Balanus 
J>i,i>;i.itiiiii,itii section ttf Acorn-shell (Balanus). 
a, cavity of the sue lying over the UWmn ; f>, prosoint ; c, carina ; 
f/, carinolateral compartment ; /, lateral compartment ; f, roslrum : 
j, scutum ; f, tcryum ; /. penis ; ff, Eut-formeil gland ; h. duct con- 
necting *' with i 1 , Mduncuur or ovanan tubule*, and J^ cttMOMaet 
and glands ; / , antenna: ; >n, ovigerous fr.enum ; d, anus. 
tence, at which period they are not fixed, hut move about 
by means of swimmiiiK-tVet, and possess large stalked eyes, 
both feet mid eyes disappearing ulieii they attaeh them- 
selves to their tiu;il phiee of repose. 
balas 1 , balass (bal' as, ba-las'), . [Early mod. 
E. also ballan, etc.,< ME. bnln.i, ba/ncc, Ixilayx, 
etc., < OF. Jxilain, balai = Pr. baloys, balacli 
= Sp. balax = Pg. Ixihichc = It. lialaxcin, < 
ML. lialaxciux, balafeux, < Ar. balaklixh, a 
kind of ruby, < Pers. r>iiilnklii<titin, a country in 
central Asia north of the Hindu Kush moun- 
tains (called Balasian by Marco Polo), where 
this ruby is found.] A variety of spinel ruby, 
of a pale rose-red color, sometimes inclining to 
orange. See spinel. Usually called balas-ruby. 
William of Wykeham . . . bequeathed to his successor 
in the bishopric of Winchester . . . his larger gold pon- 
tifical ring, with a sapphire stone, surrounded with four 
balat-rubies, and two small diamonds and eleven pearls. 
Quoted in Itock'x Church of our Fathers, ii. 171. 
balas' 2 (bal'as), n. [Turk.] A long dagger in- 
tended for thrusting rather than cutting, used 
by the Turks ; a Turkish yataghan. B. F. Bur- 
ton. 
balase't, n. See balas 1 . 
balase 2 t, See ballast. 
balass, n. See balas 1 . 
balata (bal'a-ta), . Same as balata-gum. 
balata-gum'(ba'ra-ta-gum), w. The inspissated 
juice of a sapotaceous tree, Mimusojis ylobosa, 
of tropical America from the Antilles to Guiana. 
It is intermediate in character between caoutchouc and 
gutta-percha, and from its great strength is especially 
suited for belting and similar uses. 
balata-tree (bal'a-ta-tre), . A large sapota- 
ceous tree of the West Indies, Bumelia retusa, 
the wood of which is very hard. See bully- 
tree. 
balatront (bal'a-tron), . [< L. balalro(n-), a 
babbler, jester, buffoon, prob. for *blatei - o(n-), < 
Waterare, babble.] A buffoon. Cockeram. 
balatronic (bal-a-tron'ik), a. Of or pertaining 
to buffoons. Sola. [Rare.] 
balausta (ba-las'ta), n. [NL., < L. balaustium : 
see Balaustion .] A fruit like the pomegranate, 
succulent within and many-seeded, with a firm 
rind, and tipped with the persistent lobes of the 
calyx. 
balaustine (ba-las'tin), a. [< L. balaustium (< 
Gr. [iaAavoTiov, the flower of the wild pome- 
granate) + -tue 1 .] Pertaining to the wild pome- 
granate-tree. -Balaustine flowers, the dried flowers 
of the pomiwiuiiite, used in medicine as an astringent. 
Balaustion (ba-las'ti-on), n. [NL. ; cf. L. 
balaustium, < Gr. fia^avariov, the flower of the 
wild pomegranate. Cf. baluster.] A genus of 
myrtaceous plants, of a single species, B. pul- 
cherrimum, a shrub inhabiting southwestern 
Australia. It bears numerous flowers resembling in 
shape and color those of the dwarf pomegranate. 
balaustyt (ba-las'ti), . [< L. balaustium: see 
Balaustion."] Same as balaustine flowers. 
balayeuse (bal-a-yez'), n. [F., fern, of balayeur, 
a sweeper, < balayer, sweep, < balai, OF. balei, 
baleis, a broom, dial, the broom-plant, > ME. 
baleis, a rod.] A strip of plaited muslin or lace 
placed inside of the bottom of women's dresses 
to protect them from the floor. 
balaynt, An obsolete form of baleen. 
balayst, An obsolete form of balas 1 . 
bal-boy (bal'boi), n. A boy working in a mine. 
I're, Diet., I. 280. [Cornish.] 
Balbriggan hosiery. See hosiery. 
balbusard (bal'bu-sard), n. [F., also balbu- 
rarrf.] A name of the osprey or bald buzzard, 
Pandioti litiliiietits. It was taken in 1S-2S by Fleming 
as a geinu name in the form liulbuimrtiii*. [Not in use.] 
427 
balbutiatet (bal-bu'nhi-at), v. i. [< L. as if 
"balbutiiirc for ballnilirt; stammer, < I ' ' 
stammering.] To stammer in speaking. 
balbutientt (bal-bu'shi-ent), . [< L. 
ticii(t-)s, ppr. of hallmtiri", stiniiiin r : see 
liiitc. | Staiiiinering. 
balbuties (Iml-bii'shi-ez), . [XL., < L. balbus, 
stammering. Cf. balbiitiatr.'] I. Stammering. 
2. A vicious and incomplete pronunciation, 
in which almost all the consonants are replaced 
by b and /. Jtuiii/lixmi. 
bal-captain Ojal'kap"tan), ". A mine-captain. 
[Cornish.] 
balcont, balconet, n. [< F. hnimn, < It. balcone, 
a balcony: see hti/miii/.] A balcony or gallery. 
balconet (bal-ko-nef), " [Also liilnnii Iti-, < 
lialcon, balcony, + -ft, -Me. Cf. It. dim. hnl- 
conata.] A low 
ornamental rail- 
ing to a door 
or window, pro- 
jecting but 
slightly beyond 
the threshold or 
sill. 
balconied (bal'- 
ko-nid), it. Hav- 
ing a balcony or 
balconies. 
The house was 
Ruijrr North, Ex- 
[amen, iii. 7. 
balcony (bal'- 
ko-ni, until re- 
cently bal-ko'- 
ni), n.; pi. bal- 
conies (-niz). 
[Formerly also 
balconc, balco- 
nie, balcony, etc. 
(sometimes bal- 
con, after F. 
balcon), < It. bal- 
cone, \ balco, a 
beam scaffold, A Vcnctian BalcOD 
< OHG. balko, 
balcho, a scaffold, = E. balk, a beam, etc. : see 
balk 1 , .] 1. A stage or platform projecting 
from the wall of a building within or without, 
supported by columns, pillars, or consoles, and 
encompassed with a balustrade, railing, or 
parapet. Outer balconies are common before 
windows, and inner ones in ball-rooms, public 
halls, etc. 
The flourish of trumpets and kettledrums from a high 
balcony, which overlooked the hall, announced the en- 
trance of the maskers. Scott, Kenilworth, II. xviii. 
2. In theaters, a gallery occupying various po- 
sitions. In some theaters it is a raised tier of seats sur- 
rounding the parquette ; in others it takes the place of the 
dress-circle ; and in others still it is the gallery immedi- 
ately behind or above the dress-circle. 
bald 1 (bald), a. and n. [Early mod. E. also 
baldc, bauldc, baFd, balFd, < ME. balde, beldc, 
earlier balled, ballid, ballede, bald; of uncertain 
origin, (1) by some regarded as identical with 
the rare early ME. ballede, in the apparent 
sense of rotund, corpulent, applied to the 
body, lit. 'balled,' round like a ball (< bain + 
-edj), and hence, perhaps, of the head, smooth, 
hairless; otherwise (2) perhaps < ball, a white 
streak or spot (a word of Celtic origin not found 
in ME., but prob. then existent: see ball 3 ), + 
-ede, an adj. suffix connected with -erf2.] I. a. 
1. Wanting hair, as the head, in some part 
(usually the top, or front and top) where it 
naturally grows ; partly or wholly deprived of 
hair on the head, as a person. 
His heed was bnHiil and schon as eny glas. 
Chaucer, (Jen. Prol. to C. T., L 198. 
Ceesar, . . . because hU head was bald, covered that de- 
fect with laurels. Addiiton. 
2. Without the natural or usual covering of 
the head or top ; bareheaded: as, aftaWoak; a 
bald mountain. 
No Question asked him by any of the senators, but they 
stand bald before him. Shale., Cor., iv. 5. 
Thy bald, awful head, O sovran Blanc ! 
Coleridge, Chamouni. 
3. Destitute of beard or awn: as, bald wheat. 
4. Wanting force or meaning; meager; pal- 
try: as, zbald sermon; a 6aW truism. 5. Des- 
titute of appropriate ornament ; too bare, plain, 
or literal; unadorned; inelegant: as, "a bald 
translation," Longfellow, Hyperion, iii. 6. 
Balder-brae 
Hi? l-Milton] could sti)p In a [/lain style, sonietimcseven 
to a btiht style; lint false brilliancy was his utter aversion. 
Mfii'inilnif, Milton. 
<;h;is!ly thro tin- <ln//]in 
On the Ixilil struct break* tliu blank day. 
Tenii'ifii, In Mi nioriain, vii. 
6. Bare; open; undisguised. 
A bal'l egotism uhieh is ijiiiti ;il.ove anil beyond selftah- 
III'--. /,"/''//, Alllnll^ !ll> I'.'.oks. !>! SIT., p. 814. 
7. Having white mi the faco or head: speeili- 
cally applied to several birds : as, the bald buz- 
zard, eagle, ete. 
II, ii. A natural meadow or grassy plain oc- 
curring on the rounded summit of a high moun- 
tain: a term in use in the southern extension 
of the Appalachian ranges, where :i number of 
the highest knobs have their dome-shaped tops 
entirely bare of trees. 
bald ] t (Mid), ''. t. [< ///<(!, a.] To inakobald; 
deprive of hair. 
bald-'t, . An obsolete and dialectal form of 
Imlil. It is ivtaineil in this spelling as all element in 
ivi t:iiu proper names nf Auyli. Saxon or old Hiiih (Jerman 
origin: as, Baldwin, ArfltH"t/'l. i:iln'!i,<ti<l. etc. 
baldachin (bal'da-kin), n. [In def. 1 also for- 
merly balditkiii, bnldi'l:iii, and earlier hnntli-l.-in. 
i|. v. ; in def. '2 also baldm/niii, and, as It. or 
Sp., lnildiiccliiiKi, luildaf/uino; < F. baldaquin = 
Sji. linliliiimino = Pg. baldaquim, < It. balilitr- 
cliino (ML. baldakinus, etc.), a canopy, < 
liiildacco, It. form of Buijdad (Ar. llaijlidad), 
where a rich cloth used for such canopies was 
manufactured.] If. Same as baudekin. 2. A 
canopy of various kinds, (a) A portable decorative 
covering, borne in ceremonial processions as a sign of rank 
or dignity ; particularly, the dais-like canopy carried over 
tlie i u ,pe, which is supported on eight poles and carried by 
clMiiiLMiisluil personages. (b) In the Rum. Calh. Ch., a 
portable canopy home over the eucharist carried proces- 
sionally, as on the feast of Corpus Christ!, (c) A stationary 
covering, of baudekin, silk, or other rich stuff, stretched 
above the seat of a dignitary ; in general, the canopy of a 
dais ; sometimes, that of a bed with curtain*, (d) A fined 
Double Baldachin. Shrine of the Crown of Thorns, high altar of 
the Sainte Chapelle, Pahs; tjth century. 
(From Viollet-le-Duc's "Diet, de 1' Architecture."} 
canopy, often of metal or stone, above the Isolated high altar 
in many churches, especially in Italy and the East. From 
its center, according to the old ritual, usually hung by a 
chain the vessel containing the Host ; but this usage has 
now 1 ieeti superseded. Baldachins also occur in other po- 
sitions than over altars, as over tombs, shrines, etc. Also 
spelled baldaquin. Also called ciborium. 
baldachino (bal-da-ke'no), H. [< It. baldac- 
c/itno.] Same as baldachin. 
baldaquin (bal'da-kin), . See baldachin. 
baldaret, " [Origin obscure ; some suppose an 
allusion to the god Balder and his restoration 
to life.] An old name of the amaranth, Ama- 
rantug caudatus. 
bald-coot (bald'kot), . See baldicoot. 
baldekint. n. An obsolete form of baldachin. 
balden (bal'den), r. t. and t. [< baW + -!.] 
To make or become bald. [Kare.] 
Balder-brae, Balder's-brae (bal'der-, bal'- 
derz-bra), n. [Xorth. E., < Icel. Balders-bra 
(Cotula fetida) = Norw. balditr-braa, baltebraa 
(Pyrethrum inodorum), that is, as also in E., 
Solder's brmo; also corruptly bald eyebrow. 
From Balder, a Norse divinity, son of Odin.] 
An old name for the mayweed, Antbemis Cotula. 
