BAY, a. [L.badius. Blass Bd.] Red, or reddish, inclining to a chestnut color; applied to the color of horses. The shades of this color are called light bay, dark bay, dappled bay, gilded bay, chestnut bay. In popular language, in England, all bay horses are called brown.

BAY, n.

Red, or reddish, inclining to a chestnut color; applied to the color of horses. The shades of this color are called light bay, dark bay, dappled bay, gilded bay, chestnut bay. In popular language, in England, all bay horses are called brown. – Johnson. Encyc.

1. An arm of the sea, extending into the land, not of any definite form, but smaller than a gulf, and larger than a creek. The name however 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. Nor is the name restricted to tracts of water with a narrow entrance, but used for any recess or inlet between capes or head lands, as the Bay of Biscay.
2. A pond-head, or a pond formed by a dam for the purpose of driving mill-wheels. [I believe not used in the United States.]
3. In a barn, a place between the floor and the end of the building, or a low inclosed place for depositing hay. In England, says Johnson, if a barn consists of a floor and two heads, where they lay corn, they call it a barn of two bays. These bays are from 14 to 20 feet long, and floors from 10 to 12 feet broad, and usually 20 feet long, which is the breadth of the barn. – Builder's Dict.
4. In ships of war, that part on each side between decks which lies between the bitts. – Mar. Dict.
5. Any kind of opening in walls. – Chambers.

1. The laurel tree. Hence,
2. Bays, 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. In some parts of the United States, a tract of land covered with bay trees. – Drayton, S. Carolina.

A state of expectation, watching or looking for; as, to keep a man at bay. So a stag at bay, is when he turns his head against the dogs. Whence abeyance, in law, or a state of expectancy.

1. To bark, as a dog at his game. – Spenser.
2. To encompass, or inclose, from bay. We now use embay. – Shak.

To bark at; to follow with barking. – Shak.

1. Reddish brown; of the color of a chestnut; -- applied to the color of horses.
   
   

   Bay cat (Zoöl.), a wild cat of Africa and the East Indies (Felis aurata). -- Bay lynx (Zoöl.), the common American lynx (Felis, or Lynx, rufa).

2. An inlet of the sea, usually smaller than a gulf, but of the same general character.
   
   

   * 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 for any recess or inlet between capes or headlands; as, the Bay of Biscay.

3. A berry, particularly of the laurel.
   
   
   [Obs.]
4. To bark, as a dog with a deep voice does, at his game.
   
   

   The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bayed.
   Dryden.

5. To bark at; hence, to follow with barking; to bring or drive to bay; as, to bay the bear.
   
   
   Shak.
6. Deep-toned, prolonged barking.
   
   
   "The bay of curs." Cowper.
7. To bathe.
   
   
   [Obs.] Spenser.
8. A bank or dam to keep back water.
9. To dam, as water; -- with up or back.
10. 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.
11. 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.

12. 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

13. A recess or indentation shaped like a bay.
14. 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.

15. 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.
16. A compartment in a barn, for depositing hay, or grain in the stalks.
17. 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.