Byssaceous
(Bys*sa"ceous) a. [From Byssus.] (Bot.) Byssuslike; consisting of fine fibers or threads,
as some very delicate filamentous algæ.
Byssiferous
(Bys*sif"er*ous) a. [Byssus + -ferous.] Bearing a byssus or tuft.
Byssin
(Bys"sin) n. See Byssus, n., 1.
Byssine
(Bys"sine) a. [L. byssinus made of byssus, Gr. by`ssinos See Byssus.] Made of silk; having
a silky or flaxlike appearance. Coles.
Byssoid
(Bys"soid) a. [Byssus + - oid.] Byssaceous.
Byssolite
(Bys"so*lite) n. [Gr. See flax + - lite.] (Min.) An olive-green fibrous variety of hornblende.
Byssus
(||Bys"sus) n.; pl. E. Byssuses ; L. Byssi. [L. byssus fine flax, fine linen or cotton, Gr. by`ssos
.]
1. A cloth of exceedingly fine texture, used by the ancients. It is disputed whether it was of cotton, linen,
or silk. [Written also byss and byssin.]
2. (Zoöl.) A tuft of long, tough filaments which are formed in a groove of the foot, and issue from between
the valves of certain bivalve mollusks, as the Pinna and Mytilus, by which they attach themselves to
rocks, etc.
3. (Bot.) An obsolete name for certain fungi composed of slender threads.
4. Asbestus.
Bystander
(By"stand`er) n. [By + stander, equiv. to stander-by; cf. AS. big-standan to stand by or
near.] One who stands near; a spectator; one who has no concern with the business transacting.
He addressed the bystanders and scattered pamphlets among them.
Palfrey.
Syn. — Looker on; spectator; beholder; observer.
By-street
(By"-street`) n. A separate, private, or obscure street; an out of the way or cross street.
He seeks by-streets, and saves the expensive coach.
Gay.
By-stroke
(By"-stroke`) n. An accidental or a slyly given stroke.
By-turning
(By"-turn`ing) n. An obscure road; a way turning from the main road. Sir P. Sidney.
By-view
(By"-view`) n. A private or selfish view; self-interested aim or purpose.
No by-views of his own shall mislead him.
Atterbury.
By-walk
(By"-walk`) n. A secluded or private walk.
He moves afterward in by-walks.
Dryden.
By-wash
(By"-wash`) n. The outlet from a dam or reservoir; also, a cut to divert the flow of water.
Byway
(By"way`) n. A secluded, private, or obscure way; a path or road aside from the main one. " Take
no byways." Herbert.
By-wipe
(By"-wipe`) n. A secret or side stroke, as of raillery or sarcasm. Milton.
