6oo BAG 
lowed., order of knights in England, known by the name 
of knights only. They are flyled knigkts-bachelors, either 
as denoting their degree, quaji has chevaliers ; or, according 
to others, becaufe this title does not defcend to their pof- 
terity. The cuflom of the ancient Germans was to give 
their young men a fhield and a lance in the great council: 
this was equivalent to the tvga virilis of the Romans. Be¬ 
fore this, they were not permitted to bear arms, but were 
accounted as part of the, father’s houfehold ; after it, as 
part of the public. Hence fome derive the ulage of 
knighting, which has prevailed all over the weflern world, 
finceits reduction by colonies, from t’nofe northern heroes. 
This title is now conferred indifcriminately upon gownf- 
tnen, burghers, phyficians, Sec. by the king’s lightly touch¬ 
ing the pe-rfon, who is then kneeling, on the right fhoulder 
with a drawn fword, and faying, Rije, Sir. See the articles 
Knight, and Nobility. 
The degree of bachelor in the univerfities was firft in- 
t'roduced.in the thirteenth century by pope Gregory IX. 
but it remains dill unknown in Italy. See University. 
We alfo find mention of bachelors of the church, baccalarii 
ecclcja. The biftiop with his canons and baccalarii, cum con- 
Jilio et corjenju omnium canonicorumJ'aorum et baccalariorum . 
Bachelors, in the livery companies of London, are 
thofe not yet admitted to the livery. Thefe companies 
S ue rally confift of a mailer, two wardens, the livery, and 
e bachelors, who are yet but in expectation of dignity in 
the company, and have their function only in attendance 
on the mailer and wardens. They are alfo called yeomen. 
Bachelors, a river of South America, which runs 
into a bay to which it gives name, on the north lide of 
the Straits of Magellan. Lat. 53. 38. N. Ion. 73. 52. W. 
Greenwich. 
BA'CHELORSIITP,/. The condition of a bachelor : 
Her mother, living yet, can teftify. 
She was the firlt fruit of my bachelor/hip. Shakejpeare. 
BA'CHIAN, one of the Molucca illands in the Indian 
Sea, fertile in fago, fruits, and all necefiaries of life; the 
principal town is Sabonga. 
BACH'MUT, a town of Rufiia, in the province of 
Ekaterinoflav ; 104 miles north-'n’orth-weft of Azoph, and 
r 12 ealt of Ekaterinollav. Lat. 48.25. N. Ion. 55.30. E. 
Ferro. 
B A'CHO, a river of North Wales', which runs into the 
Severn, near Lanidios, in Montgomerylhire. 
BA'CHOLKZ, or Von'chotsch, a town of Poland, 
in the palatinate of Sandomitz ; 20 miles fouth of Radom. 
BA'CHU, or Ba'ku, ;i city of L Shirvan in Perfia, and 
the bell haven in the Cafpian Sea. It is defended by a 
double wall, ditch, and redoubts, made by the Ruffians 
when they were makers of the place. It had a fumptutms 
cable, but was reduced to a ruinous (late by the Ruffians. 
Formerly it carried on a confiderable traffic in raw filk ; 
but that commerce is now given up. The neighbourhood 
of this city produces naphtha, brimflone, rock-falt, and 
faffron: Round it 1 are feveral very fleep craggy moun¬ 
tains, on which are ftrong watch-towers. Lat. 40. o. N. 
Ion. 49. 5. E. 
BACK,/. [ bac, bcec, Sax. bach, Ger.] The hinder part 
of the body, from the neck to the thighs. The outer 
part of the hand when it is fhut; oppofed to the palm: 
Methought love pitying me, when he faw this, 
Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to kifs. Donne. 
The outward part of the body ; that which requires 
clothes: oppofed to the belly. —Thofe who, by their an- 
ceflors, have been fet free from a confhmt drudgery to 
their backs and their bellies,, fhould beflovv fome time on 
their heads. Locke. —The rear: oppofed to the van. —He 
might conclude, that Walter would be upon the king’s 
bach, as his majefly was upon his. Clarendon. —The place 
behind.—As the voice goeth round, as well towards the 
back as towards the front of him that fpeaketh, fo does 
the echo: for you have many back echoes to the place 
where you hand. Bacon, 
BAC 
Antheus, Sergeftus grave, Cleanthus ftrong, 
And at their backs a mighty Trojan throng. Drydtn. 
The part of any thing out of fight.—Trees fet upon the 
backs of chimnies do ripen fruit fboner. Bacon. —The thick 
part of any tool, oppofed to the edge ; as, The back of a 
knife or fword : whence backjword, or (word, with a back ; 
as, Bull dreaded not old Lewis either at backjword, fingle 
faulchion, or cudgel-playing. Arbuthnot. —To turn the 
back on one j to forfake him, of negletl him.—At the 
hour of death, all friendfhips of the world bid him adieu, 
and the whole creation turns its back upon him. South .-—• 
To turn the back ; to go away; to be not within the reach 
of taking cognizance.—His back was no fooner turned, 
but they returned to their former rebellion. Sir J. Davies. 
Back,/ in the cooperage, in the difbllery, or in the 
brewing, is a large flat kind of tub or veil'd, wherein the 
wort or liquor is put to cool, in order to be worked with 
yeaft. 
Back, or Dutchman’s Cap, one of the fmall iflands 
of Scotland, eleven miles fouth-eaft of Coll. 
Back, adv. To the place from which one came.—He 
fent many to feek the ftiip Argo, threatening that, if they 
brought not back Medea, they fhould fuffer in her ftead.. 
Raleigh. —Backward ; as retreating from theprefent ftation: 
I’ve been furpris’d in an unguarded hour, 
But mu ft not now go back j the love, that lay 
Half fmother’d in my bread, has broke through all 
Its weak reftraints. Addifon. 
Behind ; not coming forward.—I thought to promote thee 
unto great honour; but lo the Lord hath kept thee back 
from honour. Numb, xxiv, 11.—Towards things pad.—I 
had always a curioiity to look back unto the fources of 
things, and to view in my mind the beginning and pro- 
grefs of a riling worid. Burnet. —Again; in return : 
The lady’s mad; yet, if’twere fo, 
She could not fway her houfe, command her followers, 
Take and give back affairs, and their difpatch, 
With fuch a fmooth, difereet, and liable, bearing. Shakejp. 
Again ; a fecond time.—The epiftles being written from 
ladies forfaken by their lovers, many thoughts came back 
irpoivus in divers letters. Dryden. 
To Back; v. a. To mount on the back of a horfe. To 
break a horfe; to train him to bear upon his back : 
Direct us how to back the winged horfe; 
Favour his flight, and moderate his courfe. Rofcommon. 
To place upon the back : 
As 1 flept, methought 
Great Jupiter, upon his eagle back’d, 
Appear’d to me. Shakejpeare. 
To maintain ; to ftrengthen ; to fupport; to defend : 
Belike he means, 
Back’d by the pow’r of Warwick, that falfe peer, 
T’ afpire unto the crown. Shakejpeare. 
To juftify ; to fupport.—The patrons of the ternary num¬ 
ber of principles, and thofe that would have five elements, 
endeavour to back their experiments with a fpecious rea- 
fon. Boyle. —To fecond : 
Factious, and fav’ring this or t’ other fide, 
Their wagers back their wifhes. Dryden. 
“ What is got over the devil’s back , is fpent under his 
belly.”—.The French fay,. Cc qui vient par leJute, s’en re¬ 
tour ne par le tambour : ‘ What is got by the flute, : goes by 
the drum or, ‘ Lightly come, lightly go.’ The Italians 
fay, Bene malamehte acquijlati von Janno pro ; ‘ Ill gotten 
goods never thrive.’ And fo the French, Le Lien mal 
acquis, s’en va comme il ejl venu. Thefe proverbs explain 
one another. 
BACK-BE'REND,./ [Sax. bearing upon the back.] 
In law, is where the thief is apprehended with the things 
ftolen in his pofleffiou, bearing them in a fardel at his 
back; which was alfo called being taken with the mainour, 
as 
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