^ 
A 
Becs-de-corli, istli century. 
.I, with handle of wroii^ht-irou ; K, with 
wooden handle sheathed with metal. ( From 
Viollet-le-Uuc's " Diet, du Mobilier fran- 
beccaflco 
In extended use 2. One of sundry small 
American birds, :is some of (hose formerly in- 
cluded in a genus Fict-ilula. 3. The European 
golden oriole, Orinlns ynlbuln. 
beccot, n. [It., a goat.] A cuckold. 
Duke, thou art a /y.vi-o. a cunnito. 
H,i,'xl:.,i and II'. ';,/- !-. Tlie Malcontent.!. ::. 
bec-de-COlbint (bek'de-kor-bari'), ii. [P., lit. 
crow's beak: see beak 1 , <lt~, and cnrbir.] 1. 
A name given 
in the middle 
ages to the 
pointed end 
of the mar- 
tel-do-fer, or 
war - hummer. 
Heneo-2. The 
whole weapon 
having such 
a point or 
beak. 3. A 
name given in 
the eighteenth 
century to the 
head of a walk- 
ing-cane hav- 
ing somewhat 
the form of a 
bird's beak. 
bechamel 
(besh'a-mel), 
it. [<"P. I"'- 
f/n/iin:l: see 
definition.] In 
cookery, a white sauce of elaborate composi- 
tion, named from its inventor, Louis de Becha- 
mel or Bechameil, marquis of Nointel, steward 
to Louis XIV. 
bechance 1 (be-chaus'), c. [< be- 1 + chance, v.] 
1. intraitn. To happen ; chance. 
II. trans. To befall ; happen to. 
My sons God knows what hath l>f chanced them. 
Shak., 3 Hen. VI., I. 4. 
bechance 2 ! (be-ch&ns'), adr. [For by chance ; 
cf. because.] Accidentally; by chance. 
We bechance lost our sovereign lord. 
(Jnifliiii, Hen. VIII., an. 14. 
becharm (be-charm'), v. t. [< be- 1 + charm.] 
To charm ; captivate ; enchain. 
The lethargy wherein my reason long 
Hath been bechanned. 
Beau, and t'l., Laws of Candy, v. 1. 
Prithee, interrupt not 
The paradise of ray becharmini/ thoughts. 
ford, Fancies, iv. 1. 
bche-de-mer (bash'de-mar'), w. [F., lit. spade 
of the sea (beche, < OF. besche (ML. besca; cf. 
equiv. becca: see beck 3 ), spade; de, < L. de, of; 
mer, < L. mare, sea, =E. mere), a name explained 
as having reference to the shape of the animals 
when dried and pressed, but really an accom- 
modation of the Pg. name bicho do mar, lit. 
worm of the sea, sea-slug : bicho = Sp. biclio, 
a worm, grub, slug; do, of the ; mar, < L. mare, 
sea.] The trepang, a species of the genus 
Holothuria (H. argus), or sea-slugs, much es- 
teemed by the Chinese as a culinary delicacy. 
See trepanf/. 
bechic (be'kik), a. and . [< L. bechicus, < Gr. 
f}r/xu<6(, pertaining to a cough, < /3#f (fiiix-), a 
cough, < fHiaaetv, cough.] I. a. Having the 
property of curing coughs. 
II. . A medicine for relieving coughs; a 
pectoral. 
beck 1 (bek), n. [< ME. bek, becc, < AS. "becc (Bos- 
worth) = Icel. bekkr = Sw. back = Dan. bask; 
but the ME. form may be from the Scand., the 
only authenticated AS. form being bece, bcecc, 
dat. of bece (giving mod. E. *betch, which prob. 
exists in the dial, batch : see batch^) = OS. 
beki = OD. beke, D. beek = LG. beke, bak = 
OHG. bah, MHG. bach, a brook.] 1. A brook ; 
a small stream; especially, a brook with a 
stony bed or rugged course. 
The brooks, the beckit, the rills. 
Drayton, Polyolbion, i. 
The reflex of a beauteous form, 
A glowing arm, a gleaming neck, 
As when a sunbeam wavers warm 
Within the dark and dimpled beck. 
T, -a iiinou. The Miller's Daughter. 
2. The valley of a beck ; a field or patch of 
ground adjacent to a brook. See batch?. 
beck' 2 (bek), c. [< ME. becken, bekken, short 
for beknen, beckon : see beckon.] I. intraiix. 1. 
To signal by a nod or other significant gesture ; 
beckon. 
497 
Who 's he- but biiweil if this great prince but 'v*. ' ' 
lh-lllt'"ll, (^llel'll M 
Let IIS follow 
The btrkiit'f of imr chance. 
l''l,-tfli:-f(ilinl illlKllirr). TW" Nnlile Kill -inell, i. 2. 
2. To recognize a person by a slight bow or 
nod. [Scotch.] 
II. ti'/niN. 1. To summon or intimate some 
command or desire to by a nod or gesture; 
beckon to. 
i;- II, In K. k. and candle shall not drive me back, 
When gold and M!-. iii come on. 
Miik., K. John, iii. :i. 
2. To express by a gesture : as, to beck thanks. 
[Rare. ] 
beck- (bek), ii. [< ME. bek, < hi-ki-n, lin-l.-ni, 
beck: see beck-, p.] 1. A nod of the head or 
other significant gesture intended to be un- 
derstood as expressive of a desire, or as a sign 
of command. 
Sods, and bi'ckx, ami wreathed 
Mi/tun, I/Allegro, 1. 28. 
My guiltiness had need of such a master, 
That with a trek can suppress multitudes 
Mi,l'll.-ti,H, The Witch, iv. 1. 
I would wish myself a little inure n.inniand and sove- 
reignty; that all the court were subject to my absolute 
beck. Ii. ./"i, MIU, Cynthia's Bevels, iv. 1. 
2. A gesture of salutation or recognition; a 
bow; a courtesy. [Scotch.] At one's beck, at 
one's beck and call, subject to one's slightest wish; 
obliged or ready to obey all of one's orders or desire-. 
It was necessary for him to have always at hi* fo'fljfcsome 
men i if letters from Paris to point out the sulei i-nis ami 
false rhymes of which, to the last, he was frequently 
guilty. Macaulay, Frederic the Great. 
We move, my friend, 
At no man'* beek. Tfiinymn, Princess, iii. 
beck 3 (bek), w. [E. dial., not found in ME., < AS. 
becca, glossed ligo, a mattock ; cf . ML. becca (cf . 
ML. besca, >OP. besche, mod. P. bfahe), a ppade ; 
Pr. beca, a hook, Ir. bacc, a hook.] An agricul- 
tural implement with two hooks, used in dress- 
ing turnips, etc.; a form of mattock. 
beck 4 t (bek), . [< ME. bek, bee, < OF. bee, 
beak ; the same word, retaining the orig. short 
vowel, as the now more common beak 1 .] 1. 
A beak. 2. Any pointed or projecting part of 
the dress, especially of a head-dress, as of the 
bycoeket. 
beck 5 (bek), . [Prob. another form of backs, 
q. v.] A vat or vessel used in a dye-house ; a 
back. Clearing-beck, in calico-printing, a vat in which 
cottons printed with certain colors are cleansed or scoured 
with soap and water. 
beckt, n. [Cf. fteafc 2 .] Same as beck-harman. 
becker (bek'er), n. [E. dial, (also becket 1 , q. v. ), 
appar. < beck* + -er 1 . Cf. F. beccard, the 
female salmon.] A name of the fish S/iarus 
piii/rug, otherwise called braize and king of tlte 
sea-breams. 
beckern (bok'ern), . Same as bickern and 
bea1c-4ron. 
becket 1 (bek'et), n. [E. dial. ; cf. OF. bequet, 
bechct, a pike or pickerel, dim. of bee, beak: see 
beak 1 , beck*.] Same as becker. 
becket 2 (bek'et), . [Origin obscure.] Naut.: 
(a) A short piece of rope, with a knot at one 
end and an eye 
in the other, 
for tempora- 
rily confining 
ropes or small 
spars. (6) A 
handle made 
of a rope grom- 
met or ring, 
(c) A wooden 
cleat or hook, 
fastened on 
the fore- or 
main-rigging of 
a ship, for 
the tacks and 
sheets to lie in 
when not in use. (d) A. rope grommot in the 
bottom of a block for securing tie standing end 
of thefall. (c) Acanttermforatrousers-pocket. 
becket 2 (bek'et), r. t. [< becketf, n.] To fas- 
ten or provide with beckets. Cooper. 
beck-harman t, n. [Also harman-beck; old 
slang, of obscure origin; with beck cf. equiv. 
beak%.] In old slang, a constable. B. Jonson. 
beckingt (bek'ing), n. [Verbal n. of beck 2 , .] 
The act of making a beck; the act of bowing 
or nodding. 
The Communion was altogether like a popish mass, 
with the old apish tricks of Antichrist, bowings and beck- 
inijs, kneclings and blockings, the Lord's Death, after St. 
Paul's doctrine, neither preached nor spoken of. 
KI>. i:nl.. in IS. \V. Dixon's Hist. Ch. of Eng., xxi. 
become 
beck-iron (bek'i r-rn). . [< b<-ck* + iron. Cf. 
iii-iik-iron.] 1. A contrivance for holdings pieee 
of wood firmly while it is planed, it is made .if 
ii'.n iir ^ei 1 nnU fa-teni d tu a lieneh and bent parallel to 
tile surface of the wimil. 
2. A small anvil with a shallow groove, for 
rounding the inside of the bows of scissors. 
beckon (bek'n), r. [Early mod. E. also / ,-/,-. n, 
< MIO. lnl:/ifii, /M'1-nfii. hil.niiii, < AS. bi-niiiiii, 
hii'i'/iint. later also ///</. m (us. hnl.niini = 
OHO. hiitiliiti'ii = OX. liukiui). < bftiren, a sign, 
beacon: see beacon.] I. intranx. To make a 
significant gesture with the head or hand, in- 
I ended as a hint or an intiiiiiit ion. especially of a 
desire for approach or departure, or for silence. 
Alexander Ijeclaiwit with the hand, and would have made 
his defence unto the people. Acts xix. :i:;. 
II. tmuK. To make a significant sign to ; sum- 
mon or direct by making signs. 
1 M-C a hand \-"i 
Which /wvfrimx me away. 
Tifkfll, Colin and Lucy. 
Btfkuiiiin: the inia^inatii >n with pi i unisex better than any 
fulfilment. ", study Windows, p. :ti'i. 
beckon (bek'u), w. [< beckon, c.] A signifi- 
cant gesture: as, "at the first beckon," linlini/- 
broke, Parties. [Bare.] 
beckoner (bek /Tl -er), w. One who beckons or 
calls by si^ns. 
beclapt (be-klap'), r. t. [< ME. beclap)>in ; < 
be- 1 + clajt 1 .] To catch; grasp; insnare. 
He that with his thousand curdes dye 
Continuelly us waiteth to hii'tii/i/*'. 
<'tiu/"-<',-, Se<-ond Nun's Tale, 1. . 
beclipt (be-klip'), r. t. [< ME. bedippen; < de- 1 
+ cap 1 .'] ' To embrace; clasp. 
And sodenly, ere she ft wiste, 
Btclipt in arines he her kiste. 
Gtiwer, Conf. Amant., i. 
becloud (be-kloud'), r. t. [< be- 1 + cloud.] To 
overcloud; obscure; dim. 
stui ins of tears becloud his eyes. 
/'. Fletcher, Piscatory Eclogues, v. IS. 
The subject has heen beclouded by the mass of writings. 
The American, VIII. BO. 
become (be-kum'), v. ; pret. became, pp. become, 
ppr. becoming. [Early mod. E. also oecum, be- 
cume, < ME. becumen, bicwmen, (. AS. becuman, 
bicuman, come, happen (= D. bekomen = OHG. 
biqiieman, MHG. bekomen, G. bekommen, reach, 
suit, = Goth, bikiciman, come upon one, befall), 
< be- + cunian, come: see be- 1 and come. In 
the sense of befit, suit, cf. AS. gecweme, ME. 
icweme, cweme, and OHG. biquami, MHG. be- 
qweme, G. bequem, fit, suitable ; also AS. cym- 
lic, E. comely, and L. convcnien(t-)8, E. conve- 
nient.'] I. intrans. If. To come; arrive; betake 
one's self; go. 
But when they saw that they shoulde become vnder the 
ol>edience of another prince, they suffred the Greekes to 
meet Alexander. J. Brende, tr. of Quintus Curtius, v. 
You shall have sometimes fair houses so full of glass 
that one cannot tell where to become to he out of the snn 
or cold. Bacon, Building. 
I cannot joy, until I be resolv'd 
Where our right valiant father is become. 
Shak., 3 Hen. VI., 1L 1. 
2. To come about; come into being; pass from 
non-existence; arise. [Rare.] 
The only reals for him [Hume] were certain irrelatcd sen- 
sations, and out of these knowledge arises or beauties. 
Mind, XI. 3. 
3. To change or pass from one state of exis- 
tence to another ; come to be something differ- 
ent; come or grow to be: as, the boy rapidly 
becomes the man. 
'['lie Lord God . . . breathed into his nostrils the breath 
of life ; and man became a living soul. Gen. It. 7. 
I rue 
That errour now, which is become my crime. 
Milton, P. L, ix. 1181. 
If the Bank he unconstitutional, when did it become so? 
D. Webster, Speech, Sept 31, 1834. 
4. To be fit or proper ; be decorous or praise- 
worthy. [Rare.] 
Set this diamond safe 
In golden palaces, as it becomes. 
Shak., 1 Hen. VI., v. S. 
To become Of. (at) To come out of ; result from. See 1. 
(6) To be the fate of ; be the end of ; be the final or sub- 
sequent condition : after what : as, vhat will become of 
our commerce? what will become o/us? It applies to place 
as well as condition : What has become of ray friend? that 
is, where is he? as well as, what U his condition? 
What is then become of so huge a multitude? Raltiyh. 
Sneer. And pray what bectnne* of her t 
Puf. She is gone to throw herself into the sea, to lie sure. 
Sheridan, The Critic, iii. 1. 
II. trans. 1. To suit or be suitable to; be 
congruous with; befit; accord with in charao- 
