Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BI-LAM'EL-LATE, a. [L. bis, twice, and lamella, a plate.]

Having the form of a flatted sphere, longitudinally bifid; used of the stigma of plants. – Martyn.

BI'LAND-ER, n. [D. bylander; Fr. belande, belandre; Sp. bilandra; from be, by, and land; Ger. binnenlander.]

A small merchant vessel with two masts, distinguished from other vessels of two masts, by the form of the main-sail, which is bent to the whole length of a yard, hanging fore and aft, and inclined to the horizon in an angle of about 45 degrees; the foremost lower corner, called the tack, being secured to a ring-bolt in the deck, and the aftermost, or sheet, to the tafferel. Few vessels are now rigged in this manner. – Encyc. Mar. Dict. The bilander is a kind of hoy, manageable by four or five men, and used chiefly in the canals of the Low Countries. – Johnson.

BI-LAT'ER-AL, a. [L. bis, and latus, side.]

Having two sides. – Dict.

BIL'BER-RY, n. [I know not the meaning of bil in this word. The Dutch word is blaauwbes, blue-berry; the Ger. heidelbeere, heath-berry.]

The name of a shrub and its fruit; a species of Vaccinium or whortle-berry. The name with us is given to the taller shrub and its fruit, which is of a bluish color.

BIL'BO, n. [from Bilboa, in Spain.]

A rapier; a sword; so named, it is said, from Bilboa, in Spain, where the best are made. – Ash. Johnson.

BIL'BOES, n. [plur.]

On board of ships, long bars or bolts of iron with shackles sliding on them, and a lock at the end, used to confine the feet of prisoners or offenders. Hence the punishment of offenders in this manner is called by the same name. – Mar. Dict. Encyc.

BIL'BO-QUET, n. [Fr.]

The toy called cup and ball.

BILD, v.t. [pret. bilded, bilt; pp. id. G. bilden; Dan. bilder; Sw. bilda.]

To constrict; to erect; to set up and finish; as, to bild a house or ship; to bild a wall. [This is the true orthography; the common spelling is incorrect. See Build.]

BILD'STEIN, n. [G. bild, shape, and stein, stone.]

Agalmatolite, or figure stone. A massive mineral, with sometimes a slaty structure; of a color gray, brown, flesh-red, sometimes spotted, or with blue veins. It fuses into a transparent glass. Brongniart calls it steatite pagodite, from its coming from China in grotesque figures. – Ure. This mineral resembles steatite in its physical characters, but differs from it essentially in its composition. It is soft, easily cut with a knife, and reducible to a fine unctuous powder. – Cleaveland.

BILE, n.

An inflamed tumor. [See Boil, the correct orthography.]

BILE, n. [L. bilis; Fr. bile.]

A yellow bitter liquor, separated from the blood in the liver, collected in the pori biliarii and gall bladder, and thence discharged by the common duct into the duodenum. – Encyc.

BILE'DUCT, n. [bile, and L. ductus, a conduit.]

A vessel or canal to convey bile. – Darwin.

BILE'STONE, n. [bile and stone.]

A concretion of viscid bile. – Darwin.

BILGE, n. [A different orthography of bulge, and belly, a protuberance.]

1. The protuberant part of a cask, which is usually in the middle.
2. The breadth of a ship's bottom, or that part of her floor which approaches to a horizontal direction, on which she would rest if aground. Hence when this pert of a ship is fractured, she is said to be bilged. – Encyc. Mar. Dict.

BILGE, v.i.

To suffer a fracture in the bilge; to spring a leak by a fracture in the bilge. The term is used also when a ship has some of her timbers struck off by a rock or an anchor, and springs a leak. – Encyc. Mar. Dict.

BILG'ED, pp. [or a.]

Having a fracture in the bilge. This participle is often used, as if the verb were transitive; and perhaps it is sometimes so used.

BILGE'-PUMP, n.

A burr-pump; a pump to draw the bilge-water from a ship.

BILGE'-WA-TER, n.

Water which enters a ship, and lies upon her bilge or bottom.

BIL'I-A-RY, a. [from L. bilis.]

Belonging to the bile; conveying the bile; as, a biliary duct.

BIL'INGS-GATE, n. [from a place of this name in London, frequented by low people who use foul language.]

Foul language; ribaldry. – Pope.

BI-LIN'GUAL, or BI-LIN'GUAR, a.

Containing two languages, as a bilingual inscription. – Gliddon.

BI-LIN'GUOUS, a. [L. bis, and lingua, tongue.]

Having two tongues, or speaking two languages.

BIL'IOUS, a. [L. biliosus, from bilis, the bile.]

Pertaining to bile; consisting or partaking of bile.

BI-LIT'ER-AL, a. [L. bis, twice and litera, letter.]

Consisting of two letters; as, a biliteral root in language. – Sir W. Jones.

BILK, v.t. [Goth. bilaikan, to mock or deride. This Gothic word appears to be compound, bi and laikan, to leap or exult.]

To frustrate or disappoint; to deceive or defraud, by non-fulfillment of engagement; as, to bilk a creditor. – Dryden.