Rogues who, in conjunction with watermen, robbed, and sometimes murdered, on the water, by picking a quarrel with the passengers in a boat, boarding it, plundering, stripping, and throwing them overboard, &c. A species of badger.
— from 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Francis Grose

== bilewit bilewit innocent, pure, simple, sincere, honest , BH, Mt ; Æ, CP: calm, gentle, merciful, gracious : plausible .
— from A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary For the Use of Students by J. R. Clark (John R. Clark) Hall

‘And they’ll be bridesmaids, I presume?’ said Nicholas.
— from Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

She had said at once, "You're not comfortable there; wait a minute, I'll arrange things for you," and with a titter of laughter, the complacency of which implied that some little invention of her own was being brought into play, she had installed behind his head and beneath his feet great cushions of Japanese silk, which she pummelled and buffeted as though determined to lavish on him all her riches, and regardless of their value.
— from Swann's Way by Marcel Proust

But British India, properly so called, only embraces seven hundred thousand square miles, and a population of from one hundred to one hundred and ten millions of inhabitants.
— from Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

Sir, she is mortal; But by immortal Providence she's mine.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

The case which he had made to look so simple before became if possible still simpler—and altogether hopeless.
— from Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad

Sir, she is mortal; But by immortal Providence she’s mine: 190 I chose her when I could not ask my father For his advice , nor thought I had one.
— from The Tempest The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [9 vols.] by William Shakespeare

Methinks the light burns blew, I prethee snuff it, There's a thief
— from Beaumont and Fletcher's Works, Vol. 07 of 10 by John Fletcher

If we miss the chance it will be because "interests" purblind, selfish and perverse, and a lethargic public opinion, do not back them; because we want to talk it out; because trade and industry think themselves of superior importance to the land.
— from Another Sheaf by John Galsworthy

Under Charles X., the elder branch of the Bourbons, believing itself permanently seated on the throne, followed the advice previously given by Marshal Gouvion-Saint-Cyr to encourage the adherence of the soldiers of the Empire.
— from The Works of Balzac: A linked index to all Project Gutenberg editions by Honoré de Balzac

Nevertheless, the grate and its arrangements are becoming matters of serious importance in every room, and a walk through the establishment of Messrs. Boyd, in Oxford Street, will show that the “warming engineers” have not been behindhand in providing stoves, tiles, and grates that may be adapted to many varieties of decoration.
— from Travels in South Kensington with Notes on Decorative Art and Architecture in England by Moncure Daniel Conway

“No, sir,” answered Ferdinand, smiling to find his father had fallen into the same mistake that he had done when he first saw Miranda, “she is a mortal, but by immortal Providence she is mine; I chose her when I could not ask you, my father, for your consent, not thinking you were alive.
— from Tales from Shakespeare by Charles Lamb

"All but the seventh will be one too many if Big Burley is present," said Cornelia.
— from The Love Chase by Felix Grendon

Built in French taste by Philip V., it is redeemed from banality by its pleasant surroundings.
— from Spain by Wentworth Webster

Fried ham and beefsteak, hot biscuits, butter, molasses, big boiled Irish potatoes steaming hot, fragrant coffee served with cream, in cups and saucers, and some minor goodies in the shape of preserves and the like.
— from The Story of a Common Soldier of Army Life in the Civil War, 1861-1865 by Leander Stillwell