American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition - Son of Nebuchadnezzar II and last king of Babylon, who
in the Bible was warned of his doom by handwriting on the wall
that was interpreted by Daniel. - n. (Old Testament) Babylonian
general and son of Nebuchadnezzar II; according to the Old
Testament he was warned of his doom by divine handwriting on the
wall that was interpreted by Daniel (6th century BC) “It
resembled the storm in Belshazzar's feast,49 and we learnt that
even in the river, sheltered by the woods, several of our ships
at anchor had been cast on their beam ends.” “Belshazzar might
easily be ignorant of his services. the king ... thy father the
king ... thy father -- The repetition marks with emphatic
gravity both the excellencies of Daniel, and the fact that
Nebuchadnezzar, whom Belshazzar is bound to reverence as his
father, had sought counsel from him in similar circumstances.”
“Love of wine often begets a proud contempt of divine things, as
in Belshazzar's case, which