The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section D and E

Drape (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Draped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Draping (?).] [F. draper, fr. drap cloth. See 3d Drab.] 1. To cover or adorn with drapery or folds of cloth, or as wit...

10. (Mil.) (a) A tool used in driving down compactly the composition contained in a rocket, or like firework. (b) A deviation from the line of fire, peculiar to oblong projectiles.

7. (Punctuation) A mark or line [--], in writing or printing, denoting a sudden break, stop, or transition in a sentence, or an abrupt change in its construction, a long or sign...

Day"fly` (d"fl`), n. (Zoöl.) A neuropterous insect of the genus Ephemera and related genera, of many species, and inhabiting fresh water in the larval state; the ephemeral fly;...

Dock, n. [Akin to D. dok; of uncertain origin; cf. LL. doga ditch, L. doga ditch, L. doga sort of vessel, Gr. &?; receptacle, fr. &?; to receive.] 1. An artificial basin or an i...

Dove (?), n. [OE. dove, duve, douve, AS. d&?;fe; akin to OS. d&?;ba, D. duif, OHG. t&?;ba, G. taube, Icel. d&?;fa, Sw. dufva, Dan. due, Goth. d&?;b&?;; perh. from the root of E....

3. An imitation or copy of something, to be used as a substitute; a model; a lay figure; as, a figure on which clothing is exhibited in shop windows; a blank paper copy used to...

||Drach"ma (?), n.; pl. E. Drachmas (#), L. Drachmæ (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?;. See Dram.] 1. A silver coin among the ancient Greeks, having a different value in different States and...

Divisible contract (Law), a contract containing agreements one of which can be separated from the other. -- Divisible offense (Law), an offense containing a lesser offense in on...

||Drom`a*the"ri*um (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. droma`s running + qhri`on beast. See Dromedary.] (Paleon.) A small extinct triassic mammal from North Carolina, the earliest yet found i...

De*mand", n. [F. demande, fr. demander. See Demand, v. t.] 1. The act of demanding; an asking with authority; a peremptory urging of a claim; a claiming or challenging as due; r...

E*vis"cer*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Eviscerated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Eviscerating (?).] [L. evisceratus, p. p. of eviscerare to eviscerate; e out + viscera the bowels. See Vi...

E*quiv"o*cal (?), a. [L. aequivocus: aequus equal + vox, vocis, word. See Equal, and Voice, and cf. Equivoque.] 1. (Literally, called equally one thing or the other; hence:) Hav...

Eas"ter (?), n. [AS. eáster, eástran, paschal feast, Easter; akin to G. ostern; fr. AS. Eástre, a goddess of light or spring, in honor of whom a festival was celebrated in April...

Daph"nin (?), n. [Cf. F. daphnine.] (Chem.) (a) A dark green bitter resin extracted from the mezereon (Daphne mezereum) and regarded as the essential principle of the plant. [R....

Drawl (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Drawled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Drawling.] [Prob. fr. draw: cf. D. dralen to linger, tarry, Icel. dralla to loiter. See Draw, and cf. Draggle.] To ut...

Ex*er"tion (?), n. The act of exerting, or putting into motion or action; the active exercise of any power or faculty; an effort, esp. a laborious or perceptible effort; as, an...

6. (Gunnery) The movement of the axis of a piece in a vertical plane; also, the angle of elevation, that is, the angle between the axis of the piece and the line o&?; sight; --...

Ec*stat"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?;: cf. F. extatique. See Ecstasy, n.] 1. Pertaining to, or caused by, ecstasy or excessive emotion; of the nature, or in a state, of ecstasy;...

2. A member of a social and benevolent order, founded in London in 1781, and professedly based on the traditions of the ancient Druids. Lodges or groves of the society are estab...

Else (?), a. & pron. [OE. & AS. elles otherwise, gen. sing. of an adj. signifying other; akin to OHG. elles otherwise, OSw. äljes, Sw. eljest, Goth. aljis, adj., other, L. alius...

E*munc"to*ry (?), n.; pl. Emunctories (#). [L. emunctorium a pair of snuffers, fr. emungere, emunctum, to blow the nose, hence, to wipe, cleanse; e out + mungere to blow the nos...

Daf"fo*dil (df"f*dl), n. [OE. affodylle, prop., the asphodel, fr. LL. affodillus (cf. D. affodille or OF. asphodile, aphodille, F. asphodèle), L. asphodelus, fr. Gr. 'asfo`delos...

De*cree" (?), n. [OE. decre, F. décret, fr. L. decretum, neut. decretus, p. p. of decernere to decide; de- + cernere to decide. See Certain, and cf. Decreet, Decretal.] 1. An or...

5. To purchase either the whole or large quantities of, for the purpose of enhancing the price and making a profit; hence, to take or assume in undue quantity, proportion, or de...

Duc"at (?), n. [F. ducat, It. ducato, LL. ducatus, fr. dux leader or commander. See Duke.] A coin, either of gold or silver, of several countries in Europe; originally, one stru...

De*bil"i*tate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Debilitated; p. pr. & vb. n. Debilitating.] [L. debilitatus, p. p. of debilitare to debilitate, fr. debilis. See Debility.] To impair the...

||Dé`noue`ment" (?), n. [F. dénouement, fr. dénouer to untie; pref. dé- (L. dis-) + nouer to tie, fr. L. nodus knot, perh. for gnodus and akin to E. knot.] 1. The unraveling or...

E*ject" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ejected; p. pr. & vb. n. Ejecting.] [L. ejectus, p. p. of ejicere; e out + jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth.] 1. To expel; to dismiss;...

En*rage" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Enraged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Enraging (?).] [F. enrager to be enraged; pref. en- (L. in) + rage rage. See Rage.] To fill with rage; to provoke...

2. To treat with, or in respect to, a thing desired; hence, to ask earnestly; to beseech; to petition or pray with urgency; to supplicate; to importune. "Entreat my wife to come...

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...

Ep`i*gen"e*sis (?), n. [Pref. epi- + genesis.] (Biol.) The theory of generation which holds that the germ is created entirely new, not merely expanded, by the procreative power...

To dig down, to undermine and cause to fall by digging; as, to dig down a wall. -- To dig from, out of, out, or up, to get out or obtain by digging; as, to dig coal from or out...

||Dim"y*a (?), Dim`y*a"ri*a (&?;), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; = &?; + &?; to close.] (Zoöl.) An order of lamellibranchiate mollusks having an anterior and posterior adductor muscl...

Ef*front"er*y (?), n.; pl. Effronteries (#). [F. effronterie, fr. effronté shameless, fr. L. effrons, - ontis, putting forth the forehead, i. e., barefaced, shameless; ex + fron...

E"pact ("pkt), n. [F. épacte, fr. Gr. 'epakto`s brought on or in, added, fr. 'epa`gein to bring on or in; 'epi` on, in + 'a`gein to bring or lead. See Epi-, and Act.] (Chron.) T...

Escapements are of several kinds, as the vertical, or verge, or crown, escapement, formerly used in watches, in which two pallets on the balance arbor engage with a crown wheel;...

De*lin"e*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Delineated; p. pr. & vb. n. Delineating.] 1. To indicate by lines drawn in the form or figure of; to represent by sketch, design, or diagra...

Dust (dst), n. [AS. dust; cf. LG. dust, D. duist meal dust, OD. doest, donst, and G. dunst vapor, OHG. tunist, dunist, a blowing, wind, Icel. dust dust, Dan. dyst mill dust; per...

Ex*cur"rent (?), a. [L. excurrens, p. p. of excurrere, excursum, to run out; ex out + currere to run. See Current.] 1. Running or flowing out; as: (Bot.) Running or extending ou...

Dem"on*strate (?; 277), v. t. [L. demonstratus, p. p. of demonstrare to demonstrate; de- + monstrare to show. See Monster.] 1. To point out; to show; to exhibit; to make evident...

Em"ber (?), n. [OE. emmeres, emeres, AS. &?;myrie; akin to Icel. eimyrja, Dan. emmer, MHG. eimere; cf. Icel. eimr vapor, smoke.] A lighted coal, smoldering amid ashes; -- used c...

Deft (?), a. [OE. daft, deft, becoming, mild, gentle, stupid (cf. OE. daffe, deffe, fool, coward), AS. dæft (in derivatives only) mild, gentle, fitting, seasonable; akin to dafe...

||Di*cen"tra (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; spur.] (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous plants, with racemes of two-spurred or heart-shaped flowers, including the Dutchma...

In England, the title of esquire belongs by right of birth to the eldest sons of knights and their eldest sons in perpetual succession; to the eldest sons of younger sons of pee...

De*scribe" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Described (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Describing.] [L. describere, descriptum; de- + scribere to write: cf. OE. descriven, OF. descrivre, F. décrire...

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En"do*derm (?), n. [Endo- + Gr. &?; skin.] (Biol.) (a) The inner layer of the skin or integument of an animal. (b) The innermost layer of the blastoderm and the structures deriv...

Syn. -- Deposition, Affidavit. Affidavit is the wider term. It denotes any authorized ex parte written statement of a person, sworn to or affirmed before some competent magistra...

Ex*on`er*a"tion (?), n. [L. exoneratio: cf. F. Exonération.] The act of disburdening, discharging, or freeing morally from a charge or imputation; also, the state of being disbu...

Dy*nas"ti*dan (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fem. of &?;. See Dynast. The name alludes to the immense size of some species.] (Zoöl.) One of a group of gigantic, horned beetles, including Dyn...

Ep`i*tha*la"mi*um (?), n.; pl. Epithalamiums (#), L. Epithalamia (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?; , orig. an adj., nuptial; 'epi` upon, at + &?; bride chamber.] A nuptial song, or poem in...

Dam"ask, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Damasked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Damasking.] To decorate in a way peculiar to Damascus or attributed to Damascus; particularly: (a) with flowers and ri...

To deal by, to treat, either well or ill; as, to deal well by servants. "Such an one deals not fairly by his own mind." Locke. -- To deal in. (a) To have to do with; to be engag...

Blue devils. See under Blue. -- Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian. -- Devil bird (Zoöl.), one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and E. remifer), b...

The European spotted dogfishes (Scyllium catudus, and S. canicula) are very abundant; the American smooth, or blue dogfish is Mustelus canis; the common picked, or horned dogfis...

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.

If the plane is parallel to the longer diagonal (macrodiagonal) of the prism, it is called a macrodome; if parallel to the shorter (brachydiagonal), it is a brachydome; if paral...

They easily prevailed, so as to seize upon the vacant, unoccupied, and derelict minds of his [Chatham's] friends; and instantly they turned the vessel wholly out of the course o...

||Ex`an*the"ma (?), n.; pl. Exanthemata (#). [L., fr. Gr.&?;, fr.&?; to burst forth as flowers, break out, as ulcers; &?;, &?;, out + 'anqei^n to bloom, 'a`nqos flower: cf. F. e...

En*com"pass (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Encompassed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Encompassing.] To circumscribe or go round so as to surround closely; to encircle; to inclose; to environ;...

De*fer" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deferred (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Deferring.] [OE. differren, F. différer, fr. L. differre to delay, bear different ways; dis- + ferre to bear. See...

Det"i*nue (?; 277), n. [OF. detinu, detenu, p. p. of detenir to detain. See Detain.] A person or thing detained; (Law) A form of action for the recovery of a personal chattel wr...

En*force" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Enforced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Enforcing (?).] [OF. enforcier to strengthen, force, F. enforcir; pref. en- (L. in) + F. force. See Force.] 1. T...

Eu"phu*ism ("f*z'm), n. [Gr. e'yfyh`s well grown, graceful; e'y^ well + fyh` growth, fr. fy`ein to grow. This affected style of conversation and writing, fashionable for some ti...

Em`bry*ot"o*my (?), n. [Gr. 'e`mbryon an embryo + te`mnein to cut: cf. F. embryotomie.] (Med.) The cutting a fetus into pieces within the womb, so as to effect its removal.

E"ti*o*lin (?), n. [See Etiolate.] (Bot.) A yellowish coloring matter found in plants grown in darkness, which is supposed to be an antecedent condition of chlorophyll. Encyc. B...

Es*treat" (?), n. [OF. estraite, prop., an extract, fr. p. p. of estraire to extract, F. extraire, fr. L. extrahere. See Extract.] (Law) A true copy, duplicate, or extract of an...

Syn. -- Express; clear; plain; open; unreserved; unambiguous. -- Explicit, Express. Explicit denotes a setting forth in the plainest language, so that the meaning can not be mis...

4. A saloon or hall where a council is held, in Oriental countries, the state reception room in places, and in the houses of the richer citizens. Cushions on the floor or on ben...

E*duce" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Educed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Educing (?).] [L. educere; e out + ducere to lead. See Duke.] To bring or draw out; to cause to appear; to produce a...

Di*am"e*ter (?), n. [F. diamètre, L. diametros, fr. Gr. &?;; dia` through + &?; measure. See Meter.] 1. (Geom.) (a) Any right line passing through the center of a figure or body...

Double base, or Double bass (Mus.), the largest and lowest-toned instrument in the violin form; the contrabasso or violone. -- Double convex. See under Convex. -- Double counter...

Ex*punge" (ks*pnj"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Expunged (- pnjd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Expunging (- pn"jng).] [L. expungere, expunctum, prick out, expunge, settle an account, execute; ex...

This process consists of a concentric splitting of the cells of the blastosphere into an outer layer (epiblast) and an inner layer (hypoblast). By the perforation of the resulta...

Dil"a*to*ry (?), a. [L. dilatorius, fr. dilator a delayer, fr. dilatus, used as p. p. of differe to defer, delay: cf. F. dilatoire. See Dilate, Differ, Defer.] 1. Inclined to de...

2. (Astron.) The great circle of the celestial sphere, coincident with the plane of the earth's equator; - - so called because when the sun is in it, the days and nights are of...

In 1776 the Americans laid before Europe that noble Declaration, which ought to be hung up in the nursery of every king, and blazoned on the porch of every royal palace.

Di*plo"ma (?), n.; pl. Diplomas (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to double, fr. &?; twofold. See Double.] A letter or writing, usually under seal, conferring some privilege, honor...

Dex`tro*ro"ta*to*ry (?), a. [Dextro- + rotatory.] (Chem. & Opt.) Turning, or causing to turn, toward the right hand; esp., turning the plane of polarization of luminous rays tow...

Ecclesiastical commissioners for England, a permanent commission established by Parliament in 1836, to consider and report upon the affairs of the Established Church. -- Ecclesi...

Ex*tinct" (?), a. [L. extinctus, exstinctus, p. p. of extinguere, exstinguere. See Extinguish.] 1. Extinguished; put out; quenched; as, a fire, a light, or a lamp, is extinct; a...

De*struc"tive (?), a. [L. destructivus: cf. F. destructif.] Causing destruction; tending to bring about ruin, death, or devastation; ruinous; fatal; productive of serious evil;...

E"ven*ing (?), n. [AS. fnung. See even, n., and cf. Eve.] 1. The latter part and close of the day, and the beginning of darkness or night; properly, the decline of the day, or o...

3. To rely for support; to be conditioned or contingent; to be connected with anything, as a cause of existence, or as a necessary condition; -- followed by on or upon, formerly...

E*lec`tro-pos"i*tive (?), a. 1. (Physics) Of such a nature relatively to some other associated body or bodies, as to tend to the negative pole of a voltaic battery, in electroly...

Ear"ly, a. [Compar. Earlier (r"l*r); superl. Earliest.] [OE. earlich. √204. See Early, adv.] 1. In advance of the usual or appointed time; in good season; prior in time; a...

En"ter*pri`sing (?), a. Having a disposition for enterprise; characterized by enterprise; resolute, active or prompt to attempt; as, an enterprising man or firm. -- En"ter*pri`s...

El` Do*ra"do (?), pl. El Doradoes (&?;). [Sp., lit., the gilt (sc. land); el the + dorado gilt, p. p. of dorare to gild. Cf. Dorado.] 1. A name given by the Spaniards in the 16t...

Dis*trib"ute (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Distributed; p. pr. & vb. n. Distributing.] [L. distributus, p. p. of distribuere to divide, distribute; dis- + tribuere to assign, give, a...

2. To part with for a substitute; to lay aside, quit, or resign (something being received in place of the thing parted with); as, to exchange a palace for cell.

Dis*or"gan*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disorganized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Disorganizing (?).] [Pref. dis- + organize: cf. F. désorganiser.] To destroy the organic structure or r...

Ex*trorse" (?), a. [As if from an assumed L. extrorsus, for extroversus; extra on the outside + vertere, versum, to turn: cf. F. extrorse.] (Bot.) Facing outwards, or away from...

Dis*band" (?; see Dis-), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disbanded; p. pr. & vb. n. Disbanding.] [Pref. dis- + band: cf. OF. desbander, F. débander, to unbind, unbend. See Band, and cf. Dis...

Dis*joint", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disjointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Disjointing.] 1. To separate the joints of; to separate, as parts united by joints; to put out of joint; to force out...

Ex"pe*dite, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Expedited (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Expediting (?).] 1. To relieve of impediments; to facilitate; to accelerate the process or progress of; to hasten;...

||Er`o*te"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a questioning, fr. &?; to ask.] (Rhet.) A figure of speech by which a strong affirmation of the contrary, is implied under the form of an...

Door (?), n. [OE. dore, dure, AS. duru; akin to OS. dura, dor, D. deur, OHG. turi, door, tor gate, G. thür, thor, Icel. dyrr, Dan. dör, Sw. dörr, Goth. daur, Lith. durys, Russ....

Desk (?), n. [OE. deske, the same word as dish, disk. See Dish, and cf. Disk.] 1. A table, frame, or case, usually with sloping top, but often with flat top, for the use writers...

Emperor goose (Zoöl.), a large and handsome goose (Philacte canagica), found in Alaska. -- Emperor moth (Zoöl.), one of several large and beautiful bombycid moths, with transpar...

Dis*guise" (?; 232), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disguised (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Disguising.] [OE. desguisen, disgisen, degisen, OF. desguisier, F. déguiser; pref. des- (L. dis-) + guise...

Dis*cu"tient (?), a. [L. discutiens, p. pr. of discutere. See Discuss.] (Med.) Serving to disperse morbid matter; discussive; as, a discutient application. -- n. An agent (as a...

Dirt"y (?), a. [Compar. Dirtier (?); superl. Dirtiest.] 1. Defiled with dirt; foul; nasty; filthy; not clean or pure; serving to defile; as, dirty hands; dirty water; a dirty wh...

Dis*qual"i*fy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disqualified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Disqualifying.] 1. To deprive of the qualities or properties necessary for any purpose; to render unfit;...

Di"et (?), n. [F. diète, L. diaeta, fr. Gr. &?; manner of living.] 1. Course of living or nourishment; what is eaten and drunk habitually; food; victuals; fare. "No inconvenient...

Dis*please" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Displeased (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Displeasing.] [OF. desplaisir, whence F. déplaisir displeasure; pref. des- (L. dis- ) + plaisir to please. S...

Dis*close" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Disclosed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Disclosing.] [OE. desclosen, disclosen, fr. disclos, desclos, not shut in, open, OF. desclos, p. p. of desclor...

Dis"si*pate (ds"s*pt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dissipated; p. pr. & vb. n. Dissipating.] [L. dissipatus, p. p. of dissipare; dis- + an obsolete verb sipare, supare. to throw.] 1. To...

Dis*coun"te*nance (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Discountenanced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Discountenancing (?).] [Pref. dis- + countenance: cf. OF. descontenancer, F. décontenancer.] 1. T...

This meaning and most of the following are to be referred to the Galenical doctrine of the four "humors" in man. See Humor. According to the old physicians, these humors, when u...