Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BRUS'TLE, v.i. [brus'l; Sax. brastlian, to crackle; G. brausen; Dan. bruser; Sw. brusa; from the root of rustle.]

To crackle; to make a small crackling noise; to rustle, as a silk garment; to vapor, as a bully.

BRUST'LING, ppr.

Crackling; rustling; vaporing.

BRUT, v.i. [Fr. brouter.]

To browse. [Not in use.] – Evelyn.

BRU'TAL, a. [See Brute.]

1. Pertaining to a brute; as, brutal nature.
2. Savage; cruel; inhuman; brutish; unfeeling like a brute; merciless; as, brutal courage; brutal manners.

BRU-TAL'I-TY, n.

Inhumanity; savageness; churlishness; insensibility to pity or shame. – Locke.

BRU'TAL-IZE, v.i.

To become brutal, inhuman, or course and beastly. – Addison.

BRU'TAL-IZE, v.t.

To make brutal, churlish or inhuman. All cruel punishments brutalize the heart. – Z. Swift.

BRU'TAL-LY, adv.

Cruelly; inhumanly; in a coarse, churlish, or brutal manner. – Arbuthnot.

BRUTE, a. [Fr. brut, from L. brutus, senseless, irrational; It. and Sp. bruto. This word may be the Ch. ברותא foreign, strange, as the ancients expressed wildness and savageness by verbs which signify to depart or be distant.]

1. Senseless; unconscious; as, the brute earth. – Bentley.
2. Irrational; ferine; as, a brute beast. – South.
3. Bestial; in common with beasts; as, brute violence. – Milton.
4. Rough; uncivilized; insensible; as, a brute philosopher. – Pope.

BRUTE, n.

1. A beast; any animal destitute of reason, and of course the word comprehends all animals except man, but it is applied mostly to the larger beasts.
2. A brutal person; a savage in heart or manners; a lowbred, unfeeling man.

BRUTE, v.t.

For bruit, to report. [Not used.]

BRUTE'LY, adv.

In a rude manner. – Milton.

BRUTE'NESS, n.

Brutality. [Obs.] – Spenser.

BRU'TI-FY, v.t.

To make a person a brute; to make senseless, stupid or unfeeling. – Congreve.

BRU'TISH, a.

1. Like a brute or beast; as, a brutish form. – Milton.
2. Insensible; stupid; as, brutish men. – Grew.
3. Unfeeling; savage; ferocious; brutal.
4. Gross; carnal; bestial. – Shak. South.
5. Ignorant; uncivilized; untaught. – Hooker.

BRU'TISH-LY, adv.

In the manner of a brute; grossly; irrationally; stupidly; savagely. – South.

BRU'TISH-NESS, n.

Stupidity; insensibility; brutality; savageness; the qualities of a brute. – Spratt.

BRU'TISM, n.

The nature or characteristic qualities or actions of a brute; extreme stupidity, or beastly vulgarity. – Dwight.

BRUTUM-FULMEN, n. [L.]

A loud but harmless threatening.

BRY'O-NINE, n.

An extract from bryony, a dangerous poison.

BRY'O-NY, n. [L. bryonia; Gr. βρυωνια.]

White jalap; the popular name of a genus of plants of several species. The root of the rough or white bryony is a strong irritating cathartic. – Encyc. Coxe. Black-bryony is the popular name of a genus of plants called Tamus. – Encyc.

BUB, n.

A cant word for strong malt liquor. – Prior.

BUB, v.t.

To throw out in bubbles. [Not used.] – Sackville.

BUB'BLE, n. [D. bobbel; Sw. bubla; from swelling, inflation.]

1. A small bladder or vesicle of water or other fluid inflated with air. – Newton.
2. Any thing that wants firmness or solidity; a vain project; that which is more specious than real. Hence, a false show; a cheat or fraud. Bacon. – Dryden.
3. A delusive scheme of speculation; an empty project to raise money on imaginary grounds; as, the South Sea bubble. – Swift.
4. A person deceived by an empty project. – Prior.

BUB'BLE, v.i.

1. To rise in bubbles, as liquors when boiling or agitated. – Shak. Dryden.
2. To run with a gurgling noise; as, a bubbling stream. – Pope.