beech 
places where it is constantly wet. It is manufactured 
into a great variety of toots, for wliicli it is fitted on ac- 
count of its great hardness, toughness, ami close, uniform 
texture, and is also used to some extent in making fur- 
niture, taking a beautiful polish and varying much in 
color. Several ornamental varieties are frequently seen, 
as the reel beech and copper beech with colored leaves, 
and the fern-leafed beech with divided leaves. The Ameri- 
can heech, I'\ fen-(i;/iHi'ir, is a very similar tree, sometimes 
100 feet in height and 3 or 4 feet in diameter. Austra- 
lian beech, Tectuua aimtralin, a species of teak. Beech- 
cherry. See cha-nj. Blue beech. Same as u-ater-becch. 
Seaside beeclx, of the West Indies, Exuxtemma Carib- 
btfuin, a tree belonging to the natural order Rnbiaf-efK. It 
is allied to cinchona, and its bark is used as a febrifuge. 
beech-'t, Obsolete spelling of bcacli. 
beech-coal (bech'kol), . Charcoal from beech- 
wood. 
beech-drops (bech'drops), n. A low annual 
plant, Eptpltegus I'irgiiiiHiia, without green foli- 
uge, parasitic upon the roots of the beech ill 
the United States. It belongs to the natural order 
Orobanchacece. Albany beech-drops, or pine-drops, Ptero- 
spora androinedea, and false beech-drops, or pine-sap, 
Moniitrojta H/ffofiitt/*. are similar parasitic plants of the 
natural order Sneaceo, 
beechen (be'chen), .. [< ME. bechen, < AS. 
becen (= D. beween = OHG. buochin, MHG. G. 
buchen = L. fuginus = Gr. <j>f/yivof). < hoc, beech, 
+ -en: see bcechl and -en.'] 1. Of, pertaining 
to, or derived from the beech : as, beechen 
boughs ; beechen shade. 
His aged head, crowned with beecken wreath, 
Seemed like a poll of ivy in the teeth 
Of winter hoar. Keats. 
2. Made of the wood of the beech : as, beechen 
vessels. 
A beechen howl, 
A maple dish, my furniture should be ; 
Crisp, yellow leaves my bed. 
Wordsworth, Eccles. Sonnets, i. 22. 
beech-fern (bech'fern), n. A fern belonging 
to the genus Phegopteris (which see). 
beech-finch (bech'fiuch), H. The chaffinch, 
Frinyilla ccelebx. Macgillifray. 
beech-fungus (bech'fung"gus), n. An edible 
fungus, Cyttaria Darwinii, allied to the morel. 
It is abundant in Terra del Fuego upon the branches of 
evergreen beeches, and is at times the principal food of 
the natives. 
beech-gall (bech'gal), n. A gall or excrescence 
formed on the beech by insects. 
beech-hopper (bech'hop'er), . A coleopter- 
ous insect, Orchestes fagi, family Curculionidce, 
or weevils, injurious to beech-trees, between 
the two surfaces of the leaves of which they 
lay their eggs. 
beech-marten (bech'mar"ten), n. Mustelafoina, 
one of two species or varieties of the European 
marten, usually distinguished from the common 
pine-marten, M. martes, by the white throat 
and some other external features, as well as by 
some differences in habits. Also called stone- 
marten. 
beech-mast (bech'mast), n. [< beech* + mast"*; 
= buck-mast.] The mast or nuts of the beech- 
tree, from which an oil is obtained. The cake 
which remains after the oil has been expressed is a good 
fattening food for oxen, swine, and poultry, but is inju- 
rious to horses. See beech-oil. 
beechnut (bech'nut), . One of the nuts or 
fruits of the beech. The nuts are triangular, 
and inclosed in a spiny capsule or husk. 
beech-oil (bech'oil), n. A bland fixed oil ex- 
pressed from the mast or nuts of the beech- 
tree. It is used in Pieardy and in other parts of France 
instead of butter ; but it is said to occasion heaviness and 
pains in the stomach. 
beech-owl (bech'owl), n. A name of the tawny 
owl or wood-owl of Europe, Syrnium aluco. 
beech-wheatt 
(bech'hwet), n. 
Same as buek- 
.wheat. 
beechy (be'chi), 
a. [< beech 1 + 
-#!.] Of, per- 
taining to, or 
abounding in 
beeches: as, "a 
beechy garland," 
Fletcher, Purple 
Island, vi. 
bee-culture 
(be'kul'tur), n. 
The rearing of 
bees in a state 
of domestica- 
tion ; apiculture. 
bee-eater (be'- 
e'ttr), n. That 
which eats bees, 
as a bird; an 
apiaster. Specifl- European Bee-eater ( lU,r afs /,,,-). 
502 
eally (n) The European Mt'rops apiatter. (b) pL The 
birds of the family Meropida;, of which there are several 
genera and numerous species, chiefly African. See Mt-nif^, 
Mi i-i>pid(f. 
beef (bef), n. [Early mod. E. also becfe, beafe, 
liiij'f, etc., < ME. beef, befc, beof, bouf, bocf, < OF. 
bocf, bucf, boeuf = Pr. bov = Sp. AMPI/ = Pg. boi 
= It. boi-e (ef. Sw. biff, Dan. bof, beef, from E. ; 
and see beefsteak), < L. bovem, ace. of bos (see 
Bos and bovine), = Gr. ftoin; an ox, = Ir. and 
Gael, bo, a cow, = W. buw = Skt. go, a cow, 
= AS. cii, E. coif 1 : see cote 1 , which is thus 
ult. identical with beef.] 1. An animal of the 
bovine genus, whether ox, bull, or cow, in the 
full-grown state. [In this, which is the original sense, 
the word has a plural, beeivt;, formerly sometimes for/'*. 
The singular is nearly obsolete.] 
These are the beasts which ye shall eat : the beef, the 
sheep, and the goat. Deut. xiv. 4 (ed. '1578). 
A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, 
Is not so estimable, profitable neither, 
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. 
Shak., M. of V.,i. 3. 
A herd of beeves, fair oxen, and fair kine. 
Miltou, P. L., xi. 647. 
2. The flesh of an ox, bull, or cow when killed. 
[In this sense the word has no plural.] 3. A 
name given by quarrymen to certain beds of 
fibrous carbonate of lime occurring in England 
in the middle division of the Purbeck series, 
the highest part of the Jurassic. 4. Brawn; 
muscularity; weight and strength combined: 
as, the crew is lacking in beef. [Colloq.] Ala- 
mode beef. See alamode. Baron Of beef. Scebaron. 
Collared beef, beef rolled, boned, slightly salted or 
corned, and seasoned with herbs and spices. Hung beef, 
beef cured by being hung up to dry ; dried beef. -^Jerked 
beef. See jerk. 
beef-brainedt (bef 'brand), a. Having the brain 
or wit of an ox; beef-witted: as, "the most 
beef-brained sensualist," Tanners, Cure of Mis- 
prision, p. 29 (Ord MS.). 
beef-cattle (bef'katl), . pi. Bovine animals 
adapted or intended for conversion into beef ; 
bovine animals for slaughter. 
beef-eater (bef 'e"ter), . [< beef + eater. In 
sense 2, merely a particular use of the same 
word ; cf. AS. hldf-aita, a domestic servant, lit. 
'loaf-eater,' contrasting with hldford, master, 
lit. 'loaf-keeper.' Servants are often thought 
of as eaters; Ben Jonson uses eaters in the 
sense of 'servants' ("Epicoene," iii. 2). The 
oft-quoted etymology from a supposed "buffe- 
tier, < buffet, a sideboard, is mere fiction.] ' 1. 
One who eats beef ; hence, a well-fed fellow ; 
a stout fleshy man. 2. One of the yeomen of 
the English royal guard, who, since the acces- 
sion of Henry VII. in 1485, have attended the 
sovereign at state banquets and on other 
ceremonial occasions. The name is also given 
to the warders of the Tower of London, who 
wear a similar uniform. [In this sense com- 
monly without a hyphen.] 
Charles had begun to form a small standing army. He 
felt that without some better protection than that of the 
train-bands and beef-eaters his palace and person would 
scarcely be secure in the vicinity of a great city swarming 
with warlike Fifth Monarchy men who had been just dis- 
banded, llacaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. 
3. An African insessorial bird, of the genus Bit- 
phaga, which feeds on the larvse that infest the 
hides of oxen. It is a mere book-name, translating JSu- 
phaga ; the more frequent term is oxpecker. See liuphaga. 
4. Same as bluebottle, 2. 
bee-feed (be'fed), . A name given in Cali- 
fornia to an abundant free-flowering species of 
Eriogonum, E. fasciculatum, much visited by 
bee-feeder (be'fe"der), w. An arrangement 
used for feeding bees in bad weather or very 
long winters. 
beefen (bef'en), n. A form of biffin. 
beef-herd (b'ef 'h6rd), n. A drove of cattle in- 
tended for slaughter. [Western U. S.] 
Following the dusty trails made by the beef-herds that 
had been driven toward one of the Montana shipping 
towns. T. Jtooeeeelt, Hunting Trips, p. 132. 
beefiness (bef'i-nes), . 1. Beefy quality. 2. 
Brawniuess ; muscularity ; hardiness. 
beefing 1 (bef 'ing), n. [< beef + -ingr 1 .] A bul- 
lock fit for slaughter. [Prov. Eng.] 
beefing 2 (bef'ing), n. The original but later 
recorded and less usual form of biffin. [Eng.] 
beefish (bef'ish), a. 1. Stupid; thick-headed; 
having the brain or sense of an ox. 2. Obese ; 
solid; beefy. 
This degeneracy has turned him into that "beejuh, por- 
terish," bellowing sort of a John Bull, hardly endured by 
his own kind. Andoeer Rev., VII. 82. 
beef-kid (bef'kid), . A mess utensil used by 
the crew of a merchant ship for holding cooked 
beef. 
beehive 
bee-flower (be'ilou"er), . Same as bee-orchis. 
bee-fly (be'fli), i. A dipterous insect, 1'liora 
incramatii, which is a formidable pest of the bee- 
hive, formerly considered capable of producing 
the disease called foul-brood. See 1'lioriiln'. 
beef-measle (bef 'me"zl), >i. The measle of beef ; 
the hydatid or scolecif orm stage of the unarmed 
tapeworm of the ox, Tieitia inedioriniflldtit. 
beefsteak (bef'stak'), n. [< beef + xti-itl;. 
Adopted in other languages, D. biefstuk (assim- 
ilated to stuk, piece), G. beefsteak, Dan. baft tee/, 
Sw. biffstek, F. biftcck, Sp. (Cuban) bifte'q, It. 
biftecco, Russ. bifxtckx/i, etc.] A steak or slice 
of beef, cut from the hind quarter, suitable for 
broiling or frying. 
beefsteak-fungus (bef'stak'fung' l 'gu8), n. An 
edible hymenomycetous fungus, Fistulina lie- 
patica, belonging to the family Polyporei, it 
sometimes attains a large size, and is thought to resemble 
beefsteak somewhat in appearance. 
beefsteak-plant (bef'stak'plant), n. 1. A spe- 
cies of Saxifraga, S. sarmentosa, with fleshy 
purplish leaves. 2. A name applied to species 
of Begonia. 
beefsuet-tree (bef'su'et-tre), . The buffalo- 
berry, Khephcrdia ari/i-n/rn. 
beef-tea (bef'te'), n. An aqueous extract of 
beef obtained by soaking and heating chopped 
beef in water, straining it, and seasoning to 
taste. It contains salts and extractives, a little gelatin, 
and fat. It is useful as a stimulant, and forms an appro- 
priate introduction to a meal. 
beef-witted (bef'wif'ed), . Having the wit of 
an ox; dull in intellect ; heavy-headed; stupid. 
Thou mongrel, beef-witted lord! Shak., T. and C., ii. 1. 
beefwood (bef'wud), n. [< beef (in allusion to 
its grain and color) + wood.'] 1. The timber of 
some species of Australian trees belonging to 
the genus Casuarina (which see). It is of a red- 
dish color, hard and close-grained, with dark and whitish 
streaks. It is used chiefly for fine ornamental work. 
2. In the West Indies, a name given to Pisonia 
obtusata, with soft coarse-grained wood.- Red 
beefwood, of Jamaica, Arditda coriacea, a myrsinaceous 
shrub. White beefwood, Schtrpjia chryiophijlluides, 
natural order Olacinacece. 
beefy (bef'i), a. [< beef + -yi.] 1. Ox-like ; 
hence, fleshy; obese; solid. 
He [Carlyle] was at dinner when a beefy Tory was de- 
claiming to this effect. The American, VIII. 390. 
2. Brawny; muscular; hardy. [Colloq.] 
bee-garden (be'gardn), . A garden or inclo- 
sure to set beehives in ; an apiary. Morti- 
mer. 
beegerite (be'ger-it), . [After H. Beeger of 
Denver, Colorado.] A sulphid of bismuth and 
lead occurring in dark-gray masses with bril- 
liant metallic luster, rarely crystallized, found 
in Colorado. 
bee-glue (be'gl8), n. A soft, unctuous matter 
with which bees cement the combs to the hives 
and close up the cells. Also called propolis. 
bee-gum (be'gum), .. In the southern United 
States, a hollowed section of a gum-tree used 
as a beehive. 
bee-hawk (be'h&k), . A name of the honey- 
buzzard of Europe, Pernis ajiivorvs : so called 
because it preys upon bees, wasps, and other 
insects. Bee-hawk moth, a name of various lepidop- 
terous insects of the families Sphin(rtd(K and Sesiidce, ami 
especially of the genera Macroijloxtta and Setfia. 
beeheadt (be'hed), n. A crazy or flighty per- 
son. 
beeheaded (be'hed*ed), a. [=Sc. bee-Jieadit.'] 
Crazy; flighty. 
bee-herd (be'herd), n. A person who takes 
care of bees ; a bee-keeper. Phin, Diet. Api- 
culture, p. 13. 
beehive (be'hiv), n. [< ME.beehyve; < beel + 
hive.'] 1. A case or box serving as a habitation 
for bees. See hive. 2. The common name of 
a species of medic, Medicago scuteUata, from 
the shape of its spirally coiled pod Beehive 
house, the popular name of a class of very ancient coni- 
Beeliivc Houses at Cahernamacturech, County Kerry, Ireland. 
