Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Bald \Bald\, a. [OE. balled, ballid, perh. the p. p. of ball to
reduce to the roundness or smoothness of a ball, by removing
hair. [root]85. But cf. W. bali whiteness in a horse's
forehead.]
1. Destitute of the natural or common covering on the head or
top, as of hair, feathers, foliage, trees, etc.; as, a
bald head; a bald oak.
On the bald top of an eminence. --Wordsworth.
2. Destitute of ornament; unadorned; bare; literal.
In the preface to his own bald translation.
--Dryden.
3. Undisguised. `` Bald egotism.'' --Lowell.
4. Destitute of dignity or value; paltry; mean. [Obs.]
5. (Bot.) Destitute of a beard or awn; as, bald wheat.
6. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) Destitute of the natural covering.
(b) Marked with a white spot on the head; bald-faced.
{Bald buzzard} (Zo["o]l.), the fishhawk or osprey.
{Bald coot} (Zo["o]l.), a name of the European coot ({Fulica
atra}), alluding to the bare patch on the front of the
head.
Buzzard \Buz"zard\ (b[u^]z"z[~e]rd), n.[O.E. busard, bosard, F.
busard, fr. buse, L. buteo, a kind of falcon or hawk.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A bird of prey of the Hawk family, belonging to
the genus {Buteo} and related genera.
Note: The {Buteo vulgaris} is the common buzzard of Europe.
The American species (of which the most common are {B.
borealis}, {B. Pennsylvanicus}, and {B. lineatus}) are
usually called hen hawks. -- The rough-legged buzzard,
or bee hawk, of Europe ({Pernis apivorus}) feeds on
bees and their larv[ae], with other insects, and
reptiles. -- The moor buzzard of Europe is {Circus
[ae]ruginosus}. See {Turkey buzzard}, and {Carrion
buzzard}.
{Bald buzzard}, the fishhawk or osprey. See {Fishhawk}.
2. A blockhead; a dunce.
It is common, to a proverb, to call one who can not
be taught, or who continues obstinately ignorant, a
buzzard. --Goldsmith.