B to Bachelorism
B
(B) (be) is the second letter of the English alphabet. (See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 196, 220.) It is
etymologically related to p, v, f, w, and m, letters representing sounds having a close organic affinity
to its own sound; as in Eng. bursar and purser; Eng. bear and Lat. ferre; Eng. silver and Ger. silber; Lat.
cubitum and It. gomito; Eng. seven, Anglo-Saxon seofon, Ger. sieben, Lat. septem, Gr."epta`, Sanskrit
saptan. The form of letter B is Roman, from the Greek B of Semitic origin. The small b was formed by
gradual change from the capital B.
In Music, B is the nominal of the seventh tone in the model major scale or of the second tone in its
relative minor scale B&flat stands for B flat, the tone a half step , or semitone, lower than B. In German,
B stands for our B&flat, while our B natural is called H
Ba
(Ba) v. t. [Cf. OF. baer to open the mouth, F. bayer.] To kiss. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Baa
(Baa) v. i. [Cf. G. bäen; an imitative word.] To cry baa, or bleat as a sheep.
He treble baas for help, but none can get.
Sir P. Sidney.
Baa
(Baa) n.; pl. Baas [Cf. G. bä.] The cry or bleating of a sheep; a bleat.
Baaing
(Baa"ing), n. The bleating of a sheep. Marryat.
Baal
(Ba"al) n.; Heb. pl. Baalim [Heb. ba'al lord.]
1. (Myth.) The supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations.
The name of this god occurs in the Old Testament and elsewhere with qualifying epithets subjoined,
answering to the different ideas of his character; ; as, Baal-berith Baal-zebub
2. pl. The whole class of divinities to whom the name Baal was applied. Judges x. 6.
Baalism
(Ba"al*ism) n. Worship of Baal; idolatry.
Baalist
(Ba"al*ist Ba"al*ite) n. A worshiper of Baal; a devotee of any false religion; an idolater.
Baba
(||Ba"ba) n. [F.] A kind of plum cake.
Babbitt
(Bab"bitt) v. t. To line with Babbitt metal.
Babbitt metal
(Bab"bitt met`al) [From the inventor, Isaac Babbitt of Massachusetts.] A soft white alloy
of variable composition (as a nine parts of tin to one of copper, or of fifty parts of tin to five of antimony
and one of copper) used in bearings to diminish friction.
Babble
(Bab"ble) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Babbled (-b'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Babbling.] [Cf.LG. babbeln, D.
babbelen, G. bappeln, bappern, F. babiller, It. babbolare; prob. orig., to keep saying ba, imitative of
a child learning to talk.]
1. To utter words indistinctly or unintelligibly; to utter inarticulate sounds; as, a child babbles.
2. To talk incoherently; to utter unmeaning words.
3. To talk much; to chatter; to prate.
4. To make a continuous murmuring noise, as shallow water running over stones.
In every babbling brook he finds a friend.
Wordsworth.
Hounds are said to babble, or to be babbling, when they are too noisy after having found a good scent.
