Bersaglieri, bār-sal-yā′rē, n.pl. the riflemen or sharpshooters of the Italian army, first organised in the Sardinian army in 1836. [It.; pl. of bersagliere, bersaglio, a mark.]

Berserk, -er, bėr′serk, -ėr, n. a Norse warrior whom the sight of the field of battle would fill with a frenzied and resistless fury—'the berserker rage.' [Ice. berserkr; Vigfusson explains the word as 'bear-sark,' and most probably a reference to the uncanny Werewolf superstition is involved.]

Berth, bėrth, n. a ship's station at anchor; a room or sleeping-place in a ship, a sleeping-carriage, &c.: any allotted or assigned place: a situation or place of employment, usually a comfortable one—even without such a qualifying adjective as 'a snug berth.'—v.t. to moor a ship: to furnish with a berth.—To give a wide berth to, to keep well away from generally. [A doublet of Birth; from Bear.]

Beryl, bėr′il, n. a precious stone resembling the emerald, but colourless, yellowish, greenish yellow or blue—its finer varieties are called precious beryl, and sometimes aquamarine. It has important uses as a magic crystal in which the future becomes visible.—adj. beryl-like in colour. [O. Fr. beryl—L. beryllus—Gr. bēryllos.]

Besaint, be-sānt′, v.t. to make a saint of.—pa.p. Besaint′ed, canonised: haunted with saints.

Bescatter, be-skat′ėr, v.t. to scatter over.

Bescrawl, be-skrawl′, v.t. to scrawl or scribble over.

Bescreen, be-skrēn′, v.t. to screen: to overshadow.

Bescribble, be-skrib′l, v.t. to write in a scribbling hand: to scribble about or upon.

Beseech, be-sēch′, v.t. to entreat, to implore (as a person, for a thing, or to do a thing): to ask or pray earnestly: to solicit—(Spens.) Beseeke′:—pa.t. and pa.p. besought′.—ns. Beseech′er; Beseech′ing.—adv. Beseech′ingly.—ns. Beseech′ingness; Beseech′ment. [Pfx. be-, and M. E. sechen, to Seek.]