Part 566

A carriage covered with armorial bearings. Thackeray.

9. (Naut.) (a) The situation of a distant object, with regard to a ship's position, as on the bow, on the lee quarter, etc.; the direction or point of the compass in which an object is seen; as, the bearing of the cape was W. N. W. (b) pl. The widest part of a vessel below the plank-sheer. (c) pl. The line of flotation of a vessel when properly trimmed with cargo or ballast.

Ball bearings. See under Ball. -- To bring one to his bearings, to bring one to his senses. -- To lose one's bearings, to become bewildered. -- To take bearings, to ascertain by the compass the position of an object; to ascertain the relation of one object or place to another; to ascertain one's position by reference to landmarks or to the compass; hence (Fig.), to ascertain the condition of things when one is in trouble or perplexity.

Syn. -- Deportment; gesture; mien; behavior; manner; carriage; demeanor; port; conduct; direction; relation; tendency; influence.

Bear"ing cloth` (klth`; 115). A cloth with which a child is covered when carried to be baptized. Shak.

Bear"ing rein` (&?;). A short rein looped over the check hook or the hames to keep the horse's head up; -- called in the United States a checkrein.

Bear"ish, a. Partaking of the qualities of a bear; resembling a bear in temper or manners. Harris.

Bear"ish*ness, n. Behavior like that of a bear.

Bearn (&?;), n. See Bairn. [Obs.]

Bear's"-breech` (&?;), n. (Bot.) (a) See Acanthus, n., 1. (b) The English cow parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium) Dr. Prior.

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Bear's-ear` (bârz"r`), n. (Bot.) A kind of primrose (Primula auricula), so called from the shape of the leaf.

Bear's"-foot` (-ft`), n. (Bot.) A species of hellebore (Helleborus fœtidus), with digitate leaves. It has an offensive smell and acrid taste, and is a powerful emetic, cathartic, and anthelmintic.

Bear"skin` (&?;), n. 1. The skin of a bear.

2. A coarse, shaggy, woolen cloth for overcoats.

3. A cap made of bearskin, esp. one worn by soldiers.

Bear's"-paw` (&?;), n. (Zoöl.) A large bivalve shell of the East Indies (Hippopus maculatus), often used as an ornament.

Bear"ward` (&?;), n. [Bear + ward a keeper.] A keeper of bears. See Bearherd. [R.] Shak.

Beast (bst), n. [OE. best, beste, OF. beste, F. bête, fr. L. bestia.] 1. Any living creature; an animal; -- including man, insects, etc. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. Any four-footed animal, that may be used for labor, food, or sport; as, a beast of burden.

A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast. Prov. xii. 10.

3. As opposed to man: Any irrational animal.

4. Fig.: A coarse, brutal, filthy, or degraded fellow.

5. A game at cards similar to loo. [Obs.] Wright.

6. A penalty at beast, omber, etc. Hence: To be beasted, to be beaten at beast, omber, etc.

Beast royal, the lion. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Syn. -- Beast, Brute. When we use these words in a figurative sense, as applicable to human beings, we think of beasts as mere animals governed by animal appetite; and of brutes as being destitute of reason or moral feeling, and governed by unrestrained passion. Hence we speak of beastly appetites; beastly indulgences, etc.; and of brutal manners; brutal inhumanity; brutal ferocity. So, also, we say of a drunkard, that he first made himself a beast, and then treated his family like a brute.

Beast"hood (&?;), n. State or nature of a beast.