Chapter 388

4. Difficulty; sparingness. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

5. Coyness; disdainful behavior. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

In one's danger , in one's power; liable to a penalty to be inflicted by him. [Obs.] This sense is retained in the proverb, "Out of debt out of danger ."

Those rich man in whose debt and danger they be not. Robynson (More's Utopia).

-- To do danger , to cause danger. [Obs.]

Shak.

Syn. -- Peril; hazard; risk; jeopardy. -- Danger , Peril , Hazard , Risk , Jeopardy . Danger is the generic term, and implies some contingent evil in prospect. Peril is instant or impending danger; as, in peril of one's life. Hazard arises from something fortuitous or beyond our control; as, the hazard of the seas. Risk is doubtful or uncertain danger, often incurred voluntarily; as, to risk an engagement. Jeopardy is extreme danger. Danger of a contagious disease; the perils of shipwreck; the hazards of speculation; the risk of daring enterprises; a life brought into jeopardy .

Danger <Xpage=367>

Dan"ger , v. t. To endanger. [Obs.]

Shak.

Dangerful <Xpage=367>

Dan"ger*ful (?) , a. Full of danger; dangerous. [Obs.] -- Dan"ger*ful*ly , adv. [Obs.]

Udall.

Dangerless <Xpage=367>

Dan"ger*less , a. Free from danger. [R.]

Dangerous <Xpage=367>

Dan"ger*ous (?) , a. [OE., haughty, difficult, dangerous, fr. OF. dangereus , F. dangereux . See Danger .]

1. Attended or beset with danger; full of risk; perilous; hazardous; unsafe.

Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous . Shak.

It is dangerous to assert a negative. Macaulay.

2. Causing danger; ready to do harm or injury.

If they incline to think you dangerous To less than gods. Milton.

3. In a condition of danger, as from illness; threatened with death. [Colloq.]

Forby. Bartlett.

4. Hard to suit; difficult to please. [Obs.]

My wages ben full strait, and eke full small; My lord to me is hard and dangerous . Chaucer.

5. Reserved; not affable. [Obs.] "Of his speech dangerous ."

Chaucer.

-- Dan"ger*ous*ly , adv. -- Dan"ger*ous*ness , n.

Dangle <Xpage=367>

Dan"gle (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Dangled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Dangling (?) .] [Akin to Dan. dangle , dial. Sw. dangla , Dan. dingle , Sw. dingla , Icel. dingla ; perh. from E. ding .] To hang loosely, or with a swinging or jerking motion.

he'd rather on a gibbet dangle Than miss his dear delight, to wrangle. Hudibras.

From her lifted hand Dangled a length of ribbon. Tennyson.

To dangle about &or; after , to hang upon importunately; to court the favor of; to beset.

The Presbyterians, and other fanatics that dangle after them, are well inclined to pull down the present establishment. Swift.

Dangle <Xpage=367>

Dan"gle (?) , v. t. To cause to dangle; to swing, as something suspended loosely; as, to dangle the feet .

And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume. Sir W. Scott.

Dangleberry <Xpage=367>

Dan"gle*ber`ry (?) , n. (Bot.) A dark blue, edible berry with a white bloom, and its shrub ( Gaylussacia frondosa ) closely allied to the common huckleberry. The bush is also called blue tangle , and is found from New England to Kentucky, and southward.

Dangler <Xpage=367>

Dan"gler (?) , n. One who dangles about or after others, especially after women; a trifler. " Danglers at toilets."

Burke.

Daniel <Xpage=367>

Dan"i*el (?) , n. A Hebrew prophet distinguished for sagacity and ripeness of judgment in youth; hence, a sagacious and upright judge.

A Daniel come to judgment. Shak.

Danish <Xpage=367>

Dan"ish (?) , a. [See Dane .] Belonging to the Danes, or to their language or country. -- n. The language of the Danes.

Danish dog (Zo\'94l.) , one of a large and powerful breed of dogs reared in Denmark; -- called also great Dane . See Illustration in Appendix.

Danite <Xpage=367>

Dan"ite (?) , n. 1. A descendant of Dan; an Israelite of the tribe of Dan.

Judges xiii. 2.

2. [So called in remembrance of the prophecy in Gen. xlix. 17, " Dan shall be a serpent by the way," etc.] One of a secret association of Mormons, bound by an oath to obey the heads of the church in all things. [U. S.]

Dank <Xpage=367>

Dank (?) , a. [Cf. dial, Sw. dank a moist place in a field, Icel. d\'94kk pit, pool; possibly akin to E. damp or to daggle dew.] Damp; moist; humid; wet.

Now that the fields are dank and ways are mire. Milton.

Cheerless watches on the cold, dank ground. Trench.

Dank <Xpage=367>

Dank , n. Moisture; humidity; water. [Obs.]

Dank <Xpage=367>

Dank , n. A small silver coin current in Persia.

Dankish <Xpage=367>

Dank"ish , a. Somewhat dank. -- Dank"ish*ness , n.

In a dark and dankish vault at home. Shak.

Dannebrog <Xpage=367>

Dan"ne*brog (?) , n. The ancient battle standard of Denmark, bearing figures of cross and crown.

Order of Dannebrog , an ancient Danish order of knighthood.

Danseuse <Xpage=367>

Dan`seuse" (?) , n. [F., fr. danser to dance.] a professional female dancer; a woman who dances at a public exhibition as in a ballet.

Dansk <Xpage=367>

Dansk (?) , a. [Dan.] Danish. [Obs.]

Dansker <Xpage=367>

Dansk"er (?) , n. A Dane. [Obs.]

Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris. Shak.

Dantean <Xpage=367>

Dan*te"an (?) , a. Relatingto, emanating from or resembling, the poet Dante or his writings.

Dantesque <Xpage=367>

Dan*tesque" (?) , a. [Cf. It. Dantesco .] Dantelike; Dantean.

Earle.

Danubian <Xpage=367>

Da*nu"bi*an (?) , a. Pertainingto, or bordering on, the river Danube.

Dap <Xpage=367>

Dap (?) , v. i. [Cf. Dip .] (Angling) To drop the bait gently on the surface of the water.

To catch a club by dapping with a grasshoper. Walton.

Dapatical <Xpage=367>

Da*pat"ic*al (?) , a. [L. dapaticus , fr. daps feast.] Sumptuous in cheer. [Obs.]

Bailey.

Daphne <Xpage=367>

Daph"ne (?) , n. [L., a laurel tree, from Gr. <?/ .] 1. (Bot.) A genus of diminutive Shrubs, mostly evergreen, and with fragrant blossoms.

2. (Myth.) A nymph of Diana, fabled to have been changed into a laurel tree.

Daphnetin <Xpage=367>

Daph"ne*tin (?) , n. (Chem.) A colorless crystalline substance, C9H6O4 , extracted from daphnin.

Daphnia <Xpage=367>

Daph"ni*a (?) , n. [NL.] (Zo\'94l.) A genus of the genus Daphnia .

Daphnin <Xpage=367>

Daph"nin (?) , n. [Cf. F. daphnine .] (Chem.) (a) A dark green bitter resin extracted from the mezereon ( Daphne mezereum ) and regarded as the essential principle of the plant. [R.] (b) A white, crystalline, bitter substance, regarded as a glucoside, and extracted from Daphne mezereum and D. alpina .

Daphnomancy <Xpage=367>

Daph"no*man`cy (?) , n. [Gr. da`fnh the laurel + -mancy .] Divination by means of the laurel.

Dapifer <Xpage=367>

Dap"i*fer (?) , n. [L., daps a feast + ferre to bear.] One who brings meat to the table; hence, in some countries, the official title of the grand master or steward of the king's or a nobleman's household.

Dapper <Xpage=367>

Dap"per (?) , a. [OE. daper ; prob. fr. D. dapper brave, valiant; akin to G. tapfer brave, OHG. taphar heavy, weighty, OSlav. dobr&ucr; good, Russ. dobrui . Cf. Deft .] Little and active; spruce; trim; smart; neat in dress or appearance; lively.

He wondered how so many provinces could be held in subjection by such a dapper little man. Milton.

The dapper ditties that I wont devise. Spenser.

Sharp-nosed, dapper steam yachts. Julian Hawthorne.

Dapperling <Xpage=367>

Dap"per*ling (?) , n. A dwarf; a dandiprat. [r.]

Dapple <Xpage=367>

Dap"ple (?) , n. [Cf. Icel. depill a spot, a dot, a dog with spots over the eyes, dapi a pool, and E. dimple .] One of the spots on a dappled animal.

He has . . . as many eyes on his body as my gray mare hath dapples . Sir P. Sidney.

Dapple, Dappled <Xpage=367>

Dap"ple (?) , Dap"pled (?) , a. Marked with spots of different shades of color; spotted; variegated; as, a dapple horse .

Some dapple mists still floated along the peaks. Sir W. Scott.

&hand; The word is used in composition to denote that some color is variegated or marked with spots; as, dapple -bay; dapple -gray.

His steed was all dapple -gray. Chaucer.

O, swiftly can speed my dapple -gray steed. Sir W. Scott.

Dapple <Xpage=367>

Dap"ple , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dappled (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Dappling .] To variegate with spots; to spot.

The gentle day, . . . Dapples the drowsy east with spots of gray. Shak.

The dappled pink and blushing rose. Prior.

Darbies <Xpage=367>

Dar"bies (?) , n. pl. Manacles; handcuffs. [Cant]

Jem Clink will fetch you the darbies . Sir W. Scott.

&hand; In "The Steel Glass" by Gascoigne, printed in 1576, occurs the line "To binde such babes in father Derbies bands ."

Darby <Xpage=367>

Dar"by (?) , n. A plasterer's float, having two handles; -- used in smoothing ceilings, etc.

Darbyite <Xpage=367>

Dar"by*ite (?) , n. One of the Plymouth Brethren, or of a sect among them; -- so called from John N. Darby , one of the leaders of the Brethren.

Dardanian <Xpage=367>

Dar*da"ni*an (?) , a. & n. [From L. Dardania , poetic name of Troy.] Trojan.

Dare <Xpage=367>

Dare (?) , v. i. [ imp. Durst (?) or Dared (<?/) ; p. p. Dared ; p. pr. & vb. n. Daring .] [OE. I dar , dear , I dare, imp. dorste , durste , AS. ic dear I dare, imp. dorste . inf. durran ; akin to OS. gidar , gidorsta , gidurran , OHG. tar , torsta , turran , Goth. gadar , gada\'a3rsta , Gr. tharsei^n , tharrei^n , to be bold, tharsy`s bold, Skr. Dhrsh to be bold. &root;70.] To have adequate or sufficient courage for any purpose; to be bold or venturesome; not to be afraid; to venture.

I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none. Shak.

Why then did not the ministers use their new law? Bacause they durst not, because they could not. Macaulay.

Who dared to sully her sweet love with suspicion. Thackeray.

The tie of party was stronger than the tie of blood, because a partisan was more ready to dare without asking why. Jowett (Thu<?/yd.).

&hand; The present tense, I dare , is really an old past tense, so that the third person is he dare , but the form he dares is now often used, and will probably displace the obsolescent he dare , through grammatically as incorrect as he shalls or he cans .

Skeat.

The pore dar plede (the poor man dare plead). P. Plowman.

You know one dare not discover you. Dryden.

The fellow dares nopt deceide me. Shak.

Here boldly spread thy hands, no venom'd weed Dares blister them, no slimly snail dare creep. Beau. & Fl.

&hand; Formerly durst was also used as the present. Sometimes the old form dare is found for durst or dared .

Dare <Xpage=367>

Dare , v. y. [ imp. & p. p. Dared ; p. pr. & vb. n. Daring .] 1. To have courage for; to attempt courageously; to venture to do or to undertake.

What high concentration of steady feeling makes men dare every thing and do anything? Bagehot.

To wrest it from barbarism, to dare its solitudes. The Century.

2. To challenge; to provoke; to defy.

Time, I dare thee to discover Such a youth and such a lover. Dryden.

Dare <Xpage=367>

Dare , n. 1. The quality of daring; venturesomeness; boldness; dash. [R.]

It lends a luster . . . A large dare to our great enterprise. Shak.

2. Defiance; challenge.

Childish, unworthy dares Are not enought to part our powers. Chapman.

Sextus Pompeius Hath given the dare to C\'91sar. Shak.

Dare <Xpage=367>

Dare , v. i. [OE. darien , to lie hidden, be timid.] To lurk; to lie hid. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Dare <Xpage=367>

Dare , v. t. To terrify; to daunt. [Obs.]

For I have done those follies, those mad mischiefs, Would dare a woman. Beau. & Fl.

To dare larks , to catch them by producing terror through to use of mirrors, scarlet cloth, a hawk, etc., so that they lie still till a net is thrown over them.

Nares.

Dare <Xpage=367>

Dare , n. [See Dace .] (Zo\'94l.) A small fish; the dace.

Dare-devil <Xpage=367>

Dare"-dev`il (?) , n. A reckless fellow. Also used adjectively; as, dare-devil excitement .

A humorous dare-devil -- the very man To suit my prpose. Ld. Lytton.

Dare-deviltry <Xpage=367>

Dare"-dev`il*try (?) , n ; pl. Dare-deviltries (<?/) . Reckless mischief; the action of a dare-devil.

Dareful <Xpage=367>

Dare"ful (?) , a. Full af daring or of defiance; adveturous. [R.]

Shak.

Darer <Xpage=367>

Dar"er (?) , n. One who dares or defies.

Darg, Dargue <Xpage=367>

Darg , Dargue (?) , n. [Scot., contr. fr. day work .] A day's work; also, a fixed amount of work, whether more or less than that of a day. [Local, Eng. & Scott]

Daric <Xpage=367>

Dar"ic (?) , n. [Gr. <?/, of Persian origin.]

1. (Antiq.) (a) A gold coin of ancient Persia, weighing usually a little more than 128 grains, and bearing on one side of the figure of an archer . (b) A silver coin of about 86 grains, having the figure of an archer, and hence, in modern times, called a daric .

2. Any very pure gold coin.

Daring <Xpage=367>

Dar"ing (?) , n. Boldness; fearlessness; adventurousness; also, a daring act.

Daring <Xpage=367>

Dar"ing , a. Bold; fearless; adventurous; as, daring spirits . -- Dar"ing*ly , adv. -- Dar"ing*ness , n.

Dark <Xpage=367>

Dark (?) , a. [OE. dark , derk , deork , AS. dearc , deorc ; cf. Gael. & Ir. dorch , dorcha , dark, black, dusky.] 1. Destitute, or partially destitute, of light; not receiving, reflecting, or radiating light; wholly or partially black, or of some deep shade of color; not light-colored; as, a dark room; a dark day; dark cloth; dark paint; a dark complexion.

O dark , dark , dark , amid the blaze of noon, Irrecoverable dark , total eclipse Without all hope of day! milton.

In the dark and silent grave. Sir W. Raleigh.

2. Not clear to the understanding; not easily <?/ through; obscure; mysterious; hidden.

The dark problems of existence. Shairp.

What may seem dark at the first, will afterward be found more plain. Hooker.

What's your dark meaning, mouse, of this light word? Shak.

3. Destitute of knowledge and culture; in moral or intellectual darkness; unrefined; ignorant.

The age wherin he lived was dark , but he Cobld not want light who taught the world oto see. Denhan.

The tenth century used to be reckoned by medi\'91val historians as the darkest part of this intellectual night. Hallam.

4. Evincing blaxk or foul traits of character; vile; wicked; atrocious; as, a dark villain; a dark deed.

Left him at large to his own dark designs. Milton.

5. Foreboding evil; gloomy; jealous; suspicious.

More dark and dark our woes. Shak.

A deep melancholy took possesion of him, and gave a dark tinge to all his views of human nature. Macaulay.

There is, in every true woman-s heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity. W. Irving.

6. Deprived of sight; blind. [Obs.]

He was, I think, at this time quite dark , and so had been for some years. Evelyn.

&hand; Dark is sometimes used to qualify another adjective; as, dark blue, dark green, and sometimes it forms the first part of a compound; as, dark -haired, dark -eyed, dark -colored, dark -seated, dark -working.

A dark horse , in racing or politics, a horse or a candidate whose chances of success are not known, and whose capabilities have not been made the subject of general comment or of wagers . [Colloq.] -- Dark house , Dark room , a house or room in which madmen were confined. [Obs.] Shak . -- Dark lantern . See Lantern . -- The Dark Ages , a period of stagnation and obscurity in literature and art, lasting, according to Hallam, nearly 1000 years, from about 500 to about 1500 A. D. . See Middle Ages , under Middle . -- The Dark and Bloody Ground , a phrase applied to the State of Kentucky, and said to be the significance of its name, in allusion to the frequent wars that were waged there between Indians. -- The dark day , a day (May 19, 1780) when a remarkable and unexplained darkness extended over all New England. -- To keep dark , to reveal nothing. [Low]

Dark <Xpage=367>