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usually uncountable, plural biles
A bitter brownish-yellow or greenish-yellow secretion produced by the liver, stored in the gall bladder, and discharged into the duodenum where it aids the process of digestion. examples
Bitterness of temper; ill humour; irascibility. examples
Two of the four humours, black bile or yellow bile, in ancient and medieval physiology. quotations examples
I shall tire of my Journal if it is to contain nothing but biles and plasters and unguents.
1890, Walter Scott, The Journal of Sir Walter Scott
He spake out of the Pythonesse, Act. 16. 17. brought downe fire from heauen, and consumed Iobs sheepe 7000. and his seruants, raised a storme, strooke the house wherein his sonnes and daughters feasted with their elder brother, smote the foure corners of it, with the ruine whereof they all were destroyed, and perished: and ouerspread the body of that holy Saint their father with botches[t] and biles from the sole of his foot to the crowne of his head.
1616, Alexander Roberts, A Treatise of Witchcraft
plural biles
(obsolete) A boil (kind of swelling).
third-person singular simple present biles, present participle biling or bileing, simple past and past participle biled
Pronunciation spelling of boil. quotations examples
We pretty near biled ourselves and Miss Euly done got her bes' pink apron stained, an' I dropped Sis Suky's big kitchen spoon in de hogshead of sand […]
1912, Stella George Stern Perry, Melindy, page 130