Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BAN'QUET-ING-HOUSE, or BAN'QUET-HOUSE, n.

A house where entertainments are made. – Cant. xxiv. Dan. v.

BAN'QUET-ING-ROOM, n.

A saloon, or spacious hall for public entertainments. – Encyc.

BAN'-QUETTE', or BAN-QUET', n. [banket'; Fr.]

In fortification, a little raised way or foot bank, running along the inside of a parapet, on which musketeers stand to fire upon the enemy in the moat or covered way. – Encyc.

BAN'QUET-TENT, n.

A tent in which a banquet is enjoyed.

BAN'SHEE, or BEN'SHI, n.

An Irish fairy. – Chalmers.

BAN'STICK-LE, n.

A small fish, called also Stickle-back. This fish falls under the genus Gasterosteus.

BAN'TER, n.

A joking or jesting; raillery; wit or humor; pleasantry.

BAN'TER, v.t. [Gr. φεναξ, whence φενακιζω, to mock, or deride.]

To play upon in words and in good humor; to rally; to joke, or jest with. Banter hardly amounts to ridicule, much less to derision. It consists in being pleasant and witty with the actions of another, and raising a humorous laugh at his expense, often attended with some degree of sarcasm.

BAN'TER-ED, pp.

Rallied; laughed at in good humor.

BAN'TER-ER, n.

One who banters, or laughs at with pleasantry.

BAN'TER-ING, ppr.

Joking; laughing at with good humor.

BANT'LING, n. [G. bankart. Qu.]

A young child; an infant.

BAN-YAN', n. [See Banian.]

A tree in India; a species of fig.

BAP'TISM, n. [Gr. βαπτισμα, from βαπτιζω, from βαπτω, to baptize; Sp. bautizar; It. battezzare; Port. bautizar or baptizar. These seem to be from the Greek, by contraction. But the Arm. badeza, badein, may be from bath, bad, water.]

1. The application of water to a person, as a sacrament or religious ceremony, by which he is initiated into the visible church of Christ. This is usually performed by sprinkling or immersion.
2. The sufferings of Christ. Matth. xx. 22, 23.
3. So much of the Gospel as was preached by John, the Baptist. – Acts xviii. Cruden.

BAP-TIS'MAL, a.

Pertaining to baptism; as, a baptismal vow.

BAP'TIST, n.

In addition to the definition given in the body of this work, it may be stated that the baptists believe the ordinance should be administered to regenerated believers only, not exclusively to adults, but to children also who give evidence of being born of the Spirit.

BAP'TIST, n.

1. One who administers baptism. This appellation is appropriately given to John, the forerunner of Christ.
2. As a contraction of Anabaptist, one who denies the doctrine of infant baptism, and maintains that baptism ought to be administered only to adults by immersing the body in water.

BAP'TIS-TER-Y, n. [L. baptisterium.]

A place where the sacrament of baptism is administered. Primitively, baptisteries were in buildings separate from the church; but in the sixth century they were taken into the church-porch, and afterwards into the church itself. – Encyc.

BAP-TIS'TIC, or BAP-TIS'TIC-AL, a.

Pertaining to baptism. – Bramhall.

BAP-TIST'IC-AL-LY, adv.

In a baptistical manner.

BAP-TIZ'A-BLE, a.

That may be baptized. – N. E. Elders.

BAP-TIZE', v.t. [See Baptism.]

To administer the sacrament of baptism to; to christen. By some denominations of Christians, baptism is performed by plunging, or immersing the whole body in water, and this is done to none but adults. More generally the ceremony is performed by sprinkling water on the face of a person, whether an infant or an adult, and in the case of an infant, by giving him a name, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which is called Christening.

BAP-TIZ'ED, pp.

Having received baptism; christened.

BAP-TIZ'ER, n.

One who christens, or administers baptism.

BAP-TIZ'ING, ppr.

Administering baptism to; christening.