in a general sense, an appellation given to all four-footed animals, fit either for food, labour, or sport.
Beasts of Burden, in a commercial sense, all four-footed animals which serve to carry merchandizes on their backs. The beasts generally used for this purpose, are elephants, dromedaries, camels, horses, mules, asses, and the sheep of Mexico and Peru.
Beasts of the Chase are five, viz. the buck, the doe, the fox, the roe, and the martin.
Beasts and Fowls of the Warren, are the hare, the coney, the pheasant, and partridge.
Beasts of the Forest are the hart, hind, hare, boar, and wolf.
Beast, among gamblers, a game at cards, played in this manner: The best cards are the king, queen, &c., whereof they make three heaps, the king, the play, and trollet. Three, four, or five, may play; and to every one is dealt five cards. However, before the play begins, every one stakes to the three heaps. He that wins most tricks, takes up the heap called the play; he that hath the king, takes up the heap so called; and he that hath three of any fort, that is, three fours, three fives, three fixes, &c. takes up the trollet heap.