Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Bay?

\Bay\, a. [F. bai, fr. L. badius brown, chestnutcolored; -- used only of horses.] Reddish brown; of the color of a chestnut; -- applied to the color of horses. {Bay cat} (Zo["o]l.), a wild cat of Africa and the East Indies ({Felis aurata}). {Bay lynx} (Zo["o]l.), the common American lynx ({Felis, or Lynx, rufa}).
\Bay\, n. [F. baie, fr. LL. baia. Of uncertain origin: cf. Ir. & Gael. badh or bagh bay harbor, creek; Bisc. baia, baiya, harbor, and F. bayer to gape, open the mouth.] 1. (Geol.) An inlet of the sea, usually smaller than a gulf, but of the same general character. Note: The name is not used with much precision, and is often applied to large tracts of water, around which the land forms a curve; as, Hudson's Bay. The name is not restricted to tracts of water with a narrow entrance, but is used foe any recess or inlet between capes or headlands; as, the Bay of Biscay. 2. A small body of water set off from the main body; as a compartment containing water for a wheel; the portion of a canal just outside of the gates of a lock, etc. 3. A recess or indentation shaped like a bay. 4. A principal compartment of the walls, roof, or other part of a building, or of the whole building, as marked off by the buttresses, vaulting, mullions of a window, etc.; one of the main divisions of any structure, as the part of a bridge between two piers. 5. A compartment in a barn, for depositing hay, or grain in the stalks. 6. A kind of mahogany obtained from Campeachy Bay. {Sick bay}, in vessels of war, that part of a deck appropriated to the use of the sick. --Totten.
\Bay\, n. [F. baie a berry, the fruit of the laurel and other trees, fr. L. baca, bacca, a small round fruit, a berry, akin to Lith. bapka laurel berry.] 1. A berry, particularly of the laurel. [Obs.] 2. The laurel tree ({Laurus nobilis}). Hence, in the plural, an honorary garland or crown bestowed as a prize for victory or excellence, anciently made or consisting of branches of the laurel. The patriot's honors and the poet's bays. --Trumbull. 3. A tract covered with bay trees. [Local, U. S.] {Bay leaf}, the leaf of the bay tree ({Laurus nobilis}). It has a fragrant odor and an aromatic taste.
\Bay\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Bayed} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Baying}.] [ OE. bayen, abayen, OF. abaier, F. aboyer, to bark; of uncertain origin.] To bark, as a dog with a deep voice does, at his game. The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bayed. --Dryden.
\Bay\, v. t. To bark at; hence, to follow with barking; to bring or drive to bay; as, to bay the bear. --Shak.
\Bay\, n. [See {Bay}, v. i.] 1. Deep-toned, prolonged barking. ``The bay of curs.'' --Cowper. 2. [OE. bay, abay, OF. abai, F. aboi barking, pl. abois, prop. the extremity to which the stag is reduced when surrounded by the dogs, barking (aboyant); aux abois at bay.] A state of being obliged to face an antagonist or a difficulty, when escape has become impossible. Embolden'd by despair, he stood at bay. --Dryden. The most terrible evils are just kept at bay by incessant efforts. --I. Taylor
\Bay\, v. t. [Cf. OE. b[ae]wen to bathe, and G. b["a]hen to foment.] To bathe. [Obs.] --Spenser.
\Bay\, n. A bank or dam to keep back water.
\Bay\, v. t. To dam, as water; -- with up or back.