.S. béte (Fr. bette)—L. bēta.]
Beet, Bete, bēt, v.t. (obs. except dial.) to improve, mend, to kindle a fire, to rouse. [A.S. bóetan, bétan; cf. bót, Boot.]
Beetle, bē′tl, n. an order of insects technically known as Coleoptera, usually with four wings, the front pair forming hard and horny covers for those behind, which alone are used in flight.—The Black Beetle or cockroach is not a true beetle. [M.E. bityl—A.S. bitula, bitela, bítan, to bite.]