Chapter 32

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 of a mine; to dig out fossils; to dig up a tree. The preposition is often omitted; as, the men are digging coal, digging iron ore, digging potatoes. -- To dig in, to cover by digging; as, to dig in manure.

Dig, v. i. 1. To work with a spade or other like implement; to do servile work; to delve.

Dig for it more than for hid treasures.

Job iii. 21.

I can not dig; to beg I am ashamed.

Luke xvi. 3.

2. (Mining) To take ore from its bed, in distinction from making excavations in search of ore.

3. To work like a digger; to study ploddingly and laboriously. [Cant, U.S.]

Dig, n. 1. A thrust; a punch; a poke; as, a dig in the side or the ribs. See Dig, v. t., 4. [Colloq.]

2. A plodding and laborious student. [Cant, U.S.]

Dig"a*mist (?), n. [Gr. &?; = &?; twice + &?; to marry. Cf. Bigamist.] One who marries a second time; a deuterogamist. Hammond.

Di*gam"ma (?), n. [Gr. &?;; &?; = &?; twice + ga`mma the letter . So called because it resembled two gammas placed one above the other.] (Gr. Gram.) A letter (&?;, &?;) of the Greek alphabet, which early fell into disuse.

This form identifies it with the Latin F, though in sound it is said to have been nearer V. It was pronounced, probably, much like the English W.

{ Di*gam"mate (?), Di*gam"mated (?), } a. Having the digamma or its representative letter or sound; as, the Latin word vis is a digammated form of the Greek 'i`s. Andrews.

Dig"a*mous (?), a. Pertaining to a second marriage, that is, one after the death of the first wife or the first husband.

Dig"a*my (?), n. [Gr. &?; a second marriage; di- = di`s- twice + &?; marriage. Cf. Bigamy.] Act, or state, of being twice married; deuterogamy. [R.]

Di*gas"tric (?), a. [Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; belly: cf. F. digastrique.] (Anat.) (a) Having two bellies; biventral; -- applied to muscles which are fleshy at each end and have a tendon in the middle, and esp. to the muscle which pulls down the lower jaw. (b) Pertaining to the digastric muscle of the lower jaw; as, the digastric nerves.

||Di*ge"ne*a (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; race, offspring.] (Zoöl.) A division of Trematoda in which alternate generations occur, the immediate young not resembling their parents.

Di*gen"e*sis (?), n. [Pref. di- + genesis.] (Biol.) The faculty of multiplying in two ways; -- by ova fecundated by spermatic fluid, and asexually, as by buds. See Parthenogenesis.

Dig"e*nous (?), a. [Pref. di- + -genous.] (Biol.) Sexually reproductive.

Digenous reproduction. (Biol.) Same as Digenesis.

Dig"er*ent (?), . [L. digerens, p. pr. of digerere. See Digest.] Digesting. [Obs.] Bailey.

Di*gest" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Digested; p. pr. & vb. n. Digesting.] [L. digestus, p. p. of digerere to separate, arrange, dissolve, digest; di- = dis- + gerere to bear, carry, wear. See Jest.] 1. To distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application; as, to digest the laws, etc.

Joining them together and digesting them into order.

Blair.

We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested.

Shak.

2. (Physiol.) To separate (the food) in its passage through the alimentary canal into the nutritive and nonnutritive elements; to prepare, by the action of the digestive juices, for conversion into blood; to convert into chyme.

3. To think over and arrange methodically in the mind; to reduce to a plan or method; to receive in the mind and consider carefully; to get an understanding of; to comprehend.

Feelingly digest the words you speak in prayer.

Sir H. Sidney.

How shall this bosom multiplied digest The senate's courtesy?

Shak.

4. To appropriate for strengthening and comfort.

Grant that we may in such wise hear them [the Scriptures], read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them.

Book of Common Prayer.

5. Hence: To bear comfortably or patiently; to be reconciled to; to brook.

I never can digest the loss of most of Origin's works.

Coleridge.

6. (Chem.) To soften by heat and moisture; to expose to a gentle heat in a boiler or matrass, as a preparation for chemical operations.

7. (Med.) To dispose to suppurate, or generate healthy pus, as an ulcer or wound.

8. To ripen; to mature. [Obs.]

Well-digested fruits.

Jer. Taylor.

9. To quiet or abate, as anger or grief.

Di*gest" (?), v. i. 1. To undergo digestion; as, food digests well or ill.

2. (Med.) To suppurate; to generate pus, as an ulcer.

Di"gest (?), n. [L. digestum, pl. digesta, neut., fr. digestus, p. p.: cf. F. digeste. See Digest, v. t.] That which is digested; especially, that which is worked over, classified, and arranged under proper heads or titles; esp. (Law), A compilation of statutes or decisions analytically arranged. The term is applied in a general sense to the Pandects of Justinian (see Pandect), but is also specially given by authors to compilations of laws on particular topics; a summary of laws; as, Comyn's Digest; the United States Digest.

A complete digest of Hindu and Mahommedan laws after the model of Justinian's celebrated Pandects.

Sir W. Jones.

They made a sort of institute and digest of anarchy, called the Rights of Man.

Burke.

Di*gest"ed*ly (?), adv. In a digested or well-arranged manner; methodically.

Di*gest"er (?), n. 1. One who digests.

2. A medicine or an article of food that aids digestion, or strengthens digestive power.

Rice is . . . a great restorer of health, and a great digester.

Sir W. Temple.

3. A strong closed vessel, in which bones or other substances may be subjected, usually in water or other liquid, to a temperature above that of boiling, in order to soften them.

Di*gest`i*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality of being digestible.

Di*gest"i*ble (?), a. [F. digestible, L. digestibilis.] Capable of being digested.

Di*gest"i*ble*ness, n. The quality of being digestible; digestibility.

Di*ges"tion (?; 106), n. [F. digestion, L. digestio.] 1. The act or process of digesting; reduction to order; classification; thoughtful consideration.

2. (Physiol.) The conversion of food, in the stomach and intestines, into soluble and diffusible products, capable of being absorbed by the blood.

3. (Med.) Generation of pus; suppuration.

Di*gest"ive (?), a. [F. digestif, L. digestivus.] Pertaining to digestion; having the power to cause or promote digestion; as, the digestive ferments.

Digestive cheese and fruit there sure will be.

B. Jonson.

Digestive apparatus, the organs of food digestion, esp. the alimentary canal and glands connected with it. -- Digestive salt, the chloride of potassium.

Di*gest"ive, n. 1. That which aids digestion, as a food or medicine. Chaucer.

That digestive [a cigar] had become to me as necessary as the meal itself.

Blackw. Mag.

2. (Med.) (a) A substance which, when applied to a wound or ulcer, promotes suppuration. Dunglison. (b) A tonic. [R.]

Di*gest"or (?), n. See Digester.

Di*ges"ture (?; 135), n. Digestion. [Obs.] Harvey.

Dig"ga*ble (?), a. Capable of being dug.

Dig"ger (?), n. One who, or that which, digs.

Digger wasp (Zoöl.), any one of the fossorial Hymenoptera.

Dig"gers (?), n. pl.; sing. Digger. (Ethnol.) A degraded tribe of California Indians; -- so called from their practice of digging roots for food.

Dig"ging (?), n. 1. The act or the place of excavating.

2. pl. Places where ore is dug; especially, certain localities in California, Australia, and elsewhere, at which gold is obtained. [Recent]

3. pl. Region; locality. [Low]

Dight (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dight or Dighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Dighting.] [OF. dihten, AS. dihtan to dictate, command, dispose, arrange, fr. L. dictare to say often, dictate, order; cf. G. dichten to write poetry, fr. L. dictare. See Dictate.] 1. To prepare; to put in order; hence, to dress, or put on; to array; to adorn. [Archaic] "She gan the house to dight." Chaucer.

Two harmless turtles, dight for sacrifice.

Fairfax.

The clouds in thousand liveries dight.

Milton.

2. To have sexual intercourse with. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Dight"er (?), n. One who dights. [Obs.]

Dig"it (dj"t), n. [L. digitus finger; prob. akin to Gr. da`ktylos, of uncertain origin; possibly akin to E. toe. Cf. Dactyl.] 1. (Zoöl.) One of the terminal divisions of a limb appendage; a finger or toe.

The ruminants have the "cloven foot," i. e., two hoofed digits on each foot.

Owen.

2. A finger's breadth, commonly estimated to be three fourths of an inch.

3. (Math.) One of the ten figures or symbols, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, by which all numbers are expressed; -- so called because of the use of the fingers in counting and computing.

By some authorities the symbol 0 is not included with the digits.

4. (Anat.) One twelfth part of the diameter of the sun or moon; -- a term used to express the quantity of an eclipse; as, an eclipse of eight digits is one which hides two thirds of the diameter of the disk.

Dig"it, v. t. To point at or out with the finger. [R.]

Dig"i*tal (dj"*tal), a. [L. digitals.] Of or pertaining to the fingers, or to digits; done with the fingers; as, digital compression; digital examination.

Dig"i*ta`lin (?), n. [Cf. F. digitaline.] (a) (Med.) Any one of several extracts of foxglove (Digitalis), as the "French extract," the "German extract," etc., which differ among themselves in composition and properties. (b) (Chem.) A supposedly distinct vegetable principle as the essential ingredient of the extracts. It is a white, crystalline substance, and is regarded as a glucoside.

Dig`i*ta"lis (?), n. [NL.: cf. F. digitale. So named (according to Linnæus) from its finger-shaped corolla.] 1. (Bot.) A genus of plants including the foxglove.

2. (Med.) The dried leaves of the purple foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), used in heart disease, disturbance of the circulation, etc.

Dig"i*tate (?), v. t. [LL. digitatus, p. p. of digitare, fr. L. digitus. See Digit.] To point out as with the finger. [R.] Robinson (Eudoxa).

{ Dig"i*tate (?), Dig"i*ta`ted (?) }, a. [L. digitatus having fingers.] (Bot.) Having several leaflets arranged, like the fingers of the hand, at the extremity of a stem or petiole. Also, in general, characterized by digitation. -- Dig"i*tate*ly (#), adv.

Dig`i*ta"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. digitation.] A division into fingers or fingerlike processes; also, a fingerlike process.

Dig"i*ti*form (?), a. [L. digitus a finger + -form.] Formed like a finger or fingers; finger-shaped; as, a digitiform root.

Dig"i*ti*grade (?), a. [L. digitus finger, toe + gradi to step, walk: cf. F. digitigrade.] (Zoöl.) Walking on the toes; -- distinguished from plantigrade.

Dig"i*ti*grade, n. (Zoöl.) An animal that walks on its toes, as the cat, lion, wolf, etc.; -- distinguished from a plantigrade, which walks on the palm of the foot.

Dig`i*ti*par"tite (?), a. [L. digitus finger + partite.] (Bot.) Parted like the fingers.

Dig"i*tize (?), v. t. [Digit + -ize.] To finger; as, to digitize a pen. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Dig`i*to"ri*um (?), n. [NL., fr. L. digitus a finger.] A small dumb keyboard used by pianists for exercising the fingers; -- called also dumb piano.

Dig"i*tule (?), n. [L. digitulus, dim. of digitus.] (Zoöl.) A little finger or toe, or something resembling one.

Di*gla"di*ate (?), v. i. [L. digladiari; di- = dis- + gladius a sword.] To fight like gladiators; to contend fiercely; to dispute violently. [Obs.]

Digladiating like Æschines and Demosthenes.

Hales.

Di*gla`di*a"tion (?), n. Act of digladiating. [Obs.] "Sore digladiations and contest." Evelyn.

Di*glot"tism (?), n. [Gr. &?; speaking two languages; di- = di`s- twice + &?; tongue. See Glottis.] Bilingualism. [R.] Earle.

Di"glyph (?), n. [Gr. &?;; di- = di`s- twice + &?; to hollow out, carve.] (Arch.) A projecting face like the triglyph, but having only two channels or grooves sunk in it.

Dig*na"tion (?), n. [L. dignatio.] The act of thinking worthy; honor. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

<! p. 412 !>

Digne (?), a. [F., fr. L. dignus. See Design.] 1. Worthy; honorable; deserving. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. Suitable; adequate; fit. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. Haughty; disdainful. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Dig`ni*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [See Dignify.] The act of dignifying; exaltation.

Dig"ni*fied (?), a. Marked with dignity; stately; as, a dignified judge.

Dig"ni*fy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dignified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dignifying.] [OF. dignifier, fr. LL. dignificare; L. dignus worthy + ficare (in comp.), facere to make. See Deign, and Fact.] To invest with dignity or honor; to make illustrious; to give distinction to; to exalt in rank; to honor.

Your worth will dignify our feast.

B. Jonson.

Syn. -- To exalt; elevate; prefer; advance; honor; illustrate; adorn; ennoble.

Dig"ni*ta*ry (?), n.; pl. Dignitaries (#). [Cf. F. dignitaire, fr. L. dignitas.] One who possesses exalted rank or holds a position of dignity or honor; especially, one who holds an ecclesiastical rank above that of a parochial priest or clergyman.

Dig"ni*ty (?), n.; pl. Dignities (#). [OE. dignete, dignite, OF. digneté, dignité, F. dignité, fr. L. dignitas, from dignus worthy. See Dainty, Deign.] 1. The state of being worthy or honorable; elevation of mind or character; true worth; excellence.

2. Elevation; grandeur.

The dignity of this act was worth the audience of kings.

Shak.

3. Elevated rank; honorable station; high office, political or ecclesiastical; degree of excellence; preferment; exaltation. Macaulay.

And the king said, What honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this?

Esth. vi. 3.

Reuben, thou art my firstborn, . . . the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power.

Gen. xlix. 3.

4. Quality suited to inspire respect or reverence; loftiness and grace; impressiveness; stateliness; -- said of mien, manner, style, etc.

A letter written with singular energy and dignity of thought and language.

Macaulay.

5. One holding high rank; a dignitary.

These filthy dreamers . . . speak evil of dignities.

Jude. 8.

6. Fundamental principle; axiom; maxim. [Obs.]

Sciences concluding from dignities, and principles known by themselves.

Sir T. Browne.

Syn. -- See Decorum.

To stand upon one's dignity, to have or to affect a high notion of one's own rank, privilege, or character.

They did not stand upon their dignity, nor give their minds to being or to seeming as elegant and as fine as anybody else.

R. G. White.

Dig*no"tion (?), n. [L. dignoscere to distinguish; di- = dis- + gnoscere, noscere, to learn to know.] Distinguishing mark; diagnostic. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Dig"o*nous (?), a. [Gr. &?; = &?; double + &?; an angle.] Having two angles. Smart.

Di"gram (?), n. [Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; letter.] A digraph.

Di"graph (?), n. [Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; a writing, &?; to write.] Two signs or characters combined to express a single articulated sound; as ea in head, or th in bath.

Di*graph"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to a digraph. H. Sweet.

Di*gress" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Digressed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Digressing.] [L. digressus, p. p. of digredi to go apart, to deviate; di- = dis- + gradi to step, walk. See Grade.] 1. To step or turn aside; to deviate; to swerve; especially, to turn aside from the main subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing or speaking.

Moreover she beginneth to digress in latitude.

Holland.

In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to digress into a particular definition as often as a man varies the signification of any term.

Locke.

2. To turn aside from the right path; to transgress; to offend. [R.]

Thy abundant goodness shall excuse This deadly blot on thy digressing son.

Shak.

Di*gress", n. Digression. [Obs.] Fuller.

Di*gres"sion (?), n. [L. digressio: cf. F. digression.] 1. The act of digressing or deviating, esp. from the main subject of a discourse; hence, a part of a discourse deviating from its main design or subject.

The digressions I can not excuse otherwise, than by the confidence that no man will read them.

Sir W. Temple.

2. A turning aside from the right path; transgression; offense. [R.]

Then my digression is so vile, so base, That it will live engraven in my face.

Shak.

3. (Anat.) The elongation, or angular distance from the sun; -- said chiefly of the inferior planets. [R.]

Di*gres"sion*al (?), a. Pertaining to, or having the character of, a digression; departing from the main purpose or subject. T. Warton.

Di*gress"ive (?), a. [Cf. F. digressif.] Departing from the main subject; partaking of the nature of digression. Johnson.

Di*gress"ive*ly, adv. By way of digression.

Digue (?), n. [F. See Dike.] A bank; a dike. [Obs.] Sir W. Temple.

||Di*gyn"i*a (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; a woman, a female.] (Bot.) A Linnæan order of plants having two styles.

{ Di*gyn"i*an (?), Dig"y*nous (?), } a. [Cf. F. digyne.] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the Digynia; having two styles.

Di*he"dral (?), a. [Gr. di- = di`s- twice + &?; a seat, bottom, base, fr. &?; to sit. Cf. Diedral.] Having two plane faces; as, the dihedral summit of a crystal.

Dihedral angle, the angular space contained between planes which intersect. It is measured by the angle made by any two lines at right angles to the two planes.

Di*he"dron (?), n. [See Dihedral.] A figure with two sides or surfaces. Buchanan.

Di`hex*ag"o*nal (?), a. [Pref. di- + hexagonal.] (a) Consisting of two hexagonal parts united; thus, a dihexagonal pyramid is composed of two hexagonal pyramids placed base to base. (b) Having twelve similar faces; as, a dihexagonal prism.

Di`i*amb" (?), n. A diiambus.

Di`i*am"bus (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;; di- = di`s- twice + &?;. See Lambus.] (Pros.) A double iambus; a foot consisting of two iambuses (&?; &?; &?; &?;).

Di*i"o*dide (?; 104), n. [Pref. di- + iodine.] (Chem.) A compound of a binary type containing two atoms of iodine; -- called also biniodide.

Di`i*sat"o*gen (?), n. [Pref. di- + isatine + -gen.] (Chem.) A red crystalline nitrogenous substance of artificial production, which by reduction passes directly to indigo.

Di*ju"di*cant (?), n. [L. dijudicans, p. pr.] One who dijudicates. [R.] Wood.

Di*ju"di*cate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dijudicated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dijucating (?).] [L. dijudicatus, p. p. of dijudicare to decide; di- = dis- + judicare to judge.] To make a judicial decision; to decide; to determine. [R.] Hales.

Di*ju`di*ca"tion (?), n. [L. dijudicatio.] The act of dijudicating; judgment. [R.] Cockeram.

||Di"ka (?), n. [Native West African name.] A kind of food, made from the almondlike seeds of the Irvingia Barteri, much used by natives of the west coast of Africa; -- called also dika bread.

Dike (d), n. [OE. dic, dike, diche, ditch, AS. dc dike, ditch; akin to D. dijk dike, G. deich, and prob. teich pond, Icel. dki dike, ditch, Dan. dige; perh. akin to Gr. tei^chos (for qei^chos) wall, and even E. dough; or perh. to Gr. ti^fos pool, marsh. Cf. Ditch.] 1. A ditch; a channel for water made by digging.

Little channels or dikes cut to every bed.

Ray.

2. An embankment to prevent inundations; a levee.

Dikes that the hands of the farmers had raised . . . Shut out the turbulent tides.

Longfellow.

3. A wall of turf or stone. [Scot.]

4. (Geol.) A wall-like mass of mineral matter, usually an intrusion of igneous rocks, filling up rents or fissures in the original strata.

Dike, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Diking.] [OE. diken, dichen, AS. dcian to dike. See Dike.] 1. To surround or protect with a dike or dry bank; to secure with a bank.

2. To drain by a dike or ditch.

Dike, v. i. To work as a ditcher; to dig. [Obs.]

He would thresh and thereto dike and delve.

Chaucer.

Dik"er (?), n. 1. A ditcher. Piers Plowman.

2. One who builds stone walls; usually, one who builds them without lime. [Scot.]

Di*lac"er*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilacerated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dilacerating (?).] [L. dilaceratus, p. p. of dilacerare to tear apart; di- = dis- + lacerare to tear.] To rend asunder; to tear to pieces. Sir T. Browne.

Di*lac`er*a"tion (?), n. [L. dilaceratio: cf. F. dilacération.] The act of rending asunder. Arbuthnot.

Di*la"ni*ate (?), v. t. [L. dilaniatus, p. p. of dilaniare to dilacerate; di- = dis- + laniare to tear to pieces.] To rend in pieces; to tear. [R.] Howell.

Di*la`ni*a"tion (?), n. A rending or tearing in pieces; dilaceration. [R.]

Di*lap"i*date (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilapidated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dilapidating (?).] [L. dilapidare to scatter like stones; di- = dis- + lapidare to throw stones, fr. lapis a stone. See Lapidary.] 1. To bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin, by misuse or through neglect; to destroy the fairness and good condition of; -- said of a building.

If the bishop, parson, or vicar, etc., dilapidates the buildings, or cuts down the timber of the patrimony.

Blackstone.

2. To impair by waste and abuse; to squander.

The patrimony of the bishopric of Oxon was much dilapidated.

Wood.

Di*lap"i*date, v. i. To get out of repair; to fall into partial ruin; to become decayed; as, the church was suffered to dilapidate. Johnson.

Di*lap"i*da`ted (?), a. Decayed; fallen into partial ruin; injured by bad usage or neglect.

A deserted and dilapidated buildings.

Cooper.

Di*lap`i*da"tion (?), n. [L. dilapidatio: cf. F. dilapidation.] 1. The act of dilapidating, or the state of being dilapidated, reduced to decay, partially ruined, or squandered.

Tell the people that are relived by the dilapidation of their public estate.

Burke.

2. Ecclesiastical waste; impairing of church property by an incumbent, through neglect or by intention.

The business of dilapidations came on between our bishop and the Archibishop of York.

Strype.

3. (Law) The pulling down of a building, or suffering it to fall or be in a state of decay. Burrill.

Di*lap"i*da`tor (?), n. [Cf. F. dilapidateur.] One who causes dilapidation. Strype.

Di*la`ta*bil"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. dilatabilité.] The quality of being dilatable, or admitting expansion; -- opposed to contractibility. Ray.

Di*lat"a*ble (?), a. [Cf. F. dilatable.] Capable of expansion; that may be dilated; -- opposed to contractible; as, the lungs are dilatable by the force of air; air is dilatable by heat.

Dil`a*ta"tion (?), n. [OE. dilatacioun, F. dilatation, L. dilatatio, fr. dilatare. See Dilate, and cf. 2d Dilation.] 1. Prolixity; diffuse discourse. [Obs.] "What needeth greater dilatation?" Chaucer.

2. The act of dilating; expansion; an enlarging on al&?; sides; the state of being dilated; dilation.

3. (Anat.) A dilation or enlargement of a canal or other organ.

||Dil`a*ta"tor (?), n. [NL. Cf. L. dilatator a propagator.] (Anat.) A muscle which dilates any part; a dilator.

Di*late" (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dilating (?).] [L. dilatare; either fr. di- = dis- + latus wide, not the same word as latus, used as p. p. of ferre to bear (see Latitude); or fr. dilatus, used as p. p. of differre to separate (see Delay, Tolerate, Differ, and cf. Dilatory): cf. F. dilater.] 1. To expand; to distend; to enlarge or extend in all directions; to swell; -- opposed to contract; as, the air dilates the lungs; air is dilated by increase of heat.

2. To enlarge upon; to relate at large; to tell copiously or diffusely. [R.]

Do me the favor to dilate at full What hath befallen of them and thee till now.

Shak.

Syn. -- To expand; swell; distend; enlarge; spread out; amplify; expatiate.

Di*late", v. i. 1. To grow wide; to expand; to swell or extend in all directions.

His heart dilates and glories in his strength.

Addison.

2. To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge; -- with on or upon.

But still on their ancient joys dilate.

Crabbe.

Di*late", a. Extensive; expanded. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Di*lat"ed, a. 1. Expanded; enlarged. Shak.

2. (Bot.) Widening into a lamina or into lateral winglike appendages.