| bore | 1. To make a hole or perforation with, or as with, a boring instrument; to cut a circular hole by the rotary motion of a tool; as, to bore for water or oil (i. E, to sink a well by boring for water or oil); to bore with a gimlet; to bore into a tree (as insects). 2. To be pierced or penetrated by an instrument that cuts as it turns; as, this timber does not bore well, or is hard to bore. 3. To push forward in a certain direction with laborious effort. "They take their flight . . . Boring to the west." (Dryden) 4. To shoot out the nose or toss it in the air; said of a horse. 1. To perforate or penetrate, as a solid body, by turning an auger, gimlet, drill, or other instrument; to make a round hole in or through; to pierce; as, to bore a plank. "I'll believe as soon this whole earth may be bored." (Shak) 2. To form or enlarge by means of a boring instrument or apparatus; as, to bore a steam cylinder or a gun barrel; to bore a hole. "Short but very powerful jaws, by means whereof the insect can bore, as with a centerbit, a cylindrical passage through the most solid wood." (T. W. Harris) 3. To make (a passage) by laborious effort, as in boring; as, to bore one's way through a crowd; to force a narrow and difficult passage through. "What bustling crowds I bored." 4. To weary by tedious iteration or by dullness; to tire; to trouble; to vex; to annoy; to pester. "He bores me with some trick." (Shak) "Used to come and bore me at rare intervals." (Carlyle) 5. To befool; to trick. "I am abused, betrayed; I am laughed at, scorned, Baffled and bored, it seems." (Beau. & Fl) Origin: OE. Borien, AS. Borian; akin to Icel. Bora, Dan. Bore, D. Boren, OHG. Porn, G. Bohren, L. Forare, Gr. To plow, Zend bar. <physics> A tidal flood which regularly or occasionally rushes into certain rivers of peculiar configuration or location, in one or more waves which present a very abrupt front of considerable height, dangerous to shipping, as at the mouth of the Amazon, in South America, the Hoogly and Indus, in India, and the Tsien-tang, in China. Less properly, a very high and rapid tidal flow, when not so abrupt, such as occurs at the Bay of Fundy and in the British Channel. Origin: Icel. Bara wave: cf. G. Empor upwards, OHG. Bor height, burren to lift, perh. Allied to AS. Beran, E. 1st bear. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| borecole | A brassicaceous plant of many varieties, cultivated for its leaves, which are not formed into a compact head like the cabbage, but are loose, and are generally curled or wrinkled; kale. Origin: Cf. D. Boerenkool (lit) husbandman's cabbage. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| boredom | A psychological state resulting from any activity that lacks motivation, or from enforced continuance in an uninteresting situation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| borele | <zoology> The smaller two-horned rhinoceros of South Africa (Atelodus bicornis). Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| borer | 1. One that bores; an instrument for boring. 2. <marine biology> A marine, bivalve mollusk, of the genus Teredo and allies, which burrows in wood. See Teredo. Any bivalve mollusk (Saxicava, Lithodomus, etc) which bores into limestone and similar substances. One of the larvae of many species of insects, which penetrate trees, as the apple, peach, pine, etc. See Apple borer, under Apple. The hagfish (Myxine). (19 Mar 1998) |