Part 499

In American law the term bailiff is seldom used except sometimes to signify a sheriff's officer or constable, or a party liable to account to another for the rent and profits of real estate. Burrill.

3. An overseer or under steward of an estate, who directs husbandry operations, collects rents, etc. [Eng.]

Bail"iff*wick (&?;), n. See Bailiwick. [Obs.]

Bail"i*wick (&?;), n. [Bailie, bailiff + wick a village.] (Law) The precincts within which a bailiff has jurisdiction; the limits of a bailiff's authority.

Bail"lie (&?;), n. 1. Bailiff. [Obs.]

2. Same as Bailie. [Scot.]

Bail"ment (&?;), n. 1. (Law) The action of bailing a person accused.

Bailment . . . is the saving or delivery of a man out of prison before he hath satisfied the law. Dalton.

2. (Law) A delivery of goods or money by one person to another in trust, for some special purpose, upon a contract, expressed or implied, that the trust shall be faithfully executed. Blackstone.

In a general sense it is sometimes used as comprehending all duties in respect to property. Story.

Bail`or" (&?;), n. (Law) One who delivers goods or money to another in trust.

Bail"piece` (&?;), n. (Law) A piece of parchment, or paper, containing a recognizance or bail bond.

Bain (bn; as F., bN), n. [F. bain, fr. L. balneum. Cf. Bagnio.] A bath; a bagnio. [Obs.] Holland.

||Bain`-ma`rie" (&?;), n. [F.] A vessel for holding hot water in which another vessel may be heated without scorching its contents; -- used for warming or preparing food or pharmaceutical preparations.

||Bai"ram (&?;), n. [Turk. baïrm.] The name of two Mohammedan festivals, of which one is held at the close of the fast called Ramadan, and the other seventy days after the fast.

Bairn (bârn), n. [Scot. bairn, AS. bearn, fr. beran to bear; akin to Icel., OS., & Goth. barn. See Bear to support.] A child. [Scot. & Prov. Eng.]

Has he not well provided for the bairn? Beau. & Fl.

Baise"mains` (&?;), n. pl. [F., fr. baiser to kiss + mains hands.] Respects; compliments. [Obs.]

Bait (bt), n. [Icel. beita food, beit pasture, akin to AS. bt food, Sw. bete. See Bait, v. t.] 1. Any substance, esp. food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, inclosure, or net.

2. Anything which allures; a lure; enticement; temptation. Fairfax.

3. A portion of food or drink, as a refreshment taken on a journey; also, a stop for rest and refreshment.

4. A light or hasty luncheon.

Bait bug (Zoöl.), a crustacean of the genus Hippa found burrowing in sandy beaches. See Anomura.

Bait, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Baited; p. pr. & vb. n. Baiting.] [OE. baiten, beitn, to feed, harass, fr. Icel. beita, orig., to cause to bite, fr. bta. √87. See Bite.]

1. To provoke and harass; esp., to harass or torment for sport; as, to bait a bear with dogs; to bait a bull.

2. To give a portion of food and drink to, upon the road; as, to bait horses. Holland.

3. To furnish or cover with bait, as a trap or hook.

A crooked pin . . . baited with a vile earthworm. W. Irving.