Chapter 486

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Dueness <Xpage=460>

Due"ness (?) , n. Quality of being due; debt; what is due or becoming.

T. Goodwin.

Duenna <Xpage=460>

Du*en"na (?) , n. ; pl. Duennas (#) . [Sp. due\'a4a , do\'a4a , fr. L. domina . See Dame .]

1. The chief lady in waiting on the queen of Spain.

Brande.

2. An elderly lady holding a station between a governess and companion, and appointed to have charge over the younger ladies in a Spanish or a Portuguese family.

Brande & C.

3. Any old woman who is employed to guard a younger one; a governess.

Arbuthnot.

Duet <Xpage=460>

Du*et" (?) , n. [ Duetto .] (Mus.) A composition for two performers, whether vocal or instrumental.

Duettino <Xpage=460>

Du`et*ti"no (?) , n. [It ., dim. fr. duetto a duet.] A duet of short extent and concise form.

Duetto <Xpage=460>

Du*et"to (?) , n. [It., fr. It & L. duo two. See Two .] See Duet .

Duff <Xpage=460>

Duff (?) , n. [From OE. dagh . <?/ . See Dough .]

1. Dough or paste. [Prov. Eng.]

Halliwell.

2. A stiff flour pudding, boiled in a bag; -- a term used especially by seamen; as, plum duff .

Duffel <Xpage=460>

Duf"fel (?) , n. [D. duffel , from Duffel , a town not far from Antwerp.] A kind of coarse woolen cloth, having a thick nap or frieze. [Written also duffle .]

Good duffel gray and flannel fine. Wordsworth.

Duffer <Xpage=460>

Duf"fer (?) , n.

1. A peddler or hawker, especially of cheap, flashy articles, as sham jewelry; hence, a sham or cheat. [Slang, Eng.]

Halliwell.

2. A stupid, awkward, inefficient person. [Slang]

Duffle <Xpage=460>

Duf"fle (?) , n. See Duffel .

Dufrenite <Xpage=460>

Du*fren"ite (?) , n. [From <?/<?/ierre Armand Dufr\'82noy , a French geologist.] (Min.) A mineral of a blackish green color, commonly massive or in nodules. It is a hydrous phosphate of iron.

Dug <Xpage=460>

Dug (?) , n. [Akin to Sw. d\'84gga to suckle (a child), Dan. d\'91gge , and prob. to Goth. daddjan . <?/<?/<?/.] A teat, pap, or nipple; -- formerly that of a human mother, now that of a cow or other beast.

With mother's dug between its lips. Shak.

Dug <Xpage=460>

Dug , imp. & p. p. of Dig .

Dugong <Xpage=460>

Du*gong" (?) , n. [Malayan d<?/y<?/ng , or Javan. duyung .] (Zo\'94l.) An aquatic herbivorous mammal ( Halicore dugong ), of the order Sirenia, allied to the manatee, but with a bilobed tail. It inhabits the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, East Indies, and Australia. [Written also duyong .]

Dugout <Xpage=460>

Dug"out` (?) , n.

1. A canoe or boat dug out from a large log. [U.S.]

A man stepped from his slender dugout . G. W. Cable.

2. A place dug out.

3. A house made partly in a hillside or slighter elevation. [Western U.S.]

Bartlett.

Dugway <Xpage=460>

Dug"way` (?) , n. A way or road dug through a hill, or sunk below the surface of the land. [U.S.]

Duke <Xpage=460>

Duke (?) n. [F. duc , fr. L. dux , ducis , leader, commander, fr. ducere to lead; akin to AS. te\'a2n to draw; cf. AS. heretoga ( here army) an army leader, general, G. herzog duke. See Tue , and cf. Doge , Duchess , Ducat , Duct , Adduce , Deduct .]

1. A leader; a chief; a prince. [Obs.]

Hannibal, duke of Carthage. Sir T. Elyot.

All were dukes once, who were "duces" -- captains or leaders of their people. Trench.

2. In England, one of the highest order of nobility after princes and princesses of the royal blood and the four archbishops of England and Ireland.

3. In some European countries, a sovereign prince, without the title of king.

Duke's coronet . See Illust . of Coronet . -- To dine with Duke Humphrey , to go without dinner. See under Dine .

Duke <Xpage=460>

Duke , v. i. To play the duke. [Poetic]

Lord Angelo dukes it well in his absence. Shak.

Dukedom <Xpage=460>

Duke"dom (?) , n.

1. The territory of a duke.

2. The title or dignity of a duke.

Shak.

Dukeling <Xpage=460>

Duke"ling , n. A little or insignificant duke.

Ford.

Dukeship <Xpage=460>

Duke"ship , n. The quality or condition of being a duke; also, the personality of a duke.

Massinger.

Dulcamara <Xpage=460>

Dul`ca*ma"ra (?) , n. [NL., fr. L. dulcis sweet + amarus bitter.] (Bot.) A plant ( Solanum Dulcamara ). See Bittersweet , n. , 3 (a) .

Dulcamarin <Xpage=460>

Dul`ca*ma"rin (?) , n. (Chem.) A glucoside extracted from the bittersweet ( Solanum Dulcamara ), as a yellow amorphous substance. It probably occasions the compound taste. See Bittersweet , 3 (a) .

Dulce <Xpage=460>

Dulce (?) , v. t. To make sweet; to soothe. [Obs.]

Dulceness <Xpage=460>

Dulce"ness , n. Sweetness. [Obs.]

Bacon.

Dulcet <Xpage=460>

Dul"cet (?) , a. [OF. doucet , dim. of dous sweet, F. doux , L. dulcis ; akin to Gr. <?/ . Cf. Doucet .]

1. Sweet to the taste; luscious. [Obs.]

She tempers dulcet creams. Milton.

2. Sweet to the ear; melodious; harmonious.

Their dainty lays and dulcet melody. Spenser.

Dulciana <Xpage=460>

Dul`ci*an"a (?) , n. [NL., fr. L. dulcis sweet.] (Mus.) A sweet-toned stop of an organ.

Dulcification <Xpage=460>

Dul`ci*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [Cf. F. dulcification .] The act of dulcifying or sweetening.

Boyle.

Dulcified <Xpage=460>

Dul"ci*fied (?) , a. Sweetened; mollified.

Dulcified spirit &or; spirits , a compound of alcohol with mineral acids; as, dulcified spirits of niter .

Dulcifluous <Xpage=460>

Dul*cif"lu*ous (?) , a. [L. dulcis sweet + fluere to flow.] Flowing sweetly. [R.]

Dulcify <Xpage=460>

Dul"ci*fy (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dulcified (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Dulcifying .] [L. dulcis sweet + -fy : cf. F. dulcifier .]

1. (Pharm.) To sweeten; to free from acidity, saltness, or acrimony.

Wiseman.

2. Fig. : To mollify; to sweeten; to please.

As she . . . was further dulcified by her pipe of tobacco. Hawthorne.

Dulciloquy <Xpage=460>

Dul*cil"o*quy (?) , n. [L. dulcis sweet + loqui to speak.] A soft manner of speaking.

Dulcimer <Xpage=460>

Dul"ci*mer (?) , n. [It. dolcemele ,r Sp. dulcemele , fr. L. dulcis sweet + melos song, melody, Gr. <?/; cf. OF. doulcemele . See Dulcet , and Melody .] (Mus.) (a) An instrument, having stretched metallic wires which are beaten with two light hammers held in the hands of the performer. (b) An ancient musical instrument in use among the Jews. Dan. iii. 5 . It is supposed to be the same with the psaltery.

Dulcinea <Xpage=460>

Dul*cin"e*a (?) , n. [Sp., from Dulcinea del Toboso the mistress of the affections of Don Quixote .] A mistress; a sweetheart.

I must ever have some Dulcinea in my head. Sterne.

Dulciness <Xpage=460>

Dul"ci*ness (?) , n. See D ulceness . [Obs.]

Dulcite <Xpage=460>

Dul"cite (?) , n. [Cf. F. dulcite , fr. L. dulcis sweet.] (Chem.) A white, sugarlike substance, C6H8.(OH)2 , occurring naturally in a manna from Madagascar, and in certain plants, and produced artificially by the reduction of galactose and lactose or milk sugar.

Dulcino <Xpage=460>

Dul*ci"no (?) , n. (Mus.) See Dolcino .

Dulcitude <Xpage=460>

Dul"ci*tude (?) , n. [L. dulcitudo , fr. dulcis sweet. Sweetness. [R.]

Cockeram.

Dulcorate <Xpage=460>

Dul"co*rate (?) , v. t. [L. dulcoratus , p. p. of dulcorare , fr. dulcor sweetness, fr. dulcis sweet.] To sweeten; to make less acrimonious. [R.]

Bacon.

Dulcoration <Xpage=460>

Dul`co*ra"tion (?) , n. [LL. dulcoratio .] The act of sweetening. [R.]

Bacon.

Duledge <Xpage=460>

Du"ledge (?) , n. (Mil.) One of the dowels joining the ends of the fellies which form the circle of the wheel of a gun carriage.

Wilhelm.

Dulia <Xpage=460>

Du*li"a (?) , n. [LL., fr. Gr. <?/ servitude, fr. <?/ slave.] (R. C. Ch.) An inferior kind of veneration or worship, given to the angels and saints as the servants of God.

Dull <Xpage=460>

Dull (?) , a. [ Compar. Duller (?) ; superl. Dullest .] [AS. dol foolish; akin to gedwelan to err, D. dol mad, dwalen to wander, err, G. toll mad, Goth. dwals foolish, stupid, cf. Gr. <?/ turbid, troubled, Skr. dhvr to cause to fall. Cf. Dolt , Dwale , Dwell , Fraud .]

1. Slow of understanding; wanting readiness of apprehension; stupid; doltish; blockish. " Dull at classical learning."

Thackeray.

She is not bred so dull but she can learn. Shak.

2. Slow in action; sluggish; unready; awkward.

This people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing. Matt. xiii. 15.

O, help my weak wit and sharpen my dull tongue. Spenser.

3. Insensible; unfeeling.

Think me not So dull a devil to forget the loss Of such a matchless wife. Beau. & Fl.

4. Not keen in edge or point; lacking sharpness; blunt. "Thy scythe is dull ."

Herbert.

5. Not bright or clear to the eye; wanting in liveliness of color or luster; not vivid; obscure; dim; as, a dull fire or lamp; a dull red or yellow; a dull mirror.

6. Heavy; gross; cloggy; insensible; spiritless; lifeless; inert. "The dull earth."

Shak.

As turning the logs will make a dull fire burn, so changes of study a dull brain. Longfellow.

7. Furnishing little delight, spirit, or variety; uninteresting; tedious; cheerless; gloomy; melancholy; depressing; as, a dull story or sermon; a dull occupation or period ; hence, cloudy; overcast; as, a dull day .

Along life's dullest , dreariest walk. Keble.

Syn. -- Lifeless; inanimate; dead; stupid; doltish; heavy; sluggish; sleepy; drowsy; gross; cheerless; tedious; irksome; dismal; dreary; clouded; tarnished; obtuse. See Lifeless .

Dull <Xpage=460>

Dull , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Duller (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Dulling .] 1. To deprive of sharpness of edge or point. "This . . . dulled their swords."

Bacon.

Borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. Shak.

2. To make dull, stupid, or sluggish; to stupefy, as the senses, the feelings, the perceptions, and the like.

Those [drugs] she has Will stupefy and dull the sense a while. Shak.

Use and custom have so dulled our eyes. Trench.

3. To render dim or obscure; to sully; to tarnish. " Dulls the mirror."

Bacon.

4. To deprive of liveliness or activity; to render heavy; to make inert; to depress; to weary; to sadden.

Attention of mind . . . wasted or dulled through continuance. Hooker.

Dull <Xpage=460>

Dull , v. i. To become dull or stupid.

Rom. of R.

Dullard <Xpage=460>

Dull"ard (?) , n. [ Dull + -ard .] A stupid person; a dunce. Shak . -- a. Stupid.

Bp. Hall.

Dull-brained <Xpage=460>

Dull"-brained` (?) , a. Stupid; doltish.

Shak.

Dull-browed <Xpage=460>

Dull"-browed` (?) , a. Having a gloomy look.

Duller <Xpage=460>

Dull"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, dulls.

Dull-eyed <Xpage=460>

Dull"-eyed` (?) , a. Having eyes wanting brightness, liveliness, or vivacity.

Shak.

Dullhead <Xpage=460>

Dull"head` (?) , n. A blockhead; a dolt.

Ascham.

Dullish <Xpage=460>

Dull"ish , a. Somewhat dull; uninteresting; tiresome. "A series of dullish verses."

Prof. Wilson.

Dullness <Xpage=460>

Dull"ness , n. The state of being dull; slowness; stupidity; heaviness; drowsiness; bluntness; obtuseness; dimness; want of luster; want of vividness, or of brightness. [Written also dulness .]

And gentle dullness ever loves a joke. Pope.

Dull-sighted <Xpage=460>

Dull"-sight`ed (?) , a. Having poor eyesight.

Dullsome <Xpage=460>

Dull"some (?) , a. Dull. [R.]

Gataker.

Dull-witted <Xpage=460>

Dull"-wit`ted (?) , a. Stupid.

Dully <Xpage=460>

Dul"ly (?) , adv. In a dull manner; stupidly; slowly; sluggishly; without life or spirit.

Supinely calm and dully innocent. G. Lyttelton.

Dulocracy <Xpage=460>

Du*loc"ra*cy (?) , n. See Doulocracy .

Dulse <Xpage=460>

Dulse (?) , n. [Cf. Gael. duileasg ; duille leaf + uisge water. Cf. Whisky .] (Bot.) A seaweed of a reddish brown color, which is sometimes eaten, as in Scotland. The true dulse is Sarcophyllis edulis ; the common is Rhodymenia . [Written also dillisk. ]

The crimson leaf of the dulse is seen To blush like a banner bathed in slaughter. Percival.

Dulwilly <Xpage=460>

Dul"wil*ly (?) , n. [Prob. imitative.] (Zo\'94l.) The ring plover. [Prov. Eng.]

Duly <Xpage=460>

Du"ly (?) , adv. In a due, fit, or becoming manner; as it (anything) ought to be; properly; regularly.

Dumal <Xpage=460>

Du"mal (?) , a. [L. dumus bramble.] Pertaining to, or set with, briers or bushes; brambly. [R.]

Dumb <Xpage=460>

Dumb (?) , a. [AS. dumb ; akin to D. dom stupid, dumb, Sw. dumb , Goth. dumbs ; cf. Gr. <?/ blind. See Deaf , and cf. Dummy .]

1. Destitute of the power of speech; unable; to utter articulate sounds; as, the dumb brutes .

To unloose the very tongues even of dumb creatures. Hooker.

2. Not willing to speak; mute; silent; not speaking; not accompanied by words; as, dumb show .

This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him. Shak.

To pierce into the dumb past. J. C. Shairp.

3. Lacking brightness or clearness, as a color. [R.]

Her stern was painted of a dumb white or dun color. De Foe.

Deaf and dumb . See Deaf-mute . -- Dumb ague , &or; Dumb chill , a form of intermittent fever which has no well-defined "chill." [U.S.] -- Dumb animal , any animal except man; -- usually restricted to a domestic quadruped; -- so called in contradistinction to man, who is a "speaking animal." -- Dumb cake , a cake made in silence by girls on St. Mark's eve, with certain mystic ceremonies, to discover their future husbands. Halliwell . -- Dumb cane (Bot.) , a west Indian plant of the Arum family ( Dieffenbachia seguina ), which, when chewed, causes the tongue to swell, and destroys temporarily the power of speech. -- Dumb crambo . See under crambo . -- Dumb show . (a) Formerly, a part of a dramatic representation, shown in pantomime. "Inexplicable dumb shows and noise." Shak . (b) Signs and gestures without words; as, to tell a story in dumb show . -- To strike dumb , to confound; to astonish; to render silent by astonishment; or, it may be, to deprive of the power of speech.

Syn. -- Silent; speechless; noiseless. See Mute .

Dumb <Xpage=460>

Dumb , v. t. To put to silence. [Obs.]

Shak.

Dumb-bell <Xpage=460>

Dumb"-bell` (?) , n. A weight, consisting of two spheres or spheroids, connected by a short bar for a handle; used (often in pairs) for gymnastic exercise.

Dumbledor <Xpage=460>

Dum"ble*dor` (?) , n. [The first part is prob. of imitative origin. See Dor a beetle.] (Zo\'94l.) A bumblebee; also, a cockchafer. [Prov. Eng.]

Dumbly <Xpage=460>

Dumb"ly (?) , adv. In silence; mutely.

Dumbness <Xpage=460>

Dumb"ness , n. The quality or state of being dumb; muteness; silence; inability to speak.

Dumb-waiter <Xpage=460>

Dumb"-wait`er (?) , n. A framework on which dishes, food, etc., are passed from one room or story of a house to another; a lift for dishes, etc.; also, a piece of furniture with movable or revolving shelves.

Dumetose <Xpage=460>

Du"me*tose` (?) , a. [From L. dumetum a thicket.] (Bot.) Dumose.

Dumfound <Xpage=460>

Dum"found` (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dumfounded ; p. pr. & vb. n. Dumfounding .] To strike dumb; to confuse with astonishment. [Written also dumbfound .]

Spectator.

Dumfounder <Xpage=460>

Dum"found`er (?) , v. t. To dumfound; to confound. [Written also dumbfounder .]

Dummador <Xpage=460>

Dum"ma*dor` (?) , n. A dumbledor.

Dummerer <Xpage=460>

Dum"mer*er (?) , n. One who feigns dumbness. [Obs.]

Burton.

Dummy <Xpage=460>

Dum"my (?) , a. [See Dumb .]

1. Silent; mute; noiseless; as a dummy engine.

2. Fictitious or sham; feigned; as, a dummy watch .

Dummy car . See under Car .

Dummy <Xpage=460>

Dum"my , n. ; pl. Dummies (<?/) .

1. One who is dumb.

H. Smith.

2. A sham package in a shop, or one which does not contain what its exterior indicates.