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`
`The
`_
`.
`Am<_2r1can _
`Her1tage® D1ct10nary
`of the English Language
`
`FOURTH EDITION
`
`
`
`HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
`N Boston NewYork
`
`1
`
`APPLE 1005
`
`APPLE 1005
`
`1
`
`

`
`Words are included in this Dictionary on the basis of their usage.
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`shown with an initial capital and are also identified as trademarks. No
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`word in this Dictionary is not, however, an expression of the
`Publisher’s opinion as to whether or not it is subject to proprietary
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`Library of Congress Catalogz'ng-in-Publication Data
`
`The American Heritage dictionary of the English language:-4th ed.
`p.
`cm.
`ISBN 0-395-82517-2 (hardcover) —- ISBN 0-618-08230-1
`(hardcover with CD ROM)
`1. English language—Dictionaries
`PEl628 .A623 2000
`423~dc21
`
`00-025369
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`Manufactured in the United States of America
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`2
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`

`
`openly and boldly: “Old Mrs. Webb avowed that he, in the space of two
`hours, had worn out her pew more .
`.
`. than she had by sitting in it forty
`years” (Kate Douglas Wiggin). Confess usually emphasizes disclosure of
`something damaging or inconvenient to oneself: I have to confess that!
`lied to you. To concede is to intellectually accept something, often against
`onc’s will: The lawyer refused to concede that the two cases had similarities.
`ac-knowl-edged (ak-néllijd) adj. Commonly accepted or recog-
`uized.
`(i.k—no1Ii}-
`ac-knowl-edg-ment or ac-knowl-edge-ment
`mam) n. 1. The act of admitting or owning to something. 2. Recogni-
`tion of another’s existence. validity, authority, or right. 3. An answer or
`response in return for something done. 4. An expression of thanks or a
`token of appreciation. 5. A formal declaration made to authoritative wit-
`nesses to ensure legal validity.
`a'Clih'iC line (a-kltnlik) is. See magnetic equator. [From Greek
`airlines, not inclining to either side : a-, not; see A—‘ + klinein, to lean; see
`k|ei- in Appendix 1.]
`ACLU abhr. American Civil Liberties Union
`ACM abbr. asbestos-containing material
`aC'me (aldmé) n. The highest point, as of achievement or develop-
`ment: reached the acme of her career. See synonyms at summit. [Greek
`akmé. See ak- in Appendix 1.]
`-':lC'l‘le (ziklné) n. An inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands and
`hair follicles of the skin that is marked by the eruption of pimples or pus-
`tules, especially on the face. [New Latin, probably from misreading of
`Greek akme, point, facial eruption. See ACMI-1.] —ac/ned adj.
`acne rosacea 21. See rosacea.
`a-cock (a-kok’) adv. 8: adj. In a cocked position.
`a-coe-lo-mate (9—sé’la-mat’) n. An animal that lacks a coclom.
`Acoelomates, which include the flatworm, fluke, tapeworm, and ribbon
`worm, exhibit bilateral symmetry and possess one internal space, the di-
`gestive cavity. [New Latin Acaelzimata, group name : A—‘ + Greek kailiima,
`koilornut-, cavity; see COELOM.] —a-coello-mate (-la-mit) adj.
`a-eoe-lous (21-séllas) adj. Lacking a true body cavity or digestive
`tract. [A—' + COEL(OM) + —ous.]
`ac-o-lyte (akin-lit’) n. 1. One who assists the celebrant in the per-
`formance of liturgical rites. 2. A devoted follower or attendant. [Middle
`English acolit, from Old French, from Medieval Latin acolytus, from
`Greek akolouthos, attendant. See ANACOLUTHON.]
`A'CO'ma' (filo-ms, -mo’, ‘a”ka-)
`11., pl. Acoma or -mas 1a. A
`Pueblo people, the founders and inhabitants of Acoma. b. A member of
`this people. 2. The Kercsan language of the Acoma. [Acoma, people of
`the white rocl<.]
`‘:i’ka—) A pueblo of west-central New
`A-coomaz (ilk/a-ma, -mo’,
`Mexico west of Albuquerque. Founded c. 1100-1250, it is regarded as the
`oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States. Popula-
`tion: 2,590.
`A-con-ca-gua (:‘§k’an-kéilgwa. a’kan-) A mountain, 7,025.4 m
`(23,034 ft) high, in the Andes of western Argentina near Chile. The high-
`est peak of the Western Hemisphere, it was first scaled in 1897.
`ac-o-nite (akla-nit’) rt. 1. Any of various, usually poisonous peren-
`nial herbs of the genus Aconitum, having tuberous roots, paimately lobed
`leaves, blue or white flowers with large hoodlike upper sepals, and an ag-
`gregate of follicles. 2. The dried leaves and roots of some of these plants,
`which yield a poisonous alkaloid that was formerly used medicinally. In
`both senses also called mankshuod, walfslmnc. [French acanit, from Latin
`aconitum, from Greek akuniton, perhaps from neuter sing. of akonitos,
`without dust or struggle : a-, without; see A—' + konis, dust.]
`A-go-res (5-sot/ésh) See Azores.
`3'C0T" (2Vk6rn’, filkarn) 11. The fruit of an oa.k. consisting of a single-
`seeded, thick-walled nut set in a woody, cuplike base. [Middle English
`akorn, from Old English zecem.]
`
`Word History A glance at the word acorn might produce the surmise
`that it is made tip of oak and corn, especially if we think of corn in its
`sense of “a kernel or seed of a plant,” as in peppercorn. The fact that oth-
`ers thought the word was so constituted partly accounts for the present
`form acorn. Here we see the workings of the process of linguistic change
`known as folk etymology, an alteration in form of a word or phrase so
`that it resembles a more familiar term mistakenly regarded as analogous.
`Acorn actually goes back to Old English mcern, “acorn,” which in turn
`goes back to the Indo-European root "6g—, meaning “fruit, berry.”
`
`acorn squash 11. A type of winter squash shaped somewhat like an
`acorn and having longitudinal ridges, a variously colored rind, and
`yellow to orange flesh.
`acorn worm n. Any of a class (Enteropneusta) of hemichordate,
`wormlike animals that inhabit shallow burrows in mud or sand flats of
`intertidal zones and are equipped with an acornlike proboscis used for
`digging and collecting food.
`a’C0U5‘fiC (9-ko‘o’sti'k) adj. also a-cous-ti-cal (-sti-kal) 1. Of or
`relating to sound, the sense of hearing. or the science of sound. 2a. Dc-
`signed to carry sound or to aid in hearing. b. Designed to absorb or con-
`trol sound: acoustic tile. 3. Music a. Of or being an instrument that does
`not produce or enhance sound electronically: an acousticguitar; on acous-
`tic bass. b. Being a performance that features such instruments: opened
`the show with an acoustic set.
`‘i’ it. Music An acoustic instrument. [Greek
`akaustikos, pertaining to hearing, from akauein, to hear. See kous- in Ap-
`pendix 1.] —-a-couslti-cal-ly adv.
`aC'0US'fi‘Clal"| (:”tk’o“o-stishlan) n. A specialist in acoustics.
`acoustic nerve n. Either of the eighth pair of cranial nerves that
`
`acknowledged [ acquittal
`divides to form the cochlear nerve and the vestibular nerve. Also called
`auditory nerve.
`a-cous-tics(a-1<o’oIstfl<s) 11. 1. (used with a sing. verb) The scientific
`study of sound, especially of its generation, transmission, and reception.
`2. (used with a pl. verb) The total effect of sound, especially as produced
`in an enclosed space: "Such annoyances are frequently caused by flaws in
`the acoustics rather than the performers” (Mel Gussow).
`acoustic spectrography n. A technique for studying sound by
`separating it into its component frequencies. Also called audiospectrog—
`raphy.
`a°cous°to-e-iec-tric (a—ko‘o’st6-I-lékltrik) adj. Of or relating to
`electroacoustics.
`[,\cous'r(ic) + su=.cTiuc.] —-a-cous’to-e-IecItri-
`cal-ly adv.
`a'C0llS'tG'0P'fiC5 (a-ko‘o’sto-6p/tiks) n. (used with a sing. verb)
`The science of the interaction of acoustic and optical phenomena.
`[ACOUS'l"(lC) + 0PTlCS.] —a-cous’to-oplti-cal adj. —a-cous’to-
`op/ti-cal-ly adv.
`ACP abbr. American College of Physicians
`aCP'C- ablzr. acceptance
`ac-quaint (a-kwantl) tr.v. -quaint-ed, -quaint-ing, -quaints 1a.
`To cause to come to know personally: Let me acquaintyou with my family.
`b. To make familiar: acquainted myself with the controls. 2. To inform:
`Please acquaint us with your plans. [Middle English aqueinren, from Old
`French acointier, from Medieval Latin accagnitare, from Latin accognitus,
`past participle of nccngmiscere, to know perfectly: ad-, intensive pref.; see
`r\D— + cognriscere, to know; see COGNITION.]
`ac-quaimiance (a-kwanltans) 11. 1a. Knowledge of a person ac-
`quired by a relationship less intimate man friendship. b. A relationship
`based on such knowledge: struck up an acquaintance with our new neigh-
`bor. 2. A person whom one knows. 3. Knowledge or information about
`something or someone: has ri passing acquaintance with Chinese history.
`—ac-quainltance-ship’ 21.
`acquaintance rape H. Rape perpetrated by someone known to the
`victim.
`ac-quaintoed (9-kwanftid) adj. 1. Known by or familiar with an-
`other. 2. lnforined or familiar: Are you fully acquainted with the facts?
`ac-quivesce (5l«:’wé-es’)
`inn-.v. -esced, -esc-ing, -esc-es To con-
`sent or comply passively or without protest. See synonyms at assent.
`[Latin acquiescere : ad-, ad- + quiéscere, to test; see k‘”e|a- in Appendix
`I.]
`re osition, it is usuall used
`Usa e Note When ac uiesce takes a
`P.
`1’
`.
`.
`V
`.
`.
`.
`.
`‘1.
`with in (acquiesced in the rulmg) but sometimes with to (acquiesced to her
`parents’ wishes). Acquiesced with is obsolete.
`ac-qui-es-cence (z“ilc’wz‘:-eslans)
`yr. 1. Passive assent or agreement
`without protest. 2. The state of being acquieseeut.
`ac'qui'=e5-cent (ak’wé-éslant) adj. Disposed or willing to acqui-
`esce. -—ac’qui-eslcent-ly adv.
`ac-quire (a-kwirl) tr.v. -quired, -quir-ing, -quires 1. To gain pos-
`session of: acquire 100 shares of stack. 2. To get by one’s own efforts: ac-
`quire proficiency in math. 3. To gain through experience; come by: ac-
`quired a grzrwing dislike of television sitcoms. 4. To locate (a moving
`object) with a tracking system, such as radar. [Middle English acquere,
`from Old French aqncrre, from Latin acquirere, to add to : ad-, ad- +
`quaerere, to seek, get] —ac-quirla-ble adj. —ac-quirler 11.
`ac-quired (9-kwirdl) adj. 1. Of or relating to a disease, condition, or
`characteristic that is not congenital but develops after birth. 2. Resulting
`from exposure to something, such as an antigen or antibiotic.
`3C0|Uil‘ed antibody n. An antibody produced by an immune re-
`sponse, in contrast to one occurring naturally in an individual.
`aCC§UiI’eCl Character 11. A nonhererlitary change of function or
`structure in a plant or animal made in response to the environment. Also
`called acquired characteristic.
`acquired immune deficiency syndrome n. AIDS.
`acquired immunity n, Immunity obtained either from the devel-
`opment of antibodies in response to exposure to an antigen, as from vac-
`cination or an attack of an infectious disease, or from the transmission
`of antibodies, as from mother to fetus through the placenta or the injec-
`tion of antiserum.
`acquired taste 71. One that is unpleasant on immediate experience
`or is likable only after being experienced repeatedly.
`acvquire-merit (3-kwir/mant)
`1'1. 1. The act of acquiring. 2. An
`attainment, such as a skill or social accomplishment.
`ac°q'-‘i”5i°'ti0n (ik’wi-zish/on) n. 1. The act of acquiring. 2. Some-
`thing acquired or gained: added two new acquisitions to my library. [Mid-
`dle English adquisicionn, attainment, from Latin acquisitifi, acquisitifin-,
`from acqnisitus, past participle of ncquirerc, to acquire. See ACQUlRE.]
`ac-qulswistive (a-kwizfi-tiv) adj. 1. Characterized by a strong desire
`to gain and possess. 2. Tending to acquire and retain ideas or informa-
`tion: an acquisitive mind. ——ac-quis/i-tive-ly adv. —ac-quis/i-tive-
`ness n. ——ac-quis’i-tor (-tar) n.
`ac°qui't (a-kwit/) tr.v. -quit-ted, -quit-ting, -quits 1. Law To tree
`or clear from a charge or accusation. 2. To release or discharge from a
`duty. 3. To conduct (oneself) in a specified manner: acquitted herself well
`during the interview. 4. Obsolete To repay. [Middle English aquiten, from
`Old French aquitcr: a-, to (from Latin ad-; see AD—) + quite, free, clear
`(from Medieval Latin quittus, variant of Latin quietus, past participle of
`quiéscere, to rest; see k“’eia- in Appendix 1).] —ac-quit/ter rz.
`ac-quit-tal (a—kwIt’l) n. 1. ludgment, as by a jury or judge, that a
`defendant is not guilty of a crime as charged. 2. The state of being found
`or proved not guilty.
`
`—_.—__._.——-—_——
`5 put
`oi boy
`5 pay
`on out
`fir care
`o"o took
`a father
`o‘o boot
`é pet
`is cut
`I‘: be
`Ctr urge
`ipit
`th thin
`i pie
`th this
`it pier
`hw which
`5 pct
`7.h vision
`6 me
`a about, item
`if) paw
`5 regionalism
`
`Stress marks: / (primary);
`’ (secondary). ilsln
`dictionary (clik/slia-ner’é)
`
`acorn squash
`white acorn squash
`
`acoustics
`Sound waves are deflected off
`sound panels and distributed
`throughout a concert hall.
`
`3
`
`

`
`buttress, as: a. The flared base of certain tree trunks. b. A horny growth
`on the heel of a horse‘s hoof. 3. Something that serves to support, prop,
`'Wl’e.inf0rcc: “The law is by its very nature 11 buttress of the status qua” (I.
`lmlliam Fulbright).
`-t~ [nu -tressed, -tress-ing, -tress-es 1. To snp~
`rlm" 0! reinforce with a buttress. 2. To sustain, prop, or bolster: "The
`tlwltrirlmitrcsscs her ntmlysis with lengthy dissections of several of Moore’s
`l’“""”-‘l (Warren Woessner). [Middle English butcras, from Old French
`Jilerez. from banter, to strike against, of Germanic origin. See bhau—
`in Appeiitlix 1.]
`sgglshaft n. A blunt arrow used for target practice. [Probably from
`bun weld 11. A welded butt joint.
`butt—weId(1n‘xtIwe1dI) rr.v. -weld-ed, -weld-ing, -we-Ids To join
`by-:1 butt weld.
`b*"'l“t (bu‘o'ttfot’)
`{Wolof.]
`blmlyl (l7)'tW)l"l) n. A hydrocarbon radical, C41-I9, with the structure of
`butane and valence l.
`butyl alcohol 11. Any of four isomeric alcohols, C41-1901-I, widely
`llfifld as solvents and in organic synthesis.
`b“"Yl'ate (byo‘ot/l-it’)
`rr.v. -atted, -at-ing, -ates To bring a
`l’ull'l l§I'Uup into (a compound). —bu’tyl-altion n.
`b“‘*Yl'at-ed hy~drox-y-an-i~sole(bycfi)tIl-a'tid hI-drok’se-
`’3n’i~5<‘>I’} 11. BI-IA.
`ggfifiylated hy-drox-y-tol-u-ene (hi-clr6k’se—t6lly0%-En’) n.
`bu'tyl'eT1e (byo‘ot’l-en’) 21. Any of three gaseous isomeric ethylene
`l"3'dY0Ci\Tl10I1S, C,,H,,, used principally in making synthetic rubbers.
`butyl nitrite :1. A colorless, volatile liquid, CqHyNOZ) that is mar-
`, tied in some household room deodorizers and used illicitly to induce
`fiuplioria and enhance sexual stimulation.
`_ Utyl rubber in. A synthetic rubber produced by copolymerization
`iii a butylene with isoprene, nearly impermeable to air and used in tires,
`inner tubes, and insulation.
`u“Y'l‘a°Ceous (byo’o’ta-ralslias) adj. Resembling butter in ap-
`tfilarance, consistency, or chemical properties. [Latin bat)‘/rum, butter; see
`llllITI?lt + —.\cL=ous.]
`bu'ty”al'C1e'l"lyde(by6i)'ta-rillda-liid’) rt. A transparent, highly
`flammable liquid, C,IAI5O, used in synthesizing resins. [1iU'I'YR(IC) + AL-
`'_ waurnel
`[BU-
`ax]-:!‘1Zy'raie2(byrfo’ta-rat’) n. A salt or ester of butyric acid.
`-
`.It: «—i\'1‘t<:.]
`h“"YT'lC(byo‘o-ti1'/ik) adj. 1. Relating to, containing, or derived
`butter. 2. Relating to or derived from butyric acid. [From Latin
`ulyrum. butter. Sec lSU'l‘I‘ER.]
`b”t3I'l'lC _3Citl n. Either of two colorless isomeric acids, C31-l7COOH,
`Mturrlng Ill animal milk fats and used in disinfectants, emulsifying
`'3l3.91'|LS. and pharmaceuticals. Also called bzmmoic acid.
`:“'lY"‘_ll1 (byooltor-T11)
`it. Any of three isomeric glyceiyl esters of
`11|}'l"Ic acid, naturally present in butter. [French butyrine, from Latin
`ylvfrryrmu. butter. Sec DU'lTF.}L]
`b”‘tV'TD'phe-none (byo‘o-tir’6—fa-non’, byo‘o’to-ro-) 11. Any of
`'[
`group of neuroleptic drugs, such as haloperidol, administered in the
`g dmtnimit of acute psychotic episodes, schizophrenia, and other psychi-
`hlric disorders. [llU’l‘YR(lC) + PHEN— + —oNi-2.]
`l""x'°m{br“1kfs;un) adj. 1a. I-lealthily plump and ample of figure: “A
`rxtncration ago, fut babies were considered healthy and buxom actresses were
`l’“l’"Il1I’. but society has since come to worship rhimiess” (Robert A. Hamil-
`iU|1l- b- Fttlhbosomed. 2. Archaic Lively, vivacious, and gay. 3. Obsolete
`.y Ghedient: yielding; pliant. [Middle English, obedient, from Old English
`‘l’r‘ll5“"l. from bzlgrm,
`to bend, submit. Sce bheug- in Appendix I.]
`' ,"'bUX’0rn-ly adv. ——bux'om-ness n.
`-B‘-”¢"lE'l'1u'de (bo'ok’sta-ho‘o’da), Dietrich 1637—1707. Swedish-
`lmrn organist and composer in Germany. His concerts attracted a wide
`‘“’di9‘lC'~‘. Including Handel and Bach.
`bl-‘Ylbll
`1'. bought (bot), buy-ing, buys -—tr. 1. To acquire in ex-
`iillflflgt for money or its equivalent; purchase. See Regional Note at
`bqugbten. 2. To be capable of purchasing: "Certainly there are lots of
`Ylttligs in life that money won’t buy” (Ogden Nash). 3. To acquire by sac-
`’ll,l¢'¢- Bxcliange, or trade: wanted to buy love with gifts. 4. To bribe: tried
`if btlynjxrrlgt-. 5. Informal To accept the truth or feasibility of: The officer
`airdri: buy my lmne excuse for speeding. ——z'mr. To purchase something;
`' act as a purcliaser.
`-2- 11. 1. Something bought or for sale; a purchase. 2.
`fit} act of purchasing: a drug buy. 3. Informal Something that is under-
`ll-'lf~‘¢<l;
`at bargain. ——-phrasal verbs: buy into 1. To acquire a stake
`Urintercst tn: bought into a risky real estate venture. 2. Informal To believe
`it}. especially wholeheartedly or uncritically: couldnlt buy into that brand
`9.: Cflmrrvatisui. buy Off To bribe (an official, for example) in order to
`iffltlrc improper cooperation or gain exemption from a regulation or
`ll-‘Still Consequence. buy out To purchase the entire stock, business rights,
`,t)rtntcrt'.\'ls of. buy up To purchase all that is available of. —~idioms:
`WY it dirzrig To be killed. buy time To increase the time available for
`5 ‘»‘i’°‘3IllC purpose: "A moderate recovery thus buys time for Congress and
`the Admim'strm‘ion to whittle the deficit” (G. David Wallace). buy the
`farm Slang To die, especially suddenly or violently. [Middle English,
`.lNJt‘n Old English bycg1m.] -—buyIa-b|e
`b“W"baCk (bi/bak’) n. 1. An act of buying something that one pre-
`"v'l€1u5l‘V sold or owned. 2. The repurchase of stock by the company that
`Jlsfflltltfl it, as to reduce holdings of a single investor or increase the value
`0 shares by reducing their number.
`,
`'~‘_)"9!’ lbilor) ll. One that buys, especially a purchasing agent for a
`retail store.
`
`72., pl. butut or -tuts See table at currency.
`
`butt shaft | by and large
`
`buy-er’s marketalso buy-er5' market (bilarz) rr. A market con—
`dition characterized bylow prices and a supply of commodities exceeding
`demand.
`buy-out also buy-out (bi/out’) n. 1. The purchase of the entire
`holdings or interests of an owner or investor. 2. The purchase of a com-
`pany or business: "If the workers do approve the buyout, their company will
`become the natim-13 largest employee-owned enterprise" (Harry Anderson).
`Bu-zéu (ba-zou’, bob-zu’o'o) A city of southeast Romania northeast
`of Bucharest. lt is an important transportation hub. Population: 149,032.
`buzz (bttz)
`v. buzzed, buzz-ing, buzz-es ——intr. 1. To make a low
`droning or vibrating sound like that of a bee. 2a. To talk, often excitedly,
`in low tones. b. To be abuzz; hum: The department was buzzing with ru-
`mors. 3. To move quickly and busily; bustle. 4. To make a signal with a
`buzzer. —-tr. 1. To cause to buzz. 2. To utter in a rapid, low voice: “l/Vlznt
`is he buzzing in my ears?” (Robert Browning). 3. Informal To flylnw over:
`The plane buzzed the control tower. 4. To call or signal with a buzzer. 5.
`To make a telephone call to. 6. To give a buzzcut to.
`'2' n. 1. A vibrating,
`humming, or droning sound. 2. A low murmur: a buzz of talk. 3. A
`telephone call: Give me :1 buzz at nine. 4. Slang a. A state of pleasant
`intoxication, as from alcohol. b. A state of stimulation or overstimula-
`tion, as from caffeine. 5. Slang a. Excited interest or attention: "The big-
`gest buzz surromuis the simplest antioxidants: vitamins” (Carol Turking—
`ton). b. Rumor; gossip: the latest buzz from Hollywood. 6. A buzzcut.
`—phrasaI verb: buzz off Informal To leave quickly; go away: I told
`them in no uncertain terms to buzz off. [Middle English bnssen, of imita-
`tive origin.]
`buz-zarcl (bfizlard) n. 1. Any of various North American vultures,
`such as the turkey Vulture. 2. Chiefly British A hawk of the genus Butea,
`having broad wings and a broad tail. 3. An avaricious or otherwise un-
`pleasant person. [Middle English busard, hawk of the genus Iluteo, from
`Old French, from Latin lrflteri]
`Buz-zards Bay (bfrziardz) An inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in south-
`east Massachusetts connected with Cape Cod Bay by the Cape Cod Canal.
`buzz bomb :1. See robot bomb.
`buzz-cut or buzz cut (bt"rz'l<ut’) n. A closely cropped haircut. [From
`the use of electric clippers instead of scissors.]
`buzz-er (buzlar) H. An electric signaling device, such as a doorbell,
`that makes a buzzing sound.
`buzz phrase in. A phrase used as a buzzword.
`buzz saw n. See circular saw.
`buzz term 11. A buzzword.
`buzz-word (bfiz’wurd’)
`11. 1. A word or phrase connected with a
`specialized field or group that usually sounds important or technical and
`is used primarily to impress laypersons: ‘"Sznsltivit‘y’ is the bttzzworrl in
`the bmuty industry this fall” (ADWEEK). 2. A stylish or trendy word or
`plirase.
`.bV abbr. Bouvet Island (in Internet addresses)
`BVD (bélvé/dé’) A trademark used for undershirts and underpants
`worn by men and boys. This trademark sometimes occurs in print with
`a final ’s: “He will be umlercolisrnntscrutiny, right down to hisBVD’s” (Los
`Angeles Times).
`BVE abbn Black Vernacular English
`B vitamin n. A member of the vitamin B complex group of vitamins.
`BVM abbr. Blessed Virgin Mary
`bvt. abbr. brevet
`BW abbr. 1. biological warfare 2. also b/W black and white
`.bw ubbr. Botswana (in Internet addresses)
`bwa-na (bwiilns) it. Used as a form of respectful address in parts of
`Africa. [Swahili, from Arabic ’abiind, our father :
`'abfi, bound form of
`’ab, father; see ‘b in Appendix II + -m7, our.]
`BWI abbr. British West Indies
`BX zibbr. Base Exchange
`bx. abbn box
`by‘ (bi) prep. 1. Close to; next to: the window by the door. 2. With the
`use or help of; through: We came by the back road. 3. Up to and beyond;
`past: We drove by the house. 4. in the period of; during: sleeping by day.
`5. Not later than: by 5:30 P.M. 6a. In the amount of: letters by the thou-
`sands. b. To the extent of: shorter by two inches. 73:. According to: played
`by the rules. b. With respect to: siblings by blood. 8. In the name of: swore
`by the Bible to tell the truth. 9. Through the agency or action of: was killed
`by (1 bullet. 10. Used to indicate a succession of specified individuals,
`groups, or quantities: One by one they left. They were persuazierl little by
`little. 11a. Used in multiplication and division: Multiply 4 by 6 to get 24.
`b. Used with measurements: a room 12 by 18 feet. C. Toward. Used to
`express direction with points of the compass: south by cast.
`+2~ adv. 1. On
`hand; nearby: Stand by. 2. Aside; away: We put it by for later. 3. Up to,
`alongside, and past: The car raced by. 4. At or to one’s home or current
`location: Stop by later today. 5. Into the past: as years go by. —idiom:
`by oneself 1. Without company; alone: went by herself. 2. Vifithout
`help: wrote the book by myself. [Middle English, from Old English bi, be.
`Sce ambhi in Appendix 1.]
`by‘ (bi) It. Variant of bye.
`h.y. abbr. billion years
`by— or bye— pref. 1. By: bygone. 2. Secondary, incidental: byway.
`.by abbr. Belarus (in Internet addresses)
`by and by adv. After a while; soon.
`by-and-by (bi’an-bi’) 11. Some future time or occasion.
`by and large adv. For the most part; generally: Byami large, theplay
`was a success. [Earlier, to (the wind) and off it, in one direction and an-
`other (said of the manner of handling a sailing vessel) : RY‘, toward +-
`LARGE, with the wind abaft the beam.]
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`Stress marks: ’ (primary);
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`Richard E. Byrd
`detail from a 1931 portrait
`by Seymour Mlllais Stone
`(l877—?)
`
`Byzantine
`13th-century Russian icon
`depicting St. Nicholas
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`Stress marks; ’ (primary);
`’ (secondary). as in
`dictionary (dik'sha—nEr’é)
`
`by-bidvcler (hi’b'id’or) n. A person who bids at an auction to raise
`prices for the owner. -——by/-bid’ding n.
`Byb-vlos (bibllas, -165’) An ancient city of Phoenicia north»northeast
`of present-day Beirut, Lebanon. It was the chief city of Phoenicia in the
`second millennium E.C. and was noted for its papyruses.
`by-blow (bi'blo’) rt. 1. An indirect or chance blow. 2. A child born
`out of wedlock.
`by—ca'tch (bi/kach’, —kech’) a. The portion of a fishing catch that is
`discarded as unwanted or commercially unusable.
`Byd-goszcz (bid’g6sh, —goshch) A city of north-central Poland
`northeast of Poznan. Chartered in 1346, it developed during the Middle
`Ages around the site of a prehistoric fort. Population: 382,004.
`bye‘ also by (bi) n. 1. A secondary matter; a side issue. 2. Sports The
`position of one who draws no opponent for a round in a tournament and
`so advances to the next round. —idiom: by the bye (or by) By the
`way; incidentally. [From BY‘.l
`bye’ (bi) fnterj. Used to express farewell. [Short for GOODBYE.)
`bye~ pref. Variant of by—.
`bye-bye (bi’bi’, bi-bi’) interj. Used to express farewell. '3' ualv. Infor-
`mal 1. Away. 2. To bed; to sleep: “[Live Senate television is] a great way
`to go bye-bye. Pretty soon you're asleep” (William Proxmire). [Reduplica-
`tion of BYEZ.]
`11. A special
`by-eolec-rtion also bye-e-lec-tion (bili-lEl<’shan)
`election held between general elections to fill a vacancy, as for a parlia-
`mentary seat.
`Bye-lo-rus-sia (byE1'o-rtishln) Sec Belarus. —-—Bye1'o-rusisian
`adj. 5: n.
`by-gone (bilgon’, -gon’) arlj. Gone by; past: bygone days.
`especially a grievance, that is past: Let bygorzes lw bygomzs.
`byalaw (billo’) n. 1. A law or rule governing the internal affairs of
`an organization. 2. A secondary law. [Middle English bilawe, body of
`local regulations; akin to Danish by-lag, township ordinance : Old Norse
`byr, settlement; see bheue- in Appendix I + Old Norse *laga, law; see
`legh- in Appendix 1.]
`Word History A casual glance at the word bylaw might make one
`think that the element by—— means “secondary, subsidiary." especially since
`bylaw can mean “a secondary law." It is possible that by—, as in byway, has
`influenced bylaw in the sense “secondary law"; however, bylaw existed
`long before the sense in question. The word is first recorded in 1283 with
`the meaning “a body of customs or regulations, as of a village, manor,
`religious organization, or sect." By— comes from Old Norse (as may the
`whole word bylaw) and is related to the element —by in the names of
`many places where Scandinavians settled when they invaded England
`during the early Middle Ages, such as Whitby. We get the sense of this
`—lry if we compare the related Old Icelandic word variously spelled brcf.
`lmzr, byr. meaning "a town or village" in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
`and “a farm or landed estate” in Iceland. We thus see why bylaw would
`mean “a body of customs of a village or manor” and why we use the word
`to mean “a law or rule governing the internal affairs of an organization.”
`
`'3' n. One,
`
`by-line also by—llne (bi/lin’) n. A line at the head of a newspaper or
`magazine article carrying the writer’s name.
`-1-
`rr.v. -lined, -lin-ing,
`-lines To publish (a newspaper‘ or magazine article) under a byline.
`—-by’lin’er n.
`by-name (bilnam’) 11. 1. A surname. 2. A nickname.
`BYOB nbbr. 1. bring your own booze 2. bring your own bottle
`by-pass also by-pass (bi’p:'is’) n. 1. A highway or section of a high—
`way that passes around an obstructed or congested area. 2. A pipe or
`channel used to conduct gas or liquid around another pipe or a fixture.
`3. A means of circumvention. 4. Electricity See shunt (sense 3). 5. Med-
`icine a. An alternative passage created surgically to divert the flow of
`blood or other bodily fluid or circumvent an obstructed or diseased
`organ. b. A surgical procedure to create such a channel: a coronary artery
`bypass; a gastric bypass.
`~:~
`tr.v. -passed, -pass-ing, -pass-es 1. To
`avoid (an obstacle) by using an alternative channel, passage, or route. 2.
`To be hecdless of; ignore: bypassed standard office procedures. 3. To chan-
`nel (piped liquid, for example) through a bypass.
`by-past (bi'pz”1st’) adj. Past; bygone.
`by-path (l)ilpz'itl1’, -path’) n. An indirect or rarely used path; a byway.
`by-play (bi/plzi’) 11. Secondary action or speech taking place while the
`main action proceeds, as during a theatrical performance.
`by-prod-uct or by-prod-uct (bi’pr5cl’al(t) n. 1. Something pro-
`duced in the making of something else. 2. A secondary result; a side ef~
`fect.
`Byrd (bard), Richard Evelyn 1888-1957. American naval officer and
`explorer. He became famous in 1926 for being the first, with his pilot
`Floyd Bennett, to fly over the North Pole (a feat that was refuted in the
`1990:). Later he turned his attention to Antarctica, leading five expedi~
`tions between 1929 and 1956 and establishing a base for scientific dis-
`covery at Little America.
`
`‘
`
`V
`
`Byrd, William 1674-1744. American planter and colonial official
`whose diaries (written in shorthand) provide a rare and humorous ac.
`count of daily life in pre-Revolutionary Virginia.
`byre (bir)
`rl. Chiefly British A barn for cows. [Middle English, irony
`Old English byre. See bheue- in Appendix 1.]
`Byrnes (bfirnz),JEImeS Francis 1879-1972. American politicianwlm
`served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1941-1942). A;
`secretary of state (1945-1947) he tried unsuccessfully to ease postwar
`tensions between the United States and the USSR.
`by-road (bi/rod’) :1. See byway (sense 1).
`By-ron (bi’ran), George Gordon. Sixth Baton Byron of Rochdalej
`1788-1824. British poet acclaimed as one of the leading figures of the
`romantic movement. The “Byronic hero”—lonely, rebellious, and broad.
`ing—-first appeared in Manfred (1317). Among his other works are
`Chiltle Harold (1812-1818), The Prisoner of Chillon (1816), and the epic’
`satire Donlium (1819-1824). Byron was notorious for his love affairs and
`unconventional lifestyle. He died while working to secure Greek inde-
`pendence from the Turks. —By-ronlic (lJI—rt'm’ik) adj. --By'ronIiu
`cal-ly adv.
`bys-si (bis/i’) n. Aplural of byssus.
`bys-sitno-sis (bis’i-nolsis) n. An occupational respiratory discasg
`caused by the long-term inhalation of cotton, flax, or hemp dust and
`characterized by shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. Also called
`brown lung disease. [Late Latin byssirzum, linen garment (from Latin by,~.
`5115, linen cloth; see BYSSUS) + —OSIS.]
`bysosus (bisfas)
`)1, pl. bys-sus-es or bys-si (bis!i') 1. Zoulugya
`mass of strong, silky filaments by which certain bivalve mollusks, such as
`mussels, attach themselves to rocks and other fixed surfaces. 2. A fine.
`textured linen of ancient
`times, used by the Egyptians for wrapping’
`mummies. [Middle English bissus, linen cloth, from Latin, from Greek
`lrussos, linen; akin to Sanskrit picuh, cotton (nf Dravidian origin), or iii.
`timately from Egyptian w’z_i, linen.) ——bys’sa| (bislal) adj.
`by-stand-er (bi’st2"m’dar)
`I1. A person who is present at an event
`without participating in it.
`byestreet (bi’strét’) n. Aside street.
`byte (bit) I1. A sequence of adjacent bits, usually eight, operated on as
`a unit by a computer. [Alteration and blend of art“ and BITE.)
`By-tom (be/tom’, bi/—) A city of southwest Poland northwest of K3.
`towice. it became part of Prussia in 1742 and was incorporated into
`Poland in 1945. Population: 231,848.
`byvway (bi’wa’) 21. 1. A side road. Also called byroad. 2. A SECOndu{v
`or arcane field of study.
`'
`by°word also by-word (bi’wfird’) n. 1a. A proverbial exptessioma
`prov