Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BERTH, n.

An office or place for employment.

BER'TRAM, n. [L. pyrethrum, said to be from Gr. πυρ, fire, from its acrid quality.]

Bastard pellitory, a plant.

BER'YL, n. [L. beryllus; Gr. βηρυλλος; Ch. Syr. and Eth. a gem, beryl, and in Syr. crystal, and a pearl; the latter word being a different orthography of beryl; probably from the root of the Fr. briller, to shine, Eng. brilliant, Eth. በርሀ bareah, to shine.]

A mineral, considered by Cleaveland as a subspecies of Emerald. Its prevailing color is green of various shades, but always pale. Its crystals are usually longer and larger than those of the precious emerald, and its structure more distinctly foliated. It is harder than the apatite, with which it has been confounded; harder and less heavy than the pycnite. The best beryls are found in Brazil, in Siberia and Ceylon, and in Dauria, on the frontiers of China. They are found in many parts of the United States. – Silliman. Cleaveland.

BER'YL-CRYS-TAL, n.

A species of imperfect crystal of a very pure, clear, and equal texture. It is always of the figure of a long and slender column, irregularly hexangular, and tapering at the top. Its color is a pale brown, of a fine transparency. – Encyc.

BER'YL-LINE, a.

Like a beryl; of a light or bluish green.

BE-SAINT', v.t. [be and saint.]

To make a saint. [Not in use.]

BE-SAYLE', n. [Norm. ayle; Fr. aïeul, a grandfather.]

A great-grandfather. If the abatement happened on the death of one's grandfather or grandmother, a writ of ayle lieth; if on the death of the great-grandfather, then a writ of besayle; but if it mounts one degree higher, to the tresayle, or grandfather's grandfather, &c, the writ is called a writ of cosinage or de consanguineo. – Blackstone.

BE-SCAT'TER, v.t. [be and scatter.]

To scatter over. [Not used.] – Spenser.

BE-SCORN', v.t. [be and scorn.]

To treat with scorn; to mock at. [Not used.] – Chaucer.

BE-SCRATCH', v.t. [be and scratch.]

To scratch; to tear with the nails. [Not in use.] – Chaucer.

BE-SCRAWL', v.t. [be and scrawl.]

To scrawl; to scribble over. – Milton.

BE-SCREEN', v.t. [be and screen.]

To cover with a screen; to shelter; to conceal. – Shak.

BE-SCREEN'ED, pp.

Covered; sheltered; concealed.

BE-SCRIB'BLE, v.t.

To scribble over. – Milton.

BE-SCUM'BER, v.t. [from cumber.]

To encumber. [Not legitimate nor used.] – B. Jonson.

BE-SEE', v.i. [be and see.]

To look; to mind. [Not in use.] – Wickliffe.

BE-SEECH', v.t. [pret. and pp. besought. Sax. be and secan, to seek, inquire, follow; D. verzoeken; Ger. ersuchen; from seek, sequor, to follow, with be, by, near, about; that is, to follow close, to press. See Seek and Essay. The Saxon has gesecan.]

To entreat; to supplicate; to implore; to ask or pray with urgency; followed by a person; as, “I Paul beseech you by the meekness of Christ.” 2 Cor. x.; or by a thing; as, I beseech your patience.

BE-SEECH'ER, n.

One who beseeches.

BE-SEECH'ING, ppr.

Entreating.

BE-SEECH'ING-LY, adv.

In a beseeching manner.

BE-SEEK', v.t.

To beseech. [Not used.] – Chaucer.

BE-SEEM', v.t. [be and seem.]

To become; to be fit for, or worthy of; to be decent for. What form of speech or behavior beseemeth us, in our prayers to God? – Hooker.

BE-SEEM'ING, n.

Comeliness. – Barret.

BE-SEEM'ING, ppr. [or adj.]

Becoming; fit; worthy of.

BE-SEEM'ING-LY, adv.

In a beseeming manner.