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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

B is the second letter, and the first articulation, or consonant, in the English, as in the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and most other alphabets. In the Ethiopic, it is the ninth letter, and its shape is that of a hut. Perhaps from this or other like figure, it received its Hebrew name, beth, a house. It is a mute and a labial, being formed by pressing the whole length of the lips together, as in pronouncing eb. It is less perfectly mute than p, as may be perceived by pronouncing the syllables ab and ap. It is convertible, 1st, with p, as in the Celtic, ben or pen, a mountain; in the English, beak and peak, beck and peck; 2d, with v, as in the German, silber for silver; and in Spanish, b and v are used indifferently; 3d, with f, as in bore and perforo; Eng. bear, L.fero;in the celtic bun,bunadh, bunait, stock,origin,foundation; English,found; L.fundamentum; with the Gr.as Bilip; 4th,with the v and w; as,Ir.fior, L. verus; fear, vir; Ir. buaic, the wick of a candle.
The Greek B is always pronounced like the English V, and the Russian B corresponds with the Greek.
In composition, the letter B is changed into p before the letter p; as in opprimo, from ob and premo; oppono, from ob and pono; into f, before f, as in offero, from ob and fero; into c before c, as in occido, from ob and cado, and coedo.
As a numeral, B was used by the Hebrews and Greeks, as now by the Arabians, for 2; by the Romans for 300, and with a dash over it thus B, for 3000. B is used also as an abbreviation; thus B.A. stand for bachelor of arts; B.L. for bachelor of laws; B.D. for bachelor of divinity; B.F. before the decrees of the old Romans, for bonum factum. In music, B stands for the tone above A; for B flat,or the semi-tone major above A. B also stands for base, and
B.C. for basso continuo, or thorough base.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: aerobic rod-shaped spore-producing bacterium; often occurring in chainlike formations; found primarily in soil [syn: bacillus, B]
2: originally thought to be a single vitamin but now separated into several B vitamins [syn: B-complex vitamin, B complex, vitamin B complex, vitamin B, B vitamin, B]
3: a trivalent metalloid element; occurs both in a hard black crystal and in the form of a yellow or brown powder [syn: boron, B, atomic number 5]
4: a logarithmic unit of sound intensity equal to 10 decibels [syn: Bel, B]
5: (physics) a unit of nuclear cross section; the effective circular area that one particle presents to another as a target for an encounter [syn: barn, b]
6: the 2nd letter of the Roman alphabet [syn: B, b]
7: the blood group whose red cells carry the B antigen [syn: B, type B, group B]

Merriam Webster's

symbol boron

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural b's or bs) Usage: often capitalized, often attributive Date: before 12th century 1. a. the second letter of the English alphabet b. a graphic representation of this letter c. a speech counterpart of orthographic b 2. the seventh tone of a C-major scale 3. a graphic device for reproducing the letter b 4. one designated b especially as the second in order or class 5. a. a grade rating a student's work as good but short of excellent b. one graded or rated with a B 6. something shaped like the letter B 7. capitalized the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letter B and by the presence of antibodies against the antigens present in the A blood group II. abbreviation 1. bachelor 2. bacillus 3. back 4. bag 5. bale 6. bass 7. basso 8. bat 9. Baumé 10. before 11. Bible 12. billion 13. bishop 14. black 15. blue 16. bolivar 17. book 18. born 19. bottom 20. brick 21. brightness 22. British 23. bulb 24. butut

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. (also b) (pl. Bs or B's) 1 the second letter of the alphabet. 2 Mus. the seventh note of the diatonic scale of C major. 3 the second hypothetical person or example. 4 the second highest class or category (of roads, academic marks, etc.). 5 Algebra (usu. b) the second known quantity. 6 a human blood type of the ABO system. Phrases and idioms: B film a supporting film in a cinema programme. 2. symb. 1 Chem. the element boron. 2 Physics magnetic flux density. 3. abbr. (also B.) 1 Bachelor. 2 bel(s). 3 bishop. 4 black (pencil-lead). 5 Blessed.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

symb. Physics barn.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Infinitive In*fin"i*tive, n. [L. infinitivus: cf. F. infinitif. See Infinite.] Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined. Infinitive mood (Gram.), that form of the verb which merely names the action, and performs the office of a verbal noun. Some grammarians make two forms in English: (a) The simple form, as, speak, go, hear, before which to is commonly placed, as, to speak; to go; to hear. (b) The form of the imperfect participle, called the infinitive in -ing; as, going is as easy as standing. Note: With the auxiliary verbs may, can, must, might, could, would, and should, the simple infinitive is expressed without to; as, you may speak; they must hear, etc. The infinitive usually omits to with the verbs let, dare, do, bid, make, see, hear, need, etc.; as, let me go; you dare not tell; make him work; hear him talk, etc. Note: In Anglo-Saxon, the simple infinitive was not preceded by to (the sign of modern simple infinitive), but it had a dative form (sometimes called the gerundial infinitive) which was preceded by to, and was chiefly employed in expressing purpose. See Gerund, 2. Note: The gerundial ending (-anne) not only took the same form as the simple infinitive (-an), but it was confounded with the present participle in -ende, or -inde (later -inge).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Labial La"bi*al, n. 1. (Phonetics) A letter or character representing an articulation or sound formed or uttered chiefly with the lips, as b, p, w. 2. (Mus.) An organ pipe that is furnished with lips; a flue pipe. 3. (Zo["o]l.) One of the scales which border the mouth of a fish or reptile.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Legate Leg"ate (l[e^]g"[asl]t), n. [OE. legat, L. legatus, fr. legare to send with a commission or charge, to depute, fr. lex, legis, law: cf. F. l['e]gat, It. legato. See Legal.] 1. An ambassador or envoy. 2. An ecclesiastic representing the pope and invested with the authority of the Holy See. Note: Legates are of three kinds: (a) Legates a latere, now always cardinals. They are called ordinary or extraordinary legates, the former governing provinces, and the latter class being sent to foreign countries on extraordinary occasions. (b) Legati missi, who correspond to the ambassadors of temporal governments. (c) Legati nati, or legates by virtue of their office, as the archbishops of Salzburg and Prague. 3. (Rom. Hist.) (a) An official assistant given to a general or to the governor of a province. (b) Under the emperors, a governor sent to a province.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Libration Li*bra"tion (l[-i]*br[=a]"sh[u^]n), n. [L. libratio: cf. F. libration.] 1. The act or state of librating. --Jer. Taylor. 2. (Astron.) A real or apparent libratory motion, like that of a balance before coming to rest. Libration of the moon, any one of those small periodical changes in the position of the moon's surface relatively to the earth, in consequence of which narrow portions at opposite limbs become visible or invisible alternately. It receives different names according to the manner in which it takes place; as: (a) Libration in longitude, that which, depending on the place of the moon in its elliptic orbit, causes small portions near the eastern and western borders alternately to appear and disappear each month. (b) Libration in latitude, that which depends on the varying position of the moon's axis in respect to the spectator, causing the alternate appearance and disappearance of either pole. (c) Diurnal or parallactic libration, that which brings into view on the upper limb, at rising and setting, some parts not in the average visible hemisphere.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Respiration Res`pi*ra"tion (r?s`p?*r?"sh?n), n. [L. respiratio: cf. F. respiration. See Respire.] 1. The act of respiring or breathing again, or catching one's breath. 2. Relief from toil or suffering: rest. [Obs.] Till the day Appear of respiration to the just And vengeance to the wicked. --Milton. 3. Interval; intermission. [Obs.] --Bp. Hall. 4. (Physiol.) The act of resping or breathing; the act of taking in and giving out air; the aggregate of those processes bu which oxygen is introduced into the system, and carbon dioxide, or carbonic acid, removed. Note: Respiration in the higher animals is divided into: (a) Internal respiration, or the interchange of oxygen and carbonic acid between the cells of the body and the bathing them, which in one sense is a process of nutrition. (b) External respiration, or the gaseous interchange taking place in the special respiratory organs, the lungs. This constitutes respiration proper. --Gamgee. In the respiration of plants oxygen is likewise absorbed and carbonic acid exhaled, but in the light this process is obscured by another process which goes on with more vigor, in which the plant inhales and absorbs carbonic acid and exhales free oxygen.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Monkey Mon"key, n.; pl. Monkeys. [Cf. OIt. monicchio, It. monnino, dim. of monna an ape, also dame, mistress, contr. fr. madonna. See Madonna.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) (a) In the most general sense, any one of the Quadrumana, including apes, baboons, and lemurs. (b) Any species of Quadrumana, except the lemurs. (c) Any one of numerous species of Quadrumana (esp. such as have a long tail and prehensile feet) exclusive of apes and baboons. Note: The monkeys are often divided into three groups: (a) Catarrhines, or Simid[ae]. These have an oblong head, with the oblique flat nostrils near together. Some have no tail, as the apes. All these are natives of the Old World. (b) Platyrhines, or Cebid[ae]. These have a round head, with a broad nasal septum, so that the nostrils are wide apart and directed downward. The tail is often prehensile, and the thumb is short and not opposable. These are natives of the New World. (c) Strepsorhines, or Lemuroidea. These have a pointed head with curved nostrils. They are natives of Southern Asia, Africa, and Madagascar. 2. A term of disapproval, ridicule, or contempt, as for a mischievous child. This is the monkey's own giving out; she is persuaded I will marry her. --Shak. 3. The weight or hammer of a pile driver, that is, a very heavy mass of iron, which, being raised on high, falls on the head of the pile, and drives it into the earth; the falling weight of a drop hammer used in forging. 4. A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century. Monkey boat. (Naut.) (a) A small boat used in docks. (b) A half-decked boat used on the River Thames. Monkey block (Naut.), a small single block strapped with a swivel. --R. H. Dana, Jr. Monkey flower (Bot.), a plant of the genus Mimulus; -- so called from the appearance of its gaping corolla. --Gray. Monkey gaff (Naut.), a light gaff attached to the topmast for the better display of signals at sea. Monkey jacket, a short closely fitting jacket, worn by sailors. Monkey rail (Naut.), a second and lighter rail raised about six inches above the quarter rail of a ship. Monkey shine, monkey trick. [Slang, U.S.] Monkey trick, a mischievous prank. --Saintsbury. Monkey wheel. See Gin block, under 5th Gin. Monkey wrench, a wrench or spanner having a movable jaw.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Mute Mute, n. 1. One who does not speak, whether from physical inability, unwillingness, or other cause. Specifically: (a) One who, from deafness, either congenital or from early life, is unable to use articulate language; a deaf-mute. (b) A person employed by undertakers at a funeral. (c) A person whose part in a play does not require him to speak. (d) Among the Turks, an officer or attendant who is selected for his place because he can not speak. 2. (Phon.) A letter which represents no sound; a silent letter; also, a close articulation; an element of speech formed by a position of the mouth organs which stops the passage of the breath; as, p, b, d, k, t. 3. (Mus.) A little utensil made of brass, ivory, or other material, so formed that it can be fixed in an erect position on the bridge of a violin, or similar instrument, in order to deaden or soften the tone.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Motion Mo"tion, n. [F., fr. L. motio, fr. movere, motum, to move. See Move.] 1. The act, process, or state of changing place or position; movement; the passing of a body from one place or position to another, whether voluntary or involuntary; -- opposed to rest. Speaking or mute, all comeliness and grace attends thee, and each word, each motion, forms. --Milton. 2. Power of, or capacity for, motion. Devoid of sense and motion. --Milton. 3. Direction of movement; course; tendency; as, the motion of the planets is from west to east. In our proper motion we ascend. --Milton. 4. Change in the relative position of the parts of anything; action of a machine with respect to the relative movement of its parts. This is the great wheel to which the clock owes its motion. --Dr. H. More. 5. Movement of the mind, desires, or passions; mental act, or impulse to any action; internal activity. Let a good man obey every good motion rising in his heart, knowing that every such motion proceeds from God. --South. 6. A proposal or suggestion looking to action or progress; esp., a formal proposal made in a deliberative assembly; as, a motion to adjourn. Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion. --Shak. 7. (Law) An application made to a court or judge orally in open court. Its object is to obtain an order or rule directing some act to be done in favor of the applicant. --Mozley & W. 8. (Mus.) Change of pitch in successive sounds, whether in the same part or in groups of parts. The independent motions of different parts sounding together constitute counterpoint. --Grove. Note: Conjunct motion is that by single degrees of the scale. Contrary motion is that when parts move in opposite directions. Disjunct motion is motion by skips. Oblique motion is that when one part is stationary while another moves. Similar or direct motion is that when parts move in the same direction. 9. A puppet show or puppet. [Obs.] What motion's this? the model of Nineveh? --Beau. & Fl. Note: Motion, in mechanics, may be simple or compound. Simple motions are: (a) straight translation, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. (b) Simple rotation, which may be either continuous or reciprocating, and when reciprocating is called oscillating. (c) Helical, which, if of indefinite duration, must be reciprocating. Compound motion consists of combinations of any of the simple motions. Center of motion, Harmonic motion, etc. See under Center, Harmonic, etc. Motion block (Steam Engine), a crosshead. Perpetual motion (Mech.), an incessant motion conceived to be attainable by a machine supplying its own motive forces independently of any action from without.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

B B (b[=e]) is the second letter of the English alphabet. (See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 196, 220.) It is etymologically related to p, v, f, w and m, letters representing sounds having a close organic affinity to its own sound; as in Eng. bursar and purser; Eng. bear and Lat. ferre; Eng. silver and Ger. silber; Lat. cubitum and It. gomito; Eng. seven, Anglo-Saxon seofon, Ger. sieben, Lat. septem, Gr."epta`, Sanskrit saptan. The form of letter B is Roman, from Greek B (Beta), of Semitic origin. The small b was formed by gradual change from the capital B. Note: In Music, B is the nominal of the seventh tone in the model major scale (the scale of C major ), or of the second tone in it's relative minor scale (that of A minor ) . B[flat] stands for B flat, the tone a half step, or semitone, lower than B. In German, B stands for our B[flat], while our B natural is called H (pronounced h["a]).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ferment Fer"ment, n. [L. fermentum ferment (in senses 1 & 2), perh. for fervimentum, fr. fervere to be boiling hot, boil, ferment: cf. F. ferment. Cf. 1st Barm, Fervent.] 1. That which causes fermentation, as yeast, barm, or fermenting beer. Note: Ferments are of two kinds: (a) Formed or organized ferments. (b) Unorganized or structureless ferments. The latter are also called soluble or chemical ferments, and enzymes. Ferments of the first class are as a rule simple microscopic vegetable organisms, and the fermentations which they engender are due to their growth and development; as, the acetic ferment, the butyric ferment, etc. See Fermentation. Ferments of the second class, on the other hand, are chemical substances, as a rule soluble in glycerin and precipitated by alcohol. In action they are catalytic and, mainly, hydrolytic. Good examples are pepsin of the dastric juice, ptyalin of the salvia, and disease of malt.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gastropoda Gas*trop"o*da, n. pl., [NL., fr. Gr. ?, ?, stomach + -poda.] (Zo["o]l.) One of the classes of Mollusca, of great extent. It includes most of the marine spiral shells, and the land and fresh-water snails. They generally creep by means of a flat, muscular disk, or foot, on the ventral side of the body. The head usually bears one or two pairs of tentacles. See Mollusca. [Written also Gasteropoda.] Note: The Gastropoda are divided into three subclasses; viz.: (a) The Streptoneura or Dioecia, including the Pectinibranchiata, Rhipidoglossa, Docoglossa, and Heteropoda. (b) The Euthyneura, including the Pulmonata and Opisthobranchia. (c) The Amphineura, including the Polyplacophora and Aplacophora.