Chapter 410

De*men"ti*a (?) , n. [L., fr. demens . See Dement .] Insanity; madness; esp. that form which consists in weakness or total loss of thought and reason; mental imbecility; idiocy.

Demephitize <Xpage=388>

De*meph"i*tize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Demephitized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Demephitizing .] [Cf. F. m\'82phitiser to infect with mephitis .] To purify from mephitic. -- De*meph`i*ti*za"tion , n.

Demerge <Xpage=388>

De*merge" (?) , v. t. [L. demergere .] To plunge down into; to sink; to immerse. [Obs.]

The water in which it was demerged . Boyle.

Demerit <Xpage=388>

De*mer"it (?) , n. [F. d\'82m\'82rite demerit (in sense 2), OF. demerite demerit (in sense 1), fr. L. demerere to deserve well, LL., to deserve well or ill; de- + merere to deserve. See De -, and Merit .]

1. That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert. [Obs.]

By many benefits and demerits whereby they obliged their adherents, [they] acquired this reputation. Holland.

2. That which deserves blame; ill desert; a fault; a vice; misconduct; -- the opposite of merit .

They see no merit or demerit in any man or any action. Burke.

Secure, unless forfeited by any demerit or offense. Sir W. Temple.

3. The state of one who deserves ill.

Demerit <Xpage=388>

De*mer"it , v. t. [Cf. F. d\'82m\'82riter to deserve ill. See Demerit , n. ]

1. To deserve; -- said in reference to both praise and blame. [Obs.]

If I have demerited any love or thanks. Udall.

Executed as a traitor . . . as he well demerited . State Trials (1645).

2. To depreciate or cry down. [R.]

Bp. Woolton.

Demerit <Xpage=388>

De*mer"it , v. i. To deserve praise or blame.

Demerse <Xpage=388>

De*merse" (?) , v. t. [L. demersus , p. p. of demergere . See Merge .] To immerse. [Obs.]

Boyle.

Demersed <Xpage=388>

De*mersed" (?) , a. (Bot.) Situated or growing under water, as leaves; submersed.

Demersion <Xpage=388>

De*mer"sion (?) n. [L. demersio .]

1. The act of plunging into a fluid; a drowning.

2. The state of being overwhelmed in water, or as if in water.

Ray.

Demesmerize <Xpage=388>

De*mes"mer*ize (?) , v. t. To relieve from mesmeric influence. See Mesmerize .

Demesne <Xpage=388>

De*mesne" (?) , n. [OE. demeine , demain , rule, demesne, OF. demeine , demaine , demeigne , domaine , power, F. domaine domain, fr. L. dominium property, right of ownership, fr. dominus master, proprietor, owner. See Dame , and cf. DEmain , Domain , Danger , Dungeon .] (Law) A lord's chief manor place, with that part of the lands belonging thereto which has not been granted out in tenancy; a house, and the land adjoining, kept for the proprietor's own use. [Written also demain .]

Wharton's Law Dict. Burrill.

Ancient demesne . (Eng. Law) See under Ancient .

Demesnial <Xpage=388>

De*mesn"i*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to a demesne; of the nature of a demesne.

Demi- <Xpage=388>

Dem"i- (?) . [F. demi- , fr. L. dimidius half; di- = dis- + medius middle. See Medium , and cf. Demy , Dimidiate .] A prefix, signifying half .

Demi <Xpage=388>

De*mi" (?) , n. See Demy , n.

Demibastion <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*bas"tion (?; 106) , n. [Cf. F. demi-bastion .] (Fort.) A half bastion, or that part of a bastion consisting of one face and one flank.

Demibrigade <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*bri*gade" (?) , n. [Cf. F. demi-brigade .] A half brigade.

Demicadence <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*ca`dence (?) n. (Mus.) An imperfect or half cadence, falling on the dominant instead of on the key note.

Demicannon <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*can"non (?) , n. (Mil. Antiq.) A kind of ordnance, carrying a ball weighing from thirty to thirty-six pounds.

Shak.

Demicircle <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*cir`cle (?) , n. [Cf. F. demi-cercle .] An instrument for measuring angles, in surveying, etc. It resembles <?/ protractor, but has an alidade, sights, and a compass.

Demiculverin <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*cul"ver*in (?) , n. (Mil. Antiq.) A kind of ordnance, carrying a ball weighing from nine to thirteen pounds.

Demideify <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*de"i*fy (?) v. t. To deify in part.

Cowper.

Demidevil <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*dev`il (?) , n. A half devil.

Shak.

Demigod <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*god (?) , n. A half god, or an inferior deity; a fabulous hero, the offspring of a deity and a mortal.

Demigoddess <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*god`dess (?) , n. A female demigod.

Demigorge <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*gorge` (?) , n. [Cf. F. demi-gorge .] (Fort.) Half the gorge, or entrance into a bastion, taken from the angle of the flank to the center of the bastion.

Demigrate <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*grate (?) , v. i. [L. demigrare , demigratum , to emigrate. See De -, and Migrate .] To emigrate. [Obs.]

Cockeram.

Demigration <Xpage=388>

Dem`i*gra"tion (?) n. [L. demigratio .] Emigration. [Obs.]

Bp. Hall.

Demigroat <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*groat` (?) , n. A half groat.

Demi-isand <Xpage=388>

Dem"i-is`and (?) , n. Peninsula. [Obs.]

Knolles.

Demijohn <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*john (?) , n. [F. dame-jeanne , i. e., Lady Jane, a corruption of Ar. damaj\'bena , damj\'bena , prob. fr. Damaghan a town in the Persian province of Khorassan, one famous for its glass works.] A glass vessel or bottle with a large body and small neck, inclosed in wickerwork.

Demilance <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*lance` (?) , n. A light lance; a short spear; a half pike; also, a demilancer.

Demilancer <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*lan`cer (?) , n. A soldier of light cavalry of the 16th century, who carried a demilance.

Demilune <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*lune` (?) , n. [F. demi-lune .]

1. (Fort.) A work constructed beyond the main ditch of a fortress, and in front of the curtain between two bastions, intended to defend the curtain; a ravelin. See Ravelin .

2. (Physiol.) A crescentic mass of granular protoplasm present in the salivary glands.

&hand; Each crescent is made of polyhedral cells which under some circumstances are supposed to give rise to new salivary cells.

Demiman <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*man` (?) , n. A half man. [R.]

Knolles.

Demimonde <Xpage=388>

Dem`i*monde" (?) , n. [F.; demi + monde world, L. mundus .] Persons of doubtful reputation; esp., women who are kept as mistresses, though not public prostitutes; demireps.

Literary demimonde , writers of the lowest kind.

Deminatured <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*na"tured (?; 135) , a. Having half the nature of another. [R.]

Shak.

Demiquaver <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*qua`ver (?) , n. (Mus.) A note of half the length of the quaver; a semiquaver. [R.]

Demirelief, Demirelievo <Xpage=388>

Dem`i*re*lief" (?) , Dem`i*re*lie"vo (?) , n. Half relief. See Demi-rilievo .

Demrep <Xpage=388>

Dem"*rep` (?) , n. [Contr. fr. demi-reputation .] A woman of doubtful reputation or suspected character; an adventuress. [Colloq.]

De Quincey.

Demi-rilievo <Xpage=388>

Dem"i-ri*lie"vo (?) , n. [Pref. demi- + It. rilievo .] (Fine Arts) (a) Half relief; sculpture in relief of which the figures project from the background by one half their full roundness. (b) A work of sculpture of the above character. See Alto-rilievo .

Demisability <Xpage=388>

De*mis`a*bil"i*ty (?) , n. (Law) The state of being demisable.

Demisable <Xpage=388>

De*mis"a*ble (?) , a. [From Demise .] (Law) Capable of being leased; as, a demisable estate .

Demise <Xpage=388>

De*mise" (?) , n. [F. d\'82mettre , p. p. d\'82mis , d\'82mise , to put away, lay down; pref. d\'82- (L. de or dis- ) + mettre to put, place, lay, fr. L. mittere to send. See Mission , and cf. Dismiss , Demit .]

1. Transmission by formal act or conveyance to an heir or successor; transference; especially, the transfer or transmission of the crown or royal authority to a successor.

2. The decease of a royal or princely person; hence, also, the death of any illustrious person.

After the demise of the Queen [of George II.], in 1737, they [drawing-rooms] were held but twice a week. P. Cunningham.

3. (Law) The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter.

Bouvier.

&hand; The demise of the crown is a transfer of the crown, royal authority, or kingdom, to a successor. Thus, when Edward IV. was driven from his throne for a few months by the house of Lancaster, this temporary transfer of his dignity was called a demise . Thus the natural death of a king or queen came to be denominated a demise , as by that event the crown is transferred to a successor.

Blackstone.

Demise and redemise , a conveyance where there are mutual leases made from one to another of the same land, or something out of it.

Syn. -- Death; decease; departure. See Death .

Demise <Xpage=388>

De*mise" , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Demised (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Demising .]

1. To transfer or transmit by succession or inheritance; to grant or bestow by will; to bequeath. "Power to demise my lands."

Swift.

What honor Canst thou demise to any child of mine? Shak.

2. To convey; to give. [R.]

His soul is at his conception demised to him. Hammond.

3. (Law) To convey, as an estate, be lease; to lease.

Demisemiquaver <Xpage=388>

Dem`i*sem"i*qua`ver (?) , <?/. n. (Mus.) A short note, equal in time to the half of a semiquaver, or the thirty-second part of a whole note.

Demiss <Xpage=388>

De*miss" (?) , a. [L. demissus , p. p. of demittere .] Cast down; humble; submissive. [Obs.]

He down descended like a most demiss And abject thrall. Spenser.

Demission <Xpage=388>

De*mis"sion (?) , n. [L. demissio , fr. demittere . See Demit .]

1. The act of demitting, or the state of being demitted; a letting down; a lowering; dejection. " Demission of mind."

Hammond.

Demission of sovereign authority. L'Estrange.

2. Resignation of an office. [Scot.]

Demissionary <Xpage=388>

De*mis"sion*a*ry (?) , a.

1. Pertaining to transfer or conveyance; as, a demissionary deed .

2. Tending to lower, depress, or degrade.

Demissive <Xpage=388>

De*miss"ive (?) , a. [See Demiss .] Downcast; submissive; humble. [R.]

They pray with demissive eyelids. Lord (1630).

Demissly <Xpage=388>

De*miss"ly , adv. In a humble manner. [Obs.]

Demisuit <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*suit` (?) , n. (Mil. Antiq.) A suit of light armor covering less than the whole body, as having no protection for the legs below the things, no vizor to the helmet, and the like.

Demit <Xpage=388>

De*mit" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Demitted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Demitting .] [L. demittere to send or bring down, to lower; de- + mittere to send. Cf. Demise .]

1. To let fall; to depress. [R.]

They [peacocks] demit and let fall the same [ i. e. , their train]. Sir T. Browne.

2. To yield or submit; to humble; to lower; as, to demit one's self to humble duties . [R.]

3. To lay down, as an office; to resign. [Scot.]

General Conway demitted his office. Hume.

Demitint <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*tint` (?) , n. (Fine Arts) (a) That part of a painting, engraving, or the like, which is neither in full darkness nor full light . (b) The shade itself; neither the darkest nor the lightest in a composition. Also called half tint .

Demitone <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*tone` (?) , n. (Mus.) Semitone. [R.]

Demiurge <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*urge (?) , n. [Gr. dhmioyrgo`s a worker for the people, a workman, especially the marker of the world, the Creator; dh`mios belonging to the people (fr. dh^mos the people) + 'e`rgon a work.]

1. (Gr. Antiq.) The chief magistrate in some of the Greek states.

2. God, as the Maker of the world.

3. According to the Gnostics, an agent or one employed by the Supreme Being to create the material universe and man.

Demiurgic <Xpage=388>

Dem`i*ur"gic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/.] Pertaining to a demiurge; formative; creative. " Demiurgic power."

De Quincey.

Demvill <Xpage=388>

Dem"*vill` (?) , n. (Old Law) A half -vill, consisting of five freemen or frankpledges.

Blackstone.

Demivolt <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*volt` (?) , n. [Cf. F. demi-volte .] (Man.) A half vault; one of the seven artificial motions of a horse, in which he raises his fore legs in a particular manner.

Demiwolf <Xpage=388>

Dem"i*wolf` (?) , n. A half wolf; a mongrel dog, between a dog and a wolf.

Demobilization <Xpage=388>

De*mob`i*li*za"tion (?) , n. [Cf. F. d\'82mobilisation . See Mobilization .] (Mil.) The disorganization or disarming of troops which have previously been mobilized or called into active service; the change from a war footing to a peace footing.

Demobilize <Xpage=388>

De*mob"i*lize (?) , v. t. [Cf. F. d\'82mobiliser .] (Mil.) To disorganize, or disband and send home, as troops which have been mobilized .

Democracy <Xpage=388>

De*moc"ra*cy (?) , n. ; pl. Democracies (#) . [F. d\'82mocratie , fr. Gr. dhmokrati`a ; dh^mos the people + kratei^n to be strong, to rule, kra`tos strength.]

1. Government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is retained and directly exercised by the people.

2. Government by popular representation; a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but is indirectly exercised through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed; a constitutional representative government; a republic.

3. Collectively, the people, regarded as the source of government.

Milton.

4. The principles and policy of the Democratic party, so called. [U.S.]

Democrat <Xpage=388>

Dem"o*crat (?) , n. [Cf. F. d\'82mocrate .]

1. One who is an adherent or advocate of democracy, or government by the people.

Whatever they call him, what care I, Aristocrat, democrat , autocrat. Tennyson.

2. A member of the Democratic party. [U.S.]

Democratic <Xpage=388>

Dem`o*crat"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. d\'82mocratique .]

1. Pertaining to democracy; favoring democracy, or constructed upon the principle of government by the people.

2. Relating to a political party so called.

3. Befitting the common people; -- opposed to aristocratic .

The Democratic party , the name of one of the chief political parties in the United States.

Democratical <Xpage=388>

Dem`o*crat"ic*al (?) , a. Democratic.

The democratical was democratically received. Algernon Sidney.

Democratically <Xpage=388>

Dem`o*crat"ic*al*ly , adv. In a democratic manner.

Democratism <Xpage=388>

De*moc"ra*tism (?) , n. The principles or spirit of a democracy. [R.]

Democratist <Xpage=388>

De*moc"ra*tist (?) , n. A democrat. [R.]

Burke.

Democratize <Xpage=388>

De*moc"ra*tize (?) v. t. To render democratic.

Democraty <Xpage=388>

De*moc"ra*ty (?) , n. Democracy. [Obs.]

Milton.

<page="389"> Page 389

Demogorgon <Xpage=389>

De`mo*gor"gon (?) , n. [First me<?/<?/<?/<?/ <-- ##***NOTE: -- several lines missing from original, which is torn here! ** --> the scholiast, <?/<?/<?/<?/<?/<?/<?/<?/<?/<?/, deity + gorgo`s fierce, <?/<?/] , A mysterious, terrible, and evil divinity, regarded by some as the author of creation, by others as a great magician who was supposed to command the spirits of the lower world. See Gorgon .

Orcus and Ades, and the dreaded name Of Demogorgon . Milton.

Demography <Xpage=389>

De*mog"ra*phy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ the people + -graphy .] The study of races, as to births, marriages, mortality, health, etc. -- Dem`o*graph"ic , a.

Demoiselle <Xpage=389>

De`moi`selle" (?) , n. [F. See Damsel .]

1. A young lady; a damsel; a lady's maid.

2. (Zo\'94l.) The Numidian crane ( Antropoides virgo ); -- so called on account of the grace and symmetry of its form and movements.

3. (Zo\'94l.) A beautiful, small dragon fly of the genus Agrion .

Demolish <Xpage=389>

De*mol"ish (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Demolished (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Demolishing .] [F. d\'82molir , fr. L. demoliri , p. p. demolitus ; de- + moliri to set a thing in motion, to work, construct, from moles a huge mass or structure. See Mole a mound, and Finish .] To throw or pull down; to raze; to destroy the fabric of; to pull to pieces; to ruin; as, to demolish an edifice, or a wall .

I expected the fabric of my book would long since have been demolished , and laid even with the ground. Tillotson.