a. Also 6 bilius, bylyous, 7 bileous, 8 biliose. [ad. F. bilieux:—L. bīliōsus, f. bīli-s BILE: see -OUS.]

1

  † 1.  Of, pertaining to, or connected with, the bile; = BILIARY. Obs.

2

1541.  R. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., 2 G ij b. Cankers cometh of bylyous excrementes.

3

1651.  Culpepper, Astrol. Judgem. Dis. (1658), 133. Caused by cholerick or bilious matter.

4

1697.  Downing, Disord. Horned Cattle, 35. This medicine … cleanses the bilious passages.

5

  2.  Of diseases and temperament: Affected by, or arising from, too great a secretion of bile, or from bilious derangement.

6

1651.  Biggs, New Disp., 74. Bilious diseases.

7

1671.  H. Stubbe, Def. Phlebot., 36. His natural habit, be it bilious, melancholy, or phlegmatick.

8

1732.  Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet, i. 245. An excellent Drink in bilious Fevers.

9

1826.  Disraeli, Viv. Grey, IV. v. 159. Rise in the morning as bilious as a Bengal general.

10

1842.  Dickens, Lett. (1880), I. 67. I have recourse to my medicine-chest whenever I feel at all bilious.

11

  3.  Choleric, wrathful, peevish, ill-tempered.

12

1561.  T. Fortescue, Forest (1571), 52. A great note of temperancie is it not to waxe or bilius or angrie for the injurie that is done us.

13

1662.  Fuller, Worthies (1840), III. 374. Here bilious Bale lets fly without fear.

14

1866.  Sat. Rev., 20 Jan., 76/1. The outpouring of a bilious cynicism.

15