Chapter 399

Decomposite <Xpage=378>

De`com*pos"ite , n. Anything decompounded.

Decomposites of three metals or more. Bacon.

Decomposition <Xpage=378>

De*com`po*si"tion (?) , n. [Pref. de- (in sense 3 intensive) + composition : cf. F. d\'82composition . Cf. Decomposition .]

1. The act or process of resolving the constituent parts of a compound body or substance into its elementary parts; separation into constituent part; analysis; the decay or dissolution consequent on the removal or alteration of some of the ingredients of a compound; disintegration; as, the decomposition of wood, rocks, etc.

2. The state of being reduced into original elements.

3. Repeated composition; a combination of compounds. [Obs.]

Decomposition of forces . Same as Resolution of forces , under Resolution . -- Decomposition of light , the division of light into the prismatic colors.

Decompound <Xpage=378>

De`com*pound" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decompounded ; p. pr. & vb. n. Decompounding .] [Pref. de- (intens. in sense 1) + compound , v. t.]

1. To compound or mix with that is already compound; to compound a second time.

2. To reduce to constituent parts; to decompose.

It divides and decompounds objects into . . . parts. Hazlitt.

Decompound <Xpage=378>

De`com*pound" , a. [Pref. de- (intens.) + compound , a. ]

1. Compound of what is already compounded; compounded a second time.

2. (Bot.) Several times compounded or divided, as a leaf or stem; decomposite.

Decompound <Xpage=378>

De`com*pound" , n. A decomposite.

Decompoundable <Xpage=378>

De`com*pound"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being decompounded.

Deconcentrate <Xpage=378>

De`con*cen"trate (?) , v. t. To withdraw from concentration; to decentralize. [R.]

Deconcentration <Xpage=378>

De*con`cen*tra"tion (?) , n. Act of deconcentrating. [R.]

Deconcoct <Xpage=378>

De`con*coct" (?) , v. t. To decompose. [R.]

Fuller.

Deconsecrate <Xpage=378>

De*con"se*crate (?) , v. t. To deprive of sacredness; to secularize. -- De*con`se*cra"tion (#) , n.

Decorament <Xpage=378>

Dec"o*ra*ment (?) , n. [L. decoramentum . See Decorate , v. t. ] Ornament. [Obs.]

Bailey.

Decorate <Xpage=378>

Dec"o*rate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decorated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Decorating (?) .] [L. decoratus , p. p. of decorare , fr. decus ornament; akin to decere to be becoming. See Decent .] To deck with that which is becoming, ornamental, or honorary; to adorn; to beautify; to embellish; as, to decorate the person; to decorate an edifice; to decorate a lawn with flowers; to decorate the mind with moral beauties; to decorate a hero with honors.

Her fat neck was ornamented with jewels, rich bracelets decorated her arms. Thackeray.

Syn. -- To adorn; embellish; ornament; beautify; grace. See Adorn .

Decorated style (Arch.) , a name given by some writers to the perfected English Gothic architecture; it may be considered as having flourished from about a. d . 1300 to a. d . 1375.

Decoration <Xpage=378>

Dec`o*ra"tion (?) , n. [LL. decoratio : cf. F. d\'82coration .]

1. The act of adorning, embellishing, or honoring; ornamentation.

2. That which adorns, enriches, or beautifies; something added by way of embellishment; ornament.

The hall was celebrated for . . . the richness of its decoration . Motley.

3. Specifically, any mark of honor to be worn upon the person, as a medal, cross, or ribbon of an order of knighthood, bestowed for services in war, great achievements in literature, art, etc.

Decoration Day , a day, May 30, appointed for decorating with flowers the graves of the Union soldiers and sailors, who fell in the Civil War in the United States; Memorial Day. [U.S.]

Decorative <Xpage=378>

Dec"o*ra*tive (?) , a. [Cf. F. d\'82coratif .] Suited to decorate or embellish; adorning. -- Dec"o*ra*tive*ness , n.

Decorative art , fine art which has for its end ornamentation, rather than the representation of objects or events.

Decorator <Xpage=378>

Dec"o*ra`tor (?) , n. [Cf. F. d\'82corateur .] One who decorates, adorns, or embellishes; specifically, an artisan whose business is the decoration of houses, esp. their interior decoration.

Decore <Xpage=378>

De*core" (?) , v. t. [Cf. F. d\'82corer . See Decorate .] To decorate; to beautify. [Obs.]

To decore and beautify the house of God. E. Hall.

Decorement <Xpage=378>

De*core"ment (?) , n. Ornament. [Obs.]

Decorous <Xpage=378>

De*co"rous (?; 277) , a. [L. dec<?/rus , fr. decor comeliness, beauty; akin to decere . See Decent , and cf. Decorum .] Suitable to a character, or to the time, place, and occasion; marked with decorum; becoming; proper; seemly; befitting; as, a decorous speech; decorous behavior; a decorous dress for a judge.

A decorous pretext the war. Motley.

-- De*co"rous*ly , adv. -- De*co"rous*ness , n.

Decorticate <Xpage=378>

De*cor"ti*cate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decorticated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Decorticating .] [L. decorticatus , p. p. of decorticare to bark; de- + cortex bark.] To divest of the bark, husk, or exterior coating; to husk; to peel; to hull. "Great barley dried and decorticated ."

Arbuthnot.

Decortication <Xpage=378>

De*cor`ti*ca"tion (?) , n. [L. decorticatio : cf. F. d\'82cortication .] The act of stripping off the bark, rind, hull, or outer coat.

Decorticator <Xpage=378>

De*cor"ti*ca`tor (?) , n. A machine for decorticating wood, hulling grain, etc.; also, an instrument for removing surplus bark or moss from fruit trees.

Decorum <Xpage=378>

De*cor"um (?) , n. [L. dec<?/rum , fr. dec<?/rus . See Decorous .] Propriety of manner or conduct; grace arising from suitableness of speech and behavior to one's own character, or to the place and occasion; decency of conduct; seemliness; that which is seemly or suitable.

Negligent of the duties and decorums of his station. Hallam.

If your master Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him, That majesty, to keep decorum , must No less beg than a kingdom. Shak.

Syn. -- Decorum , Dignity . Decorum , in accordance with its etymology, is that which is becoming in outward act or appearance; as, the decorum of a public assembly . Dignity springs from an inward elevation of soul producing a corresponding effect on the manners; as, dignity of personal appearance .

Decoy <Xpage=378>

De*coy" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decoyed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Decoying .] [Pref. de- + coy ; orig., to quiet, soothe, caress, entice. See Coy .] To lead into danger by artifice; to lure into a net or snare; to entrap; to insnare; to allure; to entice; as, to decoy troops into an ambush; to decoy ducks into a net.

Did to a lonely cot his steps decoy . Thomson.

E'en while fashion's brightest arts decoy , The heart, distrusting, asks if this be joy. Goldsmith.

Syn. -- To entice; tempt; allure; lure. See Allure .

Decoy <Xpage=378>

De*coy" , n.

1. Anything intended to lead into a snare; a lure that deceives and misleads into danger, or into the power of an enemy; a bait.

2. A fowl, or the likeness of one, used by sportsmen to entice other fowl into a net or within shot.

3. A place into which wild fowl, esp. ducks, are enticed in order to take or shoot them.

4. A person employed by officers of justice, or parties exposed to injury, to induce a suspected person to commit an offense under circumstances that will lead to his detection.

Decoy-duck <Xpage=378>

De*coy"-duck` (?) , n. A duck used to lure wild ducks into a decoy; hence, a person employed to lure others into danger.

Beau. & Fl.

Decoyer <Xpage=378>

De*coy"er (?) , n. One who decoys another.

Decoy-man <Xpage=378>

De*coy"-man` (?) , n. ; pl. Decoy-men (<?/) . A man employed in decoying wild fowl.

Decrease <Xpage=378>

De*crease" (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Decreased (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Decreasing .] [OE. decrecen , fr. OF. decreistre , F. d\'82cro\'8ctre , or from the OF. noun (see Decrease , n. ), fr. L. decrescere to grow less; de + crescere to grow. See Crescent , and cf. Increase .] To grow less, -- opposed to increase ; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc., or in strength, quality, or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December .

He must increase, but I must decrease . John iii. 30.

Syn. -- To Decrease , Diminish . Things usually decrease or fall off by degrees, and from within, or through some cause which is imperceptible; as, the flood decreases ; the cold decreases ; their affection has decreased . Things commonly diminish by an influence from without, or one which is apparent; as, the army was diminished by disease; his property is diminishing through extravagance; their affection has diminished since their separation their separation. The turn of thought, however, is often such that these words may be interchanged.

The olive leaf, which certainly them told The flood decreased . Drayton.

Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye; Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly. Pope.

Decrease <Xpage=378>

De*crease" , v. t. To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means .

That might decrease their present store. Prior.

Decrease <Xpage=378>

De*crease" , n. [OE. decrees , OF. decreis , fr. decreistre . See Decrease , v. ]

1. A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength .

2. The wane of the moon.

Bacon.

Decreaseless <Xpage=378>

De*crease"less , a. Suffering no decrease. [R.]

It [the river] flows and flows, and yet will flow, Volume decreaseless to the final hour. A. Seward.

Decreasing <Xpage=378>

De*creas"ing , a. Becoming less and less; diminishing. -- De*creas"ing*ly , adv.

Decreasing series (Math.) , a series in which each term is numerically smaller than the preceding term.

Decreation <Xpage=378>

De`cre*a"tion (?) , n. Destruction; -- opposed to creation . [R.]

Cudworth.

Decree <Xpage=378>

De*cree" (?) , n. [OE. decre , F. d\'82cret , fr. L. decretum , neut. decretus , p. p. of decernere to decide; de- + cernere to decide. See Certain , and cf. Decreet , Decretal .]

1. An order from one having authority, deciding what is to be done by a subordinate; also, a determination by one having power, deciding what is to be done or to take place; edict, law; authoritative ru<?/<?/ decision. "The decrees of Venice."

Sh<?/<?/<?/.

There went out a decree from C\'91sar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. Luke ii. 1.

Poor hand, why quiverest thou at this decree ? Shak.

2. (Law) (a) A decision, order, or sentence, given in a cause by a court of equity or admiralty. (b) A determination or judgment of an umpire on a case submitted to him.

Brande.

3. (Eccl.) An edict or law made by a council for regulating any business within their jurisdiction; as, the decrees of ecclesiastical councils .

Syn. -- Law; regulation; edict; ordinance. See Law .

Decree <Xpage=378>

De*cree" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decreed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Decreeing .]

1. To determine judicially by authority, or by decree; to constitute by edict; to appoint by decree or law; to determine; to order; to ordain; as, a court decrees a restoration of property .

Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee. Job xxii. 28.

2. To ordain by fate.

Decree <Xpage=378>

De*cree" , v. i. To make decrees; -- used absolutely.

Father eternal! thine is to decree ; Mine, both in heaven and earth to do thy will. Milton.

Decreeable <Xpage=378>

De*cree"a*ble (?) , a. Capable of being decreed.

Decreer <Xpage=378>

De*cre"er (?) , n. One who decrees.

J. Goodwin.

Decreet <Xpage=378>

De*creet" (?) , n. [Cf. Decree .] (Scots Law) The final judgment of the Court of Session, or of an inferior court, by which the question at issue is decided.

Decrement <Xpage=378>

Dec"re*ment (?) , n. [L. decrementum , fr. decrescere . See Decrease .]

1. The state of becoming gradually less; decrease; diminution; waste; loss.

Twit me with the decrements of my pendants. Ford.

Rocks, mountains, and the other elevations of the earth suffer a continual decrement . Woodward.

2. The quantity lost by gradual diminution or waste; -- opposed to increment .

3. (Crystallog.) A name given by Ha\'81y to the successive diminution of the layers of molecules, applied to the faces of the primitive form, by which he supposed the secondary forms to be produced.

4. (Math.) The quantity by which a variable is diminished.

Equal decrement of life . (a) The decrease of life in a group of persons in which the assumed law of mortality is such that of a given large number of persons, all being now of the same age, an equal number shall die each consecutive year. (b) The decrease of life in a group of persons in which the assumed law of mortality is such that the ratio of those dying in a year to those living through the year is constant, being independent of the age of the persons.

Decrepit <Xpage=378>

De*crep"it (?) , a. [L. decrepitus , perhaps orig., noised out, noiseless, applied to old people, who creep about quietly; de- + crepare to make a noise, rattle: cf. F. d\'82cr\'82pit . See Crepitate .] Broken down with age; wasted and enfeebled by the infirmities of old age; feeble; worn out. "Beggary or decrepit age."

Milton.

Already decrepit with premature old age. Motley.

&hand; Sometimes incorrectly written decrepid .

Decrepitate <Xpage=378>

De*crep"i*tate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Decrepitated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Decrepitating .] [Cf. F. d\'82cr\'82piter .] To roast or calcine so as to cause a crackling noise; as, to decrepitate salt .

Decrepitate <Xpage=378>

De*crep"i*tate , v. i. To crackle, as salt in roasting.

Decrepitation <Xpage=378>

De*crep`i*ta"tion (?) , n. [Cf. F. d\'82cr\'82pitation .] The act of decrepitating; a crackling noise, such as salt makes when roasting.

Decrepitness <Xpage=378>

De*crep"it*ness (?) , n. Decrepitude. [R.]

Barrow.

Decrepitude <Xpage=378>

De*crep"i*tude (?) , n. [Cf. F. d\'82cr\'82pitude .] The broken state produced by decay and the infirmities of age; infirm old age.

Decrescendo <Xpage=378>

De`cres*cen"do (?) , a. & adv. [It.] (Mus.) With decreasing volume of sound; -- a direction to performers, either written upon the staff (abbreviated Dec ., or Decresc .), or indicated by the sign.

Decrescent <Xpage=378>

De*cres"cent (?) , a. [L. decrescens , p. pr. of decrescere . See Decrease .] Becoming less by gradual diminution; decreasing; as, a decrescent moon .

Decrescent <Xpage=378>

De*cres"cent , n. (Her.) A crescent with the horns directed towards the sinister.

Cussans.

Decretal <Xpage=378>

De*cre"tal (?) , a. [L. decretalis , fr. decretum . See Decree .] Appertaining to a decree; containing a decree; as, a decretal epistle .

Ayliffe.

Decretal <Xpage=378>

De*cre"tal , n. [LL. decretale , neut. of L. decretalis . See Decretal , a. ]

1. (R. C. Ch.) An authoritative order or decree; especially, a letter of the pope, determining some point or question in ecclesiastical law. The decretals form the second part of the canon law.

2. (Canon Law) The collection of ecclesiastical decrees and decisions made, by order of Gregory IX., in 1234, by St. Raymond of Pennafort.

Decrete <Xpage=378>

De*crete" (?) , n. [L. decretum . See Decree .] A decree. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Decretion <Xpage=378>

De*cre"tion (?) , n. [From L. decrescere , decretum . See Decrease .] A decrease. [Obs.]

Pearson.

Decretist <Xpage=378>

De*cre"tist (?) , n. [LL. decretista , fr. decretum : cf. F. d\'82cr\'82tiste . See Decree , n. ] One who studies, or professes the knowledge of, the decretals.

Decretive <Xpage=378>

De*cre"tive (?) , a. [From L. decretum . See Decree , n. ] Having the force of a decree; determining.

The will of God is either decretive or perceptive. Bates.

Decretorial <Xpage=378>

Dec`re*to"ri*al (?) , a. Decretory; authoritative.

Sir T. Browne.

Decretorily <Xpage=378>

Dec"re*to*ri*ly (?) , adv. In a decretory or definitive manner; by decree.

Decretory <Xpage=378>

Dec"re*to*ry (?) , a. [L. decretorius , from decretum . See Decree .]

1. Established by a decree; definitive; settled.

The decretory rigors of a condemning sentence. South.

2. Serving to determine; critical. "The critical or decretory days."

Sir T. Browne.

<page="379"> Page 379

Decrew <Xpage=379>

De*crew" (?) , v. i. [F. d\'82crue , n. , decrease, and d\'82cru , p. p. of d\'82cro\'8ctre . See Decrease , and cf. Accrue .] To decrease. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Decrial <Xpage=379>

De*cri"al (?) , n. [See Decry .] A crying down; a clamorous censure; condemnation by censure.

Decrier <Xpage=379>