Biplane Bi"plane adjective (Aëronautics) Having, or consisting of, two superposed planes, aërocurves, or the like; of or pertaining to a biplane; as, a biplane rudder.

Biplicate Bip"li·cate adjective [ Prefix bi- + plicate .] Twice folded together. Henslow.

Biplicity Bi·plic"i·ty noun The state of being twice folded; reduplication. [ R.] Bailey.

Bipolar Bi·po"lar adjective [ Prefix bi- + polar . Confer Dipolar .] Doubly polar; having two poles; as, a bipolar cell or corpuscle.

Bipolarity Bi`po·lar"i·ty noun Bipolar quality.

Bipont, Bipontine Bi"pont, Bi·pont"ine adjective (Bibliog.) Relating to books printed at Deuxponts, or Bipontium (Zweibrücken), in Bavaria.

Biprism Bi"prism noun [ Prefix bi- + prism .] 1. A prism whose refracting angle is very nearly 180 degrees.

2. A combination of two short rectangular glass prisms cemented together at their diagonal faces so as to form a cube; -- called also optical cube . It is used in one form of photometer.

Bipunctate Bi·punc"tate adjective [ Prefix bi- + punctate .] Having two punctures, or spots.

Bipunctual Bi·punc"tu·al adjective Having two points.

Bipupillate Bi·pu"pil·late adjective [ Prefix bi- + pupil (of the eye).] (Zoology) Having an eyelike spot on the wing, with two dots within it of a different color, as in some butterflies.

Bipyramidal Bi`py·ram"i·dal adjective [ Prefix bi- + pyramidal .] Consisting of two pyramids placed base to base; having a pyramid at each of the extremities of a prism, as in quartz crystals.

Biquadrate Bi·quad"rate noun [ Prefix bi- + quadrate .] (Math.) The fourth power, or the square of the square. Thus 4x4=16, the square of 4, and 16x16=256, the biquadrate of 4.

Biquadratic Bi`quad·rat"ic adjective [ Prefix bi- + quadratic : confer French biquadratique .] (Math.) Of or pertaining to the biquadrate, or fourth power.

Biquadratic equation (Alg.) , an equation of the fourth degree, or an equation in some term of which the unknown quantity is raised to the fourth power. -- Biquadratic root of a number , the square root of the square root of that number. Thus the square root of 81 is 9, and the square root of 9 is 3, which is the biquadratic root of 81. Hutton.

Biquadratic Bi`quad·rat"ic noun (Math.) (a) A biquadrate. (b) A biquadratic equation.

Biquintile Bi·quin"tile noun [ Prefix bi- + quintile : confer French biquintile .] (Astron.) An aspect of the planets when they are distant from each other by twice the fifth part of a great circle -- that is, twice 72 degrees.

Biradiate, Biradiated Bi·ra"di·ate, Bi·ra"di·a`ted adjective [ Prefix bi- + radiate .] Having two rays; as, a biradiate fin.

Biramous Bi·ra"mous adjective [ Prefix bi- + ramous .] (Biol.) Having, or consisting of, two branches.

Birch Birch (bẽrch) noun ; plural Birches (-ĕz). [ Middle English birche , birk , Anglo-Saxon birce , beorc ; akin to Icelandic björk , Swedish björk , Danish birk , Dutch berk , Old High German piricha , Middle High German birche , birke , German birke , Russian bereza , Pol. brzoza , Serv. breza , Sanskrit bhūrja . √254. Confer 1st Birk .] 1. A tree of several species, constituting the genus Betula ; as, the white or common birch ( B. alba ) (also called silver birch and lady birch); the dwarf birch ( B. glandulosa ); the paper or canoe birch ( B. papyracea ); the yellow birch ( B. lutea ); the black or cherry birch ( B. lenta ).

2. The wood or timber of the birch.

3. A birch twig or birch twigs, used for flogging.

» The twigs of the common European birch (B. alba), being tough and slender, were formerly much used for rods in schools. They were also made into brooms.

The threatening twigs of birch .
Shak.

4. A birch-bark canoe.

Birch of Jamaica , a species ( Bursera gummifera ) of turpentine tree. -- Birch partridge . (Zoology) See Ruffed grouse . -- Birch wine , wine made of the spring sap of the birch. -- Oil of birch . (a) An oil obtained from the bark of the common European birch ( Betula alba ), and used in the preparation of genuine (and sometimes of the imitation) Russia leather, to which it gives its peculiar odor. (b) An oil prepared from the black birch ( B. lenta ), said to be identical with the oil of wintergreen, for which it is largely sold.

Birch Birch adjective Of or pertaining to the birch; birchen.

Birch Birch transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Birched (bẽrcht); present participle & verbal noun Birching .] To whip with a birch rod or twig; to flog.

Birchen Birch"en (bẽrch"'n) adjective Of or relating to birch.

He passed where Newark's stately tower
Looks out from Yarrow's birchen bower.
Sir W. Scott.

Bird Bird (bẽrd) noun [ Middle English brid , bred , bird , young bird, bird, Anglo-Saxon bridd young bird. √92.] 1. Orig., a chicken; the young of a fowl; a young eaglet; a nestling; and hence, a feathered flying animal (see 2).

That ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird .
Shak.

The brydds [ birds] of the aier have nestes.
Tyndale (Matt. viii. 20).

2. (Zoology) A warm-blooded, feathered vertebrate provided with wings. See Aves .

3. Specifically, among sportsmen, a game bird.

4. Fig.: A girl; a maiden.

And by my word! the bonny bird
In danger shall not tarry.
Campbell.

Arabian bird , the phenix. -- Bird of Jove , the eagle. -- Bird of Juno , the peacock. -- Bird louse (Zoology) , a wingless insect of the group Mallophaga, of which the genera and species are very numerous and mostly parasitic upon birds. -- Bird mite (Zoology) , a small mite (genera Dermanyssus , Dermaleichus and allies) parasitic upon birds. The species are numerous. -- Bird of passage , a migratory bird. -- Bird spider (Zoology) , a very large South American spider ( Mygale avicularia ). It is said sometimes to capture and kill small birds. -- Bird tick (Zoology) , a dipterous insect parasitic upon birds (genus Ornithomyia , and allies), usually winged.

Bird Bird intransitive verb 1. To catch or shoot birds.

2. Hence: To seek for game or plunder; to thieve. [ R.] B. Jonson.

Bird cage, Birdcage Bird" cage", Bird"cage` noun A cage for confining birds.

Bird cherry Bird" cher`ry (Botany) A shrub ( Prunus Padus ) found in Northern and Central Europe. It bears small black cherries.

Bird fancier Bird" fan`ci·er 1. One who takes pleasure in rearing or collecting rare or curious birds.

2. One who has for sale the various kinds of birds which are kept in cages.

Bird of paradise Bird" of par"a·dise (Zoology) The name of several very beautiful birds of the genus Paradisea and allied genera, inhabiting New Guinea and the adjacent islands. The males have brilliant colors, elegant plumes, and often remarkable tail feathers.

» The Great emerald ( Paradisea apoda ) and the Lesser emerald ( P. minor ) furnish many of the plumes used as ornaments by ladies; the Red is P. rubra or sanguinea ; the Golden is Parotia aurea or sexsetacea ; the King is Cincinnurus regius .

The name is also applied to the longer-billed birds of another related group ( Epimachinæ ) from the same region. The Twelve-wired ( Seleucides alba ) is one of these. See Paradise bird , and Note under Apod .

Bird pepper Bird" pep`per A species of capsicum ( Capsicum baccatum ), whose small, conical, coral-red fruit is among the most piquant of all red peppers.

Bird-eyed Bird"-eyed` adjective Quick-sighted; catching a glance as one goes.

Bird-witted Bird"-wit`ted adjective Flighty; passing rapidly from one subject to another; not having the faculty of attention. Bacon.

Bird's nest, Bird's-nest Bird's" nest`, Bird's-nest noun 1. The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young.

2. (Cookery) The nest of a small swallow ( Collocalia nidifica and several allied species), of China and the neighboring countries, which is mixed with soups.

» The nests are found in caverns and fissures of cliffs on rocky coasts, and are composed in part of algæ. They are of the size of a goose egg, and in substance resemble isinglass. See Illust. under Edible .

3. (Botany) An orchideous plant with matted roots, of the genus Neottia ( N. nidus-avis. )

Bird's-nest pudding , a pudding containing apples whose cores have been replaced by sugar. -- Yellow bird's nest , a plant, the Monotropa hypopitys .

Bird's-beak Bird's"-beak` noun (Architecture) A molding whose section is thought to resemble a beak.

Bird's-eye Bird's"-eye` adjective 1. Seen from above, as if by a flying bird; embraced at a glance; hence, general; not minute, or entering into details; as, a bird's-eye view.

2. Marked with spots resembling bird's eyes; as, bird's-eye diaper; bird's-eye maple.

Bird's-eye Bird's"-eye` noun (Botany) A plant with a small bright flower, as the Adonis or pheasant's eye, the mealy primrose ( Primula farinosa ), and species of Veronica, Geranium, etc.

Bird's-eye maple Bird's"-eye` ma"ple See under Maple .

Bird's-foot Bird's"-foot` noun (Botany) A papilionaceous plant, the Ornithopus , having a curved, cylindrical pod tipped with a short, clawlike point.

Bird's-foot trefoil . (Botany) (a) A genus of plants ( Lotus ) with clawlike pods. Latin corniculatas , with yellow flowers, is very common in Great Britain. (b) the related plant, Trigonella ornithopodioides , is also European.

Bird's-mouth Bird's-mouth` noun (Architecture) An interior angle or notch cut across a piece of timber, for the reception of the edge of another, as that in a rafter to be laid on a plate; -- commonly called crow's-foot in the United States.

Bird's-nesting Bird's-nest`ing (bẽrdz"nĕst`ĭng) noun Hunting for, or taking, birds' nests or their contents.

Bird's-tongue Bird's"-tongue` noun (Botany) The knotgrass ( Polygonum aviculare ).

Birdbolt Bird"bolt` noun A short blunt arrow for killing birds without piercing them. Hence: Anything which smites without penetrating. Shak.

Birdcall Bird"call` noun 1. A sound made in imitation of the note or cry of a bird for the purpose of decoying the bird or its mate.

2. An instrument of any kind, as a whistle, used in making the sound of a birdcall.

Birdcatcher Bird"catch`er noun One whose employment it is to catch birds; a fowler.

Birdcatching Bird"catch`ing noun The art, act, or occupation or catching birds or wild fowls.

Birder Bird"er noun A birdcatcher.

Birdie Bird"ie noun A pretty or dear little bird; -- a pet name. Tennyson.

Birdikin Bird"i·kin noun A young bird. Thackeray.

Birding Bird"ing noun Birdcatching or fowling. Shak.

Birding piece , a fowling piece. Shak.

Birdlet Bird"let noun A little bird; a nestling.

Birdlike Bird"like` adjective Resembling a bird.

Birdlime Bird"lime` noun [ Bird + lime viscous substance.] An extremely adhesive viscid substance, usually made of the middle bark of the holly, by boiling, fermenting, and cleansing it. When a twig is smeared with this substance it will hold small birds which may light upon it. Hence: Anything which insnares.

Not birdlime or Idean pitch produce
A more tenacious mass of clammy juice.
Dryden.

» Birdlime is also made from mistletoe, elder, etc.

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