"Give me," he says emphatically, "in our household, color and cheeriness--not cold art, nor cold pretensions of any kind, but warmth, brightness, animation. Bring in pleasing colors, choice pictures, _bric-à-brac_, and what-not. But let in, also, the sun; light the fires; and have everything for daily use."--Oliver Bell Bunce, _Bachelor Bluff_ (1882). _Bluff (Captain Noll)_, a swaggering bully and boaster. He says, "I think that fighting for fighting's sake is sufficient cause for fighting. Fighting, to me, is religion and the laws." "You must know, sir, I was resident in Flanders the last campaign ... there was scarce anything of moment done, but a humble servant of yours ... had the greatest share in't.... Well, would you think it, in all this time ... that rascally _Gazette_ never so much as once mentioned me? Not once, by the wars! Took no more notice of Noll Bluff than if he had not been in the land of the living."--Congreve, _The Old Bachelor_ (1693). BLUFF HAL or BLUFF HARRY, Henry VIII. Ere yet in scorn of Peter's pence, And numbered bead and shrift, Bluff Harry broke into the spence, And turned the cowls adrift. Tennyson, _The Talking Oak_. BLUN'DERBORE (3 _syl._), the giant who was drowned because Jack scuttled his boat.--_Jack the Giant-killer_. BLUNT (_Colonel_), a brusque royalist, who vows "he'd woo no woman," but falls in love with Arbella, an heiress, woos and wins her. T. Knight, who has converted this comedy into a farce, with the title of _Honest Thieves_, calls colonel Blunt "captain Manly."--Hon. sir R. Howard, _The Committee_ (1670). _Blunt_ (_Major-General_), an old cavalry officer, rough in speech, but brave, honest, and a true patriot.--Shadwell, _The Volunteers_. BLUSHINGTON (_Edward_), a bashful young gentleman of twenty-five, sent as a poor scholar to Cambridge, without any expectations, but by the death of his father and uncle, left all at once as "rich as a nabob." At college he was called "the sensitive plant of Brazenose," because he was always blushing. He dines by invitation at Friendly Hall, and commits ceaseless blunders. Next day his college chum, Frank Friendly, writes word that he and his sister Dinah, with sir Thomas and lady Friendly, will dine with him. After a few glasses of wine, he loses his bashful modesty, makes a long speech, and becomes the accepted suitor of the pretty Miss Dinah Friendly.--W.T. Moncrieff, _The Bashful Man_. BO or _Boh_, says Warton, was a fierce Gothic chief, whose name was used to frighten children. BOADICEA, queen of a tribe of ancient Britons. Her husband having been killed by the Romans, she took the field in person. She was defeated and committed suicide. BOANER´GES (_4 syl._), a declamatory pet parson, who anathematizes all except his own "elect." "He preaches real rousing-up discourses, but sits down pleasantly to his tea, and makes hisself friendly."--Mrs. Oliphant, _Salem Chapel_.