boss 
tured with armorial bearings or other devices; 
also, any projecting ball or knot of foliage, etc., 
wherever placed. 6. In iiii-cli.: (n) The en- 
larged part of a shaft on which a wheel is to 
lie keyed, cir any enlarged part of the diame- 
ter, as the end of a separate piece' in :\ line of 
shafts connected by couplings. Hollow shafts 
through which others pass are sometimes also 
called liiixif.i, but improperly. (/;) A swage or 
die used for shaping metals. 7. In ordmim-i . 
() A cast-iron plute fastened to the back of a 
traveling-forge hearth. (l>) Any protuberance 
or lug upon a piece of ordnance. 8. A soft 
leather cushion or pad used for bossing (which 
see), and also for cleaning gilded surfaces and 
the like in porcelain- and glass-manufacture. 
9f. A water-conduit in the form of a tun-bellied 
figure ; a head or reservoir of water. B. Jonson. 
boss 1 (bos), v. t. [<. ME. 'bossen, bocen ; from 
the noun.] 1. To ornament with bosses ; be- 
stud. 
Turkey cushions bosu'd with pearl. 
Shale., T. of the 8., II. 1. 
His glorious rapier and hangers all boit with pillars of 
gold. Miihllriim, Father Hubbard's Tales. 
2. Same as emboss*. 
Bost'd with length* 
Of classic frieze. TViuij/wn, Princess, ii. 
3. In ceram., to bring (a surface of boiled oil) 
to perfect uniformity. See bousing, 1. 
boss' 2 t (bos), . [<. ME. bone, bocc, a cask; cf. 
OF. busne, a cask, D. bus, a box, bos, a pack- 
age : see box 2 .] A cask, especially a small cask ; 
a leather bottle for wine Old boast. (A term of 
contempt, proli. a particular use of 6o**2, a cask, butt ; but 
cf. Icel. /<>>/'. Sw. bit**, a fellow.] A toper. 
boss 3 (bos), n. [E. dial.; cf. MD. bosse, busse, 
D. bus, a box, buis, a tube, pipe, channel, = 
Dan. bonne = Sw. bossa, a box : see box 2 , and cf . 
boss 2 .] A wooden vessel used by plasterers 
for holding mortar, hung by a hook on a ladder 
or a wall. 
boss 4 (bos), n. [E. dial., perhaps a var. of 
equiv. bass*, q. v. ; but cf . D. bos, a bundle, as 
of straw.] A hassock; a bass. 
boss 3 (bos), a. [Also written bos, bois ; origin 
obscure.] Hollow; empty: as, "his thick boss 
head," lianisnij, Poems, I. 283. [Scotch.] 
boss" (bos), n. and a. [A word derived from the 
Dutch settlers in New York ; (. D. baas, master, 
foreman (used literally and figuratively like 
boss in American use : sen timmermans-baas, a 
boss carpenter, de vrouw is Ac baas, the wife is 
the boss ; Itij is hem de baas in het zingen, he is 
the boss in singing, etc.), MD. baes, master of 
the house, also a friend, fern, baesinne, mis- 
tress of the house, also a friend, = Flem. baes 
= LG. baas, master, foreman (> Dan. ban, mas- 
ter), = OHG. 60*0 = MHG. bane, t, aunt, G. base , 
f., cousin (dial, also aunt, niece), appar. iilt. 
identical with G. wase = LG. wase, fV, cousin, 
aunt. The word, in the masc., seems to have 
meant ' kinsman, cousin,' and to have been used 
especially as ref. to the master of the household, 
the chief ' kinsman,' in fact or by courtesy, of 
the inmates.] I. n. 1. A master. Specifically 
(a) One who employs or superintends workmen ; a head 
man, foreman, or manager : as, the bosse* have decided << 
cut down wages. [V. S.) 
The actions of the superintendent, or &o*jr, very often 
tended to widen the breach between employer and em- 
ployee. N. A. Ren., CXLII. 503. 
The line looked at its prostrate champion, and then at 
the new botat standing there, cool and brave, and not afraid 
of a regiment of sledge-hammers. 
T. Winthrop, Love and Skates. 
(6) In If. .?. mlitics, an influential politician who uses the 
machinery of a party for private ends, or for the advantage 
of a ring or clique*; a professional politician having para- 
mount local influence. 
2. The chief; the master; the champion; the 
best or leading person or thing. [Colloq., U. S.] 
II. a. Chief; master; hence, first-rate : as, a 
boss mason; a boss plaver. [Colloq., U. S.] 
boss" (bos), I-./. [< boss, n.] To be master of or 
over ; manage ; direct ; control : as, to boss the 
house. [Slang, U. S.]-TobOBSit, to act the master. 
To boss one around or about, to order one about ; 
control one's actions or in"vemciits. [Colloq., U. S.I 
boss 7 (bos), n. [Origin uncertain; perhaps 
orig. a learnedly humorous use of L. bos, cow; 
cf. Icel. bds, has, an exclamation used in driv- 
ing cows into their stalls (bass, a stall, boose : 
see boose*).] In the United States: (a) A fa- 
miliar name for a cow, or any of the bovine 
genus: chiefly used in calling or in soothing. 
(/>) On the Western plains, a name for the bison 
or so-called buffalo. 
bossage (bos'aj), n. [< F. bossaqe, < bosse, 
boss, knob: see boss* and -age.] In buililiny: 
(a) A stone which projects beyond the face of 
635 
the adjacent work, and is laid rough, to be af- 
terward carved into some ornamental or sig- 
nilicaut form. (/>) Rustic work, consisting of 
stones which advance beyond the face of the 
building, with indentures or channels left in the 
joinings: used chiefly upon projecting corners. 
'['In' cavities are sometimes round and sonirtinir-. Leveled 
or in a diamond form, sometimes inclosed with a c:tvctt<i 
and sunn-times with a listel. ANu ealle.i i-iti,- .(.mui*. 
bosse (bos), H. [F. bosse, a boss, hump, etc. : 
Mt /xi.v.s'i. Cf. liii.ia'-i, a small cask.] A large 
glass bottle filled with powder and having 
strands of qnickmatch attached to the neck, 
used for incendiary purposes. 
bosselated (bos'e-la-ted), a. [< F. bosselcr, 
emboss, < bosse, boss: see boss 1 .] Covered with 
inequalities or protuberances. 
bosset (bos'et), n. [< boss* + dim. -et.] 1. 
A small boss or knob, especially one of a series : 
as, "a sword-belt studded with bossete," Jour. 
AreJtceol. Ass., XXX. 93. 2. The rudimentary 
antler of the male red deer. 
bossiness (bos'i-nes), . The quality of being 
bossy or in relief: applied especially to sculp- 
ture and ornament: as, "a pleasant bossiness," 
Hn.il.-in, Aratra Pentelici, i. 21. 
bossing (bos'ing), . [Verbal n. of boss*, v.] 
1. In rcriini., the process by which a surface of 
color is made level and uniform. This is doue by 
first laying on a coat of boiled oil, usually with acamel'H- 
hair brush, upon which the color is deposited, generally 
by being dusted from cotton-wool. The coat of oil is then 
made perfectly uniform and smooth by means of a leather 
boss. Also called fjronnil-laifing. 
2. The film of boiled oil thus spread over 
earthenware to hold the coloring materials. 
bossism (bos'izm), n. [< boss 6 + -<*.] The 
control of politics by bosses. [U. S.] 
The vote of Pennsylvania would be worse than doubtful 
if boxm'jtin . . . were found . . . to be still the potential 
force. The American, VI. 38. 
bossivet (bos'iv), a. K boss* + -tie. Cf. F. 
bossu, hump-backed.] Crooked ; deformed : as, 
"a bossive birth," Osborne, Advice to his Sou, 
p. 70 (1658). 
bossy 1 (bos'i), a. [< boss* + -y*.] 1. Fur- 
nished or ornamented with a boss or bosses. 
His head reclining on his bonny shield. 
Popt, Iliad, x. 173. 
2. Projecting in the round ; boldly prominent, 
as if composed of bosses: said of sculpture, etc. 
Cornice or frieze with booty sculptures graven. 
Milton, P. L., i. 716. 
bossy 2 (bos'i), a. [< boss 6 + -y*.] Acting like a 
boss; masterful; domineering. [Colloq. .U.S.] 
bossy 3 (bos'i), . [Dim. of boss*.] A familiar 
name for a cow or calf. See boss' (a). 
bostal (bos'tal), n. [E. dial.] A winding way 
up a very steep hill. Halliwell. [Prov. Eng. 
(Suffolk).'] 
bostanji (bos-tan'ji), n. pi. [Turk, bostdnji, < 
bostdn, < Pers. bitstdn, a garden.] A class of 
men in Turkey, originally the sultan's garden- 
ers, but now also employed in various ways 
about his person, as in mounting guard at the 
seraglio, rowing his barge, etc., and also in 
attending the officers of the royal household. 
They number now about 600, but were former- 
ly much more numerous. 
boston (bds'ton), n. [So called from the city 
of Boston, Massachusetts, where it was invent- 
ed by French officers at the time of the revo- 
lutionary war.] 1. A game of cards. The hands 
are dealt and played as in whist, each of the four players 
having the right to bid or offer to take unassisted a certain 
number of tricks, to lose every trick lint one, or every 
trick, etc. The highest bidder plays against the rest, and 
if successful gains, if defeated loses, according to the 
size of his bid. There are varieties of the game known as 
boston de Fontaintbleatt and Runsian burton. 
2. The first five tricks taken by a player in the 
game of boston. 
Boston Port Bill. See bill*. 
Bostrichidae, Bostrichus. See Bostryclridcc, 
Boriryofhw. 
Bostrychidse (bos-trik'i-de), . 7. [NL., < Ros- 
tri/cltus + -iV/rt 1 .] A family of xylophagous cryp- 
topentamerous Colcoptera, typified by the ge- 
nus Bostrychus, containing small cylindrical 
beetles, the larvae of which are limbless : by 
many associated with the family Ptinidce. 
Bnxtrychidce . . . live in companies, and belong to the 
mn-t dreaded destroyers of forests of conifers. The way 
in which they cut into the bark is very peculiar, being 
characteristic of the individual species and indicative of 
thrir mode of life. The two sexes meet in the supert'ieKii 
passages, which tin- female, after copulation, continues 
and lengthens in order to lay her eggs in pits which -!i* 
hollows out for that purpose. The larvie. when hatched, 
cat out lateral passages, which, as the larvec increase in 
size and get farther from the main passage, become 
larger, and give rise to the characteristic markings on the 
inside of the bark. Claut, Zoology (trans.), p. 588. 
botanic 
bostrychite (bos'tri-kit), H. [< Gr. .'ioorpvxof, a 
curl or lock of hair, 4- -itc'-.] A gem present- 
ing the appearance of a lock of hair. 
bostrychoid, bostrychoidal dios'tri-koid.bos- 
tri-koi'dal), a. [< (lr. *fieOTpoxpei6tit. contr. .*>- 
"7,<i'ji.)<V,(-iirly,< < 'T*/" I ^'T, curl, + (i'ior,form.] 
Having the form or character of a bostrvx. 
Bostrychus (bos'tri-kus), . [XL., < Or. /3A. 
"~l>< W> a curl or lock of hair, also a certain in- 
sect (according to some, (lie male of the glow- 
worm) ; also written /JoVpu^of ; cf. ftorpvc, a clus- 
ter of grapes.] A genus of beetles, typical of 
the family Hnxtrurlmlti' and subfamily Jinntry- 
cliiiid', species of which are highly destructive to 
wood. One of the most injurious ipedes Is /' 
rut, the typographer beetle, which infest* coniferous trees, 
devouring, in both the larval and the perfect state, tic- 
soft wood beneath the bark, thus causing the death of tin- 
trees, other s|H-cies are K. cltalco<rrafftiu*, K. rtriujgra- 
jihun, etc. The trees thus affected are pines, spruces, 
larches, firs, etc., as well as fruit-trees of the orchard, as 
the apple. Also spelled Botlriehtu. See Boitrychida. 
bostryz (bos'triks), n. [NL., < Gr. as if *fi6- 
orpvg for I 16arpvxfi * curl, etc. : see Bostryclius.] 
In ''<>'.. a uniparoua helicoid cvnie that is, a 
raceme-like cyme, or flower-cluster, with all 
the branches or pedicels upon one side. It is 
usually more or less coiled. 
bostwyst, a. An obsolete form of boisterous. 
Boswellia (boz-wel'i-a), n. [NL., named after 
Dr. John Biisicell of Edinburgh.] A genus of 
balsamic plants, natural order Burseracea, the 
species of which are imperfectly known. B. Car- 
ten and some other species of the hot and dry regions of 
eastern Africa and southern Arabia furnish ollhanum 
(which see), the frankincense of antiquity. B. Frereatia 
of the Somali region yields a highly fragrant resin, the 
primitive gum elenii, largely used In the East * a masti- 
catory. B. thurifrra, of India, the salai-tree, also yields 
a resin which is used in that country as incenae. 
Boswellian (boz-wel'i-an), a. [< Bostcell (see 
def.) + -ion.] Relating to orresembling James 
Boswell, the friend and biographer of Dr. John- 
son ; characterized by an uncritical and simple 
admiration for some person: used especially of 
biographers and biography. 
Boswellism (boz'wel-izm), n. [< Boswell + 
ism.] The style or manner of Boswell as a 
biographer ; uncritical admiration of one's hero, 
with faithful but indiscriminate narration of 
details. 
We think that there Is no more certain indication of 
a weak and ill-regulated Intellect than that propensity 
which, for want of a better name, we will venture to 
christen Boiwelliinn. Macaiday, Milton. 
Boswellize (boz'wel-iz), r. i. or t. ; pret. and pp. 
Bosicelli:ed, ppr. Bosieellizinn. [< Bostrell + 
-ize.] To write in the style of Boswell, the 
biographer of Dr. Johnson; report or repro- 
duce with minuteness of detail or without the 
exercise of the critical faculty. 
One cannot help wishing that Bonstetten had Boneel- 
liied some of these endless conversations, for the talk of 
<>ray was, on the testimony of all who heard it, admirable 
for fulness of knowledge, point, and originality of thought. 
Loirell, in Sew Princeton Rev., I. 185. 
bot 1 , bott 1 (bot), n. [Generally used in pi. bots, 
botts, =s Sc. bats, baits ; cf. Gael, botux, a belly- 
worm, boiteaa, a maggot.] A name given to 
the larva or maggot of several species of gad- 
fly when found in the intestines of horses, un- 
der the hides of oxen, in the nostrils of sheep, 
etc. The IK>U which infest horses arc the larva; of the 
Gatterophiltu equi, or gadfly, which deposits its eggs on 
the tips of the hairs, generally of the fore legs and mane, 
whence they are taken int.. the month and swallowed. 
They remain in great numbers in the stomach for several 
months, and are expelled In the excrement and become 
pupa?, which in live weeks become perfect insects, woolly, 
and not quite half an inch long. See cut under fof-/fy. 
Peas and beans are as dank here as a dog, and this U 
the next way to give poor jades the but*. 
Shak., 1 Hen. IV., It 1. 
bot2f (AS. pron. bot), n. The Anglo-Saxon form 
(bot) of boot*, a fine, etc.: only in historical 
use. 
A theft committed on any one of these three days [the 
Gang days] was, by Alfred's laws, sconced in a two-fold 
bot or fine, as if it hud been a Sunday or one of the higher 
Church holydays. /;.*. Church of our Fathers, III. ii. 107. 
botfy. An obsolete preterit of bite. 
bot 4 t, Ifep. and conj. A Middle English form 
of but*. 
bot. 1. An abbreviation of botany, botanical, 
and botanist. 2. A contraction of bought 2 . 
botanic (bo-tan'ik), a. and n. [= F. botaniqut, 
< ML. botanicus, < Gr. .loravtxof, < jiordvti, an 
herb, plant: see botany.] I. a. Pertaining to 
botany, or the scientific study of plants. Bo- 
tanic garden, a garden devoted to the culture of plants 
collected for the purpose of illustrating the science of 
botany. 
U.t n. A botanist. 
