Part 968

<h1>Beacon</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Bea"con</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>bekene</ets>, AS. <ets>be\'a0cen</ets>, <ets>b<?/cen</ets>; akin to OS. <ets>b<?/kan</ets>, Fries. <ets>baken</ets>, <ets>beken</ets>, sign, signal, D. <ets>baak</ets>, OHG. <ets>bouhhan</ets>, G. <ets>bake</ets>; of unknown origin. Cf. <er>Beckon</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.</def>

<blockquote>No flaming <b>beacons</b> cast their blaze afar. <i>Gay.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A signal or conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>A high hill near the shore.</def> <mark>[Prov. Eng.]</mark>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>That which gives notice of danger.</def>

<blockquote>Modest doubt is called The <b>beacon</b> of the wise. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Beacon fire</col>, <cd>a signal fire.</cd></cs>

<h1>Beacon</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Bea"con</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Beaconed</er> (<?/); <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Beaconing</er>.]</wordforms> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.</def>

<blockquote>That <b>beacons</b> the darkness of heaven. <i> Campbell.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To furnish with a beacon or beacons.</def>

<h1>Beaconage</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Bea"con*age</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Money paid for the maintenance of a beacon; also, beacons, collectively.</def>

<h1>Beaconless</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Bea"con*less</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Having no beacon.</def>

<h1>Bead</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Bead</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>bede</ets> prayer, prayer <ets>bead</ets>, AS. <ets>bed</ets>, <ets>gebed</ets>, prayer; akin to D. <ets>bede</ets>, G. <ets>bitte</ets>, AS. <ets>biddan</ets>, to ask, <ets>bid</ets>, G. <ets>bitten</ets> to ask, and perh. to Gr. <ets><?/</ets> to persuade, L. <ets>fidere</ets> to trust. Beads are used by the Roman Catholics to count their prayers, one bead being dropped down a string every time a prayer is said. Cf. Sp. <ets>cuenta</ets> bead, fr. <ets>contar</ets> to count. See <er>Bid</er>, in <ets>to bid beads</ets>, and <er>Bide</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A prayer.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>A little perforated ball, to be strung on a thread, and worn for ornament; or used in a rosary for counting prayers, as by Roman Catholics and Mohammedans, whence the phrases <i>to tell beads</i>, <i>to at one's beads</i>, <i>to bid beads</i>, etc., meaning, to be at prayer.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Any small globular body</def>; as, <sd>(a)</sd> <def>A bubble in spirits.</def> <sd>(b)</sd> <def>A drop of sweat or other liquid.</def> "Cold <i>beads</i> of midnight dew." <i>Wordsworth</i>. <sd>(c)</sd> <def>A small knob of metal on a firearm, used for taking aim (whence the expression <i>to draw a bead</i>, for, to take aim).</def> <sd>(d)</sd> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>A small molding of rounded surface, the section being usually an arc of a circle. It may be continuous, or broken into short embossments.</def> <sd>(e)</sd> <fld>(Chem.)</fld> <def>A glassy drop of molten flux, as borax or microcosmic salt, used as a solvent and color test for several mineral earths and oxides, as of iron, manganese, etc., before the blowpipe; <as>as, the borax <ex>bead</ex>; the iron <ex>bead</ex>, etc.</as></def>

<cs><col>Bead and butt</col> <fld>(Carp.)</fld>, <cd>framing in which the panels are flush, having beads stuck or run upon the two edges. <i>Knight</i>.</cd> -- <col>Beat mold</col>, <cd>a species of fungus or mold, the stems of which consist of single cells loosely jointed together so as to resemble a string of beads.</cd> <altsp>[Written also <asp>bead mould</asp>.]</altsp> -- <col>Bead tool</col>, <cd>a cutting tool, having an edge curved so as to make beads or beading.</cd> -- <col>Bead tree</col> <fld>(Bot.)</fld>, <cd>a tree of the genus <spn>Melia</spn>, the best known species of which (<spn>M. azedarach</spn>), has blue flowers which are very fragrant, and berries which are poisonous.</cd></cs>

<h1>Bead</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Bead</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Beaded</er>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Beading</er>.]</wordforms> <def>To ornament with beads or beading.</def>

<h1>Bead</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw>Bead</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To form beadlike bubbles.</def>

<h1>Beadhouse, Bedehouse</h1> <Xpage=127>

<hw><hw>Bead"house`</hw>, <hw>Bede"house`</hw><hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>bede</ets> prayer + E. <ets>house</ets>. See <er>Bead</er>, <tt>n.</tt>]</ety> <def>An almshouse for poor people who pray daily for their benefactors.</def>

<h1>Beading</h1> <Xpage=127>