Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BIRD'MAN, n. [bird and man.]

A fowler or bird-catcher.

BIRD-OF-PARADISE, n.

A genus of birds, found in the Oriental Isles, and in New Guinea; some of them remarkably beautiful. The beak is covered with a belt or collar of downy feather at the base, and the feathers on the sides are very long. The largest species is two feet four inches in length. The head and back part of the neck are lemon-colored; the neck of the brightest emerald green, soft like velvet; the breast is black; the wings of a chestnut color. The back part of the body is covered with long straight narrow feathers, of a pale brown color, similar to the plumes of the ostrich. These are spread when the bird flies, for which reason he cannot keep long on the wing. From the rump proceed two long stiff shafts, feathered at the extremities. – Encyc.

BIRD'-OR-GAN, n.

A small barrel organ, used in teaching birds to sing.

BIRD'-PEP-PER, n. [bird and pepper.]

A species of Capsicum or Guinea-pepper; a shrubby plant, bearing a small oval fruit, more biting than the other sorts. – Encyc.

BIRDS'-EYE, n. [bird and eye.]

The popular name of a genus of plants, called also Pheasant's eye, known in botany by the generic term Adonis. There are several species, some of which produce beautiful flowers. – Encyc.

BIRDS'-EYE-MA'PLE, n.

Curled maple, a species of wood much used in cabinet work.

BIRDS'-FOOT, n. [bird and foot.]

A plant, the Ornithopus, whose legumen is articulated, cylindrical, and bent in the form of a bow. – Encyc.

BIRDS'-FOOT-TRE-FOIL, n.

A genus of plants, the Lotus, of several species. – Encyc.

BIRD'S'-MOUTH, n.

In architecture, an interior angle or notch cut across a piece of timber, for its reception on the edge of another, as that on a rafter to be laid on a plate.

BIRDS'NEST, n. [bird and nest.]

1. The nest in which a bird lays eggs and hatches her young.
2. A plant, a species of Ophrys or twyblade; also a species of Orchis. – Encyc.
3. In cookery, the nest of a small swallow, of China, and the neighboring countries, delicately tasted, and mixed with soups. This nest is found in the rocks; it is of a hemispherical figure, of the size of a goose egg, and in substance resembles isinglass. In the East, these nests are esteemed a great luxury, and sell at a very high price. – Encyc.

BIRDS'TARES,

and BIRDS'TONGUE, n. Names of plants.

BIRD'-WIT-TED, a.

Not having the faculty of attention. – Bacon.

BI-REME', n. [L. biremis, bis and remus, an oar.]

A vessel with two banks or tiers of oars. – Mitford.

BIRG'AN-DER, n.

The name of a wild goose. – Qu. Bergander.

BI-RHOM-BOID'AL, a. [bis and rhomboid.]

Having a surface composed of twelve rhombic faces, which, being taken six and six, and prolonged in idea, till they intercept each other, would form two different rhombs. – Cleaveland.

BIRK'EN, v.t. [from birch, Sax. birce, byrc.]

To beat with a birch or rod. [Obs.] – Ch. Relig. Appeal.

BI-ROS'TRATE, or BI-ROS'TRA-TED, a. [L. bis, twice, and rostrum, a beak.]

Having a double beak, or process resembling a beak. The capsule is bilocular and birostrated. – Encyc.

BIRT, n. [burt.]

A fish, called also turbot.

BIRTH, or BERTH, n.

A station in which a ship rides. [See Berth.]

BIRTH, n. [berth; Sax. byrd, beorth; D. geboorte; Ger. geburt; Ir. beirthe, from bear; perhaps L. partus, from pario.]

1. The act of coming into life, or of being born. Except in poetry, it is generally applied to human beings; as, the birth of a son.
2. Lineage; extraction; descent; as, Grecian birth. – Denham. It is used of high or low extraction; but is often used by way of distinction for a descent from noble or honorable parents and ancestors; as, a man of birth.
3. The condition in which a person is born. A foe by birth to Troy. – Dryden.
4. That which is born; that which is produced, whether animal or vegetable. – Milton. Addison.
5. The act of bringing forth; as, she had two children at a birth.
6. In a theological sense, regeneration is called the new birth.
7. Origin; beginning; as, the birth of an empire.

BIRTH'DAY, n. [birth and day.]

1. The day in which any person is born.
2. The same day of the month, in which a person was born, in every succeeding year; often celebrated as a joyful anniversary. It sometimes has the form of an attribute; as, a birth-day ode.

BIRTH'DOM, n. [birth and dom. See Dom and Doom.]

Privilege of birth. [Not used.] – Shak.

BIRTH'ING, n.

Any thing added to raise the sides of a ship. – Ash. Bailey.

BIRTH'LESS, a.

Destitute of birth.

BIRTH'NIGHT, n. [birth and night.]

The night in which a person is born; and the anniversary of that night in succeeding years.