n. [ L. abecedarius. A word from the first four letters of the alphabet. ] 1. One who is learning the alphabet; hence, a tyro. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One engaged in teaching the alphabet. Wood. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. Pertaining to, or formed by, the letters of the alphabet; alphabetic; hence, rudimentary. [ 1913 Webster ]

Abecedarian psalms,
hymns, etc., compositions in which (like the 119th psalm in Hebrew) distinct portions or verses commence with successive letters of the alphabet. Hook. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A primer; the first principle or rudiment of anything. [ R. ] Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ In the language of the (Arawak or Taino) Indians of Guiana, barbacoa a frame on which all kinds of flesh and fish are roasted or smoke-dried. ] 1. a framework of metal or brick, usually with a grill on top, in which a fire is lighted and on which food is cooked, usually outdoors; -- also called a barbecue grill. [ PJC ]

2. A social entertainment, where people assemble, usually in the open air, at which a meal is prepared on a barbecue grill. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

3. A floor, on which coffee beans are sun-dried. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A hog, ox, or other large animal roasted or broiled whole for a feast. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Barbecued p. pr. & vb. n. Barbecuing. ] 1. To dry or cure by exposure on a frame or gridiron. [ 1913 Webster ]

They use little or no salt, but barbecue their game and fish in the smoke. Stedman. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To roast or broil whole, as an ox or hog. [ 1913 Webster ]

Send me, gods, a whole hog barbecued. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Cooked on a barbecue.
Syn. -- grilled. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Roasting a large piece of meat on a grill or a revolving spit out of doors over an open fire. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Becalmed (&unr_;); p. pr. & vb. n. Becalming. ] 1. To render calm or quiet; to calm; to still; to appease. [ 1913 Webster ]

Soft whispering airs . . . becalm the mind. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To keep from motion, or stop the progress of, by the stilling of the wind; as, the fleet was becalmed. [ 1913 Webster ]

imp. of Become. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. (Zool.) A South American bird of the flycatcher family. (Tityra inquisetor). [ 1913 Webster ]

conj. [ OE. bycause; by + cause. ] 1. By or for the cause that; on this account that; for the reason that. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In order that; that. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And the multitude rebuked them because they should hold their peace. Matt. xx. 31. [ 1913 Webster ]

Because of, by reason of, on account of. [ Prep. phrase. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Eph. v. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Because, For, Since, As, Inasmuch As. These particles are used, in certain connections, to assign the reason of a thing, or that “on account of” which it is or takes place. Because (by cause) is the strongest and most emphatic; as, I hid myself because I was afraid. For is not quite so strong; as, in Shakespeare, “I hate him, for he is a Christian.” Since is less formal and more incidental than because; as, I will do it since you request me. It more commonly begins a sentence; as, Since your decision is made, I will say no more. As is still more incidental than since, and points to some existing fact by way of assigning a reason. Thus we say, as I knew him to be out of town, I did not call. Inasmuch as seems to carry with it a kind of qualification which does not belong to the rest. Thus, if we say, I am ready to accept your proposal, inasmuch as I believe it is the best you can offer, we mean, it is only with this understanding that we can accept it. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. (cf. It. beccabunga, G. bachbunge), fr. G. bach brook + bunge, OHG. bungo, bulb. See Beck a brook. ] See Brooklime. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Beccaficos [ It., fr. beccare to peck + fico fig. ] (Zool.) A small bird. (Silvia hortensis), which is highly prized by the Italians for the delicacy of its flesh in the autumn, when it has fed on figs, grapes, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 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. ]

‖n. [ F. béchamel, named from its inventor, Louis de Béchamel. ] (Cookery) A rich, white sauce, prepared with butter and cream. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. To befall; to chance; to happen to. [ 1913 Webster ]

God knows what hath bechanced them. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ Pref. be- for by + chance. ] By chance; by accident. [ Obs. ] Grafton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To charm; to captivate. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖ [ F., lit., a sea spade. ] (Zool.) The trepang. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. bechicus, adj., for a cough, Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; cough: cf. F. béchique. ] (Med.) Pertaining to, or relieving, a cough. Thomas. -- n. A medicine for relieving coughs. Quincy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. A division of the Bantus, dwelling between the Orange and Zambezi rivers, supposed to be the most ancient Bantu population of South Africa. They are divided into totemic clans; they are intelligent and progressive. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. See Beak. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. bek, AS. becc; akin to Icel. bekkr brook, OHG. pah, G. bach. ] A small brook. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brooks, the becks, the rills. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A vat. See Back. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Becked p. pr. & vb. n. Becking. ] [ Contr. of beckon. ] To nod, or make a sign with the head or hand. [ Archaic ] Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To notify or call by a nod, or a motion of the head or hand; to intimate a command to. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When gold and silver becks me to come on. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A significant nod, or motion of the head or hand, esp. as a call or command. [ 1913 Webster ]

They have troops of soldiers at their beck. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A European fish (Pagellus centrodontus); the sea bream or braise. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. D. bek beak, and E. beak. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Naut.) A small grommet, or a ring or loop of rope or metal for holding things in position, as spars, ropes, etc.; also a bracket, a pocket, or a handle made of rope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A spade for digging turf. [ Prov. Eng. ] Wright. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Beckoned (&unr_;); p. pr. & vb. n. Beckoning. ] To make a significant sign to; hence, to summon, as by a motion of the hand. [ 1913 Webster ]

His distant friends, he beckons near. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

It beckons you to go away with it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sign made without words; a beck. “At the first beckon.” Bolingbroke. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ]

v. t. [ OE. biclappen. ] To catch; to grasp; to insnare. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Beclipped (&unr_;). ] [ AS. beclyppan; pref. be + clyppan to embrace. ] To embrace; to surround. [ Obs. ] Wyclif. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Beclouded; p. pr. & vb. n. Beclouding. ] To cause obscurity or dimness to; to dim; to cloud. [ 1913 Webster ]

If thou becloud the sunshine of thine eye. Quarles. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. Became p. p. Become; p. pr. & vb. n. Becoming. ] [ OE. bicumen, becumen, AS. becuman to come to, to happen; akin to D. bekomen, OHG.a piquëman, Goth. biquiman to come upon, G. bekommen to get, suit. See Be-, and Come. ] 1. To pass from one state to another; to enter into some state or condition, by a change from another state, or by assuming or receiving new properties or qualities, additional matter, or a new character. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord God . . . breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Gen. ii. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

That error now which is become my crime. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To come; to get. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

But, madam, where is Warwick then become! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To become of, to be the present state or place of; to be the fate of; to be the end of; to be the final or subsequent condition of. [ 1913 Webster ]

What is then become of so huge a multitude? Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To suit or be suitable to; to be congruous with; to befit; to accord with, in character or circumstances; to be worthy of, or proper for; to cause to appear well; -- said of persons and things. [ 1913 Webster ]

It becomes me so to speak of so excellent a poet. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have known persons so anxious to have their dress become them, as to convert it, at length, into their proper self, and thus actually to become the dress. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Proper; decorous. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

And gave him what becomed love I might. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Appropriate or fit; congruous; suitable; graceful; befitting. [ 1913 Webster ]

A low and becoming tone. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

Formerly sometimes followed by of. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such discourses as are becoming of them. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Seemly; comely; decorous; decent; proper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which is becoming or appropriate. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a becoming manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being becoming, appropriate, or fit; congruity; fitness. [ 1913 Webster ]

The becomingness of human nature. Grew. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Physics) Radiations first observed by the French physicist Henri Becquerel, in working with uranium and its compounds. They consist of a mixture of alpha, beta, and gamma rays. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. To make a cripple of; to cripple; to lame. [ R. ] Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ n., . [ Native name. ] (Bot.) The nut of the Brazilian tree Myristica Bicuhyba, which yields a medicinal balsam used for rheumatism. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ Sp. ] (Zool.) A fish of the Mediterranean (Sphyræna spet). See Barracuda. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To curl; to adorn with curls. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖‖ } n. [ Pg. cabeça, F. cabesse. ] The finest kind of silk received from India. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) See Chebacco. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Named from its note. ] (Zool.) A small American bird (Empidonax minimus); the least flycatcher. [ 1913 Webster ]