[ See Exodus vii. 9 and Numbers xvii. 8 ] 1. (Arch.) A rod with one serpent twined around it, thus differing from the caduceus of Mercury, which has two. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A plant with a tall flowering stem; esp. the great mullein, or hag-taper, and the golden-rod. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. Achillis tendo. ] (Anat.) The strong tendon formed of the united tendons of the large muscles in the calf of the leg, an inserted into the bone of the heel; -- so called from the mythological account of Achilles being held by the heel when dipped in the River Styx. [ 1913 Webster ]

See under Adam. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) (a) A genus of ferns (Ophioglossum), whose seeds are produced on a spike resembling a serpent's tongue. (b) The yellow dogtooth violet. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Named from Thomas Addison, M. D., of London, who first described it. ] (Med.) A morbid condition causing a peculiar brownish discoloration of the skin, hypotension, and loss of weight; it is due to insufficient secretion of adrenocortical hormones. Untreated disease is usually fatal. Called also chronic adrenocortical insufficiency [ 1913 Webster + AS ]

A kind of gun metal, containing copper, zinc, and iron, but no tin. [ 1913 Webster ]

A contraction for are not and am not; also used for is not. [ Colloq. or illiterate speech ]. See An't. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; cock + &unr_; fight. ] Cockfighting. [ 1913 Webster ]

The first day of April, a day on which sportive impositions are practiced. [ 1913 Webster ]

The first of April, some do say,
Is set apart for All Fools' Day. Poor Robin's Almanack (1760). [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } The first day of November, called, also, Allhallows or Hallowmas; a feast day kept in honor of all the saints; also, the season of this festival. [ 1913 Webster ]

The second day of November; a feast day of the Roman Catholic church, on which supplications are made for the souls of the faithful dead. [ 1913 Webster ]

An it, that is, and it or if it. See An, conj. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A contraction for are and am not; also used for is not; -- now usually written ain't. [ Colloq. & illiterate speech. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

See Saint Anthony's Fire, under Saint. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Zool.) The five united jaws and accessory ossicles of certain sea urchins. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) A plant with flowers shaped like buttons; especially, several species of Ranunculus, and the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and globe amaranth (Gomphrena). [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Bachelor's buttons, a name given to several flowers “from their similitude to the jagged cloathe buttons, anciently worne in this kingdom, ” according to Johnson's Gerarde, p. 472 (1633); but by other writers ascribed to “a habit of country fellows to carry them in their pockets to divine their success with their sweethearts.” Dr. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Astron.) A row of bright spots observed in connection with total eclipses of the sun. Just before and after a total eclipse, the slender, unobscured crescent of the sun's disk appears momentarily like a row of bright spots resembling a string of beads. The phenomenon (first fully described by Francis Baily, 1774 -- 1844) is thought to be an effect of irradiation, and of inequalities of the moon's edge. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

[ From Dr. Barker, the inventor. ] A machine, invented in the 17th century, worked by a form of reaction wheel. The water flows into a vertical tube and gushes from apertures in hollow horizontal arms, causing the machine to revolve on its axis. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Named for Dr. Basedow, a German physician. ] (Med.) A disease characterized by enlargement of the thyroid gland, prominence of the eyeballs, and inordinate action of the heart; -- called also exophthalmic goiter. Flint. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ r }, a. Shaped like a bat's wing; as, a bat's-wing burner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. (Bot.) The English cow parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium) Dr. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. a widely cultivated southern European acanthus (Acanthus mollis) with whitish purple-veined flowers. See Acanthus, n., 1.
Syn. -- bear's breech, bear's-breech, bear's breeches, sea holly. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Bot.) A kind of primrose (Primula auricula), so called from the shape of the leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A species of hellebore (Helleborus fœtidus), with digitate leaves. It has an offensive smell and acrid taste, and is a powerful emetic, cathartic, and anthelmintic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A large bivalve shell of the East Indies (Hippopus maculatus), often used as an ornament. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Meteor.) A scale of wind force devised by Sir F. Beaufort, R. N., in 1805, in which the force is indicated by numbers from 0 to 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The full scale is as follows: -- 0, calm; 1, light air; 2, light breeze; 3, gentle breeze; 4, moderate breeze; 5, fresh breeze; 6, strong breeze; 7, moderate gale; 8, fresh gale; 9, strong gale; 10, whole gale; 11, storm; 12, hurricane. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

[ After E. Becchi, Italian chemist. ] (Chem.) A qualitative test for cottonseed oil, based on the fact this oil imparts a maroon color to an alcoholic solution of silver nitrate. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

A hydrometer scale on which the zero point corresponds to sp. gr. 1.00, and the 30°-point to sp. gr. 0.85. From these points the scale is extended both ways, all the degrees being of equal length. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

(Bot.) The prickly fruit or seed of certain plants (as some species of Echinospermum and Cynoglossum) which cling to the clothing of those who brush by them. [ 1913 Webster ]

The bur marigold (Bidens) and its achenes, which are armed with barbed awns, and adhere to clothing and fleeces with unpleasant tenacity; -- also called beggar-ticks. [ 1913 Webster ]

. Paralysis of the facial nerve, producing distortion of one side of the face. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

[ See Berenice's Locks, in Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction. ] (Astron.) See Coma Berenices, under Coma. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

(Astron.) A periodic coment, discovered by Biela in 1826, which revolves around the sun in 6.6 years. The November meteors (Andromedes or Bielids) move in its orbit, and may be fragments of the comet. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. (Arch.) A molding whose section is thought to resemble a beak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Marked with spots resembling bird's eyes; as, bird's-eye diaper; bird's-eye maple. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

See under Maple. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A papilionaceous plant, the Ornithopus, having a curved, cylindrical pod tipped with a short, clawlike point. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bird's-foot trefoil. (Bot.) (a) A genus of plants (Lotus) with clawlike pods. Lotus corniculatas, with yellow flowers, is very common in Great Britain. (b) the related plant, Trigonella ornithopodioides, is also European. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ or } n. 1. The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Bot.) An orchideous plant with matted roots, of the genus Neottia (Neottia nidus-avis). [ 1913 Webster ]

Bird's-nest pudding, a pudding containing apples whose cores have been replaced by sugar. --
Yellow bird's nest, a plant, the Monotropa hypopitys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Hunting for, or taking, birds' nests or their contents. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) The knotgrass (Polygonum aviculare). [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) A plant of the genus Mitella; miterwort. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

A canvas for a portrait measuring 58 by 94 inches. The half bishop measures 45 by 56. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) (a) An umbelliferous plant of the genus Ammi. (b) Goutweed (Ægopodium podagraria). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Wood betony (Stachys betonica); also, the plant called fennel flower (Nigella Damascena), or devil-in-a-bush. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ See Buff a buffet. ] A game in which one person is blindfolded, and tries to catch some one of the other players, and tell who it is. [ 1913 Webster ]

Surely he fancies I play at blindman's buff with him, for he thinks I never have my eyes open. Stillingfleet. [ 1913 Webster ]

The time between daylight and candle light. [ Humorous ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ F., bow wood. So called because used for bows by the Western Indians. ] (Bot.) The Osage orange (Maclura aurantiaca). [ 1913 Webster ]

The bois d'arc seems to be the characteristic growth of the black prairies. U. S. Census (1880). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a petty officer on a merchant ship who controls the work of other seamen.
Syn. -- boatswain, bos'n, bosun, bo'sun. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

See under Law. [ 1913 Webster ]