D (continued 2)

DATER Dat"er, n.

Defn: One who dates.

DATISCIN Da*tis"cin, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline glucoside extracted from the bastard hemp (Datisca cannabina).

DATIVE Da"tive, a. Etym: [L. dativus appropriate to giving, fr. dare to give. See 2d Date.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: Noting the case of a noun which expresses the remoter object, and is generally indicated in English by to or for with the objective.

2. (Law) (a) In one's gift; capable of being disposed of at will and pleasure, as an office. (b) Removable, as distinguished from perpetual; — said of an officer. (c) Given by a magistrate, as distinguished from being cast upon a party by the law. Burril. Bouvier. Dative executor, one appointed by the judge of probate, his office answering to that of an administrator.

DATIVE Da"tive, n. Etym: [L. dativus.]

Defn: The dative case. See Dative, a.,

1.

DATIVELY Da"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: As a gift. [R.]

DATOLITE Dat"o*lite, n. Etym: [From. Gr. to divide + -lite; in allusion to the granular structure of a massive variety.] (Min.)

Defn: A borosilicate of lime commonly occuring in glassy,, greenish crystals. [Written also datholite.]

DATUM Da"tum, n.; pl. Data. Etym: [L. See 2d Date.]

1. Something given or admitted; a fact or principle granted; that upon which an inference or an argument is based; — used chiefly in the plural. Any writer, therefore, who . . . furnishes us with data sufficient to determine the time in which he wrote. Priestley.

2. pl. (Math.)

Defn: The quantities or relations which are assumed to be given in any problem. Datum line (Surv.), the horizontal or base line, from which the heights of points are reckoned or measured, as in the plan of a railway, etc.

DATURA Da*tu"ra, n. Etym: [NL.; cf. Skr. dhatt, Per. & Ar. tat, Tat.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of solanaceous plants, with large funnel-shaped flowers and a four-celled, capsular fruit.

Note: The commonest species are the thorn apple (D. stramonium), with a prickly capsule (see Illust. of capsule), white flowers and green stem, and D. tatula, with a purplish tinge of the stem and flowers. Both are narcotic and dangerously poisonous.

DATURINE Da*tu"rine, n. Etym: [From Datura.] (Chem.)

Defn: Atropine; — called also daturia and daturina.

DAUB Daub, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Daubed; p. pr. & vb. n. Daubing.] Etym: [OE. dauben to smear, OF. dauber to plaster, fr. L. dealbare to whitewash, plaster; de- + albare to whiten, fr. albus white, perh. also confused with W. dwb plaster, dwbio to plaster, Ir. & OGael. dob plaster. See Alb, and cf. Dealbate.]

1. To smear with soft, adhesive matter, as pitch, slime, mud, etc.; to plaster; to bedaub; to besmear. She took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch. Ex. ii. 3.

2. To paint in a coarse or unskillful manner. If a picture is daubed with many bright and glaring colors, the vulgar admire it is an excellent piece. I. Watts. A lame, imperfect piece, rudely daubed over. Dryden.

3. To cover with a specious or deceitful exterior; to disguise; to conceal. So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue. Shak.

4. To flatter excessively or glossy. [R.] I can safely say, however, that, without any daubing at all, I am very sincerely your very affectionate, humble servant. Smollett.

5. To put on without taste; to deck gaudily. [R.] Let him be daubed with lace. Dryden.

DAUB Daub, v. i.

Defn: To smear; to play the flatterer. His conscience . . . will not daub nor flatter. South.

DAUB Daub, n.

1. A viscous, sticky application; a spot smeared or dabed; a smear.

2. (Paint.)

Defn: A picture coarsely executed. Did you . . . take a look at the grand picture . . . 'T is a melancholy daub, my lord. Sterne.

DAUBER Daub"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, daubs; especially, a coarse, unskillful painter.

2. (Copperplate Print.)

Defn: A pad or ball of rags, covered over with canvas, for inking plates; a dabber.

3. A low and gross flattere.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The mud wasp; the mud dauber.

DAUBERY; DAUBRY Daub"er*y, or Daub"ry, n.

Defn: A daubing; specious coloring; false pretenses. She works by charms, by spells, by the figure, and such daubery as this is. Shak.

DAUBING Daub"ing, n.

1. The act of one who daubs; that which is daubed.

2. A rough coat of mortar put upon a wall to give it the appearance of stone; rough-cast.

3. In currying, a mixture of fish oil and tallow worked into leather; — called also dubbing. Knight.

DAUBREELITE Dau"bree*lite, n. Etym: [From Daubrée, a French mineralogist.] (Min.)

Defn: A sulphide of chromium observed in some meteoric irons.

DAUBY Daub"y, a.

Defn: Smeary; viscous; glutinous; adhesive. "Dauby wax."

DAUGHTER Daugh"ter, n.; pl. Daughters; obs. pl. Daughtren. Etym: [OE. doughter, doghter, dohter, AS. dohtor, dohter; akin to OS. dohtar, D. dochter, G. tochter, Icel. d, Sw. dotter, Dan. dotter, datter, Goth. daúhtar,, OSlav. d, Russ. doche, Lith. dukt, Gr. , Zendughdhar, Skr. duhit; possibly originally, the milker, cf. Skr. duh to milk. sq. root68, 245.]

1. The female offspring of the human species; a female child of any age; — applied also to the lower animals.

2. A female descendant; a woman. This woman, being a daughter of Abraham. Luke xiii. 16. Dinah, the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughter of the land. Gen. xxxiv. 1.

3. A son's wife; a daughter-in-law. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters. Ruth. i. 11.

4. A term of adress indicating parental interest. Daughter, be of good comfort. Matt. ix. 22. Daughter cell (Biol.), one of the cells formed by cell division. See Cell division, under Division.

DAUGHTER-IN-LAW Daugh"ter-in-law`, n.; pl. Daughters-in-law.

Defn: The wife of one's son.

DAUGHTERLINESS Daugh"ter*li*ness, n.

Defn: The state of a daughter, or the conduct becoming a daughter.

DAUGHTERLY Daugh"ter*ly, a.

Defn: Becoming a daughter; filial. Sir Thomas liked her natural and dear daughterly affection towards him. Cavendish.

DAUK Dauk, v. t.

Defn: See Dawk, v. t., to cut or gush.

DAUN Daun, n.

Defn: A variant of Dan, a title of honor. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DAUNT Daunt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Daunted; p. pr. & vb. n. Daunting.] Etym: [OF. danter, F. dompter to tame, subdue, fr. L. domitare, v. intens. of domare to tame. See Tame.]

1. To overcome; to conquer. [Obs.]

2. To repress or subdue the courage of; to check by fear of danger; to cow; to intimidate; to dishearten. Some presences daunt and discourage us. Glanvill.

Syn. — To dismay; appall. See Dismay.

DAUNTER Daunt"er, n.

Defn: One who daunts.

DAUNTLESS Daunt"less, a.

Defn: Incapable of being daunted; undaunted; bold; fearless; intrepid. Dauntless he rose, and to the fight returned. Dryden. — Daunt"less*ly, adv. — Daunt"less*ness, n.

DAUPHIN Dau"phin, n. Etym: [F. dauphin, prop., a dolphin, from L. delphinus. See Dolphin. The name was given, for some reason unexplained, to Guigo, count of Vienne, in the 12th century, and was borne by succeeding counts of Vienne. In 1349, Dauphiny was bequeathed to Philippe de Valois, king of France, on condition that the heir of the crown should always hold the title of Dauphin de Viennois.]

Defn: The title of the eldest son of the king of France, and heir to the crown. Since the revolution of 1830, the title has been discontinued.

DAUPHINESS; DAUPHINE Dau"phin*ess, or Dau"phine, n.

Defn: The title of the wife of the dauphin.

DAUW Dauw, n. Etym: [D.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The striped quagga, or Burchell's zebra, of South Africa (Asinus Burchellii); — called also peechi, or peetsi.

DAVENPORT Dav"en*port, n. Etym: [From the name of the original maker. Encyc. Dict.]

Defn: A kind of small writing table, generally somewhat ornamental, and forming a piece of furniture for the parlor or boudoir. A much battered davenport in one of the windows, at which sat a lady writing. A. B. Edwards.

DAVIDIC Da*vid"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to David, the king and psalmist of Israel, or to his family.

DAVIT Dav"it, n. Etym: [Cf. F. davier forceps, davit, cooper's instrument, G. david davit; all probably from the proper name David.] (Naut.) (a) A spar formerly used on board of ships, as a crane to hoist the flukes of the anchor to the top of the bow, without injuring the sides of the ship; — called also the fish davit. (b) pl.

Defn: Curved arms of timber or iron, projecting over a ship's side of stern, having tackle to raise or lower a boat, swing it in on deck, rig it out for lowering, etc.; — called also boat davits. Totten.

DAVY JONES Da"vy Jones".

Defn: The spirit of the sea; sea devil; — a term used by sailors. This same Davy Jones, according to the mythology of sailors, is the fiend that presides over all the evil spirits of the deep, and is seen in various shapes warning the devoted wretch of death and woe. Smollett. Davy Jones's Locker, the ocean, or bottom of the ocean. — Gone to Davy Jones's Locker, dead, and buried in the sea; thrown overboard.

DAVY LAMP Da"vy lamp`.

Defn: See Safety lamp, under Lamp.

DAVYNE Da"vyne, n. Etym: [See Davyum.] (Min.)

Defn: A variety of nephelite from Vesuvius.

DAVYUM Da"vy*um, n. Etym: [Named after Sir Humphry Davy, the English chemist.] (Chem.)

Defn: A rare metallic element found in platinum ore. It is a white malleable substance. Symbol Da. Atomic weight 154.

DAW Daw, n. Etym: [OE. dawe; akin to OHG. taha, MHG. tahe, tahele, G. dohle. Cf. Caddow.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A European bird of the Crow family (Corvus monedula), often nesting in church towers and ruins; a jackdaw. The loud daw, his throat displaying, draw The whole assembly of his fellow daws. Waller.

Note: The daw was reckoned as a silly bird, and a daw meant a simpleton. See in Shakespeare: — "Then thou dwellest with daws too." (Coriolanus iv. 5, 1. 47.) Skeat.

DAW Daw, v. i. Etym: [OE. dawen. See Dawn.]

Defn: To dawn. [Obs.] See Dawn.

DAW Daw, v. t. Etym: [Contr. fr. Adaw.]

1. To rouse. [Obs.]

2. To daunt; to terrify. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

DAWDLE Daw"dle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dawdled; p. pr. & vb. n. Dawdling.] Etym: [Cf. Daddle.]

Defn: To waste time in trifling employment; to trifle; to saunter. Come some evening and dawdle over a dish of tea with me. Johnson. We . . . dawdle up and down Pall Mall. Thackeray.

DAWDLE Daw"dle, v. t.

Defn: To waste by trifling; as, to dawdle away a whole morning.

DAWDLE Daw"dle, n.

Defn: A dawdler. Colman & Carrick.

DAWDLER Daw"dler, n.

Defn: One who wastes time in trifling employments; an idler; a trifler.

DAWE Dawe, n. Etym: [See Day.]

Defn: Day. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DAWISH Daw"ish, a.

Defn: Like a daw.

DAWK Dawk, n.

Defn: See Dak.

DAWK Dawk, v. t. Etym: [Prov. E. dauk to cut or pierce with a jerk; cf. OE. dalk a dimple. Cf. Ir. tolch, tollachd, tolladh, a hole, crevice, toll to bore, pierce, W. tyllu.]

Defn: To cut or mark with an incision; to gash. Moxon.

DAWK Dawk, n.

Defn: A hollow, crack, or cut, in timber. Moxon.

DAWN Dawn, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dawned; p. pr. & vb. n. Dawning.] Etym: [OE. dawnen, dawen, dagen, daien, AS. dagian to become day, to dawn, fr. dæg day; akin to D. dagen, G. tagen, Icel. daga, Dan. dages, Sw. dagas. See Day.

1. To begin to grow light in the morning; to grow light; to break, or begin to appear; as, the day dawns; the morning dawns. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene . . . to see the sepulcher. Matt. xxviii. 1.

2. To began to give promise; to begin to appear or to expand. "In dawning youth." Dryden. When life awakes, and dawns at every line. Pope. Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid. Heber,

DAWN Dawn, n.

1. The break of day; the first appeareance of light in the morning; show of approaching sunrise. And oft at dawn, deep noon, or falling eve. Thomson. No sun, no moon, no morn, no noon, No dawn, no dusk, no proper time of day. Hood.

2. First opening or expansion; first appearance; beginning; rise. "The dawn of time." Thomson. These tender circumstances diffuse a dawn of serenity over the soul. Pope.

DAWSONITE Daw"son*ite, n. Etym: [Named after J. W. Dawson of Montreal.] (Min.)

Defn: A hydrous carbonate of alumina and soda, occuring in white, bladed crustals.

DAY Day, n. Etym: [OE. day, dai,, dei, AS. dæg; akin to OS., D., Dan., & Sw. dag, G, tag, Icel. dagr, Goth. dags; cf. Skr. dah (for dhagh ) to burn. *69. Cf. Dawn.]

1. The time of light, or interval between one night and the next; the time between sunrise and sunset, or from dawn to darkness; hence, the light; sunshine.

2. The period of the earth's revolution on its axis. — ordinarily divided into twenty-four hours. It is measured by the interval between two successive transits of a celestial body over the same meridian, and takes a specific name from that of the body. Thus, if this is the sun, the day (the interval between two successive transits of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a solar day; if it is a star, a sidereal day; if it is the moon, a lunar day. See Civil day, Sidereal day, below.

3. Those hours, or the daily recurring period, allotted by usage or law for work.

4. A specified time or period; time, considered with reference to the existence or prominence of a person or thing; age; time. A man who was great among the Hellenes of his day. Jowett (Thucyd. ) If my debtors do not keep their day, . . . I must with patience all the terms attend. Dryden.

5. (Preceded by the) Some day in particular, as some day of contest, some anniversary, etc. The field of Agincourt, Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. Shak. His name struck fear, his conduct won the day. Roscommon.

Note: Day is much used in self-explaining compounds; as, daybreak, daylight, workday, etc.

Anniversary day. See Anniversary, n. — Astronomical day, a period equal to the mean solar day, but beginning at noon instead of at midnight, its twenty-four hours being numbered from 1 to 24; also, the sidereal day, as that most used by astronomers. — Born days. See under Born. — Canicular days. See Dog day. — Civil day, the mean solar day, used in the ordinary reckoning of time, and among most modern nations beginning at mean midnight; its hours are usually numbered in two series, each from 1 to 12. This is the period recognized by courts as constituting a day. The Babylonians and Hindoos began their day at sunrise, the Athenians and Jews at sunset, the ancient Egyptians and Romans at midnight. — Day blindness. (Med.) See Nyctalopia. — Day by day, or Day after day, daily; every day; continually; without intermission of a day. See under By. "Day by day we magnify thee." Book of Common Prayer. — Days in bank (Eng. Law), certain stated days for the return of writs and the appearance of parties; — so called because originally peculiar to the Court of Common Bench, or Bench (bank) as it was formerly termed. Burrill. — Day in court, a day for the appearance of parties in a suit. — Days of devotion (R. C. Ch.), certain festivals on which devotion leads the faithful to attend mass. Shipley. — Days of grace. See Grace. — Days of obligation (R. C. Ch.), festival days when it is obligatory on the faithful to attend Mass. Shipley. — Day owl, (Zoöl.), an owl that flies by day. See Hawk owl. — Day rule (Eng. Law), an order of court (now abolished) allowing a prisoner, under certain circumstances, to go beyond the prison limits for a single day. — Day school, one which the pupils attend only in daytime, in distinction from a boarding school. — Day sight. (Med.) See Hemeralopia. — Day's work (Naut.), the account or reckoning of a ship's course for twenty-four hours, from noon to noon. — From day to day, as time passes; in the course of time; as, he improves from day to day. — Jewish day, the time between sunset and sunset. — Mean solar day (Astron.), the mean or average of all the apparent solar days of the year. — One day, One of these days, at an uncertain time, usually of the future, rarely of the past; sooner or later. "Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband." Shak. — Only from day to day, without certainty of continuance; temporarily. Bacon. — Sidereal day, the interval between two successive transits of the first point of Aries over the same meridian. The Sidereal day is 23 h. 56 m. 4.09 s. of mean solar time. — To win the day, to gain the victory, to be successful. S. Butler. — Week day, any day of the week except Sunday; a working day. — Working day. (a) A day when work may be legally done, in distinction from Sundays and legal holidays. (b) The number of hours, determined by law or custom, during which a workman, hired at a stated price per day, must work to be entitled to a day's pay.

DAYAKS Day"aks, n. pl. (Ethnol.)

Defn: See Dyaks.

DAYBOOK Day"book, n.

Defn: A journal of accounts; a primary record book in which are recorded the debts and credits, or accounts of the day, in their order, and from which they are transferred to the journal.

DAYBREAK Day"break`, n.

Defn: The time of the first appearance of light in the morning.

DAY-COAL Day"-coal`, n. (Mining)

Defn: The upper stratum of coal, as nearest the light or surface.

DAYDREAM Day"dream`, n.

Defn: A vain fancy speculation; a reverie; a castle in the air; unfounded hope. Mrs. Lambert's little daydream was over. Thackeray.

DAYDREAMER Day"dream`er, n.

Defn: One given to draydreams.

DAYFLOWER Day"flow`er, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus consisting mostly of tropical perennial herbs (Commelina), having ephemeral flowers.

DAYFLY Day"fly`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A neuropterous insect of the genus Ephemera and related genera, of many species, and inhabiting fresh water in the larval state; the ephemeral fly; — so called because it commonly lives but one day in the winged or adult state. See Ephemeral fly, under Ephemeral.

DAY-LABOR Day"-la`bor, n.

Defn: Labor hired or performed by the day. Milton.

DAY-LABORER Day"-la`bor*er, n.

Defn: One who works by the day; — usually applied to a farm laborer, or to a workman who does not work at any particular trade. Goldsmith.

DAYLIGHT Day"light`, n.

1. The light of day as opposed to the darkness of night; the light of the sun, as opposed to that of the moon or to artificial light.

2. pl.

Defn: The eyes. [Prov. Eng.] Wright.

DAY LILY Day" lil`y. (Bot.) (a) A genus of plants (Hemerocallis) closely resembling true lilies, but having tuberous rootstocks instead of bulbs. The common species have long narrow leaves and either yellow or tawny-orange flowers. (b) A genus of plants (Funkia) differing from the last in having ovate veiny leaves, and large white or blue flowers.

DAYMAID Day"maid`, n.

Defn: A dairymaid. [Obs.]

DAYMARE Day"mare`, n. Etym: [Day + mare incubus.] (Med.)

Defn: A kind of incubus which occurs during wakefulness, attended by the peculiar pressure on the chest which characterizes nightmare. Dunglison.

DAY-NET Day"-net`, n.

Defn: A net for catching small birds.

DAY-PEEP Day"-peep`, n.

Defn: The dawn. [Poetic] Milton.

DAYSMAN Days"man, n. Etym: [From day in the sense of day fixed for trial.]

Defn: An umpire or arbiter; a mediator. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us. Job ix. 33.

DAYSPRING Day"spring, n.

Defn: The beginning of the day, or first appearance of light; the dawn; hence, the beginning. Milton. The tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke i. 78.

DAY-STAR Day"-star`, n.

1. The morning star; the star which ushers in the day. A dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts. 2 Peter i. 19.

2. The sun, as the orb of day. [Poetic] So sinks the day-star in the ocean bed, And yet anon repairs his drooping head, And tricks his beams, and with new-spangled ore Flames in the forehead of the morning sky. Milton.

DAYTIME Day"time`, n.

Defn: The time during which there is daylight, as distinguished from the night.

DAYWOMAN Day"wom`an, n.

Defn: A dairymaid. [Obs.]

DAZE Daze, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dazed; p. pr. & vb. n. Dazing.] Etym: [OE. dasen, prob. from Icel. dasask to become weary, a reflexive verb; cf. Sw. dasa to lie idle, and OD. daesen to be foolish, insane, daes, dwaes, D. dwaas, foolish, insane, AS. dw, dysig, stupid. Dizzy, Doze.]

Defn: To stupefy with excess of light; with a blow, with cold, or with fear; to confuse; to benumb. While flashing beams do daze his feeble eyen. Spenser. Such souls, Whose sudden visitations daze the world. Sir H. Taylor. He comes out of the room in a dazed state, that is an odd though a sufficient substitute for interest. Dickens.

DAZE Daze, n.

1. The state of being dazed; as, he was in a daze. [Colloq.]

2. (Mining)

Defn: A glittering stone.

DAZZLE Daz"zle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dazzled; p. pr. & vb. n. Dazzling.] Etym: [Freq. of daze.]

1. To overpower with light; to confuse the sight of by brilliance of light. Those heavenly shapes Will dazzle now the earthly, with their blaze Insufferably bright. Milton. An unreflected light did never yet Dazzle the vision feminine. Sir H. Taylor.

2. To bewilder or surprise with brilliancy or display of any kind. "Dazzled and drove back his enemies." Shak.

DAZZLE Daz"zle, v. i.

1. To be overpoweringly or intensely bright; to excite admiration by brilliancy. Ah, friend! to dazzle, let the vain design. Pope.

2. To be overpowered by light; to be confused by excess of brightness. An overlight maketh the eyes dazzle. Bacon. I dare not trust these eyes; They dance in mists, and dazzle with surprise. Dryden.

DAZZLE Daz"zle, n.

Defn: A light of dazzling brilliancy.

DAZZLEMENT Daz"zle*ment, n.

Defn: Dazzling flash, glare, or burst of light. Donne.

DAZZLINGLY Daz"zling*ly, adv.

Defn: In a dazzling manner.

DE- De-.

Defn: A prefix from Latin de down, from, away; as in debark, decline, decease, deduct, decamp. In words from the French it is equivalent to Latin dis- apart, away; or sometimes to de. Cf. Dis-. It is negative and opposite in derange, deform, destroy, etc. It is intensive in deprave, despoil, declare, desolate, etc.

DEACON Dea"con, n. Etym: [OE. diakne, deakne, deken, AS. diacon, deacon, L. diaconus, fr. Gr. dean.]

1. (Eccl.)

Defn: An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate to the minister and elders, and has charge of certain duties connected with the communion service and the care of the poor. In Congregational churches, he is subordinate to the pastor, and has duties as in the Presbyterian church.

2. The chairman of an incorporated company. [Scot.]

DEACON Dea"con, v. t.

Defn: To read aloud each line of (a psalm or hymn) before singing it, — usually with off. [Colloq. New. Eng.] See Line, v. t.

Note: The expression is derived from a former custom in the Congregational churches of New England. It was part of the office of a deacon to read aloud the psalm given out, one line at a time, the congregation singing each line as soon as read; — called, also, lining out the psalm.

DEACONESS Dea"con*ess, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: A female deacon; as: (a) (Primitive Ch.) One of an order of women whose duties resembled those of deacons. (b) (Ch. of Eng. and Prot. Epis. Ch.)

Defn: A woman set apart for church work by a bishop. (c) A woman chosen as a helper in church work, as among the Congregationalists.

DEACONHOOD Dea"con*hood, n.

Defn: The state of being a deacon; office of a deacon; deaconship.

DEACONRY Dea"con*ry, n.

Defn: See Deaconship.

DEACONSHIP Dea"con*ship, n.

Defn: The office or ministry of a deacon or deaconess.

DEAD Dead, a. Etym: [OE. ded, dead, deed, AS. deád; akin to OS. d, D. dood, G. todt, tot, Icel. dau, Sw. & Dan. död, Goth. daubs; prop. p. p. of an old verb meaning to die. See Die, and cf. Death.]

1. Deprived of life; — opposed to alive and living; reduced to that state of a being in which the organs of motion and life have irrevocably ceased to perform their functions; as, a dead tree; a dead man. "The queen, my lord, is dead." Shak. The crew, all except himself, were dead of hunger. Arbuthnot. Seek him with candle, bring him dead or living. Shak.

2. Destitute of life; inanimate; as, dead matter.

3. Resembling death in appearance or quality; without show of life; deathlike; as, a dead sleep.

4. Still as death; motionless; inactive; useless; as, dead calm; a dead load or weight.

5. So constructed as not to transmit sound; soundless; as, a dead floor.

6. Unproductive; bringing no gain; unprofitable; as, dead capital; dead stock in trade.

7. Lacking spirit; dull; lusterless; cheerless; as, dead eye; dead fire; dead color, etc.

8. Monotonous or unvaried; as, a dead level or pain; a dead wall. "The ground is a dead flat." C. Reade.

9. Sure as death; unerring; fixed; complete; as, a dead shot; a dead certainty. I had them a dead bargain. Goldsmith.

10. Bringing death; deadly. Shak.

11. Wanting in religious spirit and vitality; as, dead faith; dead works. "Dead in trespasses." Eph. ii. 1.

12. (Paint.) (a) Flat; without gloss; — said of painting which has been applied purposely to have this effect. (b) Not brilliant; not rich; thus, brown is a dead color, as compared with crimson.

13. (Law)

Defn: Cut off from the rights of a citizen; deprived of the power of enjoying the rights of property; as, one banished or becoming a monk is civilly dead.

14. (Mach.)

Defn: Not imparting motion or power; as, the dead spindle of a lathe, etc. See Spindle. Dead ahead (Naut.), directly ahead; — said of a ship or any object, esp. of the wind when blowing from that point toward which a vessel would go. — Dead angle (Mil.), an angle or space which can not be seen or defended from behind the parapet. — Dead block, either of two wooden or iron blocks intended to serve instead of buffers at the end of a freight car. — Dead calm (Naut.), no wind at all. — Dead center, or Dead point (Mach.), either of two points in the orbit of a crank, at which the crank and connecting rod lie a straight line. It corresponds to the end of a stroke; as, A and B are dead centers of the crank mechanism in which the crank C drives, or is driven by, the lever L. — Dead color (Paint.), a color which has no gloss upon it. — Dead coloring (Oil paint.), the layer of colors, the preparation for what is to follow. In modern painting this is usually in monochrome. — Dead door (Shipbuilding), a storm shutter fitted to the outside of the quarter-gallery door. — Dead flat (Naut.), the widest or midship frame. — Dead freight (Mar. Law), a sum of money paid by a person who charters a whole vessel but fails to make out a full cargo. The payment is made for the unoccupied capacity. Abbott. — Dead ground (Mining), the portion of a vein in which there is no ore. — Dead hand, a hand that can not alienate, as of a person civilly dead. "Serfs held in dead hand." Morley. See Mortmain. — Dead head (Naut.), a rough block of wood used as an anchor buoy. — Dead heat, a heat or course between two or more race horses, boats, etc., in which they come out exactly equal, so that neither wins. — Dead horse, an expression applied to a debt for wages paid in advance. [Law] — Dead language, a language which is no longer spoken or in common use by a people, and is known only in writings, as the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. — Dead letter. (a) A letter which, after lying for a certain fixed time uncalled for at the post office to which it was directed, is then sent to the general post office to be opened. (b) That which has lost its force or authority; as, the law has become a dead letter. — Dead-letter office, a department of the general post office where dead letters are examined and disposed of. — Dead level, a term applied to a flat country. — Dead lift, a direct lift, without assistance from mechanical advantage, as from levers, pulleys, etc.; hence, an extreme emergency. "(As we say) at a dead lift." Robynson (More's Utopia). — Dead line (Mil.), a line drawn within or around a military prison, to cross which involves for a prisoner the penalty of being instantly shot. — Dead load (Civil Engin.), a constant, motionless load, as the weight of a structure, in distinction from a moving load, as a train of cars, or a variable pressure, as of wind. — Dead march (Mus.), a piece of solemn music intended to be played as an accompaniment to a funeral procession. — Dead nettle (Bot.), a harmless plant with leaves like a nettle (Lamium album). — Dead oil (Chem.), the heavy oil obtained in the distillation of coal tar, and containing phenol, naphthalus, etc. — Dead plate (Mach.), a solid covering over a part of a fire grate, to prevent the entrance of air through that part. — Dead pledge, a mortgage. See Mortgage. — Dead point. (Mach.) See Dead center. — Dead reckoning (Naut.), the method of determining the place of a ship from a record kept of the courses sailed as given by compass, and the distance made on each course as found by log, with allowance for leeway, etc., without the aid of celestial observations. — Dead rise, the transverse upward curvature of a vessel's floor. — Dead rising, an elliptical line drawn on the sheer plan to determine the sweep of the floorheads throughout the ship's length. — Dead-Sea apple. See under Apple. — Dead set. See under Set. — Dead shot. (a) An unerring marksman. (b) A shot certain to be made. — Dead smooth, the finest cut made; — said of files. — Dead wall (Arch.), a blank wall unbroken by windows or other openings. — Dead water (Naut.), the eddy water closing in under a ship's stern when sailing. — Dead weight. (a) A heavy or oppressive burden. Dryden. (b) (Shipping) A ship's lading, when it consists of heavy goods; or, the heaviest part of a ship's cargo. (c) (Railroad) The weight of rolling stock, the live weight being the load. Knight. — Dead wind (Naut.), a wind directly ahead, or opposed to the ship's course. — To be dead, to die. [Obs.] I deme thee, thou must algate be dead. Chaucer.

Syn. — Inanimate; deceased; extinct. See Lifeless.

DEAD Dead, adv.

Defn: To a degree resembling death; to the last degree; completely; wholly. [Colloq.] I was tired of reading, and dead sleepy. Dickens. Dead drunk, so drunk as to be unconscious.

DEAD Dead, n.

1. The most quiet or deathlike time; the period of profoundest repose, inertness, or gloom; as, the dead of winter. When the drum beat at dead of night. Campbell.

2. One who is dead; — commonly used collectively. And Abraham stood up from before his dead. Gen. xxiii. 3.

DEAD Dead, v. t.

Defn: To make dead; to deaden; to deprive of life, force, or vigor. [Obs.] Heaven's stern decree, With many an ill, hath numbed and deaded me. Chapman.

DEAD Dead, v. i.

Defn: To die; to lose life or force. [Obs.] So iron, as soon as it is out of the fire, deadeth straightway. Bacon.

DEAD BEAT Dead` beat".

Defn: See Beat, n., 7. [Low, U.S.]

DEADBEAT Dead"beat`, a. (Physics)

Defn: Making a beat without recoil; giving indications by a single beat or excursion; — said of galvanometers and other instruments in which the needle or index moves to the extent of its deflection and stops with little or no further oscillation. Deadbeat escapement. See under Escapement.

DEADBORN Dead"born`, a.

Defn: Stillborn. Pope.

DEADEN Dead"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deadened; p. pr. & vb. n. Deadening.] Etym: [From Dead; cf. AS. d to kill, put to death. See Dead, a.]

1. To make as dead; to impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation; to lessen the force or acuteness of; to blunt; as, to deaden the natural powers or feelings; to deaden a sound.

As harper lays his open palm Upon his harp, to deaden its vibrations. Longfellow.

2. To lessen the velocity or momentum of; to retard; as, to deaden a ship's headway.

3. To make vapid or spiritless; as, to deaden wine.

4. To deprive of gloss or brilliancy; to obscure; as, to deaden gilding by a coat of size.

DEADENER Dead"en*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, deadens or checks.

DEAD-EYE Dead"-eye`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A round, flattish, wooden block, encircled by a rope, or an iron band, and pierced with three holes to receive the lanyard; — used to extend the shrouds and stays, and for other purposes. Called also deadman's eye. Totten.

DEADHEAD Dead"head`, n.

1. One who receives free tickets for theaters, public conveyances, etc. [Colloq. U. S.]

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A buoy. See under Dead, a.

DEADHEARTED; DEAD-HEARTED Dead"*heart`ed, a.

Defn: Having a dull, faint heart; spiritless; listless. — Dead"*heart`ed*ness, n. Bp. Hall.

DEADHOUSE Dead"house`, n.

Defn: A morgue; a place for the temporary reception and exposure of dead bodies.

DEADISH Dead"ish, a.

Defn: Somewhat dead, dull, or lifeless; deathlike. The lips put on a deadish paleness. A. Stafford.

DEADLATCH Dead"latch`, n.

Defn: A kind of latch whose bolt may be so locked by a detent that it can not be opened from the inside by the handle, or from the outside by the latch key. Knight.

DEADLIGHT Dead"light`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: A strong shutter, made to fit open ports and keep out water in a storm.

DEADLIHOOD Dead"li*hood, n.

Defn: State of the dead. [Obs.]

DEADLINESS Dead"li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being deadly.

DEADLOCK Dead"lock`, n.

1. A lock which is not self-latching, but requires a key to throw the bolt forward.

2. A counteraction of things, which produces an entire stoppage; a complete obstruction of action. Things are at a deadlock. London Times. The Board is much more likely to be at a deadlock of two to two. The Century.

DEADLY Dead"ly, a.

1. Capable of causing death; mortal; fatal; destructive; certain or likely to cause death; as, a deadly blow or wound.

2. Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile; flagitious; as, deadly enemies. Thy assailant is quick, skillful, and deadly. Shak.

3. Subject to death; mortal. [Obs.] The image of a deadly man. Wyclif (Rom. i. 23). Deadly nightshade (Bot.), a poisonous plant; belladonna. See under Nightshade.

DEADLY Dead"ly, adv.

1. In a manner resembling, or as if produced by, death. "Deadly pale." Shak.

2. In a manner to occasion death; mortally. The groanings of a deadly wounded man. Ezek. xxx. 24.

3. In an implacable manner; destructively.

4. Extremely. [Obs.] "Deadly weary." Orrery. "So deadly cunning a man." Arbuthnot.

DEADNESS Dead"ness, n.

Defn: The state of being destitute of life, vigor, spirit, activity, etc.; dullness; inertness; languor; coldness; vapidness; indifference; as, the deadness of a limb, a body, or a tree; the deadness of an eye; deadness of the affections; the deadness of beer or cider; deadness to the world, and the like.

DEAD-PAY Dead"-pay`, n.

Defn: Pay drawn for soldiers, or others, really dead, whose names are kept on the rolls. O you commanders, That, like me, have no dead-pays. Massinger.

DEAD-RECKONING Dead"-reck`on*ing, n. (Naut.)

Defn: See under Dead, a.

DEADS Deads, n. pl. (Mining)

Defn: The substances which inclose the ore on every side.

DEAD-STROKE Dead"-stroke`, a. (Mech.)

Defn: Making a stroke without recoil; deadbeat. Dead-stroke hammer (Mach.), a power hammer having a spring interposed between the driving mechanism and the hammer head, or helve, to lessen the recoil of the hammer and reduce the shock upon the mechanism.

DEADWOOD Dead"wood`, n.

1. (Naut.)

Defn: A mass of timbers built into the bow and stern of a vessel to give solidity.

2. Dead trees or branches; useless material.

DEADWORKS Dead"works`, n. pl. (Naut.)

Defn: The parts of a ship above the water when she is laden.

DEAF Deaf, a. Etym: [OE. def, deaf, deef, AS. deáf; akin to D. doof, G. taub, Icel. daufr, Dan. döv, Sw. döf, Goth. daubs, and prob. to E. dumb (the original sense being, dull as applied to one of the senses), and perh. to Gr. toben to rage. Cf. Dumb.]

1. Wanting the sense of hearing, either wholly or in part; unable to perceive sounds; hard of hearing; as, a deaf man. Come on my right hand, for this ear is deaf. Shak.

2. Unwilling to hear or listen; determinedly inattentive; regardless; not to be persuaded as to facts, argument, or exhortation; — with to; as, deaf to reason. O, that men's ears should be To counsel deaf, but not to flattery! Shak.

3. Deprived of the power of hearing; deafened. Deaf with the noise, I took my hasty flight. Dryden.

4. Obscurely heard; stifled; deadened. [R.] A deaf murmur through the squadron went. Dryden.

5. Decayed; tasteless; dead; as, a deaf nut; deaf corn. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Halliwell. If the season be unkindly and intemperate, they [peppers] will catch a blast; and then the seeds will be deaf, void, light, and naught. Holland. Deaf and dumb, without the sense of hearing or the faculty of speech. See Deaf-mute.

DEAF Deaf, v. t.

Defn: To deafen. [Obs.] Dryden.

DEAFEN Deaf"en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deafened; p. pr. & vb. n. Deafening.] Etym: [From Deaf.]

1. To make deaf; to deprive of the power of hearing; to render incapable of perceiving sounds distinctly. Deafened and stunned with their promiscuous cries. Addison.

2. (Arch.)

Defn: To render impervious to sound, as a partition or floor, by filling the space within with mortar, by lining with paper, etc.

DEAFENING Deaf"en*ing, n.

Defn: The act or process of rendering impervious to sound, as a floor or wall; also, the material with which the spaces are filled in this process; pugging.

DEAFLY Deaf"ly, adv.

Defn: Without sense of sounds; obscurely.

DEAFLY Deaf"ly, a.

Defn: Lonely; solitary. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

DEAF-MUTE Deaf"-mute`, n.

Defn: A person who is deaf and dumb; one who, through deprivation or defect of hearing, has either failed the acquire the power of speech, or has lost it. [See Illust. of Dactylology.] Deaf-mutes are still so called, even when, by artificial methods, they have been taught to speak imperfectly.

DEAF-MUTISM Deaf"-mut`ism, n.

Defn: The condition of being a deaf-mute.

DEAFNESS Deaf"ness, n.

1. Incapacity of perceiving sounds; the state of the organs which prevents the impression which constitute hearing; want of the sense of hearing.

2. Unwillingness to hear; voluntary rejection of what is addressed to the understanding. Nervous deafness, a variety of deafness dependent upon morbid change in some portion of the nervous system, especially the auditory nerve.

DEAL Deal, n. Etym: [OE. del, deel, part, AS. d; akin to OS. d, D. & Dan. deel, G. theil, teil, Icel. deild, Sw. del, Goth. dails. Dole.]

1. A part or portion; a share; hence, an indefinite quantity, degree, or extent, degree, or extent; as, a deal of time and trouble; a deal of cold. Three tenth deals [parts of an ephah] of flour. Num. xv. 9. As an object of science it [the Celtic genius] may count for a good deal . . . as a spiritual power. M. Arnold. She was resolved to be a good deal more circumspect. W. Black.

Note: It was formerly limited by some, every, never a, a thousand, etc.; as, some deal; but these are now obsolete or vulgar. In general, we now qualify the word with great or good, and often use it adverbially, by being understood; as, a great deal of time and pains; a great (or good) deal better or worse; that is, better by a great deal, or by a great part or difference.

2. The process of dealing cards to the players; also, the portion disturbed. The deal, the shuffle, and the cut. Swift.

3. Distribution; apportionment. [Colloq.]

4. An arrangement to attain a desired result by a combination of interested parties; — applied to stock speculations and political bargains. [Slang]

5. Etym: [Prob. from D. deel a plank, threshing floor. See Thill.]

Defn: The division of a piece of timber made by sawing; a board or plank; particularly, a board or plank of fir or pine above seven inches in width, and exceeding six feet in length. If narrower than this, it is called a batten; if shorter, a deal end.

Note: Whole deal is a general term for planking one and one half inches thick.

6. Wood of the pine or fir; as, a floor of deal. Deal tree, a fir tree. Dr. Prior.

DEAL Deal, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dealt; p. pr. & vb. n. Dealing.] Etym: [OE. delen, AS. d, fr. d share; akin to OS. d, D. deelen, G. theilen, teilen, Icel. deila, Sw. dela, Dan. dele, Goth. dailjan. See Deal, n.]

1. To divide; to separate in portions; hence, to give in portions; to distribute; to bestow successively; — sometimes with out. Is not to deal thy bread to the hungry Is. lviii. 7. And Rome deals out her blessings and her gold. Tickell. The nightly mallet deals resounding blows. Gay. Hissing through the skies, the feathery deaths were dealt. Dryden.

2. Specifically: To distribute, as cards, to the players at the commencement of a game; as, to deal the cards; to deal one a jack.

DEAL Deal, v. i.

1. To make distribution; to share out in portions, as cards to the players.

2. To do a distributing or retailing business, as distinguished from that of a manufacturer or producer; to traffic; to trade; to do business; as, he deals in flour. They buy and sell, they deal and traffic. South. This is to drive to wholesale trade, when all other petty merchants deal but for parcels. Dr. H. More.

3. To act as an intermediary in business or any affairs; to manage; to make arrangements; — followed by between or with. Sometimes he that deals between man and man, raiseth his own credit with both, by pretending greater interest than he hath in either. Bacon.

4. To conduct one's self; to behave or act in any affair or towards any one; to treat. If he will deal clearly and impartially, . . . he will acknowledge all this to be true. Tillotson.

5. To contend (with); to treat (with), by way of opposition, check, or correction; as, he has turbulent passions to deal with. To deal by, to treat, either well or ill; as, to deal well by servants. "Such an one deals not fairly by his own mind." Locke. — To deal in. (a) To have to do with; to be engaged in; to practice; as, they deal in political matters. (b) To buy and sell; to furnish, as a retailer or wholesaler; as, they deal in fish. — To deal with. (a) To treat in any manner; to use, whether well or ill; to have to do with; specifically, to trade with. "Dealing with witches." Shak. (b) To reprove solemnly; to expostulate with. The deacons of his church, who, to use their own phrase, "dealt with him" on the sin of rejecting the aid which Providence so manifestly held out. Hawthorne. Return . . . and I will deal well with thee. Gen. xxxii. 9.

DEALBATE De*al"bate, v. t. Etym: [L. dealbatus, p. p. of dealbare. See Daub.]

Defn: To whiten. [Obs.] Cockeram.

DEALBATION De`al*ba"tion, n. Etym: [L. dealbatio: cf. F. déalbation.]

Defn: Act of bleaching; a whitening. [Obs.]

DEALER Deal"er, n.

1. One who deals; one who has to do, or has concern, with others; esp., a trader, a trafficker, a shopkeeper, a broker, or a merchant; as, a dealer in dry goods; a dealer in stocks; a retail dealer.

2. One who distributes cards to the players.

DEALFISH Deal"fish`, n. Etym: [From deal a long, narrow plank.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A long, thin fish of the arctic seas (Trachypterus arcticus).

DEALING Deal"ing, n.

Defn: The act of one who deals; distribution of anything, as of cards to the players; method of business; traffic; intercourse; transaction; as, to have dealings with a person. Double dealing, insincere, treacherous dealing; duplicity. — Plain dealing, fair, sincere, honorable dealing; honest, outspoken expression of opinion.

DEALTH Dealth, n.

Defn: Share dealt. [Obs.]

DEAMBULATE De*am"bu*late, v. i. Etym: [L. deambulare, deambulatum; de- + ambulare to walk.]

Defn: To walk abroad. [Obs.] Cockeram.

DEAMBULATION De*am`bu*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. deambulatio.]

Defn: A walking abroad; a promenading. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.

DEAMBULATORY De*am"bu*la*to*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. LL. deambulator a traveler.]

Defn: Going about from place to place; wandering; of or pertaining to a deambulatory. [Obs.] "Deambulatory actors." Bp. Morton.

DEAMBULATORY De*am"bu*la*to*ry, n. Etym: [L. deambulatorium.]

Defn: A covered place in which to walk; an ambulatory.

DEAN Dean, n. Etym: [OE. dene, deene, OF. deien, dien, F. doyen, eldest of a corporation, a dean, L. decanus the chief of ten, one set over ten persons, e. g., over soldiers or over monks, from decem ten. See Ten, and cf. Decemvir.]

1. A dignitary or presiding officer in certain ecclesiastical and lay bodies; esp., an ecclesiastical dignitary, subordinate to a bishop. Dean of cathedral church, the chief officer of a chapter; he is an ecclesiastical magistrate next in degree to bishop, and has immediate charge of the cathedral and its estates. — Dean of peculiars, a dean holding a preferment which has some peculiarity relative to spiritual superiors and the jurisdiction exercised in it. [Eng.] — Rural dean, one having, under the bishop, the especial care and inspection of the clergy within certain parishes or districts of the diocese.

2. The collegiate officer in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, England, who, besides other duties, has regard to the moral condition of the college. Shipley.

3. The head or presiding officer in the faculty of some colleges or universities.

4. A registrar or secretary of the faculty in a department of a college, as in a medical, or theological, or scientific department. [U.S.]

5. The chief or senior of a company on occasion of ceremony; as, the dean of the diplomatic corps; — so called by courtesy. Cardinal dean, the senior cardinal bishop of the college of cardinals at Rome. Shipley. — Dean and chapter, the legal corporation and governing body of a cathedral. It consists of the dean, who is chief, and his canons or prebendaries. — Dean of arches, the lay judge of the court of arches. — Dean of faculty, the president of an incorporation or barristers; specifically, the president of the incorporation of advocates in Edinburgh. — Dean of guild, a magistrate of Scotch burghs, formerly, and still, in some burghs, chosen by the Guildry, whose duty is to superintend the erection of new buildings and see that they conform to the law. — Dean of a monastery, Monastic dean, a monastic superior over ten monks. — Dean's stall. See Decanal stall, under Decanal.

DEANERY Dean"er*y, n.; pl. Deaneries (.

1. The office or the revenue of a dean. See the Note under Benefice, n., 3.

2. The residence of a dean. Shak.

3. The territorial jurisdiction of a dean. Each archdeaconry is divided into rural deaneries, and each deanery is divided into parishes. Blackstone.

DEANSHIP Dean"ship, n.

Defn: The office of a dean. I dont't value your deanship a straw. Swift.

DEAR Dear, a. [Compar. Dearer; superl. Dearest.] Etym: [OE. dere, deore, AS. deóre; akin to OS. diuri, D. duur, OHG. tiuri, G. theuer, teuer, Icel. d, Dan. & Sw. dyr. Cf. Darling, Dearth.]

1. Bearing a high price; high-priced; costly; expensive. The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear. Shak.

2. Marked by scarcity or dearth, and exorbitance of price; as, a dear year.

3. Highly valued; greatly beloved; cherished; precious. "Hear me, dear lady." Shak. Neither count I my life dear unto myself. Acts xx. 24. And the last joy was dearer than the rest. Pope. Dear as remember'd kisses after death. Tennyson.

4. Hence, close to the heart; heartfelt; present in mind; engaging the attention. (a) Of agreeable things and interests. [I'll] leave you to attend him: some dear cause Will in concealment wrap me up awhile. Shak. His dearest wish was to escape from the bustle and glitter of Whitehall. Macaulay. (b) Of disagreeable things and antipathies. In our dear peril. Shak. Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven Or ever I had seen that day. Shak.

DEAR Dear, n.

Defn: A dear one; lover; sweetheart. That kiss I carried from thee, dear. Shak.

DEAR Dear, adv.

Defn: Dearly; at a high price. If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear. Shak.

DEAR Dear, v. t.

Defn: To endear. [Obs.] Shelton.

DEARBORN Dear"born, n.

Defn: A four-wheeled carriage, with curtained sides.

DEAR-BOUGHT Dear"-bought`, a.

Defn: Bought at a high price; as, dear-bought experience.

DEARE Deare,

Defn: variant of Dere, v. t. & n. [Obs.]

DEARIE Dear"ie, n.

Defn: Same as Deary. Dickens.

DEARLING Dear"ling, n.

Defn: A darling. [Obs.] Spenser.

DEAR-LOVED Dear"-loved`, a.

Defn: Greatly beloved. Shak.

DEARLY Dear"ly, adv.

1. In a dear manner; with affection; heartily; earnestly; as, to love one dearly.

2. At a high rate or price; grievously. He buys his mistress dearly with his throne. Dryden.

3. Exquisitely. [Obs.] Shak.

DEARN Dearn, a. Etym: [AS. derne, dyrne, dierne, hidden, secret. Cf. Derne.]

Defn: Secret; lonely; solitary; dreadful. [Obs.] Shak. — Dearn"ly, adv. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DEARN Dearn, v. t.

Defn: Same as Darn. [Obs.]

DEARNESS Dear"ness, n.

1. The quality or state of being dear; costliness; excess of price. The dearness of corn. Swift.

2. Fondness; preciousness; love; tenderness. The dearness of friendship. Bacon.

DEARTH Dearth, n. Etym: [OE. derthe, fr. dere. See Dear.]

Defn: Scarcity which renders dear; want; lack; specifically, lack of food on account of failure of crops; famine. There came a dearth over all the land of Egypt. Acts vii. 11. He with her press'd, she faint with dearth. Shak. Dearth of plot, and narrowness of imagination. Dryden.

DEARTICULATE De`ar*tic"u*late, v. t.

Defn: To disjoint.

DEARWORTH Dear"worth`, a. Etym: [See Derworth.]

Defn: Precious. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

DEARY Dear"y, n.

Defn: A dear; a darling. [Familiar]

DEAS De"as, n.

Defn: See Dais. [Scot.]

DEATH Death, n. Etym: [OE. deth, dea, AS. deá; akin to OS. d, D. dood, G. tod, Icel. dau, Sw. & Dan. död, Goth. daupus; from a verb meaning to die. See Die, v. i., and cf. Dead.]

1. The cessation of all vital phenomena without capability of resuscitation, either in animals or plants.

Note: Local death is going on at times and in all parts of the living body, in which individual cells and elements are being cast off and replaced by new; a process essential to life. General death is of two kinds; death of the body as a whole (somatic or systemic death), and death of the tissues. By the former is implied the absolute cessation of the functions of the brain, the circulatory and the respiratory organs; by the latter the entire disappearance of the vital actions of the ultimate structural constituents of the body. When death takes place, the body as a whole dies first, the death of the tissues sometimes not occurring until after a considerable interval. Huxley.

2. Total privation or loss; extinction; cessation; as, the death of memory. The death of a language can not be exactly compared with the death of a plant. J. Peile.

3. Manner of dying; act or state of passing from life. A death that I abhor. Shak. Let me die the death of the righteous. Num. xxiii. 10.

4. Cause of loss of life. Swiftly flies the feathered death. Dryden. He caught his death the last county sessions. Addison.

5. Personified: The destroyer of life, — conventionally represented as a skeleton with a scythe. Death! great proprietor of all. Young. And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name that at on him was Death. Rev. vi. 8.

6. Danger of death. "In deaths oft." 2 Cor. xi. 23.

7. Murder; murderous character. Not to suffer a man of death to live. Bacon.

8. (Theol.)

Defn: Loss of spiritual life. To be death. Rom. viii. 6.

9. Anything so dreadful as to be like death. It was death to them to think of entertaining such doctrines. Atterbury. And urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death. Judg. xvi. 16.

Note: Death is much used adjectively and as the first part of a compound, meaning, in general, of or pertaining to death, causing or presaging death; as, deathbed or death bed; deathblow or death blow, etc. Black death. See Black death, in the Vocabulary. — Civil death, the separation of a man from civil society, or the debarring him from the enjoyment of civil rights, as by banishment, attainder, abjuration of the realm, entering a monastery, etc. Blackstone. — Death adder. (Zoöl.) (a) A kind of viper found in South Africa (Acanthophis tortor); — so called from the virulence of its venom. (b) A venomous Australian snake of the family Elapidæ, of several species, as the Hoplocephalus superbus and Acanthopis antarctica. — Death bell, a bell that announces a death. The death bell thrice was heard to ring. Mickle. — Death candle, a light like that of a candle, viewed by the superstitious as presaging death. — Death damp, a cold sweat at the coming on of death. — Death fire, a kind of ignis fatuus supposed to forebode death. And round about in reel and rout, The death fires danced at night. Coleridge. — Death grapple, a grapple or struggle for life. — Death in life, a condition but little removed from death; a living death. [Poetic] "Lay lingering out a five years' death in life." Tennyson. — Death knell, a stroke or tolling of a bell, announcing a death. — Death rate, the relation or ratio of the number of deaths to the population. At all ages the death rate is higher in towns than in rural districts. Darwin. — Death rattle, a rattling or gurgling in the throat of a dying person. — Death's door, the boundary of life; the partition dividing life from death. — Death stroke, a stroke causing death. — Death throe, the spasm of death. — Death token, the signal of approaching death. — Death warrant. (a) (Law) An order from the proper authority for the execution of a criminal. (b) That which puts an end to expectation, hope, or joy. — Death wound. (a) A fatal wound or injury. (b) (Naut.) The springing of a fatal leak. — Spiritual death (Scripture), the corruption and perversion of the soul by sin, with the loss of the favor of God. — The gates of death, the grave. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee Job xxxviii. 17. — The second death, condemnation to eternal separation from God. Rev. ii. 11. — To be the death of, to be the cause of death to; to make die. "It was one who should be the death of both his parents." Milton.

Syn. — Death, Decrase, Departure, Release. Death applies to the termination of every form of existence, both animal and vegetable; the other words only to the human race. Decease is the term used in law for the removal of a human being out of life in the ordinary course of nature. Demise was formerly confined to decease of princes, but is now sometimes used of distinguished men in general; as, the demise of Mr. Pitt. Departure and release are peculiarly terms of Christian affection and hope. A violent death is not usually called a decease. Departure implies a friendly taking leave of life. Release implies a deliverance from a life of suffering or sorrow.

DEATHBED Death"bed, n.

Defn: The bed in which a person dies; hence, the closing hours of life of one who dies by sickness or the like; the last sickness. That often-quoted passage from Lord Hervey in which the Queen's deathbed is described. Thackeray.

DEATHBIRD Death"bird`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Tengmalm's or Richardson's owl (Nyctale Tengmalmi); — so called from a superstition of the North American Indians that its note presages death.

DEATHBLOW Death"blow`, n.

Defn: A mortal or crushing blow; a stroke or event which kills or destroys. The deathblow of my hope. Byron.

DEATHFUL Death"ful, a.

1. Full of death or slaughter; murderous; destructive; bloody. These eyes behold The deathful scene. Pope.

2. Liable to undergo death; mortal. The deathless gods and deathful earth. Chapman.

DEATHFULNESS Death"ful*ness, n.

Defn: Appearance of death. Jer. Taylor.

DEATHLESS Death"less, a.

Defn: Not subject to death, destruction, or extinction; immortal; undying; imperishable; as, deathless beings; deathless fame.

DEATHLIKE Death"like`, a.

1. Resembling death. A deathlike slumber, and a dead repose. Pope.

2. Deadly. [Obs.] "Deathlike dragons." Shak.

DEATHLINESS Death"li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being deathly; deadliness. Southey.

DEATHLY Death"ly, a.

Defn: Deadly; fatal; mortal; destructive.

DEATHLY Death"ly, adv.

Defn: Deadly; as, deathly pale or sick.

DEATH'S-HEAD Death's"-head`, n.

Defn: A naked human skull as the emblem of death; the head of the conventional personification of death. I had rather be married to a death's-head with a bone in his mouth. Shak. Death's-head moth (Zoöl.), a very large European moth (Acherontia atropos), so called from a figure resembling a human skull on the back of the thorax; — called also death's-head sphinx.

DEATH'S-HERB Death's"-herb`, n.

Defn: The deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna). Dr. Prior.

DEATHSMAN Deaths"man, n.

Defn: An executioner; a headsman or hangman. [Obs.] Shak.

DEATHWARD Death"ward, adv.

Defn: Toward death.

DEATHWATCH Death"watch` (; 224), n.

1. (Zoöl.) (a) A small beetle (Anobium tessellatum and other allied species). By forcibly striking its head against woodwork it makes a ticking sound, which is a call of the sexes to each other, but has been imagined by superstitious people to presage death. (b) A small wingless insect, of the family Psocidæ, which makes a similar but fainter sound; — called also deathtick. She is always seeing apparitions and hearing deathwatches. Addison. I did not hear the dog howl, mother, or the deathwatch beat. Tennyson.

2. The guard set over a criminal before his execution.

DEAURATE De*au"rate, a. Etym: [L. deauratus, p. p. of deaurare to gild; de- + aurum gold.]

Defn: Gilded. [Obs.]

DEAURATE De*au"rate, v. t.

Defn: To gild. [Obs.] Bailey.

DEAURATION De`au*ra"tion, n.

Defn: Act of gilding. [Obs.]

DEAVE Deave, v. t. Etym: [See Deafen.]

Defn: To stun or stupefy with noise; to deafen. [Scot.]

DEBACCHATE De*bac"chate, v. i. Etym: [L. debacchatus, p. p. of debacchari to rage; de- + bacchari to rage like a bacchant.]

Defn: To rave as a bacchanal. [R.] Cockeram.

DEBACCHATION De`bac*cha"tion, n. Etym: [L. debacchatio.]

Defn: Wild raving or debauchery. [R.] Prynne.

DEBACLE De*ba"cle, n. Etym: [F. débâcle, fr. débâcler to unbar, break loose; pref. dé- (prob. = L. dis) + bâcler to bolt, fr. L. baculum a stick.] (Geol.)

Defn: A breaking or bursting forth; a violent rush or flood of waters which breaks down opposing barriers, and hurls forward and disperses blocks of stone and other débris.

DEBAR De*bar", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debarred; p. pr. & vb. n. Debarring.] Etym: [Pref. de- + bar.]

Defn: To cut off from entrance, as if by a bar or barrier; to preclude; to hinder from approach, entry, or enjoyment; to shut out or exclude; to deny or refuse; — with from, and sometimes with of. Yet not so strictly hath our Lord imposed Labor, as to debar us when we need Refreshment. Milton. Their wages were so low as to debar them, not only from the comforts but from the common decencies of civilized life. Buckle.

DEBARB De*barb", v. t. Etym: [Pref. de- + L. barba beard.]

Defn: To deprive of the beard. [Obs.] Bailey.

DEBARK De"bark", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Debarked; p. pr. & vb. n. Debarking.] Etym: [F. débarquer; pref. dé- (L. dis-) + barque. See Bark the vessel, and cf. Disbark.]

Defn: To go ashore from a ship or boat; to disembark; to put ashore.

DEBARKATION De`bar*ka"tion, n.

Defn: Disembarkation. The debarkation, therefore, had to take place by small steamers. U. S. Grant.

DEBARMENT De*bar"ment, n.

Defn: Hindrance from approach; exclusion.

DEBARRASS De*bar"rass, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. débarrasser. See Embarrass.]

Defn: To disembarrass; to relieve. [R.]

DEBASE De*base", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debased; p. pr. & vb. n. Debasing.] Etym: [Pref. de- + base. See Base, a., and cf. Abase.]

Defn: To reduce from a higher to a lower state or grade of worth, dignity, purity, station, etc.; to degrade; to lower; to deteriorate; to abase; as, to debase the character by crime; to debase the mind by frivolity; to debase style by vulgar words. The coin which was adulterated and debased. Hale. It is a kind of taking God's name in vain to debase religion with such frivolous disputes. Hooker. And to debase the sons, exalts the sires. Pope.

Syn. — To abase; degrade. See Abase.

DEBASED De*based", a. (Her.)

Defn: Turned upside down from its proper position; inverted; reversed.

DEBASEMENT De*base"ment, n.

Defn: The act of debasing or the state of being debased. Milton.

DEBASER De*bas"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, debases.

DEBASINGLY De*bas"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a manner to debase.

DEBATABLE De*bat"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. debatable. See Debate.]

Defn: Liable to be debated; disputable; subject to controversy or contention; open to question or dispute; as, a debatable question. The Debatable Land or Ground, a tract of land between the Esk and the Sark, claimed by both England and Scotland; the Batable Ground.

DEBATE De*bate", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debated; p. pr. & vb. n. Debating.] Etym: [OF. debatre, F. débattre; L. de + batuere to beat. See Batter, v. t., and cf. Abate.]

1. To engage in combat for; to strive for. Volunteers . . . thronged to serve under his banner, and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardor in Spain as on the plains of Palestine. Prescott.

2. To contend for in words or arguments; to strive to maintain by reasoning; to dispute; to contest; to discuss; to argue for and against. A wise council . . . that did debate this business. Shak. Debate thy cause with thy neighbor himself. Prov. xxv. 9.

Syn. — To argue; discuss; dispute; controvert. See Argue, and Discuss.

DEBATE De*bate", v. i.

1. To engage in strife or combat; to fight. [Obs.] Chaucer. Well could he tourney and in lists debate. Spenser.

2. To contend in words; to dispute; hence, to deliberate; to consider; to discuss or examine different arguments in the mind; — often followed by on or upon. He presents that great soul debating upon the subject of life and death with his intimate friends. Tatler.

DEBATE De*bate", n. Etym: [F. débat, fr. débattre. See Debate, v. t.]

1. A fight or fighting; contest; strife. [Archaic] On the day of the Trinity next ensuing was a great debate . . . and in that murder there were slain . . . fourscore. R. of Gloucester. But question fierce and proud reply Gave signal soon of dire debate. Sir W. Scott.

2. Contention in words or arguments; discussion for the purpose of elucidating truth or influencing action; strife in argument; controversy; as, the debates in Parliament or in Congress. Heard, noted, answer'd, as in full debate. Pope.

3. Subject of discussion. [R.] Statutes and edicts concerning this debate. Milton.

DEBATEFUL De*bate"ful, a.

Defn: Full of contention; contentious; quarrelsome. [Obs.] Spenser.

DEBATEFULLY De*bate"ful*ly, adv.

Defn: With contention. [Obs.]

DEBATEMENT De*bate"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. debatement a beating.]

Defn: Controversy; deliberation; debate. [R.] A serious question and debatement with myself. Milton.

DEBATER De*bat"er, n.

Defn: One who debates; one given to argument; a disputant; a controvertist. Debate where leisure serves with dull debaters. Shak.

DEBATING De*bat"ing, n.

Defn: The act of discussing or arguing; discussion. Debating society or club, a society or club for the purpose of debate and improvement in extemporaneous speaking.

DEBATINGLY De*bat"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In the manner of a debate.

DEBAUCH De*bauch", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Debauched; p. pr. & vb. n. Debauching.] Etym: [F. débaucher, prob. originally, to entice away from the workshop; pref. dé- (L. dis- or de) + OF. bauche, bauge, hut, cf. F. bauge lair of a wild boar; prob. from G. or Icel., cf. Icel. balkr. See Balk, n.]

Defn: To lead away from purity or excellence; to corrupt in character or principles; to mar; to vitiate; to pollute; to seduce; as, to debauch one's self by intemperance; to debauch a woman; to debauch an army. Learning not debauched by ambition. Burke. A man must have got his conscience thoroughly debauched and hardened before he can arrive to the height of sin. South. Her pride debauched her judgment and her eyes. Cowley.

DEBAUCH De*bauch", n. Etym: [Cf. F. débauche.]

1. Excess in eating or drinking; intemperance; drunkenness; lewdness; debauchery. The first physicians by debauch were made. Dryden.

2. An act or occasion of debauchery. Silenus, from his night's debauch, Fatigued and sick. Cowley.

DEBAUCHED De*bauched", a.

Defn: Dissolute; dissipated. "A coarse and debauched look." Ld. Lytton.

DEBAUCHEDLY De*bauch"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a profligate manner.

DEBAUCHEDNESS De*bauch"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being debauched; intemperance. Bp. Hall.

DEBAUCHEE Deb`au*chee", n. Etym: [F. dé, n., properly p. p. of débaucher. See Debauch, v. t.]

Defn: One who is given to intemperance or bacchanalian excesses; a man habitually lewd; a libertine.

DEBAUCHER De*bauch"er, n.

Defn: One who debauches or corrupts others; especially, a seducer to lewdness.

DEBAUCHERY De*bauch"er*y, n.; pl. Debaucheries (.

1. Corruption of fidelity; seduction from virtue, duty, or allegiance. The republic of Paris will endeavor to complete the debauchery of the army. Burke.

2. Excessive indulgence of the appetites; especially, excessive indulgence of lust; intemperance; sensuality; habitual lewdness. Oppose . . . debauchery by temperance. Sprat.

DEBAUCHMENT De*bauch"ment, n.

Defn: The act of corrupting; the act of seducing from virtue or duty.

DEBAUCHNESS De*bauch"ness, n.

Defn: Debauchedness. [Obs.]

DEBEIGE De*beige", n. Etym: [F. de of + beige the natural color of wool.]

Defn: A kind of woolen or mixed dress goods. [Written also debage.]

DEBEL De*bel", v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. débeller. See Debellate.]

Defn: To conquer. [Obs.] Milton.

DEBELLATE De*bel"late, v. t. Etym: [L. debellatus, p. p. of debellare to subdue; de- + bellum war.]

Defn: To subdue; to conquer in war. [Obs.] Speed.

DEBELLATION Deb`el*la"tion, n. Etym: [LL. debellatio.]

Defn: The act of conquering or subduing. [Obs.]

DE BENE ESSE De be"ne es"se. Etym: [L.] (Law)

Defn: Of well being; of formal sufficiency for the time; conditionally; provisionally. Abbott.

DEBENTURE De*ben"ture, n. Etym: [L. debentur they are due, fr. debere to owe; cf. F. debentur. So called because these receipts began with the words Debentur mihi.]

1. A writing acknowledging a debt; a writing or certificate signed by a public officer, as evidence of a debt due to some person; the sum thus due.

2. A customhouse certificate entitling an exporter of imported goods to a drawback of duties paid on their importation. Burrill.

Note: It is applied in England to deeds of mortgage given by railway companies for borrowed money; also to municipal and other bonds and securities for money loaned.

DEBENTURED De*ben"tured, a.

Defn: Entitled to drawback or debenture; as, debentured goods.

DEBENTURE STOCK Debenture stock. (Finance)

Defn: The debt or series of debts, collectively, represented by a series of debentures; a debt secured by a trust deed of property for the benefit of the holders of shares in the debt or of a series of debentures. By the terms of much debenture stock the holders are not entitled to demand payment until the winding up of the company or default in payment; in the winding up of the company or default in payment; in the case of railway debentures, they cannot demand payment of the principal, and the debtor company cannot redeem the stock, except by authority of an act of Parliament. [Eng.]

DEBILE Deb"ile, a. Etym: [L. debilis: cf. F. débile. See Debility.]

Defn: Weak. [Obs.] Shak.

DEBILITANT De*bil"i*tant, a. Etym: [L. debilitants, p. pr.] (Med.)

Defn: Diminishing the energy of organs; reducing excitement; as, a debilitant drug.

DEBILITATE De*bil"i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debilitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Debilitating.] Etym: [L. debilitatus, p. p. of debilitare to debilitate, fr. debilis. See Debility.]

Defn: To impair the strength of; to weaken; to enfeeble; as, to debilitate the body by intemperance. Various ails debilitate the mind. Jenyns. The debilitated frame of Mr. Bertram was exhausted by this last effort. Sir W. Scott.

DEBILITATION De*bil`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. debilitatio: cf. F. débilitation.]

Defn: The act or process of debilitating, or the condition of one who is debilitated; weakness.

DEBILITY De*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. debilitas, fr. debilis weak, prob. fr. de- + habilis able: cf. F. débilité. See Able, a.]

Defn: The state of being weak; weakness; feebleness; languor. The inconveniences of too strong a perspiration, which are debility, faintness, and sometimes sudden death. Arbuthnot.

Syn. — Debility, Infirmity, Imbecility. An infirmity belongs, for the most part, to particular members, and is often temporary, as of the eyes, etc. Debility is more general, and while it lasts impairs the ordinary functions of nature. Imbecility attaches to the whole frame, and renders it more or less powerless. Debility may be constitutional or may be the result or superinduced causes; Imbecility is always constitutional; infirmity is accidental, and results from sickness or a decay of the frame. These words, in their figurative uses, have the same distinctions; we speak of infirmity of will, debility of body, and an Imbecility which affects the whole man; but Imbecility is often used with specific reference to feebleness of mind.

DEBIT Deb"it, n. Etym: [L. debitum what is due, debt, from debere to owe: cf. F. débit. See Debt.]

Defn: A debt; an entry on the debtor (Dr.) side of an account; — mostly used adjectively; as, the debit side of an account.

DEBIT Deb"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debited; p. pr. & vb. n. Debiting.]

1. To charge with debt; — the opposite of, and correlative to, credit; as, to debit a purchaser for the goods sold.

2. (Bookkeeping)

Defn: To enter on the debtor (Dr.) side of an account; as, to debit the amount of goods sold.

DEBITOR Deb"it*or, n. Etym: [L. See Debtor.]

Defn: A debtor. [Obs.] Shak.

DEBITUMINIZATION De`bi*tu`mi*ni*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of depriving of bitumen.

DEBITUMINIZE De`bi*tu"mi*nize, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of bitumen.

DEBLAI Dé`blai", n. Etym: [F.] (Fort.)

Defn: The cavity from which the earth for parapets, etc. (remblai), is taken.

DEBONAIR Deb`o*nair", a. Etym: [OE. debonere, OF. de bon aire, debonaire, of good descent or lineage, excellent, debonair, F. débonnaire debonair; de of (L. de) + bon good (L. bonus) + aire. See Air, and Bounty, and cf. Bonair.]

Defn: Characterized by courteousness, affability, or gentleness; of good appearance and manners; graceful; complaisant. Was never prince so meek and debonair. Spenser.

DEBONAIRITY Deb`o*nair"i*ty, n. Etym: [OF. debonaireté, F. débonnaireté.]

Defn: Debonairness. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DEBONAIRLY Deb`o*nair"ly, adv.

Defn: Courteously; elegantly.

DEBONAIRNESS Deb`o*nair"ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being debonair; good humor; gentleness; courtesy. Sterne.

DEBOSH De*bosh", v. t. Etym: [Old form of debauch.]

Defn: To debauch. [Obs.] "A deboshed lady." Beau. & Fl.

DEBOSHMENT De*bosh"ment, n.

Defn: Debauchment. [Obs.]

DEBOUCH De*bouch", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Debouched; p. pr. & vb. n. Debouching.] Etym: [F. déboucher; pref. dé- (L. dis- or de) + boucher to stop up, fr. bouche mouth, fr. L. bucca the cheek. Cf. Disembogue.]

Defn: To march out from a wood, defile, or other confined spot, into open ground; to issue. Battalions debouching on the plain. Prescott.

DEBOUCHE Dé`bou`ché", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A place for exit; an outlet; hence, a market for goods. The débouchés were ordered widened to afford easy egress. The Century.

DEBOUCHURE Dé`bou`chure", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: The outward opening of a river, of a valley, or of a strait.

DEBRIS Dé`bris", n. Etym: [F., fr. pref. dé- (L. dis) + briser to break, shatter; perh. of Celtic origin.]

1. (Geol.)

Defn: Broken and detached fragments, taken collectively; especially, fragments detached from a rock or mountain, and piled up at the base.

2. Rubbish, especially such as results from the destruction of anything; remains; ruins.

DEBRUISED De*bruised", a. Etym: [Cf. OF. debruisier to shatter, break. Cf. Bruise.] (Her.)

Defn: Surmounted by an ordinary; as, a lion is debruised when a bend or other ordinary is placed over it, as in the cut. The lion of England and the lilies of France without the baton sinister, under which, according to the laws of heraldry, they where debruised in token of his illegitimate birth. Macaulay.

DEBT Debt, n. Etym: [OE. dette, F. dette, LL. debita, fr. L. debitus owed, p. p. of debere to owe, prop., to have on loan; de- + habere to have. See Habit, and cf. Debit, Due.]

1. That which is due from one person to another, whether money, goods, or services; that which one person is bound to pay to another, or to perform for his benefit; thing owed; obligation; liability. Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt. Shak. When you run in debt, you give to another power over your liberty. Franklin.

2. A duty neglected or violated; a fault; a sin; a trespass. "Forgive us our debts." Matt. vi. 12.

3. (Law)

Defn: An action at law to recover a certain specified sum of money alleged to be due. Burrill. Bond debt, Book debt, etc. See under Bond, Book, etc. — Debt of nature, death.

DEBTED Debt"ed, p. a.

Defn: Indebted; obliged to. [R.] I stand debted to this gentleman. Shak.

DEBTEE Debt*ee", n. (Law)

Defn: One to whom a debt is due; creditor; — correlative to debtor. Blackstone.

DEBTLESS Debt"less, a.

Defn: Free from debt. Chaucer.

DEBTOR Debt"or, n. Etym: [OE. dettur, dettour, OF. detor, detur, detour, F. débiteur, fr. L. debitor, fr. debere to owe. See Debt.]

Defn: One who owes a debt; one who is indebted; — correlative to creditor. [I 'll] bring your latter hazard back again, And thankfully rest debtor for the first. Shak. In Athens an insolvent debtor became slave to his creditor. Mitford. Debtors for our lives to you. Tennyson.

DEBULLIATE De*bul"li*ate, v. i. Etym: [Pref. dé- + L. bullire to boil.]

Defn: To boil over. [Obs.]

DEBULLITION Deb`ul*li"tion, n. Etym: [See Debulliate.]

Defn: A bubbling or boiling over. [Obs.] Bailey.

DEBURSE De*burse", v. t. & i. Etym: [Pref. de + L. bursa purse.]

Defn: To disburse. [Obs.] Ludlow.

DEBUSCOPE De"bu*scope, n. Etym: [From the inventor, Debus, a French optician + -scope.] (Opt.)

Defn: A modification of the kaleidoscope; — used to reflect images so as to form beautiful designs.

DEBUT Dé`but", n. Etym: [F. début, prop., the first cast or throw at play, fr. but aim, mark. See Butt an end.]

Defn: A beginning or first attempt; hence, a first appearance before the public, as of an actor or public speaker.

DEBUTANT; DEBUTANTE De`bu`tant", n.; fem. De`bu`tante" (. Etym: [F., p. pr. of débuter to have the first throw, to make one's début. See Début.]

Defn: A person who makes his (or her) first appearance before the public.

DECA- Dec"a-. Etym: [Cf. Ten.]

Defn: A prefix, from Gr. de`ka, signifying ten; specifically (Metric System), a prefix signifying the weight or measure that is ten times the principal unit.

DECACERATA De*cac`e*ra"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. de`ka ten + ke`ras a horn.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The division of Cephalopoda which includes the squids, cuttlefishes, and others having ten arms or tentacles; — called also Decapoda. [Written also Decacera.] See Dibranchiata.

DECACHORD; DECACHORDON Dec"a*chord, Dec`a*chor"don, n. Etym: [Gr. deka`chordos tenstringed; de`ka ten + chordj` a string.]

1. An ancient Greek musical instrument of ten strings, resembling the harp.

2. Something consisting of ten parts. W. Watson.

DECACUMINATED Dec`a*cu"mi*na`ted, a. Etym: [L. decacuminare to cut off the top. See Cacuminate.]

Defn: Having the point or top cut off. [Obs.] Bailey.

DECAD Dec"ad, n.

Defn: A decade. Averill was a decad and a half his elder. Tennyson.

DECADAL Dec"a*dal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to ten; consisting of tens.

DECADE Dec"ade, n. Etym: [F. décade, L. decas, -adis, fr. Gr. Ten.]

Defn: A group or division of ten; esp., a period of ten years; a decennium; as, a decade of years or days; a decade of soldiers; the second decade of Livy. [Written also decad.] During this notable decade of years. Gladstone.

DECADENCE; DECADENCY De*ca"dence, De*ca"den*cy, n. Etym: [LL. decadentia; L. de- + cadere to fall: cf. F. décadence. See Decay.]

Defn: A falling away; decay; deterioration; declension. "The old castle, where the family lived in their decadence.' Sir W. Scott.

DECADENT De*ca"dent, a.

Defn: Decaying; deteriorating.

DECADIST Dec"a*dist, n.

Defn: A writer of a book divided into decades; as, Livy was a decadist. [R.]

DECAGON Dec"a*gon, n. Etym: [Pref. deca- + Gr. décagone.] (Geom.)

Defn: A plane figure having ten sides and ten angles; any figure having ten angles. A regular decagon is one that has all its sides and angles equal.

DECAGONAL De*cag"o*nal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a decagon; having ten sides.

DECAGRAM; DECAGRAMME Dec"a*gram, Dec"a*gramme, n. Etym: [F. décagramme; Gr. gramme. See Gram.]

Defn: A weight of the metric system; ten grams, equal to about 154.32 grains avoirdupois.

DECAGYNIA Dec`a*gyn"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan order of plants characterized by having ten styles.

DECAGYNIAN; DECCAGYNOUS Dec`a*gyn"i*an, Dec*cag"y*nous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. décagyne.] (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to the Decagynia; having ten styles.

DECAHEDRAL Dec`a*he"dral, a.

Defn: Having ten sides.

DECAHEDRON Dec`a*he"dron, n.; pl. E. Decahedrons, L. Decahedra. Etym: [Pref. deca- + Gr. 'e`dra a seat, a base, fr. 'e`zesthai to sit: cf. F. décaèdre.] (Geom.)

Defn: A solid figure or body inclosed by ten plane surfaces. [Written also, less correctly, decaedron.]

DECALCIFICATION De*cal`ci*fi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: The removal of calcareous matter.

DECALCIFY De*cal"ci*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decalcified; p. pr. & vb. n. Decalcifying.]

Defn: To deprive of calcareous matter; thus, to decalcify bones is to remove the stony part, and leave only the gelatin.

DECALCOMANIA; DECALCOMANIE De*cal`co*ma"ni*a, De*cal`co*ma"nie, n. Etym: [F. décalcomanie.]

Defn: The art or process of transferring pictures and designs to china, glass, marble, etc., and permanently fixing them thereto.

DECALITER; DECALITRE Dec"a*li`ter, Dec"a*li`tre, n. Etym: [F. décalitre; Gr. litre. See Liter.]

Defn: A measure of capacity in the metric system; a cubic volume of ten liters, equal to about 610.24 cubic inches, that is, 2.642 wine gallons.

DECALOG Dec"a*log, n.

Defn: Decalogue.

DECALOGIST De*cal"o*gist, n.

Defn: One who explains the decalogue. J. Gregory.

DECALOGUE Dec"a*logue, n. Etym: [F. décalogue, L. decalogus, fr. Gr. Ten.]

Defn: The Ten Commandments or precepts given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, and originally written on two tables of stone.

DECAMERON De*cam"e*ron, n. Etym: [It. decamerone, fr. Gr. décaméron.]

Defn: A celebrated collection of tales, supposed to be related in ten days; — written in the 14th century, by Boccaccio, an Italian.

DECAMETER; DECAMETRE Dec"a*me`ter, Dec"a*me`tre, n. Etym: [F. décamètre; Gr. mètre. See Meter.]

Defn: A measure of length in the metric system; ten meters, equal to about 393.7 inches.

DECAMP De*camp", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decamped; p. pr. & vb. n. Decamping.] Etym: [F. décamper; pref. dé- (L. dis) + camp camp. See Camp.]

1. To break up a camp; to move away from a camping ground, usually by night or secretly. Macaulay.

2. Hence, to depart suddenly; to run away; — generally used disparagingly. The fathers were ordered to decamp, and the house was once again converted into a tavern. Goldsmith.

DECAMPMENT De*camp"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. décampement.]

Defn: Departure from a camp; a marching off.

DECANAL Dec"a*nal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. décanal. See Dean.]

Defn: Pertaining to a dean or deanery. His rectorial as well as decanal residence. Churton. Decanal side, the side of the choir on which the dean's tall is placed. — Decanal stall, the stall allotted to the dean in the choir, on the right or south side of the chancel. Shipley.

DECANDRIA De*can"dri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of plants characterized by having ten stamens.

DECANDRIAN; DECANDROUS De*can"dri*an, De*can"drous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. décandre.] (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to the Decandria; having ten stamens.

DECANE Dec"ane, n. Etym: [See Deca-.] (Chem.)

Defn: A liquid hydrocarbon, C10H22, of the paraffin series, including several isomeric modifications.

DECANGULAR Dec*an"gu*lar, a. Etym: [Pref. deca- + angular.]

Defn: Having ten angles.

DECANI De*ca"ni, a. Etym: [L., lit., of the dean.]

Defn: Used of the side of the choir on which the dean's stall is placed; decanal; — correlative to cantoris; as, the decanal, or decani, side.

DECANT De*cant", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Decanting.] Etym: [F. décanter (cf. It. decantare), prop., to pour off from the edge of a vessel; pref. dé- (L. de) + OF. cant (It. canto) edge, border, end. See Cant an edge.]

Defn: To pour off gently, as liquor, so as not to disturb the sediment; or to pour from one vessel into another; as, to decant wine.

DECANTATE De*can"tate, v. t.

Defn: To decant. [Obs.]

DECANTATION De`can*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. décantation.]

Defn: The act of pouring off a clear liquor gently from its lees or sediment, or from one vessel into another.

DECANTER De*cant"er, n.

1. A vessel used to decant liquors, or for receiving decanted liquors; a kind of glass bottle used for holding wine or other liquors, from which drinking glasses are filled.

2. One who decants liquors.

DECAPHYLLOUS De*caph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Pref. deca- + Gr. décaphylle.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having ten leaves.

DECAPITATE De*cap"i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decapitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Decapitating.] Etym: [LL. decapitatus, p. p. of decapitare; L. de- + caput head. See Chief.]

1. To cut off the head of; to behead.

2. To remove summarily from office. [Colloq. U. S.]

DECAPITATION De*cap`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [LL. decapitatio: cf. F. décapitation.]

Defn: The act of beheading; beheading.

DECAPOD Dec"a*pod, n. Etym: [Cf. F. décapode.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A crustacean with ten feet or legs, as a crab; one of the Decapoda. Also used adjectively.

DECAPODA De*cap"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The order of Crustacea which includes the shrimps, lobsters, crabs, etc.

Note: They have a carapace, covering and uniting the somites of the head and thorax and inclosing a gill chamber on each side, and usually have five (rarely six) pairs of legs. They are divided into two principal groups: Brachyura and Macrura. Some writers recognize a third (Anomura) intermediate between the others.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of the dibranchiate cephalopods including the cuttlefishes and squids. See Decacera.

DECAPODAL; DECAPODOUS Dec*ap"o*dal, Dec*ap"o*dous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Belonging to the decapods; having ten feet; ten-footed.

DECARBONATE De*car"bon*ate, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of carbonic acid.

DECARBONIZATION De*car`bon*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The action or process of depriving a substance of carbon.

DECARBONIZE De*car"bon*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decarbonized; p. pr. & vb. n. Decarbonizing.]

Defn: To deprive of carbon; as, to decarbonize steel; to decarbonize the blood. Decarbonized iron. See Malleable iron. — Decarbonized steel, homogenous wrought iron made by a steel process, as that of Bessemer; ingot iron.

DECARBONIZER De*car"bon*i`zer, n.

Defn: He who, or that which, decarbonizes a substance.

DECARBURIZATION De*car`bu*ri*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act, process, or result of decarburizing.

DECARBURIZE De*car"bu*rize, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of carbon; to remove the carbon from.

DECARD De*card", v. t.

Defn: To discard. [Obs.] You have cast those by, decarded them. J. Fletcher.

DECARDINALIZE De*car"di*nal*ize, v. t.

Defn: To depose from the rank of cardinal.

DECASTERE Dec"a*stere, n. Etym: [L. décastère; Gr. stère a stere.] (Metric System)

Defn: A measure of capacity, equal to ten steres, or ten cubic meters.

DECASTICH Dec"a*stich, n. Etym: [Pref. deca- + Gr.

Defn: A poem consisting of ten lines.

DECASTYLE Dec"a*style, a. Etym: [Gr. (Arch.)

Defn: Having ten columns in front; — said of a portico, temple, etc. — n.

Defn: A portico having ten pillars or columns in front.

DECASYLLABIC Dec`a*syl*lab"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. deca- + syllabic: cf. F. décasyllabique, décasyllable.]

Defn: Having, or consisting of, ten syllables.

DECATHLON De*cath"lon, n. [See Deca-; Pentathlon.]

Defn: In the modern Olympic Games, a composite contest consisting of a 100-meter run, a broad jump, putting the shot, a running high-jump, a 400-meter run, throwing the discus, a 100-meter hurdle race, pole vaulting, throwing the javelin, and a 1500-meter run.

DECATOIC Dec`a*to"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, decane.

DECAY De*cay", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decayed; p. pr. & vb. n. Decaying.] Etym: [OF. decaeir, dechaer, decheoir, F. déchoir, to decline, fall, become less; L. de- + cadere to fall. See Chance.]

Defn: To pass gradually from a sound, prosperous, or perfect state, to one of imperfection, adversity, or dissolution; to waste away; to decline; to fail; to become weak, corrupt, or disintegrated; to rot; to perish; as, a tree decays; fortunes decay; hopes decay. Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay. Goldsmith.

DECAY De*cay", v. t.

1. To cause to decay; to impair. [R.] Infirmity, that decays the wise. Shak.

2. To destroy. [Obs.] Shak.

DECAY De*cay", n.

1. Gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or of any species of excellence or perfection; tendency toward dissolution or extinction; corruption; rottenness; decline; deterioration; as, the decay of the body; the decay of virtue; the decay of the Roman empire; a castle in decay. Perhaps my God, though he be far before, May turn, and take me by the hand, and more -May strengthen my decays. Herbert. His [Johnson's] failure was not to be ascribed to intellectual decay. Macaulay. Which has caused the decay of the consonants to follow somewhat different laws. James Byrne.

2. Destruction; death. [Obs.] Spenser.

3. Cause of decay. [R.] He that plots to be the only figure among ciphers, is the decay of the whole age. Bacon.

Syn. — Decline; consumption. See Decline.

DECAYED De*cayed", a.

Defn: Fallen, as to physical or social condition; affected with decay; rotten; as, decayed vegetation or vegetables; a decayed fortune or gentleman. — De*cay"ed*ness, n.

DECAYER De*cay"er, n.

Defn: A causer of decay. [R.]

DECEASE De*cease", n. Etym: [OE. deses, deces, F. décès, fr. L. decessus departure, death, fr. decedere to depart, die; de- + cedere to withdraw. See Cease, Cede.]

Defn: Departure, especially departure from this life; death. His decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Luke ix. 31. And I, the whilst you mourn for his decease, Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase. Spenser.

Syn. — Death; departure; dissolution; demise; release. See Death.

DECEASE De*cease", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Deceased; p. pr. & vb. n. Deceasing.]

Defn: To depart from this life; to die; to pass away. She's dead, deceased, she's dead. Shak. When our summers have deceased. Tennyson. Inasmuch as he carries the malignity and the lie with him, he so far deceases from nature. Emerson.

DECEASED De*ceased", a.

Defn: Passed away; dead; gone. The deceased, the dead person.

DECEDE De*cede", v. i. Etym: [L. decedere. See Decease, n.]

Defn: To withdraw. [Obs.] Fuller.

DECEDENT De*ce"dent, a. Etym: [L. decedens, p. pr. of decedere.]

Defn: Removing; departing. Ash.

DECEDENT De*ce"dent, n.

Defn: A deceased person. Bouvier.

DECEIT De*ceit", n. Etym: [OF. deceit, des, decept (cf. deceite, de), fr. L. deceptus deception, fr. decipere. See Deceive.]

1. An attempt or disposition to deceive or lead into error; any declaration, artifice, or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud. Making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit. Amos viii. 5. Friendly to man, far from deceit or guile. Milton. Yet still we hug the dear deceit. N. Cotton.

2. (Law)

Defn: Any trick, collusion, contrivance, false representation, or underhand practice, used to defraud another. When injury is thereby effected, an action of deceit, as it called, lies for compensation.

Syn. — Deception; fraud; imposition; duplicity; trickery; guile; falsifying; double-dealing; stratagem. See Deception.

DECEITFUL De*ceit"ful, a.

Defn: Full of, or characterized by, deceit; serving to mislead or insnare; trickish; fraudulent; cheating; insincere. Harboring foul deceitful thoughts. Shak.

DECEITFULLY De*ceit"ful*ly, adv.

Defn: With intent to deceive.

DECEITFULNESS De*ceit"ful*ness, n.

1. The disposition to deceive; as, a man's deceitfulness may be habitual.

2. The quality of being deceitful; as, the deceitfulness of a man's practices.

3. Tendency to mislead or deceive. "The deceitfulness of riches." Matt. xiii. 22.

DECEITLESS De*ceit"less, a.

Defn: Free from deceit. Bp. Hall.

DECEIVABLE De*ceiv"a*ble, a. Etym: [F. décevable.]

1. Fitted to deceive; deceitful. [Obs.] The fraud of deceivable traditions. Milton.

2. Subject to deceit; capable of being misled. Blind, and thereby deceivable. Milton.

DECEIVABLENESS De*ceiv"a*ble*ness, n.

1. Capability of deceiving. With all deceivableness of unrighteousness. 2 Thess. ii. 10.

2. Liability to be deceived or misled; as, the deceivableness of a child.

DECEIVABLY De*ceiv"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a deceivable manner.

DECEIVE De*ceive", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deceived; p. pr. & vb. n. Deceiving.] Etym: [OE. deceveir, F. décevoir, fr. L. decipere to catch, insnare, deceive; de- + capere to take, catch. See Capable, and cf. Deceit, Deception.]

1. To lead into error; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose upon; to mislead; to cheat; to disappoint; to delude; to insnare. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Tim. iii. 13. Nimble jugglers that deceive the eye. Shak. What can 'scape the eye Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart Milton.

2. To beguile; to amuse, so as to divert the attention; to while away; to take away as if by deception. These occupations oftentimes deceived The listless hour. Wordsworth.

3. To deprive by fraud or stealth; to defraud. [Obs.] Plant fruit trees in large borders, and set therein fine flowers, but thin and sparingly, lest they deceive the trees. Bacon.

Syn. — Deceive, Delude, Mislead. Deceive is a general word applicable to any kind of misrepresentation affecting faith or life. To delude, primarily, is to make sport of, by deceiving, and is accomplished by playing upon one's imagination or credulity, as by exciting false hopes, causing him to undertake or expect what is impracticable, and making his failure ridiculous. It implies some infirmity of judgment in the victim, and intention to deceive in the deluder. But it is often used reflexively, indicating that a person's own weakness has made him the sport of others or of fortune; as, he deluded himself with a belief that luck would always favor him. To mislead is to lead, guide, or direct in a wrong way, either willfully or ignorantly.

DECEIVER De*ceiv"er, n.

Defn: One who deceives; one who leads into error; a cheat; an impostor. The deceived and the deceiver are his. Job xii. 16.

Syn. — Deceiver, Impostor. A deceiver operates by stealth and in private upon individuals; an impostor practices his arts on the community at large. The one succeeds by artful falsehoods, the other by bold assumption. The faithless friend and the fickle lover are deceivers; the false prophet and the pretended prince are impostors.

DECEMBER De*cem"ber, n. Etym: [F. décembre, from L. December, fr. decem ten; this being the tenth month among the early Romans, who began the year in March. See Ten.]

1. The twelfth and last month of the year, containing thirty-one days. During this month occurs the winter solstice.

2. Fig.: With reference to the end of the year and to the winter season; as, the December of his life.

DECEMBRIST De*cem"brist, n. (Russian Hist.)

Defn: One of those who conspired for constitutional government against the Emperor Nicholas on his accession to the throne at the death of Alexander I., in December, 1825; — called also Dekabrist.

He recalls the history of the decembrists . . . that gallant band of revolutionists. G. Kennan.

DECEMDENTATE De`cem*den"tate, a. Etym: [L. decem ten + E. dentate.]

Defn: Having ten points or teeth.

DECEMFID De*cem"fid, a. Etym: [L. decem ten + root of findere to cleave.] (Bot.)

Defn: Cleft into ten parts.

DECEMLOCULAR De`cem*loc"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. decem ten + E. locular.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having ten cells for seeds.

DECEMPEDAL De*cem"pe*dal, a. Etym: [L. decem ten + E. pedal.]

1. Ten feet in length.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having ten feet; decapodal. [R.] Bailey.

DECEMVIR De*cem"vir, n.; pl. E. Decemvirs, L. Decemviri. Etym: [L., fr. decem ten + vir a man.]

1. One of a body of ten magistrates in ancient Rome.

Note: The title of decemvirs was given to various bodies of Roman magistrates. The most celebrated decemvirs framed "the laws of the Twelve Tables," about 450 B. C., and had absolute authority for three years.

2. A member of any body of ten men in authority.

DECEMVIRAL De*cem"vi*ral, a. Etym: [L. decemviralis.]

Defn: Pertaining to the decemvirs in Rome.

DECEMVIRATE De*cem"vi*rate, n. Etym: [L. decemviratus.]

1. The office or term of office of the decemvirs in Rome.

2. A body of ten men in authority.

DECEMVIRSHIP De*cem"vir*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a decemvir. Holland.

DECENCE De"cence, n.

Defn: Decency. [Obs.] Dryden.

DECENCY De"cen*cy, n.; pl. Decencies. Etym: [L. decentia, fr. decens: cf. F. décence. See Decent.]

1. The quality or state of being decent, suitable, or becoming, in words or behavior; propriety of form in social intercourse, in actions, or in discourse; proper formality; becoming ceremony; seemliness; hence, freedom from obscenity or indecorum; modesty. Observances of time, place, and of decency in general. Burke. Immodest words admit of no defense, For want of decency is want of sense. Roscommon.

2. That which is proper or becoming. The external decencies of worship. Atterbury. Those thousand decencies, that daily flow From all her words and actions. Milton.

DECENE De"cene, n. Etym: [L. decem ten.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of the higher hydrocarbons, C10H20, of the ethylene series.

DECENNARY De*cen"na*ry, n.; pl. Decennaries. Etym: [L. decennium a period of ten years; decem ten + annus a year.]

1. A period of ten years.

2. (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: A tithing consisting of ten neighboring families. Burrill.

DECENNIAL De*cen"ni*al, a. Etym: [See Decennary.]

Defn: Consisting of ten years; happening every ten years; as, a decennial period; decennial games. Hallam.

DECENNIAL De*cen"ni*al, n.

Defn: A tenth year or tenth anniversary.

DECENNIUM De*cen"ni*um, n.; pl. Decenniums, L. Decennia. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A period of ten years. "The present decennium." Hallam. "The last decennium of Chaucer's life." A. W. Ward.

DECENNOVAL; DECENNOVARY De*cen"no*val, De*cen"no*va*ry, a. Etym: [L. decem ten + novem nine.]