Chapter 401

Deedless in his tongue. Shak.

Deed poll <Xpage=379>

Deed" poll` (?) . (Law) A deed of one part, or executed by only one party, and distinguished from an indenture by having the edge of the parchment or paper cut even, or polled as it was anciently termed, instead of being indented.

Burrill.

Deedy <Xpage=379>

Deed"y (?) , a. Industrious; active. [R.]

Cowper.

Deem <Xpage=379>

Deem (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deemed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Deeming .] [OE. demen to judge, condemn, AS. d<?/man , fr. d<?/m doom; akin to OFries. d<?/ma , OS. ad<?/mian , D. doemen , OHG. tuommen , Icel. d\'91ma , Sw. d\'94mma , Dan. d\'94mme , Goth. d<?/mjan . See Doom , n. , and cf. Doom , v. ]

1. To decide; to judge; to sentence; to condemn. [Obs.]

Claudius . . . Was demed for to hang upon a tree. Chaucer.

2. To account; to esteem; to think; to judge; to hold in opinion; to regard.

For never can I deem him less him less than god. Dryden.

Deem <Xpage=379>

Deem , v. i.

1. To be of opinion; to think; to estimate; to opine; to suppose.

And deemest thou as those who pore, With aged eyes, short way before? Emerson.

2. To pass judgment. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Deem <Xpage=379>

Deem , n. Opinion; judgment. [Obs.]

Shak.

<page="380"> Page 380

Deemster <Xpage=380>

Deem"ster (?) , n. [ Deem + -ster; i. e., doomster. Cf. Dempster .] A judge in the Isle of Man who decides controversies without process.

Cowell.

Deep <Xpage=380>

Deep (?) , a. [ Compar. Deeper (?) ; superl. Deepest (?) .] [OE. dep , deop , AS. de\'a2p ; akin to D. diep , G. tief , Icel. dj<?/pr , Sw. diup , Dan. dyb , Goth. diups ; fr. the root of E. dip , dive . See Dip , Dive .]

1. Extending far below the surface; of great perpendicular dimension (measured from the surface downward, and distinguished from high , which is measured upward); far to the bottom; having a certain depth; as, a deep sea .

The water where the brook is deep . Shak.

2. Extending far back from the front or outer part; of great horizontal dimension (measured backward from the front or nearer part, mouth, etc.); as, a deep cave or recess or wound; a gallery ten seats deep ; a company of soldiers six files deep .

Shadowing squadrons deep . Milton.

Safely in harbor Is the king's ship in the deep nook. Shak.

3. Low in situation; lying far below the general surface; as, a deep valley .

4. Hard to penetrate or comprehend; profound; -- opposed to shallow or superficial ; intricate; mysterious; not obvious; obscure; as, a deep subject or plot .

Speculations high or deep . Milton.

A question deep almost as the mystery of life. De Quincey.

O Lord, . . . thy thought are very deep . Ps. xcii. 5.

5. Of penetrating or far-reaching intellect; not superficial; thoroughly skilled; sagacious; cunning.

Deep clerks she dumbs. Shak.

6. Profound; thorough; complete; unmixed; intense; heavy; heartfelt; as, deep distress; deep melancholy; deep horror. " Deep despair." Milton . " Deep silence." Milton . " Deep sleep." Gen. ii. 21 . " Deeper darkness." >Hoole . "Their deep poverty." 2 Cor. viii. 2 .

An attitude of deep respect. Motley.

7. Strongly colored; dark; intense; not light or thin; as, deep blue or crimson .

8. Of low tone; full-toned; not high or sharp; grave; heavy. "The deep thunder."

Byron.

The bass of heaven's deep organ. Milton.

9. Muddy; boggy; sandy; -- said of roads.

Chaucer.

The ways in that vale were very deep . Clarendon.

A deep line of operations (Military) , a long line. -- Deep mourning (Costume) , mourning complete and strongly marked, the garments being not only all black, but also composed of lusterless materials and of such fashion as is identified with mourning garments.

Deep <Xpage=380>

Deep , adv. To a great depth; with depth; far down; profoundly; deeply.

Deep -versed in books, and shallow in himself. Milton.

Drink deep , or taste not the Pierian spring. Pope.

&hand; Deep , in its usual adverbial senses, is often prefixed to an adjective; as, deep -chested, deep -cut, deep -seated, deep -toned, deep -voiced, " deep -uddered kine."

Deep <Xpage=380>

Deep , n.

1. That which is deep, especially deep water, as the sea or ocean; an abyss; a great depth.

Courage from the deeps of knowledge springs. Cowley.

The hollow deep of hell resounded. Milton.

Blue Neptune storms, the bellowing deeps resound. Pope.

2. That which is profound, not easily fathomed, or incomprehensible; a moral or spiritual depth or abyss.

Thy judgments are a great. Ps. xxxvi. 6.

Deep of night , the most quiet or profound part of night; dead of night.

The deep of night is crept upon our talk. Shak.

Deepen <Xpage=380>

Deep"en (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Deepened (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Deepening .]

1. To make deep or deeper; to increase the depth of; to sink lower; as, to deepen a well or a channel .

It would . . . deepen the bed of the Tiber. Addison.

2. To make darker or more intense; to darken; as, the event deepened the prevailing gloom .

You must deepen your colors. Peacham.

3. To make more poignant or affecting; to increase in degree; as, to deepen grief or sorrow .

4. To make more grave or low in tone; as, to deepen the tones of an organ .

Deepens the murmur of the falling floods. Pope.

Deepen <Xpage=380>

Deep"en , v. i. To become deeper; as, the water deepens at every cast of the lead; the plot deepens .

His blood-red tresses deepening in the sun. Byron.

Deep-fet <Xpage=380>

Deep"-fet` (?) , a. Deeply fetched or drawn. [Obs.] " Deep-fet groans."

Shak.

Deep-laid <Xpage=380>

Deep"-laid` (?) , a. Laid deeply; formed with cunning and sagacity; as, deep-laid plans .

Deeply <Xpage=380>

Deep"ly , adv.

1. At or to a great depth; far below the surface; as, to sink deeply .

2. Profoundly; thoroughly; not superficially; in a high degree; intensely; as, deeply skilled in ethics .

He had deeply offended both his nobles and people. Bacon.

He sighed deeply in his spirit. Mark viii. 12.

3. Very; with a tendency to darkness of color.

The deeply red juice of buckthorn berries. Boyle.

4. Gravely; with low or deep tone; as, a deeply toned instrument .

5. With profound skill; with art or intricacy; as, a deeply laid plot or intrigue .

Deep-mouthed <Xpage=380>

Deep"-mouthed` (?) , a. Having a loud and sonorous voice. " Deep-mouthed dogs."

Dryden.

Deepness <Xpage=380>

Deep"ness , n.

1. The state or quality of being deep, profound, mysterious, secretive, etc.; depth; profundity; -- opposed to shallowness .

Because they had no deepness of earth. Matt. xiii. 5.

2. Craft; insidiousness. [R.]

J. Gregory.

Deep-read <Xpage=380>

Deep"-read` (?) , a. Profoundly book-learned. "Great writers and deep-read men."

L'Estrange.

Deep-sea <Xpage=380>

Deep"-sea` (?) , a. Of or pertaining to the deeper parts of the sea; as, a deep-sea line ( i. e. , a line to take soundings at a great depth); deep-sea lead; deep-sea soundings, explorations, etc.

Deep-waisted <Xpage=380>

Deep"-waist`ed (?) , a. (Naut.) Having a deep waist, as when, in a ship, the poop and forecastle are much elevated above the deck.

Deer <Xpage=380>

Deer (?) , n. sing. & pl. [OE. der , door , animal, wild animal, AS. de\'a2r ; akin to D. dier , OFries. diar , G. thier , tier , Icel. d<?/r , Dan. dyr , Sw. djur , Goth. dius ; of unknown origin. <?/<?/<?/.]

1. Any animal; especially, a wild animal. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Mice and rats, and such small deer . Shak.

The camel, that great deer . Lindisfarne MS.

2. (Zo\'94l.) A ruminant of the genus Cervus , of many species, and of related genera of the family Cervid\'91 . The males, and in some species the females, have solid antlers, often much branched, which are shed annually. Their flesh, for which they are hunted, is called venison .

&hand; The deer hunted in England is Cervus elaphus , called also stag or red deer ; the fallow deer is C. dama ; the common American deer is C. Virginianus ; the blacktailed deer of Western North America is C. Columbianus ; and the mule deer of the same region is C. macrotis . See Axis , Fallow deer , Mule deer , Reindeer .

&hand; Deer is much used adjectively, or as the first part of a compound; as, deer killer, deer slayer, deer slaying, deer hunting, deer stealing, deer like, etc.

Deer mouse (Zo\'94l.) , the white-footed mouse ( Hesperomys leucopus ) of America. -- Small deer , petty game, not worth pursuing; -- used metaphorically. (See citation from Shakespeare under the first definition, above.) "Minor critics . . . can find leisure for the chase of such small deer ."

G. P. Marsh.

Deerberry <Xpage=380>

Deer"ber`ry (?) , n. (Bot.) A shrub of the blueberry group ( Vaccinium stamineum ); also, its bitter, greenish white berry; -- called also squaw huckleberry .

Deergrass <Xpage=380>

Deer"grass` (?) , n. (Bot.) An American genus ( Rhexia ) of perennial herbs, with opposite leaves, and showy flowers (usually bright purple), with four petals and eight stamens, -- the only genus of the order Melastomace\'91 inhabiting a temperate clime.

Deerhound <Xpage=380>

Deer"hound` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) One of a large and fleet breed of hounds used in hunting deer; a staghound.

Deerlet <Xpage=380>

Deer"let (?) , n. [ Deer + -let .] (Zo\'94l.) A chevrotain. See Kanchil , and Napu .

Deer-neck <Xpage=380>

Deer"-neck` (?) , n. A deerlike, or thin, ill-formed neck, as of a horse.

Deerskin <Xpage=380>

Deer"skin` (?) , n. The skin of a deer, or the leather which is made from it.

Hakluyt. Longfellow.

Deerstalker <Xpage=380>

Deer"stalk`er (?) , n. One who practices deerstalking.

Deerstalking <Xpage=380>

Deer"stalk`ing , n. The hunting of deer on foot, by stealing upon them unawares.

Deer's-tongue <Xpage=380>

Deer's"-tongue` (?) , n. (Bot.) A plant ( Liatris odoratissima ) whose fleshy leaves give out a fragrance compared to vanilla.

Wood.

Dees <Xpage=380>

Dees (?) , n. pl. Dice. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Dees <Xpage=380>

Dees , n. A dais. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Deesis <Xpage=380>

De*e"sis (?) , n. [NL., fr. Gr. <?/ supplication.] (Rhet.) An invocation of, or address to, the Supreme Being.

Deess <Xpage=380>

De"ess (?) , n. [F. d\'82esse , fem. of dieu god.] A goddess. [Obs.]

Croft.

Deev <Xpage=380>

Deev (?) , n. (Hind. & Pers. Myth.) See Dev .

Deface <Xpage=380>

De*face" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Defaced (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Defacing .] [OE. defacen to disfigure, efface, OF. desfacier ; L. dis- + facies face. See Face , and cf. Efface .]

1. To destroy or mar the face or external appearance of; to disfigure; to injure, spoil, or mar, by effacing or obliterating important features or portions of; as, to deface a monument; to deface an edifice; to deface writing; to deface a note, deed, or bond; to deface a record. "This high face defaced ."

Emerson.

So by false learning is good sense defaced . Pope.

2. [Cf. F. d\'82faire .] To destroy; to make null. [Obs.]

[Profane scoffing] doth . . . deface the reverence of religion. Bacon.

For all his power was utterly defaste [ defaced ]. Spenser.

Syn. -- See Efface .

Defacement <Xpage=380>

De*face"ment (?) , n.

1. The act of defacing, or the condition of being defaced; injury to the surface or exterior; obliteration.

2. That which mars or disfigures.

Bacon.

Defacer <Xpage=380>

De*fa"cer (?) , n. One who, or that which, defaces or disfigures.

De facto <Xpage=380>

De` fac"to (?) . [L.] Actually; in fact; in reality; as, a king de facto , -- distinguished from a king de jure , or by right .

Defail <Xpage=380>

De*fail" (?) , v. t. [F. d\'82faillir to fail; pref. d\'82- (L. de ) + faillir . See Fail , and cf. Default .] To cause fail. [Obs.]

Defailance <Xpage=380>

De*fail"ance (?) , n. [F. d\'82faillance .] Failure; miscarriage. [Obs.]

Possibility of defailance in degree or continuance. Comber.

Defailure <Xpage=380>

De*fail"ure (?) , n. Failure. [Obs.]

Barrow.

Defalcate <Xpage=380>

De*fal"cate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Defalcated ; p. pr. & vb. n. Defalcating .] [LL. defalcatus , p. p. of defalcare to deduct, orig., to cut off with a sickle; L. de- + falx , a sickle. See Falchion .] To cut off; to take away or deduct a part of; -- used chiefly of money, accounts, rents, income, etc.

To show what may be practicably and safely defalcated from the [the estimates]. Burke.

Defalcate <Xpage=380>

De*fal"cate , v. i. To commit defalcation; to embezzle money held in trust. "Some partner defalcating , or the like."

Carlyle.

Defalcation <Xpage=380>

De`fal*ca"tion (?) , n. [LL. defalcatio : cf. F. d\'82falcation .]

1. A lopping off; a diminution; abatement; deficit. Specifically: Reduction of a claim by deducting a counterclaim; set-off.

Abbott.

2. That which is lopped off, diminished, or abated.

3. An abstraction of money, etc., by an officer or agent<?/ having it in trust; an embezzlement.

Defalcator <Xpage=380>

Def"al*ca`tor (?) , n. A defaulter or embezzler. [Modern]

Defalk <Xpage=380>

De*falk" (?) , v. t. [F. d\'82falquer . See Defalcate .] To lop off; to bate. [Obs.]

B. Jonson.

Defamation <Xpage=380>

Def`a*ma"tion (?) , n. [OE. diffamacioun , F. diffamation . See Defame .] Act of injuring another's reputation by any slanderous communication, written or oral; the wrong of maliciously injuring the good name of another; slander; detraction; calumny; aspersion.

&hand; In modern usage, written defamation bears the title of libel , and oral defamation that of slander .

Burrill.

Defamatory <Xpage=380>

De*fam"a*to*ry (?) , a. Containing defamation; injurious to reputation; calumnious; slanderous; as, defamatory words; defamatory writings.

Defame <Xpage=380>

De*fame" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Defamed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Defaming .] [OE. defamen , diffamen , from F. diffamer , or OF. perh. defamer , fr. L. diffamare (cf. defamatus infamous); dis- (in this word confused with de ) + fama a report. See Fame .]

1. To harm or destroy the good fame or reputation of; to disgrace; especially, to speak evil of maliciously; to dishonor by slanderous reports; to calumniate; to asperse.

2. To render infamous; to bring into disrepute.

My guilt thy growing virtues did defame ; My blackness blotted thy unblemish'd name. Dryden.

3. To charge; to accuse. [R.]

Rebecca is . . . defamed of sorcery practiced on the person of a noble knight. Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- To asperse; slander; calumniate; vilify. See Asperse .

Defame <Xpage=380>

De*fame" , n. Dishonor. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Defamer <Xpage=380>

De*fam"er (?) , n. One who defames; a slanderer; a detractor; a calumniator.

Defamingly <Xpage=380>

De*fam"ing*ly , adv. In a defamatory manner.

Defamous <Xpage=380>

Def"a*mous (?) , a. Defamatory. [Obs.]

Defatigable <Xpage=380>

De*fat"i*ga*ble (?) , a. [See Defatigate .] Capable of being wearied or tired out. [R.]

Glanvill.

Defatigate <Xpage=380>

De*fat"i*gate (?) , v. t. [L. defatigatus , p. p. of defatigare ; de- + fatigare to weary. See Fatigue .] To weary or tire out; to fatigue. [R.]

Sir T. Herbert.

Defatigation <Xpage=380>

De*fat`i*ga"tion (?) , n. [L. defatigatio .] Weariness; fatigue. [R.]

Bacon.

Default <Xpage=380>

De*fault" (?) , n. [OE. defaute , OF. defaute , defalte , fem., F. d\'82faut , masc., LL. defalta , fr. a verb meaning, to be deficient, to want, fail, fr. L. de- + fallere to deceive. See Fault .]

1. A failing or failure; omission of that which ought to be done; neglect to do wha<?/duty or law requires; as, this evil has happened through the governor's default .

2. Fault; offense; ill deed; wrong act; failure in virtue or wisdom.

And pardon craved for his so rash default . Spenser.

Regardless of our merit or default . Pope.

3. (Law) A neglect of, or failure to take, some step necessary to secure the benefit of law, as a failure to appear in court at a day assigned, especially of the defendant in a suit when called to make answer; also of jurors, witnesses, etc.