Buccaneer, Buccanier, buk-an-ēr′, n. one of the piratical adventurers in the West Indies during the 17th century, who plundered the Spaniards chiefly.—v.i. to act as a buccaneer.—n. Buccaneer′ing.—adj. Buccaneer′ish. [Fr. boucaner, to smoke meat—Carib. boucan, a wooden gridiron. The French settlers in the W.I. cooked their meat on a boucan in native fashion, and were hence called boucaniers.]
Buccinator, buk-sin-ā′tor, n. the name of a flat muscle forming the wall of the cheek, assisting in mastication and in the blowing of wind-instruments.—adj. Buccinat′ory. [L.;—buccinare.]
Bucentaur, bōō-sen′tawr, n. a mythical monster half man and half bull: the state barge of Venice used annually on Ascension Day in the ancient ceremony of the marriage of the state with the Adriatic. [It. bucentoro, usually explained as from Gr. bous, an ox, kentauros, a centaur.]
Bucephalus, bū-sef′a-lus, n. the famous war-horse of Alexander the Great: a familiar name for a riding-horse. [Gr.; bous, ox, kephalē, head.]
Buck, buk, n. the male of the deer, goat, hare, and rabbit—often used specifically of the male of the fallow-deer: a dashing young fellow.—v.i. (of a horse or mule—a Buck′jumper) to attempt to throw by a series of rapid jumps into the air, coming down with the back arched, the head down, and the forelegs stiff: (U.S.) to make obstinate resistance to any improvements.—ns. Buck′een, a poor Irish gentleman, without means to support his gentility; Buck′-eye, the American horse-chestnut; Buck′horn, the material of a buck's horn; Buck′-hound, a small kind of staghound used for hunting bucks; Buck′-shot, a large kind of shot, used in shooting deer; Buck′skin, a soft leather made of deerskin or sheepskin: a strong twilled woollen cloth, cropped of nap and carefully finished.—adj. made of the skin of a buck.—n.pl. Buck′skins, breeches made usually of the cloth, not of the leather.—ns. Buck′thorn, a genus of shrubs, the berry of which supplies the sap-green used by painters; Buck′-tooth, a projecting tooth. [A.S. buc, bucca; Dut. bok, Ger. bock, a he-goat.]
Buck, buk, v.t. to soak or steep in lye, a process in bleaching.—n. lye in which clothes are bleached.—n. Buck′-bas′ket, a basket in which clothes are carried to be bucked. [Ety. obscure; M. E. bouken; cog. words are Ger. bäuchen, beuchen.]
Buckbean, buk′bēn, n. the marsh-trefoil, a plant common in bogs in Britain. [Corr. of Bogbean.]
Bucket, buk′et, n. a vessel for drawing or holding water, &c.; one of the compartments on the circumference of a water-wheel, or one of the scoops of a dredging-machine: the leather socket for holding the whip in driving, or for the carbine or lance when mounted: a name given to the pitcher in some orchids.—ns. Buck′etful, as much as a bucket will hold; Buck′eting (U.S.), jerky rowing; Buck′et-shop, slang term for the offices of 'outside brokers'—mere agents for bets on the rise or fall of prices of stock, &c.; Buck′et-wheel, a contrivance for raising water by means of buckets attached to the circumference of a wheel.—Give the bucket, to dismiss; Kick the bucket (slang), to die. [Prob. conn. with A.S. búc, a pitcher; or O. Fr. buket, a pail. Not Gael. bucaid, a bucket.]
Buckie, buk′i, n. (Scot.) a shellfish such as the whelk: a refractory person. [Scot., prob. related somehow to L. buccinum, a shellfish.]
Buckle, buk′l, n. a metal instrument consisting of a rim and tongue, used for fastening straps or bands in dress, harness, &c.—v.t. to fasten with a buckle: to prepare for action: to engage in close fight.—v.i. to bend or bulge out: to engage with zeal in a task.—n. Buck′ler, a small shield used for parrying. [Fr. boucle, the boss of a shield, a ring—Low L. buccula, dim. of bucca, a cheek.]