D (part 3)

DESERTION
De*ser"tion, n. Etym: [L. desertio: cf. F. désertion.]

1. The act of deserting or forsaking; abandonment of a service, a cause, a party, a friend, or any post of duty; the quitting of one's duties willfully and without right; esp., an absconding from military or naval service. Such a resignation would have seemed to his superior a desertion or a reproach. Bancroft.

2. The state of being forsaken; desolation; as, the king in his desertion.

3. Abandonment by God; spiritual despondency. The spiritual agonies of a soul under desertion. South.

DESERTLESS
De*sert"less, a.

Defn: Without desert. [R.]

DESERTLESSLY
De*sert"less*ly, adv.

Defn: Undeservedly. [R.] Beau. & Fl.

DESERTNESS
Des"ert*ness, n.

Defn: A deserted condition. [R.] "The desertness of the country."
Udall.

DESERTRIX; DESERTRICE
De*sert"rix, De*sert"rice, n. Etym: [L. desertrix.]

Defn: A feminine deserter. Milton.

DESERVE
De*serve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deserved; p. pr. & vb. n. Deserving.]
Etym: [OF. deservir, desservir, to merit, L. deservire to serve
zealously, be devoted to; de- + servire to serve. See Serve.]

1. To earn by service; to be worthy of (something due, either good or evil); to merit; to be entitled to; as, the laborer deserves his wages; a work of value deserves praise. God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. Job xi. 6. John Gay deserved to be a favorite. Thackeray. Encouragement is not held out to things that deserve reprehension. Burke.

2. To serve; to treat; to benefit. [Obs.] A man that hath So well deserved me. Massinger.

DESERVE
De*serve", v. i.

Defn: To be worthy of recompense; — usually with ill or with well.
One man may merit or deserve of another. South.

DESERVEDLY
De*serv"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: According to desert (whether good or evil); justly.

DESERVEDNESS
De*serv"ed*ness, n.

Defn: Meritoriousness.

DESERVER
De*serv"er, n.

Defn: One who deserves.

DESERVING
De*serv"ing, n.

Defn: Desert; merit.
A person of great deservings from the republic. Swift.

DESERVING
De*serv"ing, a.

Defn: Meritorious; worthy; as, a deserving or act.
— De*serv"ing*ly, adv.

DESHABILLE
Des`ha*bille, n. Etym: [F. déshabillé, fr. déshabiller to undress;
pref. dés- (L. dis-) + habiller to dress. See Habiliment, and cf.
Dishabille.]

Defn: An undress; a careless toilet.

DESICCANT
De*sic"cant, a. Etym: [L. desiccans, p. pr. of desiccare. See
Desiccate.]

Defn: Drying; desiccative.
— n.

Defn: (Med.) A medicine or application for drying up a sore. Wiseman.

DESICCATE
Des"ic*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desiccated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Desiccating.] Etym: [L. desiccatus, p. p. of desiccare to dry up; de-
+ siccare to dry, siccus dry. See Sack wine.]

Defn: To dry up; to deprive or exhaust of moisture; to preserve by drying; as, to desiccate fish or fruit. Bodies desiccated by heat or age. Bacon.

DESICCATE
Des"ic*cate, v. i.

Defn: To become dry.

DESICCATION
Des`ic*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dessiccation.]

Defn: The act of desiccating, or the state of being desiccated.

DESICCATIVE
De*sic"ca*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. dessicatif.]

Defn: Drying; tending to dry. Ferrand.
— n. (Med.)

Defn: An application for drying up secretions.

DESICCATOR
Des"ic*ca`tor, n.

1. One who, or that which, desiccates.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: A short glass jar fitted with an air-tight cover, and containing some desiccating agent, as sulphuric acid or calcium chloride, above which is suspended the material to be dried, or preserved from moisture.

DESICCATORY
De*sic"ca*to*ry, a.

Defn: Desiccative.

DESIDERABLE
De*sid"er*a*ble, a.

Defn: Desirable. [R.] "Good and desiderable things." Holland.

DESIDERATA
De*sid`e*ra"ta, n. pl.

Defn: See Desideratum.

DESIDERATE
De*sid"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desiderated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Desiderating.] Etym: [L. desideratus, p. p. of desiderare to desire,
miss. See Desire, and cf. Desideratum.]

Defn: To desire; to feel the want of; to lack; to miss; to want. Pray have the goodness to point out one word missing that ought to have been there — please to insert a desiderated stanza. You can not. Prof. Wilson. Men were beginning . . . to desiderate for them an actual abode of fire. A. W. Ward.

DESIDERATION
De*sid`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. desideratio.]

Defn: Act of desiderating; also, the thing desired. [R.] Jeffrey.

DESIDERATIVE
De*sid"er*a*tive, a. Etym: [L. desiderativus.]

Defn: Denoting desire; as, desiderative verbs.

DESIDERATIVE
De*sid"er*a*tive, n.

1. An object of desire.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A verb formed from another verb by a change of termination, and expressing the desire of doing that which is indicated by the primitive verb.

DESIDERATUM De*sid`e*ra"tum, n.; pl. Desiderata. Etym: [L., fr. desideratus, p. p. See Desiderate.]

Defn: Anything desired; that of which the lack is felt; a want generally felt and acknowledge.

DESIDIOSE; DESIDIOUS De*sid"i*ose`, De*sid"i*ous, a. Etym: [L. desidiosus, fr. desidia a sitting idle, fr. desid to sit idle; de- + sed to sit.]

Defn: Idle; lazy. [Obs.]

DESIDIOUSNESS
De*sid"i*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being desidiose, or indolent. [Obs.] N.
Bacon.

DESIGHT
De*sight", n. Etym: [Pref. de- + sight.]

Defn: An unsightly object. [Obs.]

DESIGHTMENT
De*sight"ment, n.

Defn: The act of making unsightly; disfigurement. [R.]
To substitute jury masts at whatever desightment or damage in risk.
London Times.

DESIGN De*sign", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Designed; p. pr. & vb. n. Designing.] Etym: [F. désigner to designate, cf. F. dessiner to draw, dessin drawing, dessein a plan or scheme; all, ultimately, from L. designare to designate; de- + signare to mark, mark out, signum mark, sign. See Sign, and cf. Design, n., Designate.]

1. To draw preliminary outline or main features of; to sketch for a pattern or model; to delineate; to trace out; to draw. Dryden.

2. To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to
point out; to appoint.
We shall see Justice design the victor's chivalry. Shak.
Meet me to-morrow where the master And this fraternity shall design.
Beau. & Fl.

3. To create or produce, as a work of art; to form a plan or scheme of; to form in idea; to invent; to project; to lay out in the mind; as, a man designs an essay, a poem, a statue, or a cathedral.

4. To intend or purpose; — usually with for before the remote object, but sometimes with to. Ask of politicians the end for which laws were originally designed. Burke. He was designed to the study of the law. Dryden.

Syn.
— To sketch; plan; purpose; intend; propose; project; mean.

DESIGN
De*sign", v. i.

Defn: To form a design or designs; to plan. Design for, to intend to go to. [Obs.] "From this city she designed for Collin [Cologne]." Evelyn.

DESIGN
De*sign", n. Etym: [Cf. dessein, dessin.]

1. A preliminary sketch; an outline or pattern of the main features of something to be executed, as of a picture, a building, or a decoration; a delineation; a plan.

2. A plan or scheme formed in the mind of something to be done; preliminary conception; idea intended to be expressed in a visible form or carried into action; intention; purpose; — often used in a bad sense for evil intention or purpose; scheme; plot. The vast design and purposTennyson. The leaders of that assembly who withstood the designs of a besotted woman. Hallam. A . . . settled design upon another man's life. Locke. How little he could guess the secret designs of the court! Macaulay.

3. Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design.

4. The realization of an inventive or decorative plan; esp., a work of decorative art considered as a new creation; conception or plan shown in completed work; as, this carved panel is a fine design, or of a fine design.

5. (Mus.)

Defn: The invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole. Arts of design, those into which the designing of artistic forms and figures enters as a principal part, as architecture, painting, engraving, sculpture. — School of design, one in which are taught the invention and delineation of artistic or decorative figures, patterns, and the like.

Syn. — Intention; purpose; scheme; project; plan; idea. — Design, Intention, Purpose. Design has reference to something definitely aimed at. Intention points to the feelings or desires with which a thing is sought. Purpose has reference to a settled choice or determination for its attainment. "I had no design to injure you," means it was no part of my aim or object. "I had no intention to injure you," means, I had no wish or desire of that kind. "My purpose was directly the reverse," makes the case still stronger. Is he a prudent man . . . that lays designs only for a day, without any prospect to the remaining part of his life Tillotson. I wish others the same intention, and greater successes. Sir W. Temple. It is the purpose that makes strong the vow. Shak.

DESIGNABLE
Des"ig*na*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being designated or distinctly marked out; distinguishable. Boyle.

DESIGNATE Des"ig*nate, a. Etym: [L. designatus, p. p. of designare. See Design, v. t.]

Defn: Designated; appointed; chosen. [R.] Sir G. Buck.

DESIGNATE
Des"ig*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Designated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Designating.]

1. To mark out and make known; to point out; to name; to indicate; to show; to distinguish by marks or description; to specify; as, to designate the boundaries of a country; to designate the rioters who are to be arrested.

2. To call by a distinctive title; to name.

3. To indicate or set apart for a purpose or duty; — with to or for; to designate an officer for or to the command of a post or station.

Syn.
— To name; denominate; style; entitle; characterize; describe.

DESIGNATION
Des`ig*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. designatio: cf. F. désignation.]

1. The act of designating; a pointing out or showing; indication.

2. Selection and appointment for a purpose; allotment; direction.

3. That which designates; a distinguishing mark or name; distinctive title; appellation. The usual designation of the days of the week. Whewell.

4. Use or application; import; intention; signification, as of a word or phrase. Finite and infinite seem . . . to be attributed primarily, in their first designation, only to those things have parts. Locke.

DESIGNATIVE
Des"ig*na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. désignatif.]

Defn: Serving to designate or indicate; pointing out.

DESIGNATOR
Des"ig*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: An officer who assigned to each his rank and place in public shows and ceremonies.

2. One who designates.

DESIGNATORY
Des"ig*na*to*ry, a.

Defn: Serving to designate; designative; indicating. [R.]

DESIGNEDLY
De*sign"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: By design; purposely; intentionally; — opposed to accidentally, ignorantly, or inadvertently.

DESIGNER
De*sign"er, n.

1. One who designs, marks out, or plans; a contriver.

2. (Fine Arts)

Defn: One who produces or creates original works of art or decoration.

3. A plotter; a schemer; — used in a bad sense.

DESIGNFUL
De*sign"ful, a.

Defn: Full of design; scheming. [R.] — De*sign"ful*ness, n. [R.]
Barrow.

DESIGNING
De*sign"ing, a.

Defn: Intriguing; artful; scheming; as, a designing man.

DESIGNING
De*sign"ing, n.

Defn: The act of making designs or sketches; the act of forming designs or plans.

DESIGNLESS
De*sign"less, a.

Defn: Without design. [Obs.] — De*sign"less*ly, adv. [Obs.]

DESIGNMENT
De*sign"ment, n.

1. Delineation; sketch; design; ideal; invention. [Obs.] For though that some mean artist's skill were shown In mingling colors, or in placing light, Yet still the fair designment was his own. Dryden.

2. Design; purpose; scheme. [Obs.] Shak.

DESILVER
De*sil"ver, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of silver; as, to desilver lead.

DESILVERIZATION
De*sil`ver*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or the process of freeing from silver; also, the condition resulting from the removal of silver.

DESILVERIZE
De*sil"ver*ize, v. t.

Defn: To deprive, or free from, silver; to remove silver from.

DESINENCE
Des"i*nence, n. Etym: [Cf. F. désinence.]

Defn: Termination; ending. Bp. Hall.

DESINENT Des"i*nent, a. Etym: [L. desinens, p. pr. of desinere, desitum, to leave off, cease; de- + sinere to let, allow.]

Defn: Ending; forming an end; lowermost. [Obs.] "Their desinent parts, fish." B. Jonson.

DESINENTIAL
Des`i*nen"tial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. désinentiel.]

Defn: Terminal.
Furthermore, b, as a desinential element, has a dynamic function.
Fitzed. Hall.

DESIPIENT De*sip"i*ent, a. Etym: [L. desipiens, p. pr. of desipere to be foolish; de- + sapere to be wise.]

Defn: Foolish; silly; trifling. [R.]

DESIRABILITY
De*sir`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being desirable; desirableness.

DESIRABLE
De*sir"a*ble, a. Etym: [F. désirable, fr. L. desiderabilis. See
Desire, v. t.]

Defn: Worthy of desire or longing; fitted to excite desire or a wish
to possess; pleasing; agreeable.
All of them desirable young men. Ezek. xxiii. 12.
As things desirable excite Desire, and objects move the appetite.
Blackmore.

DESIRABLENESS
De*sir"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being desirable.
The desirableness of the Austrian alliance. Froude.

DESIRABLY
De*sir"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a desirable manner.

DESIRE De*sire", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desired; p. pr. & vb. n. Desiring.] Etym: [F. désirer, L. desiderare, origin uncertain, perh. fr. de- + sidus star, constellation, and hence orig., to turn the eyes from the stars. Cf. Consider, and Desiderate, and see Sidereal.]

1. To long for; to wish for earnestly; to covet. Neither shall any man desire thy land. Ex. xxxiv. 24. Ye desire your child to live. Tennyson.

2. To express a wish for; to entreat; to request. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord 2 Kings iv. 28. Desire him to go in; trouble him no more. Shak.

3. To require; to demand; to claim. [Obs.] A doleful case desires a doleful song. Spenser.

4. To miss; to regret. [Obs.] She shall be pleasant while she lives, and desired when she dies. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. — To long for; hanker after; covet; wish; ask; request; solicit; entreat; beg. — To Desire, Wish. In desire the feeling is usually more eager than in wish. "I wish you to do this" is a milder form of command than "I desire you to do this," though the feeling prompting the injunction may be the usage C. J. Smith.

DESIRE
De*sire", n. Etym: [F. désir, fr. désirer. See Desire, v. t.]

1. The natural longing that is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of any good, and impels to action or effort its continuance or possession; an eager wish to obtain or enjoy. Unspeakable desire to see and know. Milton.

2. An expressed wish; a request; petition. And slowly was my mother brought To yield consent to my desire. Tennyson.

3. Anything which is desired; an object of longing. The Desire of all nations shall come. Hag. ii. 7.

4. Excessive or morbid longing; lust; appetite.

5. Grief; regret. [Obs.] Chapman.

Syn. — Wish; appetency; craving; inclination; eagerness; aspiration; longing.

DESIREFUL
De*sire"ful, a.

Defn: Filled with desire; eager. [R.]
The desireful troops. Godfrey (1594).

DESIREFULNESS
De*sire"ful*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being desireful; eagerness to obtain and possess.
[R.]
The desirefulness of our minds much augmenteth and increaseth our
pleasure. Udall.

DESIRELESS
De*sire"less, a.

Defn: Free from desire. Donne.

DESIRER
De*sir"er, n.

Defn: One who desires, asks, or wishes.

DESIROUS
De*sir"ous, a. Etym: [F. désireux, OF. desiros, fr. desir. See
Desire, n.]

Defn: Feeling desire; eagerly wishing; solicitous; eager to obtain;
covetous.
Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him. John xvi. 19.
Be not desirous of his dainties. Prov. xxiii. 3.

DESIROUSLY
De*sir"ous*ly, adv.

Defn: With desire; eagerly.

DESIROUSNESS
De*sir"ous*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being desirous.

DESIST
De*sist", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Desisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Desisting.]
Etym: [L. desistere; de- + sistere to stand, stop, fr. stare to
stand: cf. F. désister. See Stand.]

Defn: To cease to proceed or act; to stop; to forbear; — often with
from.
Never desisting to do evil. E. Hall.
To desist from his bad practice. Massinger.
Desist (thou art discern'd, And toil'st in vain). Milton.

DESISTANCE
De*sist"ance, n. Etym: [Cf. F. desistance.]

Defn: The act or state of desisting; cessation. [R.] Boyle.
If fatigue of body or brain were in every case followed by desistance
. . . then would the system be but seldom out of working order. H.
Spencer.

DESISTIVE
De*sist"ive, a. Etym: [See Desist.]

Defn: Final; conclusive; ending. [R.]

DESITION
De*si"tion, n. Etym: [See Desinent.]

Defn: An end or ending. [R.]

DESITIVE
Des"i*tive, a.

Defn: Final; serving to complete; conclusive. [Obs.] "Desitive propositions." I. Watts.

DESITIVE
Des"i*tive, n. (Logic)

Defn: A proposition relating to or expressing an end or conclusion.
[Obs.] I. Watts.

DESK Desk, n. Etym: [OE. deske, the same word as dish, disk. See Dish, and cf. Disk.]

1. A table, frame, or case, usually with sloping top, but often with flat top, for the use writers and readers. It often has a drawer or repository underneath.

2. A reading table or lectern to support the book from which the liturgical service is read, differing from the pulpit from which the sermon is preached; also (esp. in the United States), a pulpit. Hence, used symbolically for "the clerical profession."

DESK
Desk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desked; p. pr. & vb. n. Desking.]

Defn: To shut up, as in a desk; to treasure.

DESKWORK
Desk"work`, n.

Defn: Work done at a desk, as by a clerk or writer. Tennyson.

DESMAN
Des"man, n. Etym: [Cf. Sw. desman musk.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An amphibious, insectivorous mammal found in Russia (Myogale moschata). It is allied to the moles, but is called muscrat by some English writers. [Written also dæsman.]

DESMID; DESMIDIAN
Des"mid, Des*mid"i*an, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A microscopic plant of the family Desmidiæ, a group of unicellular algæ in which the species have a greenish color, and the cells generally appear as if they consisted of two coalescing halves.

DESMINE
Des"mine, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Same as Stilbite. It commonly occurs in bundles or tufts of crystals.

DESMOBACTERIA
Des`mo*bac*te"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [Gr. bacteria.]

Defn: See Microbacteria.

DESMODONT
Des"mo*dont, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A member of a group of South American blood-sucking bats, of the genera Desmodus and Diphylla. See Vampire.

DESMOGNATHOUS
Des*mog"na*thous, a. Etym: [Gr. desmo`s bond + (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the maxillo-palatine bones united; — applied to a group of carinate birds (Desmognathæ), including various wading and swimming birds, as the ducks and herons, and also raptorial and other kinds.

DESMOID
Des"moid, a. Etym: [Gr. desmo`s ligament + -oid.] (Anat.)

Defn: Resembling, or having the characteristics of, a ligament; ligamentous.

DESMOLOGY
Des*mol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. desmo`s ligament + -logy.]

Defn: The science which treats of the ligaments. [R.]

DESMOMYARIA
Des`mo*my*a"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The division of Tunicata which includes the Salpæ. See Salpa.

DESOLATE Des"o*late, a. Etym: [L. desolatus, p. p. of desolare to leave alone, forsake; de- + solare to make lonely, solus alone. See Sole, a.]

1. Destitute or deprived of inhabitants; deserted; uninhabited; hence, gloomy; as, a desolate isle; a desolate wilderness; a desolate house. I will make Jerusalem . . . a den of dragons, and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. Jer. ix. 11. And the silvery marish flowers that throng The desolate creeks and pools among. Tennyson.

2. Laid waste; in a ruinous condition; neglected; destroyed; as, desolate altars.

3. Left alone; forsaken; lonely; comfortless. Have mercy upon, for I am desolate. Ps. xxv. 16. Voice of the poor and desolate. Keble.

4. Lost to shame; dissolute. [Obs.] Chaucer.

5. Destitute of; lacking in. [Obs.] I were right now of tales desolate. Chaucer.

Syn.
— Desert; uninhabited; lonely; waste.

DESOLATE
Des"o*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desolated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Desolating.]

1. To make desolate; to leave alone; to deprive of inhabitants; as, the earth was nearly desolated by the flood.

2. To lay waste; to ruin; to ravage; as, a fire desolates a city. Constructed in the very heart of a desolating war. Sparks.

DESOLATELY
Des"o*late*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desolate manner.

DESOLATENESS
Des"o*late*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being desolate.

DESOLATER
Des"o*la`ter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, desolates or lays waste. Mede.

DESOLATION
Des`o*la"tion, n. Etym: [F. désolation, L. desolatio.]

1. The act of desolating or laying waste; destruction of inhabitants; depopulation. Unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Dan. ix. 26.

2. The state of being desolated or laid waste; ruin; solitariness; destitution; gloominess. You would have sold your king to slaughter, . . . And his whole kingdom into desolation. Shak.

3. A place or country wasted and forsaken. How is Babylon become a desolation! Jer. l. 23.

Syn. — Waste; ruin; destruction; havoc; devastation; ravage; sadness; destitution; melancholy; gloom; gloominess.

DESOLATOR
Des"o*la`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Same as Desolater. Byron.

DESOLATORY
Des"o*la*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. desolatorius.]

Defn: Causing desolation. [R.] Bp. Hall.

DESOPHISTICATE
De`so*phis"ti*cate, v. t.

Defn: To clear from sophism or error. [R.] Hare.

DESOXALIC
Des`ox*al"ic, a. Etym: [F. pref. des- from + E. oxalic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Made or derived from oxalic acid; as, desoxalic acid.

DESPAIR De*spair", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Despaired; p. pr. & vb. n. Despairing.] Etym: [OE. despeiren, dispeiren, OF. desperer, fr. L. desperare; de- + sperare to hope; akin to spes hope, and perh. to spatium space, E. space, speed; cf. OF. espeir hope, F. espoir. Cf. Prosper, Desperate.]

Defn: To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or
expectation; — often with of.
We despaired even of life. 2 Cor. i. 8.
Never despair of God's blessings here. Wake.

Syn.
— See Despond.

DESPAIR
De*spair", v. t.

1. To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of. [Obs.] I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted. Milton.

2. To cause to despair. [Obs.] Sir W. Williams.

DESPAIR
De*spair", n. Etym: [Cf. OF. despoir, fr. desperer.]

1. Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency. We in dark dreams are tossing to and fro, Pine with regret, or sicken with despair. Keble. Before he [Bunyan] was ten, his sports were interrupted by fits of remorse and despair. Macaulay.

2. That which is despaired of. "The mere despair of surgery he cures." Shak.

Syn.
— Desperation; despondency; hopelessness.

DESPAIRER
De*spair"er, n.

Defn: One who despairs.

DESPAIRFUL
De*spair"ful, a.

Defn: Hopeless. [Obs.] Spenser.

DESPAIRING
De*spair"ing, a.

Defn: Feeling or expressing despair; hopeless.
— De*spair"ing*ly, adv.
— De*spair"ing*ness, n.

DESPARPLE
De*spar"ple, v. t. & i. Etym: [OF. desparpeillier.]

Defn: To scatter; to disparkle. [Obs.] Mandeville.

DESPATCH
De*spatch", n. & v.

Defn: Same as Dispatch.

DESPECIFICATE
De`spe*cif"i*cate, v. t. Etym: [Pref. de- (intens.) + specificate.]

Defn: To discriminate; to separate according to specific
signification or qualities; to specificate; to desynonymize. [R.]
Inaptitude and ineptitude have been usefully despecificated. Fitzed.
Hall.

DESPECIFICATION
De*spec`ifi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: Discrimination.

DESPECT
De*spect", n. Etym: [L. despectus, fr. despicere. See Despite, n.]

Defn: Contempt. [R.] Coleridge.

DESPECTION
De*spec"tion, n. Etym: [L. despectio.]

Defn: A looking down; a despising. [R.] W. Montagu.

DESPEED
De*speed", v. t.

Defn: To send hastily. [Obs.]
Despeeded certain of their crew. Speed.

DESPEND
De*spend", v. t.

Defn: To spend; to squander. See Dispend. [Obs.]
Some noble men in Spain can despend Howell.

DESPERADO Des`per*a"do, n.; pl. Desperadoes. Etym: [OSp. desperado, p. p. of desperar, fr. L. desperare. See Desperate.]

Defn: A reckless, furious man; a person urged by furious passions, and regardless of consequence; a wild ruffian.

DESPERATE
Des"per*ate, a. Etym: [L. desperatus, p. p. of desperare. See
Despair, and cf. Desperado.]

1. Without hope; given to despair; hopeless. [Obs.] I am desperate of obtaining her. Shak.

2. Beyond hope; causing despair; extremely perilous; irretrievable; past cure, or, at least, extremely dangerous; as, a desperate disease; desperate fortune.

3. Proceeding from, or suggested by, despair; without regard to danger or safety; reckless; furious; as, a desperate effort. "Desperate expedients." Macaulay.

4. Extreme, in a bad sense; outrageous; — used to mark the extreme predominance of a bad quality. A desperate offendress against nature. Shak. The most desperate of reprobates. Macaulay.

Syn. — Hopeless; despairing; desponding; rash; headlong; precipitate; irretrievable; irrecoverable; forlorn; mad; furious; frantic.

DESPERATE
Des"per*ate, n.

Defn: One desperate or hopeless. [Obs.]

DESPERATELY
Des"per*ate*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desperate manner; without regard to danger or safety; recklessly; extremely; as, the troops fought desperately. She fell desperately in love with him. Addison.

DESPERATENESS
Des"per*ate*ness n.

Defn: Desperation; virulence.

DESPERATION
Des`per*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. desperatio: cf. OF. desperation.]

1. The act of despairing or becoming desperate; a giving up of hope. This desperation of success chills all our industry. Hammond.

2. A state of despair, or utter hopeless; abandonment of hope; extreme recklessness; reckless fury. In the desperation of the moment, the officers even tried to cut their way through with their swords. W. Irving.

DESPICABILITY
Des`pi*ca*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Despicableness. [R.] Carlyle.

DESPICABLE Des"pi*ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. despicabilis, fr. despicari to despise; akin to despicere. See Despise.]

Defn: Fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; as, a despicable man; despicable company; a despicable gift.

Syn. — Contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; pitiful; paltry; sordid; low; base. See Contemptible.

DESPICABLENESS
Des"pi*ca*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being despicable; meanness; vileness; worthlessness.

DESPICABLY
Des"pi*ca*bly, adv.

Defn: In a despicable or mean manner; contemptibly; as, despicably stingy.

DESPICIENCY
Des*pi"cien*cy, n. Etym: [L. despicientia. See Despise.]

Defn: A looking down; despection. [Obs.]

DESPISABLE
De*spis"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. despisable.]

Defn: Despicable; contemptible. [R.]

DESPISAL
De*spis"al, n.

Defn: A despising; contempt. [R.]
A despisal of religion. South.

DESPISE De*spise", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despised; p. pr. & vb. n. Despising.] Etym: [OF. despis-, in some forms of despire to despise, fr. L. despicere, despectum, to look down upon, despise; de- + spicere, specere, to look. See Spy, and cf. Despicable, Despite.]

Defn: To look down upon with disfavor or contempt; to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have a low opinion or contemptuous dislike of. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. i. 7. Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

Syn.
— To contemn; scorn; disdain; slight; undervalue. See Contemn.

DESPISEDNESS
De*spis"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being despised.

DESPISEMENT
De*spise"ment, n.

Defn: A despising. [R.] Holland.

DESPISER
De*spis"er, n.

Defn: One who despises; a contemner; a scorner.

DESPISINGLY
De*spis"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: Contemptuously.

DESPITE De*spite", n. Etym: [OF. despit, F. dépit, fr. L. despectus contempt, fr. despicere. See Despise, and cf. Spite, Despect.]

1. Malice; malignity; spite; malicious anger; contemptuous hate. With all thy despite against the land of Israel. Ezek. xxv. 6.

2. An act of malice, hatred, or defiance; contemptuous defiance; a
deed of contempt.
A despite done against the Most High. Milton.
In despite, in defiance of another's power or inclination.
— In despite of, in defiance of; in spite of. See under Spite.
"Seized my hand in despite of my efforts to the contrary." W. Irving.
— In your despite, in defiance or contempt of you; in spite of you.
[Obs.]

DESPITE
De*spite", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despited; p. pr. & vb. n. Despiting.]
Etym: [OF. despitier, fr. L. despectare, intens. of despicere. See
Despite, n.]

Defn: To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously. [Obs.] Sir W.
Raleigh.

DESPITE
De*spite", prep.

Defn: In spite of; against, or in defiance of; notwithstanding; as, despite his prejudices.

Syn.
— See Notwithstanding.

DESPITEFUL
De*spite"ful, a. Etym: [See Despite, and cf. Spiteful.]

Defn: Full of despite; expressing malice or contemptuous hate;
malicious.
— De*spite"ful*ly, adv.
— De*spite"ful*ness, n.
Haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters. Rom. i. 30.
Pray for them which despitefully use you. Matt. v. 44.
Let us examine him with despitefulness and fortune. Book of Wisdom
ii. 19.

DESPITEOUS Des*pit"e*ous, a. Etym: [OE. despitous, OF. despiteus, fr. despit; affected in form by E. piteous. See Despite.]

Defn: Feeling or showing despite; malicious; angry to excess; cruel; contemptuous. [Obs.] "Despiteous reproaches." Holland.

DESPITEOUSLY
Des*pit"e*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: Despitefully. [Obs.]

DESPITOUS
De*spit"ous, a.

Defn: Despiteous; very angry; cruel. [Obs.]
He was to sinful man not despitous. Chaucer.
- De*spit"ous*ly, adv. [Obs.]

DESPOIL
De*spoil", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despoiled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Despoiling.] Etym: [OF. despoiller, F. dépouiller, L. despoliare,
despoliatum; de- + spoliare to strip, rob, spolium spoil, booty. Cf.
Spoil, Despoliation.]

1. To strip, as of clothing; to divest or unclothe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To deprive for spoil; to plunder; to rob; to pillage; to strip; to divest; — usually followed by of. The clothed earth is then bare, Despoiled is the summer fair. Gower. A law which restored to them an immense domain of which they had been despoiled. Macaulay. Despoiled of innocence, of faith, of bliss. Milton.

Syn.
— To strip; deprive; rob; bereave; rifle.

DESPOIL
De*spoil", n.

Defn: Spoil. [Obs.] Wolsey.

DESPOILER
De*spoil"er, n.

Defn: One who despoils.

DESPOILMENT
De*spoil"ment, n.

Defn: Despoliation. [R.]

DESPOLIATION
De*spo`li*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. despoliatio. See Despoil.]

Defn: A stripping or plundering; spoliation. Bailey.

DESPOND De*spond", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Desponded; p. pr. & vb. n. Desponding.] Etym: [L. despond, desponsum, to promise away, promise in marriage, give up, to lose (courage); de- + spond to promise solemnly. See Sponsor.]

Defn: To give up, the will, courage, or spirit; to be thoroughly disheartened; to lose all courage; to become dispirited or depressed; to take an unhopeful view. I should despair, or at least despond. Scott's Letters. Others depress their own minds, [and] despond at the first difficulty. Locke. We wish that . . . desponding patriotism may turn its eyes hitherward, and be assured that foundations of our national power still stand strong. D. Webster.

Syn. — Despond, Dispair. Despair implies a total loss of hope, which despond does not, at least in every case; yet despondency is often more lasting than despair, or than desperation, which impels to violent action.

DESPOND
De*spond" n.

Defn: Despondency. [Obs.]
The slough of despond. Bunyan.

DESPONDENCE
De*spond"ence, n.

Defn: Despondency. The people, when once infected, lose their relish for happiness [and] saunter about with looks of despondence. Goldsmith.

DESPONDENCY
De*spond"en*cy, n.

Defn: The state of desponding; loss of hope and cessation of effort; discouragement; depression or dejection of the mind. The unhappy prince seemed, during some days, to be sunk in despondency. Macaulay.

DESPONDENT
De*spond"ent, a. Etym: [L. despondens, -entis, p. pr. of despond.]

Defn: Marked by despondence; given to despondence; low-spirited; as, a despondent manner; a despondent prisoner. — De*spond"ent*ly, adv.

DESPONDER
De*spond"er, n.

Defn: One who desponds.

DESPONDINGLY
De*spond"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desponding manner.

DESPONSAGE
De*spon"sage, n. Etym: [From L. desponsus, p. p. See Despond.]

Defn: Betrothal. [Obs.]
Ethelbert . . . went peaceably to King Offa for desponsage of
Athilrid, his daughter. Foxe.

DESPONSATE De*spon"sate, v. t. Etym: [L. desponsatus, p. p. of desponsare, intens. of despondere to betroth. See Despond.]

Defn: To betroth. [Obs.] Johnson.

DESPONSATION
Des`pon*sa"tion, n. Etym: [L. desponsatio: cf. OF. desponsation.]

Defn: A betrothing; betrothal. [Obs.] For all this desponsation of her . . . she had not set one step toward the consummation of her marriage. Jer. Taylor.

DESPONSORY
De*spon"so*ry, n.; pl. Desponsories (.

Defn: A written pledge of marriage. Clarendon.

DESPORT
De*sport", v. t. & i.

Defn: See Disport.

DESPOT
Des"pot, n. Etym: [F. despote, LL. despotus, fr. Gr. potens. See
Potent.]

1. A master; a lord; especially, an absolute or irresponsible ruler or sovereign. Irresponsible power in human hands so naturally leads to it, that cruelty has become associated with despot and tyrant. C. J. Smith.

2. One who rules regardless of a constitution or laws; a tyrant.

DESPOTAT
Des"po*tat, n. Etym: [Cf. F. despotat.]

Defn: The station or government of a despot; also, the domain of a despot. Freeman.

DESPOTIC; DESPOTICAL
Des*pot"ic, Des*pot"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. despotique.]

Defn: Having the character of, or pertaining to, a despot; absolute
in power; possessing and abusing unlimited power; evincing despotism;
tyrannical; arbitrary.
— Des*pot"ic*al*ly, adv.
— Des*pot"ic*al*ness, n.

DESPOTISM
Des"po*tism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. despotisme.]

1. The power, spirit, or principles of a despot; absolute control over others; tyrannical sway; tyranny. "The despotism of vice." Byron.

2. A government which is directed by a despot; a despotic monarchy; absolutism; autocracy. Despotism . . . is the only form of government which may with safety to itself neglect the education of its infant poor. Bp. Horsley.

DESPOTIST
Des"po*tist, n.

Defn: A supporter of despotism. [R.]

DESPOTIZE
Des"po*tize, v. t.

Defn: To act the despot.

DESPREAD
De*spread", v. t. & i.

Defn: See Dispread.

DESPUMATE
Des"pu*mate, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Despumated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Despumating.] Etym: [L. despumatus, p. p. of despumare to despume;
de- + spumare to foam, froth, spuma froth, scum.]

Defn: To throw off impurities in spume; to work off in foam or scum; to foam.

DESPUMATION
Des`pu*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. despumatio: cf. F. despumation.]

Defn: The act of throwing up froth or scum; separation of the scum or impurities from liquids; scumming; clarification.

DESPUME
De*spume", v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. despumer. See Despumate.]

Defn: To free from spume or scum. [Obs.]
If honey be despumed. Holland.

DESQUAMATE Des"qua*mate, v. i. Etym: [L. desquamatus, p. p. of desquamare to scale off; de- + squama scale.] (Med.)

Defn: To peel off in the form of scales; to scale off, as the skin in certain diseases.

DESQUAMATION
Des`qua*ma"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. desquamation.] (Med.)

Defn: The separation or shedding of the cuticle or epidermis in the form of flakes or scales; exfoliation, as of bones.

DESQUAMATIVE; DESQUAMATORY
De*squam"a*tive, De*squam"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or attended with, desquamation.

DESQUAMATORY
De*squam"a*to*ry, n. (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument formerly used in removing the laminæ of exfoliated bones.

DESS
Dess, n.

Defn: Dais. [Obs.]

DESSERT
Des*sert", n. Etym: [F., fr. desservir to remove from table, to clear
the table; pref. des- (L. dis-) + servir to serve, to serve at table.
See Serve.]

Defn: A service of pastry, fruits, or sweetmeats, at the close of a feast or entertainment; pastry, fruits, etc., forming the last course at dinner. "An 't please your honor," quoth the peasant, "This same dessert is not so pleasant." Pope. Dessert spoon, a spoon used in eating dessert; a spoon intermediate in size between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. — Dessert-spoonful, n., pl. Dessert-spoonfuls, as much as a dessert spoon will hold, usually reckoned at about two and a half fluid drams.

DESTEMPER
Des*tem"per, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détrempe, fr. détremper.]

Defn: A kind of painting. See Distemper.

DESTIN
Des"tin, n. Etym: [Cf. F. destin.]

Defn: Destiny. [Obs.] Marston.

DESTINABLE
Des"ti*na*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. destinable.]

Defn: Determined by destiny; fated. Chaucer.

DESTINABLY
Des"ti*na*bly, adv.

Defn: In a destinable manner.

DESTINAL
Des"ti*nal, a.

Defn: Determined by destiny; fated. [Obs.] "The order destinal."
Chaucer.

DESTINATE
Des"ti*nate, a. Etym: [L. destinatus, p. p. of destinare. See
Destine.]

Defn: Destined. [Obs.] "Destinate to hell." Foxe.

DESTINATE
Des"ti*nate, v. t.

Defn: To destine, design, or choose. [Obs.] "That name that God . . . did destinate." Udall.

DESTINATION Des`ti*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. destinatio determination: cf. F. destination destination.]

1. The act of destining or appointing.

2. Purpose for which anything is destined; predetermined end, object, or use; ultimate design.

3. The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.

Syn.
— Appointment; design; purpose; intention; destiny; lot; fate; end.

DESTINE
Des"tine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Destined; p. pr. & vb. n. Destining.]
Etym: [F. destiner, L. destinare; de + the root of stare to stand.
See Stand, and cf. Obstinate.]

Defn: To determine the future condition or application of; to set apart by design for a future use or purpose; to fix, as by destiny or by an authoritative decree; to doom; to ordain or preordain; to appoint; — often with the remoter object preceded by to or for. We are decreed, Reserved, and destined to eternal woe. Milton. Till the loathsome opposite Of all my heart had destined, did obtain. Tennyson. Not enjoyment and not sorrow Is our destined end or way. Longfellow.

Syn. — To design; mark out; determine; allot; choose; intend; devote; consecrate; doom.

DESTINIST
Des"ti*nist, n.

Defn: A believer in destiny; a fatalist. [R.]

DESTINY Des"ti*ny, n.; pl. Destinies. Etym: [OE. destinee, destene, F. destinée, from destiner. See Destine.]

1. That to which any person or thing is destined; predetermined state; condition foreordained by the Divine or by human will; fate; lot; doom. Thither he Will come to know his destiny. Shak. No man of woman born, Coward or brave, can shun his destiny. Bryant.

2. The fixed order of things; invincible necessity; fate; a resistless power or agency conceived of as determining the future, whether in general or of an individual. But who can turn the stream of destiny Spenser. Fame comes only when deserved, and then is as inevitable as destiny, for it is destiny. Longfellow. The Destinies (Anc. Myth.), the three Parcæ, or Fates; the supposed powers which preside over human life, and determine its circumstances and duration. Marked by the Destinies to be avoided. Shak.

DESTITUENT
De*stit"u*ent, a. Etym: [L. destituens, p. pr. of destituere.]

Defn: Deficient; wanting; as, a destituent condition. [Obs.] Jer.
Taylor.

DESTITUTE Des"ti*tute, a. Etym: [L. destitutus, p. p. of destituere to set away, leave alone, forsake; de + statuere to set. See Statute.]

1. Forsaken; not having in possession (something necessary, or desirable); deficient; lacking; devoid; — often followed by of. In thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. Ps. cxli. 8. Totally destitute of all shadow of influence. Burke.

2. Not possessing the necessaries of life; in a condition of want; needy; without possessions or resources; very poor. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented. Heb. xi. 37.

DESTITUTE
Des"ti*tute, v. t.

1. To leave destitute; to forsake; to abandon. [Obs.] To forsake or destitute a plantation. Bacon.

2. To make destitute; to cause to be in want; to deprive; — followed by of. [Obs.] Destituted of all honor and livings. Holinshed.

3. To disappoint. [Obs.] When his expectation is destituted. Fotherby.

DESTITUTELY
Des"ti*tute*ly, adv.

Defn: In destitution.

DESTITUTENESS
Des"ti*tute*ness, n.

Defn: Destitution. [R.] Ash.

DESTITUTION
Des`ti*tu"tion, n. Etym: [L. destitutio a forsaking.]

Defn: The state of being deprived of anything; the state or condition of being destitute, needy, or without resources; deficiency; lack; extreme poverty; utter want; as, the inundation caused general destitution.

DESTRER; DEXTRER Des*trer", Dex"trer, n. Etym: [OF. destrier, fr. L. dextra on the right side. The squire led his master's horse beside him, on his right hand. Skeat.]

Defn: A war horse. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DESTRIE
De*strie", v. t.

Defn: To destroy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DESTROY De*stroy", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Destroyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Destroying.] Etym: [OE. destroien, destruien, destrien, OF. destruire, F. détruire, fr. L. destruere, destructum; de + struere to pile up, build. See Structure.]

1. To unbuild; to pull or tear down; to separate virulently into its constituent parts; to break up the structure and organic existence of; to demolish. But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves. Ex. xxxiv. 13.

2. To ruin; to bring to naught; to put an end to; to annihilate; to consume. I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation. Jer. xii. 17.

3. To put an end to the existence, prosperity, or beauty of; to kill. If him by force he can destroy, or, worse, By some false guile pervert. Milton.

Syn. — To demolish; lay waste; consume; raze; dismantle; ruin; throw down; overthrow; subvert; desolate; devastate; deface; extirpate; extinguish; kill; slay. See Demolish.

DESTROYABLE
De*stroy"a*ble, a.

Defn: Destructible. [R.]
Plants . . . scarcely destroyable by the weather. Derham.

DESTROYER
De*stroy"er, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. destruior.]

Defn: One who destroys, ruins, kills, or desolates.

DESTRUCT
De*struct", v. t. Etym: [L. destructus, p. p. of destruere. See
Destroy.]

Defn: To destroy. [Obs.] Mede.

DESTRUCTIBILITY
De*struc`ti*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. destructibilité.]

Defn: The quality of being capable of destruction; destructibleness.

DESTRUCTIBLE
De*struc"ti*ble, a. Etym: [L. destructibilis.]

Defn: Liable to destruction; capable of being destroyed.

DESTRUCTIBLENESS
De*struc"ti*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being destructible.

DESTRUCTION
De*struc"tion, n. Etym: [L. destructio: cf. F. destruction. See
Destroy.]

1. The act of destroying; a tearing down; a bringing to naught; subversion; demolition; ruin; slaying; devastation. The Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction. Esth. ix. 5. 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. Shak. Destruction of venerable establishment. Hallam.

2. The state of being destroyed, demolished, ruined, slain, or
devastated.
This town came to destruction. Chaucer.
Thou castedst them down into destruction. Ps. lxxiii. 18.

2. A destroying agency; a cause of ruin or of devastation; a destroyer. The destruction that wasteth at noonday. Ps. xci. 6.

Syn. — Demolition; subversion; overthrow; desolation; extirpation; extinction; devastation; downfall; extermination; havoc; ruin.

DESTRUCTIONIST
De*struc"tion*ist, n.

1. One who delights in destroying that which is valuable; one whose principles and influence tend to destroy existing institutions; a destructive.

2. (Theol.)

Defn: One who believes in the final destruction or complete annihilation of the wicked; — called also annihilationist. Shipley.

DESTRUCTIVE
De*struc"tive, a. Etym: [L. destructivus: cf. F. destructif.]

Defn: Causing destruction; tending to bring about ruin, death, or devastation; ruinous; fatal; productive of serious evil; mischievous; pernicious; — often with of or to; as, intemperance is destructive of health; evil examples are destructive to the morals of youth. Time's destructive power. Wordsworth. Destructive distillation. See Distillation. — Destructive sorties ( (Logic), a process of reasoning which involves the denial of the first of a series of dependent propositions as a consequence of the denial of the last; a species of reductio ad absurdum. Whately.

Syn. — Mortal; deadly; poisonous; fatal; ruinous; malignant; baleful; pernicious; mischievous.

DESTRUCTIVE
De*struc"tive, n.

Defn: One who destroys; a radical reformer; a destructionist.

DESTRUCTIVELY
De*struc"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a destructive manner.

DESTRUCTIVENESS
De*struc"tive*ness, n.

1. The quality of destroying or ruining. Prynne.

2. (Phren.)

Defn: The faculty supposed to impel to the commission of acts of destruction; propensity to destroy.

DESTRUCTOR
De*struc"tor, n. Etym: [L., from destruere. See Destroy, and cf.
Destroyer.]

Defn: A destroyer. [R.]
Fire, the destructive and the artificial death of things. Boyle.

DESTRUIE
De*struie", v. t.

Defn: To destroy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DESUDATION Des`u*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. desudatio, fr. desudare to sweat greatly; de + sudare to sweat.] (Med.)

Defn: A sweating; a profuse or morbid sweating, often succeeded by an eruption of small pimples.

DESUETE
De*suete", a. Etym: [L. desuetus, p. p. of desuescere to disuse.]

Defn: Disused; out of use. [R.]

DESUETUDE Des"ue*tude, n. Etym: [L. desuetudo, from desuescere, to grow out of use, disuse; de + suescere to become used or accustomed: cf. F. désuétude. See Custom.]

Defn: The cessation of use; disuse; discontinuance of practice,
custom, or fashion.
The desuetude abrogated the law, which, before, custom had
established. Jer. Taylor.

DESULPHURATE
De*sul"phu*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desulphurated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Desulphurating.]

Defn: To deprive of sulphur.

DESULPHURATION
De*sul`phu*ra"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. désulfuration.]

Defn: The act or process of depriving of sulphur.

DESULPHURIZE
De*sul"phur*ize, v. t.

Defn: To desulphurate; to deprive of sulphur.
— De*sul`phur*i*za"tion, n.

DESULTORILY
Des"ul*to*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desultory manner; without method; loosely; immethodically.

DESULTORINESS
Des"ul*to*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being desultory or without order or method;
unconnectedness.
The seeming desultoriness of my method. Boyle.

DESULTORIOUS
Des`ul*to"ri*ous, a.

Defn: Desultory. [R.]

DESULTORY
Des"ul*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. desultorius, fr. desultor a leaper, fr.
desilire, desultum, to leap down; de + salire to leap. See
Saltation.]

1. Leaping or skipping about. [Obs.] I shot at it [a bird], but it was so desultory that I missed my aim. Gilbert White.

2. Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order or rational connection; without logical sequence; disconnected; immethodical; aimless; as, desultory minds. Atterbury. He [Goldsmith] knew nothing accurately; his reading had been desultory. Macaulay.

3. Out of course; by the way; as a digression; not connected with the subject; as, a desultory remark.

Syn. — Rambling; roving; immethodical; discursive; inconstant; unsettled; cursory; slight; hasty; loose.

DESUME
De*sume", v. t. Etym: [L. desumere; de + sumere to take.]

Defn: To select; to borrow. [Obs.] Sir. M. Hale.

DESYNONYMIZATION
De`syn*on`y*mi*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of desynonymizing.

DESYNONYMIZE
De`syn*on"y*mize, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of synonymous character; to discriminate in use; — applied to words which have been employed as synonyms. Coleridge. Trench.

DETACH
De*tach", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detached; p. pr. & vb. n. Detaching.]
Etym: [F. détacher (cf. It. distaccare, staccare); pref. dé (L. dis)
+ the root found also in E. attach. See Attach, and cf. Staccato.]

1. To part; to separate or disunite; to disengage; — the opposite of attach; as, to detach the coats of a bulbous root from each other; to detach a man from a leader or from a party.

2. To separate for a special object or use; — used especially in military language; as, to detach a ship from a fleet, or a company from a regiment.

Syn. — To separate; disunite; disengage; sever; disjoin; withdraw;; draw off. See Detail.

DETACH
De*tach", v. i.

Defn: To push asunder; to come off or separate from anything; to
disengage.
[A vapor] detaching, fold by fold, From those still heights.
Tennyson.

DETACHABLE
De*tach"a*ble, a.

Defn: That can be detached.

DETACHED
De*tached", a.

Defn: Separate; unconnected, or imperfectly connected; as, detached parcels. "Extensive and detached empire." Burke. Detached escapement. See Escapement.

DETACHMENT
De*tach"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détachement.]

1. The act of detaching or separating, or the state of being detached.

2. That which is detached; especially, a body of troops or part of a fleet sent from the main body on special service. Troops . . . widely scattered in little detachments. Bancroft.

3. Abstraction from worldly objects; renunciation. A trial which would have demanded of him a most heroic faith and the detachment of a saint. J. H. Newman.

DETAIL De"tail, n. Etym: [F. détail, fr. détailler to cut in pieces, tell in detail; pref. dé- (L. de or dis-) + tailler to cut. See Tailor.]

1. A minute portion; one of the small parts; a particular; an item; - - used chiefly in the plural; as, the details of a scheme or transaction. The details of the campaign in Italy. Motley.

2. A narrative which relates minute points; an account which dwells on particulars.

3. (Mil.)

Defn: The selection for a particular service of a person or a body of men; hence, the person or the body of men so selected. Detail drawing, a drawing of the full size, or on a large scale, of some part of a building, machine, etc. — In detail, in subdivisions; part by part; item; circumstantially; with particularity.

Syn.
— Account; relation; narrative; recital; explanation; narration.

DETAIL
De"tail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Detailing.]
Etym: [Cf. F. détailler to cut up in pieces, tell in detail. See
Detail, n.]

1. To relate in particulars; to particularize; to report minutely and distinctly; to enumerate; to specify; as, he detailed all the facts in due order.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: To tell off or appoint for a particular service, as an officer, a troop, or a squadron.

Syn. — Detail, Detach. Detail respect the act of individualizing the person or body that is separated; detach, the removing for the given end or object.

DETAILER
De*tail"er, n.

Defn: One who details.

DETAIN
De*tain", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detained; p. pr. & vb. n. Detaining.]
Etym: [F. détenir, L. detinere, detentum; de + tenere to hold. See
Tenable.]

1. To keep back or from; to withhold. Detain not the wages of the hireling. Jer. Taylor.

2. To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay; as, we were detained by an accident. Let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. Judges xiii. 15.

3. To hold or keep in custody.

Syn. — To withhold; retain; stop; stay; arrest; check; retard; delay; hinder.

DETAIN
De*tain", n.

Defn: Detention. [Obs.] Spenser.

DETAINDER
De*tain"der, n. (Law)

Defn: A writ. See Detinue.

DETAINER
De*tain"er, n.

1. One who detains.

2. (Law) (a) The keeping possession of what belongs to another; detention of what is another's, even though the original taking may have been lawful. Forcible detainer is indictable at common law. (b) A writ authorizing the keeper of a prison to continue to keep a person in custody.

DETAINMENT
De*tain"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. detenement.]

Defn: Detention. [R.] Blackstone.

DETECT De*tect", a. Etym: [L. detectus, p. p. of detegere to uncover, detect; de + tegere to cover. See Tegument.]

Defn: Detected. [Obs.] Fabyan.

DETECT
De*tect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detected; p. pr. & vb. n. Detecting.]

1. To uncover; to discover; to find out; to bring to light; as, to detect a crime or a criminal; to detect a mistake in an account. Plain good intention . . . is as easily discovered at the first view, as fraud is surely detected at last. Burke. Like following life through creatures you dissect, You lose it in the moment you detect. Pope.

2. To inform against; to accuse. [Obs.] He was untruly judged to have preached such articles as he was detected of. Sir T. More.

Syn.
— To discover; find out; lay bare; expose.

DETECTABLE; DETECTIBLE
De*tect"a*ble, De*tect"i*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being detected or found out; as, parties not detectable. "Errors detectible at a glance." Latham.

DETECTER
De*tect"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, detects or brings to light; one who finds out what another attempts to conceal; a detector.

DETECTION
De*tec"tion, n. Etym: [L. detectio an uncovering, revealing.]

Defn: The act of detecting; the laying open what was concealed or hidden; discovery; as, the detection of a thief; the detection of fraud, forgery, or a plot. Such secrets of guilt are never from detection. D. Webster.

DETECTIVE
De*tect"ive, a.

Defn: Fitted for, or skilled in, detecting; employed in detecting crime or criminals; as, a detective officer.

DETECTIVE
De*tect"ive, n.

Defn: One who business it is so detect criminals or discover matters of secrecy.

DETECTOR
De*tect"or, n. Etym: [L., a revealer.]

Defn: One who, or that which, detects; a detecter. Shak. A deathbed's detector of the heart. Young. Bank-note detector, a publication containing a description of genuine and counterfeit bank notes, designed to enable persons to discriminate between them. — Detector l. See under Lock.

DETECTOR BAR
De*tect"or bar. (Railroads)

Defn: A bar, connected with a switch, longer than the distance between any two consecutive wheels of a train (45 to 50 feet), laid inside a rail and operated by the wheels so that the switch cannot be thrown until all the train is past the switch.

DETENEBRATE De*ten"e*brate, v. t. Etym: [L. de + tenebrare to make dark, fr. tenebrae darkness.]

Defn: To remove darkness from. [Obs.] Ash.

DETENT De*tent", n. Etym: [F. détente, fr. détendre to unbend, relax; pref. dé- (L. dis- or de) + tendre to stretch. See Distend.] (Mech.)

Defn: That which locks or unlocks a movement; a catch, pawl, or dog; especially, in clockwork, the catch which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking.

DETENTION
De*ten"tion, n. Etym: [L. detentio: cf. F. détention. See Detain.]

1. The act of detaining or keeping back; a withholding.

2. The state of being detained (stopped or hindered); delay from necessity.

3. Confinement; restraint; custody. The archduke Philip . . . found himself in a sort of honorable detention at Henry's court. Hallam.

DETER
De*ter", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deterred; p. pr. & vb. n. Deterring.]
Etym: [L. deterrere; de + terrere to frighten, terrify. See Terror.]

Defn: To prevent by fear; hence, to hinder or prevent from action by
fear of consequences, or difficulty, risk, etc. Addison.
Potent enemies tempt and deter us from our duty. Tillotson.
My own face deters me from my glass. Prior.

DETERGE
De*terge", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deterged; p. pr. & vb. n. Deterging.]
Etym: [L. detergere, detersum; de + tergere to rub or wipe off: cf.
F. déterger.]

Defn: To cleanse; to purge away, as foul or offending matter from the body, or from an ulcer.

DETERGENCY
De*ter"gen*cy, n.

Defn: A cleansing quality or power. De Foe.

DETERGENT
De*ter"gent, a. Etym: [L. detergens, -entis, p. pr. of detergere: cf.
F. détergent.]

Defn: Cleansing; purging.
— n.

Defn: A substance which cleanses the skin, as water or soap; a medicine to cleanse wounds, ulcers, etc.

DETERIORATE De*te"ri*o*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deteriorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Deteriorating.] Etym: [L. deterioratus, p. p. of deteriorate to deteriorate, fr. deterior worse, prob. a comparative fr. de down, away.]

Defn: To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair; as, to deteriorate the mind. Whately. The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated. Southey.

DETERIORATE
De*te"ri*o*rate, v. i.

Defn: To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.
Under such conditions, the mind rapidly deteriorates. Goldsmith.

DETERIORATION De*te`ri*o*ra"tion, n. Etym: [LL. deterioratio: cf. F. détérioration.]

Defn: The process of growing worse, or the state of having grown worse.

DETERIORITY
De*te`ri*or"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. deterior worse. See Deteriorate.]

Defn: Worse state or quality; inferiority. "The deteriority of the diet." [R.] Ray.

DETERMENT
De*ter"ment, n. Etym: [From Deter.]

Defn: The act of deterring; also, that which deters. Boyle.

DETERMINABILITY
De*ter`mi*na*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being determinable; determinableness. Coleridge.

DETERMINABLE De*ter"mi*na*ble, a. Etym: [L. determinabilis finite. See Determine, v. t.]

Defn: Capable of being determined, definitely ascertained, decided upon, or brought to a conclusion. Not wholly determinable from the grammatical use of the words. South.

DETERMINABLENESS
De*ter"mi*na*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Capability of being determined; determinability.

DETERMINACY
De*ter"mi*na*cy, n.

Defn: Determinateness. [R.]

DETERMINANT
De*ter"mi*nant, a. Etym: [L. determinans, p. pr. of determinare: cf.
F. déterminant.]

Defn: Serving to determine or limit; determinative.

DETERMINANT
De*ter"mi*nant, n.

1. That which serves to determine; that which causes determination.

2. (Math.)

Defn: The sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws; thus, the determinant of the nine numbers. a, b, c,a', b', c',a'\'b7, b'\'b7, c'\'b7, is a b' c'\'b7 — a b'\'b7 c' + a' b'\'b7 c] — a' b c'\'b7 + a'\'b7 b' c. The determinant is written by placing the numbers from which it is formed in a square between two vertical lines. The theory of determinants forms a very important branch of modern mathematics.

3. (Logic)

Defn: A mark or attribute, attached to the subject or predicate, narrowing the extent of both, but rendering them more definite and precise. Abp. Thomson.

DETERMINATE
De*ter"mi*nate, a. Etym: [L. determinatus, p. p. of determinare. See
Determine.]

1. Having defined limits; not uncertain or arbitrary; fixed; established; definite. Quantity of words and a determinate number of feet. Dryden.

2. Conclusive; decisive; positive. The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Acts ii. 23.

3. Determined or resolved upon. [Obs.] My determinate voyage. Shak.

4. Of determined purpose; resolute. [Obs.] More determinate to do than skillful how to do. Sir P. Sidney. Determinate inflorescence (Bot.), that in which the flowering commences with the terminal bud of a stem, which puts a limit to its growth; — also called centrifugal inflorescence. — Determinate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of a limited number of solutions. — Determinate quantities, Determinate equations (Math.), those that are finite in the number of values or solutions, that is, in which the conditions of the problem or equation determine the number.

DETERMINATE
De*ter"mi*nate, v. t.

Defn: To bring to an end; to determine. See Determine. [Obs.] The sly, slow hours shall not determinate The dateless limit of thy dear exile. Shak.

DETERMINATELY
De*ter"mi*nate*ly, adv.

1. In a determinate manner; definitely; ascertainably. The principles of religion are already either determinately true or false, before you think of them. Tillotson.

2. Resolutely; unchangeably. Being determinately . . . bent to marry. Sir P. Sidney.

DETERMINATENESS
De*ter"mi*nate*ness, n.

Defn: State of being determinate.

DETERMINATION De*ter`mi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. determinatio boundary, end: cf. F. détermination.]

1. The act of determining, or the state of being determined.

2. Bringing to an end; termination; limit. A speedy determination of that war. Ludlow.

3. Direction or tendency to a certain end; impulsion. Remissness can by no means consist with a constant determination of the will . . . to the greatest apparent good. Locke.

4. The quality of mind reaches definite conclusions; decision of character; resoluteness. He only is a well-made man who has a good determination. Emerson.

5. The state of decision; a judicial decision, or ending of controversy.

6. That which is determined upon; result of deliberation; purpose; conclusion formed; fixed resolution. So bloodthirsty a determination to obtain convictions. Hallam.

7. (Med.)

Defn: A flow, rush, or tendency to a particular part; as, a determination of blood to the head.

8. (Physical Sciences)

Defn: The act, process, or result of any accurate measurement, as of length, volume, weight, intensify, etc.; as, the determination of the ohm or of the wave length of light; the determination of the salt in sea water, or the oxygen in the air.

9. (Logic) (a) The act of defining a concept or notion by giving its essential constituents. (b) The addition of a differentia to a concept or notion, thus limiting its extent; — the opposite of generalization.

10. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: The act of determining the relations of an object, as regards genus and species; the referring of minerals, plants, or animals, to the species to which they belong; classification; as, I am indebted to a friend for the determination of most of these shells.

Syn. — Decision; conclusion; judgment; purpose; resolution; resolve; firmness. See Decision.

DETERMINATIVE
De*ter"mi*na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. déterminatif.]

Defn: Having power to determine; limiting; shaping; directing; conclusive. Incidents . . . determinative of their course. I. Taylor. Determinative tables (Nat. Hist.), tables presenting the specific character of minerals, plants, etc., to assist in determining the species to which a specimen belongs.

DETERMINATIVE
De*ter"mi*na*tive, n.

Defn: That which serves to determine. Explanatory determinatives . . . were placed after words phonetically expressed, in order to serve as an aid to the reader in determining the meaning. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

DETERMINATOR
De*ter"mi*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who determines. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

DETERMINE
De*ter"mine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Determined; p. pr. & vb. n.
Determining.] Etym: [F. déterminer, L. determinare, determinatum; de
+ terminare limit, terminus limit. See Term.]

1. To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate. [God] hath determined the times before appointed. Acts xvii. 26.

2. To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish. The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight. Bacon. Now, where is he that will not stay so long Till his friend sickness hath determined me Shak.

3. To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle. The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God. J. Edwards. Something divinely beautiful . . . that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life. W. Black.

4. To fix the course of; to impel and direct; — with a remoter object preceded by to; as, another's will determined me to this course.

5. To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name.

6. To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as, the court has determined the cause.

7. To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead; as, this determined him to go immediately.

8. (Logic)

Defn: To define or limit by adding a differentia.

9. (Physical Sciences)

Defn: To ascertain the presence, quantity, or amount of; as, to determine the parallax; to determine the salt in sea water.

DETERMINE
De*ter"mine, v. i.

1. To come to an end; to end; to terminate. [Obs.] He who has vented a pernicious doctrine or published an ill book must know that his life determine not together. South. Estates may determine on future contingencies. Blackstone.

2. To come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; — often with on. "Determine on some course." Shak. He shall pay as the judges determine. Ex. xxi. 22.

DETERMINED
De*ter"mined, a.

Defn: Decided; resolute. "Adetermined foe."" Sparks.

DETERMINEDLY
De*ter"min*ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a determined manner; with determination.

DETERMINER
De*ter"min*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, determines or decides.

DETERMINISM
De*ter"min*ism, n. (Metaph.)

Defn: The doctrine that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives. Its superior suitability to produce courage, as contrasted with scientific physical determinism, is obvious. F. P. Cobbe.

DETERMINIST
De*ter"min*ist, n. (Metaph.)

Defn: One who believes in determinism. Also adj.; as, determinist theories.

DETERRATION De`ter*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. de + terra earth: cf. F. déterrer to unearth.]

Defn: The uncovering of anything buried or covered with earth; a taking out of the earth or ground. Woodward.

DETERRENCE
De*ter"rence, n.

Defn: That which deters; a deterrent; a hindrance. [R.]

DETERRENT
De*ter"rent, a. Etym: [L. deterrens, p. pr. of deterrere. See Deter.]

Defn: Serving to deter. "The deterrent principle." E. Davis.

DETERRENT
De*ter"rent, n.

Defn: That which deters or prevents.

DETERSION
De*ter"sion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détersion. See Deterge.]

Defn: The act of deterging or cleansing, as a sore.

DETERSIVE
De*ter"sive, a. Etym: [Cf. détersif.]

Defn: Cleansing; detergent.
— n.

Defn: A cleansing agent; a detergent.

DETERSIVELY
De*ter"sive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a way to cleanse.

DETERSIVENESS
De*ter"sive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of cleansing.

DETEST De*test", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detested; p. pr. & vb. n. Detesting.] Etym: [L. detestare, detestatum, and detestari, to curse while calling a deity to witness, to execrate, detest; de + testari to be a witness, testify, testis a witness: cf. F. détester. See Testify.]

1. To witness against; to denounce; to condemn. [Obs.]
The heresy of Nestorius . . . was detested in the Eastern churches.
Fuller.
God hath detested them with his own mouth. Bale.

2. To hate intensely; to abhor; to abominate; to loathe; as, we detest what is contemptible or evil. Who dares think one thing, and another tell, My heart detests him as the gates of hell. Pope.

Syn.
— To abhor; abominate; execrate. See Hate.

DETESTABILITY
De*test`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Capacity of being odious. [R.] Carlyle.

DETESTABLE
De*test"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. detestabilis: cf. F. détestable.]

Defn: Worthy of being detested; abominable; extremely hateful; very odious; deserving abhorrence; as, detestable vices. Thou hast defiled my sanctuary will all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations. Ezek. v. 11.

Syn.
— Abominable; odious; execrable; abhorred.

DETESTABLENESS
De*test"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being detestable.

DETESTABLY
De*test"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a detestable manner.

DETESTATE
De*tes"tate, v. t.

Defn: To detest. [Obs.] Udall.

DETESTATION
Det`es*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. detestatio: cf. F. détestation.]

Defn: The act of detesting; extreme hatred or dislike; abhorrence;
loathing.
We are heartily agreed in our detestation of civil war. Burke.

DETESTER
De*test"er, n.

Defn: One who detes

DETHRONE
De*throne", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dethroned; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dethroning.] Etym: [Pref. de- + throne: cf. F. détrôner; pref. dé-
(L. dis-) + trône throne. See Throne.]

Defn: To remove or drive from a throne; to depose; to divest of supreme authority and dignity. "The Protector was dethroned." Hume.

DETHRONEMENT
De*throne"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détrônement.]

Defn: Deposal from a throne; deposition from regal power.

DETHRONER
De*thron"er, n.

Defn: One who dethrones.

DETHRONIZATION
De*thron`i*za"tion, n.

Defn: Dethronement. [Obs.] Speed.

DETHRONIZE
De*thron"ize, v. t. Etym: [Cf. LL. dethronizare.]

Defn: To dethrone or unthrone. [Obs.] Cotgrave.

DETINUE
Det"i*nue, n. Etym: [OF. detinu, detenu, p. p. of detenir to detain.
See Detain.]

Defn: A person or thing detained; (Law)

Defn: a form of action for the recovery of a personal chattel wrongfully detained. Writ of detinue (Law), one that lies against him who wrongfully detains goods or chattels delivered to him, or in possession, to recover the thing itself, or its value and damages, from the detainer. It is now in a great measure superseded by other remedies.

DETONATE
Det"o*nate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Detonated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Detonating.] Etym: [L. detonare, v. i., to thunder down; de + tonare
to thunder; akin to E. thunder. See Thunder, and cf. Detonize.]

Defn: To explode with a sudden report; as, niter detonates with sulphur.

DETONATE
Det"o*nate, v. t.

Defn: To cause to explode; to cause to burn or inflame with a sudden report.

DETONATING
Det"o*na`ting, a. & n.

Defn: from Detonate. Detonating gas, a mixture of two volumes of hydrogen with one volume of oxygen, which explodes with a loud report upon ignition. — Detonating powder, any powder or solid substance, as fulminate of mercury, which when struck, explodes with violence and a loud report. — Detonating primer, a primer exploded by a fuse; — used to explode gun cotton in blasting operations. — Detonating tube, a strong tube of glass, usually graduated, closed at one end, and furnished with two wires passing through its sides at opposite points, and nearly meeting, for the purpose of exploding gaseous mixtures by an electric spark, as in gas analysis, etc.

DETONATION
Det`o*na"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détonation.]

Defn: An explosion or sudden report made by the instantaneous decomposition or combustion of unstable substances' as, the detonation of gun cotton.

DETONATOR
Det`o*na`tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, detonates.

DETONIZATION
Det`o*ni*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of detonizing; detonation.

DETONIZE Det"o*nize, v. t. & i. Etym: [See Detonate.] [imp. & p. p.Detonized; p. pr. & vb. n. Detonizing.]

Defn: To explode, or cause to explode; to burn with an explosion; to detonate.

DETORSION
De*tor"sion, n.

Defn: Same as Detortion.

DETORT
De*tort", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Detorting.]
Etym: [L. detortus, p. p. of detorquere to turn away; de + torquere
to turn about, twist: cf. F. détorquer, détordre.]

Defn: To turn form the original or plain meaning; to pervert; to wrest. Hammond.

DETORTION
De*tor"tion, n.

Defn: The act of detorting, or the state of being detorted; a twisting or warping.

DETOUR
De`tour", n. Etym: [F. détour, fr. détourner to turn aside; pref. dé-
(L. dis-) + tourner to turn. See Turn.]

Defn: A turning; a circuitous route; a deviation from a direct course; as, the detours of the Mississippi.

DETRACT
De*tract", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detracted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Detracting.] Etym: [L. detractus, p. p. of detrahere to detract; de +
trahere to draw: cf. F. détracter. See Trace.]

1. To take away; to withdraw. Detract much from the view of the without. Sir H. Wotton.

2. To take credit or reputation from; to defame. That calumnious critic . . . Detracting what laboriously we do. Drayton.

Syn. — To derogate; decry; disparage; depreciate; asperse; vilify; defame; traduce. See Decry.

DETRACT
De*tract", v. i.

Defn: To take away a part or something, especially from one's credit; to lessen reputation; to derogate; to defame; — often with from. It has been the fashion to detract both from the moral and literary character of Cicero. V. Knox.

DETRACTER
De*tract"er, n.

Defn: One who detracts; a detractor.
Other detracters and malicious writers. Sir T. North.

DETRACTINGLY
De*tract"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a detracting manner.

DETRACTION
De*trac"tion, n. Etym: [F. détraction, L. detractio.]

1. A taking away or withdrawing. [Obs.] The detraction of the eggs of the said wild fowl. Bacon.

2. The act of taking away from the reputation or good name of another; a lessening or cheapening in the estimation of others; the act of depreciating another, from envy or malice; calumny.

Syn. — Depreciation; disparagement; derogation; slander; calumny; aspersion; censure.

DETRACTIOUS
De*trac"tious, a.

Defn: Containing detraction; detractory. [R.] Johnson.

DETRACTIVE
De*tract"ive, a.

1. Tending to detractor draw. [R.]

2. Tending to lower in estimation; depreciative.

DETRACTIVENESS
De*tract"ive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being detractive.

DETRACTOR
De*tract"or, n. Etym: [L.: cf. F. détracteur.]

Defn: One who detracts; a derogator; a defamer.
His detractors were noisy and scurrilous. Macaulay.

Syn.
— Slanderer; calumniator; defamer; vilifier.

DETRACTORY
De*tract"o*ry, a.

Defn: Defamatory by denial of desert; derogatory; calumnious. Sir T.
Browne.

DETRACTRESS
De*tract"ress, n.

Defn: A female detractor. Addison.

DETRAIN
De*train", v. i. & t.

Defn: To alight, or to cause to alight, from a railway train. [Eng.]
London Graphic.

DETRECT De*trect", v. t. Etym: [L. detrectare; de + tractare, intens. of trahere to draw.]

Defn: To refuse; to decline. [Obs.] "To detrect the battle."
Holinshed.

DETRIMENT Det"ri*ment, n. Etym: [L. detrimentum, fr. deterere, detritum, to rub or wear away; de + terere to rub: cf. F. détriment. See Trite.]

1. That which injures or causes damage; mischief; harm; diminution; loss; damage; — used very generically; as, detriments to property, religion, morals, etc. I can repair That detriment, if such it be. Milton.

2. A charge made to students and barristers for incidental repairs of the rooms they occupy. [Eng.]

Syn. — Injury; loss; damage; disadvantage; prejudice; hurt; mischief; harm.

DETRIMENT
Det"ri*ment, v. t.

Defn: To do injury to; to hurt. [Archaic]
Other might be determined thereby. Fuller.

DETRIMENTAL
Det`ri*men"tal, a.

Defn: Causing detriment; injurious; hurtful.
Neither dangerous nor detrimental to the donor. Addison.

Syn. — Injurious; hurtful; prejudicial; disadvantageous; mischievous; pernicious.

DETRIMENTALNESS
Det`ri*men"tal*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being detrimental; injuriousness.

DETRITAL
De*tri"tal, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or composed of, detritus.

DETRITE
De*trite", a. Etym: [L. detritus, p. p.]

Defn: Worn out.

DETRITION
De*tri"tion, n. Etym: [LL. detritio. See Detriment.]

Defn: A wearing off or away. Phonograms which by process long-continued detrition have reached a step of extreme simplicity. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

DETRITUS De*tri"tus, n. Etym: [F. détritus, fr. L. detritus, p. p. of deterere. See Detriment.]

1. (Geol.)

Defn: A mass of substances worn off from solid bodies by attrition, and reduced to small portions; as, diluvial detritus.

Note: For large portions, the word débris is used.

2. Hence: Any fragments separated from the body to which they belonged; any product of disintegration. The mass of detritus of which modern languages are composed. Farrar.

DETRUDE
De*trude", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detruded; p. pr. & vb. n. Detruding.]
Etym: [L. detrudere, detrusum; de + trudere to thrust, push.]

Defn: To thrust down or out; to push down with force. Locke.

DETRUNCATE
De*trun"cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detruncated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Detruncating.] Etym: [L. detruncatus, p. p. of detruncare to cut off;
de + truncare to maim, shorten, cut off. See Truncate.]

Defn: To shorten by cutting; to cut off; to lop off.

DETRUNCATION
De`trun*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. detruncatio: cf. F. détroncation.]

Defn: The act of lopping or cutting off, as the head from the body.

DETRUSION
De*tru"sion, n. Etym: [L. detrusio. See Detrude.]

Defn: The act of thrusting or driving down or outward; outward
thrust.
— De*tru"sive, a.

DETTE
Dette, n.

Defn: Debt. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DETTELES
Dette"les, a.

Defn: Free from debt. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DETUMESCENCE De`tu*mes"cence, n. Etym: [L. detumescere to cease swelling; de + tumescere, tumere, to swell.]

Defn: Diminution of swelling; subsidence of anything swollen. [R.]
Cudworth.

DETUR
De"tur, n. Etym: [L. detur let it be given.]

Defn: A present of books given to a meritorious undergraduate student as a prize. [Harvard Univ., U. S.]

DETURB
De*turb", v. t. Etym: [L. deturbare.]

Defn: To throw down. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

DETURBATE De*tur"bate, v. t. Etym: [LL. deturbatus, p. p. of deturbare, fr. L. deturbare to thrust down.]

Defn: To evict; to remove. [Obs.] Foxe.

DETURBATION
Det`ur*ba"tion, n.

Defn: The act of deturbating. [Obs.]

DETURN
De*turn", v. t. Etym: [Pref. de- + turn. Cf. Detour.]

Defn: To turn away. [Obs.] Sir K. Digby.

DETURPATE De*tur"pate, v. t. Etym: [L. deturpare; de + turpare to make ugly, defile, turpis ugly, foul.]

Defn: To defile; to disfigure. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

DETURPATION
Det`ur*pa"tion, n.

Defn: A making foul. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

DEUCE
Deuce, n. Etym: [F. deux two, OF. deus, fr. L. duo. See Two.]

1. (Gaming)

Defn: Two; a card or a die with two spots; as, the deuce of hearts.

2. (Tennis)

Defn: A condition of the score beginning whendeuce, which decides the game.

DEUCE
Deuce, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. dusius, Armor, dus, teûz, phantom, specter;
Gael. taibhs, taibhse, apparition, ghost; or fr. OF. deus God, fr. L.
deus (cf. Deity.)]

Defn: The devil; a demon. [A euphemism, written also deuse.] [Low]

DEUCED
Deu"ced, a.

Defn: Devilish; excessive; extreme. [Low] — Deu"ced*ly, adv.

DEUSE; DEUSED
Deuse, n.; Deu"sed (, a.

Defn: See Deuce, Deuced.

DEUTEROCANONICAL
Deu`ter*o*ca*non"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. canonical.]

Defn: Pertaining to a second canon, or ecclesiastical writing of inferior authority; — said of the Apocrypha, certain Epistles, etc.

DEUTEROGAMIST
Deu`ter*og"a*mist, n. Etym: [See Deuterogamy.]

Defn: One who marries the second time.

DEUTEROGAMY
Deu`ter*og"a*my, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A second marriage, after the death of the first husband of wife; — in distinction from bigamy, as defined in the old canon law. See Bigamy. Goldsmith.

DEUTEROGENIC
Deu`ter*o*gen"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Of secondary origin; — said of certain rocks whose material has been derived from older rocks.

DEUTERONOMIST
Deu`ter*on"o*mist, n.

Defn: The writer of Deuteronomy.

DEUTERONOMY
Deu`ter*on"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. Deuteronomium.] (Bibl.)

Defn: The fifth book of the Pentateuch, containing the second giving of the law by Moses.

DEUTEROPATHIA; DEUTEROPATHY Deu`ter*o*pa*thi"a, Deu`ter*op"a*thy, n. Etym: [NL. deuteropathia, fr. Gr. deutéropathie.] (Med.)

Defn: A sympathetic affection of any part of the body, as headache from an overloaded stomach.

DEUTEROPATHIC
Deu`ter*o*path"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to deuteropathy; of the nature of deuteropathy.

DEUTEROSCOPY
Deu`ter*os"co*py, n. Etym: [Gr. -scopy.]

1. Second sight.
I felt by anticipation the horrors of the Highland seers, whom their
gift of deuteroscopy compels to witness things unmeet for mortal eye.
Sir W. Scott.

2. That which is seen at a second view; a meaning beyond the literal sense; the second intention; a hidden signification. Sir T. Browne.

DEUTEROZOOID
Deu`ter*o*zo"oid, n. Etym: [Gr. zooid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the secondary, and usually sexual, zooids produced by budding or fission from the primary zooids, in animals having alternate generations. In the tapeworms, the joints are deuterozooids.

DEUTHYDROGURET
Deut`hy*drog"u*ret, n. (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Deutohydroguret.

DEUTO-; DEUT-
Deu"to- or Deut- (dut-) Etym: [Contr. from Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: A prefix which formerly properly indicated the second in a regular series of compound in the series, and not to its composition, but which is now generally employed in the same sense as bi- or di-, although little used.

DEUTOHYDROGURET
Deu`to*hy*drog"u*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. deut-, deuto- + hydroguret.]
(Chem.)

Defn: A compound containing in the molecule two atoms of hydrogen united with some other element or radical. [Obs.]

DEUTOPLASM
Deu"to*plasm, n. Etym: [Pref. deuto- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The lifeless food matter in the cytoplasm of an ovum or a cell, as distinguished from the active or true protoplasm; yolk substance; yolk.

DEUTOPLASTIC
Deu`to*plas"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. deuto- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or composed of, deutoplasm.

DEUTOSULPHURET
Deu`to*sul"phu*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. deuto- + sulphuret.] (Chem.)

Defn: A disulphide. [Obs.]

DEUTOXIDE
Deu*tox"ide (; 104), n. Etym: [Pref. deut- + oxide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound containing in the molecule two atoms of oxygen united with some other element or radical; — usually called dioxide, or less frequently, binoxide.

DEUTZIA
Deut"zi*a, n. Etym: [NL. Named after Jan Deutz of Holland.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of shrubs with pretty white flowers, much cultivated.

DEV; DEVA
Dev, or De"va (, n. Etym: [Skr. d. Cf. Deity.] (Hind. Myth.)

Defn: A god; a deity; a divine being; an idol; a king.

DEVANAGARI De`va*na"ga*ri, n. Etym: [Skr. d; d god + nagara city, i. e., divine city.]

Defn: The character in which Sanskrit is written.

DEVAPORATION
De*vap`o*ra"tion, n.

Defn: The change of vapor into water, as in the formation of rain.

DEVAST
De*vast", v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. dévaster. See Devastate.]

Defn: To devastate. [Obs.] Bolingbroke.

DEVASTATE
Dev"as*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devastated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Devastating.] Etym: [L. devastatus, p. p. of devastare to devastate;
de + vastare to lay waste, vastus waste. See Vast.]

Defn: To lay waste; to ravage; to desolate.
Whole countries . . . were devastated. Macaulay.

Syn.
— To waste; ravage; desolate; destroy; demolish; plunder; pillage.

DEVASTATION
Dev`as*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dévastation.]

1. The act of devastating, or the state of being devastated; a laying waste. Even now the devastation is begun, And half the business of destruction done. Goldsmith.

2. (Law)

Defn: Waste of the goods of the deceased by an executor or administrator. Blackstone.

Syn.
— Desolation; ravage; waste; havoc; destruction; ruin; overthrow.

DEVASTATOR
Dev"as*ta`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who, or that which, devastates. Emerson.

DEVASTAVIT
Dev`as*ta"vit, n. Etym: [L., he has wasted.] (Law)

Defn: Waste or misapplication of the assets of a deceased person by an executor or an administrator. Bouvier.

DEVATA
De"va*ta, n. Etym: [Hind., fr. Skr. d god.] (Hind. Myth.)

Defn: A deity; a divine being; a good spirit; an idol. [Written also dewata.]

DEVE
Deve, a. Etym: [See Deaf.]

Defn: Deaf. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DEVELIN
Dev"el*in, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European swift. [Prov. Eng.]

DEVELOP De*vel"op, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Developed; p. pr. & vb. n. Developing.] Etym: [F. déveloper; dé- (L. dis-) + OF. voluper, voleper, to envelop, perh. from L. volup agreeably, delightfully, and hence orig., to make agreeable or comfortable by enveloping, to keep snug (cf. Voluptuous); or. perh. fr. a derivative of volvere, volutum, to roll (cf. Devolve). Cf. Envelop.] [Written also develope.]

1. To free from that which infolds or envelops; to unfold; to lay open by degrees or in detail; to make visible or known; to disclose; to produce or give forth; as, to develop theories; a motor that develops 100 horse power. These serve to develop its tenets. Milner. The 20th was spent in strengthening our position and developing the line of the enemy. The Century.

2. To unfold gradually, as a flower from a bud; hence, to bring through a succession of states or stages, each of which is preparatory to the next; to form or expand by a process of growth; to cause to change gradually from an embryo, or a lower state, to a higher state or form of being; as, sunshine and rain develop the bud into a flower; to develop the mind. The sound developed itself into a real compound. J. Peile. All insects . . . acquire the jointed legs before the wings are fully developed. Owen.

3. To advance; to further; to prefect; to make to increase; to promote the growth of. We must develop our own resources to the utmost. Jowett (Thucyd).

4. (Math.)

Defn: To change the form of, as of an algebraic expression, by executing certain indicated operations without changing the value.

5. (Photog.)

Defn: To cause to become visible, as an invisible or latent image upon plate, by submitting it to chemical agents; to bring to view. To develop a curved surface on a place (Geom.), to produce on the plane an equivalent surface, as if by rolling the curved surface so that all parts shall successively touch the plane.

Syn. — To uncover; unfold; evolve; promote; project; lay open; disclose; exhibit; unravel; disentangle.

DEVELOP
De*vel"op, v. i.

1. To go through a process of natural evolution or growth, by successive changes from a less perfect to a more perfect or more highly organized state; to advance from a simpler form of existence to one more complex either in structure or function; as, a blossom develops from a bud; the seed develops into a plant; the embryo develops into a well-formed animal; the mind develops year by year. Nor poets enough to understand That life develops from within. Mrs. Browning.

2. To become apparent gradually; as, a picture on sensitive paper develops on the application of heat; the plans of the conspirators develop.

DEVELOPABLE
De*vel"op*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being developed. J. Peile. Developable surface (Math.), a surface described by a moving right line, and such that consecutive positions of the generator intersect each other. Hence, the surface can be developed into a plane.

DEVELOPER
De*vel"op*er, n.

1. One who, or that which, develops.

2. (Photog.)

Defn: A reagent by the action of which the latent image upon a photographic plate, after exposure in the camera, or otherwise, is developed and visible.

DEVELOPMENT De*vel"op*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. développement.] [Written also developement.]

1. The act of developing or disclosing that which is unknown; a gradual unfolding process by which anything is developed, as a plan or method, or an image upon a photographic plate; gradual advancement or growth through a series of progressive changes; also, the result of developing, or a developed state. A new development of imagination, taste, and poetry. Channing.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The series of changes which animal and vegetable organisms undergo in their passage from the embryonic state to maturity, from a lower to a higher state of organization.

3. (Math.) (a) The act or process of changing or expanding an expression into another of equivalent value or meaning. (b) The equivalent expression into which another has been developed.

4. (mus.)

Defn: The elaboration of a theme or subject; the unfolding of a musical idea; the evolution of a whole piece or movement from a leading theme or motive. Development theory (Biol.), the doctrine that animals and plants possess the power of passing by slow and successive stages from a lower to a higher state of organization, and that all the higher forms of life now in existence were thus developed by uniform laws from lower forms, and are not the result of special creative acts. See the Note under Darwinian.

Syn. — Unfolding; disclosure; unraveling; evolution; elaboration; growth.

DEVELOPMENTAL
De*vel`op*men"tal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or characteristic of, the process of development; as, the developmental power of a germ. Carpenter.

DEVENUSTATE Dev`e*nus"tate, v. t. Etym: [L. devenustatus, p. p. of devenustare to disfigure; de + venustus lovely, graceful.]

Defn: To deprive of beauty or grace. [Obs.]

DEVERGENCE; DEVERGENCY
De*ver"gence, De*ver"gen*cy, n.

Defn: See Divergence. [Obs.]

DEVEST
De*vest", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devested; p. pr. & vb. n. Devesting.]
Etym: [L. devestire to undress; de + vestire to dress: cf. OF.
devestir, F. dévêtir. Cf. Divest.]

1. To divest; to undress. Shak.

2. To take away, as an authority, title, etc., to deprive; to alienate, as an estate.

Note: This word is now generally written divest, except in the legal sense.

DEVEST
De*vest", v. i. (Law)

Defn: To be taken away, lost, or alienated, as a title or an estate.

DEVEX
De*vex", a. Etym: [L. devexus, from devehere to carry down.]

Defn: Bending down; sloping. [Obs.]

DEVEX
De*vex", n.

Defn: Devexity. [Obs.] May (Lucan).

DEVEXITY
De*vex"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. devexitas, fr. devexus. See Devex, a.]

Defn: A bending downward; a sloping; incurvation downward; declivity.
[R.] Davies (Wit's Pilgr.)

DEVI
De"vi, n.

Defn: ; fem. of Deva. A goddess.

DEVIANT
De"vi*ant, a.

Defn: Deviating. [Obs.]

DEVIATE
De"vi*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Deviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Deviating.]
Etym: [L. deviare to deviate; de + viare to go, travel, via way. See
Viaduct.]

Defn: To go out of the way; to turn aside from a course or a method; to stray or go astray; to err; to digress; to diverge; to vary. Thus Pegasus, a nearer way to take, May boldly deviate from the common track. Pope.

Syn.
— To swerve; stray; wander; digress; depart; deflect; err.

DEVIATE
De"vi*ate, v. t.

Defn: To cause to deviate. [R.]
To deviate a needle. J. D. Forbes.

DEVIATION
De`vi*a"tion, n. Etym: [LL. deviatio: cf. F. déviation.]

1. The act of deviating; a wandering from the way; variation from the common way, from an established rule, etc.; departure, as from the right course or the path of duty.

2. The state or result of having deviated; a transgression; an act of sin; an error; an offense.

2. (Com.)

Defn: The voluntary and unnecessary departure of a ship from, or delay in, the regular and usual course of the specific voyage insured, thus releasing the underwriters from their responsibility. Deviation of a falling body (Physics), that deviation from a strictly vertical line of descent which occurs in a body falling freely, in consequence of the rotation of the earth. — Deviation of the compass, the angle which the needle of a ship's compass makes with the magnetic meridian by reason of the magnetism of the iron parts of the ship. — Deviation of the line of the vertical, the difference between the actual direction of a plumb line and the direction it would have if the earth were a perfect ellipsoid and homogeneous, — caused by the attraction of a mountain, or irregularities in the earth's density.

DEVIATOR
De"vi*a`tor, n. Etym: [L., a forsaker.]

Defn: One who, or that which, deviates.

DEVIATORY
De"vi*a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Tending to deviate; devious; as, deviatory motion. [R.] Tully.

DEVICE De*vice", n. Etym: [OE. devis, devise, will, intention, opinion, invention, fr. F. devis architect's plan and estimates (in OF., division, plan, wish), devise device (in sense 3), in OF. also, division, wish, last will, fr. deviser. See Devise, v. t., and cf. Devise, n.]

1. That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice. His device in against Babylon, to destroy it. Jer. li. 11. Their recent device of demanding benevolences. Hallam. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. Job v. 12.

2. Power of devising; invention; contrivance. I must have instruments of my own device. Landor.

3. (a) An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance. (b) Improperly, an heraldic bearing. Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields. Addison. A banner with this strange device -Excelsior. Longfellow.

4. Anything fancifully conceived. Shak.

5. A spectacle or show. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

6. Opinion; decision. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

Syn. — Contrivance; invention; design; scheme; project; stratagem; shift. — Device, Contrivance. Device implies more of inventive power, and contrivance more of skill and dexterity in execution. A device usually has reference to something worked out for exhibition or show; a contrivance usually respects the arrangement or disposition of things with reference to securing some end. Devices were worn by knights-errant on their shields; contrivances are generally used to promote the practical convenience of life. The word device is often used in a bad sense; as, a crafty device; contrivance is almost always used in a good sense; as, a useful contrivance.

DEVICEFUL
De*vice"ful, a.

Defn: Full of devices; inventive. [R.]
A carpet, rich, and of deviceful thread. Chapman.

DEVICEFULLY
De*vice"ful*ly, adv.

Defn: In a deviceful manner. [R.]

DEVIL Dev"il, n. Etym: [AS. deófol, deóful; akin to G. , Goth. diabaúlus; all fr. L. diabolus the devil, Gr. gal to fall. Cf. Diabolic.]

1. The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind. [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil. Luke iv. 2. That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. Rev. xii. 9.

2. An evil spirit; a demon. A dumb man possessed with a devil. Matt. ix. 32.

3. A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. "That devil Glendower." "The devil drunkenness." Shak. Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil John vi. 70.

4. An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. [Low] The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser. Shak. The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, But wonder how the devil they got there. Pope.

5. (Cookery)

Defn: A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper. Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron. Sir W. Scott.

6. (Manuf.)

Defn: A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc. Blue devils. See under Blue. — Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian. — Devil bird (Zoöl.), one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and E. remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery. — Devil may care, reckless, defiant of authority; — used adjectively. Longfellow. — Devil's apron (Bot.), the large kelp (Laminaria saccharina, and L. longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron. — Devil's coachhorse. (Zoöl.) (a) The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). [Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect (Prionotus cristatus); the wheel bug. [U.S.] — Devil's darning-needle. (Zoöl.) See under Darn, v. t. — Devil's fingers, Devil's hand (Zoöl.), the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); — also applied to a sponge with stout branches. [Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.] — Devil's riding-horse (Zoöl.), the American mantis (Mantis Carolina). — The Devil's tattoo, a drumming with the fingers or feet. "Jack played the Devil's tattoo on the door with his boot heels." F. Hardman (Blackw. Mag.). — Devil worship, worship of the power of evil; — still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power. — Printer's devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. "Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer." Macaulay. — Tasmanian devil (Zoöl.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus, or Diabolus, ursinus). — To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]

DEVIL
Dev"il, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deviled or Devilled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Deviling or Devilling.]

1. To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.

2. To grill with Cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper. A deviled leg of turkey. W. Irving. deviled egg a hard-boiled egg, sliced into halves and with the yolk removed and replaced with a paste, usually made from the yolk and mayonnaise, seasoned with salt and/or spices such as paprika.

DEVIL-DIVER; DEVIL BIRD
Dev"il-div`er, Dev"il bird` (, n.. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small water bird. See Dabchick.

DEVILESS
Dev"il*ess, n.

Defn: A she-devil. [R.] Sterne.

DEVILET
Dev"il*et, n.

Defn: A little devil. [R.] Barham.

DEVILFISH Dev"il*fish`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) A huge ray (Manta birostris or Cephaloptera vampyrus) of the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic coasts. Several other related species take the same name. See Cephaloptera. (b) A large cephalopod, especially the very large species of Octopus and Architeuthis. See Octopus. (c) The gray whale of the Pacific coast. See Gray whale. (d) The goosefish or angler (Lophius), and other allied fishes. See Angler.

DEVILING
Dev"il*ing, n.

Defn: A young devil. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

DEVILISH
Dev"il*ish, a.

1. Resembling, characteristic of, or pertaining to, the devil; diabolical; wicked in the extreme. "Devilish wickedness." Sir P. Sidney. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. James iii. 15.

2. Extreme; excessive. [Colloq.] Dryden.

Syn.
— Diabolical; infernal; hellish; satanic; wicked; malicious;
detestable; destructive.
— Dev"il*ish*ly, adv.
— Dev"il*ish*ness, n.

DEVILISM
Dev"il*ism, n.

Defn: The state of the devil or of devils; doctrine of the devil or of devils. Bp. Hall.

DEVILIZE
Dev"il*ize, v. t.

Defn: To make a devil of. [R.] He that should deify a saint, should wrong him as much as he that should devilize him. Bp. Hall.

DEVILKIN
Dev"il*kin, n.

Defn: A little devil; a devilet.

DEVILMENT
Dev"il*ment, n.

Defn: Deviltry. Bp. Warburton.

DEVILRY
Dev"il*ry, n.; pl. Devilries (.

1. Conduct suitable to the devil; extreme wickedness; deviltry. Stark lies and devilry. Sir T. More.

2. The whole body of evil spirits. Tylor.

DEVIL'S DARNING-NEEDLE
Dev"il's darn"ing-nee`dle. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A dragon fly. See Darning needle, under Darn, v. t.

DEVILSHIP
Dev"il*ship, n.

Defn: The character or person of a devil or the devil. Cowley.

DEVILTRY
Dev"il*try, n.; pl. Deviltries (.

Defn: Diabolical conduct; malignant mischief; devilry. C. Reade.

DEVILWOOD
Dev"il*wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of tree (Osmanthus Americanus), allied to the European olive.

DEVIOUS
De"vi*ous, a. Etym: [L. devius; de + via way. See Viaduct.]

1. Out of a straight line; winding; varying from directness; as, a devious path or way.

2. Going out of the right or common course; going astray; erring; wandering; as, a devious step.

Syn.
— Wandering; roving; rambling; vagrant.
— De"vi*ous*ly, adv.
— De"vi*ous*ness, n.

DEVIRGINATE
De*vir"gin*ate, a. Etym: [L. devirginatus, p. p. of devirginare.]

Defn: Deprived of virginity. [R.]

DEVIRGINATE
De*vir"gin*ate, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of virginity; to deflour. [R.] Sandys.

DEVIRGINATION
De*vir`gi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. devirginatio.]

Defn: A deflouring. [R.] Feltham.

DEVISABLE
De*vis"a*ble, a. Etym: [From Devise.]

1. Capable of being devised, invented, or contrived.

2. Capable of being bequeathed, or given by will.

DEVISAL
De*vis"al, n.

Defn: A devising. Whitney.

DEVISE
De*vise", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devised; p. pr. & vb. n. Devising.]
Etym: [OF. deviser to distribute, regulate, direct, relate, F., to
chat, fr. L. divisus divided, distributed, p. p. of dividere. See
Divide, and cf. Device.]

1. To form in the mind by new combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts; to formulate by thought; to contrive; to excogitate; to invent; to plan; to scheme; as, to devise an engine, a new mode of writing, a plan of defense, or an argument. To devise curious works. Ex. CCTV. 32. Devising schemes to realize his ambitious views. Bancroft.

2. To plan or scheme for; to purpose to obtain. For wisdom is most riches; fools therefore They are which fortunes do by vows devise. Spenser.

3. To say; to relate; to describe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

4. To imagine; to guess. [Obs.] Spenser.

5. (Law)

Defn: To give by will; — used of real estate; formerly, also, of chattels.

Syn. — To bequeath; invent; discover; contrive; excogitate; imagine; plan; scheme. See Bequeath.

DEVISE
De*vise", v. i.

Defn: To form a scheme; to lay a plan; to contrive; to consider.
I thought, devised, and Pallas heard my prayer. Pope.

Note: Devise was formerly followed by of; as, let us devise of ease.
Spenser.

DEVISE De*vise", n. Etym: [OF. devise division, deliberation, wish, will, testament. See Device.]

1. The act of giving or disposing of real estate by will; — sometimes improperly applied to a bequest of personal estate.

2. A will or testament, conveying real estate; the clause of a will making a gift of real property. Fines upon devises were still exacted. Bancroft.

3. Property devised, or given by will.

DEVISE
De*vise", n.

Defn: Device. See Device. [Obs.]

DEVISEE
Dev`i*see", n. (Law)

Defn: One to whom a devise is made, or real estate given by will.

DEVISER
De*vis"er, n.

Defn: One who devises.

DEVISOR
De*vis"or, n. (Law)

Defn: One who devises, or gives real estate by will; a testator; — correlative to devisee.

DEVITABLE Dev"i*ta*ble, a. Etym: [L. devitare to avoid; de + vitare to shun, avoid.]

Defn: Avoidable. [Obs.]

DEVITALIZE
De*vi"tal*ize, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of life or vitality.
— De*vi`tal*i*za"tion, n.

DEVITATION
Dev`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. devitatio.]

Defn: An avoiding or escaping; also, a warning. [Obs.] Bailey.

DEVITRIFICATION
De*vit`ri*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of devitrifying, or the state of being devitrified. Specifically, the conversion of molten glassy matter into a stony mass by slow cooling, the result being the formation of crystallites, microbites, etc., in the glassy base, which are then called devitrification products.

DEVITRIFY
De*vit"ri*fy, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of glasslike character; to take away vitreous luster and transparency from.

DEVOCALIZE
De*vo"cal*ize, v. t.

Defn: To make toneless; to deprive of vowel quality. — De*vo`cal*i*za"tion, n. If we take a high vowel, such as (i) [= nearly i of bit], and devocalize it, we obtain a hiss which is quite distinct enough to stand for a weak (jh). H. Sweet.

DEVOCATION Dev`o*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. devocare to call off or away; de + vocare to call.]

Defn: A calling off or away. [R.] Hallywell.

DEVOID De*void", v. t. Etym: [OE. devoiden to leave, OF. desvuidier, desvoidier, to empty out. See Void.]

Defn: To empty out; to remove.

DEVOID
De*void", a. Etym: [See Devoid, v. t.]

1. Void; empty; vacant. [Obs.] Spenser.

2. Destitute; not in possession; — with of; as, devoid of sense; devoid of pity or of pride.

DEVOIR
De*voir", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. debere to owe. See Due.]

Defn: Duty; service owed; hence, due act of civility or respect; — now usually in the plural; as, they paid their devoirs to the ladies. "Do now your devoid, young knights!" Chaucer.

DEVOLUTE
Dev"o*lute, v. t. Etym: [L. devolutus, p. p. of devolvere. See
Devolve.]

Defn: To devolve. [Obs.] Foxe.

DEVOLUTION
Dev`o*lu"tion, n. Etym: [LL. devolutio: cf. F. dévolution.]

1. The act of rolling down. [R.] The devolution of earth down upon the valleys. Woodward.

2. Transference from one person to another; a passing or devolving upon a successor. The devolution of the crown through a . . . channel known and conformable to old constitutional requisitions. De Quincey.

DEVOLVE
De*volve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devolved; p. pr. & vb. n. Devolving.]
Etym: [L. devolvere, devolutum, to roll down; de + volvere to roll
down; de + volvere to roll. See Voluble.]

1. To roll onward or downward; to pass on.
Every headlong stream Devolves its winding waters to the main.
Akenside.
Devolved his rounded periods. Tennyson.

2. To transfer from one person to another; to deliver over; to hand down; — generally with upon, sometimes with to or into. They devolved a considerable share of their power upon their favorite. Burke. They devolved their whole authority into the hands of the council of sixty. Addison.

DEVOLVE
De*volve", v. i.

Defn: To pass by transmission or succession; to be handed over or down; — generally with on or upon, sometimes with to or into; as, after the general fell, the command devolved upon (or on) the next officer in rank. His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville. Johnson.

DEVOLVEMENT
De*volve"ment, n.

Defn: The act or process of devolving;; devolution.

DEVON
De"von, n.

Defn: One of a breed of hardy cattle originating in the country of Devon, England. Those of pure blood have a deep red color. The small, longhorned variety, called North Devons, is distinguished by the superiority of its working oxen.

DEVONIAN
De*vo"ni*an, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to Devon or Devonshire in England; as, the Devonian rocks, period, or system. Devonian age (Geol.), the age next older than the Carboniferous and later than the Silurian; — called also the Age of fishes. The various strata of this age compose the Devonian formation or system, and include the old red sandstone of Great Britain. They contain, besides plants and numerous invertebrates, the bony portions of many large and remarkable fishes of extinct groups. See the Diagram under Geology.

DEVONIAN
De*vo"ni*an, n.

Defn: The Devonian age or formation.

DEVORATION
Dev`o*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. devoratio. See Devour.]

Defn: The act of devouring. [Obs.] Holinshed.

DEVOTARY
De*vo"ta*ry, n. Etym: [See Devote, Votary.]

Defn: A votary. [Obs.] J. Gregory.

DEVOTE
De*vote", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Devoting.]
Etym: [L. devotus, p. p. of devovere; de + vovere to vow. See Vow,
and cf. Devout, Devow.]

1. To appropriate by vow; to set apart or dedicate by a solemn act; to consecrate; also, to consign over; to doom; to evil; to devote one to destruction; the city was devoted to the flames. No devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord . . . shall be sold or redeemed. Lev. xxvii. 28.

2. To execrate; to curse. [Obs.]

3. To give up wholly; to addict; to direct the attention of wholly or compound; to attach; — often with a reflexive pronoun; as, to devote one's self to science, to one's friends, to piety, etc.

Thy servant who is devoted to thy fear. Ps. cxix. 38.
They devoted themselves unto all wickedness. Grew.
A leafless and simple branch . . . devoted to the purpose of
climbing. Gray.

Syn. — To addict; apply; dedicate; consecrate; resign; destine; doom; consign. See Addict.

DEVOTE
De*vote", a. Etym: [L. devotus, p. p.]

Defn: Devoted; addicted; devout. [Obs.] Milton.

DEVOTE
De*vote", n.

Defn: A devotee. [Obs.] Sir E. Sandys.

DEVOTED
De*vot"ed, a.

Defn: Consecrated to a purpose; strongly attached; zealous; devout;
as, a devoted admirer.
— De*vot"ed*ly, adv.
— De*vot"ed*ness, n.

DEVOTEE
Dev`o*tee", n.

Defn: One who is wholly devoted; esp., one given wholly to religion;
one who is superstitiously given to religious duties and ceremonies;
a bigot.
While Father Le Blanc was very devout he was not a devotee. A. S.
Hardy.

DEVOTEMENT
De*vote"ment, n.

Defn: The state of being devoted, or set apart by a vow. [R.] Bp.
Hurd.

DEVOTER
De*vot"er, n.

Defn: One who devotes; a worshiper.

DEVOTION
De*vo"tion, n. Etym: [F. dévotion, L. devotio.]

1. The act of devoting; consecration.

2. The state of being devoted; addiction; eager inclination; strong attachment love or affection; zeal; especially, feelings toward God appropriately expressed by acts of worship; devoutness. Genius animated by a fervent spirit of devotion. Macaulay.

3. Act of devotedness or devoutness; manifestation of strong attachment; act of worship; prayer. "The love of public devotion." Hooker.

4. Disposal; power of disposal. [Obs.] They are entirely at our devotion, and may be turned backward and forward, as we please. Godwin.

5. A thing consecrated; an object of devotion. [R.] Churches and altars, priests and all devotions, Tumbled together into rude chaos. Beau. & Fl. Days of devotion. See under Day.

Syn. — Consecration; devoutness; religiousness; piety; attachment; devotedness; ardor; earnestness.

DEVOTIONAL
De*vo"tion*al, a. Etym: [L. devotionalis.]

Defn: Pertaining to, suited to, or used in, devotion; as, a devotional posture; devotional exercises; a devotional frame of mind.

DEVOTIONALIST; DEVOTIONIST
De*vo"tion*al*ist, De*vo"tion*ist, n.

Defn: One given to devotion, esp. to excessive formal devotion.

DEVOTIONALITY
De*vo`tion*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: The practice of a devotionalist. A. H. Clough.

DEVOTIONALLY
De*vo"tion*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a devotional manner; toward devotion.

DEVOTO
De*vo"to, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: A devotee. Dr. J. Scott.

DEVOTOR
De*vo"tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A worshiper; one given to devotion. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

DEVOUR
De*vour", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devoured; p. pr. & vb. n. Devouring.]
Etym: [F. dévorer, fr. L. devorare; de + vorare to eat greedily,
swallow up. See Voracious.]

1. To eat up with greediness; to consume ravenously; to feast upon like a wild beast or a glutton; to prey upon. Some evil beast hath devoured him. Gen. xxxvii. 20.

2. To seize upon and destroy or appropriate greedily, selfishly, or wantonly; to consume; to swallow up; to use up; to waste; to annihilate. Famine and pestilence shall devour him. Ezek. vii. 15. I waste my life and do my days devour. Spenser.

3. To enjoy with avidity; to appropriate or take in eagerly by the senses. Longing they look, and gaping at the sight, Devour her o'er with vast delight. Dryden.

Syn.
— To consume; waste; destroy; annihilate.

DEVOURABLE
De*vour"a*ble, a.

Defn: That may be devoured.

DEVOURER
De*vour"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, devours.

DEVOURINGLY
De*vour"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a devouring manner.

DEVOUT De*vout", a. Etym: [OE. devot, devout, F. dévot, from L. devotus devoted, p. p. of devovere. See Devote, v. t.]

1. Devoted to religion or to religious feelings and duties; absorbed in religious exercises; given to devotion; pious; reverent; religious. A devout man, and one that feared God. Acts x. 2. We must be constant and devout in the worship of God. Rogers.

2. Expressing devotion or piety; as, eyes devout; sighs devout; a devout posture. Milton.

3. Warmly devoted; hearty; sincere; earnest; as, devout wishes for one's welfare. The devout, devoutly religious persons, those who are sincerely pious.

Syn. — Holy; pure; religious; prayerful; pious; earnest; reverent; solemn; sincere.

DEVOUT
De*vout", n.

1. A devotee. [Obs.] Sheldon.

2. A devotional composition, or part of a composition; devotion. [Obs.] Milton.

DEVOUTFUL
De*vout"ful, a.

1. Full of devotion. [R.]

2. Sacred. [R.] To take her from austerer check of parents, To make her his by most devoutful rights. Marston.

DEVOUTLESS
De*vout"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of devotion.
— De*vout"less*ly, adv.
— De*vout"less*ness, n.

DEVOUTLY
De*vout"ly, adv.

1. In a devout and reverent manner; with devout emotions; piously. Cast her fair eyes to heaven and prayed devoutly. Shak.

2. Sincerely; solemnly; earnestly. 'T is a consummation Devoutly to be wished. Shak.

DEVOUTNESS
De*vout"ness, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being devout.

DEVOVE
De*vove", v. t. Etym: [See Devote, v. t.]

Defn: To devote. [Obs.] Cowley.

DEVOW
De*vow", v. t. Etym: [F. dévouer, L. devovere. See Devote, v. t.]

1. To give up; to devote. [Obs.]

2. Etym: [Cf. OF. desvoer. Cf. Disavow.]

Defn: To disavow; to disclaim. [Obs.] G. Fletcher.

DEVULGARIZE
De*vul"gar*ize, v. t.

Defn: To free from what is vulgar, common, or narrow.
Shakespeare and Plutarch's "Lives" are very devulgarizing books. E.
A. Abbott.

DEW
Dew, n. Etym: [AS. deáw; akin to D. dauw, G. thau, tau, Icel. dögg,
Sw. dagg, Dan. dug; cf. Skr. dhav, dhav, to flow. Dag dew.]

1. Moisture from the atmosphere condensed by cool bodies upon their surfaces, particularly at night. Her tears fell with the dews at even. Tennyson.

2. Figuratively, anything which falls lightly and in a refreshing manner. "The golden dew of sleep." Shak.

3. An emblem of morning, or fresh vigor. "The dew of his youth." Longfellow.

Note: Dew is used in combination; as, dew-bespangled, dew-drenched, dewdrop, etc.

DEW
Dew, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dewed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dewing.]

Defn: To wet with dew or as with dew; to bedew; to moisten; as with
dew.
The grasses grew A little ranker since they dewed them so. A. B.
Saxton.

DEW
Dew, a. & n.

Defn: Same as Due, or Duty. [Obs.] Spenser.

DEWAR VESSEL
Dew"ar ves`sel (du"er). [After Sir James Dewar, British physicist.]

Defn: A double-walled glass vessel for holding liquid air, etc., having the space between the walls exhausted so as to prevent conduction of heat, and sometimes having the glass silvered to prevent absorption of radiant heat; — called also, according to the particular shape, Dewar bulb, Dewar tube, etc.

DEWBERRY Dew"ber`ry, n. (Bot.) (a) The fruit of certain species of bramble (Rubus); in England, the fruit of R. cæsius, which has a glaucous bloom; in America, that of R. canadensis and R. hispidus, species of low blackberries. (b) The plant which bears the fruit. Feed him with apricots and dewberries. Shak.

DEWCLAW
Dew"claw`, n.

Defn: In any animal, esp. of the Herbivora, a rudimentary claw or small hoof not reaching the ground. Some cut off the dewclaws [of greyhounds]. J. H. Walsh.

DEWDROP
Dew"drop`, n.

Defn: A drop of dew. Shak.

DEWFALL
Dew"fall`, n.

Defn: The falling of dew; the time when dew begins to fall.

DEWINESS
Dew"i*ness, n.

Defn: State of being dewy.

DEWLAP
Dew"lap`, n. Etym: [Dew + lap to lick.]

1. The pendulous skin under the neck of an ox, which laps or licks the dew in grazing.

2. The flesh upon the human throat, especially when with age. [Burlesque] On her withered dewlap pour the ale. Shak.

DEWLAPPED
Dew"lapped`, a.

Defn: Furnished with a dewlap.

DEWLESS
Dew"less, a.

Defn: Having no dew. Tennyson.

DEW-POINT
Dew"-point`, n. (Meteor.)

Defn: The temperature at which dew begins to form. It varies with the humidity and temperature of the atmosphere.

DEWRET
Dew"ret`, v. t. Etym: [Dew + ret, v. t.]

Defn: To ret or rot by the process called dewretting.

DEWRETTING
Dew"ret`ting, n.

Defn: Dewrotting; the process of decomposing the gummy matter of flax and hemp and setting the fibrous part, by exposure on a sward to dew, rain, and sunshine.

DEWROT
Dew"rot`, v. t.

Defn: To rot, as flax or hemp, by exposure to rain, dew, and sun. See
Dewretting.

DEWWORM
Dew"worm`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Earthworm.

DEWY
Dew"y, a.

1. Pertaining to dew; resembling, consisting of, or moist with, dew. A dewy mist Went and watered all the ground. Milton. When dewy eve her curtain draws. Keble.

2. Falling gently and beneficently, like the dew. Dewy sleep ambrosial. Cowper.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: Resembling a dew-covered surface; appearing as if covered with dew.

DEXTER Dex"ter, a. Etym: [L.,; akin to Gr. dakshi (cf. daksh to be strong, suit); Goth. taihswa, OHG. zeso. Cf. Dexterous.]

1. Pertaining to, or situated on, the right hand; right, as opposed to sinister, or left. On sounding wings a dexter eagle flew. Pope.

2. (Her.)

Defn: On the right-hand side of a shield, i. e., towards the right hand of its wearer. To a spectator in front, as in a pictorial representation, this would be the left side. Dexter chief, or Dexter point (Her.), a point in the dexter upper corner of the shield, being in the dexter extremity of the chief, as A in the cut. — Dexter base, a point in the dexter lower part or base of the shield, as B in the cut.

DEXTERICAL
Dex*ter"i*cal, a.

Defn: Dexterous. [Obs.]

DEXTERITY
Dex*ter"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. dexteritas, fr. dexter: cf. F. dextérité.
See Dexter.]

1. Right-handedness.

2. Readiness and grace in physical activity; skill and ease in using the hands; expertness in manual acts; as, dexterity with the chisel. In youth quick bearing and dexterity. Shak.

3. Readiness in the use or control of the mental powers; quickness and skill in managing any complicated or difficult affair; adroitness. His wisdom . . . was turned . . . into a dexterity to deliver himself. Bacon. He had conducted his own defense with singular boldness and dexterity. Hallam.

Syn.
— Adroitness; activity; nimbleness; expertness; skill; cleverness;
art; ability; address; tact; facility; aptness; aptitude; faculty.
See Skill.

DEXTEROUS Dex"ter*ous, a. Etym: [L. dexter. See Dexter.] [Written also dextrous.]

1. Ready and expert in the use of the body and limbs; skillful and active with the hands; handy; ready; as, a dexterous hand; a dexterous workman.

2. Skillful in contrivance; quick at inventing expedients; expert; as, a dexterous manager. Dexterous the craving, fawning crowd to quit. Pope.

3. Done with dexterity; skillful; artful; as, dexterous management. "Dexterous sleights of hand." Trench.

Syn. — Adroit; active; expert; skillful; clever; able; ready; apt; handy; versed.

DEXTEROUSLY
Dex"ter*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a dexterous manner; skillfully.

DEXTEROUSNESS
Dex"ter*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being dexterous; dexterity.

DEXTRAD
Dex"trad, adv. Etym: [L. dextra the right hand + ad to.] (Anat.)

Defn: Toward the right side; dextrally.

DEXTRAL
Dex"tral, a. Etym: [From Dexter.]

Defn: Right, as opposed to sinistral, or left. Dextral shell (Zoöl.), a spiral shell the whorls of which turn from left right, or like the hands of a watch when the apex of the spire is toward the eye of the observer.

DEXTRALITY
Dex*tral"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state of being on the right-hand side; also, the quality of being right-handed; right-handedness. Sir T. Browne.

DEXTRALLY
Dex"tral*ly

Defn: (adv. Towards the right; as, the hands of a watch rotate dextrally.

DEXTRER
Dex*trer", n.

Defn: A war horse; a destrer. [Obs.] "By him baiteth his dextrer."
Chaucer.

DEXTRIN
Dex"trin, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dextrine, G. dextrin. See Dexter.] (Chem.)

Defn: A translucent, gummy, amorphous substance, nearly tasteless and odorless, used as a substitute for gum, for sizing, etc., and obtained from starch by the action of heat, acids, or diastase. It is of somewhat variable composition, containing several carbohydrates which change easily to their respective varieties of sugar. It is so named from its rotating the plane of polarization to the right; — called also British gum, Alsace gum, gommelin, leiocome, etc. See Achroödextrin, and Erythrodextrin.

DEXTRO-
Dex"tro-.

Defn: A prefix, from L. dexter, meaning, pertaining to, or toward, the right; (Chem. & Opt.)

Defn: having the property of turning the plane of polarized light to the right; as, dextrotartaric acid.

DEXTROGEROUS
Dex*trog"er*ous, a. (Physics & Chem.)

Defn: See Dextrogyrate.

DEXTROGLUCOSE
Dex`tro*glu"cose`, n. Etym: [Dextro- + glucose.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Dextrose.

DEXTROGYRATE
Dex`tro*gy"rate, a. Etym: [Dextro- + gyrate.] (Chem. & Opt.)

Defn: Same as Dextrorotatory.

DEXTRONIC
Dex*tron"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, dextrose; as, dextronic acid. Dextronic acid, a sirupy substance obtained by the partial oxidation of various carbohydrates, as dextrose, etc.

DEXTROROTARY
Dex`tro*ro"ta*ry, a. (Physics & Chem.)

Defn: See Dextrotatory.

DEXTROROTATORY
Dex`tro*ro"ta*to*ry, a. Etym: [Dextro- + rotatory.] (Chem. & Opt.)

Defn: Turning, or causing to turn, toward the right hand; esp., turning the plane of polarization of luminous rays toward the right hand; as, dextrorotatory crystals, sugars, etc. Cf. Levorotatory.

DEXTRORSAL; DEXTRORSE Dex*tror"sal, Dex"trorse`, a. Etym: [L. dextrorsum, contr. fr. dextrovorsum, dextroversum, toward the right side; dexter right + versus, vorsus, p. p. of vertere, vortere, to turn.]

Defn: Turning from the left to the right, in the ascending line, as in the spiral inclination of the stem of the common morning-glóry.

Note: At present scientists predicate dextrorse or sinistrorse quality of the plant regarded objectively; formerly the plant was regarded subjectively, and what is now called dextrorse was then considered sinistrorse.

DEXTROSE
Dex"trose`, n. Etym: [See Dexter.] (Chem.)

Defn: A sirupy, or white crystalline, variety of sugar, C6H12O6 (so called from turning the plane of polarization to the right), occurring in many ripe fruits. Dextrose and levulose are obtained by the inversion of cane sugar or sucrose, and hence called invert sugar. Dextrose is chiefly obtained by the action of heat and acids on starch, and hence called also starch sugar. It is also formed from starchy food by the action of the amylolytic ferments of saliva and pancreatic juice.

Note: The solid products are known to the trade as grape sugar; the sirupy products as glucose, or mixing sirup. These are harmless, but are only about half as sweet as cane or sucrose.

DEXTROUS; DEXTROUSLY; DEXTROUSNESS
Dex"trous, a., Dex"trous*ly, adv., Dex"trous*ness, n.

Defn: Same as Dexterous, Dexterously, etc.

DEY
Dey, n. Etym: [See Dairy.]

Defn: A servant who has charge of the dairy; a dairymaid. [Obs.]
Chaucer.

DEY Dey, n.; pl. Deys. Etym: [Turk. dai, orig., a maternal uncle, then a friendly title formerly given to middle-aged or old people, especially among the Janizaries; and hence, in Algiers, consecrated at length to the commanding officer of that corps, who frequently became afterward pasha or regent of that province; hence the European misnomer of dey, as applied to the latter: cf. F. dey.]

Defn: The governor of Algiers; — so called before the French conquest in 1830.

DEYE
Deye, v. i.

Defn: To die. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DEYNTE; DEYNTEE
Deyn"te, Deyn"tee, n. & a.

Defn: See Dainty. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DEZINCIFICATION
De*zinc`i*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The act or process of freeing from zinc; also, the condition resulting from the removal of zinc.

DEZINCIFY
De*zinc"i*fy, v. t. Etym: [Pref. de- + zinc + -fy.]

Defn: To deprive of, or free from, zinc.

DHOLE
Dhole, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fierce, wild dog (Canis Dukhunensis), found in the mountains of India. It is remarkable for its propensity to hunt the tiger and other wild animals in packs.

DHONY
Dho"ny, n.

Defn: A Ceylonese boat. See Doni.

DHOORRA; DHOURRA; DHURRA
Dhoor"ra, Dhour"ra, or Dhur"ra (, n.

Defn: Indian millet. See Durra.

DHOW
Dhow, n. Etym: [Ar. dao]

Defn: A coasting vessel of Arabia, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean.
It has generally but one mast and a lateen sail. [Also written dow.]

DI- Di-. Etym: [Gr. bis twice. See Two, and cf. Bi-, Dia-. The L. pref. dis- sometimes assumes the form di-. See Dis-.]

Defn: A prefix, signifying twofold, double, twice; (Chem.)

Defn: denoting two atoms, radicals, groups, or equivalents, as the case may be. See Bi-,

2.

DIA-; DI-
Di"a-, Di-. Etym: [Gr. Two, and cf. 1st Di-.]

Defn: A prefix denoting through; also, between, apart, asunder, across. Before a vowel dia- becomes di-; as, diactinic; dielectric, etc.

DIABASE
Di"a*base, n. Etym: [F. diabase, fr. Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A basic, dark-colored, holocrystalline, igneous rock, consisting essentially of a triclinic feldspar and pyroxene with magnetic iron; — often limited to rocks pretertiary in age. It includes part of what was early called greenstone.

DIABATERIAL
Di*ab`a*te"ri*al, a. Etym: [Gr. Diabase.]

Defn: Passing over the borders. [R.] Mitford.

DIABETES
Di`a*be"tes, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. Diabase.] (Med.)

Defn: A disease which is attended with a persistent, excessive discharge of urine. Most frequently the urine is not only increased in quantity, but contains saccharine matter, in which case the disease is generally fatal. Diabetes mellitus Etym: [NL., sweet diabetes], that form of diabetes in which the urine contains saccharine matter. — Diabetes insipidus Etym: [NL., lit., diabetes], the form of diabetes in which the urine contains no abnormal constituent.

DIABETIC; DIABETICAL
Di`a*bet"ic, Di`a*bet"ic*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to diabetes; as, diabetic or diabetical treatment.
Quian. Diabetic sugar. (Chem.) Same as Dextrose.

DIABLERIE; DIABLEY
Dia`ble*rie", Di*ab"le*y, n. Etym: [F. diablerie, fr. diable devil,
L. diabolus. See Devil.]

Defn: Devilry; sorcery or incantation; a diabolical deed; mischief.

DIABOLIC; DIABOLICAL
Di`a*bol"ic, Di`a*bol"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. diabolicus, Gr. diabolique.
See Devil.]

Defn: Pertaining to the devil; resembling, or appropriate, or appropriate to, the devil; devilish; infernal; impious; atrocious; nefarious; outrageously wicked; as, a diabolic or diabolical temper or act. "Diabolic power." Milton. "The diabolical institution." Motley. — Di`a*bol"ic*al*ly, adv. — Di`a*bol"ic*al*ness, n.

DIABOLIFY
Di`a*bol"i*fy, v. t. Etym: [L. diabolus devil + -fy.]

Defn: To ascribed diabolical qualities to; to change into, or to represent as, a devil. [R.] Farindon.

DIABOLISM
Di*ab"o*lism, n.

1. Character, action, or principles appropriate to the devil.

2. Possession by the devil. Bp. Warburton.

DIABOLIZE
Di*ab"o*lize, v. t.

Defn: To render diabolical. [R.]

DIABOLO
Di*ab"o*lo (di*ab"o*lo), n.

Defn: An old game or sport (revived under this name) consisting in whirling on a string, fastened to two sticks, a small somewhat spool- shaped object (called the diabolo) so as to balance it on a string, toss it in the air and catch it, etc.

DIACATHOLICON
Di`a*ca*thol"i*con, n. Etym: [Pref. dia- + catholicon.] (Med.)

Defn: A universal remedy; — name formerly to a purgative electuary.

DIACAUSTIC
Di`a*caus"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. dia- + caustic.] (Opt.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or possessing the properties of, a species of caustic curves formed by refraction. See Caustic surface, under Caustic.

DIACAUSTIC
Di`a*caus"tic, n.

1. (Med.)

Defn: That which burns by refraction, as a double convex lens, or the sun's rays concentrated by such a lens, sometimes used as a cautery.

2. (Math.)

Defn: A curved formed by the consecutive intersections of rays of light refracted through a lens.

DIACHYLON; DIACHYLUM
Di*ach"y*lon, Di*ach"y*lum, n. Etym: [NL. diachylum, fr. Gr. (Med. &
Chem.)

Defn: A plaster originally composed of the juices of several plants (whence its name), but now made of an oxide of lead and oil, and consisting essentially of glycerin mixed with lead salts of the fat acids.

DIACID
Di*ac"id, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + acid.] (Chem.)

Defn: Divalent; — said of a base or radical as capable of saturating two acid monad radicals or a dibasic acid. Cf. Dibasic, a., and Biacid.

DIACODIUM
Di`a*co"di*um, n. Etym: [L., from Gr.

Defn: A sirup made of poppies.

DIACONAL
Di*ac"o*nal, a. Etym: [LL. diaconalis: cf. F. diaconal. Cf. Deacon.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a deacon.

DIACONATE
Di*ac"o*nate, n. Etym: [L. diaconatus: cf. F. diaconat.]

Defn: The office of a deacon; deaconship; also, a body or board of deacons.

DIACONATE
Di*ac"o*nate, a.

Defn: Governed by deacons. "Diaconate church." T. Goodwin.

DIACOPE
Di*ac"o*pe, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Gram.)

Defn: Tmesis.

DIACOUSTIC
Di`a*cous"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + acoustic.]

Defn: Pertaining to the science or doctrine of refracted sounds.

DIACOUSTICS
Di`a*cous"tics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. diacoustique.]

Defn: That branch of natural philosophy which treats of the properties of sound as affected by passing through different mediums; — called also diaphonics. See the Note under Acoustics.

DIACRITIC; DIACRITICAL
Di`a*crit"ic, Di`a*crit"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. Critic.]

Defn: That separates or distinguishes; — applied to points or marks used to distinguish letters of similar form, or different sounds of the same letter, as, a, â, ä, o, ô, etc. "Diacritical points." Sir W. Jones. A glance at this typography will reveal great difficulties, which diacritical marks necessarily throw in the way of both printer and writer. A. J. Ellis.

DIACTINIC
Di`ac*tin"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + actinic.] (Physics)

Defn: Capable of transmitting the chemical or actinic rays of light; as, diactinic media.

DIADELPHIA
Di`a*del"phi*a, n.; pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of plants whose stamens are united into two bodies or bundles by their filaments.

DIADELPHIAN; DIADELPHOUS
Di`a*del"phi*an, Di`a*del"phous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. diadelphe.] (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the class Diadelphia; having the stamens united into two bodies by their filaments (said of a plant or flower); grouped into two bundles or sets by coalescence of the filaments (said of stamens).

DIADEM
Di"a*dem, n. Etym: [F. diadème, L. diadema, fr. Gr. da to bind.]

1. Originally, an ornamental head band or fillet, worn by Eastern monarchs as a badge of royalty; hence (later), also, a crown, in general. "The regal diadem." Milton.

2. Regal power; sovereignty; empire; — considered as symbolized by the crown.

3. (Her.)

Defn: An arch rising from the rim of a crown (rarely also of a
coronet), and uniting with others over its center. Diadem lemur.
(Zoöl.) See Indri.
— Diadem spider (Zoöl.), the garden spider.

DIADEM
Di"a*dem, v. t.

Defn: To adorn with a diadem; to crown.
Not so, when diadem'd with rays divine. Pope.
To terminate the evil, To diadem the right. R. H. Neale.

DIADROM
Di"a*drom, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A complete course or vibration; time of vibration, as of a pendulum. [Obs.] Locke.

DIAERESIS; DIERESIS Di*ær"e*sis, Di*er"e*sis, n.; pl. Diæreses or Diereses. Etym: [L. diaeresis, Gr. Heresy.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: The separation or resolution of one syllable into two; — the opposite of synæresis.

2. A mark consisting of two dots [..], placed over the second of two adjacent vowels, to denote that they are to be pronounced as distinct letters; as, coöperate, aërial.

DIAERETIC
Di`æ*ret"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Caustic. [Obs.]

DIAGEOTROPIC
Di`a*ge`o*trop"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Relating to, or exhibiting, diageotropism.

DIAGEOTROPISM
Di`a*ge*ot"ro*pism, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The tendency of organs (as roots) of plants to assume a position oblique or transverse to a direction towards the center of the earth.

DIAGLYPH
Di"a*glyph, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: An intaglio. Mollett.

DIAGLYPHIC; DIAGLYPHTIC
Di`a*glyph"ic, Di`a*glyph"tic, a.

Defn: Represented or formed by depressions in the general surface; as, diaglyphic sculpture or engraving; — opposed to anaglyphic.

DIAGNOSE
Di`ag*nose", v. t. & i.

Defn: To ascertain by diagnosis; to diagnosticate. See Diagnosticate.

DIAGNOSIS
Di`ag*no"sis, n.; pl. Diagnoses. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Know.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: The art or act of recognizing the presence of disease from its signs or symptoms, and deciding as to its character; also, the decision arrived at.

2. Scientific determination of any kind; the concise description of characterization of a species.

3. Critical perception or scrutiny; judgment based on such scrutiny; esp., perception pf, or judgment concerning, motives and character. The quick eye for effects, the clear diagnosis of men's minds, and the love of epigram. Compton Reade. My diagnosis of his character proved correct. J. Payn. Differential diagnosis (Med.), the determination of the distinguishing characteristics as between two similar diseases or conditions.

DIAGNOSTIC
Di`ag*nos"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. diagnostique.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or furnishing, a diagnosis; indicating the nature of a disease.

DIAGNOSTIC
Di`ag*nos"tic, n.

Defn: The mark or symptom by which one disease is known or distinguished from others.

DIAGNOSTICATE
Di`ag*nos"ti*cate, v. t. & i. Etym: [From Diagnostic.]

Defn: To make a diagnosis of; to recognize by its symptoms, as a disease.

DIAGNOSTICS
Di`ag*nos"tics, n.

Defn: That part of medicine which has to do with ascertaining the nature of diseases by means of their symptoms or signs. His rare skill in diagnostics. Macaulay.

DIAGOMETER
Di`a*gom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]

Defn: A sort of electroscope, invented by Rousseau, in which the dry pile is employed to measure the amount of electricity transmitted by different bodies, or to determine their conducting power. Nichol.

DIAGONAL
Di*ag"o*nal, a. Etym: [L. diagonalis, fr. Gr. knee: cf. F. diagonal.]
(Geom.)

Defn: Joining two not adjacent angles of a quadrilateral or multilateral figure; running across from corner to corner; crossing at an angle with one of the sides. Diagonal bond (Masonry), herringbone work. See Herringbone, a. — Diagonal built (Shipbuilding), built by forming the outer skin of two layers of planking, making angles of about 45º with the keel, in opposite directions. — Diagonal cleavage. See under Cleavage. — Diagonal molding (Arch.), a chevron or zigzag molding. — Diagonal rib. (Arch.) See Cross-springer. — Diagonal scale, a scale which consists of a set of parallel lines, with other lines crossing them obliquely, so that their intersections furnish smaller subdivisions of the unit of measure than could be conveniently marked on a plain scale. — Diagonal stratification. (Geol.) Same as Cross bedding, under Cross, a.

DIAGONAL
Di*ag"o*nal, n.

1. A right line drawn from one angle to another not adjacent, of a figure of four or more sides, and dividing it into two parts.

2. (Engin.)

Defn: A member, in a framed structure, running obliquely across a panel.

3. A diagonal cloth; a kind of cloth having diagonal stripes, ridges, or welts made in the weaving.

DIAGONALLY
Di*ag"o*nal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a diagonal direction.

DIAGONIAL
Di`a*go"ni*al, a.

Defn: Diagonal; diametrical; hence; diametrically opposed. [Obs.] Sin can have no tenure by law at all, but is rather an eternal outlaw, and in hostility with law past all atonement; both diagonal contraries, as much allowing one another as day and night together in one hemisphere. Milton.

DIAGRAM
Di"a*gram, n. Etym: [Gr. diagramme. See Graphic.]

1. (Geom.)

Defn: A figure or drawing made to illustrate a statement, or facilitate a demonstration; a plan.

2. Any simple drawing made for mathematical or scientific purposes, or to assist a verbal explanation which refers to it; a mechanical drawing, as distinguished from an artistical one. Indicator diagram. (Steam Engine) See Indicator card, under indicator

DIAGRAM
Di"a*gram, v. t.

Defn: To put into the form of a diagram.

DIAGRAMMATIC
Di`a*gram*mat"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a diagram; showing by
diagram.
— Di`a*gram*mat"ic*ly, adv.

DIAGRAPH
Di"a*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. diagraphe. See Diagram.]

Defn: A drawing instrument, combining a protractor and scale.

DIAGRAPHIC; DIAGRAPHICAL
Di`a*graph"ic, Di`a*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. diagraphique.]

Defn: Descriptive.

DIAGRAPHICS
Di`a*graph"ics, n.

Defn: The art or science of descriptive drawing; especially, the art or science of drawing by mechanical appliances and mathematical rule.

DIAHELIOTROPIC
Di`a*he`li*o*trop"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Relating or, or manifesting, diaheliotropism.

DIAHELIOTROPISM
Di`a*he`li*ot"ro*pism, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A tendency of leaves or other organs of plants to have their dorsal surface faced towards the rays of light.

DIAL
Di"al, n. Etym: [LL. dialis daily, fr. L. dies day. See Deity.]

1. An instrument, formerly much used for showing the time of day from the shadow of a style or gnomon on a graduated arc or surface; esp., a sundial; but there are lunar and astral dials. The style or gnomon is usually parallel to the earth's axis, but the dial plate may be either horizontal or vertical.

2. The graduated face of a timepiece, on which the time of day is shown by pointers or hands.

3. A miner's compass. Dial bird (Zoöl.), an Indian bird (Copsychus saularius), allied to the European robin. The name is also given to other related species. — Dial lock, a lock provided with one or more plates having numbers or letters upon them. These plates must be adjusted in a certain determined way before the lock can be operated. — Dial plate, the plane or disk of a dial or timepiece on which lines and figures for indicating the time are placed.

DIAL Di"al, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dialed or Dialled; p. pr. & vb. n. Dialing or Dialling.]

1. To measure with a dial. Hours of that true time which is dialed in heaven. Talfourd.

2. (Mining)

Defn: To survey with a dial. Raymond.

DIALECT
Di"a*lect, n. Etym: [F. dialecte, L. dialectus, fr. Gr. Dialogue.]

1. Means or mode of expressing thoughts; language; tongue; form of speech. This book is writ in such a dialect As may the minds of listless men affect. Bunyan. The universal dialect of the world. South.

2. The form of speech of a limited region or people, as distinguished from ether forms nearly related to it; a variety or subdivision of a language; speech characterized by local peculiarities or specific circumstances; as, the Ionic and Attic were dialects of Greece; the Yorkshire dialect; the dialect of the learned. In the midst of this Babel of dialects there suddenly appeared a standard English language. Earle. [Charles V.] could address his subjects from every quarter in their native dialect. Prescott.

Syn.
— Language; idiom; tongue; speech; phraseology. See Language, and
Idiom.

DIALECTAL
Di`a*lec"tal, a.

Defn: Relating to a dialect; dialectical; as, a dialectical variant.

DIALECTIC
Di`a*lec"tic, n.

Defn: Same as Dialectics.
Plato placed his dialectic above all sciences. Liddell & Scott.

DIALECTIC; DIALECTICAL Di`a*lec"tic, Di`a*lec"tic*al, a. Etym: [L. dialecticus, Gr. dialectique. See Dialect.]

1. Pertaining to dialectics; logical; argumental.

2. Pertaining to a dialect or to dialects. Earle.

DIALECTICALLY
Di`a*lec"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a dialectical manner.

DIALECTICIAN
Di`a*lec*ti"cian, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dialecticien.]

Defn: One versed in dialectics; a logician; a reasoner.

DIALECTICS
Di`a*lec"tics, n. Etym: [L. dialectica (sc. ars), Gr. dialectique.]

Defn: That branch of logic which teaches the rules and modes of reasoning; the application of logical principles to discursive reasoning; the science or art of discriminating truth from error; logical discussion.

Note: Dialectics was defined by Aristotle to be the method of arguing with probability on any given problem, and of defending a tenet without inconsistency. By Plato, it was used in the following senses:

1. Discussion by dialogue as a method of scientific investigation.

2. The method of investigating the truth by analysis.

3. The science of ideas or of the nature and laws of being — higher metaphysics. By Kant, it was employed to signify the logic of appearances or illusions, whether these arise from accident or error, or from those necessary limitations which, according to this philosopher, originate in the constitution of the human intellect.

DIALECTOLOGY
Di`a*lec*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Dialect + -logy.]

Defn: That branch of philology which is devoted to the consideration of dialects. Beck.

DIALECTOR
Di`a*lec"tor, n.

Defn: One skilled in dialectics.

DIALING
Di"al*ing, n.

1. The art of constructing dials; the science which treats of measuring time by dials. [Written also dialling.]

2. A method of surveying, especially in mines, in which the bearings of the courses, or the angles which they make with each other, are determined by means of the circumferentor.

DIALIST
Di"al*ist, n.

Defn: A maker of dials; one skilled in dialing.

DIALLAGE
Di*al"la*ge, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure by which arguments are placed in various points of view, and then turned to one point. Smart.

DIALLAGE
Di"al*lage, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A dark green or bronze-colored laminated variety of pyroxene, common in certain igneous rocks.

DIALLEL
Di"al*lel, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Meeting and intersecting, as lines; not parallel; — opposed to parallel. [Obs.] Ash.

DIALLYL
Di*al"lyl, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A volatile, pungent, liquid hydrocarbon, C6H10, consisting of two allyl radicals, and belonging to the acetylene series.

DIALOGICAL
Di`a*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Relating to a dialogue; dialogistical. Burton.

DIALOGICALLY
Di`a*log"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner or nature of a dialogue. Goldsmith.

DIALOGISM
Di*al"o*gism, n. Etym: [Gr. dialogisme. See Dialogue.]

Defn: An imaginary speech or discussion between two or more; dialogue. Fulke.

DIALOGIST
Di*al"o*gist, n. Etym: [L. dialogista: cf. F. dialogiste.]

1. A speaker in a dialogue.

2. A writer of dialogues. P. Skelton.

DIALOGISTIC; DIALOGISTICAL
Di*al`o*gis"tic, Di*al`o*gis"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Pertaining to a dialogue; having the form or nature of a
dialogue.
— Di*al`o*gis"tic*al*ly, adv.

DIALOGITE
Di*al"o*gite, n. Etym: [From Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Native carbonate of manganese; rhodochrosite.

DIALOGIZE
Di*al"o*gize, v. t. Etym: [Gr. dialogiser.]

Defn: To discourse in dialogue. Fotherby.

DIALOGUE
Di"a*logue, n. Etym: [OE. dialogue, L. dialogus, fr. Gr. dialogue.
See Legend.]

1. A conversation between two or more persons; particularly, a formal conservation in theatrical performances or in scholastic exercises.

2. A written composition in which two or more persons are represented as conversing or reasoning on some topic; as, the Dialogues of Plato.

DIALOGUE
Di"a*logue, v. i. Etym: [Cf. F. dialoguer.]

Defn: To take part in a dialogue; to dialogize. [R.] Shak.

DIALOGUE
Di"a*logue, v. t.

Defn: To express as in dialogue. [R.]
And dialogued for him what he would say. Shak.

DIALYPETALOUS
Di`al*y*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having separate petals; polypetalous.

DIALYSIS
Di*al"y*sis, n.; pl. Dialyses. Etym: [L., separation, fr. Gr.

1. (Gram.)

Defn: Diæresis. See Diæresis,

1.

2. (Rhet.)

Defn: Same as Asyndeton.

3. (Med.) (a) Debility. (b) A solution of continuity; division; separation of parts.

4. (Chem.)

Defn: The separation of different substances in solution, as crystalloids and colloids, by means of their unequal diffusion, especially through natural or artificial membranes.

DIALYTIC
Di`a*lyt"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. Dialysis.]

Defn: Having the quality of unloosing or separating. Clarke. Dialytic telescope, an achromatic telescope in which the colored dispersion produced by a single object lens of crown glass is corrected by a smaller concave lens, or combination of lenses, of high dispersive power, placed at a distance in the narrower part of the converging cone of rays, usually near the middle of the tube.

DIALYZATE
Di*al"y*zate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: The material subjected to dialysis.

DIALYZATION
Di`a*ly*za"tion, n. (Chem.)

Defn: The act or process of dialysis.

DIALYZE
Di"a*lyze, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dialyzed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dialyzing.]
(Chem.)

Defn: To separate, prepare, or obtain, by dialysis or osmose; to pass through an animal membrane; to subject to dialysis. [Written also dialyse.]

DIALYZED
Di"a*lyzed, a.

Defn: Prepared by diffusion through an animal membrane; as, dialyzed iron.

DIALYZER
Di"a*ly`zer, n.

Defn: The instrument or medium used to effect chemical dialysis.

DIAMAGNET
Di`a*mag"net, n. Etym: [Pref. dia- + magnet.]

Defn: A body having diamagnetic polarity.

DIAMAGNETIC
Di`a*mag*net"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or exhibiting the phenomena of, diamagnetism; taking, or being of a nature to take, a position at right angles to the lines of magnetic force. See Paramagnetic. Diamagnetic attraction. See under Attraction.

DIAMAGNETIC
Di`a*mag*net"ic, n.

Defn: Any substance, as bismuth, glass, phosphorous, etc., which in a field of magnetic force is differently affected from the ordinary magnetic bodies, as iron; that is, which tends to take a position at right angles to the lines of magnetic force, and is repelled by either pole of the magnet.

DIAMAGNETICALLY
Di`a*mag*net"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of, or according to, diamagnetism.

DIAMAGNETISM
Di`a*mag"net*ism, n.

1. The science which treats of diamagnetic phenomena, and of the properties of diamagnetic bodies.

2. That form or condition of magnetic action which characterizes diamagnetics.

DIAMANTIFEROUS
Di`a*man*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [F. diamant diamond + -ferous.]

Defn: Yielding diamonds.

DIAMANTINE
Di`a*man"tine, a.

Defn: Adamantine. [Obs.]

DIAMETER
Di*am"e*ter, n. Etym: [F. diamètre, L. diametros, fr. Gr. Meter.]

1. (Geom.) (a) Any right line passing through the center of a figure or body, as a circle, conic section, sphere, cube, etc., and terminated by the opposite boundaries; a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords drawn in a curve. (b) A diametral plane.

2. The length of a straight line through the center of an object from side to side; width; thickness; as, the diameter of a tree or rock.

Note: In an elongated object the diameter is usually taken at right angles to the longer axis.

3. (Arch.)

Defn: The distance through the lower part of the shaft of a column, used as a standard measure for all parts of the order. See Module. Conjugate diameters. See under Conjugate.

DIAMETRAL
Di*am"e*tral, a. Etym: [Gr. F. diamétral.]

Defn: Pertaining to a diameter; diametrical. Diametral curve,
Diametral surface (Geom.), any line or surface which bisects a system
of parallel chords drawn in a curve or surface.
— Diametral planes (Crystal.), planes in which two of the axes lie.

DIAMETRAL
Di*am"e*tral, n.

Defn: A diameter. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

DIAMETRALLY
Di*am"e*tral*ly, adv.

Defn: Diametrically.

DIAMETRIC; DIAMETRICAL
Di*am"e*tric, Di*am"e*tric*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to a diameter.

2. As remote as possible, as if at the opposite end of a diameter; directly adverse.

DIAMETRICALLY
Di*am"e*tric*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a diametrical manner; directly; as, diametrically opposite.
Whose principles were diametrically opposed to his. Macaulay.

DIAMIDE
Di*am"ide (; 104), n. Etym: [Pref. di- + amide.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any compound containing two amido groups united with one or more acid or negative radicals, — as distinguished from a diamine. Cf. Amido acid, under Amido, and Acid amide, under Amide.

DIAMIDO-
Di*am"i*do- (, a. (Chem.)

Defn: A prefix or combining form of Diamine.

Note: [Also used adjectively.]

DIAMINE
Di*am"ine (; 104), n. Etym: [Pref. di- + amine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound containing two amido groups united with one or more basic or positive radicals, — as contrasted with a diamide.

Note: In chemical nomenclature, if any amine or diamine is named by prefixing the nitrogen group, the name of the latter takes the form of amido, diamido, etc., thus ethylene diamine, C2H4.(NH2)2, is also called diamido-ethylene.

DIAMOND Di"a*mond, n. Etym: [OE. diamaund, diamaunt, F. diamant, corrupted, fr. L. adamas, the hardest iron, steel, diamond, Gr. Adamant, Tame.]

1. A precious stone or gem excelling in brilliancy and beautiful play of prismatic colors, and remarkable for extreme hardness.

Note: The diamond is native carbon in isometric crystals, often octahedrons with rounded edges. It is usually colorless, but some are yellow, green, blue, and even black. It is the hardest substance known. The diamond as found in nature (called a rough diamond) is cut, for use in jewelry, into various forms with many reflecting faces, or facets, by which its brilliancy is much increased. See Brilliant, Rose. Diamonds are said to be of the first water when very transparent, and of the second or third water as the transparency decreases.

2. A geometrical figure, consisting of four equal straight lines, and having two of the interior angles acute and two obtuse; a rhombus; a lozenge.

3. One of a suit of playing cards, stamped with the figure of a diamond.

4. (Arch.)

Defn: A pointed projection, like a four-sided pyramid, used for ornament in lines or groups.

5. (Baseball)

Defn: The infield; the square space, 90 feet on a side, having the bases at its angles.

6. (Print.)

Defn: The smallest kind of type in English printing, except that called brilliant, which is seldom seen.

Note: * This line is printed in the type called Diamond. Black diamond, coal; (Min.) See Carbonado. — Bristol diamond. See Bristol stone, under Bristol. — Diamond beetle (Zoöl.), a large South American weevil (Entimus imperialis), remarkable for its splendid luster and colors, due to minute brilliant scales. — Diamond bird (Zoöl.), a small Australian bird (Pardalotus punctatus, family Ampelidæ.). It is black, with white spots. — Diamond drill (Engin.), a rod or tube the end of which is set with black diamonds; — used for perforating hard substances, esp. for boring in rock. — Diamond finch (Zoöl.), a small Australian sparrow, often kept in a cage. Its sides are black, with conspicuous white spots, and the rump is bright carmine. — Diamond groove (Iron Working), a groove of V-section in a roll. — Diamond mortar (Chem.), a small steel mortar used for pulverizing hard substances. — Diamond-point tool, a cutting tool whose point is diamond-shaped. — Diamond snake (Zoöl.), a harmless snake of Australia (Morelia spilotes); the carpet snake. — Glazier's diamond, a small diamond set in a glazier's tool, for cutting glass.

DIAMOND
Di"a*mond, a.

Defn: Resembling a diamond; made of, or abounding in, diamonds; as, a diamond chain; a diamond field.

DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY; DIAMOND JUBILEE
Diamond anniversary, jubilee, etc.

Defn: One celebrated upon the completion of sixty, or, according to some, seventy-five, years from the beginning of the thing commemorated.

DIAMOND-BACK
Di"a*mond-back`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The salt-marsh terrapin of the Atlantic coast (Malacoclemmys palustris).

DIAMONDED
Di"a*mond*ed, a.

1. Having figures like a diamond or lozenge.

2. Adorned with diamonds; diamondized. Emerson.

DIAMONDIZE
Di"a*mond*ize, v. t.

Defn: To set with diamonds; to adorn; to enrich. [R.]
Diamondizing of your subject. B. Jonson.

DIAMOND-SHAPED
Di"a*mond-shaped`, a.

Defn: Shaped like a diamond or rhombus.

DIAMOND STATE
Diamond State.

Defn: Delaware; — a nickname alluding to its small size.

DIAMYLENE
Di*am"y*lene, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + amylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: A liquid hydrocarbon, C10H20, of the ethylene series, regarded as a polymeric form of amylene.

DIAN
Di"an, a

Defn: , Diana. [Poetic]

DIANA
Di*a"na, n. Etym: [L. Diana.] (Myth.)

Defn: The daughter of Jupiter and Latona; a virgin goddess who
presided over hunting, chastity, and marriage; — identified with the
Greek goddess Artemis.
And chaste Diana haunts the forest shade. Pope.
Diana monkey (Zoöl.), a handsome, white-bearded monkey of West Africa
(Cercopithecus Diana).

DIANDRIA
Di*an"dri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of plants having two stamens.

DIANDRIAN
Di*an"dri*an, a.

Defn: Diandrous.

DIANDROUS
Di*an"drous, n. Etym: [Cf. F. diandre.] (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the class Diandria; having two stamens.

DIANIUM
Di*a"ni*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. Diana; either as the name of the
Roman goddess, or from its use in OE. as a name of silver.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Columbium. [Obs.]

DIANOETIC
Di`a*no*et"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Metaph.)

Defn: Pertaining to the discursive faculty, its acts or products. I would employ . . . dianoetic to denote the operation of the discursive, elaborative, or comparative faculty. Sir W. Hamilton.

DIANOIALOGY
Di`a*noi*al"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: The science of the dianoetic faculties, and their operations.
Sir W. Hamilton.

DIANTHUS
Di*an"thus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants containing some of the most popular of cultivated flowers, including the pink, carnation, and Sweet William.

DIAPASE
Di"a*pase, n.

Defn: Same as Diapason. [Obs.]
A tuneful diapase of pleasures. Spenser.

DIAPASM
Di"a*pasm, n. Etym: [L. diapasma, Gr. diapasme.]

Defn: Powdered aromatic herbs, sometimes made into little balls and strung together. [Obs.]

DIAPASON
Di`a*pa"son, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. i. e., diapason. Cf. Panacea.]

1. (Gr. Mus.)

Defn: The octave, or interval which includes all the tones of the diatonic scale.

2. Concord, as of notes an octave apart; harmony. The fair music that all creatures made . . . In perfect diapason. Milton.

3. The entire compass of tones. Through all the compass of the notes it ran, The diapason closing full in man. Dryden.

4. A standard of pitch; a tuning fork; as, the French normal diapason.

5. One of certain stops in the organ, so called because they extend through the scale of the instrument. They are of several kinds, as open diapason, stopped diapason, double diapason, and the like.

DIAPEDESIS
Di`a*pe*de"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: The passage of the corpuscular elements of the blood from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissues, without rupture of the walls of the blood vessels.

DIAPENTE
Di`a*pen"te, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. diapente.]

1. (Anc. Mus.)

Defn: The interval of the fifth.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A composition of five ingredients.

DIAPER Di"a*per, n. Etym: [OF. diaspre, diapre, diaspe, sort of figured cloth, It. diaspro jasper, diaspo figured cloth, from L.jaspis a green-colored precious stone. See Jasper.]

1. Any textile fabric (esp. linen or cotton toweling) woven in diaper pattern. See 2.

2. (Fine Arts)

Defn: Surface decoration of any sort which consists of the constant repetition of one or more simple figures or units of design evenly spaced.

3. A towel or napkin for wiping the hands, etc. Let one attend him with a silver basin, . . . Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper. Shak.

4. An infant's breechcloth.

DIAPER
Di"a*per, v. t.

1. To ornament with figures, etc., arranged in the pattern called diaper, as cloth in weaving. "Diapered light." H. Van Laun. Engarlanded and diapered With in wrought flowers. Tennyson.

2. To put a diaper on (a child).

DIAPER
Di"a*per, v. i.

Defn: To draw flowers or figures, as upon cloth. "If you diaper on folds." Peacham.

DIAPERING
Di"a*per*ing, n.

Defn: Same as Diaper, n.,

2.

DIAPHANE
Di"a*phane, n. Etym: [Cf. F. diaphane diaphanous. See Diaphanous.]

Defn: A woven silk stuff with transparent and colored figures; diaper work.

DIAPHANED
Di"a*phaned, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. diaphaner to make transparent. See
Diaphanous.]

Defn: Transparent or translucent. [R.]

DIAPHANEITY
Di`a*pha*ne"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. diaphanéité. See Diaphanous.]

Defn: The quality of being diaphanous; transparency; pellucidness.

DIAPHANIC
Di`a*phan"ic, a. Etym: [See Diaphanous.]

Defn: Having power to transmit light; transparent; diaphanous.

DIAPHANIE
Di*aph"a*nie, n.

Defn: The art of imitating

DIAPHANOMETER
Di`a*pha*nom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]

Defn: An instrument for measuring the transparency of the air.

DIAPHANOSCOPE
Di`a*phan"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. -scope.] (Photog.)

Defn: A dark box constructed for viewing transparent pictures, with or without a lens.

DIAPHANOTYPE
Di`a*phan"o*type, n. Etym: [Gr. -type.] (Photog.)

Defn: A colored photograph produced by superimposing a translucent colored positive over a strong uncolored one.

DIAPHANOUS
Di*aph"a*nous, a. Etym: [Gr. diaphane. See Phantom, and cf. Diaphane,
Diaphanic.]

Defn: Allowing light to pass through, as porcelain; translucent or transparent; pellucid; clear. Another cloud in the region of them, light enough to be fantastic and diaphanous. Landor.

DIAPHANOUSLY
Di*aph"a*nous*ly, adv.

Defn: Translucently.

DIAPHEMETRIC
Di*aph`e*met"ric, a. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Relating to the measurement of the tactile sensibility of parts; as, diaphemetric compasses. Dunglison.

DIAPHONIC; DIAPHONICAL
Di`a*phon"ic, Di`a*phon"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Diacoustic.

DIAPHONICS
Di`a*phon"ics, n.

Defn: The doctrine of refracted sound; diacoustics.

DIAPHORESIS
Di`a*pho*re"sis, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Perspiration, or an increase of perspiration.

DIAPHORETIC; DIAPHORETICAL Di`a*pho*ret"ic, Di`a*pho*ret"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. diaphoreticus, Gr. diaphorétique. See Diaphoresis.]

Defn: Having the power to increase perspiration.

DIAPHORETIC
Di`a*pho*ret"ic, n. (Med.)

Defn: A medicine or agent which promotes perspiration.

Note: Diaphoretics differ from sudorifics; the former only increase the insensible perspiration, the latter excite the sensible discharge called sweat. Parr.

DIAPHOTE
Di"a*phote, n. Etym: [Pref. dia- + Gr. (Elec.)

Defn: An instrument designed for transmitting pictures by telegraph.
Fallows.

DIAPHRAGM Di"a*phragm, n. Etym: [L. diaphragma, Gr. fareire to stuff: cf. F. diaphragme. See Farce.]

1. A dividing membrane or thin partition, commonly with an opening through it.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: The muscular and tendinous partition separating the cavity of the chest from that of the abdomen; the midriff.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A calcareous plate which divides the cavity of certain shells into two parts.

4. (Opt.)

Defn: A plate with an opening, which is generally circular, used in instruments to cut off marginal portions of a beam of light, as at the focus of a telescope.

5. (Mach.)

Defn: A partition in any compartment, for various purposes. Diaphragm pump, one in which a flexible diaphragm takes the place of a piston.

DIAPHRAGMATIC
Di`a*phrag*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. diaphragmatique.]

Defn: Pertaining to a diaphragm; as, diaphragmatic respiration; the diaphragmatic arteries and nerves.

DIAPHYSIS
Di*aph"y*sis, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: An abnormal prolongation of the axis of inflorescence.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: The shaft, or main part, of a bone, which is first ossified.

DIAPNOIC
Di`ap*no"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. diapnoïque.] (Med.)

Defn: Slightly increasing an insensible perspiration; mildly diaphoretic. — n.

Defn: A gentle diaphoretic.

DIAPOPHYSICAL
Di*ap`o*phys"ic*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining to a diapophysis.

DIAPOPHYSIS
Di`a*poph"y*sis, n. Etym: [NL. See Dia-, and Apophysis.] (Anat.)

Defn: The dorsal transverse, or tubercular, process of a vertebra.
See Vertebra.

DIARCHY
Di"arch*y, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A form of government in which the supreme power is vested in two persons.

DIARIAL; DIARIAN
Di*a"ri*al, Di*a"ri*an, a. Etym: [See Diary.]

Defn: Pertaining to a diary; daily.

DIARIST
Di"a*rist, n.

Defn: One who keeps a diary.

DIARRHEA; DIARRHOEA
Di`ar*rhe"a, Di`ar*rhoe"a, n. Etym: [L. diarrhoea, Gr. stream. See
Stream.] (Med.)

Defn: A morbidly frequent and profuse discharge of loose or fluid evacuations from the intestines, without tenesmus; a purging or looseness of the bowels; a flux.

DIARRHEAL; DIARRHOEAL
Di`ar*rhe"al, Di`ar*rhoe"al a. (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to diarrhea; like diarrhea.

DIARRHETIC; DIARRHOETIC
Di`ar*rhet"ic, Di`ar*rhoet"ic, a. (Med.)

Defn: Producing diarrhea, or a purging.

DIARTHRODIAL
Di`ar*thro"di*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Relating to diarthrosis, or movable articulations.

DIARTHROSIS
Di`ar*thro"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: A form of articulation which admits of considerable motion; a complete joint; abarticulation. See Articulation.

DIARY
Di"a*ry, n.; pl. Diaries. Etym: [L. diarium, fr. dies day. See
Deity.]

Defn: A register of daily events or transactions; a daily record; a journal; a blank book dated for the record of daily memoranda; as, a diary of the weather; a physician's diary.

DIARY
Di"a*ry, a.

Defn: lasting for one day; as, a diary fever. [Obs.] "Diary ague."
Bacon.

DIASPORA Di*as"po*ra, n. [Gr. . See Diaspore.] Lit., "Dispersion." — applied collectively: (a) To those Jews who, after the Exile, were scattered through the Old World, and afterwards to Jewish Christians living among heathen. Cf. James i.1. (b) By extension, to Christians isolated from their own communion, as among the Moravians to those living, usually as missionaries, outside of the parent congregation.

DIASPORE
Di"a*spore, n. Etym: [From Gr. diaspore.] (Min.)

Defn: A hydrate of alumina, often occurring in white lamellar masses with brilliant pearly luster; — so named on account of its decrepitating when heated before the blowpipe.

DIASTASE
Di"a*stase, n. Etym: [Gr. diastase. Cf. Diastasis.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A soluble, nitrogenous ferment, capable of converting starch and dextrin into sugar.

Note: The name is more particularly applied to that ferment formed during the germination of grain, as in the malting of barley; but it is also occasionally used to designate the amylolytic ferment contained in animal fluids, as in the saliva.

DIASTASIC
Di`a*sta"sic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or consisting of, diastase; as, diastasic ferment.

DIASTASIS
Di*as"ta*sis, n. Etym: [NL. See Diastase.] (Surg.)

Defn: A forcible of bones without fracture.

DIASTATIC
Di`a*stat"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. Diastase.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Relating to diastase; having the properties of diastase; effecting the conversion of starch into sugar. The influence of acids and alkalies on the diastatic action of saliva. Lauder Brunton.

DIASTEM Di"a*stem, n. Etym: [L. diastema, Gr. diastème.] (a) Intervening space; interval. (b) (Anc. Mus.) An interval.

DIASTEMA
Di`a*ste"ma, n. Etym: [L. See Diastem.] (Anat.)

Defn: A vacant space, or gap, esp. between teeth in a jaw.

DIASTER
Di*as"ter, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A double star; — applied to the nucleus of a cell, when, during cell division, the loops of the nuclear network separate into two groups, preparatory to the formation of two daughter nuclei. See Karyokinesis.

DIASTOLE
Di*as"to*le, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Physiol.)

Defn: The rhythmical expansion or dilatation of the heart and arteries; — correlative to systole, or contraction.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A figure by which a syllable naturally short is made long.

DIASTOLIC
Di`as*tol"ic, a. (Physiol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to diastole.

DIASTYLE
Di"a*style, n. Etym: [L. diastylus, Gr. diastyle.] (Arch.)

Defn: See under Intercolumniation.

DIATESSARON
Di`a*tes"sa*ron, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Anc. Mus.)

Defn: The interval of a fourth.

2. (Theol.)

Defn: A continuous narrative arranged from the first four books of the New Testament.

3. An electuary compounded of four medicines.

DIATHERMAL
Di`a*ther"mal, a. Etym: [Gr. Diathermous.]

Defn: Freely permeable by radiant heat.

DIATHERMANCY; DIATHERMANEITY
Di`a*ther"man*cy, Di`a*ther`ma*ne"i*ty, n. Etym: [See Diathermanous.]

Defn: The property of transmitting radiant heat; the quality of being diathermous. Melloni.

DIATHERMANISM
Di`a*ther"ma*nism, n.

Defn: The doctrine or the phenomena of the transmission of radiant heat. Nichol.

DIATHERMANOUS
Di`a*ther"ma*nous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Having the property of transmitting radiant heat; diathermal; - - opposed to athermanous.

DIATHERMIC
Di`a*ther"mic, a.

Defn: Affording a free passage to heat; as, diathermic substances.
Melloni.

DIATHERMOMETER
Di`a*ther*mom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter. See Diathermal.] (Physics)

Defn: An instrument for examining the thermal resistance or heat- conducting power of liquids.

DIATHERMOUS
Di`a*ther"mous, a.

Defn: Same as Diathermal.

DIATHESIS
Di*ath"e*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Bodily condition or constitution, esp. a morbid habit which predisposes to a particular disease, or class of diseases.

DIATHETIC
Di`a*thet"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or dependent on, a diathesis or special constitution of the body; as, diathetic disease.

DIATOM
Di"a*tom, n. Etym: [Gr. Diatomous.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the Diatomaceæ, a family of minute unicellular Algæ having a siliceous covering of great delicacy, each individual multiplying by spontaneous division. By some authors diatoms are called Bacillariæ, but this word is not in general use.

2. A particle or atom endowed with the vital principle. The individual is nothing. He is no more than the diatom, the bit of protoplasm. Mrs. E. Lynn Linton.

DIATOMIC Di`a*tom"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + atomic.] (Chem.) (a) Containing two atoms. (b) Having two replaceable atoms or radicals.

DIATOMOUS
Di*at"o*mous, a. Etym: [Gr. Diatom.] (Min.)

Defn: Having a single, distinct, diagonal cleavage; — said of crystals. Mohs.

DIATONIC
Di`a*ton"ic, a. Etym: [L. diatonicus, diatonus, Gr. diatonique. See
Tone.] (Mus.)

Defn: Pertaining to the scale of eight tones, the eighth of which is the octave of the first. Diatonic scale (Mus.), a scale consisting of eight sounds with seven intervals, of which two are semitones and five are whole tones; a modern major or minor scale, as distinguished from the chromatic scale.

DIATONICALLY
Di`a*ton"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a diatonic manner.

DIATRIBE
Di"a*tribe, n. Etym: [L. diatriba a learned discussion, Gr. terere,
F. trite: cf. F. diatribe.]

Defn: A prolonged or exhaustive discussion; especially, an
acrimonious or invective harangue; a strain of abusive or railing
language; a philippic.
The ephemeral diatribe of a faction. John Morley.

DIATRIBIST
Di*at"ri*bist, n.

Defn: One who makes a diatribe or diatribes.

DIATRYMA
Di`a*try"ma, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct eocene bird from New Mexico, larger than the ostrich.

DIAZEUCTIC; DIAZEUTIC
Di`a*zeuc"tic, Di`a*zeu"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anc. Mus.)

Defn: Disjoining two fourths; as, the diazeutic tone, which, like that from F to G in modern music, lay between two fourths, and, being joined to either, made a fifth. [Obs.]

DIAZO-
Di*az"o- (. Etym: [Pref. di- + azo-] (Chem.)

Defn: A combining form (also used adjectively), meaning pertaining to, or derived from, a series of compounds containing a radical of two nitrogen atoms, united usually to an aromatic radical; as, diazo- benzene, C6H5.N2.OH.

Note: Diazo compounds are in general unstable, but are of great importance in recent organic chemistry. They are obtained by a partial reduction of the salts of certain amido compounds. Diazo reactions (Chem.), a series of reactions whereby diazo compounds are employed in substitution. These reactions are of great importance in organic chemistry.

DIAZOTIZE
Di*az"o*tize, v. t. (Chem.)

Defn: To subject to such reactions or processes that diazo compounds, or their derivatives, shall be produced by chemical exchange or substitution.

DIB
Dib, v. i.

Defn: To dip. [Prov. Eng.] Walton.

DIB
Dib, n.

1. One of the small bones in the knee joints of sheep uniting the bones above and below the joints.

2. pl.

Defn: A child's game, played with dib bones.

DIBASIC
Di*ba"sic, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + basic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Having two acid hydrogen atoms capable of replacement by basic atoms or radicals, in forming salts; bibasic; — said of acids, as oxalic or sulphuric acids. Cf. Diacid, Bibasic.

Note: In the case of certain acids dibasic and divalent are not synonymous; as, tartaric acid is tetravalent and dibasic, lactic acid is divalent but monobasic.

DIBASICITY
Di`ba*sic"i*ty, n. (Chem.)

Defn: The property or condition of being dibasic.

DIBBER
Dib"ber, n.

Defn: A dibble. Halliwell.

DIBBLE
Dib"ble, n. Etym: [See Dibble, v. i.]

Defn: A pointed implement used to make holes in the ground in which no set out plants or to plant seeds.

DIBBLE
Dib"ble, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dibbled; p. pr. & vb. n. Dibbling.]
Etym: [Freq. of Prov. E. dib, for dip to thrust in. See Dip.]

Defn: To dib or dip frequently, as in angling. Walton.

DIBBLE
Dib"ble, v. t.

1. To plant with a dibble; to make holes in (soil) with a dibble, for planting.

2. To make holes or indentations in, as if with a dibble. The clayey soil around it was dibbled thick at the time by the tiny hoofs of sheep. H. Miller.

DIBBLER
Dib"bler, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, dibbles, or makes holes in the ground for seed.

DIBRANCHIATA
Di*bran`chi*a"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of cephalopods which includes those with two gills, an apparatus for emitting an inky fluid, and either eight or ten cephalic arms bearing suckers or hooks, as the octopi and squids. See Cephalopoda.

DIBRANCHIATE
Di*bran"chi*ate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two gills.
— n.

Defn: One of the Dibranchiata.

DIBS
Dibs, n.

Defn: A sweet preparation or treacle of grape juice, much used in the
East. Johnston.

DIBSTONE
Dib"stone` (; 110), n.

Defn: A pebble used in a child's game called dibstones. Locke.

DIBUTYL
Di*bu"tyl, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + butyl.] (Chem.)

Defn: A liquid hydrocarbon, C8H18, of the marsh-gas series, being one of several octanes, and consisting of two butyl radicals. Cf. Octane.

DICACIOUS
Di*ca"cious, a. Etym: [L. dicax, dicacis, fr. dicere to say.]

Defn: Talkative; pert; saucy. [Obs.]

DICACITY
Di*cac"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. dicacitas: cf. F. dicacité. See Dicacious.]

Defn: Pertness; sauciness. [Obs.]

DICALCIC
Di*cal"cic, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + calcic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Having two atoms or equivalents of calcium to the molecule.

DICARBONIC
Di`car*bon"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + carbonic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Containing two carbon residues, or two carboxyl or radicals; as, oxalic acid is a dicarbonic acid.

DICAST
Di"cast, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A functionary in ancient Athens answering nearly to the modern juryman.

DICASTERY
Di*cas"ter*y, n. Etym: [Gr. Dicast.]

Defn: A court of justice; judgment hall. [R.] J. S. Mill.

DICE
Dice, n.; pl. of Die.

Defn: Small cubes used in gaming or in determining by chance; also, the game played with dice. See Die, n. Dice coal, a kind of coal easily splitting into cubical fragments. Brande & C.

DICE
Dice, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Diced; p. pr. & vb. n. Dicing.]

1. To play games with dice. I . . . diced not above seven times a week. Shak.

2. To ornament with squares, diamonds, or cubes.

DICEBOX
Dice"box`, n.

Defn: A box from which dice are thrown in gaming. Thackeray.

DICENTRA
Di*cen"tra, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of herbaceous plants, with racemes of two-spurred or heart-shaped flowers, including the Dutchman's breeches, and the more showy Bleeding heart (D. spectabilis). [Corruptly written dielytra.]

DICEPHALOUS
Di*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Having two heads on one body; double-headed.

DICER
Di"cer, n.

Defn: A player at dice; a dice player; a gamester.
As false as dicers' oaths. Shak.

DICH
Dich, v. i.

Defn: To ditch. [Obs.]

DICHASTIC
Di*chas"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Capable of subdividing spontaneously.

DICHLAMYDEOUS
Di`chla*myd"e*ous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having two coverings, a calyx and in corolla.

DICHLORIDE
Di*chlo"ride, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + chloride.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Bichloride.

DICHOGAMOUS
Di*chog"a*mous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Manifesting dichogamy.

DICHOGAMY
Di*chog"a*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The condition of certain species of plants, in which the stamens and pistil do not mature simultaneously, so that these plants can never fertilize themselves.

DICHOTOMIST
Di*chot"o*mist, n.

Defn: One who dichotomizes. Bacon.

DICHOTOMIZE
Di*chot"o*mize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dichotomized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dichotomizing.] Etym: [See Dichotomous.]

1. To cut into two parts; to part into two divisions; to divide into pairs; to bisect. [R.] The apostolical benediction dichotomizes all good things into grace and peace. Bp. Hall.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: To exhibit as a half disk. See Dichotomy,

3. "[The moon] was dichotomized." Whewell.

DICHOTOMIZE
Di*chot"o*mize, v. i.

Defn: To separate into two parts; to branch dichotomously; to become dichotomous.

DICHOTOMOUS
Di*chot"o*mous, a. Etym: [L. dichotomos, Gr.

Defn: Regularly dividing by pairs from bottom to top; as, a
dichotomous stem.
— Di*chot"o*mous*ly, adv.

DICHOTOMY
Di*chot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. dichotomie. See Dichotomous.]

1. A cutting in two; a division. A general breach or dichotomy with their church. Sir T. Browne.

2. Division or distribution of genera into two species; division into two subordinate parts.

3. (Astron.)

Defn: That phase of the moon in which it appears bisected, or shows only half its disk, as at the quadratures.

4. (Biol.)

Defn: Successive division and subdivision, as of a stem of a plant or a vein of the body, into two parts as it proceeds from its origin; successive bifurcation.

5. The place where a stem or vein is forked.

6. (Logic)

Defn: Division into two; especially, the division of a class into two subclasses opposed to each other by contradiction, as the division of the term man into white and not white.

DICHROIC
Di*chro"ic, a. Etym: [See Dichroism.]

Defn: Having the property of dichroism; as, a dichroic crystal.

DICHROISCOPE
Di*chro"i*scope, n.

Defn: Same as Dichroscope.

DICHROISM
Di"chro*ism, n. Etym: [Gr. (Opt.)

Defn: The property of presenting different colors by transmitted light, when viewed in two different directions, the colors being unlike in the direction of unlike or unequal axes.

DICHROITE
Di"chro*ite, n. Etym: [See Dichroism.] (Min.)

Defn: Iolite; — so called from its presenting two different colors when viewed in two different directions. See Iolite.

DICHROITIC
Di`chro*it"ic, a.

Defn: Dichroic.

DICHROMATE
Di*chro"mate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of chromic acid containing two equivalents of the acid radical to one of the base; — called also bichromate.

DICHROMATIC
Di`chro*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + chromatic: cf. Gr.

1. Having or exhibiting two colors.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two color varieties, or two phases differing in color, independently of age or sex, as in certain birds and insects.

DICHROMATISM
Di*chro"ma*tism, n.

Defn: The state of being dichromatic.

DICHROMIC
Di*chro"mic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Furnishing or giving two colors; — said of defective vision, in which all the compound colors are resolvable into two elements instead of three. Sir J. Herschel.

DICHROOUS
Di"chro*ous, a.

Defn: Dichroic.

DICHROSCOPE
Di"chro*scope, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: An instrument for examining the dichroism of crystals.

DICHROSCOPIC
Di`chro*scop"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to the dichroscope, or to observations with it.

DICING
Di"cing, n.

1. An ornamenting in squares or cubes.

2. Gambling with dice. J. R. Green.

DICKCISSEL
Dick*cis"sel, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The American black-throated bunting (Spiza Americana).

DICKENS
Dick"ens, n. or interj. Etym: [Perh. a contr. of the dim. devilkins.]

Defn: The devil. [A vulgar euphemism.]
I can not tell what the dickens his name is. Shak.

DICKER
Dick"er, n. Etym: [Also daker, dakir; akin to Icel. dekr, Dan. deger,
G. decher; all prob. from LL. dacra, dacrum, the number ten, akin to
L. decuria a division consisting of ten, fr. decem ten. See Ten.]

1. The number or quantity of ten, particularly ten hides or skins; a dakir; as, a dicker of gloves. [Obs.] A dicker of cowhides. Heywood.

2. A chaffering, barter, or exchange, of small wares; as, to make a dicker. [U.S.] For peddling dicker, not for honest sales. Whittier.

DICKER
Dick"er, v. i. & t.

Defn: To negotiate a dicker; to barter. [U.S.] "Ready to dicker. and to swap." Cooper.

DICKEY; DICKY
Dick"ey, Dick"y, n.

1. A seat behind a carriage, for a servant.

2. A false shirt front or bosom.

3. A gentleman's shirt collar. [Local, U. S.]

DICLINIC
Di*clin"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Having two of the intersections between the three axes oblique.
See Crystallization.

DICLINOUS
Dic"li*nous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Having the stamens and pistils in separate flowers. Gray.

DICOCCOUS
Di*coc"cous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Composed pf two coherent, one-seeded carpels; as, a dicoccous capsule.

DICOTYLEDON
Di*cot`y*le"don, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + cotyledon.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant whose seeds divide into two seed lobes, or cotyledons, in germinating.

DICOTYLEDONOUS
Di*cot`y*le"don*ous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having two cotyledons or seed lobes; as, a dicotyledonous plant.

DICROTAL; DICROTOUS
Di"cro*tal, Di"cro*tous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Dicrotic.

DICROTIC Di*crot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.) (a) Of or pertaining to dicrotism; as, a dicrotic pulse. (b) Of or pertaining to the second expansion of the artery in the dicrotic pulse; as, the dicrotic wave.

DICROTISM
Di"cro*tism, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: A condition in which there are two beats or waves of the arterial pulse to each beat of the heart.

DICTA
Dic"ta, n. pl. Etym: [L.]

Defn: See Dictum.

DICTAGRAPH
Dic"ta*graph.

Defn: Var. of Dictograph.

DICTAMEN
Dic*ta"men, n. Etym: [LL., fr. dictare to dictate.]

Defn: A dictation or dictate. [R.] Falkland.

DICTAMNUS
Dic*tam"nus, n. Etym: [L. See Dittany.] (Bot.)

Defn: A suffrutescent, D. Fraxinella (the only species), with strong perfume and showy flowers. The volatile oil of the leaves is highly inflammable.

DICTAPHONE
Dic"ta*phone, n. [Dictate + -phone, as in telephone.]

Defn: A form of phonographic recorder and reproducer adapted for use in dictation, as in business.

DICTATE
Dic"tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dictated; p. pr. & vb. n. Dictating.]
Etym: [L. dictatus, p. p. of dictare, freq. of dicere to say. See
Diction, and cf. Dight.]

1. To tell or utter so that another may write down; to inspire; to compose; as, to dictate a letter to an amanuensis. The mind which dictated the Iliad. Wayland. Pages dictated by the Holy Spirit. Macaulay.

2. To say; to utter; to communicate authoritatively; to deliver (a command) to a subordinate; to declare with authority; to impose; as, to dictate the terms of a treaty; a general dictates orders to his troops. Whatsoever is dictated to us by God must be believed. Watts.

Syn. — To suggest; prescribe; enjoin; command; point out; urge; admonish.

DICTATE
Dic"tate, v. i.

1. To speak as a superior; to command; to impose conditions (on). Who presumed to dictate to the sovereign. Macaulay.

2. To compose literary works; to tell what shall be written or said by another. Sylla could not skill of letters, and therefore knew not how to dictate. Bacon.

DICTATE
Dic"tate, n. Etym: [L. dictatum. See Dictate, v. t.]

Defn: A statement delivered with authority; an order; a command; an authoritative rule, principle, or maxim; a prescription; as, listen to the dictates of your conscience; the dictates of the gospel. I credit what the Grecian dictates say. Prior.

Syn.
— Command; injunction; direction suggestion; impulse; admonition.

DICTATION
Dic*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. dictatio.]

1. The act of dictating; the act or practice of prescribing; also that which is dictated. It affords security against the dictation of laws. Paley.

2. The speaking to, or the giving orders to, in an overbearing manner; authoritative utterance; as, his habit, even with friends, was that of dictatio.

DICTATOR
Dic*ta"tor, n. Etym: [L.]

1. One who dictates; one who prescribes rules and maxims authoritatively for the direction of others. Locke.

2. One invested with absolute authority; especially, a magistrate created in times of exigence and distress, and invested with unlimited power. Invested with the authority of a dictator, nay, of a pope, over our language. Macaulay.

DICTATORIAL
Dic`ta*to"ri*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. dictatorial.]

1. Pertaining or suited to a dictator; absolute. Military powers quite dictatorial. W. Irving.

2. Characteristic of a dictator; imperious; dogmatical; overbearing;
as, a dictatorial tone or manner.
— Dic`ta*to"ri*al*ly, adv.
— Dic`ta*to"ri*al*ness, n.

DICTATORIAN
Dic`ta*to"ri*an, a.

Defn: Dictatorial. [Obs.]

DICTATORSHIP
Dic*ta"tor*ship, n.

Defn: The office, or the term of office, of a dictator; hence, absolute power.

DICTATORY
Dic"ta*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. dictatorius.]

Defn: Dogmatical; overbearing; dictatorial. Milton.

DICTATRESS
Dic*ta"tress, n.

Defn: A woman who dictates or commands.
Earth's chief dictatress, ocean's mighty queen. Byron.

DICTATRIX
Dic*ta"trix, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A dictatress.

DICTATURE
Dic*ta"ture, n. Etym: [L. dictatura: cf. F. dictature.]

Defn: Office of a dictator; dictatorship. [R.] Bacon.

DICTION Dic"tion, n. Etym: [L. dicto a saying, a word, fr. dicere, dictum, to say; akin to dicare to proclaim, and to E. teach, token: cf. F. diction. See Teach, and cf. Benison, Dedicate, Index, Judge, Preach, Vengeance.]

Defn: Choice of words for the expression of ideas; the construction, disposition, and application of words in discourse, with regard to clearness, accuracy, variety, etc.; mode of expression; language; as, the diction of Chaucer's poems. His diction blazes up into a sudden explosion of prophetic grandeur. De Quincey.

Syn. — Diction, Style, Phraseology. Style relates both to language and thought; diction, to language only; phraseology, to the mechanical structure of sentences, or the mode in which they are phrased. The style of Burke was enriched with all the higher graces of composition; his diction was varied and copious; his phraseology, at times, was careless and cumbersome. "Diction is a general term applicable alike to a single sentence or a connected composition. Errors in grammar, false construction, a confused disposition of words, or an improper application of them, constitute bad diction; but the niceties, the elegancies, the peculiarities, and the beauties of composition, which mark the genius and talent of the writer, are what is comprehended under the name of style." Crabb.

DICTIONALRIAN
Dic`tion*al"ri*an, n.

Defn: A lexicographer. [R.]

DICTIONARY
Dic"tion*a*ry, n.; pl. Dictionaries. Etym: [Cf. F. dictionnaire. See
Diction.]

1. A book containing the words of a language, arranged alphabetically, with explanations of their meanings; a lexicon; a vocabulary; a wordbook. I applied myself to the perusal of our writers; and noting whatever might be of use to ascertain or illustrate any word or phrase, accumulated in time the materials of a dictionary. Johnson.

2. Hence, a book containing the words belonging to any system or province of knowledge, arranged alphabetically; as, a dictionary of medicine or of botany; a biographical dictionary.

DICTOGRAPH
Dic"to*graph, n. [L. dictum a thing said + E. -graph.]

Defn: A telephonic instrument for office or other similar use, having a sound-magnifying device enabling the ordinary mouthpiece to be dispensed with. Much use has been made of it for overhearing, or for recording, conversations for the purpose of obtaining evidence for use in litigation.

The makers of this instrument spell it dictograph.

DICTUM Dic"tum, n.; pl. L. Dicta, E. Dictums. Etym: [L., neuter of dictus, p. p. of dicere to say. See Diction, and cf. Ditto.]

1. An authoritative statement; a dogmatic saying; an apothegm. A class of critical dicta everywhere current. M. Arnold.

2. (Law) (a) A judicial opinion expressed by judges on points that do not necessarily arise in the case, and are not involved in it. (b) (French Law) The report of a judgment made by one of the judges who has given it. Bouvier. (c) An arbitrament or award.

DICTYOGEN
Dic*ty"o*gen, n. Etym: [Gr. -gen.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant with netveined leaves, and monocotyledonous embryos, belonging to the class Dictyogenæ, proposed by Lindley for the orders Dioscoreaceæ, Smilaceæ, Trilliaceæ, etc.

DICYANIDE
Di*cy"a*nide, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + cyanogen.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound of a binary type containing two cyanogen groups or radicals; — called also bicyanide.

DICYEMATA
Di`cy*e"ma*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of worms parasitic in cephalopods. They are remarkable for the extreme simplicity of their structure. The embryo exists in two forms.

DICYEMID
Di`cy*e"mid, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or belonging to the Dicyemata.
— n.

Defn: One of the Dicyemata.

DICYNODONT
Di*cyn"o*dont, n. Etym: [Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of a group of extinct reptiles having the jaws armed with a horny beak, as in turtles, and in the genus Dicynodon, supporting also a pair of powerful tusks. Their remains are found in triassic strata of South Africa and India.

DID
Did, imp.

Defn: of Do.

DIDACTIC; DIDACTICAL Di*dac"tic, Di*dac"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. docere to teach: cf. F. didactique. See Docile.]

Defn: Fitted or intended to teach; conveying instruction; preceptive;
instructive; teaching some moral lesson; as, didactic essays.
"Didactical writings." Jer. Taylor.
The finest didactic poem in any language. Macaulay.

DIDACTIC
Di*dac"tic, n.

Defn: A treatise on teaching or education. [Obs.] Milton.

DIDACTICALLY
Di*dac"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a didactic manner.

DIDACTICISM
Di*dac"ti*cism, n.

Defn: The didactic method or system.

DIDACTICITY
Di`dac*tic"i*ty, n.

Defn: Aptitude for teaching. Hare.

DIDACTICS
Di*dac"tics, n.

Defn: The art or science of teaching.

DIDACTYL
Di*dac"tyl, n. Etym: [Gr. didactyle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal having only two digits.

DIDACTYLOUS
Di*dac"tyl*ous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having only two digits; two-toed.

DIDAL
Di"dal, n.

Defn: A kind of triangular spade. [Obs.]

DIDAPPER
Di"dap`per, n. Etym: [For divedapper. See Dive, Dap, Dip, and cf.
Dabchick.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Dabchick.

DIDASCALAR
Di*das"ca*lar, a.

Defn: Didascalic. [R.]

DIDASCALIC
Di`das*cal"ic, a. Etym: [L. didascalius, Gr. didascalique.]

Defn: Didactic; preceptive. [R.] Prior.

DIDDLE
Did"dle, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Daddle.]

Defn: To totter, as a child in walking. [Obs.] Quarles.

DIDDLE Did"dle, v. t. Etym: [Perh. from AS. dyderian to deceive, the letter r being changed to l.]

Defn: To cheat or overreach. [Colloq.] Beaconsfield.

DIDDLER
Did"dler, n.

Defn: A cheat. [Colloq.] Jeremy Diddler, a character in a play by James Kenney, entitled "Raising the wind." The name is applied to any needy, tricky, constant borrower; a confidence man.

DIDELPHIA
Di*del"phi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The subclass of Mammalia which includes the marsupials. See
Marsupialia.

DIDELPHIAN
Di*del"phi*an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or relating to the Didelphia.
— n.

Defn: One of the Didelphia.

DIDELPHIC
Di*del"phic, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the uterus double; of or pertaining to the Didelphia.

DIDELPHID
Di*del"phid, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Didelphic.

DIDELPHID
Di*del"phid, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A marsupial animal.

DIDELPHOUS
Di*del"phous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Didelphic.

DIDELPHOUS
Di*del"phous, n. Etym: [NL. See Didelphia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Formerly, any marsupial; but the term is now restricted to an
American genus which includes the opossums, of which there are many
species. See Opossum. [Written also Didelphis.] See Illustration in
Appendix. Cuvier.

DIDELPHYC
Di*del"phyc, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Didelphic.

DIDELPHYS
Di*del"phys, n. [NL. See Didelphia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Formerly, any marsupial; but the term is now restricted to an
American genus which includes the opossums, of which there are many
species. See Opossum. [Written also Didelphis.] See Illustration in
Appendix. Cuvier.

DIDINE
Di"dine, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the genus Didus, or the dodo.

DIDO
Di"do, n.; pl. Didos (.

Defn: A shrewd trick; an antic; a caper. To cut a dido, to play a trick; to cut a caper; — perhaps so called from the trick of Dido, who having bought so much land as a hide would cover, is said to have cut it into thin strips long enough to inclose a spot for a citadel.

DIDONIA Di*do"ni*a, n. Etym: [NL. So called in allusion to the classical story of Dido and the bull's hide.] (Geom.)

Defn: The curve which on a given surface and with a given perimeter contains the greatest area. Tait.

DIDRACHM; DIDRACHMA
Di"drachm, Di*drach"ma, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A two-drachma piece; an ancient Greek silver coin, worth nearly forty cents.

DIDST
Didst

Defn: , the 2d pers. sing. imp. of Do.

DIDUCEMENT
Di*duce"ment, n.

Defn: Diduction; separation into distinct parts. Bacon.

DIDUCTION Di*duc"tion, n. Etym: [L. diductio, fr. diducere, diductum, to draw apart; di- = dis- + ducere to lead, draw.]

Defn: The act of drawing apart; separation.

DIDYM
Di"dym, n. (Chem.)

Defn: See Didymium.

DIDYMIUM
Di*dym"i*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: A rare metallic substance usually associated with the metal cerium; — hence its name. It was formerly supposed to be an element, but has since been found to consist of two simpler elementary substances, neodymium and praseodymium. See Neodymium, and Praseodymium.

DIDYMOUS
Did"y*mous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Growing in pairs or twins.

DIDYNAMIA
Did`y*na"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of plants having four stamens disposed in pairs of unequal length.

DIDYNAMIAN
Did`y*na"mi*an, a.

Defn: Didynamous.

DIDYNAMOUS
Di*dyn"a*mous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Didynamia; containing four stamens disposed in pairs of unequal length.

DIE Die, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Died; p. pr. & vb. n. Dying.] Etym: [OE. deyen, dien, of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. deyja; akin to Dan. döe, Sw. dö, Goth. diwan (cf. Goth. afd to harass), OFries. d to kill, OS. doian to die, OHG. touwen, OSlav. daviti to choke, Lith. dovyti to torment. Cf. Dead, Death.]

1. To pass from an animate to a lifeless state; to cease to live; to suffer a total and irreparable loss of action of the vital functions; to become dead; to expire; to perish; — said of animals and vegetables; often with of, by, with, from, and rarely for, before the cause or occasion of death; as, to die of disease or hardships; to die by fire or the sword; to die with horror at the thought. To die by the roadside of grief and hunger. Macaulay. She will die from want of care. Tennyson.

2. To suffer death; to lose life. In due time Christ died for the ungodly. Rom. v. 6.

3. To perish in any manner; to cease; to become lost or extinct; to
be extinguished.
Letting the secret die within his own breast. Spectator.
Great deeds can not die. Tennyson.

4. To sink; to faint; to pine; to languish, with weakness,
discouragement, love, etc.
His heart died within, and he became as a stone. 1 Sam. xxv. 37.
The young men acknowledged, in love letters, that they died for
Rebecca. Tatler.

5. To become indifferent; to cease to be subject; as, to die to pleasure or to sin.

6. To recede and grow fainter; to become imperceptible; to vanish; —
often with out or away.
Blemishes may die away and disappear amidst the brightness.
Spectator.

7. (Arch.)

Defn: To disappear gradually in another surface, as where moldings are lost in a sloped or curved face.

8. To become vapid, flat, or spiritless, as liquor. To die in the last ditch, to fight till death; to die rather than surrender. "There is one certain way," replied the Prince [William of Orange] " by which I can be sure never to see my country's ruin, — I will die in the last ditch." Hume (Hist. of Eng. ). — To die out, to cease gradually; as, the prejudice has died out.

Syn.
— To expire; decease; perish; depart; vanish.

DIE Die, n.; pl. in 1 and (usually) in 2, Dice (dis); in 4 & 5, Dies (diz). Etym: [OE. dee, die, F. dé, fr. L. datus given, thrown, p. p. of dare to give, throw. See Date a point of time.]

1. A small cube, marked on its faces with spots from one to six, and used in playing games by being shaken in a box and thrown from it. See Dice.

2. Any small cubical or square body. Words . . . pasted upon little flat tablets or dies. Watts.

3. That which is, or might be, determined, by a throw of the die; hazard; chance. Such is the die of war. Spenser.

4. (Arch.)

Defn: That part of a pedestal included between base and cornice; the dado.

5. (Mach.) (a) A metal or plate (often one of a pair) so cut or shaped as to give a certain desired form to, or impress any desired device on, an object or surface, by pressure or by a blow; used in forging metals, coining, striking up sheet metal, etc. (b) A perforated block, commonly of hardened steel used in connection with a punch, for punching holes, as through plates, or blanks from plates, or for forming cups or capsules, as from sheet metal, by drawing. (c) A hollow internally threaded screw-cutting tool, made in one piece or composed of several parts, for forming screw threads on bolts, etc.; one of the separate parts which make up such a tool. Cutting die (Mech.), a thin, deep steel frame, sharpened to a cutting edge, for cutting out articles from leather, cloth, paper, etc. — The die is cast, the hazard must be run; the step is taken, and it is too late to draw back; the last chance is taken.

DIECIAN; DIECIOUS
Di*e"cian, a., Di*e"cious, a. (Bot.)

Defn: See Dioecian, and Dioecious.

DIEDRAL
Di*e"dral, a.

Defn: The same as Dihedral.

DIEGESIS
Di`e*ge"sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: A narrative or history; a recital or relation.

DIELECTRIC
Di`e*lec"tric, n. Etym: [Pref. dia- + electric.] (Elec.)

Defn: Any substance or medium that transmits the electric force by a process different from conduction, as in the phenomena of induction; a nonconductor. separating a body electrified by induction, from the electrifying body.

DIELYTRA
Di*el"y*tra, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Dicentra.

DIENCEPHALON
Di`en*ceph"a*lon, n. Etym: [NL. See Dia-, and Encephalon.] (Anat.)

Defn: The interbrain or thalamencephalon; — sometimes abbreviated to dien. See Thalamencephalon.

DIERESIS
Di*er"e*sis, n. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: Same as Diæresis.

DIESEL ENGINE; DIESEL MOTOR Die"sel en`gine or mo`tor. [After Dr. Rudolf Diesel, of Munich, the inventor.]

Defn: A type of internal-combustion engine in which the air drawn in by the suction stroke is so highly compressed that the heat generated ignites the fuel (usually crude oil), the fuel being automatically sprayed into the cylinder under pressure. The Diesel engine has a very high thermal efficiency.

DIESINKER
Die"sink`er, n.

Defn: An engraver of dies for stamping coins, medals, etc.

DIESINKING
Die"sink`ing, n.

Defn: The process of engraving dies.

DIES IRAE
Di"es I"ræ.

Defn: Day of wrath; — the name and beginning of a famous mediæval
Latin hymn on the Last Judgment.

DIESIS
Di"e*sis, n.; pl. Dieses. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

1. (Mus.)

Defn: A small interval, less than any in actual practice, but used in the mathematical calculation of intervals.

2. (Print.)

Defn: The mark ||; — called also double dagger.

DIES JURIDICUS
Di"es ju*rid"i*cus; pl. Dies juridici. Etym: [L.] (Law)

Defn: A court day.

DIES NON
Di"es non". Etym: [L. dies non juridicus.] (Law)

Defn: A day on which courts are not held, as Sunday or any legal holiday.

DIESTOCK
Die"stock`, n.

Defn: A stock to hold the dies used for cutting screws.

DIET
Di"et, n. Etym: [F. diète, L. diaeta, fr. Gr.

1. Course of living or nourishment; what is eaten and drunk habitually; food; victuals; fare. "No inconvenient diet." Milton.

2. A course of food selected with reference to a particular state of health; prescribed allowance of food; regimen prescribed. To fast like one that takes diet. Shak. Diet kitchen, a kitchen in which diet is prepared for invalids; a charitable establishment that provides proper food for the sick poor.

DIET
Di"et, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dieted; p. pr. & vb. n. Dieting.]

1. To cause to take food; to feed. [R.] Shak.

2. To cause to eat and drink sparingly, or by prescribed rules; to regulate medicinally the food of. She diets him with fasting every day. Spenser.

DIET
Di"et, v. i.

1. To eat; to take one's meals. [Obs.] Let him . . . diet in such places, where there is good company of the nation, where he traveleth. Bacon.

2. To eat according to prescribed rules; to ear sparingly; as, the doctor says he must diet.

DIET Di"et, n. Etym: [F. diète, LL. dieta, diaeta, an assembly, a day's journey; the same word as diet course of living, but with the sense changed by L. dies day: cf. G. tag dayReichstag.]

Defn: A legislative or administrative assembly in Germany, Poland, and some other countries of Europe; a deliberative convention; a council; as, the Diet of Worms, held in 1521.

DIETARIAN
Di`e*ta"ri*an, n.

Defn: One who lives in accordance with prescribed rules for diet; a dieter.

DIETARY
Di"et*a*ry, a.

Defn: Pertaining to diet, or to the rules of diet.

DIETARY
Di"et*a*ry, n.; pl. Dietaries (.

Defn: A rule of diet; a fixed allowance of food, as in workhouse, prison, etc.

DIETER
Di"et*er, n.

Defn: One who diets; one who prescribes, or who partakes of, food, according to hygienic rules.

DIETETIC; DIETETICAL
Di`e*tet"ic, Di`e*tet"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. diététique. See Diet.]

Defn: Of or performance to diet, or to the rules for regulating the kind and quantity of food to be eaten.

DIETETICALLY
Di`e*tet"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a dietetical manner.

DIETETICS
Di`e*tet"ics, n.

Defn: That part of the medical or hygienic art which relates to diet
or food; rules for diet.
To suppose that the whole of dietetics lies in determining whether or
not bread is more nutritive than potatoes. H. Spencer.

DIETETIST
Di`e*tet"ist, n.

Defn: A physician who applies the rules of dietetics to the cure of diseases. Dunglison.

DIETHYLAMINE
Di*eth`yl*am"ine, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + ethylamine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless, volatile, alkaline liquid, NH(C2H5)2, having a strong fishy odor resembling that of herring or sardines. Cf. Methylamine.

DIETIC
Di*et"ic, a.

Defn: Dietetic.

DIETICAL
Di*et"ic*al, a.

Defn: Dietetic. [R.] Ferrand.

DIETINE
Di"et*ine, n. Etym: [Cf. F. diétine.]

Defn: A subordinate or local assembly; a diet of inferior rank.

DIETIST; DIETITIAN
Di"et*ist, Di`e*ti"tian, n.

Defn: One skilled in dietetics. [R.]

DIFFAME
Dif*fame`, n. Etym: [See Defame.]

Defn: Evil name; bad reputation; defamation. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DIFFARREATION Dif*far`re*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. diffarreatio; dif- = farreum a spelt cake. See Confarreation.]

Defn: A form of divorce, among the ancient Romans, in which a cake was used. See Confarreation.

DIFFER
Dif"fer, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Differed; p. pr. & vb. n. Differing.]
Etym: [L. differre; dif- = dis- + ferre to bear, carry: cf. F.
différer. See 1st Bear, and cf. Defer, Delay.]

1. To be or stand apart; to disagree; to be unlike; to be distinguished; — with from. One star differeth from another star in glory. 1 Cor. xv. 41. Minds differ, as rivers differ. Macaulay.

2. To be of unlike or opposite opinion; to disagree in sentiment; — often with from or with.

3. To have a difference, cause of variance, or quarrel; to dispute; to contend. We 'll never differ with a crowded pit. Rowe.

Syn. — To vary; disagree; dissent; dispute; contend; oppose; wrangle. — To Differ with, Differ from. Both differ from and aiffer with are used in reference to opinions; as, "I differ from you or with you in that opinion."" In all other cases, expressing simple unlikeness, differ from is used; as, these two persons or things differ entirely from each other. Severely punished, not for differing from us in opinion, but for committing a nuisance. Macaulay. Davidson, whom on a former occasion we quoted, to differ from him. M. Arnold. Much as I differ from him concerning an essential part of the historic basis of religion. Gladstone. I differ with the honorable gentleman on that point. Brougham. If the honorable gentleman differs with me on that subject, I differ as heartily with him, and shall always rejoice to differ. Canning.

DIFFER
Dif"fer, v. t.

Defn: To cause to be different or unlike; to set at variance. [R.]
But something 'ts that differs thee and me. Cowley.

DIFFERENCE
Dif"fer*ence, n. Etym: [F. différence, L. differentia.]

1. The act of differing; the state or measure of being different or unlike; distinction; dissimilarity; unlikeness; variation; as, a difference of quality in paper; a difference in degrees of heat, or of light; what is the difference between the innocent and the guilty Differencies of administration, but the same Lord. 1 Cor. xii. 5.

2. Disagreement in opinion; dissension; controversy; quarrel; hence, cause of dissension; matter in controversy. What was the difference It was a contention in public. Shak. Away therefore went I with the constable, leaving the old warden and the young constable to compose their difference as they could. T. Ellwood.

3. That by which one thing differs from another; that which distinguishes or causes to differ;; mark of distinction; characteristic quality; specific attribute. The marks and differences of sovereignty. Davies.

4. Choice; preference. [Obs.] That now be chooseth with vile difference To be a beast, and lack intelligence. Spenser.

5. (Her.)

Defn: An addition to a coat of arms to distinguish the bearings of two persons, which would otherwise be the same. See Augmentation, and Marks of cadency, under Cadency.

6. (Logic)

Defn: The quality or attribute which is added to those of the genus to constitute a species; a differentia.

7. (Math.)

Defn: The quantity by which one quantity differs from another, or the remainder left after subtracting the one from the other. Ascensional difference. See under Ascensional.

Syn. — Distinction; dissimilarity; dissimilitude; variation; diversity; variety; contrariety; disagreement; variance; contest; contention; dispute; controversy; debate; quarrel; wrangle; strife.

DIFFERENCE
Dif"fer*ence, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Differenced; p. pr. & vb. n.
Differencing.]

Defn: To cause to differ; to make different; to mark as different; to distinguish. Thou mayest difference gods from men. Chapman. Kings, in receiving justice and undergoing trial, are not differenced from the meanest subject. Milton. So completely differenced by their separate and individual characters that we at once acknowledge them as distinct persons. Sir W. Scott.

DIFFERENT
Dif"fer*ent, a. Etym: [L. differens, -entis, p. pr. of differre: cf.
F. différent.]

1. Distinct; separate; not the same; other. "Five different churches." Addison.

2. Of various or contrary nature, form, or quality; partially or totally unlike; dissimilar; as, different kinds of food or drink; different states of health; different shapes; different degrees of excellence. Men are as different from each other, as the regions in which they are born are different. Dryden.

Note: Different is properly followed by from. Different to, for different from, is a common English colloquialism. Different than is quite inadmissible.

DIFFERENTIA
Dif`fer*en"ti*a, n.; pl. Differentiæ. Etym: [L. See Difference.]
(Logic)

Defn: The formal or distinguishing part of the essence of a species; the characteristic attribute of a species; specific difference.

DIFFERENTIAL
Dif`fer*en"tial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. différentiel.]

1. Relating to or indicating a difference; creating a difference; discriminating; special; as, differential characteristics; differential duties; a differential rate. For whom he produced differential favors. Motley.

2. (Math.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a differential, or to differentials.

3. (Mech.)

Defn: Relating to differences of motion or leverage; producing effects by such differences; said of mechanism. Differential calculus. (Math.) See under Calculus. — Differential coefficient, the limit of the ratio of the increment of a function of a variable to the increment of the variable itself, when these increments are made indefinitely small. — Differential coupling, a form of slip coupling used in light machinery to regulate at pleasure the velocity of the connected shaft. — Differential duties (Polit. Econ.), duties which are not imposed equally upon the same products imported from different countries. — Differential galvanometer (Elec.), a galvanometer having two coils or circuits, usually equal, through which currents passing in opposite directions are measured by the difference of their effect upon the needle. — Differential gearing, a train of toothed wheels, usually an epicyclic train, so arranged as to constitute a differential motion. — Differential motion, a mechanism in which a simple differential combination produces such a change of motion or force as would, with ordinary compound arrangements, require a considerable train of parts. It is used for overcoming great resistance or producing very slow or very rapid motion. — Differential pulley. (Mach.) (a) A portable hoisting apparatus, the same in principle as the differential windlass. (b) A hoisting pulley to which power is applied through a differential gearing. — Differential screw, a compound screw by which a motion is produced equal to the difference of the motions of the component screws. — Differential thermometer, a thermometer usually with a U-shaped tube terminating in two air bulbs, and containing a colored liquid, used for indicating the difference between the temperatures to which the two bulbs are exposed, by the change of position of the colored fluid, in consequence of the different expansions of the air in the bulbs. A graduated scale is attached to one leg of the tube. — Differential windlass, or Chinese windlass, a windlass whose barrel has two parts of different diameters. The hoisting rope winds upon one part as it unwinds from the other, and a pulley sustaining the weight to be lifted hangs in the bight of the rope. It is an ancient example of a differential motion.

DIFFERENTIAL
Dif`fer*en"tial, n.

1. (Math.)

Defn: An increment, usually an indefinitely small one, which is given to a variable quantity.

Note: According to the more modern writers upon the differential and integral calculus, if two or more quantities are dependent on each other, and subject to increments of value, their differentials need not be small, but are any quantities whose ratios to each other are the limits to which the ratios of the increments approximate, as these increments are reduced nearer and nearer to zero.

2. A small difference in rates which competing railroad lines, in establishing a common tariff, allow one of their number to make, in order to get a fair share of the business. The lower rate is called a differential rate. Differentials are also sometimes granted to cities.

3. (Elec.) (a) One of two coils of conducting wire so related to one another or to a magnet or armature common to both, that one coil produces polar action contrary to that of the other. (b) A form of conductor used for dividing and distributing the current to a series of electric lamps so as to maintain equal action in all. Knight. Partial differential (Math.), the differential of a function of two or more variables, when only one of the variables receives an increment. — Total differential (Math.), the differential of a function of two or more variables, when each of the variables receives an increment. The total differential of the function is the sum of all the partial differentials.

DIFFERENTIALLY
Dif`fer*en"tial*ly, adv.

Defn: In the way of differentiation.

DIFFERENTIATE
Dif`fer*en"ti*ate, v. t.

1. To distinguish or mark by a specific difference; to effect a difference in, as regards classification; to develop differential characteristics in; to specialize; to desynonymize. The word then was differentiated into the two forms then and than. Earle. Two or more of the forms assumed by the same original word become differentiated in signification. Dr. Murray.

2. To express the specific difference of; to describe the properties of (a thing) whereby it is differenced from another of the same class; to discriminate. Earle.

3. (Math.)

Defn: To obtain the differential, or differential coefficient, of; as, to differentiate an algebraic expression, or an equation.

DIFFERENTIATE
Dif`fer*en"ti*ate, v. i. (Biol.)

Defn: To acquire a distinct and separate character. Huxley.

DIFFERENTIATION
Dif`fer*en`ti*a"tion, n.

1. The act of differentiating. Further investigation of the Sanskrit may lead to differentiation of the meaning of such of these roots as are real roots. J. Peile.

2. (Logic)

Defn: The act of distinguishing or describing a thing, by giving its different, or specific difference; exact definition or determination.

3. (Biol.)

Defn: The gradual formation or production of organs or parts by a process of evolution or development, as when the seed develops the root and the stem, the initial stem develops the leaf, branches, and flower buds; or in animal life, when the germ evolves the digestive and other organs and members, or when the animals as they advance in organization acquire special organs for specific purposes.

4. (Metaph.)

Defn: The supposed act or tendency in being of every kind, whether organic or inorganic, to assume or produce a more complex structure or functions.

DIFFERENTIATOR
Dif`fer*en"ti*a`tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, differentiates.

DIFFERENTLY
Dif"fer*ent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a different manner; variously.

DIFFERINGLY
Dif"fer*ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a differing or different manner. Boyle.

DIFFICILE
Dif"fi*cile, a. Etym: [L. difficilis: cf. F. difficile. See
Difficult.]

Defn: Difficult; hard to manage; stubborn. [Obs.] —
Dif"fi*cile*ness, n. [Obs.] Bacon.

DIFFICILITATE
Dif`fi*cil"i*tate, v. t.

Defn: To make difficult. [Obs.] W. Montagu.

DIFFICULT
Dif"fi*cult, a. Etym: [From Difficulty.]

1. Hard to do or to make; beset with difficulty; attended with labor, trouble, or pains; not easy; arduous.

Note: Difficult implies the notion that considerable mental effort or skill is required, or that obstacles are to be overcome which call for sagacity and skill in the agent; as, a difficult task; hard work is not always difficult work; a difficult operation in surgery; a difficult passage in an author. There is not the strength or courage left me to venture into the wide, strange, and difficult world, alone. Hawthorne.

2. Hard to manage or to please; not easily wrought upon; austere; stubborn; as, a difficult person.

Syn. — Arduous; painful; crabbed; perplexed; laborious; unaccommodating; troublesome. See Arduous.

DIFFICULT
Dif"fi*cult, v. t.

Defn: To render difficult; to impede; to perplex. [R.] Sir W. Temple.

DIFFICULTATE
Dif"fi*cult*ate, v. t.

Defn: To render difficult; to difficilitate. [Obs.] Cotgrave.

DIFFICULTLY
Dif"fi*cult*ly, adv.

Defn: With difficulty. Cowper.

DIFFICULTNESS
Dif"fi*cult*ness, n.

Defn: Difficulty. [R.] Golding.

DIFFICULTY
Dif"fi*cul*ty, n.; pl. Difficulties. Etym: [L. difficultas, fr.
difficilis difficult; dif- = dis- + facilis easy: cf. F. difficulté.
See Facile.]

1. The state of being difficult, or hard to do; hardness; arduousness; — opposed to easiness or facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of difficulty. Not being able to promote them [the interests of life] on account of the difficulty of the region. James Byrne.

2. Something difficult; a thing hard to do or to understand; that which occasions labor or perplexity, and requires skill perseverance to overcome, solve, or achieve; a hard enterprise; an obstacle; an impediment; as, the difficulties of a science; difficulties in theology. They lie under some difficulties by reason of the emperor's displeasure. Addison.

3. A controversy; a falling out; a disagreement; an objection; a cavil. Measures for terminating all local difficulties. Bancroft.

4. Embarrassment of affairs, especially financial affairs; — usually in the plural; as, to be in difficulties. In days of difficulty and pressure. Tennyson.

Syn. — Impediment; obstacle; obstruction; embarrassment; perplexity; exigency; distress; trouble; trial; objection; cavil. See Impediment.

DIFFIDE
Dif*fide", v. i. Etym: [L. diffidere. See Diffident.]

Defn: To be distrustful. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

DIFFIDENCE
Dif"fi*dence, n. Etym: [L. diffidentia.]

1. The state of being diffident; distrust; want of confidence; doubt of the power, ability, or disposition of others. [Archaic] That affliction grew heavy upon me, and weighed me down even to a diffidence of God's mercy. Donne.

2. Distrust of one's self or one's own powers; lack of self-reliance; modesty; modest reserve; bashfulness. It is good to speak on such questions with diffidence. Macaulay. An Englishman's habitual diffidence and awkwardness of adress. W. Irving.

Syn. — Humility; bashfulness; distrust; suspicion; doubt; fear; timidity; apprehension; hesitation. See Humility, and Bashfulness.

DIFFIDENCY
Dif"fi*den*cy, n.

Defn: See Diffidence. [Obs.]

DIFFIDENT
Dif"fi*dent, a. Etym: [L. diffidens, -entis, p. pr. of diffidere;
dif- = dis + fidere to trust; akin to fides faith. See Faith, and cf.
Defy.]

1. Wanting confidence in others; distrustful. [Archaic] You were always extremely diffident of their success. Melmoth.

2. Wanting confidence in one's self; distrustful of one's own powers; not self-reliant; timid; modest; bashful; characterized by modest reserve. The diffident maidens, Folding their hands in prayer. Longfellow.

Syn. — Distrustful; suspicious; hesitating; doubtful; modest; bashful; lowly; reserved.

DIFFIDENTLY
Dif"fi*dent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a diffident manner. To stand diffidently against each other with their thoughts in battle array. Hobbes.

DIFFIND Dif*find, v. t. Etym: [L. diffindere, diffissum; dif- = findere to split.]

Defn: To split. [Obs.] Bailey.

DIFFINE
Dif*fine", v. t.

Defn: To define. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DIFFINITIVE
Dif*fin"i*tive, a. Etym: [For definitive.]

Defn: Definitive; determinate; final. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

DIFFISSION
Dif*fis"sion, n. Etym: [See Diffind.]

Defn: Act of cleaving or splitting. [R.] Bailey.

DIFFLATION Dif*fla"tion, n. Etym: [LL. difflatio, fr. L. difflare, difflatum, to disperse by blowing.]

Defn: A blowing apart or away. [Obs.] Bailey.

DIFFLUENCE; DIFFLUENCY
Dif"flu*ence, Dif"flu*en*cy, n.

Defn: A flowing off on all sides; fluidity. [R.]

DIFFLUENT Dif"flu*ent, a. Etym: [L. diffluens, p. pr. of diffluere to flow off; dif- = dis- + fluere to flow.]

Defn: Flowing apart or off; dissolving; not fixed. [R.] Bailey.

DIFFORM Dif"form`, a. Etym: [Cf. F. difforme, fr. L. dif- = dis- + forma form. Cf. Deform.]

Defn: Irregular in form; — opposed to uniform; anomalous; hence, unlike; dissimilar; as, to difform corolla, the parts of which do not correspond in size or proportion; difform leaves. The unequal refractions of difform rays. Sir I. Newton.

DIFFORMITY
Dif*form"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. difformité. See Difform, Deformity.]

Defn: Irregularity of form; diversity of form; want of uniformity.
[Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

DIFFRACT
Dif*fract", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diffracted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Diffracting.] Etym: [L. diffractus, p. p. of diffringere to break in
pieces; dif- = dis- + frangere to break. See Fracture.]

Defn: To break or separate into parts; to deflect, or decompose by deflection, a

DIFFRACTION
Dif*frac"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. diffraction.] (Opt.)

Defn: The deflection and decomposition of light in passing by the edges of opaque bodies or through narrow slits, causing the appearance of parallel bands or fringes of prismatic colors, as by the action of a grating of fine lines or bars. Remarked by Grimaldi (1665), and referred by him to a property of light which he called diffraction. Whewell. Diffraction grating. (Optics) See under Grating. — Diffraction spectrum. (Optics) See under Spectrum.

DIFFRACTIVE
Dif*frac"tive, a.

Defn: That produces diffraction.

DIFFRANCHISE; DIFFRANCHISEMENT
Dif*fran"chise, Dif*fran"chise*ment.

Defn: See Disfranchise, Disfranchisement.

DIFFUSATE
Dif*fus"ate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: Material which, in the process of catalysis, has diffused or passed through the separating membrane.

DIFFUSE
Dif*fuse", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diffused; p. pr. & vb. n. Diffusing.]
Etym: [L. diffusus, p. p. of diffundere to pour out, to diffuse; dif-
= dis- + fundere to pour. See Fuse to melt.]

Defn: To pour out and cause to spread, as a fluid; to cause to flow on all sides; to send out, or extend, in all directions; to spread; to circulate; to disseminate; to scatter; as to diffuse information. Thence diffuse His good to worlds and ages infinite. Milton. We find this knowledge diffused among all civilized nations. Whewell.

Syn. — To expand; spread; circulate; extend; scatter; disperse; publish; proclaim.

DIFFUSE
Dif*fuse", v. i.

Defn: To pass by spreading every way, to diffuse itself.

DIFFUSE
Dif*fuse", a. Etym: [L. diffusus, p. p.]

Defn: Poured out; widely spread; not restrained; copious; full; esp.,
of style, opposed to concise or terse; verbose; prolix; as, a diffuse
style; a diffuse writer.
A diffuse and various knowledge of divine and human things. Milton.

Syn.
— Prolix; verbose; wide; copious; full. See Prolix.

DIFFUSED
Dif*fused", a.

Defn: Spread abroad; dispersed; loose; flowing; diffuse.
It grew to be a widely diffused opinion. Hawthorne.
— Dif*fus"ed*ly, adv.
— Dif*fus"ed*ness, n.

DIFFUSELY
Dif*fuse"ly, adv.

Defn: In a diffuse manner.

DIFFUSENESS
Dif*fuse"ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being diffuse; especially, in writing, the use of a great or excessive number of word to express the meaning; copiousness; verbosity; prolixity.

DIFFUSER
Dif*fus"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, diffuses.

DIFFUSIBILITY
Dif*fu`si*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being diffusible; capability of being poured or spread out.

DIFFUSIBLE
Dif*fu"si*ble, a.

1. Capable of flowing or spreading in all directions; that may be diffused.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: Capable of passing through animal membranes by osmosis.

DIFFUSIBLENESS
Dif*fu"si*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Diffusibility.

DIFFUSION
Dif*fu"sion, n. Etym: [L. diffusio: cf. F. diffusion.]

1. The act of diffusing, or the state of being diffused; a spreading; extension; dissemination; circulation; dispersion. A diffusion of knowledge which has undermined superstition. Burke.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: The act of passing by osmosis through animal membranes, as in the distribution of poisons, gases, etc., through the body. Unlike absorption, diffusion may go on after death, that is, after the blood ceases to circulate.

Syn. — Extension; spread; propagation; circulation; expansion; dispersion.

DIFFUSIVE
Dif*fu"sive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. diffusif.]

Defn: Having the quality of diffusing; capable of spreading every way by flowing; spreading widely; widely reaching; copious; diffuse. "A plentiful and diffusive perfume." Hare.

DIFFUSIVELY
Dif*fu"sive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a diffusive manner.

DIFFUSIVENESS
Dif*fu"sive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being diffusive or diffuse;
extensiveness; expansion; dispersion. Especially of style:
Diffuseness; want of conciseness; prolixity.
The fault that I find with a modern legend, it its diffusiveness.
Addison.

DIFFUSIVITY
Dif`fu*siv"i*ty, n.

Defn: Tendency to become diffused; tendency, as of heat, to become equalized by spreading through a conducting medium.

DIG Dig, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dug or Digged (; p. pr. & vb. n. Digging. — Digged is archaic.] Etym: [OE. diggen, perh. the same word as diken, dichen (see Dike, Ditch); cf. Dan. dige to dig, dige a ditch; or akin to E. 1st dag.

1. To turn up, or delve in, (earth) with a spade or a hoe; to open, loosen, or break up (the soil) with a spade, or other sharp instrument; to pierce, open, or loosen, as if with a spade. Be first to dig the ground. Dryden.

2. To get by digging; as, to dig potatoes, or gold.

3. To hollow out, as a well; to form, as a ditch, by removing earth; to excavate; as, to dig a ditch or a well.

4. To thrust; to poke. [Colloq.] You should have seen children . . . dig and push their mothers under the sides, saying thus to them: Look, mother, how great a lubber doth yet wear pearls. Robynson (More's Utopia). To dig down, to undermine and cause to fall by digging; as, to dig down a wall. — To dig from, out of, out, or up, to get out or obtain by digging; as, to dig coal from or out of a mine; to dig out fossils; to dig up a tree. The preposition is often omitted; as, the men are digging coal, digging iron ore, digging potatoes. — To dig in, to cover by digging; as, to dig in manure.(b) To entrench oneself so as to give stronger resistance; — used of warfare. Also figuratively, esp. in the phrase to dig in one's heels.

DIG
Dig, v. i.

1. To work with a spade or other like implement; to do servile work;
to delve.
Dig for it more than for hid treasures. Job iii. 21.
I can not dig; to beg I am ashamed. Luke xvi. 3.

2. (Mining)

Defn: To take ore from its bed, in distinction from making excavations in search of ore.

3. To work like a digger; to study ploddingly and laboriously. [Cant, U.S.]

DIG
Dig, n.

1. A thrust; a punch; a poke; as, a dig in the side or the ribs. See Dig, v. t.,

4. [Colloq.]

2. A plodding and laborious student. [Cant, U.S.]

DIGAMIST
Dig"a*mist, n. Etym: [Gr. Bigamist.]

Defn: One who marries a second time; a deuterogamist. Hammond.

DIGAMMA
Di*gam"ma, n. Etym: [Gr. gammas placed one above the other.] (Gr.
Gram.)

Defn: A letter (

Note: This form identifies it with the Latin F, though in sound it is said to have been nearer V. It was pronounced, probably, much like the English W.

DIGAMMATE; DIGAMMATED
Di*gam"mate, Di*gam"mated, a.

Defn: Having the digamma or its representative letter or sound; as, the Latin word vis is a digammated form of the Greek . Andrews.

DIGAMOUS
Dig"a*mous, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a second marriage, that is, one after the death of the first wife or the first husband.

DIGAMY
Dig"a*my, n. Etym: [Gr. Bigamy.]

Defn: Act, or state, of being twice married; deuterogamy. [R.]

DIGASTRIC Di*gas"tric, a. Etym: [Gr. digastrique.] (Anat.) (a) Having two bellies; biventral; — applied to muscles which are fleshy at each end and have a tendon in the middle, and esp. to the muscle which pulls down the lower jaw. (b) Pertaining to the digastric muscle of the lower jaw; as, the digastric nerves.

DIGENEA
Di*ge"ne*a, n.; pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Trematoda in which alternate generations occur, the immediate young not resembling their parents.

DIGENESIS
Di*gen"e*sis, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + genesis.] (Biol.)

Defn: The faculty of multiplying in two ways; — by ova fecundated by spermatic fluid, and asexually, as by buds. See Parthenogenesis.

DIGENOUS
Dig"e*nous, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + -genous.] (Biol.)

Defn: Sexually reproductive. Digenous reproduction. (Biol.) Same as
Digenesis.

DIGERENT
Dig"er*ent, . Etym: [L. digerens, p. pr. of digerere. See Digest.]

Defn: Digesting. [Obs.] Bailey.

DIGEST
Di*gest", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Digested; p. pr. & vb. n. Digesting.]
Etym: [L. digestus, p. p. of digerere to separate, arrange, dissolve,
digest; di- = dis- + gerere to bear, carry, wear. See Jest.]

1. To distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application; as, to digest the laws, etc. Joining them together and digesting them into order. Blair. We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. Shak.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: To separate (the food) in its passage through the alimentary canal into the nutritive and nonnutritive elements; to prepare, by the action of the digestive juices, for conversion into blood; to convert into chyme.

3. To think over and arrange methodically in the mind; to reduce to a plan or method; to receive in the mind and consider carefully; to get an understanding of; to comprehend. Feelingly digest the words you speak in prayer. Sir H. Sidney. How shall this bosom multiplied digest The senate's courtesy Shak.

4. To appropriate for strengthening and comfort. Grant that we may in such wise hear them [the Scriptures], read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them. Book of Common Prayer.

5. Hence: To bear comfortably or patiently; to be reconciled to; to brook. I never can digest the loss of most of Origin's works. Coleridge.

6. (Chem.)

Defn: To soften by heat and moisture; to expose to a gentle heat in a boiler or matrass, as a preparation for chemical operations.

7. (Med.)

Defn: To dispose to suppurate, or generate healthy pus, as an ulcer or wound.

8. To ripen; to mature. [Obs.] Well-digested fruits. Jer. Taylor.

9. To quiet or abate, as anger or grief.

DIGEST
Di*gest", v. i.

1. To undergo digestion; as, food digests well or ill.

2. (Med.)

Defn: To suppurate; to generate pus, as an ulcer.

DIGEST Di"gest, n. Etym: [L. digestum, pl. digesta, neut., fr. digestus, p. p.: cf. F. digeste. See Digest, v. t.]

Defn: That which is digested; especially, that which is worked over, classified, and arranged under proper heads or titles; esp. (Law),

Defn: a compilation of statutes or decisions analytically arranged.
The term is applied in a general sense to the Pandects of Justinian
(see Pandect), but is also specially given by authors to compilations
of laws on particular topics; a summary of laws; as, Comyn's Digest;
the United States Digest.
A complete digest of Hindu and Mahommedan laws after the model of
Justinian's celebrated Pandects. Sir W. Jones.
They made a sort of institute and digest of anarchy, called the
Rights of Man. Burke.

DIGESTEDLY
Di*gest"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a digested or well-arranged manner; methodically.

DIGESTER
Di*gest"er, n.

1. One who digests.

2. A medicine or an article of food that aids digestion, or strengthens digestive power. Rice is . . . a great restorer of health, and a great digester. Sir W. Temple.

3. A strong closed vessel, in which bones or other substances may be subjected, usually in water or other liquid, to a temperature above that of boiling, in order to soften them.

DIGESTIBILITY
Di*gest`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being digestible.

DIGESTIBLE
Di*gest"i*ble, a. Etym: [F. digestible, L. digestibilis.]

Defn: Capable of being digested.

DIGESTIBLENESS
Di*gest"i*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being digestible; digestibility.

DIGESTION
Di*ges"tion, n. Etym: [F. digestion, L. digestio.]

1. The act or process of digesting; reduction to order; classification; thoughtful consideration.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: The conversion of food, in the stomach and intestines, into soluble and diffusible products, capable of being absorbed by the blood.

3. (Med.)

Defn: Generation of pus; suppuration.

DIGESTIVE
Di*gest"ive, a. Etym: [F. digestif, L. digestivus.]

Defn: Pertaining to digestion; having the power to cause or promote digestion; as, the digestive ferments. Digestive cheese and fruit there sure will be. B. Jonson. Digestive apparatus, the organs of food digestion, esp. the alimentary canal and glands connected with it. — Digestive salt, the chloride of potassium.

DIGESTIVE
Di*gest"ive, n.

1. That which aids digestion, as a food or medicine. Chaucer. That digestive [a cigar] had become to me as necessary as the meal itself. Blackw. Mag.

2. (Med.) (a) A substance which, when applied to a wound or ulcer, promotes suppuration. Dunglison. (b) A tonic. [R.]

DIGESTOR
Di*gest"or, n.

Defn: See Digester.

DIGESTURE
Di*ges"ture, n.

Defn: Digestion. [Obs.] Harvey.

DIGGABLE
Dig"ga*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being dug.

DIGGER
Dig"ger, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, digs. Digger wasp (Zoöl.), any one of the fossorial Hymenoptera.

DIGGERS
Dig"gers, n. pl.; sing. Digger. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A degraded tribe of California Indians; — so called from their practice of digging roots for food.

DIGGING
Dig"ging, n.

1. The act or the place of excavating.

2. pl.

Defn: Places where ore is dug; especially, certain localities in
California, Australia, and elsewhere, at which gold is obtained.
[Recent]

3. pl.

Defn: Region; locality. [Low]

DIGHT Dight, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dight or Dighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Dighting.] Etym: [OF. dihten, AS. dihtan to dictate, command, dispose, arrange, fr. L. dictare to say often, dictate, order; cf. G. dichten to write poetry, fr. L. dictare. See Dictate.]

1. To prepare; to put in order; hence, to dress, or put on; to array; to adorn. [Archaic] "She gan the house to dight." Chaucer. Two harmless turtles, dight for sacrifice. Fairfax. The clouds in thousand liveries dight. Milton.

2. To have sexual intercourse with. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DIGHTER
Dight"er, n.

Defn: One who dights. [Obs.]

DIGIT
Dig"it, n. Etym: [L. digitus finger; prob. akin to Gr. toe. Cf.
Dactyl.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the terminal divisions of a limb appendage; a finger or
toe.
The ruminants have the "cloven foot," i. e., two hoofed digits on
each foot. Owen.

2. A finger's breadth, commonly estimated to be three fourths of an inch.

3. (Math.)

Defn: One of the ten figures or symbols, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, by which all numbers are expressed; — so called because of the use of the fingers in counting and computing.

Note: By some authorities the symbol 0 is not included with the digits.

4. (Anat.)

Defn: One twelfth part of the diameter of the sun or moon; — a term used to express the quantity of an eclipse; as, an eclipse of eight digits is one which hides two thirds of the diameter of the disk.

DIGIT
Dig"it, v. t.

Defn: To point at or out with the finger. [R.]

DIGITAL
Dig"i*tal, a. Etym: [L. digitals.]

Defn: Of or performance to the fingers, or to digits; done with the fingers; as, digital compression; digital examination.

DIGITALIN Dig"i*tal`in, n. Etym: [Cf. F. digitaline.] (a) (Med.) Any one of several extracts of foxglove (Digitalis), as the "French extract," the "German extract," etc., which differ among themselves in composition and properties. (b) (Chem.) A supposedly distinct vegetable principle as the essential ingredient of the extracts. It is a white, crystalline substance, and is regarded as a glucoside.

DIGITALIS
Dig`i*ta"lis, n. Etym: [NL.: cf. F. digitale. So named (according to
Linnæus) from its finger-shaped corolla.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants including the foxglove.

2. (Med.)

Defn: The dried leaves of the purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), used in heart disease, disturbance of the circulation, etc.

DIGITATE Dig"i*tate, v. t. Etym: [LL. digitatus, p. p. of digitare, fr. L. digitus. See Digit.]

Defn: To point out as with the finger. [R.] Robinson (Eudoxa).

DIGITATE; DIGITATED
Dig"i*tate, Dig"i*ta`ted, a. Etym: [L. digitatus having fingers.]
(Bot.)

Defn: Having several leaflets arranged, like the fingers of the hand, at the extremity of a stem or petiole. Also, in general, characterized by digitation. — Dig"i*tate*ly, adv.

DIGITATION
Dig`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. digitation.]

Defn: A division into fingers or fingerlike processes; also, a fingerlike process.

DIGITIFORM
Dig"i*ti*form, a. Etym: [L. digitus a finger + -form.]

Defn: Formed like a finger or fingers; finger-shaped; as, a digitiform root.

DIGITIGRADE Dig"i*ti*grade, a. Etym: [L. digitus finger, toe + gradi to step, walk: cf. F. digitigrade.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Walking on the toes; — distinguished from plantigrade.

DIGITIGRADE
Dig"i*ti*grade, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal that walks on its toes, as the cat, lion, wolf, etc.; — distinguished from a plantigrade, which walks on the palm of the foot.

DIGITIPARTITE
Dig`i*ti*par"tite, a. Etym: [L. digitus finger + partite.] (Bot.)

Defn: Parted like the fingers.

DIGITIZE
Dig"i*tize, v. t. Etym: [Digit + -ize.]

Defn: To finger; as, to digitize a pen. [R.] Sir T. Browne. computers to convert (information, a signal, an image) into a form expressible in binary notation

DIGITORIUM
Dig`i*to"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. digitus a finger.]

Defn: A small dumb keyboard used by pianists for exercising the fingers; — called also dumb piano.

DIGITULE
Dig"i*tule, n. Etym: [L. digitulus, dim. of digitus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A little finger or toe, or something resembling one.

DIGLADIATE Di*gla"di*ate, v. i. Etym: [L. digladiari; di- = dis- + gladius a sword.]

Defn: To fight like gladiators; to contend fiercely; to dispute
violently. [Obs.]
Digladiating like Æschines and Demosthenes. Hales.

DIGLADIATION
Di*gla`di*a"tion, n.

Defn: Act of digladiating. [Obs.] "Sore digladiations and contest."
Evelyn.

DIGLOTTISM
Di*glot"tism, n. Etym: [Gr. Glottis.]

Defn: Bilingualism. [R.] Earle.

DIGLYPH
Di"glyph, n. Etym: [Gr. (Arch.)

Defn: A projecting face like the triglyph, but having only two channels or grooves sunk in it.

DIGNATION
Dig*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. dignatio.]

Defn: The act of thinking worthy; honor. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

DIGNE
Digne, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. dignus. See Design.]

1. Worthy; honorable; deserving. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. Suitable; adequate; fit. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. Haughty; disdainful. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DIGNIFICATION
Dig`ni*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [See Dignify.]

Defn: The act of dignifying; exaltation.

DIGNIFIED
Dig"ni*fied, a.

Defn: Marked with dignity; stately; as, a dignified judge.

DIGNIFY
Dig"ni*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dignified; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dignifying.] Etym: [OF. dignifier, fr. LL. d; L. dignus worthy +
ficare (in comp.), facere to make. See Deign, and Fact.]

Defn: To invest with dignity or honor; to make illustrious; to give distinction to; to exalt in rank; to honor. Your worth will dignity our feast. B. Jonson.

Syn. — To exalt; elevate; prefer; advance; honor; illustrate; adorn; ennoble.

DIGNITARY Dig"ni*ta*ry, n.; pl. Dignitaries. Etym: [Cf. F. dignitaire, fr. L. dignitas.]

Defn: One who possesses exalted rank or holds a position of dignity or honor; especially, one who holds an ecclesiastical rank above that of a parochial priest or clergyman.

DIGNITY
Dig"ni*ty, n.; pl. Dignities. Etym: [OE. dignete, dignite, OF.
digneté, dignité, F. dignité, fr. L. dignitas, from dignus worthy.
See Dainty, Deign.]

1. The state of being worthy or honorable; elevation of mind or character; true worth; excellence.

2. Elevation; grandeur. The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings. Shak.

3. Elevated rank; honorable station; high office, political or ecclesiastical; degree of excellence; preferment; exaltation. Macaulay. And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this Esth. vi. 3. Reuben, thou art my firstborn, . . . the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. Gen. xlix. 3.

4. Quality suited to inspire respect or reverence; loftiness and grace; impressiveness; stateliness; — said of A letter written with singular energy and dignity of thought Macaulay.

5. One holding high rank; a dignitary. These filthy dreamers . . . speak evil of dignities. Jude. 8.

6. Fundamental principle; axiom; maxim. [Obs.] Sciences concluding from dignities, and principles known by themselves. Sir T. Browne.

Syn. — See Decorum. To stand upon one's dignity, to have or to affect a high notion of one's own rank, privilege, or character. They did not stand upon their dignity, nor give their minds to being or to seeming as elegant and as fine as anybody else. R. G. White.

DIGNOTION Dig*no"tion, n. Etym: [L. dignoscere to distinguish; di- = dis- + gnoscere, noscere, to learn to know.]

Defn: Distinguishing mark; diagnostic. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

DIGONOUS
Dig"o*nous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Having two angles. Smart.

DIGRAM
Di"gram, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A digraph.

DIGRAPH
Di"graph, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Two signs or characters combined to express a single articulated sound; as ea in head, or th in bath.

DIGRAPHIC
Di*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a digraph. H. Sweet.

DIGRESS
Di*gress", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Digressed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Digressing.] Etym: [L. digressus, p. p. of digredi to go apart, to
deviate; di- = dis- + gradi to step, walk. See Grade.]

1. To step or turn aside; to deviate; to swerve; especially, to turn aside from the main subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing or speaking. Moreover she beginneth to digress in latitude. Holland. In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to digress into a particular definition as often as a man varies the signification of any term. Locke.

2. To turn aside from the right path; to transgress; to offend. [R.] Thy abundant goodness shall excuse This deadly blot on thy digressing son. Shak.

DIGRESS
Di*gress", n.

Defn: Digression. [Obs.] Fuller.

DIGRESSION
Di*gres"sion, n. Etym: [L. digressio: cf. F. digression.]

1. The act of digressing or deviating, esp. from the main subject of a discourse; hence, a part of a discourse deviating from its main design or subject. The digressions I can not excuse otherwise, than by the confidence that no man will read them. Sir W. Temple.

2. A turning aside from the right path; transgression; offense. [R.] Then my digression is so vile, so base, That it will live engraven in my face. Shak.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: The elongation, or angular distance from the sun; — said chiefly of the inferior planets. [R.]

DIGRESSIONAL
Di*gres"sion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or having the character of, a digression; departing from the main purpose or subject. T. Warton.

DIGRESSIVE
Di*gress"ive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. digressif.]

Defn: Departing from the main subject; partaking of the nature of digression. Johnson.

DIGRESSIVELY
Di*gress"ive*ly, adv.

Defn: By way of digression.

DIGUE
Digue, n. Etym: [F. See Dike.]

Defn: A bank; a dike. [Obs.] Sir W. Temple.

DIGYNIA
Di*gyn"i*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan order of plants having two styles.

DIGYNIAN; DIGYNOUS
Di*gyn"i*an, Dig"y*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. digyne.] (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Digynia; having two styles.

DIHEDRAL
Di*he"dral, a. Etym: [Gr. Diedral.]

Defn: Having two plane faces; as, the dihedral summit of a crystal. Dihedral angle, the angular space contained between planes which intersect. It is measured by the angle made by any two lines at right angles to the two planes.

DIHEDRON
Di*he"dron, n. Etym: [See Dihedral.]

Defn: A figure with two sides or surfaces. Buchanan.

DIHEXAGONAL Di`hex*ag"o*nal, a. Etym: [Pref. di- + hexagonal.] (a) Consisting of two hexagonal parts united; thus, a dihexagonal pyramid is composed of two hexagonal pyramids placed base to base. (b) Having twelve similar faces; as, a dihexagonal prism.

DIIAMB
Di`i*amb", n.

Defn: A diiambus.

DIIAMBUS
Di`i*am"bus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Lambus.] (Pros.)

Defn: A double iambus; a foot consisting of two iambuses (

DIIODIDE
Di*i"o*dide (; 104), n. Etym: [Pref. di- + iodine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound of a binary type containing two atoms of iodine; — called also biniodide.

DIISATOGEN
Di`i*sat"o*gen, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + isatine + -gen.] (Chem.)

Defn: A red crystalline nitrogenous substance or artificial production, which by reduction passes directly to indigo.

DIJUDICANT
Di*ju"di*cant, n. Etym: [L. dijudicans, p. pr.]

Defn: One who dijudicates. [R.] Wood.

DIJUDICATE
Di*ju"di*cate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dijudicated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dijucating.] Etym: [L. dijudicatus, p. p. of dijudicare to decide;
di- = dis- + judicare to judge.]

Defn: To make a judicial decision; to decide; to determine. [R.]
Hales.

DIJUDICATION
Di*ju`di*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. dijudicatio.]

Defn: The act of dijudicating; judgment. [R.] Cockeram.

DIKA
Di"ka, n. Etym: [Native West African name.]

Defn: A kind of food, made from the almondlike seeds of the Irvingia Barteri, much used by natives of the west coast of Africa; — called also dika bread.

DIKE
Dike, n. Etym: [OE. dic, dike, diche, ditch, AS. d dike, ditch; akin
to D. dijk dike, G. deich, and prob. teich pond, Icel. d dike, ditch,
Dan. dige; perh. akin to Gr. dough; or perh. to Gr. Ditch.]

1. A ditch; a channel for water made by digging. Little channels or dikes cut to every bed. Ray.

2. An embankment to prevent inundations; a levee. Dikes that the hands of the farmers had raised . . . Shut out the turbulent tides. Longfellow.

3. A wall of turf or stone. [Scot.]

4. (Geol.)

Defn: A wall-like mass of mineral matter, usually an intrusion of igneous rocks, filling up rents or fissures in the original strata.

DIKE Dike, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diked; p. pr. & vb. n. Diking.] Etym: [OE. diken, dichen, AS. dician to dike. See Dike.]

1. To surround or protect with a dike or dry bank; to secure with a bank.

2. To drain by a dike or ditch.

DIKE
Dike, v. i.

Defn: To work as a ditcher; to dig. [Obs.]
He would thresh and thereto dike and delve. Chaucer.

DIKER
Dik"er, n.

1. A ditcher. Piers Plowman.

2. One who builds stone walls; usually, one who builds them without lime. [Scot.]

DILACERATE
Di*lac"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilacerated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dilacerating.] Etym: [L. dilaceratus, p. p. of dilacerare to tear
apart; di- = dis- + lacerare to tear.]

Defn: To rend asunder; to tear to pieces. Sir T. Browne.

DILACERATION
Di*lac`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. dilaceratio: cf. F. dilacération.]

Defn: The act of rending asunder. Arbuthnot.

DILANIATE Di*la"ni*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. dilaniatus, p. p. of dilaniare to dilacerate; di- = dis- + laniare to tear to pieces.]

Defn: To rend in pieces; to tear. [R.] Howell.

DILANIATION
Di*la`ni*a"tion, n.

Defn: A rending or tearing in pieces; dilaceration. [R.]

DILAPIDATE
Di*lap"i*date, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilapidated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dilapidating.] Etym: [L. dilapidare to scatter like stones; di- =
dis- + lapidare to throw stones, fr. lapis a stone. See Lapidary.]

1. To bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin, by misuse or through neglect; to destroy the fairness and good condition of; — said of a building. If the bishop, parson, or vicar, etc., dilapidates the buildings, or cuts down the timber of the patrimony. Blackstone.

2. To impair by waste and abuse; to squander. The patrimony of the bishopric of Oxon was much dilapidated. Wood.

DILAPIDATE
Di*lap"i*date, v. i.

Defn: To get out of repair; to fall into partial ruin; to become decayed; as, the church was suffered to dilapidate. Johnson.

DILAPIDATED
Di*lap"i*da`ted, a.

Defn: Decayed; fallen into partial ruin; injured by bad usage or
neglect.
A deserted and dilapidated buildings. Cooper.

DILAPIDATION
Di*lap`i*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. dilapidatio: cf. F. dilapidation.]

1. The act of dilapidating, or the state of being dilapidated, reduced to decay, partially ruined, or squandered. Tell the people that are relived by the dilapidation of their public estate. Burke.

2. Ecclesiastical waste; impairing of church property by an incumbent, through neglect or by intention. The business of dilapidations came on between our bishop and the Archibishop of York. Strype.

3. (Law)

Defn: The pulling down of a building, or suffering it to fall or be in a state of decay. Burrill.

DILAPIDATOR
Di*lap"i*da`tor, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dilapidateur.]

Defn: One who causes dilapidation. Strype.

DILATABILITY
Di*la`ta*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dilatabilité.]

Defn: The quality of being dilatable, or admitting expansion; — opposed to contractibility. Ray.

DILATABLE
Di*lat"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. dilatable.]

Defn: Capable of expansion; that may be dilated; — opposed to contractible; as, the lungs are dilatable by the force of air; air is dilatable by heat.

DILATATION Dil`a*ta"tion, n. Etym: [OE. dilatacioun, F. dilatation, L. dilatatio, fr. dilatare. See Dilate, and cf. 2d Dilation.]

1. Prolixity; diffuse discourse. [Obs.] "What needeth greater dilatation" Chaucer.

2. The act of dilating; expansion; an enlarging on al

3. (Anat.)

Defn: A dilation or enlargement of a canal or other organ.

DILATATOR
Dil`a*ta"tor, n. Etym: [NL. Cf. L. dilatator a propagator.] (Anat.)

Defn: A muscle which dilates any part; a dilator.

DILATE Di*late", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilated; p. pr. & vb. n. Dilating.] Etym: [L. dilatare; either fr. di- = dis- + latus wide, not the same word as latus, used as p. p. of ferre to bear (see Latitude); or fr. dilatus, used as p. p. of differre to separate (see Delay, Tolerate, Differ, and cf. Dilatory): cf. F. dilater.]

1. To expand; to distend; to enlarge or extend in all directions; to swell; — opposed to contract; as, the air dilates the lungs; air is dilated by increase of heat.

2. To enlarge upon; to relate at large; to tell copiously or diffusely. [R.] Do me the favor to dilate at full What hath befallen of them and thee till now. Shak.

Syn. — To expand; swell; distend; enlarge; spread out; amplify; expatiate.

DILATE
Di*late", v. i.

1. To grow wide; to expand; to swell or extend in all directions. His heart dilates and glories in his strength. Addison.

2. To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge; — with on or upon. But still on their ancient joys dilate. Crabbe.

DILATE
Di*late", a.

Defn: Extensive; expanded. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

DILATED
Di*lat"ed, a.

1. Expanded; enlarged. Shak.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Widening into a lamina or into lateral winglike appendages.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the margin wide and spreading.

DILATEDLY
Di*lat"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a dilated manner. Feltham.

DILATER
Di*lat"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, dilates, expands, o r enlarges.

DILATION
Di*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. dilatio. See Dilatory.]

Defn: Delay. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

DILATION
Di*la"tion, n. Etym: [From dilate, v., cf. Dilatation, Dilator.]

Defn: The act of dilating, or the state of being dilated; expansion;
dilatation. Mrs. Browning.
At first her eye with slow dilation rolled. Tennyson.
A gigantic dilation of the hateful figure. Dickens.

DILATIVE
Di*lat"ive, a.

Defn: Causing dilation; tending to dilate, on enlarge; expansive.
Coleridge.

DILATOMETER
Dil`a*tom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Dilate + -meter.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the dilatation or expansion of a substance, especially of a fluid.

DILATOR
Di*lat"or, n. Etym: [See Dilate.]

1. One who, or that which, widens or expands.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: A muscle that dilates any part.

3. (Med.)

Defn: An instrument for expanding a part; as, a urethral dilator.

DILATORILY
Dil"a*to*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: With delay; tardily.

DILATORINESS
Dil"a*to*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being dilatory; lateness; slowness; tardiness; sluggishness.

DILATORY
Dil"a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. dilatorius, fr. dilator a delayer, fr.
dilatus, used as p. p. of differe to defer, delay: cf. F. dilatoire.
See Dilate, Differ, Defer.]

1. Inclined to defer or put off what ought to be done at once; given the procrastination; delaying; procrastinating; loitering; as, a dilatory servant.

2. Marked by procrastination or delay; tardy; slow; sluggish; — said of actions or measures. Alva, as usual, brought his dilatory policy to bear upon hiMotley. Dilatory plea (Law), a plea designed to create delay in the trial of a cause, generally founded upon some matter not connected with the merits of the case.

Syn. — Slow; delaying; sluggish; inactive; loitering; behindhand; backward; procrastinating. See Slow.

DILDO
Dil"do, n.

Defn: A burden in popular songs. [Obs.]
Delicate burthens of dildos and fadings. Shak.

DILDO
Dil"do, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A columnar cactaceous plant of the West Indies (Cereus
Swartzii).

DILECTION
Di*lec"tion, n. Etym: [L. dilectio: dilection. See Diligent.]

Defn: Love; choice. [Obs.] T. Martin.

DILEMMA
Di*lem"ma, n. Etym: [L. dilemma, Gr. Lemma.]

1. (Logic)

Defn: An argument which presents an antagonist with two or more alternatives, but is equally conclusive against him, whichever alternative he chooses.

Note: The following are instances of the dilemma. A young rhetorician applied to an old sophist to be taught the art of pleading, and bargained for a certain reward to be paid when he should gain a cause. The master sued for his reward, and the scholar endeavored to dilemma. "If I gain my cause, I shall withhold your pay, because the judge's award will be against you; if I lose it, I may withhold it, because I shall not yet have gained a cause." "On the contrary," says the master, "if you gain your cause, you must pay me, because you are to pay me when you gain a cause; if you lose it, you must pay me, because the judge will award it." Johnson.

2. A state of things in which evils or obstacles present themselves on every side, and it is difficult to determine what course to pursue; a vexatious alternative or predicament; a difficult choice or position. A strong dilemma in a desperate case! To act with infamy, or quit the place. Swift. Horns of a dilemma, alternatives, each of which is equally difficult of encountering.

DILETTANT
Dil"et*tant`, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to dilettanteism; amateur; as, dilettant speculation. Carlyle.

DILETTANT
Dil`et*tant", n.

Defn: A dilettante.
Though few art lovers can be connoisseurs, many are dilettants.
Fairholt.

DILETTANTE
Dil`et*tan"te, n.; pl. Dilettanti. Etym: [It., prop. p. pr. of
dillettare to take delight in, fr. L. delectare to delight. See
Delight, v. t.]

Defn: An admirer or lover of the fine arts; popularly, an amateur; especially, one who follows an art or a branch of knowledge, desultorily, or for amusement only.

The true poet is not an eccentric creature, not a mere artist living only for art, not a dreamer or a dilettante, sipping the nectar of existence, while he keeps aloof from its deeper interests. J. C. Shairp.

DILETTANTEISH
Dil`et*tan"te*ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat like a dilettante.

DILETTANTEISM
Dil`et*tan"te*ism, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being a dilettante; the desultory pursuit of art, science, or literature.

DILETTANTISH
Dil`et*tant"ish, a.

Defn: Dilettanteish.

DILETTANTISM
Dil`et*tant"ism, n.

Defn: Same as Dilettanteism. F. Harrison.

DILIGENCE
Dil"i*gence, n. Etym: [F. diligence, L. diligentia.]

1. The quality of being diligent; carefulness; careful attention; — the opposite of negligence.

2. Interested and persevering application; devoted and painstaking effort to accomplish what is undertaken; assiduity in service. That which ordinary men are fit for, I am qualified in; and the best of me is diligence. Shak.

3. (Scots Law)

Defn: Process by which persons, lands, or effects are seized for debt; process for enforcing the attendance of witnesses or the production of writings. To do one's diligence, give diligence, use diligence, to exert one's self; to make interested and earnest endeavor. And each of them doth all his diligence To do unto the festé reverence. Chaucer.

Syn. — Attention; industry; assiduity; sedulousness; earnestness; constancy; heed; heedfulness; care; caution. — Diligence, Industry. Industry has the wider sense of the two, implying an habitual devotion to labor for some valuable end, as knowledge, property, etc. Diligence denotes earnest application to some specific object or pursuit, which more or less directly has a strong hold on one's interests or feelings. A man may be diligent for a time, or in seeking some favorite end, without meriting the title of industrious. Such was the case with Fox, while Burke was eminent not only for diligence, but industry; he was always at work, and always looking out for some new field of mental effort. The sweat of industry would dry and die, But for the end it works to. Shak. Diligence and accuracy are the only merits which an historical writer ascribe to himself. Gibbon.

DILIGENCE
Di`li*gence", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A four-wheeled public stagecoach, used in France.

DILIGENCY
Dil"i*gen*cy, n. Etym: [L. diligentia.]

Defn: Diligence; care; persevering endeavor. [Obs.] Milton.

DILIGENT Dil"i*gent, a. Etym: [F. diligent, L. diligens, -entis, p. pr. of diligere, dilectum, to esteem highly, prefer; di- = dis- + legere to choose. See Legend.]

1. Prosecuted with careful attention and effort; careful; painstaking; not careless or negligent. The judges shall make diligent inquisition. Deut. xix. 18.

2. Interestedly and perseveringly attentive; steady and earnest in application to a subject or pursuit; assiduous; industrious. Seest thou a man diligent in his business he shall stand before kings. Prov. xxii. 29. Diligent cultivation of elegant literature. Prescott.

Syn. — Active; assiduous; sedulous; laborious; persevering; attentive; industrious.

DILIGENTLY
Dil"i*gent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a diligent manner; not carelessly; not negligently; with industry or assiduity. Ye diligently keep commandments of the Lord your God. Deut. vi. 17.

DILL Dill, n. Etym: [AS dile; akin to D. dille, OHG. tilli, G. dill, dille, Sw. dill, Dan. dild.] (Bot.)

Defn: An herb (Peucedanum graveolens), the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent, and aromatic, and were formerly used as a soothing medicine for children; — called also dill-seed. Dr. Prior.

DILL
Dill, v. t. Etym: [OE. dillen, fr. dul dull, a.]

Defn: To still; to calm; to soothe, as one in pain. [Obs.]

DILLING
Dil"ling, n.

Defn: A darling; a favorite. [Obs.]
Whilst the birds billing, Each one with his dilling. Drayton.

DILLUING
Dil*lu"ing, n. (Min.)

Defn: A process of sorting ore by washing in a hand sieve. [Written also deluing.]

DILLY
Dil"ly, n. Etym: [Contr. fr. diligence.]

Defn: A kind of stagecoach. "The Derby dilly." J. H. Frere.

DILLY-DALLY
Dil"ly-dal`ly, v. i. Etym: [See Dally.]

Defn: To loiter or trifle; to waste time.

DILOGICAL
Di*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Ambiguous; of double meaning. [Obs.] T. Adams.

DILOGY
Dil"o*gy, n.; pl. Dilogies. Etym: [L. dilogia, Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: An ambiguous speech; a figure in which a word is used an equivocal sense. [R.]

DILUCID Di*lu"cid, a. Etym: [L. dilucidus, fr. dilucere to be light enough to distinguish objects apart. See Lucid.]

Defn: Clear; lucid. [Obs.] Bacon.
— Di*lu"cid*ly, adv. [Obs.] — Di`lu*cid"i*ty, n. [Obs.]

DILUCIDATE
Di*lu"ci*date, v. t. Etym: [L. dilucidatus, p. p. of dilucidare.]

Defn: To elucidate. [Obs.] Boyle.

DILUCIDATION
Di*lu`ci*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. dilucidatio.]

Defn: The act of making clear. [Obs.] Boyle.

DILUENT
Dil"u*ent, a. Etym: [L. diluens, p. pr. diluere. See Dilute.]

Defn: Diluting; making thinner or weaker by admixture, esp. of water.
Arbuthnot.

DILUENT
Dil"u*ent, n.

1. That which dilutes.

2. (Med.)

Defn: An agent used for effecting dilution of the blood; a weak
drink.
There is no real diluent but water. Arbuthnot.

DILUTE
Di*lute", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diluted; p. pr. & vb. n. Diluting.]
Etym: [L. dilutus, p. p. of diluere to wash away, dilute; di- = dis-
+ luere, equiv. to lavare to wash, lave. See Lave, and cf. Deluge.]

1. To make thinner or more liquid by admixture with something; to thin and dissolve by mixing. Mix their watery store. With the chyle's current, and dilute it more. Blackmore.

2. To diminish the strength, flavor, color, etc., of, by mixing; to reduce, especially by the addition of water; to temper; to attenuate; to weaken. Lest these colors should be diluted and weakened by the mixture of any adventitious light. Sir I. Newton.

DILUTE
Di*lute", v. i.

Defn: To become attenuated, thin, or weak; as, it dilutes easily.

DILUTE
Di*lute", a. Etym: [L. dilutus, p. p.]

Defn: Diluted; thin; weak.
A dilute and waterish exposition. Hopkins.

DILUTED
Di*lut"ed, a.

Defn: Reduced in strength; thin; weak.
— Di*lut"ed*ly, adv.

DILUTENESS
Di*lute"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being dilute. Bp. Wilkins.

DILUTER
Di*lut"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, dilutes or makes thin, more liquid, or weaker.

DILUTION
Di*lu"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dilution.]

Defn: The act of diluting, or the state of being diluted. Arbuthnot.

DILUVIAL
Di*lu"vi*al, a. Etym: [L. diluvialis. fr. diluvium.]

1. Of or pertaining to a flood or deluge, esp. to the great deluge in the days of Noah; diluvian.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: Effected or produced by a flood or deluge of water; — said of coarse and imperfectly stratified deposits along ancient or existing water courses. Similar unstratified deposits were formed by the agency of ice. The time of deposition has been called the Diluvian epoch.

DILUVIALIST
Di*lu"vi*al*ist, n.

Defn: One who explains geological phenomena by the Noachian deluge.
Lyell.

DILUVIAN
Di*lu"vi*an, a. Etym: [Cf. F. diluvien.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a deluge, esp. to the Noachian deluge; diluvial; as, of diluvian origin. Buckland.

DILUVIATE
Di*lu"vi*ate, v. i. Etym: [L. diluviare.]

Defn: To run as a flood. [Obs.] Sir E. Sandys.

DILUVIUM
Di*lu"vi*um, n.; pl. E. Diluviums, L. Diluvia. Etym: [L. diluvium.
See Dilute, Deluge.] (Geol.)

Defn: A deposit of superficial loam, sand, gravel, stones, etc., caused by former action of flowing waters, or the melting of glacial ice.

Note: The accumulation of matter by the ordinary operation of water is termed alluvium.

DIM
Dim, a. [Compar. Dimmer; superl. Dimmest.] Etym: [AS. dim; akin to
OFries. dim, Icel. dimmr: cf. MHG. timmer, timber; of uncertain
origin.]

1. Not bright or distinct; wanting luminousness or clearness; obscure in luster or sound; dusky; darkish; obscure; indistinct; overcast; tarnished. The dim magnificence of poetry. Whewell. How is the gold become dim! Lam. iv. 1. I never saw The heavens so dim by day. Shak. Three sleepless nights I passed in sounding on, Through words and things, a dim and perilous way. Wordsworth.

2. Of obscure vision; not seeing clearly; hence, dull of apprehension; of weak perception; obtuse. Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. Job xvii. 7. The understanding is dim. Rogers.

Note: Obvious compounds: dim-eyed; dim-sighted, etc.

Syn. — Obscure; dusky; dark; mysterious; imperfect; dull; sullied; tarnished.

DIM
Dim, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dimmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dimming.]

1. To render dim, obscure, or dark; to make less bright or distinct; to take away the luster of; to darken; to dull; to obscure; to eclipse. A king among his courtiers, who dims all his attendants. Dryden. Now set the sun, and twilight dimmed the ways. Cowper.

2. To deprive of distinct vision; to hinder from seeing clearly, either by dazzling or clouding the eyes; to darken the senses or understanding of. Her starry eyes were dimmed with streaming tears. C. Pitt.

DIM
Dim, v. i.

Defn: To grow dim. J. C. Shairp.

DIMBLE Dim"ble, n. Etym: [Prob. orig., a cavity, and the same word as dimple. See Dimple.]

Defn: A bower; a dingle. [Obs.] Drayton.

DIME Dime, n. Etym: [F. dîme tithe, OF. disme, fr. L. decimus the tenth, fr. decem ten. See Decimal.]

Defn: A silver coin of the United States, of the value of ten cents; the tenth of a dollar. Dime novel, a novel, commonly sensational and trashy, which is sold for a dime, or ten cents.

DIMENSION
Di*men"sion, n. Etym: [L. dimensio, fr. dimensus, p. p. of dimetiri
to measure out; di- = dis- + metiri to measure: cf. F. dimension. See
Measure.]

1. Measure in a single line, as length, breadth, height, thickness, or circumference; extension; measurement; — usually, in the plural, measure in length and breadth, or in length, breadth, and thickness; extent; size; as, the dimensions of a room, or of a ship; the dimensions of a farm, of a kingdom. Gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions. W. Irving. Space of dimension, extension that has length but no breadth or thickness; a straight or curved line. — Space of two dimensions, extension which has length and breadth, but no thickness; a plane or curved surface. — Space of three dimensions, extension which has length, breadth, and thickness; a solid. — Space of four dimensions, as imaginary kind of extension, which is assumed to have length, breadth, thickness, and also a fourth imaginary dimension. Space of five or six, or more dimensions is also sometimes assumed in mathematics.

2. Extent; reach; scope; importance; as, a project of large dimensions.

3. (Math.)

Defn: The degree of manifoldness of a quantity; as, time is quantity having one dimension; volume has three dimensions, relative to extension.

4. (Alg.)

Defn: A literal factor, as numbered in characterizing a term. The term dimensions forms with the cardinal numbers a phrase equivalent to degree with the ordinal; thus, a2b2c is a term of five dimensions, or of the fifth degree.

5. pl. (Phys.)

Defn: The manifoldness with which the fundamental units of time, length, and mass are involved in determining the units of other physical quantities. Thus, since the unit of velocity varies directly as the unit of length and inversely as the unit of time, the dimensions of velocity are said to be length ÷ time; the dimensions of work are mass × (length)2 ÷ (time)2; the dimensions of density are mass ÷ (length)3. Dimension lumber, Dimension scantling, or Dimension stock (Carp.), lumber for building, etc., cut to the sizes usually in demand, or to special sizes as ordered. — Dimension stone, stone delivered from the quarry rough, but brought to such sizes as are requisite for cutting to dimensions given.

DIMENSIONAL
Di*men"sion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to dimension.

DIMENSIONED
Di*men"sioned, a.

Defn: Having dimensions. [R.]

DIMENSIONLESS
Di*men"sion*less, a.

Defn: Without dimensions; having no appreciable or noteworthy extent.
Milton.

DIMENSITY
Di*men"si*ty, n.

Defn: Dimension. [R.] Howell.

DIMENSIVE
Di*men"sive, a.

Defn: Without dimensions; marking dimensions or the limits.
Who can draw the soul's dimensive lines Sir J. Davies.

DIMERA Dim"e*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) A division of Coleoptera, having two joints to the tarsi. (b) A division of the Hemiptera, including the aphids.

DIMERAN
Dim"er*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Dimera.

DIMEROUS
Dim"er*ous, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Composed of, or having, two parts of each kind.

Note: A dimerous flower has two sepals, two petals, two stamens, and two pistils.

DIMETER
Dim"e*ter, a. Etym: [L. dimeter, Gr.

Defn: Having two poetical measures or meters.
— n.

Defn: A verse of two meters.

DIMETHYL
Di*meth"yl, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + methyl.] (Chem.)

Defn: Ethane; — sometimes so called because regarded as consisting of two methyl radicals. See Ethane.

DIMETRIC
Di*met"ric, a. Etym: [See Dimeter, a.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: Same as Tetragonal. Dana.

DIMICATION
Dim`i*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. dimicatio, fr. dimicare to fight.]

Defn: A fight; contest. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

DIMIDIATE Di*mid"i*ate, a. Etym: [L. dimidiatus, p. p. of dimidiare to halve, fr. dimidius half. See Demi-.]

1. Divided into two equal parts; reduced to half in shape or form.

2. (Biol.) (a) Consisting of only one half of what the normal condition requires; having the appearance of lacking one half; as, a dimidiate leaf, which has only one side developed. (b) Having the organs of one side, or half, different in function from the corresponding organs on the other side; as, dimidiate hermaphroditism.

DIMIDIATE
Di*mid"i*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dimidiated; p. pr. & vb. n.
Dimidiating.]

1. To divide into two equal parts. [Obs.] Cockeram.

2. (Her.)

Defn: To represent the half of; to halve.

DIMIDIATION
Di*mid`i*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. dimidiatio.]

Defn: The act of dimidiating or halving; the state of being dimidiate.

DIMINISH
Di*min"ish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diminished; p. pr. & vb. n.
Diminishing.] Etym: [Pref. di- (= L. dis-) + minish: cf. L.
diminuere, F. diminuer, OE. diminuen. See Dis-, and Minish.]

1. To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; — opposed to augment or increase. Not diminish, but rather increase, the debt. Barrow.

2. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken. This doth nothing diminish their opinion. Robynson (More's Utopia). I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezek. xxix. 15. O thou . . . at whose sight all the stars Hide their diminished heads. Milton.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.

4. To take away; to subtract. Neither shall ye diminish aught from it. Deut. iv. 2. Diminished column, one whose upper diameter is less than the lower. — Diminished, or Diminishing, scale, a scale of gradation used in finding the different points for drawing the spiral curve of the volute. Gwilt. — Diminishing rule (Arch.), a board cut with a concave edge, for fixing the entasis and curvature of a shaft. — Diminishing stile (Arch.), a stile which is narrower in one part than in another, as in many glazed doors.

Syn. — To decrease; lessen; abate; reduce; contract; curtail; impair; degrade. See Decrease.

DIMINISH
Di*min"ish, v. i.

Defn: To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it.

DIMINISHABLE
Di*min"ish*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being diminished or lessened.

DIMINISHER
Di*min"ish*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, diminishes anything. Clerke (1637).

DIMINISHINGLY
Di*min"ish*ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a manner to diminish.

DIMINISHMENT
Di*min"ish*ment, n.

Defn: Diminution. [R.] Cheke.

DIMINUENDO
Di*min`u*en"do, adv. Etym: [It., p. pr. of diminuere to diminish.]
(Mus.)

Defn: In a gradually diminishing manner; with abatement of tone; decrescendo; — expressed on the staff by Dim., or Dimin., or the sign.

DIMINUENT
Di*min"u*ent, a. Etym: [L. diminuens, p. pr. of diminuere. See
Diminish.]

Defn: Lessening. Bp. Sanderson.

DIMINUTAL
Dim`i*nu"tal, a.

Defn: Indicating or causing diminution. Earle.

DIMINUTE
Dim"i*nute, a.

Defn: Small; diminished; diminutive. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

DIMINUTELY
Dim"i*nute*ly, adv.

Defn: Diminutively. [Obs.]

DIMINUTION
Dim`i*nu"tion, n. Etym: [L. diminutio, or perh. rather deminutio: cf.
F. diminution. See Diminish.]

1. The act of diminishing, or of making or becoming less; state of being diminished; reduction in size, quantity, or degree; — opposed to augmentation or increase.

2. The act of lessening dignity or consideration, or the state of being deprived of dignity; a lowering in estimation; degradation; abasement. The world's opinion or diminution of me. Eikon Basilike. Nor thinks it diminution to be ranked In military honor next. Philips.

3. (Law)

Defn: Omission, inaccuracy, or defect in a record.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: In counterpoint, the imitation of, or reply to, a subject, in notes of half the length or value of those the subject itself.

Syn.
— Decrease; decay; abatement; reduction; deduction; decrement.

DIMINUTIVAL
Di*min`u*ti"val, a.

Defn: Indicating diminution; diminutive. "Diminutival forms" [of words]. Earle. — n.

Defn: A diminutive. Earle.

DIMINUTIVE
Di*min"u*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. L. deminutivus, F. diminutif.]

1. Below the average size; very small; little.

2. Expressing diminution; as, a diminutive word.

3. Tending to diminish. [R.] Diminutive of liberty. Shaftesbury.

DIMINUTIVE
Di*min"u*tive, n.

1. Something of very small size or value; an insignificant thing. Such water flies, diminutives of nature. Shak.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A derivative from a noun, denoting a small or a young object of
the same kind with that denoted by the primitive; as, gosling,
eaglet, lambkin.
Babyisms and dear diminutives. Tennyson.

Note: The word sometimes denotes a derivative verb which expresses a diminutive or petty form of the action, as scribble.

DIMINUTIVELY
Di*min"u*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a diminutive manner.

DIMINUTIVENESS
Di*min"u*tive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being diminutive; smallness; littleness; minuteness.

DIMISH
Dim"ish, a.

Defn: See Dimmish.

DIMISSION
Di*mis"sion, n. Etym: [L. dimissio. See Dimit, and cf. Dismission.]

Defn: Leave to depart; a dismissing. [Obs.] Barrow.

DIMISSORY
Dim"is*so*ry, a. Etym: [L. dimissorius: cf. F. dimissoire. See
Dimit.]

Defn: Sending away; dismissing to another jurisdiction; granting leave to depart. Letters dimissory (Eccl.), letters given by a bishop dismissing a person who is removing into another diocese, and recommending him for reception there. Hook.

DIMIT Di*mit", v. t. Etym: [L. dimittere to send away, ledi- = dis- + mittere to send. See Dismiss.]

Defn: To dismiss, let go, or release. [Obs.]

DIMITY
Dim"i*ty, n. Etym: [Prob. fr. Gr. diemet, of F. dimite, démitte. Cf.
Samite.]

Defn: A cotton fabric employed for hangings and furniture coverings, and formerly used for women's under-garments. It is of many patterns, both plain and twilled, and occasionally is printed in colors.

DIMLY
Dim"ly, adv.

Defn: In a dim or obscure manner; not brightly or clearly; with imperfect sight.

DIMMISH; DIMMY
Dim"mish, Dim"my, a.

Defn: Somewhat dim; as, dimmish eyes. "Dimmy clouds." Sir P. Sidney.

DIMNESS
Dim"ness, n. Etym: [AS. dimness.]

1. The state or quality

2. Dullness, or want of clearness, of vision or of intellectual perception. Dr. H. More.

Syn.
— Darkness; obscurity; gloom. See Darkness.

DIMORPH
Di"morph`, n. Etym: [Gr. Di-) + (Crystallog.)

Defn: Either one of the two forms of a dimorphous substance; as, calcite and aragonite are dimorphs.

DIMORPHIC
Di*mor"phic, a.

Defn: Having the property of dimorphism; dimorphous.

DIMORPHISM
Di*mor"phism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dimorphisme.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: Difference of form between members of the same species, as when a plant has two kinds of flowers, both hermaphrodite (as in the partridge berry), or when there are two forms of one or both sexes of the same species of butterfly. Dimorphism is the condition of the appearance of the same species under two dissimilar forms. Darwin.

2. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Crystallization in two independent forms of the same chemical compound, as of calcium carbonate as calcite and aragonite.

DIMORPHOUS
Di*mor"phous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. dimorphe.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: Characterized by dimorphism; occurring under two distinct forms, not dependent on sex; dimorphic.

2. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Crystallizing under two forms fundamentally different, while having the same chemical composition.

DIMPLE
Dim"ple, n. Etym: [Prob. a nasalized dim. of dip. See Dip, and cf.
Dimble.]

1. A slight natural depression or indentation on the surface of some part of the body, esp. on the cheek or chin. Milton. The dimple of her chin. Prior.

2. A slight indentation on any surface. The garden pool's dark surface . . . Breaks into dimples small and bright. Wordsworth.

DIMPLE
Dim"ple, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dimpled; p. pr. & vb. n. Dimpling.]

Defn: To form dimples; to sink into depressions or little
inequalities.
And smiling eddies dimpled on the main. Dryden.

DIMPLE
Dim"ple, v. t.

Defn: To mark with dimples or dimplelike depressions. Shak.

DIMPLEMENT
Dim"ple*ment, n.

Defn: The state of being dimpled, or marked with gentle depressions.
[R.]
The ground's most gentle dimplement. Mrs. Browning.

DIMPLY
Dim"ply, a.

Defn: Full of dimples, or small depressions; dimpled; as, the dimply pool. Thomson.

DIM-SIGHTED
Dim"-sight`ed, a.

Defn: Having dim sight; lacking perception.
— Dim"-sight`ed*ness, n.

DIMYA; DIMYARIA
Dim"y*a, Dim`y*a"ri*a (, n.; pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of lamellibranchiate mollusks having an anterior and posterior adductor muscle, as the common clam. See Bivalve.

DIMYARIAN
Dim`y*a"ri*an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like or pertaining to the Dimya.
— n.

Defn: One of the Dimya.

DIMYARY
Dim"y*a*ry, a. & n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Dimyarian.

DIN Din, n. Etym: [AS. dyne, dyn; akin to Icel. dynr, and to AS. dynian to resound, Icel. dynja to pour down like hail or rain; cf. Skr. dhuni roaring, a torrent, dhvan to sound. Cf. Dun to ask payment.]

Defn: Loud, confused, harsh noise; a loud, continuous, rattling or
clanging sound; clamor; roar.
Think you a little din can daunt mine ears Shak.
He knew the battle's din afar. Sir W. Scott.
The dust and din and steam of town. Tennyson.

DIN Din, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dinned; p. pr. & vb. n. Dinning.] Etym: [AS. dynian. See Din, n.]

1. To strike with confused or clanging sound; to stun with loud and continued noise; to harass with clamor; as, to din the ears with cries.

2. To utter with a din; to repeat noisily; to ding. This hath been often dinned in my ears. Swift. To din into, to fix in the mind of another by frequent and noisy repetitions. Sir W. Scott.

DIN
Din, v. i.

Defn: To sound with a din; a ding.
The gay viol dinning in the dale. A. Seward.

DINAPHTHYL
Di*naph"thyl, n. Etym: [Pref. di- + naphthylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: A colorless, crystalline hydrocarbon, C20H14, obtained from naphthylene, and consisting of a doubled naphthylene radical.

DINAR
Di"nar, n. Etym: [Ar. d, from Gr. denarius. See Denier.]

1. A petty money of accounts of Persia.

2. An ancient gold coin of the East.

DINARCHY
Di"nar*chy, n.

Defn: See Diarchy.

DINE Dine, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dined; p. pr. & vb. n. Dining.] Etym: [F. dîner, OF. disner, LL. disnare, contr. fr. an assumed disjunare; dis- + an assumed junare (OF. juner) to fast, for L. jejunare, fr. jejunus fasting. See Jejune, and cf. Dinner, D.]

Defn: To eat the principal regular meal of the day; to take dinner. Now can I break my fast, dine, sup, and sleep. Shak. To dine with Duke Humphrey, to go without dinner; — a phrase common in Elizabethan literature, said to be from the practice of the poor gentry, who beguiled the dinner hour by a promenade near the tomb of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, in Old Saint Paul's.

DINE
Dine, v. t.

1. To give a dinner to; to furnish with the chief meal; to feed; as, to dine a hundred men. A table massive enough to have dined Johnnie Armstrong and his merry men. Sir W. Scott.

2. To dine upon; to have to eat. [Obs.] "What will ye dine." Chaucer.

DINER
Din"er, n.

Defn: One who dines.

DINER-OUT
Din"er-out`, n.

Defn: One who often takes his dinner away from home, or in company.
A brilliant diner-out, though but a curate. Byron.

DINETICAL
Di*net"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Revolving on an axis. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

DING Ding, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dinged, Dang (Obs.), or Dung (Obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. Dinging.] Etym: [OE. dingen, dengen; akin to AS. dencgan to knock, Icel. dengja to beat, hammer, Sw. dänga, G. dengeln.]

1. To dash; to throw violently. [Obs.] To ding the book a coit's distance from him. Milton.

2. To cause to sound or ring. To ding (anything) in one's ears, to impress one by noisy repetition, as if by hammering.

DING
Ding, v. i.

1. To strike; to thump; to pound. [Obs.] Diken, or delven, or dingen upon sheaves. Piers Plowman.

2. To sound, as a bell; to ring; to clang. The fretful tinkling of the convent bell evermore dinging among the mountain echoes. W. Irving.

3. To talk with vehemence, importunity, or reiteration; to bluster. [Low]

DING
Ding, n.

Defn: A thump or stroke, especially of a bell.

DINGDONG
Ding"dong`, n. Etym: [See Ding.]

1. The sound of, or as of, repeated strokes on a metallic body, as a bell; a repeated and monotonous sound.

2. (Horol.)

Defn: An attachment to a clock by which the quarter hours are struck upon bells of different tones.

DINGDONG THEORY
Ding"dong` the"o*ry. (Philol.)

Defn: The theory which maintains that the primitive elements of language are reflex expressions induced by sensory impressions; that is, as stated by Max Müller, the creative faculty gave to each general conception as it thrilled for the first time through the brain a phonetic expression; — jocosely so called from the analogy of the sound of a bell induced by the stroke of the clapper.

DINGEY; DINGY; DINGHY
Din"gey, Din"gy, Din"ghy, n. Etym: [Bengalee dingi.]

1. A kind of boat used in the East Indies. [Written also dinghey.] Malcom.

2. A ship's smallest boat.

DINGILY
Din"gi*ly, adv.

Defn: In a dingy manner.

DINGINESS
Din"gi*ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being dingy; a dusky hue.

DINGLE Din"gle, n. Etym: [Of uncertain origin: cf. AS. ding prison; or perh. akin to dimble.]

Defn: A narrow dale; a small dell; a small, secluded, and embowered valley.

DINGLE-DANGLE
Din"gle-dan`gle, adv.

Defn: In a dangling manner.

DINGO
Din"go, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A wild dog found in Australia, but supposed to have introduced at a very early period. It has a wolflike face, bushy tail, and a reddish brown color.

DINGTHRIFT
Ding"thrift`, n.

Defn: A spendthrift. [Obs.]
Wilt thou, therefore, a drunkard be, A dingthrift and a knave Drant.

DINGY Din"gy, a. [Compar. Dingier; superl. Dingiest.] Etym: [Prob. fr. dung. Cf. Dungy.]

Defn: Soiled; sullied; of a dark or dusky color; dark brown; dirty.
"Scraps of dingy paper." Macaulay.

DINICHTHYS
Di*nich"thys, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of large extinct Devonian ganoid fishes. In some parts of Ohio remains of the Dinichthys are abundant, indicating animals twenty feet in length.

DINING
Din"ing, n. & a.

Defn: from Dine, a.

Note: Used either adjectively or as the first part of a compound; as, dining hall or dining-hall, dining room, dining table, etc.

DINK
Dink, a. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: Trim; neat. [Scot.] Burns.
— Dink"ly, adv.

DINK
Dink, v. t.

Defn: To deck; — often with out or up. [Scot.]

DINMONT
Din"mont, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A wether sheep between one and two years old. [Scot.]

DINNER
Din"ner, n. Etym: [F. dîner, fr. dîner to dine. See Dine.]

1. The principal meal of the day, eaten by most people about midday, but by many (especially in cities) at a later hour.

2. An entertainment; a feast. A grand political dinner. Tennyson.

Note: Dinner is much used, in an obvious sense, either adjectively or as the first part of a compound; as, dinner time, or dinner-time, dinner bell, dinner hour, etc.

DINNERLESS
Din"ner*less, a.

Defn: Having no dinner. Fuller.

DINNERLY
Din"ner*ly, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to dinner. [R.]
The dinnerly officer. Copley.

DINOCERAS
Di*noc"e*ras, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of large extinct Eocene mammals from Wyoming; — called also Uintatherium. See Illustration in Appendix.

Note: They were herbivorous, and remarkable for three pairs of hornlike protuberances on the skull. The males were armed with a pair of powerful canine tusks.

DINORNIS
Di*nor"nis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of extinct, ostrichlike birds of gigantic size, which formerly inhabited New Zealand. See Moa. [Written also Deinornis.]

DINOSAUR; DINOSAURIAN
Di"no*saur, Di`no*sau"ri*an, n. Etym: [Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of the Dinosauria. [Written also deinosaur, and deinosaurian.]

DINOSAURIA
Di`no*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)