Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BAL'NE-A-RY, n. [L. balnearium, from balneum, Syr. balna, bath.]

A bathing room. – Brown.

BAL-NE-A'TION, n.

The act of bathing. – Brown.

BAL'NE-A-TO-RY, a.

Belonging to a bath or stove. – Johnson.

BAL'O-TADE, n.

In the menage, a leap of a horse between two pillars, or upon a straight line, so that when his fore feet are in the air, he shows nothing but the shoes of his hind feet, without jerking out. In a capriole, the horse yerks out his hind legs. – Farrier's Dict. Encyc.

BAL'SAM, n. [Gr. βαλσαμον; L. balsamum.]

An oily, aromatic, resinous substance, flowing spontaneously or by incision, from certain plants. A great variety of substances pass under this denomination. But in modern chimistry the term is confined to such vegetable juices as are liquid or spontaneously become concrete, and consist of a resinous substance, combined with benzoic acid, or capable of affording it by decoction or sublimation. The balsams are either liquid or solid; of the former, are the balm of Gilead and the balsams of copaiba, Peru and Tolu; of the latter, benzoin, dragon's blood, and storax. – Encyc. Nicholson. Ure. Balsam apple, an annual Indian plant, included under the genus Momordica. A water and a subtil oil are obtained from it, which are commended as deobstruents. Balsam tree. This name is given to a genus of plants called Clusia; to another, called Copaifera, which produces the balsam of cepaiba; and to a third, called Pistacia, turpentine tree or mastich tree. Balsam of Sulphur is a solution of sulphur in oil. Balsam of Tolu is the produce of the Toluifera, or Tolu tree, of South America. It is of a reddish yellow color, transparent, thick and tenacious, but growing hard and brittle by age. It is very fragrant, and like the balsam of Peru, is a stimulant, and used as a pectoral. – Encyc. Linn. Balsam of Peru, the produce of a tree in Peru, possessing strong stimulant qualities.

BAL-SAM-A'TION, n.

The act of rendering balsamic.

BAL-SAM'IC, or BAL-SAM'IC-AL, a.

Having the qualities of balsam; stimulating; unctuous; soft; mitigating; mild. – Arbuthnot.

BAL-SAM'IC, n.

A warm, stimulating, demulcent medicine, of a smooth and oily consistence. – Coxe.

BAL-SAM'IC-AL-LY, adv.

In a balsamic manner.

BAL-SAM-IF'ER-OUS, a.

Producing balsam. – Smith.

BAL'SA-MINE, n.

Touch-me-not, or Impatiens, a genus of plants. – Encyc.

BAL'SAM-SWEAT-ING, a.

Yielding balsam. – Crashaw.

BALT'IC, a.

Pertaining to the sea of that name; situated on the Baltic Sea. Each Baltic state to join the righteous cause. – Barlow.

BALT'IC, n. [From balte, belt, from certain straits or channels, surrounding its isles, called belts. See Belt.]

The sea which separates Norway and Sweden from Jutland, Holstein and Germany.

BAL'US-TER, n. [It. balaustro; Sp. balaustre; Fr. balustre; from L. palus; Eng. pole, pale. This is corrupted into bannister, which I have rejected.]

A small column or pilaster, of various forms and dimensions, often adorned with moldings, used for balustrades.

BAL'US-TER-ED, a.

Having balusters. – Soames.

BAL'US-TRADE, n. [Sp. balaustrado; It. balaustrata; Fr. balustrade; from baluster.]

A row of balusters; joined by a rail, serving as a fence or inclosure, for altars, balconies, stair-cases, terraces, tops of buildings, &c. – Encyc. Johnson. BAM or BEAM, n. As an initial syllable in names of places, signifies wood; implying that the place took its name from a grove, or forest. Ger. baum, a tree.

BAM'BOO, n.

A plant of the reed kind, or genus Arundo, growing in the East Indies, and in some other warm climates, and sometimes attaining to the hight of 60 feet. From the main root, which is long, thick and jointed, spring several round, jointed stalks, which at 10 or 12 feet from the ground, send out from their joints several stalks, which are united at their base. These are armed, at their joints, with one or two sharp rigid spines, and furnished with oblong, oval leaves, eight or nine inches long, on short footstalks. The flowers grow in large panicles, from the joints of the stalk, placed three in a parcel, close to their receptacles. Old stalks grow to five or six inches in diameter, and are so hard and durable, as to be used for building and for all sorts of furniture, for water-pipes, and for poles to support palanquins. The smaller stalks are used for walking sticks, flutes, &c. – Encyc.

BAM-BOO'ZLE, v.t.

To confound; to deceive; to play low tricks. [A low word.] – Arbuthnot.

BAM-BOO'ZLER, n.

A cheat; one who plays low tricks. – Arbuthnot.

BAN, n. [Sax. bannan, abannan, to proclaim; It. bando, a proclamation; Sp. and Port. bando; Fr. ban; Arm. ban; D. and Ger. ban, bannen; Sw. banna, to revile; Dan. band, ban, outlawry; forbander, to curse. Hence banish. The radical sense is to send, thrust or drive. Class Bn, No. 3.]

1. A public proclamation or edict; a public order or notice, mandatory or prohibitory. In a more particular sense,
2. Notice of a marriage proposed, or of a matrimonial contract, proclaimed in a church, that any person may object, if he knows of any kindred between the parties, of any precontract or other just cause, why the marriage should not take place.
3. An edict of interdiction or proscription. Hence, to put a prince under the ban of the empire, is to divest him of his dignities, and to interdict all intercourse and all offices of humanity with the offender. Sometimes whole cities have been put under the ban, that is, deprived of their rights and privileges. – Encyc.
4. Interdiction; prohibition. – Milton.
5. Curse; excommunication; anathema. – Raleigh.
6. A pecuniary mulct or penalty laid upon a delinquent for offending against a ban.
7. A mulct paid to the bishop by one guilty of sacrilege and other crimes.
8. In military affairs, a proclamation by beat of drum, requiring a strict observance of discipline, either for declaring a new officer, or for punishing an offender.
9. In commerce, a smooth, fine muslin, imported faun the East Indies. – Encyc.

BAN, v.i.

To curse. – Spenser.

BAN, v.t.

To curse; to execrate. – Shak. Knolles.

BA-NA'NA, n.

A species of the genus Musa, or plantain tree, and its fruit. It rises 15 or 20 feet high, with a soft stalk, marked with dark purple stripes and spots, with leaves six feet long, and a foot broad. The flowers grow in bunches, covered with a sheath of a fine purple color. The fruit is four or five inches long, and an inch or more in diameter; the pulp is soft and of a luscious taste. When ripe, it is eaten raw, or fried in slices. Bananas grow in large bunches weighing a dozen pounds or more. This tree is the native of tropical countries, and on many isles constitutes an important article of food. – Encyc.

BAN'CO, n. [From the It.]

A bank.