Rhapsody \Rhap"so*dy\, n.; pl. Rhapsodies. [F. rhapsodie, L. rhapsodia, Gr. "rapsw,di`a, fr. "rapsw,do`s a rhapsodist; "ra`ptein to sew, stitch together, unite + 'w,dh` a song. See Ode.]

1. A recitation or song of a rhapsodist; a portion of an epic poem adapted for recitation, or usually recited, at one time; hence, a division of the Iliad or the Odyssey; -- called also a book.

2. A disconnected series of sentences or statements composed under excitement, and without dependence or natural connection; rambling composition. ``A rhapsody of words.'' --Shak. ``A rhapsody of tales.'' --Locke.

3. (Mus.) A composition irregular in form, like an improvisation; as, Liszt's ``Hungarian Rhapsodies.''

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Bell \Bell\, n. [AS. belle, fr. bellan to bellow. See Bellow.]

1. A hollow metallic vessel, usually shaped somewhat like a cup with a flaring mouth, containing a clapper or tongue, and giving forth a ringing sound on being struck.

Note: Bells have been made of various metals, but the best have always been, as now, of an alloy of copper and tin.

The Liberty Bell, the famous bell of the Philadelphia State House, which rang when the Continental Congress declared the Independence of the United States, in 1776. It had been cast in 1753, and upon it were the words ``Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, to all the inhabitants thereof.''

2. A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved.

3. Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower. ``In a cowslip's bell I lie.'' --Shak.

4. (Arch.) That part of the capital of a column included between the abacus and neck molding; also used for the naked core of nearly cylindrical shape, assumed to exist within the leafage of a capital.

5. pl. (Naut.) The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated.

Note: On shipboard, time is marked by a bell, which is struck eight times at 4, 8, and 12 o'clock. Half an hour after it has struck ``eight bells'' it is struck once, and at every succeeding half hour the number of strokes is increased by one, till at the end of the four hours, which constitute a watch, it is struck eight times.

To bear away the bell, to win the prize at a race where the prize was a bell; hence, to be superior in something. --Fuller.

To bear the bell, to be the first or leader; -- in allusion to the bellwether or a flock, or the leading animal of a team or drove, when wearing a bell.

To curse by bell, book, and candle, a solemn form of excommunication used in the Roman Catholic church, the bell being tolled, the book of offices for the purpose being used, and three candles being extinguished with certain ceremonies. --Nares.

To lose the bell, to be worsted in a contest. ``In single fight he lost the bell.'' --Fairfax.

To shake the bells, to move, give notice, or alarm. --Shak.

Note: Bell is much used adjectively or in combinations; as, bell clapper; bell foundry; bell hanger; bell-mouthed; bell tower, etc., which, for the most part, are self-explaining.

Bell arch (Arch.), an arch of unusual form, following the curve of an ogee.

Bell cage, or Bell carriage (Arch.), a timber frame constructed to carry one or more large bells.

Bell cot (Arch.), a small or subsidiary construction, frequently corbeled out from the walls of a structure, and used to contain and support one or more bells.

Bell deck (Arch.), the floor of a belfry made to serve as a roof to the rooms below.

Bell founder, one whose occupation it is to found or cast bells.

Bell foundry, or Bell foundery, a place where bells are founded or cast.

Bell gable (Arch.), a small gable-shaped construction, pierced with one or more openings, and used to contain bells.

Bell glass. See Bell jar.

Bell hanger, a man who hangs or puts up bells.

Bell pull, a cord, handle, or knob, connecting with a bell or bell wire, and which will ring the bell when pulled. --Aytoun.

Bell punch, a kind of conductor's punch which rings a bell when used.

Bell ringer, one who rings a bell or bells, esp. one whose business it is to ring a church bell or chime, or a set of musical bells for public entertainment.

Bell roof (Arch.), a roof shaped according to the general lines of a bell.

Bell rope, a rope by which a church or other bell is rung.

Bell tent, a circular conical-topped tent.

Bell trap, a kind of bell shaped stench trap.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Book \Book\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Booked; p. pr. & vb. n. Booking.]

1. To enter, write, or register in a book or list.

Let it be booked with the rest of this day's deeds. --Shak.

2. To enter the name of (any one) in a book for the purpose of securing a passage, conveyance, or seat; as, to be booked for Southampton; to book a seat in a theater.

3. To mark out for; to destine or assign for; as, he is booked for the valedictory. [Colloq.]

Here I am booked for three days more in Paris. --Charles Reade.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Book \Book\ (b[oo^]k), n. [OE. book, bok, AS. b[=o]c; akin to Goth. b[=o]ka a letter, in pl. book, writing, Icel. b[=o]k, Sw. bok, Dan. bog, OS. b[=o]k, D. boek, OHG. puoh, G. buch; and fr. AS. b[=o]c, b[=e]ce, beech; because the ancient Saxons and Germans in general wrote runes on pieces of beechen board. Cf. Beech.]

1. A collection of sheets of paper, or similar material, blank, written, or printed, bound together; commonly, many folded and bound sheets containing continuous printing or writing.

Note: When blank, it is called a blank book. When printed, the term often distinguishes a bound volume, or a volume of some size, from a pamphlet.

Note: It has been held that, under the copyright law, a book is not necessarily a volume made of many sheets bound together; it may be printed on a single sheet, as music or a diagram of patterns. --Abbott.

2. A composition, written or printed; a treatise.

A good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life. --Milton.

3. A part or subdivision of a treatise or literary work; as, the tenth book of ``Paradise Lost.''

4. A volume or collection of sheets in which accounts are kept; a register of debts and credits, receipts and expenditures, etc.

5. Six tricks taken by one side, in the game of whist; in certain other games, two or more corresponding cards, forming a set.

Note: Book is used adjectively or as a part of many compounds; as, book buyer, bookrack, book club, book lore, book sale, book trade, memorandum book, cashbook.

Book account, an account or register of debt or credit in a book.

Book debt, a debt for items charged to the debtor by the creditor in his book of accounts.

Book learning, learning acquired from books, as distinguished from practical knowledge. ``Neither does it so much require book learning and scholarship, as good natural sense, to distinguish true and false.'' --Burnet.

Book louse (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of minute, wingless insects injurious to books and papers. They belong to the Pseudoneuroptera.

Book moth (Zo["o]l.), the name of several species of moths, the larv[ae] of which eat books.

Book oath, an oath made on The Book, or Bible.

The Book of Books, the Bible.

Book post, a system under which books, bulky manuscripts, etc., may be transmitted by mail.

Book scorpion (Zo["o]l.), one of the false scorpions (Chelifer cancroides) found among books and papers. It can run sidewise and backward, and feeds on small insects.

Book stall, a stand or stall, often in the open air, for retailing books.

Canonical books. See Canonical.

In one's books, in one's favor. ``I was so much in his books, that at his decease he left me his lamp.'' --Addison.

To bring to book.
   (a) To compel to give an account.
   (b) To compare with an admitted authority. ``To bring it manifestly to book is impossible.'' --M. Arnold.

To curse by bell, book, and candle. See under Bell.

To make a book (Horse Racing), to lay bets (recorded in a pocket book) against the success of every horse, so that the bookmaker wins on all the unsuccessful horses and loses only on the winning horse or horses.

To speak by the book, to speak with minute exactness.

Without book.
   (a) By memory.
   (b) Without authority.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)