a. Swallowing, engrossing; as, an absorbing pursuit. -- Ab*sorb"ing, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ L. ad + E. combination. ] A combining together. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A female albino. Holmes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or condition of being an albino: abinoism; leucopathy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Affected with albinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Albinos [ Sp. or Pg. albino, orig. whitish, fr. albo white, L. albus. ] A person, whether negro, Indian, or white, in whom by some defect of organization the substance which gives color to the skin, hair, and eyes is deficient or in a morbid state. An albino has a skin of a milky hue, with hair of the same color, and eyes with deep red pupil and pink or blue iris. The term is also used of the lower animals, as white mice, elephants, etc.; and of plants in a whitish condition from the absence of chlorophyll. Amer. Cyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The term was originally applied by the Portuguese to negroes met with on the coast of Africa, who were mottled with white spots. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state or condition of being an albino; albinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Affected with albinism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Chem.) A carbohydrate, isomeric with cane sugar, contained in gum arabic, from which it is extracted as a white, amorphous substance. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Mucilage, especially that made of gum arabic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Chem.) A sugar of the composition C5H10O5, obtained from cherry gum by boiling it with dilute sulphuric acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. seizing the attention attention-getting demonstration
Syn. -- eye-catching. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. 1 likely to attract interest.
Syn. -- catchy. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ F. ] A broken gait of a horse, between an amble and a gallop; -- commonly called a Canterbury gallop. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Dr. Babbington. ] (Min.) A mineral occurring in triclinic crystals approaching pyroxene in angle, and of a greenish black color. It is a silicate of iron, manganese, and lime. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; It. pl. -ni /plu>. [ It., a little boy, fr. bambo silly; cf. Gr. bambali`zein, bambai`nein, to chatter. ] 1. A child or baby; esp., a representation in art of the infant Christ wrapped in swaddling clothes. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. (Sports) George Herman Ruth ("Babe" Ruth), the baseball player; -- usu. in the form “the bambino”. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖‖ } n. [ Malay. ] The berries of two East Indian species of Averrhoa, of the Oxalideæ or Sorrel family. They are very acid, and highly esteemed when preserved or pickled. The juice is used as a remedy for skin diseases. [ Written also blimbi and blimbing. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. bilis biel + ruber red. ] (Physiol.) A reddish yellow pigment present in human bile, and in that from carnivorous and herbivorous animals; the normal biliary pigment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. binne, AS. binn manager, crib; perh. akin to D. ben, benne, basket, and to L. benna a kind of carriage ( a Gallic word), W. benn, men, wain, cart. ] A box, frame, crib, or inclosed place, used as a receptacle for any commodity; as, a corn bin; a wine bin; a coal bin. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Binned p. pr. & vb. n. Binning. ] To put into a bin; as, to bin wine. [ 1913 Webster ]

. An old form of Be and Been. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

. A euphonic form of the prefix Bi-. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Binary. ] Twofold; double. [ R. ] “Binal revenge, all this.” Ford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. bin- + arseniate. ] (Chem.) A salt having two equivalents of arsenic acid to one of the base. Graham. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. binarius, fr. bini two by two, two at a time, fr. root of bis twice; akin to E. two: cf. F. binaire. ] Compounded or consisting of two things or parts; characterized by two (things). [ 1913 Webster ]

Binary arithmetic, that in which numbers are expressed according to the binary scale, or in which two figures only, 0 and 1, are used, in lieu of ten; the cipher multiplying everything by two, as in common arithmetic by ten. Thus, 1 is one; 10 is two; 11 is three; 100 is four, etc. Davies & Peck. --
Binary compound (Chem.), a compound of two elements, or of an element and a compound performing the function of an element, or of two compounds performing the function of elements. --
Binary logarithms, a system of logarithms devised by Euler for facilitating musical calculations, in which 1 is the logarithm of 2, instead of 10, as in the common logarithms, and the modulus 1.442695 instead of .43429448. --
Binary measure (Mus.), measure divisible by two or four; common time. --
Binary nomenclature (Nat. Hist.), nomenclature in which the names designate both genus and species. --
Binary scale (Arith.), a uniform scale of notation whose ratio is two. --
Binary star (Astron.), a double star whose members have a revolution round their common center of gravity. --
Binary theory (Chem.), the theory that all chemical compounds consist of two constituents of opposite and unlike qualities. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which is constituted of two figures, things, or parts; two; duality. Fotherby. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. bini two and two. ] (Bot.) Double; growing in pairs or couples. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. bin- + aural. ] Of or pertaining to, or used by, both ears. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Turk., prop., chief of a thousand; bin thousand + bash head. ] (Mil.) A major in the Turkish army. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. 1. That which binds or ties. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any twining or climbing plant or stem, esp. a hop vine; a bine. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Metal.) Indurated clay, when much mixed with the oxide of iron. Kirwan. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) A ligature or tie for grouping notes. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. Bound p. p. Bound, formerly Bounden p. pr. & vb. n. Binding. ] [ AS. bindan, perfect tense band, bundon, p. p. bunden; akin to D. & G. binden, Dan. binde, Sw. & Icel. binda, Goth. bindan, Skr. bandh (for bhandh) to bind, cf. Gr. &unr_; (for &unr_;) cable, and L. offendix. √90. ] 1. To tie, or confine with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.; to fetter; to make fast; as, to bind grain in bundles; to bind a prisoner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind; as, attraction binds the planets to the sun; frost binds the earth, or the streams. [ 1913 Webster ]

He bindeth the floods from overflowing. Job xxviii. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years. Luke xiii. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cover, as with a bandage; to bandage or dress; -- sometimes with up; as, to bind up a wound. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To make fast ( a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something; as, to bind a belt about one; to bind a compress upon a part. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action; as, certain drugs bind the bowels. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To protect or strengthen by a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To sew or fasten together, and inclose in a cover; as, to bind a book. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Fig.: To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other moral tie; as, to bind the conscience; to bind by kindness; bound by affection; commerce binds nations to each other. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who made our laws to bind us, not himself. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Law) (a) To bring (any one) under definite legal obligations; esp. under the obligation of a bond or covenant. Abbott. (b) To place under legal obligation to serve; to indenture; as, to bind an apprentice; -- sometimes with out; as, bound out to service. [ 1913 Webster ]

To bind over, to put under bonds to do something, as to appear at court, to keep the peace, etc. --
To bind to, to contract; as, to bind one's self to a wife. --
To bind up in, to cause to be wholly engrossed with; to absorb in. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To fetter; tie; fasten; restrain; restrict; oblige. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To tie; to confine by any ligature. [ 1913 Webster ]

They that reap must sheaf and bind. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To contract; to grow hard or stiff; to cohere or stick together in a mass; as, clay binds by heat. Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To exert a binding or restraining influence. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who binds; as, a binder of sheaves; one whose trade is to bind; as, a binder of books. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything that binds, as a fillet, cord, rope, or band; a bandage; -- esp. the principal piece of timber intended to bind together any building. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. a pair of stiff oblong covers, sometimes detachable, designed for insertion of paper pages to create a book-like document, such as in a loose-leaf binder. [ PJC ]

n. A place where books, or other articles, are bound; a bookbinder's establishment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Bindheim, a German who analyzed it. ] (Min.) An amorphous antimonate of lead, produced from the alteration of other ores, as from jamesonite. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That binds; obligatory. [ 1913 Webster ]

Binding beam (Arch.), the main timber in double flooring. --
Binding joist (Arch.), the secondary timber in double-framed flooring. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Obligatory; restraining; restrictive; stringent; astringent; costive; styptic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act or process of one who, or that which, binds. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Anything that binds; a bandage; the cover of a book, or the cover with the sewing, etc.; something that secures the edge of cloth from raveling. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. (Naut.) The transoms, knees, beams, keelson, and other chief timbers used for connecting and strengthening the parts of a vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. So as to bind. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The condition or property of being binding; obligatory quality. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Elec.) A metallic post attached to electrical apparatus for convenience in making connections. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. A set screw used to bind parts together, esp. one for making a connection in an electrical circuit. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Convolvulus; as, greater bindweed (Convolvulus Sepium); lesser bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis); the white bindweed, the blue bindweed, the Syrian bindweed. The black bryony, or Tamus, is called black bindweed, and the Smilax aspera, rough bindweed. [ 1913 Webster ]

The fragile bindweed bells and bryony rings. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bind, cf. Woodbine. ] The winding or twining stem of a hop vine or other climbing plant. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. bis twice + nervus sinew, nerve. ] 1. (Bot.) Two-nerved; -- applied to leaves which have two longitudinal ribs or nerves. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) Having only two nerves, as the wings of some insects. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Icel. bingr, Sw. binge, G. beige, beuge. Cf. Prov. E. bink bench, and bench coal the uppermost stratum of coal. ] A heap or pile; as, a bing of wood. “Potato bings.” Burns. “A bing of corn.” Surrey. [ Obs. or Dial. Eng. & Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a game commonly used for low-stakes gambling, in which numbered balls or slips are drawn at random and players cover the correponding numbers on their cards, called Bingo cards, which have square arrangement of such numbers. Each card has a different arrangement of the numbers, and the first player to cover all numbers in one row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) is the winner, usually announcing that fact by a cry of “Bingo!” Variants of the game may require that all peripheral numbers are covered, to form a box, or other figure. The numbers usually have one letter from the group “B”, “I”, “N”, “G”, and “O”, plus two digits. The “cards” may be disposable sheets of paper on which the numbers are printed.
Syn. -- lotto, beano, keno. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Same as Diiodide. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A bench. [ North of Eng. & Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ For bittacle, corrupted (perh. by influence of bin) fr. Pg. bitacola binnacle, fr. L. habitaculum dwelling place, fr. habitare to dwell. See Habit, and cf. Bittacle. ] (Naut.) A case or box placed near the helmsman, containing the compass of a ship, and a light to show it at night. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A large species of barbel (Barbus bynni), found in the Nile, and much esteemed for food. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. binocle; L. bini two at a time + oculus eye. ] (Opt.) A dioptric telescope, fitted with two tubes joining, so as to enable a person to view an object with both eyes at once; a double-barreled field glass or an opera glass. [ 1913 Webster ]