ppr. 
bienseance 648 
of seoir, sit, befit, < L. sedcrc = E. sit.] biferous (bif 'e-rus), a. [_<JL.lifer, bearing twice 
fieceney; decorum; propriety; seemliness. 
The rule of observing what the French call the Men- 
seance in an allusion has been found out of later years, 
cou.^ionsoft^d. 
(< 61-, twice, "+ ferre = E. bear 1 ), + -ous.'] In 
&ofc, bearing flowers or fruit twice a year, as 
some plants ill warm climates. 
big 
madness of discourse, 
That cause sets up with and against thyself ! 
Ili-fold authority ! Shak., T. and 0., v. 2. 
u^uiic*, n. Plural of bifolimn. 
bifoliate (bi-fo'li-at), . [< bi- 2 + foliate.] In 
ciety. W. R. Greg, Misc. Essays, 2d ser., p. 219. 
bienvenuet (F. pron. byaii-ve-nu'), . [Early 
mod. E. also lenvenue, ME. lienvenu, < OF. 
(and F.) lienvenue, < 6ie, well, + venu, com- 
ing, pp. oivenir, < L. venire, come.] 1. Wel- 
a dial, corruption of 
beefing, <. beef +' -ing :"so called from the red 
color of the apple.] 1. An excellent cooking- 
apple cultivated in 
apple crushed into a flat round cake. 
bifid (bi'fid), a. [< L. liftdus, forked, < li-, two-, 
+ findere (Jid-), cleave, divide, = E. lite, q. v.] 
divided half-way down into two parts; open 
ing with a cleft ; divided by a linear sinus, with 
straight margins. 
It will be observed that each of the simple cells has 
a bifid wart-like 
come. 
They by this have met him, 
And given him the bienvenu. 
Massinyer, The Picture, ii. 2. 
2. A fee exacted from a new workman by his 
fellows, especially in printing-offices. 
A new bien venu, or sum for drink, was demanded of 
me by the compositors. I thought it an imposition, as I 
had paid it below [to the pressmen]. 
Franklin, Autobiography. 
bier (ber), n. [The present spelling is perhaps 
in imitation of the F. Here; early mod. E. reg. 
leer, < ME. leere, leer, lerc, < AS. leer (= 
OFries. lere = OS. Idra = D. boar = OHG. 
bara, MHG. bare, G. bahre (> Pr. lera = F. 
Here) = Icel. barar, mod. lorur, pl., = Sw. 
bar = Dan. laare), a bier, < leran (pret. lair, 
pl. lieron), bear. Cf . L. feretrum, < Gr. ftperpov, 
and E. larrow 2 , from the same ult. root. See ^fla^ inflated (bif'i-dat, -da-ted), a. [< L. 
late.] In lot., having two leaflets: applied to 
a compound leaf. 
bifolium (bl-fo'li-um), n.; pl. bifolia (-a). [NL., 
< L. li-, two-, + folium, leaf.] In math., a plane 
curve having two folia or depressions. See cut 
under bitangent. 
bifollicular (bi-fo-lik'u-liir), a. [< li- 2 + fol- 
licular.~\ In lot., having a double follicle, as 
+ Jindere (M-, ceave, ve, = . e q. v. apocyn - ace(ms p i ants . 
Cleft or divided into two parts ; forked, as bi f or ^ te (bi-fo'rat), a. [< L. li- + foratus, per- 
the tongue of a snake _; specifically, in lot., f o " ated ' of ^ rare = E. ftorcl.] In lot., 
(\i-\*ii\cir\ }-\ ft 1 f-'wo xr rlrW7i int. ft t.wn Tlfl.TTifi ! OT>PT1- -. * . .2 j_* , .tl, 
Bifid circle, a circle cut at the extremities of a diameter 
by another circle, in regard to which it is said to be bifid. 
-Bifid substitution, in math., a substitution Delating 
to pairs of 8 letters as (' 
rule that the whole 8 an 
of 4, and that every pair both ._ 
to the same set of 4 is to be replaced by the other pair 
of the same set of 4, while the rest of the pairs remain 
unchanged. 
having two pores or perforations, as the an- 
thers of a rhododendron. Also biforous. 
biforine (bif'o-rin), . [< L. biforis. two- 
doored, < bi-, two-, +/ons = E. door."] In lot., 
a minute oval sac found in the interior of the 
green pulpy part of the leaves of some arace- 
ous plants, with an aperture at each end through 
, ., which raphides are expelled. 
arftolfdis?m g P uTsn e ed dl i n n?o b 2 y seis Biforipalk (bi-fo-ri-pal'a), . [NL., < L. U-, 
ir both members of which belong two-, -r 
Specifically -2. A framework on which a bifldi ' y t y (b i-fid'i-ti), n. [< foi/id + -%.] 
se, or the coffin containing it, is laid be- ut * ^ gtat( v of ^ ei bifld> 
jjfl^j. (bi-fi'lar), a. and n. 
L. tfto, thread : see/fe3] 
-'-'. 
bear 1 .] If. A frame, usually of wood, on which 
to carry a load; a barrow; a litter; a stretch- 
corpse> 
fore burial; also, one on which it is carried to 
the grave by hand. 
After Mass was done, the priest walked down and stood 
by the bier whereon lay stretched the corpse. 
Rock, Church of our Fathers, ii. 306. 
3. A count of forty threads in the warp or 
chain of woolen cloth. Imp. Diet. 
bier-balkt (ber'bak), n. [< bier + balk 1 , a 
ridge, a path.] A balk left in a field for the 
passage of funerals. 
A broad and sufficient bier-balk. 
Homily for Rogation Week, iv. 
bier-right (ber'rit), n. An ancient ordeal, in 
which those who were suspected or accused of 
murder were required to approach and touch 
to lifidus: see bifid."] Same 
The 
[< 6- 2 + 
- 
, . foris E.' door, + palla, mantle.] 
An order of bivalve mollusks, supposed to be 
distinguished by having two openings in the 
mantle, one for the foot and the other for ex- 
crement. It was thus based on a misconception. 
Its constituents were the Mytilacca and Naya- 
des. Latreille. 
biforked (bi'fdrkt), a. [< bi- 2 + forked. Cf. 
bifurcate."] Having two forks or prongs ; two- 
T fv, forked : as, " a biforJced beam," Soutliey. 
- ^ .. -, - a - Tw - thread - biform, biformed (bl'f&rm, -fonnd), a. [< L. 
ed ; having two threads Bifllar magnetometer, 7,;/;,,...,;-,, / 7,,- t wo . + forma shar>e 1 Having 
^X^?tt;^i^ 
Bifllar suspension, an important contrivance for mea- bifCTlnity (bi-for mi-ti), n. [< oyorm T -ity.} 
suring horizontal couples or forces of rotation, first used rjijjg s t a te of being biform ; a doubleness of 
in ttie bifllar magnetometer. The needle, bar, disk, or f n 
other body which the couple to be measured is to turn is ,Vi ,,--, .. o T.-* t 
suspended at equal distances from and on opposite sides blforOUS (bl-fo'rus), a. bame as olforate. 
of its center of gravity by two equally long threads from bifoveolate, bifoveolated (bl-fo've-o-lat, -la- 
two fixed points on one higher level. Thus, under the te( j\ a r( fo_2 + f ove olate.~\ In e'niom., hav- 
influence of gravity alone, the suspended body comes to iZZ''*-. Jx,,r,rl a i,allnw nW r fnvpm on tho 
equilibrium with the two threads in a vertical plane, ing two round Shallow pitl 
When it is turned through any angle about a vertical surface. 
[L. : see lifront.] Same 
as F ' " 
en s , 
axis through its center, its weight tends to restore it to bifrons (bi'fronz), a. 
its original position; and the moment _of this force of as ^front. 
the corpse of the murdered person as it lay on %%"J^ > $^*^%^^ bifront (bi'frunt), a, [< L lifron(t-)s having 
the bier. If when touched the corpse bled, this was 
supposed to indicate the guilt of the person touching it. 
biest, biestings, . See beestings. 
bietle (be'tl), . [Amer. Ind.] A kind of 
jacket, made of an entire deer-skin, worn by 
the women of the Apaches. L. Hamilton, Mex. 
Handbook, p. 49. 
bifacial (bl-fa'shial), a. [< li- 2 + facial] 1. 
Having the opposite surfaces alike. 2. In lot., 
having the opposite faces unlike: as, the bi- 
facial arrangement of the parenchyma or green 
the weight of the suspended body. This moment in- 
creases with the angle of displacement up to 90'" ; conse- 
quently, if the force to be measured is not too great, it 
the old position beng o 
lating the magnitude of the force. 
two foreheads (an epithet of Janus), < bi-, two-, 
+ fron(t-)s, forehead, front.] Having two 
ting the 
II. n. A micrometer fitted with two threads. 
bifilarly (bi-fi'lar-li), adv. In a bifilar man- 
ner ; by means of two threads : as, " supported 
bifilarly," S. P. Thompson, Elect, and Mag., p. 
298. 
pulp upon the two faces of a leaf. Also dorsi- bifistular, bifistulous (bi-fis'tu-lar, -lus), a. 
ventral. 3. Having two fronts or principal [< &i-2 + fistular, fistulous.] Having two tubes 
faces ; specifically, having two human faces or channels. 
turned in opposite directions, as a medal or an biflabellate (bi-fla-bel'at), a. [< li- 2 + flabel- 
late.] In entom.,' having short joints, as an 
the means of calcu- Same as lifront. 
bifurcate (bi-fer'kat), v. i.: pret. and pp. lifur- 
cated, ppr. bifurcating. [< ML. lifurcatus, pp. 
adj., two-forked (cf. L. lifurcus, two-forked), 
< L. ii-, two-, + furcatus, forked: see furcate.'} 
To divide into two forks or branches. 
The central trunk which runs up the foot-stalk bifur- 
cates near the centre of the leaf. 
Darwin, Insectiv. Plants, p. 247. 
At present the Gulf Stream bifurcates in mid-Atlantic, 
one branch passing north-eastwards into the Arctic re- 
gions, whilst the larger branch turns south-eastwards by 
- , - . , the Azores. J. Crott, Climate and Cosmology, p. 148. 
3T5j!&2S25ftS bifurcate, bifurcated (bi-fer'kat, -ka-ted), a. 
with a very long, somewhat flattened process, 
the processes lying close together, so that the 
whole organ is somewhat fan-like. It is an 
extreme modification of the bipectinate type. 
bifurcately (bl-fer'kat-li), adv. In a bifurcate 
image 
bifara (bif'a-ra), n. [It., also liffara, pifara, 
piffero, a pipe : see pipe.] In organ-luildina, a 
stop the pipes of which are either two-mouthed 
or sounded in pairs, and are so tuned that the 
two tones emitted differ slightly in pitch, thus 
producing a wavy tone. Also called piffero, biflagellate (bi-fla-jel'at), a. [< bi- 2 + flagel- ^S^l\ m rhi f p r ka / sh 
undamaris, celestina, etc. lum + -ate 1 ."] Having two whip-like appen- lft >->- n : 
bifarious (bi-fa'ri-us), a. [< L. bifarius (= dages or flagella : as, a biflagellate infusorian. 
Gr. di^ao-iof), twofold, < bi- + -farius, < fa-ri Tne <. hooked Monad " is another bi-flagellate form. 
(= Gr. <jM-vat), speak. Cf. multifarious."] Di- W. B. Carpenter, Micros., 420. 
vided into two parts ; double; twofold. Specifi- biflecnode(bi-flek'nod),w. [IrregXL. 6i-, twice, 
caUy-(a)In6o(.,pointingintwoways,orarrangedjutwo -f fl ec (terc), bend, + nodus, node.] In math., a 
node or point at which a curve crosses itself, 
and which is at the 
same 
time a point of inflection, or 
a point where the direction 
of the bending changes. 
This is a singularity found 
among quartic and higher 
curves. 
opposite rows, as leaves that grow only on opposite sides 
of a branch. (6) In zool., two-rowed ; two-ranked ; dis- 
tichous or dichotomous, as the hairs of a squirrel's tail, 
or the webs of a feather. 
bifariously (bi-fa'ri-us-li), adv. In a bifarious 
manner. 
bifasciate (bl-fag'i-at), a. [< bi- 2 + fasciate."] 
In zool., having' two transverse or encircling 
bands of color. 
Bifaxaria (bi-fak-sa'ri-a), n. [NL., < LL. 64/00:, biflorate (bi-flo'rat), a. [< 
two-faced, < 6J-, , two-, + fades, face.] Agenus bi- 2 + florate.] In lot., bearing two flowers. 
of polyzoans with two rows of cells facing in biflorOUS (bi-flo'rus), a. [< NL. Mflorus, < L. bi-, 
opposite directions, typical of the family Bifax- two-, + flos (fior-), flower.] Same as liflorate. 
ariidce. bifocal (bi-fo'kal), a. [< li- 2 + focal.] Having 
Bifaxariidss (bi-fak-sa-ri'i-de), n. pl. [NL., < two foci. 
Bifaxaria + -ida:.] A family of chilostomatous bifoil (bi'foil), n. [< li- 2 + foil 3 , leaf.] An 
polyzoans, typified by the genus Bifaxaria. The old and synonymous name of the British plant 
cilary or zoarium is rigid, biserial, and variously branched; fwavTilnrlp 1 4<ttfrn mtntfi 
the cells or zouicia are alternate, closely connate back to , .Y a A ^-%-^f rx 7, 2 + f^ 
back, and lacing in opposite directions. Eleven existing DlIOlQ (bi told), a. l<. bi-* -t- -/oM.J 
species are known. double ; of two kinds, degrees, etc. 
Twofold ; 
[< bifurcate 
+ -ion.'] 1. A forking or division into two 
branches ; separation into two parts or things ; 
in optics, same as double refraction. See refrac- 
tion. 2. A point at which forking occurs ; one 
or both of the bifurcating parts. 
bifurcous (bi-fer'kus), a. [< L. llfurcus, two- 
forked, < li-, two-, + furca, a fork.] Same as 
lifurcate. 
big 1 (big), a. [< ME. lig, bigg, bigge, lyg, etc., 
powerful, strong, large ; origin unknown. The 
E. dial, bug, bog, proud, important, self-suffi- 
cient, agrees partly in sense, but appears to 
be unrelated: see bog 3 , bug*."] If. Of great 
strength or power. 2. Having great size ; large 
in bulk or magnitude, absolutely or relatively. 
Methinks he seems no biyyer than his head. 
Shak., Lear, iv. 6. 
The world wagged on in its accustomed way, bringing 
all manner of changes big and little. W. Black. 
3. Great with young; pregnant; ready to give 
birth ; hence, figuratively, full of something im- 
portant ; ready to produce ; teeming. 
At length thu momentous hour arrives, as big with con- 
sequences to man as any that ever .struck in his history. 
Everett, Orations, p. 81. 
