Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BAND, n. [Sax. banda; Sw. band; Dan. baand; D. band; G. band, binde; Sp. banda, venda; Port. It. banda; Ir. banna; Pers. بَنْد band; Sans. bande, bunda; Fr. bande. See Bind and Bend.]

1. A fillet: a cord; a tie; a chain; any narrow ligament with which a thing is bound, tied or fastened, or by which a number of things are confined together.
2. In architecture, any flat low member or molding, broad but not deep, called also fascia, face or plinth. – Johnson. Encyc.
3. Figuratively, any chain; any means of restraint; that which draws or confines. – Dryden.
4. Means of union or connection between persons; as, Hymen's bands. – Shak.
5. Any thing bound round or encircling another. – Bacon.
6. Something worn about the neck; as the bands of clergymen. – Addison.
7. A company of soldiers; the body of men united under one flag or ensign. Also, indefinitely, a troop, a body of armed men. – 2 Kings vi.
8. A company of persons united in any common design; as, a band of brothers.
9. A slip of canvas, sewed across a sail to strengthen it. – Mar. Dict. The band of pensioners in England, is a company of 120 gentlemen, who receive a yearly allowance of £100 st. for attending the king on solemn occasions. – Encyc. The bands of a saddle are two pieces of iron nailed upon the bows, to hold them in their proper situation. – Johnson.

BAND, v.i.

To unite; to associate; to confederate for some common purpose. – Acts xxiii.

BAND, v.t.

1. To bind together; to bind over with a band. – Dryden.
2. To unite in a troop, company or confederacy. – Milton.

BAND'AGE, n. [Fr.]

1. A fillet, roller, or swath, used in dressing and binding up wounds, restraining hemorrhages, and joining fractured and dislocated bones. Sometimes, the act or practice of applying bandages.
2. Something resembling a bandage; that which is bound over another. – Addison.

BAN-DAN'A, n.

A species of silk handkerchief.

BAN-DAN'NA, n.

A style of calico printing, in which bright or white spots are produced on a red or dark ground. – Ure.

BAND'-BOX, n.

A slight paper box for bands, caps, bonnets, muffs, or other light articles. – Addison.

BAND'ED, pp.

Bound with a band; united in a band.

BAND'ER, n.

One that bands or associates with others.

BAND'ER-ET, n. [from band.]

In Swisserland, a general in chief of military forces.

BAND'IED, pp.

Beat or tossed to and fro; agitated; controverted without ceremony.

BAND'ING, ppr.

Binding with a band; uniting in a band or company.

BAN'DIT, n. [plur. BAN'DITS or BAN-DIT'TI. It. bandito, from bandire, to proclaim, to banish or proscribe by proclamation. Bandito is the participle. Sp. bandido. See Ban.]

An outlaw; also, in a general sense, a robber; a highway man; a lawless or desperate fellow.

BAN'DLE, n.

An Irish measure of two feet in length. – Bailey.

BAND'LET, or BAND'E-LET, n. [Fr. bandelette.]

Any little band or flat molding, as that which crowns the Doric architrave. – Encyc.

BAN'DOG, n.

A large species of dog. – Shak. Spenser.

BAN-DO-LEERS, n. [Sp. bandolera; It. bandoliera; Fr. bandouliere; band and D. leer, leather.]

A large leathern belt, thrown over the right shoulder, and hanging under the left arm; worn by ancient musketeers for sustaining their fire arms, and their musket charges which being put into little wooden cases, and coated with leather, were hung, to the number of twelve, to each bandoleer. – Encyc.

BAN'DON, n.

Disposal; license. [Not in use.] – Chaucer.

BAN'DORE, n. [Sp. bandurria; Gr. πανδουρα.]

A musical stringed instrument, like a lute. – Encyc.

BAND'ROL, n. [Fr. banderole; It. banderuola; Sp. banderolas; literally, a little banner. See Banner.]

1. A little flag or streamer, in form of a guidon, used to be hung on the masts of vessels. – Encyc.
2. The little fringed silk flag that hangs on a trumpet. – Johnson.

BAND'STRING, n.

A string appendant to a band. – Taylor.

BAND'Y, n. [Fr. bander, to tie, bind, bend, bandy; L. pando.]

A club for striking a ball at play. – Johnson.

BAND'Y, v.i.

To contend, as at some game, in which each strives to drive the ball his own way. – Shak.

BAND'Y, v.t.

1. To beat to and fro, as a ball in play.
2. To exchange; to give and receive reciprocally; as, to bandy looks. – Shak.
3. To agitate; to toss about, as from man to man. Let not known truth be bandied in disputation. – Watts.

BAND'Y-ING, ppr.

Beating; impelling or tossing from one to another; agitating in controversy without ceremony.