Part 1147

<h1>Bison</h1> <Xpage=148>

<hw>Bi"son</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>bison</ets>, Gr. <ets><?/</ets>, a wild ox; akin to OHG. <ets>wisunt</ets>, <ets>wisant</ets>, G. <ets>wisent</ets>, AS. <ets>wesend</ets>, Icel. <ets>v\'c6sundr</ets>: cf. F. <ets>bison</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>The aurochs or European bison.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>The American bison buffalo (<spn>Bison Americanus</spn>), a large, gregarious bovine quadruped with shaggy mane and short black horns, which formerly roamed in herds over most of the temperate portion of North America, but is now restricted to very limited districts in the region of the Rocky Mountains, and is rapidly decreasing in numbers.</def>

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<h1>Bispinose</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bi*spi"nose</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>bi-</ets> + <ets>spinose</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>Having two spines.</def>

<h1>Bisque</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bisque</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[A corruption of <ets>biscuit</ets>.]</ety> <def>Unglazed white porcelain.</def>

<h1>Bisque</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bisque</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F.]</ety> <def>A point taken by the receiver of odds in the game of tennis; also, an extra innings allowed to a weaker player in croquet.</def>

<h1>Bisque</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bisque</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F.]</ety> <def>A white soup made of crayfish.</def>

<h1>Bissextile</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bis*sex"tile</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>bissextilis</ets> annus, fr. <ets>bissextus</ets> (<ets>bis + sextus</ets> sixth, fr. <ets>sex</ets> six) the sixth of the calends of March, or twenty-fourth day of February, which was reckoned twice every fourth year, by the intercalation of a day.]</ety> <def>Leap year; every fourth year, in which a day is added to the month of February on account of the excess of the tropical year (365 d. 5 h. 48 m. 46 s.) above 365 days. But one day added every four years is equivalent to six hours each year, which is 11 m. 14 s. more than the excess of the real year. Hence, it is necessary to suppress the bissextile day at the end of every century which is not divisible by 400, while it is retained at the end of those which are divisible by 400.</def>

<h1>Bissextile</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bis*sex"tile</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Pertaining to leap year.</def>

<h1>Bisson</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bis"son</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>bisen</ets>, <ets>bisne</ets>, AS. <ets>bisen</ets>, prob. for <ets>b\'c6s<?/ne</ets>; <ets>bi</ets> by + <ets>s<?/ne</ets> clear, akin to <ets>se\'a2n</ets> to see; clear when near, hence short-sighted. See <er>See</er>.]</ety> <def>Purblind; blinding.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark> "<i>Bisson</i> rheum."

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Bister, Bistre</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw><hw>Bis"ter</hw>, <hw>Bis"tre</hw><hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>bistre</ets> a color made of soot; of unknown origin. Cf., however, LG. <ets>biester</ets> frowning, dark, ugly.]</ety> <fld>(Paint.)</fld> <def>A dark brown pigment extracted from the soot of wood.</def>

<h1>Bistipuled</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bi*stip"uled</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>bi-</ets> + <ets>stipule</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>Having two stipules.</def>

<h1>Bistort</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bis"tort</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>bis + tortus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>torquere</ets> to twist: cf. F. <ets>bistorte</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>An herbaceous plant of the genus <i>Polygonum</i>, section <i>Bistorta</i>; snakeweed; adderwort. Its root is used in medicine as an astringent.</def>

<h1>Bistoury</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bis"tou*ry</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. <plw>Bistouries</plw> <tt>(#)</tt>.</plu> <ety>[F. <ets>bistouri</ets>.]</ety> <def>A surgical instrument consisting of a slender knife, either straight or curved, generally used by introducing it beneath the part to be divided, and cutting towards the surface.</def>

<h1>Bistre</h1> <Xpage=149>

<hw>Bis"tre</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>See <er>Bister</er>.</def>