Emily Dickinson Lexicon

B,

Correct; not mistaken or deceived. 234/249 You're right – “the way is narrow” “ right, adv. [OE rehte < reht.] (webplay: fit, true).

B,

Quickly and completely, immediately. 1320/1320 Oh March, Come right up stairs with me “ right, n. [OE riht.] (webplay: becoming, belongs, certainly, circumstances, die, end, every, face, fir, grave, look, only, titles). God-given privilege or legal authority. 473/705 What right have I – to be a Bride “ righteous, adj. [OE rihtwís < riht, right + wís, wise.] Moral; not wicked. 1522/1547 His little Hearse like Figure / … The vanity divulge / Of … every righteous thing righteousness, n. [see righteous, adj.] Moral faithfulness (cf. Malachi 4:2). 1641/1657 Betrothed to Righteousness might be / An Ecstacy discreet rigid, adj. [L. rigidus < rigēre, to be stiff.] Stiff; not easily bent. 1217v/1255 Fortitude incarnate / Here is laid away/ … Rigid the Fruitation rigor, n. [L. rigor, numbness, stiffness, see rigid, adj.] Harsh or severe action. 1022/1033 A Rigor unrelieved / Except by the Content rill, n. [Origin obscure.] Streamlet; rivulet; small brook; flow of water; temporary trickle on the ground caused by rainfall. 438/625 longer than the little Rill … I'll do thy Will rim, n. [OE rima.] Border; edge; margin; lip; ridge; perimeter; [fig.] micro-second; bit of time; mere mortality. 1380/1420 The Fop – the Carp – the Atheist – / Stake an entire store / Opon a moment's shallow Rim rime, n. [OE hrím.] Hoarfrost; frozen dew; chilly mist; current of wet cold air; [word play on “rhyme”] echo word; similar terminal sound as in a poem. 804/860 Though Rime by Rime, the steady Frost / Opon Her Bosom piled rind, n. [OE rind, crust of bread.]

B,

Peel; crust. 511/356 I'd toss it yonder, like a Rind, / And take Eternity

B,

Echoing sound. 365/401 whose anvil's even ring

B,

Call for. 619/685 ring – for the scant salvation ringed, adj. [see ring, n.] Encircled; surrounded. 1670/1742 A snake … In feature as the worm before / But ringed with power ringlet, n. [see ring, n.] Curly tress; wavy coiffe; style of small tight curls. 326/381 I had no Gown of Gauze – / No Ringlet, to my Hair riot, n. [OFr riote, debate, dispute, quarrel.]

B,

Rush; onslaught; extravagance; [fig.] gush; surge; total outpouring; full force of heat, light, and growth in summer. 1422/1457 Summer has two Beginnings … in October … Without, perhaps, the Riot

B,

Tear; cut; rupture; breach; incision; [word play “ripple”]; fret; crease; furrow; aperture of skin. 1135/1137 How went the Agile Kernel out … Nor Rip, nor wrinkle indicate rip, v. [origin obscure.] Split; separate; pull apart; [word play on “ripen”] unfurl; blossom overnight; spread apart quickly; open up into full bloom. 339/367 My Fuschzia's Coral Seams / Rip – while the Sower – dreams ripe (-st), adj. [OE rípe, may be related to reap.] Matured; finished; ready for harvest; the peak of usefulness. 483/467 A Solemn thing within the Soul / To feel itself get ripe ripen (-ing), v. [see ripe, adj.] Come to maturity; become old. 1467/1502 Traditions ripen and decay ripeness, n. [see ripe, adj.] Maturity; mellowness; fulness; richness. 1756/1771 What ripeness after then / To other scene or other soul/ My sentence had begun ripening (-s), n. [see ripe, adj.] Maturation; period of development. 332/420 There are two Ripenings ripple (-s), n. [origin obscure.] Rhythm; light ruffling of the surface of water. 944/891 With only Birds to interrupt / The Ripple of our Theme rise, n. [see rise, v.] Dawn; first light; [fig.] resurrection. 925/841 Neither witnessed Rise rise (-n, rising, rose, -s), v. [OE rísan.]

B,

Awaken. 784/886 I rose – it followed me

B,

Despoil; ransack; violate. 41/57 Who robbed the Woods robber, n. [AFr. and OFr robbere.] Thief; burglar; plunderer. 321/334 Inheritance it is to us … Beyond the trait to take away / By Robber robbery (robberies), n. [OFr roberie < rober, to rob.] Stolen items; property belonging to another; [fig.] loved ones; precious possessions. 607/337 The Grave yields back her robberies – / The Years, our pilfered Things robbing, n. [see rob, v.] Deprivation; want; loss; deficiency. 448/446 Of Portion – so unconscious – / the Robbing – could not harm robe (-s), n. [OFr robe, spoil, booty, same stem as rob, v.] Loose fitting garment worn over other clothes; [fig.] garment worn by divine beings. 79/128 The smallest "Robe" will fit me robin (-s, -'s), n. [OFr Robin, diminutive of Robert.]

B,

Songbird; [fig.] bard; lyric poet; creative writer. J1606/Fr1632 The Robin … puts her Craft about / For rumored springs robust, adj. [L. rōbust-us < rōbur, strength.] Strong; sturdy; healthy; vigorous; solid; full. 1587/1593 His spirit grew robust – / He knew no more that he was poor, / Nor that his frame was Dust rock (-s), n. [OFr roke.]

B,

Stone. 165/181 The smitten Rock that gushes! rock (-ed, -s), v. [Late OE roccian.]

B,

Sway; swing. 146/84 But that the little figure / Rocked softer - to and fro

B,

Move; wheel; turn; revolve. 430/388 I felt the Wilderness roll back

B,

Turning; undulating; wavy. 629/593 like a Stemless Flower - / Upheld in rolling Air romance, n. [ME < OFr romanz.] Story; tale; adventure; narrative; chronicle; account. 669/590 No Romance sold unto / Could so enthrall a Man Romeo, proper n. [It. < L. Romaeus, pilgrim to Rome.] Juliet's lover; main male character in Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet; [fig.] man; husband; male protagonist; tragic hero. 741/776 Though the “Romeo” left no Record / Of his Juliet, // It were infinite enacted roof (-s), n. [OE hróf < OFris. rhoof.] Housetop; covering of a house. 712/479 The Roof was scarcely visible room (-s), n. [OE rúm.]

B,

Space; dimensional extent. 467/599 We do not play on Graves – / Because there isn't Room “

B,

Origin; cause. 1302/1295 I think that the Root of the Wind is Water root, v. [see root, n.] Fix firmly; establish oneself. 1327/1328 The Houses firmer root – / The Heavens cannot be found rope (-s), n. [OE ráp.] String; line; cord. 884/931 An Everywhere of Silver / With Ropes of Sand rose (-s), n. [OE < L. rosa prob. an adoption of Gr.]

B,

Source of spicy fragrance or perfume. 675/772 Essential oils – are wrung – / The Attar from the Rose

B,

Charming. 1310/1319 Put up my Heart thy Hoary work / And take a Rosy Chair rotation, n. [L. rotāre, to turn or swing round, revolve.]

BAA, n.

The cry or appropriate bleating of sheep.

BAA, v.i.

To cry or bleat as sheep.

BA'AL, n. [Oriental, בעל, lord.]

An idol among the ancient Chaldeans and Syrians, representing the sun. The word signifies also lord, or commander; and the character of the idol was varied by different nations, at different times. Thus Baal Berith is supposed to signify, the Lord of the Covenant; Baal Peor, or rather Baal Phegor, the Lord of the dead. Ps. cvi. Baal Zebub, the god of flies, &c.

BAB'BLE, n.

Idle talk; senseless prattle. Shak.

BAB'BLE, v.i. [D. babbelen; Fr. babiller; properly to throw out.]

1. To utter words imperfectly or indistinctly, as children. Prior.
2. To talk idly or irrationally; to talk thoughtlessly. Arbuthnot.
3. To talk much; to prate; hence, to tell secrets. Shak.
4. To utter sounds frequently, incessantly, or indistinctly; as, a babbling echo; a babbling stream.

BAB'BLE, v.t.

To prate; to utter.

BAB'BLE-MENT, n.

Idle talk; senseless prate; unmeaning words. Milton.