\Bald\, a. [OE. balled, ballid, perh. the p. p. of ball to
reduce to the roundness or smoothness of a ball, by removing
hair. [root]85. But cf. W. bali whiteness in a horse's
forehead.]
1. Destitute of the natural or common covering on the head or
   top, as of hair, feathers, foliage, trees, etc.; as, a
   bald head; a bald oak.
         On the bald top of an eminence.       --Wordsworth.
2. Destitute of ornament; unadorned; bare; literal.
         In the preface to his own bald translation.
                                               --Dryden.
3. Undisguised. `` Bald egotism.'' --Lowell.
4. Destitute of dignity or value; paltry; mean. [Obs.]
5. (Bot.) Destitute of a beard or awn; as, bald wheat.
6. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) Destitute of the natural covering.
   (b) Marked with a white spot on the head; bald-faced.
{Bald buzzard} (Zo["o]l.), the fishhawk or osprey.
{Bald coot} (Zo["o]l.), a name of the European coot ({Fulica
   atra}), alluding to the bare patch on the front of the
   head.