Chapter 396

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 <Xpage=375>

De*ceased" (?) , a. Passed away; dead; gone.

The deceased , the dead person.

Decede <Xpage=375>

De*cede" (?) , v. i. [L. decedere . See Decease , n. ] To withdraw. [Obs.]

Fuller.

Decedent <Xpage=375>

De*ce"dent (?) , a. [L. decedens , p. pr. of decedere .] Removing; departing.

Ash.

Decedent <Xpage=375>

De*ce"dent , n. A deceased person.

Bouvier.

Deceit <Xpage=375>

De*ceit" (?) , n. [OF. deceit , des<?/ait , decept (cf. deceite , de<?/oite ), 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) 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 <Xpage=375>

De*ceit"ful (?) , a. Full of, or characterized by, deceit; serving to mislead or insnare; trickish; fraudulent; cheating; insincere.

Harboring foul deceitful thoughts. Shak.

Deceitfully <Xpage=375>

De*ceit"ful*ly , adv. With intent to deceive.

Deceitfulness <Xpage=375>

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 <Xpage=375>

De*ceit"less , a. Free from deceit.

Bp. Hall.

Deceivable <Xpage=375>

De*ceiv"a*ble (?) , a. [F. d\'82cevable .]

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 <Xpage=375>

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 <Xpage=375>

De*ceiv"a*bly , adv. In a deceivable manner.

Deceive <Xpage=375>

De*ceive" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deceived (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Deceiving .] [OE. deceveir , F. d\'82cevoir , 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 <Xpage=375>

De*ceiv"er (?) , n. 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 <Xpage=375>

De*cem"ber (?) , n. [F. d\'82cembre , 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 .

Decemdentate <Xpage=375>

De`cem*den"tate (?) , a. [L. decem ten + E. dentate .] Having ten points or teeth.

Decemfid <Xpage=375>

De*cem"fid (?) , a. [L. decem ten + root of findere to cleave.] (Bot.) Cleft into ten parts.

Decemlocular <Xpage=375>

De`cem*loc"u*lar (?) , a. [L. decem ten + E. locular .] (Bot.) Having ten cells for seeds.

Decempedal <Xpage=375>

De*cem"pe*dal (?) , a. [L. decem ten + E. pedal .]

1. Ten feet in length.

2. (Zo\'94l.) Having ten feet; decapodal. [R.]

Bailey.

Decemvir <Xpage=375>

De*cem"vir (?) , n. ; pl. E. Decemvirs (#) , L. Decemviri (#) . [L., fr. decem ten + vir a man.]

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

&hand; 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 <Xpage=375>

De*cem"vi*ral (?) , a. [L. decemviralis .] Pertaining to the decemvirs in Rome.

Decemvirate <Xpage=375>

De*cem"vi*rate (?) , n. [L. decemviratus .]

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

2. A body of ten men in authority.

Decemvirship <Xpage=375>

De*cem"vir*ship (?) , n. The office of a decemvir.

Holland.

Decence <Xpage=375>

De"cence (?) , n. Decency. [Obs.]

Dryden.

Decency <Xpage=375>

De"cen*cy (?) , n. ; pl. Decencies (#) . [L. decentia , fr. decens : cf. F. d\'82cence . 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 <Xpage=375>

De"cene (?) , n. [L. decem ten.] (Chem.) One of the higher hydrocarbons, C10H20 , of the ethylene series.

Decennary <Xpage=375>

De*cen"na*ry (?) , n. ; pl. Decennaries (#) . [L. decennium a period of ten years; decem ten + annus a year.]

1. A period of ten years.

2. (O. Eng. Law) A tithing consisting of ten neighboring families.

Burrill.

Decennial <Xpage=375>

De*cen"ni*al (?) , a. [See Decennary .] Consisting of ten years; happening every ten years; as, a decennial period; decennial games.

Hallam.

Decennial <Xpage=375>

De*cen"ni*al , n. A tenth year or tenth anniversary.

Decennium <Xpage=375>

De*cen"ni*um (?) , n. ; pl. Decenniums (#) , L. Decennia (#) . [L.] A period of ten years. "The present decennium ." Hallam . "The last decennium of Chaucer's life."

A. W. Ward.

Decennoval, Decennovary <Xpage=375>

De*cen"no*val (?) , De*cen"no*va*ry (?) , a. [L. decem ten + novem nine.] Pertaining to the number nineteen; of nineteen years. [R.]

Holder.

Decent <Xpage=375>

De"cent (?) , a. [L. decens , decentis , p. pr. of decere to be fitting or becoming; akin to decus glory, honor, ornament, Gr. <?/ to seem good, to seem, think; cf. Skr. d<?/c to grant, to give; and perh. akin to E. attire , tire : cf. F. d\'82cent . Cf. Decorate , Decorum , Deig<?/ .]

1. Suitable in words, behavior, dress, or ceremony; becoming; fit; decorous; proper; seemly; as, decent conduct; decent language.

Shak.

Before his decent steps. Milton.

2. Free from immodesty or obscenity; modest.

3. Comely; shapely; well-formed. [Archaic]

A sable stole of cyprus lawn Over thy decent shoulders drawn. Milton.

By foreign hands thy decent limbs composed. Pope.

4. Moderate, but competent; sufficient; hence, respectable; fairly good; reasonably comfortable or satisfying; as, a decent fortune; a decent person.

A decent retreat in the mutability of human affairs. Burke.

-- De"cent*ly , adv. -- De"cent*ness , n.

Decentralization <Xpage=375>

De*cen`tral*i*za"tion (?) , n. The action of decentralizing, or the state of being decentralized. "The decentralization of France."

J. P. Peters.

Decentralize <Xpage=375>

De*cen"tral*ize (?) , v. t. To prevent from centralizing; to cause to withdraw from the center or place of concentration; to divide and distribute (what has been united or concentrated); -- esp. said of authority, or the administration of public affairs.

Deceptible <Xpage=375>

De*cep"ti*ble (?) , a. Capable of being deceived; deceivable. Sir T. Browne . -- De*cep`ti*bil"i*ty (<?/) , n.

Deception <Xpage=375>

De*cep"tion (?) , n. [F. d\'82ception , L. deceptio , fr. decipere , deceptum . See Deceive .]

1. The act of deceiving or misleading.

South.

2. The state of being deceived or misled.

There is one thing relating either to the action or enjoyments of man in which he is not liable to deception . South.

3. That which deceives or is intended to deceive; false representation; artifice; cheat; fraud.

There was of course room for vast deception . Motley.

Syn. -- Deception , Deceit , Fraud , Imposition . Deception usually refers to the act, and deceit to the habit of the mind; hence we speak of a person as skilled in deception and addicted to deceit . The practice of deceit springs altogether from design, and that of the worst kind; but a deception does not always imply aim and intention. It may be undesigned or accidental. An imposition is an act of deception practiced upon some one to his annoyance or injury; a fraud implies the use of stratagem, with a view to some unlawful gain or advantage.

Deceptious <Xpage=375>

De*cep"tious (?) , a. [LL. deceptiosus .] Tending deceive; delusive. [R.]

As if those organs had deceptious functions. Shak.

Deceptive <Xpage=375>

De*cep"tive (?) , a. [Cf. F. d\'82ceptif . See Deceive .] Tending to deceive; having power to mislead, or impress with false opinions; as, a deceptive countenance or appearance .

Language altogether deceptive , and hiding the deeper reality from our eyes. Trench.

Deceptive cadence (Mus.) , a cadence on the subdominant, or in some foreign key, postponing the final close.

Deceptively <Xpage=375>

De*cep"tive*ly , adv. In a manner to deceive.

Deceptiveness <Xpage=375>

De*cep"tive*ness , n. The power or habit of deceiving; tendency or aptness to deceive.

Deceptivity <Xpage=375>

De`cep*tiv"i*ty (?) , n. Deceptiveness; a deception; a sham. [R.]

Carlyle.

Deceptory <Xpage=375>

De*cep"to*ry (?) , a. [L. deceptorius , from decipere .] Deceptive. [R.]

Decern <Xpage=375>

De*cern" (?) , v. t. [L. decernere . See Decree .]

1. To perceive, discern, or decide. [Obs.]

Granmer.

2. (Scots Law) To decree; to adjudge.

<page="376"> Page 376

Decerniture <Xpage=376>

De*cern"i*ture (?; 135) , n. (Scots Law) A decree or sentence of a court.

Stormonth.

Decerp <Xpage=376>

De*cerp" (?) , v. t. [L. decerpere ; de- + carpere to pluck.] To pluck off; to crop; to gather. [Obs.]

Decerpt <Xpage=376>

De*cerpt" (?) , a. [L. decerptus , p. p. of decerpere .] Plucked off or away. [Obs.]

Decerptible <Xpage=376>

De*cerp"ti*ble (?) , a. That may be plucked off, cropped, or torn away. [Obs.]

Bailey.

Decerption <Xpage=376>

De*cerp"tion (?) , n.

1. The act of plucking off; a cropping.

2. That which is plucked off or rent away; a fragment; a piece.

Glanvill.

Decertation <Xpage=376>

De`cer*ta"tion (?) , n. [L. decertatio , fr. decertare , decertatum ; de- + certare to contend.] Contest for mastery; contention; strife. [R.]

Arnway.

Decession <Xpage=376>

De*ces"sion (?) , n. [L. decessio , fr. decedere to depart. See Decease , n. ] Departure; decrease; -- opposed to accesion . [Obs.]

Jer. Taylor.

Decharm <Xpage=376>

De*charm" (?) , v. t. [Cf. F. d\'82charmer . See Charm .] To free from a charm; to disenchant.

Dechristianize <Xpage=376>

De*chris"tian*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dechristianized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Dechristianizing .] To turn from, or divest of, Christianity.

Decidable <Xpage=376>

De*cid"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being decided; determinable.

Decide <Xpage=376>

De*cide" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decided ; p. pr. & vb. n. Deciding .] [L. dec\'c6dere ; de- + caedere to cut, cut off; prob. akin to E. shed , v.: cf. F. d\'82cider . Cf. Decision .]

1. To cut off; to separate. [Obs.]

Our seat denies us traffic here; The sea, too near, decides us from the rest. Fuller.

2. To bring to a termination, as a question, controversy, struggle, by giving the victory to one side or party; to render judgment concerning; to determine; to settle.

So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it. 1 Kings xx. 40.

The quarrel toucheth none but us alone; Betwixt ourselves let us decide it then. Shak.

Decide <Xpage=376>

De*cide" , v. i. To determine; to form a definite opinion; to come to a conclusion; to give decision; as, the court decided in favor of the defendant .

Who shall decide , when doctors disagree? Pope.

Decided <Xpage=376>

De*cid"ed (?) , a.

1. Free from ambiguity; unequivocal; unmistakable; unquestionable; clear; evident; as, a decided advantage . "A more decided taste for science."

Prescott.

2. Free from doubt or wavering; determined; of fixed purpose; fully settled; positive; resolute; as, a decided opinion or purpose .

Syn. -- Decided , Decisive . We call a thing decisive when it has the power or quality of deciding; as, a decisive battle; we speak of it as decided when it is so fully settled as to leave no room for doubt; as, a decided preference, a decided aversion. Hence, a decided victory is one about which there is no question; a decisive victory is one which ends the contest. Decisive is applied only to things; as, a decisive sentence, a decisive decree, a decisive judgment. Decided is applied equally to persons and things. Thus we speak of a man as decided in his whole of conduct; and as having a decided disgust, or a decided reluctance, to certain measures. "A politic caution, a guarded circumspection, were among the ruling principles of our forefathers in their most decided conduct." Burke . "The sentences of superior judges are final, decisive , and irrevocable.

Blackstone.

Decidedly <Xpage=376>

De*cid"ed*ly , adv. In a decided manner; indisputably; clearly; thoroughly.

Decidement <Xpage=376>

De*cide"ment (?) , n. Means of forming a decision. [Obs.]

Beau. & Fl.

Decidence <Xpage=376>

Dec"i*dence (?) , n. [L. decidens falling off.] A falling off. [R.]

Sir T. Browne.

Decider <Xpage=376>

De*cid"er (?) , n. One who decides.

Decidua <Xpage=376>

De*cid"u*a (?; 135) , n. [NL., fr. L. deciduus . See Deciduous .] (Anat.) The inner layer of the wall of the uterus, which envelops the embryo, forms a part of the placenta, and is discharged with it.

Deciduata <Xpage=376>