Chapter 29

Di`a*mag*net"ic*al*ly (?), adv. In the manner of, or according to, diamagnetism.

Di`a*mag"net*ism (?), n. 1. The science which treats of diamagnetic phenomena, and of the properties of diamagnetic bodies.

2. That form or condition of magnetic action which characterizes diamagnetics.

Di`a*man*tif"er*ous (?), a. [F. diamant diamond + -ferous.] Yielding diamonds.

Di`a*man"tine (?), a. Adamantine. [Obs.]

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, as a circle, conic section, sphere, cube, etc., and terminated by the opposite boundaries; a straight line which bisects a system of parallel chords drawn in a curve. (b) A diametral plane.

2. The length of a straight line through the center of an object from side to side; width; thickness; as, the diameter of a tree or rock.

In an elongated object the diameter is usually taken at right angles to the longer axis.

3. (Arch.) The distance through the lower part of the shaft of a column, used as a standard measure for all parts of the order. See Module.

Conjugate diameters. See under Conjugate.

Di*am"e*tral (?), a. [Gr. F. diamétral.] Pertaining to a diameter; diametrical.

Diametral curve, Diametral surface (Geom.), any line or surface which bisects a system of parallel chords drawn in a curve or surface. -- Diametral planes (Crystal.), planes in which two of the axes lie.

Di*am"e*tral, n. A diameter. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Di*am"e*tral*ly, adv. Diametrically.

{ Di*am"e*tric (?), Di*am"e*tric*al (?), } a. 1. Of or pertaining to a diameter.

2. As remote as possible, as if at the opposite end of a diameter; directly adverse.

Di*am"e*tric*al*ly, adv. In a diametrical manner; directly; as, diametrically opposite.

Whose principles were diametrically opposed to his.

Macaulay.

Di*am"ide (?; 104), n. [Pref. di- + amide.] (Chem.) Any compound containing two amido groups united with one or more acid or negative radicals, -- as distinguished from a diamine. Cf. Amido acid, under Amido, and Acid amide, under Amide.

Di*am"i*do- (&?;), a. (Chem.) A prefix or combining form of Diamine. [Also used adjectively.]

Di*am"ine (?; 104), n. [Pref. di- + amine.] (Chem.) A compound containing two amido groups united with one or more basic or positive radicals, -- as contrasted with a diamide.

In chemical nomenclature, if any amine or diamine is named by prefixing the nitrogen group, the name of the latter takes the form of amido, diamido, etc., thus ethylene diamine, C2H4.(NH2)2, is also called diamido-ethylene.

Di"a*mond (?; 277), n. [OE. diamaund, diamaunt, F. diamant, corrupted, fr. L. adamas, the hardest iron, steel, diamond, Gr. &?;. Perh. the corruption is due to the influence of Gr. &?; transparent. See Adamant, Tame.] 1. A precious stone or gem excelling in brilliancy and beautiful play of prismatic colors, and remarkable for extreme hardness.

The diamond is native carbon in isometric crystals, often octahedrons with rounded edges. It is usually colorless, but some are yellow, green, blue, and even black. It is the hardest substance known. The diamond as found in nature (called a rough diamond) is cut, for use in jewelry, into various forms with many reflecting faces, or facets, by which its brilliancy is much increased. See Brilliant, Rose. Diamonds are said to be of the first water when very transparent, and of the second or third water as the transparency decreases.

2. A geometrical figure, consisting of four equal straight lines, and having two of the interior angles acute and two obtuse; a rhombus; a lozenge.

3. One of a suit of playing cards, stamped with the figure of a diamond.

4. (Arch.) A pointed projection, like a four-sided pyramid, used for ornament in lines or groups.

5. (Baseball) The infield; the square space, 90 feet on a side, having the bases at its angles.

6. (Print.) The smallest kind of type in English printing, except that called brilliant, which is seldom seen.

This line is printed in the type called Diamond.

Black diamond, coal; (Min.) See Carbonado. -- Bristol diamond. See Bristol stone, under Bristol. -- Diamond beetle (Zoöl.), a large South American weevil (Entimus imperialis), remarkable for its splendid luster and colors, due to minute brilliant scales. -- Diamond bird (Zoöl.), a small Australian bird (Pardalotus punctatus, family Ampelidæ.). It is black, with white spots. -- Diamond drill (Engin.), a rod or tube the end of which is set with black diamonds; -- used for perforating hard substances, esp. for boring in rock. -- Diamond finch (Zoöl.), a small Australian sparrow, often kept in a cage. Its sides are black, with conspicuous white spots, and the rump is bright carmine. -- Diamond groove (Iron Working), a groove of V-section in a roll. -- Diamond mortar (Chem.), a small steel mortar used for pulverizing hard substances. - - Diamond-point tool, a cutting tool whose point is diamond-shaped. -- Diamond snake (Zoöl.), a harmless snake of Australia (Morelia spilotes); the carpet snake. -- Glazier's diamond, a small diamond set in a glazier's tool, for cutting glass.

Di"a*mond (?; 277), a. Resembling a diamond; made of, or abounding in, diamonds; as, a diamond chain; a diamond field.

Di"a*mond-back` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The salt-marsh terrapin of the Atlantic coast (Malacoclemmys palustris).

Di"a*mond*ed, a. 1. Having figures like a diamond or lozenge.

2. Adorned with diamonds; diamondized. Emerson.

Di"a*mond*ize (?), v. t. To set with diamonds; to adorn; to enrich. [R.]

Diamondizing of your subject.

B. Jonson.

Di"a*mond-shaped` (?), a. Shaped like a diamond or rhombus.

Di*am"y*lene (?), n. [Pref. di- + amylene.] (Chem.) A liquid hydrocarbon, C10H20, of the ethylene series, regarded as a polymeric form of amylene.

Di"an (?), a. Diana. [Poetic]

Di*a"na (?), n. [L. Diana.] (Myth.) The daughter of Jupiter and Latona; a virgin goddess who presided over hunting, chastity, and marriage; -- identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.

And chaste Diana haunts the forest shade.

Pope.

Diana monkey (Zoöl.), a handsome, white-bearded monkey of West Africa (Cercopithecus Diana).

||Di*an"dri*a (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?;, &?;, a man, a male.] (Bot.) A Linnæan class of plants having two stamens.

Di*an"dri*an (?), a. Diandrous.

Di*an"drous (?), n. [Cf. F. diandre.] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the class Diandria; having two stamens.

||Di*a"ni*um (?), n. [NL., fr. L. Diana; either as the name of the Roman goddess, or from its use in OE. as a name of silver.] (Chem.) Same as Columbium. [Obs.]

Di`a*no*et"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;; dia` through + &?; to revolve in the mind.] (Metaph.) Pertaining to the discursive faculty, its acts or products.

I would employ . . . dianoetic to denote the operation of the discursive, elaborative, or comparative faculty.

Sir W. Hamilton.

Di`a*noi*al"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?; thought + -logy.] The science of the dianoetic faculties, and their operations. Sir W. Hamilton.

Di*an"thus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, gen. &?;, Zeus + 'a`nqos flower.] (Bot.) A genus of plants containing some of the most popular of cultivated flowers, including the pink, carnation, and Sweet William.

Di"a*pase (?), n. Same as Diapason. [Obs.]

A tuneful diapase of pleasures.

Spenser.

Di"a*pasm (?), n. [L. diapasma, Gr. &?;, fr. &?;; dia` through + &?; to sprinkle: cf. F. diapasme.] Powdered aromatic herbs, sometimes made into little balls and strung together. [Obs.]

Di`a*pa"son (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. diapasw^n (i. e., "h dia` pasw^n chordw^n symfoni`a the concord of the first and last notes, the octave); dia` through + pasw^n, gen. pl. of pa^s all: cf. F. diapason. Cf. Panacea.] 1. (Gr. Mus.) The octave, or interval which includes all the tones of the diatonic scale.

2. Concord, as of notes an octave apart; harmony.

The fair music that all creatures made . . . In perfect diapason.

Milton.

3. The entire compass of tones.

Through all the compass of the notes it ran, The diapason closing full in man.

Dryden.

4. A standard of pitch; a tuning fork; as, the French normal diapason.

5. One of certain stops in the organ, so called because they extend through the scale of the instrument. They are of several kinds, as open diapason, stopped diapason, double diapason, and the like.

||Di`a*pe*de"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a leaping or oozing through, fr. &?; to leap through; dia` through + &?; to leap.] (Med.) The passage of the corpuscular elements of the blood from the blood vessels into the surrounding tissues, without rupture of the walls of the blood vessels.

||Di`a*pen"te (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?; a fifth; dia` through + &?; five: cf. F. diapente.] 1. (Anc. Mus.) The interval of the fifth.

2. (Med.) A composition of five ingredients.

Di"a*per (?), n. [OF. diaspre, diapre, diaspe, sort of figured cloth, It. diaspro jasper, diaspo figured cloth, from L. jaspis a green-colored precious stone. See Jasper.] 1. Any textile fabric (esp. linen or cotton toweling) woven in diaper pattern. See 2.

2. (Fine Arts) Surface decoration of any sort which consists of the constant repetition of one or more simple figures or units of design evenly spaced.

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3. A towel or napkin for wiping the hands, etc.

Let one attend him with a silver basin, . . . Another bear the ewer, the third a diaper.

Shak.

4. An infant's breechcloth.

Di"a*per (?), v. t. 1. To ornament with figures, etc., arranged in the pattern called diaper, as cloth in weaving. "Diapered light." H. Van Laun.

Engarlanded and diapered With in wrought flowers.

Tennyson.

2. To put a diaper on (a child).

Di"a*per, v. i. To draw flowers or figures, as upon cloth. "If you diaper on folds." Peacham.

Di"a*per*ing, n. Same as Diaper, n., 2.

Di"a*phane (?), n. [Cf. F. diaphane diaphanous. See Diaphanous.] A woven silk stuff with transparent and colored figures; diaper work.

Di"a*phaned (?), a. [Cf. OF. diaphaner to make transparent. See Diaphanous.] Transparent or translucent. [R.]

Di`a*pha*ne"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. diaphanéité. See Diaphanous.] The quality of being diaphanous; transparency; pellucidness.

Di`a*phan"ic (?), a. [See Diaphanous.] Having power to transmit light; transparent; diaphanous.

Di*aph"a*nie (?), n. The art of imitating stained glass with translucent paper.

Di`a*pha*nom"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?; transparent + -meter.] An instrument for measuring the transparency of the air.

Di`a*phan"o*scope (?), n. [Gr. &?; transparent + -scope.] (Photog.) A dark box constructed for viewing transparent pictures, with or without a lens.

Di`a*phan"o*type (?), n. [Gr. &?; transparent + -type.] (Photog.) A colored photograph produced by superimposing a translucent colored positive over a strong uncolored one.

Di*aph"a*nous (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to show or shine through; dia` through + &?; to show, and in the passive, to shine: cf. F. diaphane. See Phantom, and cf. Diaphane, Diaphanic.] Allowing light to pass through, as porcelain; translucent or transparent; pellucid; clear.

Another cloud in the region of them, light enough to be fantastic and diaphanous.

Landor.

Di*aph"a*nous*ly, adv. Translucently.

Di*aph`e*met"ric (?), a. [Gr. dia` through + &?; touch + &?; measure.] (Physiol.) Relating to the measurement of the tactile sensibility of parts; as, diaphemetric compasses. Dunglison.

{ Di`a*phon"ic (?), Di`a*phon"ic*al (?) }, a. [Gr. dia` through + &?; sound, tone.] Diacoustic.

Di`a*phon"ics (?), n. The doctrine of refracted sound; diacoustics.

||Di`a*pho*re"sis (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to carry through, to throw off by perspiration; dia` through + &?; to carry.] (Med.) Perspiration, or an increase of perspiration.

{ Di`a*pho*ret"ic (?), Di`a*pho*ret"ic*al (?), } a. [L. diaphoreticus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. diaphorétique. See Diaphoresis.] Having the power to increase perspiration.

Di`a*pho*ret"ic, n. (Med.) A medicine or agent which promotes perspiration.

Diaphoretics differ from sudorifics; the former only increase the insensible perspiration, the latter excite the sensible discharge called sweat. Parr.

Di"a*phote (?), n. [Pref. dia- + Gr. &?;, light.] (Elec.) An instrument designed for transmitting pictures by telegraph. Fallows.

Di"a*phragm (?), n. [L. diaphragma, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to fence by a partition wall; dia` through + &?;, &?;, to fence, inclose; prob. akin to L. fareire to stuff: cf. F. diaphragme. See Farce.] 1. A dividing membrane or thin partition, commonly with an opening through it.

2. (Anat.) The muscular and tendinous partition separating the cavity of the chest from that of the abdomen; the midriff.

3. (Zoöl.) A calcareous plate which divides the cavity of certain shells into two parts.

4. (Opt.) A plate with an opening, which is generally circular, used in instruments to cut off marginal portions of a beam of light, as at the focus of a telescope.

5. (Mach.) A partition in any compartment, for various purposes.

Diaphragm pump, one in which a flexible diaphragm takes the place of a piston.

Di`a*phrag*mat"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. diaphragmatique.] Pertaining to a diaphragm; as, diaphragmatic respiration; the diaphragmatic arteries and nerves.

Di*aph"y*sis (?), n. [Gr. &?; a growing through; dia` through + &?; to bring forth.] 1. (Bot.) An abnormal prolongation of the axis of inflorescence.

2. (Anat.) The shaft, or main part, of a bone, which is first ossified.

Di`ap*no"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; outlet for the wind, exhalation, fr. &?; to blow through; dia` through + &?; to blow, breathe: cf. F. diapnoïque.] (Med.) Slightly increasing an insensible perspiration; mildly diaphoretic. -- n. A gentle diaphoretic.

Di*ap`o*phys"ic*al (?), a. (Anat.) Pertaining to a diapophysis.

||Di`a*poph"y*sis (?), n. [NL. See Dia-, and Apophysis.] (Anat.) The dorsal transverse, or tubercular, process of a vertebra. See Vertebra.

Di"arch*y (?), n. [Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; to rule.] A form of government in which the supreme power is vested in two persons.

{ Di*a"ri*al (?), Di*a"ri*an (?), } a. [See Diary.] Pertaining to a diary; daily.

Di"a*rist (?), n. One who keeps a diary.

{ Di`ar*rhe"a, Di`ar*rhœ"a }, (d`ar*r"), n. [L. diarrhoea, Gr. dia`rroia, fr. dia`rrei^n to flow through; dia` + "rei^n to flow; akin to E. stream. See Stream.] (Med.) A morbidly frequent and profuse discharge of loose or fluid evacuations from the intestines, without tenesmus; a purging or looseness of the bowels; a flux.

{ Di`ar*rhe"al, Di`ar*rhœ"al } a. (Med.) Of or pertaining to diarrhea; like diarrhea.

{ Di`ar*rhet"ic, Di`ar*rhœt"ic } (?), a. (Med.) Producing diarrhea, or a purging.

Di`ar*thro"di*al (?), a. (Anat.) Relating to diarthrosis, or movable articulations.

||Di`ar*thro"sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to joint, articulate; dia` through, asunder + &?; to fasten by a joint, 'a`rqron joint.] (Anat.) A form of articulation which admits of considerable motion; a complete joint; abarticulation. See Articulation.

Di"a*ry (?), n.; pl. Diaries (#). [L. diarium, fr. dies day. See Deity.] A register of daily events or transactions; a daily record; a journal; a blank book dated for the record of daily memoranda; as, a diary of the weather; a physician's diary.

Di"a*ry, a. lasting for one day; as, a diary fever. [Obs.] "Diary ague." Bacon.

Di"a*spore (?), n. [From Gr. &?; a scattering; dia` through, asunder + &?; to sow, scatter like seed: cf. F. diaspore.] (Min.) A hydrate of alumina, often occurring in white lamellar masses with brilliant pearly luster; -- so named on account of its decrepitating when heated before the blowpipe.

Di"a*stase (?), n. [Gr. &?; separation, fr. &?;, &?; to stand apart; dia` through + &?;, &?;, to stand, set: cf. F. diastase. Cf. Diastasis.] (Physiol. Chem.) A soluble, nitrogenous ferment, capable of converting starch and dextrin into sugar.

The name is more particularly applied to that ferment formed during the germination of grain, as in the malting of barley; but it is also occasionally used to designate the amylolytic ferment contained in animal fluids, as in the saliva.

Di`a*sta"sic (?), a. Pertaining to, or consisting of, diastase; as, diastasic ferment.

||Di*as"ta*sis (?), n. [NL. See Diastase.] (Surg.) A forcible separation of bones without fracture.

Di`a*stat"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; separative. See Diastase.] (Physiol. Chem.) Relating to diastase; having the properties of diastase; effecting the conversion of starch into sugar.

The influence of acids and alkalies on the diastatic action of saliva.

Lauder Brunton.

Di"a*stem (?), n. [L. diastema, Gr. &?;, fr. &?;: cf. F. diastème.] (a) Intervening space; interval. (b) (Anc. Mus.) An interval.

||Di`a*ste"ma (?), n. [L. See Diastem.] (Anat.) A vacant space, or gap, esp. between teeth in a jaw.

Di*as"ter (?), n. [Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; star.] (Biol.) A double star; -- applied to the nucleus of a cell, when, during cell division, the loops of the nuclear network separate into two groups, preparatory to the formation of two daughter nuclei. See Karyokinesis.

||Di*as"to*le (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to put asunder, to separate; dia` through + &?; to set, to place.] 1. (Physiol.) The rhythmical expansion or dilatation of the heart and arteries; -- correlative to systole, or contraction.

2. (Gram.) A figure by which a syllable naturally short is made long.

Di`as*tol"ic (?), a. (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to diastole.

Di"a*style (?), n. [L. diastylus, Gr. &?;; dia` through, asunder + &?; pillar, column: cf. F. diastyle.] (Arch.) See under Intercolumniation.

||Di`a*tes"sa*ron (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?; (sc. &?;); dia` through + &?;, gen. of &?; four (sc. &?;.).] 1. (Anc. Mus.) The interval of a fourth.

2. (Theol.) A continuous narrative arranged from the first four books of the New Testament.

3. An electuary compounded of four medicines.

Di`a*ther"mal (?), a. [Gr. &?; thoroughly warm; dia` through + &?; warm, hot. Cf. Diathermous.] Freely permeable by radiant heat.

{ Di`a*ther"man*cy (?), Di`a*ther`ma*ne"i*ty (?), } n. [See Diathermanous.] The property of transmitting radiant heat; the quality of being diathermous. Melloni.

Di`a*ther"ma*nism (?), n. The doctrine or the phenomena of the transmission of radiant heat. Nichol.

Di`a*ther"ma*nous (?), a. [Gr. &?; to warm through; dia` through + &?; to warm, &?; warm.] Having the property of transmitting radiant heat; diathermal; -- opposed to athermanous.

Di`a*ther"mic (?), a. Affording a free passage to heat; as, diathermic substances. Melloni.

Di`a*ther*mom"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?; warm + -meter. See Diathermal.] (Physics) An instrument for examining the thermal resistance or heat- conducting power of liquids.

Di`a*ther"mous (?), a. Same as Diathermal.

||Di*ath"e*sis (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to place separately, arrange; dia` through, asunder + &?; to place, put.] (Med.) Bodily condition or constitution, esp. a morbid habit which predisposes to a particular disease, or class of diseases.

Di`a*thet"ic (?), a. Pertaining to, or dependent on, a diathesis or special constitution of the body; as, diathetic disease.

Di"a*tom (d`*tm), n. [Gr. dia`tomos cut in two. See Diatomous.] 1. (Bot.) One of the Diatomaceæ, a family of minute unicellular Algæ having a siliceous covering of great delicacy, each individual multiplying by spontaneous division. By some authors diatoms are called Bacillariæ, but this word is not in general use.

2. A particle or atom endowed with the vital principle.

The individual is nothing. He is no more than the diatom, the bit of protoplasm.

Mrs. E. Lynn Linton.

Di`a*tom"ic (d`*tm"k), a. [Pref. di- + atomic.] (Chem.) (a) Containing two atoms. (b) Having two replaceable atoms or radicals.

Di*at"o*mous (?), a. [Gr. dia`tomos cut through, fr. diate`mnein to cut through; dia` through + te`mnein to cut. Cf. Diatom.] (Min.) Having a single, distinct, diagonal cleavage; -- said of crystals. Mohs.

Di`a*ton"ic (d`*tn"k), a. [L. diatonicus, diatonus, Gr. &?;, &?;, fr. &?; to stretch out; dia` through + &?; to stretch: cf. F. diatonique. See Tone.] (Mus.) Pertaining to the scale of eight tones, the eighth of which is the octave of the first.

Diatonic scale (Mus.), a scale consisting of eight sounds with seven intervals, of which two are semitones and five are whole tones; a modern major or minor scale, as distinguished from the chromatic scale.

Di`a*ton"ic*al*ly (?), adv. In a diatonic manner.

Di"a*tribe (?; 277), n. [L. diatriba a learned discussion, Gr. &?;, prop., a wearing away of time, fr. &?; to rub away, spend time; dia` through + &?; to rub: cf. L. terere, F. trite: cf. F. diatribe.] A prolonged or exhaustive discussion; especially, an acrimonious or invective harangue; a strain of abusive or railing language; a philippic.

The ephemeral diatribe of a faction.

John Morley.

Di*at"ri*bist (?), n. One who makes a diatribe or diatribes.

||Di`a*try"ma (?), n. [NL., from Gr. dia` through + &?; hole.] (Paleon.) An extinct eocene bird from New Mexico, larger than the ostrich.

{ Di`a*zeuc"tic (?), Di`a*zeu"tic (?), } a. [Gr. &?; disjunctive, fr. &?; to disjoin; dia` through, asunder + &?; to join, yoke.] (Anc. Mus.) Disjoining two fourths; as, the diazeutic tone, which, like that from F to G in modern music, lay between two fourths, and, being joined to either, made a fifth. [Obs.]

Di*az"o- (&?;). [Pref. di- + azo-] (Chem.) A combining form (also used adjectively), meaning pertaining to, or derived from, a series of compounds containing a radical of two nitrogen atoms, united usually to an aromatic radical; as, diazo-benzene, C6H5.N2.OH.

Diazo compounds are in general unstable, but are of great importance in recent organic chemistry. They are obtained by a partial reduction of the salts of certain amido compounds.

Diazo reactions (Chem.), a series of reactions whereby diazo compounds are employed in substitution. These reactions are of great importance in organic chemistry.

Di*az"o*tize (?), v. t. (Chem.) To subject to such reactions or processes that diazo compounds, or their derivatives, shall be produced by chemical exchange or substitution.

Dib (?), v. i. To dip. [Prov. Eng.] Walton.

Dib, n. 1. One of the small bones in the knee joints of sheep uniting the bones above and below the joints.

2. pl. A child's game, played with dib bones.

Di*ba"sic (?), a. [Pref. di- + basic.] (Chem.) Having two acid hydrogen atoms capable of replacement by basic atoms or radicals, in forming salts; bibasic; -- said of acids, as oxalic or sulphuric acids. Cf. Diacid, Bibasic.

In the case of certain acids dibasic and divalent are not synonymous; as, tartaric acid is tetravalent and dibasic, lactic acid is divalent but monobasic.

Di`ba*sic"i*ty (?), n. (Chem.) The property or condition of being dibasic.

Dib"ber (?), n. A dibble. Halliwell.

Dib"ble (?), n. [See Dibble, v. i.] A pointed implement used to make holes in the ground in which no set out plants or to plant seeds.

Dib"ble, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dibbled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dibbling (?).] [Freq. of Prov. E. dib, for dip to thrust in. See Dip.] To dib or dip frequently, as in angling. Walton.

Dib"ble, v. t. 1. To plant with a dibble; to make holes in (soil) with a dibble, for planting.

2. To make holes or indentations in, as if with a dibble.

The clayey soil around it was dibbled thick at the time by the tiny hoofs of sheep.

H. Miller.

Dib"bler (?), n. One who, or that which, dibbles, or makes holes in the ground for seed.

||Di*bran`chi*a"ta (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; gills.] (Zoöl.) An order of cephalopods which includes those with two gills, an apparatus for emitting an inky fluid, and either eight or ten cephalic arms bearing suckers or hooks, as the octopi and squids. See Cephalopoda.

Di*bran"chi*ate (?), a. (Zoöl.) Having two gills. -- n. One of the Dibranchiata.

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Dibs (?), n. A sweet preparation or treacle of grape juice, much used in the East. Johnston.