Part 596

Bell, v. i. To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell.

Bell, v. t. [AS. bellan. See Bellow.] To utter by bellowing. [Obs.]

Bell, v. i. To call or bellow, as the deer in rutting time; to make a bellowing sound; to roar.

As loud as belleth wind in hell. Chaucer.

The wild buck bells from ferny brake. Sir W. Scott.

Bel`la*don"na (&?;), n. [It., literally fine lady; bella beautiful + donna lady.] (Bot.) (a) An herbaceous European plant (Atropa belladonna) with reddish bell-shaped flowers and shining black berries. The whole plant and its fruit are very poisonous, and the root and leaves are used as powerful medicinal agents. Its properties are largely due to the alkaloid atropine which it contains. Called also deadly nightshade. (b) A species of Amaryllis (A. belladonna); the belladonna lily.

Bell" an`i*mal"cule (&?;). (Zoöl.) An infusorian of the family Vorticellidæ, common in fresh-water ponds.

Bell" bear`er (&?;). (Zoöl.) A Brazilian leaf hopper (Bocydium tintinnabuliferum), remarkable for the four bell- shaped appendages of its thorax.

Bell"bird` (&?;), n. [So called from their notes.] (Zoöl.) (a) A South American bird of the genus Casmarhincos, and family Cotingidæ, of several species; the campanero. (b) The Myzantha melanophrys of Australia.

Bell" crank` (&?;). A lever whose two arms form a right angle, or nearly a right angle, having its fulcrum at the apex of the angle. It is used in bell pulls and in changing the direction of bell wires at angles of rooms, etc., and also in machinery.

<! p. 135 !>

Belle (bl), n. [F. belle, fem. of bel, beau, beautiful, fine. See Beau.] A young lady of superior beauty and attractions; a handsome lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady.

Belled (bld), a. Hung with a bell or bells.

Belle-let"trist (&?;), n. One versed in belles-lettres.

||Bel*ler"o*phon (&?;), n. (Paleon.) A genus of fossil univalve shells, believed to belong to the Heteropoda, peculiar to the Paleozoic age.

||Belles-let"tres (&?;), n. pl. [F.] Polite or elegant literature; the humanities; -- used somewhat vaguely for literary works in which imagination and taste are predominant.

{ Bel`le*tris"tic (&?;), Bel`le*tris"tic*al (&?;), } a. Occupied with, or pertaining to, belles- lettres. "An unlearned, belletristic trifler." M. Arnold.

Bell"-faced` (&?;), a. Having the striking surface convex; -- said of hammers.

Bell"flow`er (&?;), n. (Bot.) A plant of the genus Campanula; -- so named from its bell-shaped flowers.

Bell"flow`er, n. [F. bellefleur, lit., beautiful flower.] A kind of apple. The yellow bellflower is a large, yellow winter apple. [Written also bellefleur.]

Bel"li*bone (&?;), n. [F. belle et bonne, beautiful and good.] A woman excelling both in beauty and goodness; a fair maid. [Obs.] Spenser.

{ Bel"lic (&?;), Bel"li*cal (&?;), } a. [L. bellicus. See Bellicose.] Of or pertaining to war; warlike; martial. [Obs.] "Bellic Cæsar." Feltham.

Bel"li*cose` (&?;), a. [L. bellicosus, fr. bellicus of war, fr. bellum war. See Duel.] Inclined to war or contention; warlike; pugnacious.

Arnold was, in fact, in a bellicose vein. W. Irving.

Bel"li*cose`ly, adv. In a bellicose manner.

Bel"li*cous (&?;), a. Bellicose. [Obs.]

Bel"lied (&?;), a. Having (such) a belly; puffed out; -- used in composition; as, pot-bellied; shad- bellied.

{ Bel*lig"er*ence (&?;), Bel*lig"er*en*cy (&?;), } n. The quality of being belligerent; act or state of making war; warfare.