Part 485

Bac*civ"o*rous (&?;), a. [L. bacca berry + vorare to devour.] (Zoöl.) Eating, or subsisting on, berries; as, baccivorous birds.

Bace (&?;), n., a., & v. See Base. [Obs.] Spenser.

{Bach"a*rach, Back"a*rack } (&?;), n. A kind of wine made at Bacharach on the Rhine.

Bach"e*lor (bch"*lr), n. [OF. bacheler young man, F. bachelier (cf. Pr. bacalar, Sp. bachiller, Pg. bacharel, It. baccalare), LL. baccalarius the tenant of a kind of farm called baccalaria, a soldier not old or rich enough to lead his retainers into battle with a banner, a person of an inferior academical degree aspiring to a doctorate. In the latter sense, it was afterward changed to baccalaureus. See Baccalaureate, n.] 1. A man of any age who has not been married.

As merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound. W. Irving.

2. An unmarried woman. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

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3. A person who has taken the first or lowest degree in the liberal arts, or in some branch of science, at a college or university; as, a bachelor of arts.

4. A knight who had no standard of his own, but fought under the standard of another in the field; often, a young knight.

5. In the companies of London tradesmen, one not yet admitted to wear the livery; a junior member. [Obs.]

6. (Zoöl.) A kind of bass, an edible fresh-water fish (Pomoxys annularis) of the southern United States.

Bach"e*lor*dom (bch"*lr*dm), n. The state of bachelorhood; the whole body of bachelors.

Bach"e*lor*hood (-hd), n. The state or condition of being a bachelor; bachelorship.

Bach"e*lor*ism (-z'm), n. Bachelorhood; also, a manner or peculiarity belonging to bachelors. W. Irving.

Bach"e*lor's but"ton (&?;), (Bot.) A plant with flowers shaped like buttons; especially, several species of Ranunculus, and the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and globe amaranth (Gomphrena).

Bachelor's buttons, a name given to several flowers "from their similitude to the jagged cloathe buttons, anciently worne in this kingdom," according to Johnson's Gerarde, p. 472 (1633); but by other writers ascribed to "a habit of country fellows to carry them in their pockets to divine their success with their sweethearts." Dr. Prior.

Bach"e*lor*ship, n. The state of being a bachelor.

Bach"el*ry (&?;), n. [OF. bachelerie.] The body of young aspirants for knighthood. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Ba*cil"lar (&?;), a. [L. bacillum little staff.] (Biol.) Shaped like a rod or staff.

||Bac"il*la`ri*æ (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr.L. bacillum, dim. of baculum stick.] (Biol.) See Diatom.

Bac"il*la*ry (&?;), a. Of or pertaining to little rods; rod-shaped.

Ba*cil"li*form (&?;), a. [L. bacillum little staff + -form.] Rod-shaped.

Ba*cil"lus (&?;), n.; pl. Bacilli (&?;). [NL., for L. bacillum. See Bacillarle.] (Biol.) A variety of bacterium; a microscopic, rod-shaped vegetable organism.

Back (bk), n. [F. bac: cf. Arm. bag, bak a bark, D. bak tray, bowl.] 1. A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc.

Hop back, Jack back, the cistern which receives the infusion of malt and hops from the copper. -- Wash back, a vat in which distillers ferment the wort to form wash. -- Water back, a cistern to hold a supply of water; esp. a small cistern at the back of a stove, or a group of pipes set in the fire box of a stove or furnace, through which water circulates and is heated.

2. A ferryboat. See Bac, 1.

Back (bk), n. [AS. bæc, bac; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG. bak, Dan. bag; cf. OHG. bahho ham, Skr. bhaj to turn, OSlav. bg flight. Cf. Bacon.] 1. In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster.

2. An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge.