BE A 



129 



BE A 



bffidi and to be at beads, means to be at 

 prayers. 



BEAD, among builders and uprights, is a 

 round moulding (originally and often yet 

 carved in short embossments like beads in 

 necklaces), frequently set on the edse of 

 each facia of an architrave ; also used as 

 the mouldings of doors, shutters, skirt- 

 ings, impost and cornices. When the 

 bead is flush with the surface, it is called 

 quirk-bead, and when raised, cock-bead. 



The term is frequently used by car- 

 penters, thus: Send and butt work, a 

 piece of framing in which the panels 

 are flush, having beads upon the two 

 edges. Bead, butt, and square work, 

 framing with bead and butt on one side, 

 and square on the other, used chiefly in 

 doors. Bead and flush work, a piece of 

 framed work with beads run on each 

 edge of the inclined panel. Bead,flush, 

 and square work, framing with bead and 

 flush on one side, and square on the 

 other. Bead and quirk, a bead stuck on 

 the edge of a piece of stuff, flush with 

 its surface, with only one quirk. Bead 

 and double quirk. See RETURN BEAD. 

 BEAD-PROOF, a rude method of deter- 

 mining the strength of spirituous liquors 

 from the continuance of the bubbles (beads) 

 on the surface, produced by shaking. 



BEADS, a number of glass globules for 

 trying the strength of spirits, which is 

 denominated by the 

 number of the bead. 

 Thus if the bead mark- 

 ed 22 be exactly sus- 

 pended, while those 

 which are heavier sink , 

 and those which are 

 lighter stand above the 

 surface, the spirit is said to be of bead 22. 

 BEAD-TREE, the popular name of the 

 genus melia, but used to denote especially 

 the species azedarach and azedarachtd, 

 both Asiatic aaboreseent plants. The fruit 

 is a nut, which, being bored, is strong, 

 and worn as beads, especially in Spain 

 and Portugal. 



BEAK, the bill or nib of a bird, from the 

 same root as pcai. In architecture, a. small 

 fillet left on the edge of a larmier, which 

 forms a canal, and makes a kind of pen- 

 dant chin, answering to what is other- 

 wise called the mentum. In farriery, a 

 little shoe, at the toe, about one inch 

 long, turned up and fastened upon the 

 fore part of the hoof. 



BEAM, from Goth, bagm, a tree; Sax. 

 beam . Among builders , a piece of timber 

 or metal of a rectangular section, laid 

 across the walls, and serving to support 

 the principal rafters. When the word is 

 technically used, it is commonly com- 

 pounded with another word used adjec- 

 tlrely, as tie beam collar-beam, camber- 



beam. There are also scarfing and frut 

 beams (q. v.). The beam of a ship is a greet 

 cross timber which holds the sides of a 

 ship from falling together. The beams 

 support the deck and orlops the main- 

 beam is that nearest the main-mast. 

 Beam-ends: a vessel is said to be on her 

 beam-ends when she inclines so much on 

 one side, that her beams approach a ver- 

 tical position. On the beam signifies at 

 any distance from the ship on a line with 

 the beams, or at right angles with the 

 keel. Before the beam is an arc of the 

 horizon intercepted crossing the ship at 

 right angles, and the point of the compass 

 on which she steers. The anchor-beam is 

 the shank of the anchor. The word beam 

 is also used to signify : 1 . The pole of a 

 carriage, which runs between the horses. 



2. The lever or rod of a balance is 



termed the beam K and the parts on each 



side of the pivot are its armt. 3. The 



main horn of a stag, which bears the 

 antlers, royal and tops. 4. The cylin- 

 ders of a loom on which the warp and 

 cloth are rolled, are called, the one the 



back and the other ihefore-beam. 5. The 



main piece of a plough, in which the 

 plough-tails are fixed, and by which it is 

 drawn. 



BEAM-BIRD, a species of the genus Mo- 

 tacilla, Lin. ; called also petty-chaps and 

 hay-bird. The name is also given in 

 some parts to the spotted fly-catcher, a 

 species of muscicapa. 



BEAM-COMPASS, an instrument consisting 

 of a square wooden or brass beam, hav- 

 ing sliding sockets that carry steel or 

 pencil-points. Used for describing large 

 circles. 



BEA'M-FILLINO, the filling in masonry 

 or brickwork between beams or joists, 

 its height being equal to the depth of the 

 timbers filled in. 



BEAM-TREE. WHITE BEAM. The Pyrta 

 aria of botanists. 



BEAR, a name common to all the ani- 

 mal." of the genus Ursus (q. v.). There 

 are various species of the Bear, as the 

 Polar Bear, Thibet Bear, Malay Bear, and 

 the Grisly Bear. The thick-lipped Bear 

 (U. labiatus. Lin.) is peculiar to India, 

 where it is a great favourite with the 

 jugglers on account of its blackness and 

 general ugliness. The name is from the 

 Goth. bi6rn, Icelandic, beam, beam, the 

 primary sense of which is rough. 



BEAR (Great and Little). In astronomy, 

 see URSA. 



BEARD, Sax. bearS, Lat. barba (q. T.). 

 1. In botany, the awn which grows from 

 the glume or chaff, in corn and grasses ; 

 and sometimes the lower lip of a ringent 



corolla. 2. In conchology. the processes 



by which some univalves adhere to rocks. 

 . In/arrvrv,the chuck of a horse. 



