bissextile 
plied to those years which have 366 days, the 
extra day being inserted in the month of Febru- 
ary. See bixxfj-tnn. This occurs every fourth year, 
taken as each year of which the number is divisible by 4 
without remainder. Inasmuch, however, as a year of StioJ 
days exceeds the true length of a solar astronomical year 
by 11 minutes and 14 seconds, amounting to an error of a 
day in 128 years, it was provided in the QregorlftD calendar 
that the intercalary day should be omitted iu all cente- 
nary years except those which are multiples of 400. 
II. n. A leap-year (which see). 
bissextus (bi-seks'tus), n. [L. : see bissext, and 
of. bisse xtile.] The extra or intercalary day in- 
serted by the Julian calendar in the mouth of 
February every fourth year, in order to make 
up the six hours by which (it was reckoned) the 
natural or solar year exceeds the common year 
of 365 days. This extra day was provided for by reckon- 
ing twice the sixth day before the calends (or first) of March 
(or the sixth day from the calends of March, both days in- 
cluded, reckoning backward from the succeeding month, 
as was the custom of the Romans), the "sixth" (or first 
sixth) day proper thus corresponding to February 25th, 
according to our reckoning, and the extra sixth, or "second 
sixth," to our February 24th. Since 1662, when the Angli- 
can liturgy was revised, the 29th day of February has been, 
more conveniently, regarded as the intercalated day in all 
English-speaking countries. In the ecclesiastical calen- 
dars of the countries of continental Europe, however, the 
24th day of February is still reckoned as the bissextus or 
intercalary day. 
bissont (bis'ou), a. [Also E. dial, beesen, bee- 
zcn; < ME. bisen, bisne, ONorth. bisene, blind, of 
uncertain origin ; perhaps < AS. bi, be, by, + 
"sene, "syne, as in gesyne, adj., seen, visible, < 
seon, see. Cf. D. bijziend, short-sighted, < by, 
= E. by, + ziend, ppr. of :ien, = E. see ; G. bei- 
sichtig, short-sighted, < bei, = E. by, + sicht = 
E. sight.'] Blind or purblind; blinding: as, 
"bisson rheum," Shak., Hamlet, ii. 2. 
What harm can your frisson conspectuities glean out of 
this character? Shak., Cor., ii. 1. 
bistephanic (bi-ste-fan'ik), a. [< bi- 2 + stepha- 
nion + -ic.] In craniom., pertaining to both 
stephanions: as, bistephanic diameter. 
bister, bistre (bis'ter), . and a. [= G. biester 
= Sw. bister, bister, < F. bistre, a dark-brown 
color. Origin uncertain ; prob. not connected 
with G. dial, biester, dark, gloomy, = D. bijster, 
confused, troubled, = Icel. bistr = Sw. bister 
= Dan. bister, angry, fierce.] I. n. In paint- 
ing, a brown pigment extracted from the soot 
of wood. To prepare it, soot (that of beech is the best) 
is put into water in the proportion of two pounds to a gal- 
lon, and boiled half an hour ; after standing to settle, and 
while hot, the clearer part of the fluid must be poured off 
to remove the salts, and the sediment (which is bister) 
evaporated in dryness. It has been much used as a water- 
color, particularly by the old masters, for tinting drawings 
and shading sketches, before India ink came into general 
use for such work. In oil it dries very slowly. 
II. a. Of the color of bister; blackish-brown. 
bistered, bistred (bis'terd), a. [< bister, bis- 
tre, + -erf 2 .] Of the color of bister; swarthy; 
browned. 
The beak that crowned the bistred face 
Betrayed the mould of Abraham's race. 
0. W. Holmes, At the Pantomime. 
bistipulate (bi-stip'u-lat), a. [< 6i-2 + stipu- 
late.] Same as bisti/mled. 
bistipuled (bl-stip'uld), a. [< bi- 2 + stymied.] 
In bot., having two stipules. 
bistort (bis'tort), n. [= F. bistorte = It. bis- 
torta, < NL. bistorta, < L. bis, twice, + torta, 
fern, of tortus, pp. of torquere, twist: see tort.] 
A plant, Polygonwu Bistorta, so called because 
of its twisted roots : popularly called snakeweed 
and adder's-wort. Alpine bistort is a dwarf allied spe- 
cies, alpine and arctic, P. viviparum. 
bistournage (bis'tor-naj), . [F., < bistourner 
(= It. bistornare), twist, deform by twisting, < 
bis-, bes-, a pejorative prefix (prob. ult. < L. 
bis, twice), + tourner, turn.] In vet. surg., an 
operation which consists in twisting the testi- 
cles of bulls and other male animals round the 
cord, so as to produce atrophy, but leave the 
scrotum intact: a form of castration or gelding. 
bistoury (bis'to-ri), .; pi. bistouries (-riz). [< 
F. bistouri, a bistoury, < OF. bistorie, a dagger, a 
bistoury. Origin uncertain ; commonly conjec- 
tured to be so called from Pistorium, It. Pistoja, 
a town in Tuscany, whence also the E. words 
pistol and pistole.] A small, narrow surgical 
knife, with a straight, convex, or concave edge, 
and a sharp or blunt point, used for making 
incisions and for other purposes. 
bistre, bistred. See bister, bistered. 
bistriate (bi-stri'at), a. [< bi- 2 + striate.] In 
bot. and entom., marked with two parallel strire 
or grooves. 
bisturris (bis-tur'is), n. ; pi. bistrtrres (-ez). 
[ML., < L. bis, twice, + turris, a tower: see tur- 
ret, tower.'] One of a series of small towers 
566 
upon a medieval fortification-wall ; a bartizan : 
sometimes equivalent to barbican 1 . See cut 
under bartizan. 
bisulct (bi'sulk), a. [< L. bisulcus, two-fur- 
rowed : see bisulcous.] Same as bisulcate. 
bisulcate (bi-sul'kat), a. [< bi-" + sulcatc.] 
1. Having two furrows or grooves. 2. In 
zool., cloven-footed, as oxen, or having two 
hoofed digits, as swine Bisulcate antennae, an- 
tenna; in which the joints are longitudinally grooved on 
each side. 
bisulcoust (bi-sul'kus), a. [< L. bisulcus, two- 
furrowed, < bi-, two-, + sulcus, furrow.] Same 
as bisulcate. 
Swine, . . . being bisulcous, . . . are farrowed with 
open eyes, as other bisulcous animals. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., vi. 0. 
bisulphate (bi-sul'fat), n. [< bi- 2 + sulphate.] 
In chem., a salt of sulphuric acid, in which one 
half of the hydrogen of the acid is replaced by 
a metal. 
bisulphid (bl-sul'fid), . [< bi- 2 4- sulphid.] A 
compound of sulphur with another element or 
radical, forming a sulphid which contains two 
atoms of sulphur to one atom of the other mem- 
ber of the compound: as, carbon bisulphid, CS%. 
Bisulphid Of carbon (CS 2 ), a compound of carlwn and 
sulphur which forms a colorless mobile liquid, having usu- 
ally a fetid odor, due to impurities, and a sharp aromatic 
taste. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol and 
ether. It is used in the arts as a solvent for vegetable 
oils and for caoutehouc. Taken internally, it is a violent 
!)oison. Externally it is used as a counter-irritant and 
ocal anesthetic. Bisulphid prism, a prism tilled with 
carbon bisulphid. 
bisulphite (bi-sul'fit), , [< bi- 2 + sulphite.] 
In cliem., a salt of sulphurous acid, in which 
one half of the hydrogen of the acid is replaced 
by a metal. 
bisulphuret (bi-sul'fu-ret), n. [< bi- 2 + sul- 
phuret.] In chem., a compound of sulphur and 
another element, containing two atoms of sul- 
phur. 
bisunique(bis-u-nek'), n. [< bis + unique.] A 
name given about 1850 to a reversible jacket, 
coat, or the like, made with two faces. 
bisyllabic (bi-si-lab'ik), a. [< bi- 2 + syllabic.] 
Composed of two syllables; dissyllabic. 
The verbal steins exhibit bisyllabism with such re- 
markable uniformity that it would lead to the impression 
that the roots also must have been bvtyllabic. 
Smith's Bible Diet., art. Confusion of Tongues. 
bisyllabism (bl-sil'a-bizm), n. [< bisyllub-ic + 
-ism.] The state or quality of being bisyllabic, 
or of having two syllables, 
bisymmetrical (bi-si-met'ri-kal), a. [< bi- 2 + 
symmetrical.] Bilaterally symmetrical ; having 
bisymmetry. 
bisymmetry (bi-sim'e-tri), n. [< bi- 2 + sym- 
metry.] Tne state of being bilaterally sym- 
metrical ; correspondence of right and left 
parts, or of the two equal sections of anything. 
bit 1 (bit), n. [Also in some senses occasionally 
bitt; early mod. E. bit, bitt, bitte, bytte, < ME. 
byt, byte, bite, < AS. bite (= OFries. biti, bite, bit 
= OS. biti = MD. bete, D. beet = LG. bet = OHG. 
MHG. biz, G. biss, strong masc., = Icel. bit = 
Sw. 6e = Dau. bid, neut.), a bite, act of biting, 
< bitan (pp. biten), bite: see bite. In ME. and 
mod. E. (as well as in some other languages) 
confused in spelling and sense with bit 2 , which 
is from the same verb, but with an orig. differ- 
ent formative. In the general sense, now rep- 
resented by bite, n., directly from the mod. 
verb: see bite, n. The concrete senses are 
later, and are expressed in part by forms with 
other suffixes: cf. ME. bitte, bytte, bytt = MLG. 
bete, bet, bitte, bit, LG. bit, neut., = Sw. bett, 
neut., bridle-bit, = G. gebiss, neut., bridle-bit 
(= AS. gebit, biting); cf. Icel. bitill, bridle-bit; 
AS. gebiKtel, bridle-bit, < AS. baitan, gebcetan, 
bit, curb: see baifi, and 
cf. bitt. The other con- 
crete senses are recent.] 
It. The act of biting; a 
bite. 
You may, if you stand close, 
be sure of a bit, but not sure 
to catch him. 
/. Walton, Complete Angler, 
[p. 55. 
bit 
2f. The action of biting food; eating; grazing. 
3t. The biting, cutting, or penetrating action of 
an edged weapon or tool. 4. The biting, catch- 
ing, holding, cutting, or boring part of a tool. 
Specifically (a) The cutting Made of an ax, hatchet, 
plane, drill, etc. (b) pi. The blades of the cutter-head of a 
molding-machine. c) pi. The jaws of a pair of tongs, (d) 
The part of a key which enters the lock and acts on the 
bolts and tumblers. 
5. A boring-tool used in a carpenter's brace. 
Bits are of various kinds, and are applied iu a variety of 
ways. The similar tool used lor metal, and applied by 
the drill-bow, ratchet, brace, lathe, or drilling-machine, is 
termed a drill, or drill-bit. See auger, borer, drill, center- 
bit, gmine-bit, <juill-bit, rose-bit, shell-bit, spoon-bit, and 
phrases below. 
6. The metal part of a bridle which is inserted 
in the mouth of a horse, with the appendages 
(rings, etc.) to which the reins are fastened. 
Those that tame wild horses . . . 
Stop their mouths with stubborn bits, and spur them 
Till they obey the manage. Shak., Hen. VIII., v. 2. 
7. The joint of an umbrella. 8. A hammer used 
by masons for dressing granite and for rough 
picking. 9. In music, a short piece of tube 
used to alter slightly the pitch of such wind-in- 
struments as the trumpet, cornet-a-pistons, etc. 
Annular bit. See annular. Baldwin bit, a bit hav- 
ing two mouthpieces, used for controlling vicious horses. 
Brace-bit, a bit intended to be used with a brace. 
Chifney bit, a curb-bit having a short movable arm con- 
nected with the cheek-piece, just above the mouthpiece, 
for receiving the check-straps of the bridle, while the 
Expanding Bit. 
Spiral Bits. 
a, Countersink Bit; , Handing 
Center-bit. 
strap or gag-rein is attached to the short arm of the 
cheek-piece. E. H. Kniyht. Coal- boring bit, a boring- 
bit having an entering point and a succession of cutting 
edges of increasing radius. Copper bit or bolt, a name 
given to a soldering-iron. Cornish bit, a lathe-drill in 
which the cutter is inserted diametrically in a mortise at 
the end of the drill-stock. Ducknose bit, a boring-bit 
the end of which is bent horizontally into a semicircular 
form. Duck'8-bill bit, a wood-boring tool which has 
no lip, the screw cylinder forming the barrel of the tool 
ending in a sharp-edged rounding part which forms the 
cutter: used in a brace. Expanding bit, a boring-tool 
of which the cutting diameter is ad- 
justable. German bit, a wood-boring 
tool with a long elliptical pod and a 
screw-point. It is used in a brace, and 
makes a taper toward the end of the hole 
when not driven entirely through the 
wood. Half-round bit, or cylinder- 
bit, a drill used for hard woods and met- 
als. Its section is a semicircle, the cut- 
ting edges at end and side making an 
angle of 85 or 86. Hanoverian bit, a 
cheek-bit for horses having on the long 
or lower arm two or more loops for reins, 
and at the extremity of the short cheek 
a loop which receives the leather cheek ; 
there is a rein-ring at the cheek-piece. Hessian bit a 
peculiar kind of jointed bit for bridles. Plug-center 
bit, a boring-tool having a cylinder of metal in the center 
instead of a point. The cylinder fits a hole ready made, 
and the bit countersinks or removes the metal above it. 
Silt-nose bit. Same as nose-bit. To take the bit In 
the teeth, to hold the bit between the teeth, so that it 
cannot hurt the mouth when pulled upon, and run ; be- 
come unmanageable : said of a horse, and, figuratively, of 
persons. Twisted bit, a boring-tool formed of a bar bent 
into a spiral, as in the auger. 
bit 1 (bit), v. t. ; pret. and pp. fitted, ppr. 'bitting. 
[< bit 1 , n.] To put a bridle upon ; put the bit 
in the mouth of (a horse) ; accustom to the bit ; 
hence, to curb ; restrain. 
bit 2 (bit), n. [< ME. lite, a bit, morsel, < AS. 
bita, a bit, piece bitten off (= OFries. bita = 
D. beet, a morsel, beetje, a small portion, = 
MLG. bete, bet, LG. beten = OHG. bizzo, MHG. 
bizze, G. bisse, bissen = Icel. biti = Sw. bit = 
Dan. bid, a morsel), weak masc., < bitan (pp. 
biten), bite : see bite, v., bite, n., and bit 1 , with 
which bit 2 has been in part confused.] If. A 
portion of food bitten off ; a mouthful ; a bite. 
2. A morsel or a little piece of food. 
Follow your function, go ! and batten on cold bits. 
Shak., COT., iv. 5. 
Dainty bits 
Make rich the ribs, but bankerout the wits. 
S/iffA-., L. L. L., I. 1. 
Hence 3. A small quantity of food; a modi- 
cum or moderate supply of provisions: as, to 
take a bit and a sup. [Dialectal.] 
He desires no more in this world but a bit and a brat ; 
that is, only as much food and raiment as nature craves. 
Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, p. 36. 
4. A small piece or fragment of anything ; a 
small portion or quantity ; a little : as, a bit of 
glass ; a bit of land ; a bit of one's mind. The 
word is often used in certain phrases expressive of ex- 
tent or degree ; thus, "a bit older" means somewhat old- 
er, older to some extent ; " not a bit," not a whit, not in 
any degree ; " a good bit older," a good deal older ; " a bit 
of a humorist," somewhat of a humorist, etc. It is used 
depreciatingly or compassionately : as, a little bit of a 
man ; bits of children, that is, poor little children. 
His majesty has power to grant a patent for stamping 
round bitx of copper. Sirift. 
There arc se\ eral bits at Valmontone to delight an artist, 
especially at the entrance of the town, where a magnifi- 
cent fragment of the ancient wall forms the foreground 
to some picturesque houses. A. 0. C. Hare, 
