Part 642

Bi*en"ni*al (&?;), a. [L. biennalis and biennis, fr. biennium a space of two years; bis twice + annus year. Cf. Annual.] 1. Happening, or taking place, once in two years; as, a biennial election.

2. (Bot.) Continuing for two years, and then perishing, as plants which form roots and leaves the first year, and produce fruit the second.

Bi*en"ni*al, n. 1. Something which takes place or appears once in two years; esp. a biennial examination.

2. (Bot.) A plant which exists or lasts for two years.

Bi*en"ni*al*ly, adv. Once in two years.

Bier (&?;), n. [OE. bæe, beere, AS. b&?;r, b&?;re; akin to D. baar, OHG. bra, G. bahre, Icel barar, D&?; baare, L. feretrum, Gr. &?;, from the same &?;&?; bear to produce. See 1st Bear, and cf. Barrow.] 1. A handbarrow or portable frame on which a corpse is placed or borne to the grave.

2. (Weaving) A count of forty threads in the warp or chain of woolen cloth. Knight.

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Bier"balk` (br"bk`), n. [See Bier, and Balk, n.] A church road (e. g., a path across fields) for funerals. [Obs.] Homilies.

{ Biest"ings, Beest"ings } (&?;), n. pl. [OE. bestynge, AS. bsting, fr. bst, beost; akin to D. biest, OHG. biost, G. biest; of unknown origin.] The first milk given by a cow after calving. B. Jonson.

The thick and curdy milk . . . commonly called biestings. Newton. (1574).

Bi*fa"cial (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + facial.] Having the opposite surfaces alike.

Bi*fa"ri*ous (&?;), a. [L. bifarius; bis twice + fari to speak. Cf. Gr. &?; twofold; &?; twice + &?; to say.] 1. Twofold; arranged in two rows.

2. (Bot.) Pointing two ways, as leaves that grow only on opposite sides of a branch; in two vertical rows.

Bi*fa"ri*ous*ly, adv. In a bifarious manner.

Bif"er*ous (&?;), a. [L. bifer; bis twice + ferre to bear.] Bearing fruit twice a year.

Bif"fin (&?;), n. [Cf. Beaufin.] 1. A sort of apple peculiar to Norfolk, Eng. [Sometimes called beaufin; but properly beefin (it is said), from its resemblance to raw beef.] Wright.

2. A baked apple pressed down into a flat, round cake; a dried apple. Dickens.

Bi"fid (&?;), a. [L. bifidus; bis twice + root of findere to cleave or split: cf. F. bifide.] Cleft to the middle or slightly beyond the middle; opening with a cleft; divided by a linear sinus, with straight margins.

Bif"i*date (&?;), a. [L. bifidatus.] See Bifid.

Bi*fi"lar (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + filar.] Two-threaded; involving the use of two threads; as, bifilar suspension; a bifilar balance.

Bifilar micrometer (often called a bifilar), an instrument form measuring minute distances or angles by means of two very minute threads (usually spider lines), one of which, at least, is movable; -- more commonly called a filar micrometer.

Bi`fla*bel"late (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + flabellate.] (Zoöl.) Flabellate on both sides.

Bi`fla*gel"late (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + flagellate.] Having two long, narrow, whiplike appendages.

{ Bi*flo"rate (&?;), Bi*flo"rous (&?;), } a. [L. bis twice + flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.) Bearing two flowers; two-flowered.

Bi"fold (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + fold.] Twofold; double; of two kinds, degrees, etc. Shak.

Bi*fo"li*ate (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + foliate.] (Bot.) Having two leaves; two- leaved.

Bi*fo"li*o*late (&?;), a. [Pref. bi- + foliolate.] (Bot.) Having two leaflets, as some compound leaves.