Bident
(Bi"dent) n. [L. bidens, - entis, having two prongs; bis twice + dens a tooth.] An instrument or
weapon with two prongs.
Bidental
(Bi*den"tal) a. Having two teeth. Swift.
Bidentate
(Bi*den"tate) a. (Bot. & Zoöl.) Having two teeth or two toothlike processes; two- toothed.
Bidet
(Bi*det") n. [F. bidet, perh. fr. Celtic; cr. Gael. bideach very little, diminutive, bidein a diminutive
animal, W. bidan a weakly or sorry wretch.]
1. A small horse formerly allowed to each trooper or dragoon for carrying his baggage. B. Jonson.
2. A kind of bath tub for sitting baths; a sitz bath.
Bidigitate
(Bi*dig"i*tate) a. [Pref. bi- + digitate.] Having two fingers or fingerlike projections.
Biding
(Bid"ing) n. Residence; habitation. Rowe.
Bield
(Bield) n. A shelter. Same as Beild. [Scot.]
Bield
(Bield), v. t. To shelter. [Scot.]
Biennial
(Bi*en"ni*al) a. [L. biennalis and biennis, fr. biennium a space of two years; bis twice + annus
year. Cf. Annual.]
1. Happening, or taking place, once in two years; as, a biennial election.
2. (Bot.) Continuing for two years, and then perishing, as plants which form roots and leaves the first
year, and produce fruit the second.
Biennial
(Bi*en"ni*al), n.
1. Something which takes place or appears once in two years; esp. a biennial examination.
2. (Bot.) A plant which exists or lasts for two years.
Biennially
(Bi*en"ni*al*ly), adv. Once in two years.
Bier
(Bier) n. [OE. bæe, beere, AS. br, bre; akin to D. baar, OHG. bara, G. bahre, Icel barar, D baare,
L. feretrum, Gr. , from the same bear to produce. See 1st Bear, and cf. Barrow.]
1. A handbarrow or portable frame on which a corpse is placed or borne to the grave.
2. (Weaving) A count of forty threads in the warp or chain of woolen cloth. Knight.
Bierbalk
(Bier"balk`) n. [See Bier, and Balk, n.] A church road (e. g., a path across fields) for funerals.
[Obs.] Homilies.
Biestings
(Biest"ings, Beest"ings) n. pl. [OE. bestynge, AS. bysting, fr. byst, beost; akin to D. biest,
OHG. biost, G. biest; of unknown origin.] The first milk given by a cow after calving. B. Jonson.
The thick and curdy milk . . . commonly called biestings.
Newton.
Bifacial
(Bi*fa"cial) a. [Pref. bi- + facial.] Having the opposite surfaces alike.
Bifarious
(Bi*fa"ri*ous) a. [L. bifarius; bis twice + fari to speak. Cf. Gr. twofold; twice + to say.]
