blasty 
blasty (blas'ti), a. [< bluet + -u 1 .} 1. Stormy ; 
gusty: as, a blasty day. [Prov. Eng. and 
Scotch.] 2. Causing a blast or blight upon 
vegetation : as, "a blasty noon," Boyle, Works, 
III. 154. 
blatancy (bla' tan-si), . [< blatant: see -ancy.} 
Blatant quality. 
blatant (bla'tant), a. [Also written blattanl ; 
one of Spenser's words, in blatant beast, per- 
haps a mere alliterative invention ; otherwise 
intended for 'blatund, Sc. blaitaiid, archaic 
ppr. til' li/iiti'-i, vnr. of bleat.'] Bellowing; bawl- 
ing; noisy; loud-talking or loud-sounding. 
y, ttmt blatant wont, whicl) tiauiiU some military 
initi'K like the bray of the trumpet. Irving. 
Blatant (or blattant) beast, calumny ; scandal : sym- 
bolized I'y spciisiT us a dreadful fiend, with a thousand 
tongues, iK'KotU'ii of Cerberus and Chhmcra. Spenter, 
r. Q., vi. i. 7. 
The Isle of Dogges where the frlutnnt beast doth rule 
anil ralgne. Return /rmn Parnattua (1806), v. 4. 
blatantly (bla'tant-li), adv. In a blatant man- 
ner. 
blatcht, [< ME. blacche, appar. < AS. "blcecce 
(not found), < blur, black: see blui-k, and cf. 
lilftcli.] Blacking. 
blatcht, v. t. [< ME. "blacchen, bUecehen ; from 
the noun. Cf. black, v., and bletch, v. Not con- 
nected with blotch, q. v.] To smear with black- 
ing; black. 
No man can like to be smutted and Matched in his face. 
Uartnar, tr. of Beza'g Sermons, p. 195. 
blate 1 (Mat), a. [Formerly also written blait, 
bleat; appar. < ME. (Sc.) blate, < AS. bldt, 
pale, ghastly; cf. OHO. bleizza, lividness.] 
If. Pale; ghastly. 2f. Dull; spiritless; stu- 
pid. 3f. Blunt; curt. 4. Bashful; diffident. 
[North. Eng. and Scotch.] 
The youngster's artless heart o'erflows wi' joy, 
But blate and laithfu' scarce can weel behave. 
Burm, Cottar's Saturday Night. 
Says Lord Mark Car, " Ye are na blate 
To bring us the news o' your ain defeat 
Get out o' my sight tins morning." 
Jacobite Ballad, Johnnie Cope. 
blate 2 (blat), a. [Also written blait; appar. 
< ME. blete, naked, bare, < AS. bleat, miserable 
(naked!), = OFries. blat, NPries. bleat, naked, 
miserable, = MD. blot, D. bloot, naked, bare, = 
MLG. blot, naked, bare, miserable, mere, = 
OHG. MHO. bloz, G. blosa, naked, bare, mere. 
Cf. bloft.~\ Naked; bare. [Scotch.] 
blate 8 (blat), v. ; pret. and pp. blated, ppr. Mat- 
ing. [Appar. a dial. var. of bleat (formerly 
pron. as blate). Cf. blatant.'] I. inh-nnx. To 
babble ; prate. 
II. trans. To babble or prate about. 
He blates to me what has passed between other people 
and him. P'py>, Diary (ed. 1879), IV. 46. 
blateratet, v. . [< L. blateratns, pp. of blate- 
rare, babble. Cf. blatter."] To babble. 
blateration (blat-e-ra'shon), n. [< LL. blate- 
ratio(n-), < L. blaterare, babble: see blaterate."] 
Senseless babble. [Bare.] 
blather (blaTH'er), v. i. [Sc. also blether, = 
Icel. bladhra, talk inarticulately, talk nonsense 
(bladhr, nonsense), =G. dial, bladdern, talk non- 
sense ; partly imitative, and the same as blat- 
ter, q. v.] To talk nonsense. 
blather (blaTH'er), n. [So. also blether; cf. 
Icel. bladhr, nonsense; from the verb.] 1. 
Nonsense; foolish talk. 2. A person who 
talks nonsense. 
blatherskite (bhmi'er-slrit), n. [Also in Sc. 
blethers/cite, bletherskate; < blather, blether, + 
skate, a term of contempt.] 1. One who talks 
nonsense in a blustering war; a blusterer. 
Hence 2. A good-for-nothing fellow; a 
"beat." [Scotch and Amer.] 
blathery fbla^H'e-ri), a. and . [So., < blather 
+ -y 1 .] I. a. Unsubstantial ; trashy. 
II. n. That which is unsubstantial, trashy, 
or deceptive. . 
Blatta 1 (blat'a), n. [L., an insect that shuns the 
light, a cockroach, etc.] 1. The typical genus 
of the family Blattida;: formerly coextensive 
with the family, but now greatly restricted. 
Thus, the cockroach or common black-beetle, introduced 
from the East into Europe and America, is Blatta (Peri- 
plnncta) oriental!*. See cut under Blattid<r. 
2. [/. c.] A member of this genus. 
blatta 2 (blat'ii), n. [ML.] A purple silk inter- 
woven with gold, used in the early middle ages. 
Rock, Textile Fabrics. 
blatteant (blat'e-an), a. [< blatta^ + -ean.] 
Purple ; of a purple color. 
blatter (Wafer), . . [= G. dial, blattern, 
bladdern, prate ; cf . L. blaterare, blacterare, talk 
nonsense, blatire, babble (cf. blaterate) ; cf. 
blather, blate 3 , bleat, blab, blabber, babble, brab- 
ganglia ; a, mouth : *, eso- 
phagus ; t, ingluvies or 
crop ; et, proventriculus ; 
e, pyloric ca-ca : /, chylific 
ventricle ; g, insertion of 
Malpi^hian C.EC.I ; A. in- 
testine : i, rectum ; 1, salt* 
vary receptacle ; L sali- 
vary Rlanu ; lt>. labrum ; 
cerebral ganglia; v. 
-, cercL 
vulva ; . 
581 
bit, prattle, etc., all more or less imitative.] 1. 
To give forth or produce a quick succession of 
slight sounds; patter: as, "the rain lilutti //," 
Jeffrey. 2. To speak or prate volubly; rail or 
rage. [Bare.] 
However envy list to blatter 
against him 
Spenter, State of Ireland. 
blatter (blat'er), n. [< blat- 
'</. r.} 1. A rattling or clat- 
tering noise (as of boards 
falling). 2. A volley of 
clattering words, 
blatterer (blat'er-er), . 
One who blatters; a noisy 
blustering boaster, 
blattering (blat'er-ing), n. 
[Verbal n. of blatter, v.} 
Senseless blustering, 
blatteroont (blat-e-ron'), n. 
f < L. blatero(n-), a babbler, 
< blaterare, babble : see blat- 
ter.'} A senseless babbler. 
I trusted T. P. with a weighty se- 
cret, conjuring him that it should 
not take air and go abroad, . . . 
but It went out of him the very 
next day. ... I hate such blat- 
teroont. lloicfU, Letters, II. 75. 
Blattidae (blat'i-de), n. pi. 
[NL., < Blatta 1 + -idee.] A 
family of cursorial orthop- 
terous insects, the cock- 
roaches, coextensive with 
the division Blattina or sub- 
order Cursoria, or even the 
order Dicty op tera. They have a idi"iViV.'bdominisc 
flattened, lengthened, ovate body, "tfonofiioart^lv'tnor'aci 
with head retracted into the large 
shield-like prothorax; long, fila- 
mentous, many-jointed antenna? ; 
long, strong cursorial legs, with 
setose tiliiiu ; 5-jointed tarsi, with 
an accessory joint or plantula be- 
tween the claws ; large coriaceous 
fore wings which overlap, and 
longitudinal folded hlud wings, 
both sometimes undeveloped In 
females. The genera, species, and Individuals are numer- 
ous, and are found in all parts of the world. Some attain 
a very large size in the tropics. They are mostly noc- 
turnal, or lire in dark places, and most of them are 
omnivorous. When numerous they cause much annoy- 
ance and injury, as in bakeries, granaries, etc. See also 
cut under Jnsecta. 
blattiform (blat'i-fdrm), a. [< L. blatta, a 
cockroach, T forma, form.] Having the form 
of a blatta or cockroach. 
Blattina (bla-ti'nft), . pi. [NL., < Blatta 1 + 
-ina 2 .] A group of cursorial orthopterous in- 
sects, including only the family Blattida: : same 
as Cursoria, 2. 
blattoid (blat'oid), a. [< Blatta 1 + -aid.} Per- 
taining to or having the characteristics of the 
Blattidtz ; like a cockroach. 
blaubok. n. See blauwbok. 
blaud (blad), n. [Sc., also Mail, perhaps same 
as blade (see blad 3 and blade): but cf. Gael. 
bladh = Ir. bladh, a part.] 1. A large piece of 
anything; a considerable portion; a flat piece 
of anything. 2. A slap ; a blow or stroke. 
blaufish (bla'fish), n. [< "blau, prob. same as 
Sc. bla, blae, dark, livid (see 6toe), + fish.} Ac- 
cording to Pennant, a name of the blackfish, 
Centrolophus pompilus. Se cut under Centra- 
lophus. 
blauncht, An obsolete form of blanch 1 . 
blauwbok (blou'bok), n. [D., lit. blue buck. 
< 6/oido (blaauw), = E. blue, + bok = E. bud: 1 .} 
1. The Dutch colonial name of a South African 
antelope, Hippotragus (or JEgoceros) leucophams, 
given on account of its bluish appearance, 
caused by the dark hide showing through light 
hair. It is related to the oryx, addax, etc., and has 
rather large horns curving backward. Also called blue- 
buck, blue antelope, and etaac. 
2. A small South African antelope with very 
short straight horns and heavy hind quarters. 
Also spelled blaubok. 
blaver, blavert (bla'ver, -vert), . Corrupt 
forms of blaicort. [Scotch.] 
Your gloves shall be o' the green clorer 
Come lockerln' to your hand, 
Well dropper o'er wi' blue blavert, 
That grow amang white land. 
Gardener Lad (Anon.). 
blaw (bla), v. ; pret. blew, pp. blown, ppr. blaw- 
iag. [Sc., = E. blow 1 .} I. intrans. To blow ; 
breathe ; publish ; brag ; boast ; magnify in nar- 
rative To blaw In one's lug, to cajole; flatter a 
person. Hence, blaw-in-my-lug, a flatterer ; a wheedler. 
Scott. 
II. trims. To flatter; coax. 
blaze 
blawort (Ma'wi'-H), n. [Sc., also blartrt, bla- 
'' i . q. v., < bla, blue, blue, + wort 1 : see blae 
and trori 1 .] 1. The blue corn-flower; the 
bluebottle. 2. Thf round-loatV.l 1>. 11-tlower. 
.In in if son. 
blay 1 (bla), n. [Also writ ten '<'<// ; < ME. 'blaye, 
*b"cye, < AS. blcege = D. blei = G. bleihe, a blay.J 
A local English name of the bleak. 
blay-', ". and n. Same as blae. 
blayberry, n. Same as blaeberry. 
blay-linen, . Same as blue-linen. 
blaze 1 (blay.), . [Early mod. E. also 6to.se (Sc. 
/ .// 1 :i; earlier blese) ; < ME. 6to*c, a flame, < AS. 
liiii:-" 1 , blase, a flame, torch, = MLG. LG. bias = 
M I N i. Mix, a torch (cf. AS. blast, a flame) ; akin 
to blaze*, q. v., but only remotely, if at all, to 
blaze*, q. v. The AS. forms blysa, blysige, a torch, 
etc., belong to another root: see blush.} It. A 
torch; a fire-brand. 2. A flame; a flaming 
fire ; a conflagration. 
To heaven the Maze uprolled. Vroly. 
What heaps of books and pamphlets I now we shall 
have a glorious blu:e. Hawthorne, Old Manse, L 
3. Figuratively, brilliant sunlight; effulgence; 
brilliance : as, the blaze of day. 
As thy beautie hath made thee the blaze of Italy, so wil 
thy lightnesse make thee the bye word of the worlde. 
l.ii/i/, Euphues, Aunt, of Wit, p. 102. 
O, dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon ! 
Mill:,!!, S. A., I. 80. 
4. A sudden kindling up or bursting out, as of 
fire, passion, etc. ; an active or violent display ; 
wide diffusion. 
In his tilaze of wrath. .SVm*., T. and C., Ir. 5. 
The main blaze of it Is past, bat a small thing would 
make It flame again. Shak., Cor., Ir. 3. 
5. In the game of poker, a hand (now seldom 
or never used) consisting of five court-cards, 
ranking between two pairs and three of a kind: 
so called in allusion to the blaze of color dis- 
played in a blaze, on fire ; In flames.- like blazes, 
furiously; in or to an excessive degree. [Low.] 
The other little ones used to cry like blazes. Mayhew. 
The horse was so maddened by the wound, and the 
road so steep, that he went like blazet. 
De Quinctij, Spanish Nun, p. 24. 
The blazes, hell ; perdition. Hence, to yo to blazet, to 
go to perdition, or to the deuce. [Slang. ] = 8yn. 2. Glare, 
etc. Seeyfaww, 71. 
blaze 1 (blaz), r. ; pret. blazed, ppr. blazing. 
[Early mod. E. also blase (= Sc. bleeze, blese) ; 
<. ME. blasen, blaze; from the noun.] I. in- 
trans. 1. To burst into flame; burn with a 
bright flame or fervent heat; flame: either 
literally or figuratively. 
Two red fires In lioth their faces blazed. 
Shak.. Lucrece, 1. 1353. 
Starry lamps and blazing cressets. Hiltiin, P. L., I. 728. 
2. To send forth a bright light; shine like 
flame or fire : as, a blazing diamond. 
I lift mine eyes, and all the windows tilaze 
With forms of saints and holy men who died. 
Longfellow, Sonnets on the Divlna run. media, Ir. 
The cupola blazet with gigantic archangels, stationed 
in a ring beneath the supreme figure and fare <if Christ. 
</. -I. Symondit, Italy and Greece, p. 169. 
3. To be conspicuous ; shine brightly with the 
brilliancy of talents, heroic deeds, etc. [Poetic.] 
Mighty names 
Hare blazed upon the world and passed away. 
Bryant, Fifty Year*. 
To blaze away, to Are away ; keep on firing (with guns 
or artillery) ; work vigorously or with enthusiasm. See 
atrny, 12. To blaze out. (n) To throw out dame or 
light; shine forth, (d) To go out with a flare, (c) To 
break nut with passion or excitement ; speak or act vio- 
lently. -To blaze up, to hurst Into flame, and hence into 
passion, anger, etc. 
U. trans. 1. To set in a blaze. [Rare.] 
Take him in and blaze the oak. Hood. 
2. To temper (steel) by covering it while not 
with tallow or oilj which is then burned off. 
3. To cause to shine forth ; exhibit vividly. 
Fiery eyes blaze forth her wrong. 
Shak., Venus and Adonis, L 218. 
So spake the Father ; and, unfolding bright 
Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son 
Blazed forth unclouded deity. Milton, P. L., x. 65. 
To blaze outt, to bum out ; figuratively, exhaust in a 
blaze of passion or excess. 
blaze 2 (blaz), v. t. ; pret. and pp. blazed, ppr. 
blazing. _ [< ME. blasen, blow, as a trumpet, < 
A8. "blicsan, blow (= MD. blaescn, D. blazen, 
blow, sound a trumpet, = MLG. blasen = OHG. 
Mason, MEG. blasen, G. blasen = Icel. blasa = 
Sw. bldsa = Dan. blase, blow, = Goth, blesan, 
in comp. ufblesan, puff up); prob., with forma- 
tive -s, from the root *bla of blawan, blow, 
breathe : see bluic 1 , and cf. blast. In the later 
