Bistort

[Lat. bis, and torqueo, tort us, to twist.] ( Bot.) See POLYGONUM. Bistoury, (bis'turi,) n. [Fr. bistouri , from Pistoria , now Pistoja , a city in Tuscany where it was first manufactured.] ( Surg .) A small curved knife for making 'incisions. Bis'tre, ( bis'ter ,) n. [Fr. bistre, from bis , fem. bise , brown.] ( Painting .) A brown pigment extracted by watery solution from the soot of wood-fires, when it retains a strong pyroligneous scent. It is of a wax-like texture, and of a citrine-brown color, perfectly durable. It was much used as a water-color, particularly by the Old Masters, in tinting drawings and shading sketches, previously to Indian Ink coming into use for such purposes. In oil it dries with the greatest difficulty. Bisturres, n . pl . ( Fort .) Small towers placed at intervals in the walls of a fortre , forming a barbican. Bisul'cate, Bisul'cous, a. [Lat. bisulcus , two-furrowed.] ( Zool .) A term applied to cloven-footed mammal i a, i. e., resting upon two hoofed digits. Bisulcous, ( bi - sulk us ,) a . [Lat. bisulcus -bis, and sul- cus , a furrow, trench.] Cloven-footed, as swine or oxen, Bisulphate, n. [Lat. bis , and sulphate , q. v.] (Chem.) A sulphate having two equivalents of sulphuric acid to one of the base. Bisztritz, (bees-treetz,) a fortified town of Austria, in Transylvania, on a river of the same name; Lat. 47° 5' 46" N.; Lon. 24° 32′ 18" E. Pop . 7,481. Bit, n. [A. S. bit a , bate , bitol , allied to bit an , to bite.] That which curbs, bites, or holds fast. Specifically, the iron part of a bridle which is inserted in a horse's mouth, and which the animal bites or champs, and to which and its appurtenances the guiding reins are fastened. bread. (Med.) Metallic B. has no effect on the system, and the sub nitrate of B. itself, from its almost insoluble na- ture, exercises but a limited action on the body. Since 1868, a soluble citrate of B. and ammonia has been ob- tained, of which much good is said, but we abstain from giving any opinion upon its therapeutic action or cur a--A bite; a mouthful or morsel; a small piece; as, a bit of IMG:content-0632.jpg:[graphic] tive merits. Its form. is BiO3, NH40,C12H5011 +5HO = BiC12N H14020-473. - As an external application, "John was the darling; he had all the good bits."--Arbuthnot. The American Dictionary and Cyclopedia handle of a socket; they are used for boring large holes in hard wood, and in all cases where accuracy is required. The bit of a key is the part fitted to the shank in which the wards are cut; this is called a blank until the wards are so cut. The term is also applied to the hammer used by masons for rough picking, or dre ing granite. ( Com .) A small silver Spanish coin, more usually called real. Its value is about 10 cents. The term is also commonly used in the Southern States, chiefly in Louisiana, to expre the 8th part of a dollar.