in geography, an arm of the sea shooting up into the land and terminating in a nook. It is a kind of lesser gulf bigger than a creek, and is larger in its middle within than at its entrance. The largest and most noted bays in the world are those of Biscay, Bengal, Hudson's, Panama, &c.

Bay denotes likewise a pond-head made to keep in store of water for driving the wheels of the furnace or hammer belonging to an iron mill, by the stream that comes thence through a flood-gate called the pen-stock.

Bay-Colour denotes a sort of red inclining to chestnut, chiefly used in speaking of horses. In this sense, the word bay is formed from the Latin batus, or badus, and that from the Greek βάτος, a palm branch; so that badius or bay properly denotes color phoenicis. Hence also, among the ancients, those now called bay horses, were denominated equi palmati. We have divers sorts and degrees of bays; as a light bay, a dapple bay, &c. All bay horses are said to have black manes; which distinguishes them from sorrels, which have red or white manes.

Bay, among huntsmen, is when the dogs have earthed a vermin, or brought a deer, boar, or the like, to turn head against them. In this case, not only the deer, but the dogs, are said to bay. It is dangerous going into a hart at bay, especially at rutting-time; for then they are fierceest. There are bays at land, and others in the water.

Bay-Tree. See LAURUS.

Bay-Salt. See SALT.