BRACT, brakt, _n._ an irregularly developed leaf at the base of the flower-stalk.--_adjs._ BRAC'TEAL, BRAC'TEATE, BRACT'ED, BRAC'TEOLATE.--_n._ BRAC'TEOLE, a little bract at the base of the stalk of a single flower which is itself on a main stalk supporting several flowers.--_adj._ BRACT'LESS, destitute of bracts. [L. _bractea_, a thin plate of metal, gold-leaf.]
BRAD, brad, _n._ a small nail having a slight projection at the top on one side instead of a head.--_n._ BRAD'AWL, an awl to pierce holes. [Scot.
_brod_, an instrument for pricking with; Ice. _broddr_, a pointed piece of iron.]
BRADYPEPTIC, brad-i-pep'tik, _adj._ slow of digestion. [Gr. _bradys_, slow, and PEPTIC.]
BRAE, br[=a], _n._ (_Scot._) the slope above a river bank, a hill-slope.
[Scand. _bra_.]
BRAG, brag, _v.i._ to boast or bluster:--_pr.p._ brag'ging; _pa.p._ bragged.--_n._ a boast or boasting: the thing boasted of: a game at cards, very like poker.--_adj._ BRAG'GING.--_advs._ BRAG'GINGLY, BRAG'LY (_Spens._). [Most prob. Celt.; cf. W. _bragio_, to boast; Ir. _bragaim_.
The Fr. _braguer_, to brag, and _bragard_, a braggart, are not the parents of the Eng. word.]
BRAGGADOCIO, brag-a-d[=o]'shi-o, _n._ and _adj._ a braggart or boaster: empty boasting. [From _Braggadochio_, a boastful character in Spenser's _Faerie Queene_.]
BRAGGART, brag'art, _adj._ boastful.--_n._ a vain boaster.--_n._ BRAGG'ARDISM (_Shak._), boastfulness. [Fr. _bragard_, vain, bragging; prob.
of Celt. origin; Diez prefers Scand., and quotes Sw. _brak_, Dan. _brag_, &c.]
BRAHMAN, bra'man, BRAHMIN, bra'min, _n._ a person of the highest or priestly caste among the Hindus.--_adjs._ BRAHMAN'IC, -AL, BRAHMIN'IC, -AL, BRAH'MINEE, appropriated to the Brahmans.--_ns._ BRAH'MANISM, BRAH'MINISM, one of the religions of India, the worship of Brahma. [From _Brahma_, the supreme post-Vedic Hindu deity.]
BRAID, br[=a]d, _v.t._ to plait or entwine.--_n._ cord, or other texture made by plaiting.--_p.adj._ BRAID'ED, plaited, embroidered, trimmed with braid.--_n._ BRAID'ING, the act of making braids: embroidery with braid.
[A.S. _bregdan_; Ice. _brega_, to weave.]
BRAID, br[=a]d, _adj._ (_Shak._) dissembling, deceitful. [A.S. _braegd_, falsehood, from _bregdan_, _braegd_, to weave.]
BRAID, br[=a]d, _v.t._ (_Shak._) to upbraid, to reproach. [Prob. from _Abraid_, or BRAID (1).]
BRAIDISM, br[=a]d'ism, _n._ mesmerism or hypnotism. [From Dr James _Braid_, who practised it about 1842.]
BRAIL, br[=a]l, _n._ a piece of leather to bind up a hawk's wing: (_pl._) the feathers about a hawk's rump: (_naut._) one of the ropes used to truss up a sail.--_v.t._ to haul in, as a sail, by pulling upon the brails. [O.
Fr. _brail_--L. _bracale_, a waist-belt for holding up the breeches--_bracae_.]
BRAILLE, br[=a]l, _n._ and _adj._ a kind of type for the blind, having arbitrary signs consisting of varying combinations of six points arranged thus ([Braille pattern]), there being sixty-two possible combinations of these six points. [From Louis _Braille_, the inventor.]
BRAIN, br[=a]n, _n._ the term applied to that part of the central nervous system which in vertebrated animals is contained within the cranium or skull, and in the invertebrata, to the nervous ganglia near the head end of the body: the seat of the intellect and of sensation: the intellect.--_v.t._ to dash out the brains of: (_Shak._) to conceive of.--_n._ BRAIN'-COR'AL, the popular name of certain kinds of coral, so called from their general resemblance to a brain.--_p.adj._ BRAINED, having brains.--_n._ BRAIN'-FE'VER, a loose popular term which includes congestion of the brain and its membranes, delirium tremens, and inflammation of the brain substance itself.--_adjs._ BRAIN'ISH (_Shak._), brain-sick, hot-headed, furious; BRAIN'LESS, without brains or understanding: silly.--_n._ BRAIN'-PAN, the skull.--_adj._ BRAIN'-SICK, diseased in the understanding, deranged.--_adv._ BRAIN'SICK'LY (_Shak._).--_n._ BRAIN'-SICK'NESS. [A.S. _braegn_; Dut. _brein_, prov. Ger. _bregen_]
BRAIRD, br[=a]rd, _n._ the first shoots of corn or other crop.--_v.i._ to appear above ground. [Orig. _Scot._; A.S. _brerd_, the edge, and _brord_, a point.]
BRAISE, br[=a]z, _v.t._ to stew meat together with slices of bacon, &c., properly with a charcoal fire above and below the braising-pan.--_p.adj._ BRAISED. [Fr. _braiser_.]
BRAKE, br[=a]k, obsolete, _pa.t._ of BREAK.
BRAKE, br[=a]k, _n._ a fern: a place overgrown with ferns or briers; a thicket.--_adj._ BRAK'Y. [A doublet of BRACKEN; ety. dub.]
BRAKE, br[=a]k, _n._ an instrument to break flax or hemp: a harrow: a contrivance for retarding by friction the speed of carriages, wagons, trains, or revolving drums.--_adj._ BRAKE'LESS, without a brake.--_ns._ BRAKE'MAN, the man whose business it is to manage the brake of a railway-train; BRAKE'-VAN, the carriage wherein the brake is worked; BRAKE'-WHEEL, the wheel to which a brake is applied. [From root of BREAK; cf. Dut. _braak_, a flax-brake.]
BRAKE, br[=a]k, _n._ a handle, as of a pump: a lever for working a machine.
[Prob. through O. Fr. _brac_, from L. _brachium_, an arm.]
BRAMAH-PRESS, bra'ma-pres, _n._ a hydraulic press invented by Joseph _Bramah_ of London (1748-1814), inventor also of the BRAMAH-LOCK, &c.
BRAMBLE, bram'bl, _n._ a wild prickly shrub bearing blackberries, a blackberry bush: any rough prickly shrub.--_ns._ BRAM'BLE-BERR'Y, BRAM'BLE-BUSH, a collection of brambles growing together; BRAM'BLE-FINCH, BRAM'BLING, a bird nearly allied to the chaffinch.--_adj._ BRAM'BLY. [A.S.
_bremel_; Dut. _braam_, Ger. _brom-beere_.]
BRAME, br[=a]m, _n._ (_Spens._) sharp passion, longing. [It. _brama_.]
BRAN, bran, _n._ the refuse of grain: the inner husks of corn sifted from the flour: the coarser part of anything.--_n._ BRAN'FULNESS.--_adj._ BRAN'NY. [O. Fr. _bran_, bran; prob. Celt.]
BRANCARD, brank'ard, _n._ a horse litter. [Fr.]
BRANCH, bransh, _n._ a shoot or arm-like limb of a tree: anything like a limb of a tree: any offshoot or subdivision, a section or department of a subject: any subordinate division of a business, &c., as a branch-bank or pawn-shop.--_v.t._ to divide into branches.--_v.i._ to spread out as a branch (with _out_, _off_, _from_).--_adj._ BRANCHED.--_ns._ BRANCH'ER, a young hawk or other bird when it leaves the nest and begins to take to the branches; BRANCH'ERY, branches collectively.--_adjs._ BRANCH'ING, furnished with or shooting out branches; BRANCH'LESS.--_ns._ BRANCH'LET, a little branch; BRANCH'-P[=I]'LOT, one who holds the Trinity House certificate; BRANCH'-WORK, ornamental figured patterns.--_adj._ BRANCH'Y.--ROOT AND BRANCH, thoroughly--used also adjectively, as in a 'root-and-branch'
policy. [Fr. _branche_--Low L. _branca_, a beast's paw--L. _brachium_.]
BRANCHIae, brangk'i-[=e], _n.pl._ gills.--_adjs._ BRANCH'IAL; BRANCH'IATE, furnished with branchiae.--_n._ BRANCHIOP'ODA, a sub-order of Crustaceans in the order with leaf-like feet (Phyllopods), to which the gills are attached. [L.--Gr.]
BRAND, brand, _n._ a piece of wood burning or partly burned: a mark burned into anything with a hot iron: a trade-mark, made by burning or otherwise, as on casks: a particular sort of goods, from the trade-marks by which they are known, as cigars, &c.: a sword, so called from its glitter: a mark of infamy: a general name for the fungoid diseases or blights of grain crops--_bunt_, _mildew_, _rust_, and _smut_.--_v.t._ to burn or mark with a hot iron: to fix a mark of infamy upon.--_adj._ BRAND'ED.--_n._ BRAND'ER, a gridiron.--_v.t._ to cook on the gridiron, as beef-steaks.--_p.adjs._ BRAND'ERED, BRAND'ERING.--_ns._ BRAND'ING-[=I]'RON, BRAND'-[=I]'RON, an iron to brand with: a trivet or tripod to set a pot or kettle upon: (_Spens._) a sword--also BRAND'ISE, a trivet; BRAND'LING, a red worm used by anglers, found commonly in tan-pits.--_adj._ BRAND'-NEW, quite new (as if newly from the fire).--_n._ BRAND'RETH, a stand of wood for a cask or hayrick, a rail round a well.--A BRAND FROM THE BURNING, one snatched out of a pressing danger--from Amos, iv. 11. [A.S. _brand_, _brond_, from root of BURN.]
BRANDISH, brand'ish, _v.t._ to wave or flourish as a brand or weapon.--_n._ a waving or flourish. [Fr. _brandissant_--_brandir_, from root of BRAND.]
BRANDY, brand'i, _n._ an ardent spirit distilled from wine.--_adj._ BRAN'DIED, heartened or strengthened with brandy.--_n._ BRAND'Y-PAWNEE', brandy and water. [Formerly _brandwine_--Dut. _brandewijn_--_branden_, to burn, to distil, and _wijn_, wine; cf. Ger. _branntwein_.]
BRANGLE, brang'l, _v.i._ (_arch._) to wrangle, squabble.--_n._ (_obs._) a brawl.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ BRAND'LE, to shake, cause to waver: to waver.--_n._ BRANG'LING, disputing. [Prob. the two words are the same; Fr.
_branler_.]
BRANK, brangk, _n._ buckwheat. [Prob. Celt.; cf. L. _brance_, a Gallic name of a white kind of corn.]
BRANK, brangk, _v.i._ to prance, toss the head: to strut or swagger.--_adj._ BRANK'Y (_Scot._), showy. [Prob. a variant of PRANK.]
[Illustration]
BRANKS, brangks, _n._ (seldom in _sing._) a scold's bridle, having a hinged iron framework to enclose the head and a bit or gag to fit into the mouth and compress the tongue. [Scot.; ety. very obscure; cf. M. E. _bernak_, whence BARNACLE and BRAKE; Ger. _pranger_, the pillory, Dut. _prang_, a fetter; the Gael. _brangus_, _brangas_, is most prob. borrowed.]
BRANKURSINE, brangk'ur-sin, _n._ the plant Acanthus, called also _Bear's-breech_. [Low L. _branca_, _ursina_, a bear's paw.]
BRAN-NEW, bran'-n[=u], _adj._ corruption of BRAND-NEW.
BRANSLE, bran'sl, _n._ (_obs._) a dance: a song for dance music. [Fr.]
BRANT-GOOSE. See BRENT-GOOSE.
BRANTLE, bran'tl, _n._ a kind of dance.
BRASERO. Same as BRAZIER (q.v. under BRAZE).
BRASH, brash, _n._ broken and angular fragments of rock which occasionally form the basement bed of alluvial deposits: fragments of crushed ice: clippings of hedges or trees.--_adj._ BRASH'Y. [Prob. Fr. _breche_.]
BRASH, brash, _n._ a slight attack of illness: an eructation or belching of acid water from the stomach--water-brash: a sudden burst of rain: (_obs._) an attack.--_v.t._ to disturb. [Scot.; prob. onomatopoeic.]
BRASS, bras, _n._ an alloy of copper and zinc: (_fig._) impudence: money in cash: a monumental plate of brass inlaid on slabs of stone in the pavements of ancient churches.--_n.pl._ BRASS'ARTS, the brass pieces which, in plate armour, protected the upper part of the arms, and united the shoulder and elbow pieces.--_ns._ BRASS'-BAND, a band or company of musicians who perform on brass instruments; BRASS'ET, a casque or armour covering for the head: a helmet; BRASS'FOUND'ER, a maker of articles in brass.--_adjs._ BRASS'-PAVED (_Spens._), durable, as if paved with brass; BRASS'-VIS'AGED, brazen-faced, impudent.--_n._ BRASS'Y, a wooden golf-club with a brass sole.--_adj._ of or like brass: impudent: unfeeling: pitiless: harsh in tone. [A.S. _braes_; prob. related to Sw. _brasa_, fire.]