n. pl. [ Cf. F. arrhes, Scot. airles. Cf. Earles penny. ] An earnest; earnest money; money paid to bind a bargain. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Arles penny, earnest money given to servants. Kersey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. barli, barlich, AS. bærlic; bere barley + līc (which is prob. the same as E. like, adj., or perh. a form of AS. leāc leek). AS. bere is akin to Icel, barr barley, Goth. barizeins made of barley, L. far spelt; cf. W. barlys barley, bara bread. &unr_;92. Cf. Farina, 6th Bear. ] (Bot.) A valuable grain, of the family of grasses, genus Hordeum, used for food, and for making malt, from which are prepared beer, ale, and whisky. [ 1913 Webster ]

Barley bird (Zool.), the siskin. --
Barley sugar, sugar boiled till it is brittle (formerly with a decoction of barley) and candied. --
Barley water, a decoction of barley, used in medicine, as a nutritive and demulcent. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. An ancient rural game, commonly played round stacks of barley, or other grain, in which some of the party attempt to catch others who run from a goal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Lit. barley broth. See Brew. ] Liquor made from barley; strong ale. [ Humorous ] [ Scot. ] Burns. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Corn. ] 1. A grain or “corn” of barley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Formerly , a measure of length, equal to the average length of a grain of barley; the third part of an inch. [ 1913 Webster ]

John Barleycorn, a humorous personification of barley as the source of malt liquor or whisky. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Charles + wain; cf. AS. Carles w&aemacr_;n (for wægn), Sw. karlvagnen, Dan. karlsvogn. See Churl, and Wain. ] (Astron.) The group of seven stars, commonly called the Big Dipper, in the constellation Ursa Major, or Great Bear. See Ursa major, under Ursa. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

☞ The name is sometimes also applied to the Constellation. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Cf. Arles, 4th Earnest. ] Earnest money. Same as Arles penny. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without ears; hence, deaf or unwilling to hear. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Ear + -let. ] An earring. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The Ismaelites were accustomed to wear golden earlets. Judg. viii. 24 (Douay version). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Free from fear.

Syn. -- Bold; daring; courageous; intrepid; valorous; valiant; brave; undaunted; dauntless; heroic.

-- Fear"less*ly, adv. -- Fear"less*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Knotty; full of knots or gnarls; twisted; crossgrained. [ 1913 Webster ]

The unwedgeable and gnarléd oak. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without grammar. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) The red-breasted merganser. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ So called from Harlech in Wales. ] (Geol.) A minor subdivision at the base of the Cambrian system in Wales. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. arlequin, formerly written also harlequin (cf. It, arlecchino), prob. fr. OF. hierlekin, hellequin, goblin, elf, which is prob. of German or Dutch origin; cf. D. hel hell. Cf. Hell, Kin. ] A buffoon, dressed in parti-colored clothes, who plays tricks, often without speaking, to divert the bystanders or an audience; a merry-andrew; originally, a droll rogue of Italian comedy. Percy Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

As dumb harlequin is exhibited in our theaters. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Harlequin bat (Zool.), an Indian bat (Scotophilus ornatus), curiously variegated with white spots. --
Harlequin beetle (Zool.), a very large South American beetle (Acrocinus longimanus) having very long legs and antennae. The elytra are curiously marked with red, black, and gray. --
Harlequin cabbage bug. (Zool.) See Calicoback. --
Harlequin caterpillar. (Zool.), the larva of an American bombycid moth (Euchaetes egle) which is covered with black, white, yellow, and orange tufts of hair. --
Harlequin duck (Zool.), a North American duck (Histrionicus histrionicus). The male is dark ash, curiously streaked with white. --
Harlequin moth. (Zool.) See Magpie Moth. --
Harlequin opal. See Opal. --
Harlequin snake (Zool.), See harlequin snake in the vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To play the droll; to make sport by playing ludicrous tricks. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To remove or conjure away, as by a harlequin's trick. [ 1913 Webster ]

And kitten, if the humor hit
Has harlequined away the fit. M. Green. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. arleguinade. ] A play or part of a play in which the harlequin is conspicuous; the part of a harlequin. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. any of several venomous New World snakes brilliantly banded in red and black and either yellow or white, especially the eastern coral snake, a small poisonous snake (Micrurus fulvius or Elaps fulvius), ringed with red and black, found in the Southeastern United States. They are widely distributed in Southern and Central America;
Syn. -- coral snake, New World coral snake. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Spangled with ice. [ 1913 Webster ]

Mounting up in icy-pearled car. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>n. (Zool.) A variety of small pet dogs, having, drooping ears, a high, dome-shaped forehead, pug nose, large, prominent eyes, and long, wavy hair. The color is usually black and tan. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Knotted. See Gnarled. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without oars. Sylvester. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ F. parler. See Parley. ] To talk; to converse; to parley. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Finding himself too weak, began to parle. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Conversation; talk; parley. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

They ended parle, and both addressed for fight. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Parleys [ F. parler speech, talk, fr. parler to speak, LL. parabolare, fr. L. parabola a comparison, parable, in LL., a word. See Parable, and cf. Parliament, Parlor. ] Mutual discourse or conversation; discussion; hence, an oral conference with an enemy, as with regard to a truce. [ 1913 Webster ]

We yield on parley, but are stormed in vain. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

To beat a parley (Mil.), to beat a drum, or sound a trumpet, as a signal for holding a conference with the enemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Parleyed p. pr. & vb. n. Parleying. ] To speak with another; to confer on some point of mutual concern; to discuss orally; hence, specifically, to confer orally with an enemy; to treat with him by words, as on an exchange of prisoners, an armistice, or terms of peace. [ 1913 Webster ]

They are at hand,
To parley or to fight; therefore prepare. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A diver who searches for molluscs containing pearls; a pearl diver.
Syn. -- pearl diver. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

pos>adj. 1. Having an iridescent pearl-like surface, giving a play of lustrous rainbowlike colors; nacreous; pearlaceous.
Syn. -- iridescent, nacreous, opalescent, opaline, pearlaceous. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. [ F. ] (Diplomacy) A consultation preliminary to a treaty. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Free from scar. Drummond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. scarlat, scarlet, OF. escarlate, F. écarlate (cf. Pr. escarlat, escarlata, Sp. & Pg. escarlata, It. scarlatto, LL. scarlatum), from Per. sakirlāt. ] A deep bright red tinged with orange or yellow, -- of many tints and shades; a vivid or bright red color. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Cloth of a scarlet color. [ 1913 Webster ]

All her household are clothed with scarlet. Prov. xxxi. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of the color called scarlet; as, a scarlet cloth or thread. [ 1913 Webster ]

Scarlet admiral (Zool.), the red admiral. See under Red. -- Scarlet bean (Bot.), a kind of bean (Phaseolus multiflorus) having scarlet flowers; scarlet runner. --
Scarlet fever (Med.), a contagious febrile disease characterized by inflammation of the fauces and a scarlet rash, appearing usually on the second day, and ending in desquamation about the sixth or seventh day. --
Scarlet fish (Zool.), the telescope fish; -- so called from its red color. See under Telescope. --
Scarlet ibis (Zool.) See under Ibis. --
Scarlet maple (Bot.), the red maple. See Maple. --
Scarlet mite (Zool.), any one of numerous species of bright red carnivorous mites found among grass and moss, especially Thombidium holosericeum and allied species. The young are parasitic upon spiders and insects. --
Scarlet oak (Bot.), a species of oak (Quercus coccinea) of the United States; -- so called from the scarlet color of its leaves in autumn. --
Scarlet runner (Bot.), the scarlet bean. --
Scarlet tanager. (Zool.) See under Tanager. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To dye or tinge with scarlet. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The ashy paleness of my cheek
Is scarleted in ruddy flakes of wrath. Ford. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who snarls; a surly, growling animal; a grumbling, quarrelsome fellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who makes use of a snarling iron. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Being without stars; having no stars visible; as, a starless night. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without sugar; free from sugar. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Shedding no tears; free from tears; unfeeling. -- Tear"less*ly, adv. -- Tear"less*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. varlet, vaslet, vallet, servant, young man, young noble, dim. of vassal. See Vassal, and cf. Valet. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A servant, especially to a knight; an attendant; a valet; a footman. [ Obs. ] Spenser. Tusser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, a low fellow; a scoundrel; a rascal; as, an impudent varlet. [ 1913 Webster ]

What a brazen-faced varlet art thou ! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. In a pack of playing cards, the court card now called the knave, or jack. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. OF. valeterie the young unmarried nobles. ] The rabble; the crowd; the mob. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shall they hoist me up,
And show me to the shouting varletry
Of censuring Rome. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]