| • | Any protuberant part; a round, swelling part or body; a knoblike process; as, a boss of wood. |
| • | A protuberant ornament on any work, either of different material from that of the work or of the same, as upon a buckler or bridle; a stud; a knob; the central projection of a shield. See Umbilicus. |
| • | A projecting ornament placed at the intersection of the ribs of ceilings, whether vaulted or flat, and in other situations. |
| • | A wooden vessel for the mortar used in tiling or masonry, hung by a hook from the laths, or from the rounds of a ladder. |
| • | The enlarged part of a shaft, on which a wheel is keyed, or at the end, where it is coupled to another. |
| • | A swage or die used for shaping metals. |
| • | A head or reservoir of water. |
| • | To ornament with bosses; to stud. |
| • | A master workman or superintendent; a director or manager; a political dictator. |
