| ABC | absolute basophil count; absolute bone conduction; acalculous biliary colic; acid balance control; a... |
|---|---|
| BB | bad breath; bed bath; beta blockade, beta blocker; BioBreeding [rat]; blanket bath; blood bank; bloo... |
| BC | Bachelor of Surgery [Lat. Baccal-aureus Chirurgiae]; back care; bactericidal concentration; basal ce... |
| BCA | balloon catheter angioplasty; bicinchoninic acid; blood color analyzer; Blue Cross Association; bran... |
| BCB | blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier; brilliant cresyl blue |
| blue | 1. Having the colour of the clear sky, or a hue resembling it, whether lighter or darker; as, the deep, blue sea; as blue as a sapphire; blue violets. "The blue firmament." 2. Pale, without redness or glare, said of a flame; hence, of the colour of burning brimstone, betokening the presence of ghosts or devils; as, the candle burns blue; the air was blue with oaths. 3. Low in spirits; melancholy; as, to feel blue. 4. Suited to produce low spirits; gloomy in prospect; as, thongs looked blue. 5. Severe or over strict in morals; gloom; as, blue and sour religionists; suiting one who is over strict in morals; inculcating an impracticable, severe, or gloomy mortality; as, blue laws. 6. Literary; applied to women; an abbreviation of bluestocking. "The ladies were very blue and well informed." (Thackeray) Blue asbestus. See Crocidolite. Blue black, of, or having, a very dark blue colour, almost black. Blue blood. See Blood. Blue buck, sulphate of copper, a violet blue crystallized salt, used in electric batteries, calico printing, etc. Blue water, the open ocean. To look blue, to look disheartened or dejected. True blue, genuine and thorough; not modified, nor mixed; not spurious; specifically, of uncompromising Presbyterianism, blue being the colour adopted by the Covenanters. "For his religion . . . 'T was Presbyterian, true blue." (Hudibras) Origin: OE. Bla, blo, blew, blue, Sw. Bl, D. Blauw, OHG. Blo, G. Blau; but influenced in form by F. Bleu, from OHG. Blao. 1. One of the seven colours into which the rays of light divide themselves, when refracted through a glass prism; the colour of the clear sky, or a colour resembling that, whether lighter or darker; a pigment having such colour. Sometimes, poetically, the sky. 2. A pedantic woman; a bluestocking. 3. [Short for blue devils] Low spirits; a fit of despondency; melancholy. Berlin blue, Prussian blue. Mineral blue. See Mineral. Prussian blue. See Prussian. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| blue asphyxia | A form of asphyxia neonatorum in which the skin is cyanotic, but the heart is strong and the reflexes are preserved. Synonym: blue asphyxia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| blue atrophy | Depressed blue atrophic scars due to injections in the skin of impure substances, as seen in narcotics addicts. (05 Mar 2000) |
| blue baby | A baby born with various defects in the structure of the heart and major blood vessels such as tetralogy of Fallot and transposition of the great vessels. The net result is the inability to oxygenate the blood resulting in cyanosis (bluish discolouration to the skin). Immediate surgical procedures are currently available to correct these genetic abnormalities. (27 Sep 1997) |
| blue-bonnet | 1. A broad, flat Scottish cap of blue woolen, or one waring such cap; a Scotchman. 2. <botany> A plant. Same as Bluebottle. 3. <zoology> The European blue titmouse (Parus coeruleus); the bluecap. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| blue cataract | Coronary cataract of bluish colour. Synonym: cataracta cerulea. (05 Mar 2000) |
| blue cone monochromatism | Impaired, but not absent, colour vision with less severely reduced visual acuity than in complete achromatopsia; inherited as an autosomal recessive or as an X-linked disorder (blue cone monochromism; pi cone monochromatism ). (05 Mar 2000) |
| blue cross | A prepaid health insurance plan for hospital costs and related services. It usually excludes physicians' services (which are covered under blue shield). (12 Dec 1998) |
| blue dextran | High molecular weight dextran containing a blue chlorotriazine dye, Cibacron Blue; used to measure the void volumes in gel filtration columns. (05 Mar 2000) |
| blue disease | <infectious disease> An acute febrile (feverish) disease initially recognised in the Rocky Mountain states, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii transmitted by hard-shelled (ixodid) ticks. Occurs only in the Western Hemisphere. The disease is characterised by sudden onset of headache, chills and fever which can persist for 2-3 weeks, muscle pain. A characteristic rash appears on the extremities and trunk about the 4th day of illness. The rickettsiae grow within damaged cells lining blood vessels which may become blocked by clots. Blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis) is widespread Early recognition of the condition and prompt antibiotic treatment is important in reducing mortality. Synonym: spotted fever, tick fever, and tick typhus. (25 Jun 1999) |
| blue dome cyst | Cyst in the breast filled with serum and/or blood. With time they look blue. (16 Dec 1997) |
| blue dot sign | <clinical sign> A blue or black spot visible beneath the skin on the cranial aspect of testis or epididymis. This is a torsed testicular appendage and is usually quite tender. (05 Mar 2000) |
| blue-eye | <zoology> The blue-cheeked honeysucker of Australia. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| blue-eyed grass | <botany> A grasslike plant (Sisyrinchium anceps), with small flowers of a delicate blue colour. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| blue fever | An acute tick-borne illness caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii. The disease is characterised by sudden onset of headache, chills and fever which can persist for 2-3 weeks. A characteristic rash appears on the extremities and trunk about the 4th day of illness. (27 Sep 1997) |