Beacon Bea"con (b&mac;"k'n) noun [ Middle English bekene , Anglo-Saxon beácen , bēcen ; akin to Old Saxon bōkan , Fries. baken , beken , sign, signal, Dutch baak , Old High German bouhhan , German bake ; of unknown origin. Confer Beckon .] 1. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.

No flaming beacons cast their blaze afar.
Gay.

2. A signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.

3. A high hill near the shore. [ Prov. Eng.]

4. That which gives notice of danger.

Modest doubt is called
The beacon of the wise.
Shak.

Beacon fire , a signal fire.

Beacon Bea"con transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Beaconed (-k'nd); present participle & verbal noun Beaconing .] 1. To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.

That beacons the darkness of heaven.
Campbell.

2. To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

Beaconage Bea"con·age noun Money paid for the maintenance of a beacon; also, beacons, collectively.

Beaconless Bea"con·less adjective Having no beacon.

Bead Bead noun [ Middle English bede prayer, prayer bead, Anglo-Saxon bed , gebed , prayer; akin to Dutch bede , German bitte , Anglo-Saxon biddan , to ask, bid, German bitten to ask, and perhaps to Greek pei`qein to persuade, Latin fidere to trust. Beads are used by the Roman Catholics to count their prayers, one bead being dropped down a string every time a prayer is said. Confer Spanish cuenta bead, from contar to count. See Bid , in to bid beads , and Bide .] 1. A prayer. [ Obsolete]

2. A little perforated ball, to be strung on a thread, and worn for ornament; or used in a rosary for counting prayers, as by Roman Catholics and Mohammedans, whence the phrases to tell beads , to be at one's beads , to bid beads , etc., meaning, to be at prayer.

3. Any small globular body ; as, (a) A bubble in spirits. (b) A drop of sweat or other liquid. "Cold beads of midnight dew." Wordsworth. (c) A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking aim (whence the expression to draw a bead , for, to take aim). (d) (Architecture) A small molding of rounded surface, the section being usually an arc of a circle. It may be continuous, or broken into short embossments. (e) (Chemistry) A glassy drop of molten flux, as borax or microcosmic salt, used as a solvent and color test for several mineral earths and oxides, as of iron, manganese, etc., before the blowpipe; as, the borax bead ; the iron bead , etc.

Bead and butt (Carp.) , framing in which the panels are flush, having beads stuck or run upon the two edges. Knight. -- Bead mold , a species of fungus or mold, the stems of which consist of single cells loosely jointed together so as to resemble a string of beads. [ Written also bead mould .] -- Bead tool , a cutting tool, having an edge curved so as to make beads or beading. -- Bead tree (Botany) , a tree of the genus Melia , the best known species of which ( M. azedarach ), has blue flowers which are very fragrant, and berries which are poisonous.

Bead Bead transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Beaded ; present participle & verbal noun Beading .] To ornament with beads or beading.

Bead Bead intransitive verb To form beadlike bubbles.

Bead proof Bead" proof` 1. Among distillers, a certain degree of strength in alcoholic liquor, as formerly ascertained by the floating or sinking of glass globules of different specific gravities thrown into it; now ascertained by more accurate meters.

2. A degree of strength in alcoholic liquor as shown by beads or small bubbles remaining on its surface, or at the side of the glass, when shaken.

Beadhouse, Bedehouse Bead"house`, Bede"house` noun [ Middle English bede prayer + English house . See Bead , noun ] An almshouse for poor people who pray daily for their benefactors.

Beading Bead"ing noun 1. (Architecture) Molding in imitation of beads.

2. The beads or bead-forming quality of certain liquors; as, the beading of a brand of whisky.

Beadle Bea"dle noun [ Middle English bedel , bidel , budel , Old French bedel , French bedeau , from Old High German butil , putil , German büttel , from Old High German biotan , German bieten , to bid, confused with Anglo-Saxon bydel , the same word as Old High German butil . See. Bid , v. ] 1. A messenger or crier of a court; a servitor; one who cites or bids persons to appear and answer; -- called also an apparitor or summoner .

2. An officer in a university, who precedes public processions of officers and students. [ Eng.]

» In this sense the archaic spellings bedel (Oxford) and bedell (Cambridge) are preserved.

3. An inferior parish officer in England having a variety of duties, as the preservation of order in church service, the chastisement of petty offenders, etc.

Beadlery Bea"dle·ry noun Office or jurisdiction of a beadle.

Beadleship Bea"dle·ship noun The state of being, or the personality of, a beadle. A. Wood.

Beadroll Bead"roll` noun (R. C. Ch.) A catalogue of persons, for the rest of whose souls a certain number of prayers are to be said or counted off on the beads of a chaplet; hence, a catalogue in general.

On Fame's eternal beadroll worthy to be filed.
Spenser.

It is quite startling, on going over the beadroll of English worthies, to find how few are directly represented in the male line.
Quart. Rev.

Beadsman, Bedesman Beads"man, Bedes"man noun ; plural -men A poor man, supported in a beadhouse, and required to pray for the soul of its founder; an almsman.

Whereby ye shall bind me to be your poor beadsman for ever unto Almighty God.
Fuller.

Beadsnake Bead"snake` noun (Zoology) A small poisonous snake of North America ( Elaps fulvius ), banded with yellow, red, and black.

Beadswoman, Bedeswoman Beads"wom`an, Bedes"wom`an noun ; plural -women Fem. of Beadsman .

Beadwork Bead"work` noun Ornamental work in beads.

Beady Bead"y adjective 1. Resembling beads; small, round, and glistening. " Beady eyes." Thackeray.

2. Covered or ornamented with, or as with, beads.

3. Characterized by beads; as, beady liquor.

Beagle Bea"gle noun [ Middle English begele ; perhaps of Celtic origin; confer Ir. & Gael. beag small, little, W. bach . French bigle is from English.] 1. A small hound, or hunting dog, twelve to fifteen inches high, used in hunting hares and other small game. See Illustration in Appendix.

2. Fig.: A spy or detective; a constable.

Beak Beak (bēk) noun [ Middle English bek , French bec , from Celtic; confer Gael. & Ir. bac , bacc , hook , W. bach .] 1. (Zoology) (a) The bill or nib of a bird, consisting of a horny sheath, covering the jaws. The form varies much according to the food and habits of the bird, and is largely used in the classification of birds. (b) A similar bill in other animals, as the turtles. (c) The long projecting sucking mouth of some insects, and other invertebrates, as in the Hemiptera. (d) The upper or projecting part of the shell, near the hinge of a bivalve. (e) The prolongation of certain univalve shells containing the canal.

2. Anything projecting or ending in a point, like a beak, as a promontory of land. Carew.

3. (Antiq.) A beam, shod or armed at the end with a metal head or point, and projecting from the prow of an ancient galley, in order to pierce the vessel of an enemy; a beakhead.

4. (Nautical) That part of a ship, before the forecastle, which is fastened to the stem, and supported by the main knee.

5. (Architecture) A continuous slight projection ending in an arris or narrow fillet; that part of a drip from which the water is thrown off.

6. (Botany) Any process somewhat like the beak of a bird, terminating the fruit or other parts of a plant.

7. (Far.) A toe clip. See Clip , noun (Far.) .

8. A magistrate or policeman. [ Slang, Eng.]

Beaked Beaked (bēkt) adjective 1. Having a beak or a beaklike point; beak-shaped. "Each beaked promontory." Milton.

2. (Biol.) Furnished with a process or a mouth like a beak; rostrate.

Beaked whale (Zoology) , a cetacean of the genus Hyperoodon ; the bottlehead whale.

Beaker Beak"er (bēk"ẽr) noun [ Middle English biker ; akin to Icelandic bikarr , Swedish bägare , Danish baeger , German becher , Italian bicchiere ; -- all from Late Latin bicarium , probably from Greek bi^kos wine jar, or perhaps Latin bacar wine vessel. Confer Pitcher a jug.] 1. A large drinking cup, with a wide mouth, supported on a foot or standard.

2. An open-mouthed, thin glass vessel, having a projecting lip for pouring; -- used for holding solutions requiring heat. Knight.

Beakhead Beak"head` noun 1. (Architecture) An ornament used in rich Norman doorways, resembling a head with a beak. Parker.

2. (Nautical) (a) A small platform at the fore part of the upper deck of a vessel, which contains the water closets of the crew. (b) (Antiq.) Same as Beak , 3.

Beakiron Beak"i·ron noun [ From Bickern .] A bickern; a bench anvil with a long beak, adapted to reach the interior surfaces of sheet metal ware; the horn of an anvil.

Beal Beal (bēl) noun [ See Boil a tumor.] (Medicine) A small inflammatory tumor; a pustule. [ Prov. Eng.]

Beal Beal intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Bealed ; p. pr & verbal noun Bealing .] To gather matter; to swell and come to a head, as a pimple. [ Prov. Eng.]

Beam Beam (bēm) noun [ Anglo-Saxon beám beam, post, tree, ray of light; akin to OFries. bām tree, Old Saxon bōm , Dutch boom , Old High German boum , poum , German baum , Icelandic baðmr , Goth. bagms and Greek fy^ma a growth, fy^nai to become, to be. Confer Latin radius staff, rod, spoke of a wheel, beam or ray, and German strahl arrow, spoke of a wheel, ray or beam, flash of lightning. √97. See Be ; confer Boom a spar.] 1. Any large piece of timber or iron long in proportion to its thickness, and prepared for use.

2. One of the principal horizontal timbers of a building or ship.

The beams of a vessel are strong pieces of timber stretching across from side to side to support the decks.
Totten.

3. The width of a vessel; as, one vessel is said to have more beam than another.

4. The bar of a balance, from the ends of which the scales are suspended.

The doubtful beam long nods from side to side.
Pope.

5. The principal stem or horn of a stag or other deer, which bears the antlers, or branches.

6. The pole of a carriage. [ Poetic] Dryden.

7. A cylinder of wood, making part of a loom, on which weavers wind the warp before weaving; also, the cylinder on which the cloth is rolled, as it is woven; one being called the fore beam , the other the back beam .

8. The straight part or shank of an anchor.

9. The main part of a plow, to which the handles and colter are secured, and to the end of which are attached the oxen or horses that draw it.

10. (Steam Engine) A heavy iron lever having an oscillating motion on a central axis, one end of which is connected with the piston rod from which it receives motion, and the other with the crank of the wheel shaft; -- called also working beam or walking beam .

11. A ray or collection of parallel rays emitted from the sun or other luminous body; as, a beam of light, or of heat.

How far that little candle throws his beams !
Shak.

12. Fig.: A ray; a gleam; as, a beam of comfort.

Mercy with her genial beam .
Keble.

13. One of the long feathers in the wing of a hawk; -- called also beam feather .

Abaft the beam (Nautical) , in an arc of the horizon between a line that crosses the ship at right angles, or in the direction of her beams, and that point of the compass toward which her stern is directed. -- Beam center (Machinery) , the fulcrum or pin on which the working beam of an engine vibrates. -- Beam compass , an instrument consisting of a rod or beam, having sliding sockets that carry steel or pencil points; -- used for drawing or describing large circles. -- Beam engine , a steam engine having a working beam to transmit power, in distinction from one which has its piston rod attached directly to the crank of the wheel shaft. -- Before the beam (Nautical) , in an arc of the horizon included between a line that crosses the ship at right angles and that point of the compass toward which the ship steers. -- On the beam , in a line with the beams, or at right angles with the keel. -- On the weather beam , on the side of a ship which faces the wind. -- To be on her beam ends , to incline, as a vessel, so much on one side that her beams approach a vertical position.

Beam Beam transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Beamed ; present participle & verbal noun Beaming .] To send forth; to emit; -- followed ordinarily by forth ; as, to beam forth light.

Beam Beam intransitive verb To emit beams of light.

He beamed , the daystar of the rising age.
Trumbull.

Beam tree Beam" tree` [ Anglo-Saxon beám a tree. See Beam .] (Botany) A tree ( Pyrus aria ) related to the apple.

Beambird Beam"bird` noun (Zoology) A small European flycatcher ( Muscicapa grisola ), so called because it often nests on a beam in a building.

Beamed Beamed adjective Furnished with beams, as the head of a stag.

Tost his beamed frontlet to the sky.
Sir W. Scott.

Beamful Beam"ful adjective Beamy; radiant.

Beamily Beam"i·ly adverb In a beaming manner.

Beaminess Beam"i·ness noun The state of being beamy.

Beaming Beam"ing adjective Emitting beams; radiant.

Beamingly Beam"ing·ly adverb In a beaming manner; radiantly.

Beamless Beam"less adjective 1. Not having a beam.

2. Not emitting light.

Beamlet Beam"let noun A small beam of light.

Beamy Beam"y adjective 1. Emitting beams of light; radiant; shining. " Beamy gold." Tickell.

2. Resembling a beam in size and weight; massy.

His double-biting ax, and beamy spear.
Dryden.

3. Having horns, or antlers.

Beamy stags in toils engage.
Dryden.

Bean Bean (bēn) noun [ Middle English bene , Anglo-Saxon beán ; akin to Dutch boon , German bohne , Old High German pōna , Icelandic baun , Danish bönne , Swedish böna , and perhaps to Russian bob , Latin faba .] 1. (Botany) A name given to the seed of certain leguminous herbs, chiefly of the genera Faba , Phaseolus , and Dolichos ; also, to the herbs.

» The origin and classification of many kinds are still doubtful. Among true beans are: the black-eyed bean and China bean, included in Dolichos Sinensis ; black Egyptian bean or hyacinth bean, D. Lablab ; the common haricot beans, kidney beans, string beans, and pole beans, all included in Phaseolus vulgaris ; the lower bush bean, Ph. vulgaris , variety nanus ; Lima bean, Ph. lunatus ; Spanish bean and scarlet runner, Ph. multiflorus ; Windsor bean, the common bean of England, Faba vulgaris .

As an article of food beans are classed with vegetables.

2. The popular name of other vegetable seeds or fruits, more or less resembling true beans.

Bean aphis (Zoology) , a plant louse ( Aphis fabæ ) which infests the bean plant. -- Bean fly (Zoology) , a fly found on bean flowers. -- Bean goose (Zoology) , a species of goose ( Anser segetum ). -- Bean weevil (Zoology) , a small weevil that in the larval state destroys beans. The American species is Bruchus fabæ . -- Florida bean (Botany) , the seed of Mucuna urens , a West Indian plant. The seeds are washed up on the Florida shore, and are often polished and made into ornaments. -- Ignatius bean , or St. Ignatius's bean (Botany) , a species of Strychnos . -- Navy bean , the common dried white bean of commerce; probably so called because an important article of food in the navy. -- Pea bean , a very small and highly esteemed variety of the edible white bean; -- so called from its size. -- Sacred bean . See under Sacred . -- Screw bean . See under Screw . -- Sea bean . (a) Same as Florida bean . (b) A red bean of unknown species used for ornament. -- Tonquin bean , or Tonka bean , the fragrant seed of Dipteryx odorata , a leguminous tree. -- Vanilla bean . See under Vanilla .

Bean caper Bean" ca`per (Botany) A deciduous plant of warm climates, generally with fleshy leaves and flowers of a yellow or whitish yellow color, of the genus Zygophyllum .

Bean trefoil Bean" tre"foil (Botany) A leguminous shrub of southern Europe, with trifoliate leaves ( Anagyris fœtida ).

Bear Bear (bâr) transitive verb [ imperfect Bore (bōr) (formerly Bare (bâr)); past participle Born (bôrn), Borne (bōr); present participle & verbal noun Bearing .] [ Middle English beren , Anglo-Saxon beran , beoran , to bear, carry, produce; akin to Dutch baren to bring forth, German gebären , Goth. baíran to bear or carry, Icelandic bera , Swedish bära , Danish bære , Old High German beran , peran , Latin ferre to bear, carry, produce, Greek fe`rein , OSlav. brati to take, carry, OIr. berim I bear, Sanskrit bhr to bear. √92. Confer Fertile .] 1. To support or sustain; to hold up.

2. To support and remove or carry; to convey.

I 'll bear your logs the while.
Shak.

3. To conduct; to bring; -- said of persons. [ Obsolete]

Bear them to my house.
Shak.

4. To possess and use, as power; to exercise.

Every man should bear rule in his own house.
Esther i. 22.

5. To sustain; to have on (written or inscribed, or as a mark), as, the tablet bears this inscription.

6. To possess or carry, as a mark of authority or distinction; to wear; as, to bear a sword, badge, or name.

7. To possess mentally; to carry or hold in the mind; to entertain; to harbor Dryden.

The ancient grudge I bear him.
Shak.

8. To endure; to tolerate; to undergo; to suffer.

Should such a man, too fond to rule alone,
Bear , like the Turk, no brother near the throne.
Pope.

I cannot bear
The murmur of this lake to hear.
Shelley.

My punishment is greater than I can bear .
Gen. iv. 13.

9. To gain or win. [ Obsolete]

Some think to bear it by speaking a great word.
Bacon.

She was . . . found not guilty, through bearing of friends and bribing of the judge.
Latimer.

10. To sustain, or be answerable for, as blame, expense, responsibility, etc.

He shall bear their iniquities.
Is. liii. 11.

Somewhat that will bear your charges.
Dryden.

11. To render or give; to bring forward. "Your testimony bear " Dryden.

12. To carry on, or maintain; to have. "The credit of bearing a part in the conversation." Locke.

13. To admit or be capable of; that is, to suffer or sustain without violence, injury, or change.

In all criminal cases the most favorable interpretation should be put on words that they can possibly bear .
Swift.

14. To manage, wield, or direct. "Thus must thou thy body bear ." Shak. Hence: To behave; to conduct.

Hath he borne himself penitently in prison?
Shak.

15. To afford; to be to; to supply with.

His faithful dog shall bear him company.
Pope.

16. To bring forth or produce; to yield; as, to bear apples; to bear children; to bear interest.

Here dwelt the man divine whom Samos bore .
Dryden.

» In the passive form of this verb, the best modern usage restricts the past participle born to the sense of brought forth , while borne is used in the other senses of the word. In the active form, borne alone is used as the past participle.

To bear down . (a) To force into a lower place; to carry down; to depress or sink. "His nose, . . . large as were the others, bore them down into insignificance." Marryat. (b) To overthrow or crush by force; as, to bear down an enemy. -- To bear a hand . (a) To help; to give assistance. (b) (Nautical) To make haste; to be quick. -- To bear in hand , to keep (one) up in expectation, usually by promises never to be realized; to amuse by false pretenses; to delude. [ Obsolete] "How you were borne in hand , how crossed." Shak. -- To bear in mind , to remember. -- To bear off . (a) To restrain; to keep from approach. (b) (Nautical) To remove to a distance; to keep clear from rubbing against anything; as, to bear off a blow; to bear off a boat. (c) To gain; to carry off, as a prize. -- To bear one hard , to owe one a grudge. [ Obsolete] "Cæsar doth bear me hard ." Shak. -- To bear out . (a) To maintain and support to the end; to defend to the last. "Company only can bear a man out in an ill thing." South. (b) To corroborate; to confirm. -- To bear up , to support; to keep from falling or sinking. "Religious hope bears up the mind under sufferings." Addison.

Syn. -- To uphold; sustain; maintain; support; undergo; suffer; endure; tolerate; carry; convey; transport; waft.

Bear Bear intransitive verb 1. To produce, as fruit; to be fruitful, in opposition to barrenness.

This age to blossom, and the next to bear .
Dryden.

2. To suffer, as in carrying a burden.

But man is born to bear .
Pope.

3. To endure with patience; to be patient.

I can not, can not bear .
Dryden.

4. To press; -- with on or upon , or against .

These men bear hard on the suspected party.
Addison.

5. To take effect; to have influence or force; as, to bring matters to bear .

6. To relate or refer; -- with on or upon ; as, how does this bear on the question?

7. To have a certain meaning, intent, or effect.

Her sentence bore that she should stand a certain time upon the platform.
Hawthorne.

8. To be situated, as to the point of compass, with respect to something else; as, the land bears N. by E.

To bear against , to approach for attack or seizure; as, a lion bears against his prey. [ Obsolete] -- To bear away (Nautical) , to change the course of a ship, and make her run before the wind. -- To bear back , to retreat. " Bearing back from the blows of their sable antagonist." Sir W. Scott. -- To bear down upon (Nautical) , to approach from the windward side; as, the fleet bore down upon the enemy. -- To bear in with (Nautical) , to run or tend toward; as, a ship bears in with the land. -- To bear off (Nautical) , to steer away, as from land. -- To bear up . (a) To be supported; to have fortitude; to be firm; not to sink; as, to bear up under afflictions. (b) (Nautical) To put the helm up (or to windward) and so put the ship before the wind; to bear away. Hamersly. - - To bear upon (Mil.) , to be pointed or situated so as to affect; to be pointed directly against, or so as to hit (the object); as, to bring or plant guns so as to bear upon a fort or a ship; the artillery bore upon the center. -- To bear up to , to tend or move toward; as, to bear up to one another. -- To bear with , to endure; to be indulgent to; to forbear to resent, oppose, or punish.

Bear Bear (bēr) noun A bier. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Bear Bear (bâr) noun [ Middle English bere , Anglo-Saxon bera ; akin to Dutch beer , Old High German bero , pero , German bär , Icelandic & Swedish björn , and possibly to Latin fera wild beast, Greek fh`r beast, Sanskrit bhalla bear.]

1. (Zoology) Any species of the genus Ursus , and of the closely allied genera. Bears are plantigrade Carnivora, but they live largely on fruit and insects.

The European brown bear ( U. arctos ), the white polar bear ( U. maritimus ), the grizzly bear ( U. horribilis ), the American black bear, and its variety the cinnamon bear ( U. Americanus ), the Syrian bear ( Ursus Syriacus ), and the sloth bear, are among the notable species.

2. (Zoology) An animal which has some resemblance to a bear in form or habits, but no real affinity; as, the woolly bear ; ant bear ; water bear ; sea bear.

3. (Astron.) One of two constellations in the northern hemisphere, called respectively the Great Bear and the Lesser Bear , or Ursa Major and Ursa Minor .

4. Metaphorically: A brutal, coarse, or morose person.

5. (Stock Exchange) A person who sells stocks or securities for future delivery in expectation of a fall in the market.

» The bears and bulls of the Stock Exchange, whose interest it is, the one to depress, and the other to raise, stocks, are said to be so called in allusion to the bear's habit of pulling down, and the bull's of tossing up.

6. (Machinery) A portable punching machine.

7. (Nautical) A block covered with coarse matting; -- used to scour the deck.

Australian bear . (Zoology) See Koala . -- Bear baiting , the sport of baiting bears with dogs. -- Bear caterpillar (Zoology) , the hairy larva of a moth, esp. of the genus Euprepia . -- Bear garden . (a) A place where bears are kept for diversion or fighting. (b) Any place where riotous conduct is common or permitted. M. Arnold. -- Bear leader , one who leads about a performing bear for money; hence, a facetious term for one who takes charge of a young man on his travels.

Bear Bear transitive verb (Stock Exchange) To endeavor to depress the price of, or prices in; as, to bear a railroad stock; to bear the market.

Bear State Bear State Arkansas; -- a nickname, from the many bears once inhabiting its forests.

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