Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BEAU'TI-FUL-LY, adv. [bu'tifully.]

In a beautiful manner.

BEAU'TI-FUL-NESS, n. [bu'tifulness.]

Elegance of form; beauty; the quality of being beautiful.

BEAU'TI-FY, v.i. [bu'tify.]

To become beautiful; to advance in beauty. – Addison.

BEAU'TI-FY, v.t. [bu'tify. beauty and L. facio.]

To make or render beautiful; to adorn; to deck; to grace; to add beauty to; to embellish. – Hayward.

BEAU'TI-FY-ING, ppr. [bu'tifying.]

Adorning, embellishing.

BEAU'TY, n. [bu'ty; Fr. beauté, from beau. See Beau.]

1. An assemblage of graces, or an assemblage of properties in the form of the person or any other object, which pleases the eye. In the person, due proportion or symmetry of parts constitutes the most essential property to which we annex the term beauty. In the face, the regularity and symmetry of the features, the color of the skin, the expression of the eye, are among the principal properties which constitute beauty. But as it is hardly possible to define all the properties which constitute beauty, we may observe in general, that beauty consists in whatever pleases the eye of the beholder, whether in the human body, in a tree, in a landscape, or in any other object. Beauty is intrinsic, and perceived by the eye at first view, or relative, to perceive which, the aid of the understanding and reflection is requisite. Thus, the beauty of a machine is not perceived, till we understand its uses, and adaptation to its purpose. This is called the beauty of utility. By an easy transition, the word beauty is used to express what is pleasing to the other senses, or to the understanding. Thus we say, the beauty of a thought, of a remark, of sound, &c. So beauty, armed with virtue, bows the soul / With a commanding, but sweet control. – Percival.
2. A particular grace, feature or ornament; any particular thing which is beautiful and pleasing; as, the beauties of nature.
3. A particular excellence, or a part which surpasses in excellence that with which it is united; as, the beauties of an author.
4. A beautiful person. In Scripture, the chief dignity or ornament. – 2 Sam. i.
5. In the arts, symmetry of parts; harmony; justness of composition. – Encyc.
6. Joy and gladness. Is. lxi. Order, prosperity, peace, holiness. – Ezek. xvi.

BEAU'TY, v.t. [bu'ty.]

To adorn; to beautify or embellish. [Obs.] – Shak.

BEAU'TY-LESS, a. [bu'tyless.]

Destitute of beauty. – Hammond.

BEAU'TY-SPOT, n. [bu'ty-spot.]

A patch; a foil; a spot placed on the face to heighten beauty.

BEAU'TY-WAN-ING, a.

Declining in beauty. – Shak.

BEA'VER, n. [Sax. befor, biofor; Fr. bièvre; L. fiber; Ir. beabhar; Sw. bafwer; Dan. bæver; Ger. biber; D. bever; Russ. bobr; Pers. بَبِرْ‎‎ babir.]

1. An amphibious quadruped, of the genus Castor. It has short ears, a blunt nose, small fore feet, large hind feet, with a flat ovate tail. It is remarkable for its ingenuity in constructing its lodges or habitations, and from this animal is obtained the castor of the shops, which is taken from cods or bags in the groin. Its fur, which is mostly of a chestnut brown, is the material of the best hats.
2. The fur of the beaver, and a hat made of the fur; also, a part of a helmet that covers the face.

BEA'VER-ED, a.

Covered with or wearing a beaver. – Pope.

BE-BLEED', v.t. [be and bleed.]

To make bloody. [Obs.] – Chaucer.

BE-BLOOD', or BE-BLOOD'Y, v.t. [be and blood.]

To make bloody. [Obs.] – Sheldon.

BE-BLOT', v.t. [be and blot.]

To blot; to stain. [Obs.] – Chaucer.

BE-BLUB'BER-ED, a. [be and blubber.]

Foul or swelled with weeping. – Shelton.

BEC-A-FI'CO, n. [It. from the root of pica, peck, beck, and fico, a fig. See Beak.]

A fig-pecker; a bird like a nightingale which feeds on figs and grapes. – Johnson. Prior. Bailey.

BE-CALM', v.t. [becàm; be and calm. See Calm.]

1. To still; to make quiet; to appease; to stop, or repress motion in a body; used of the elements and of the passions; as, to becalm the ocean, or the mind. But calm is generally used.
2. To intercept the current of wind, so as to prevent motion; to keep from motion for want of wind; as, high lands becalm a ship.

BE-CALM'ED, pp. [becàmed.]

1. Quieted; appeased.
2. adj. Hindered from motion or progress by a calm; as, a ship becalmed.

BE-CALM'ING, n. [becàming.]

A calm at sea. – Herbert.

BE-CALM'ING, ppr. [becàming.]

Appeasing; keeping from motion or progress.

BE-CAME', pret. [of become.]

See BECOME.

BE-CAUSE', [becauz', a compound word. Sax. be; Eng. by, and cause. See By and Cause.]

By cause, or by the cause; on this account; for the cause which is explained in the next proposition; for the reason next explained. Thus, I fled, because I was afraid, is to be thus resolved; I fled, by the cause, for the cause, which is mentioned in the next affirmation, viz. I was afraid. Hence, cause being a noun, because may be regularly followed by of. The spirit is life, because of righteousness. – Rom. viii. Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. – Eph. v.

BEC-CA-BUN'GA, n. [Ger. bach, a brook, and bunga, a basket for catching fish.]

Brooklime, speedwell, Veronica beccabunga; a plant common in ditches and shallow streams.

BE-CHANCE', v.i. [be, by and chance.]

To befall; to happen to. – Shak.