Chapter 63

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 struck in the dominions of a duke.

The gold ducat is generally of the value of nine shillings and four pence sterling, or somewhat more that two dollars. The silver ducat is of about half this value.

Duc`a*toon" (?), n. [F. or Sp. ducaton, fr. ducat.] A silver coin of several countries of Europe, and of different values.

||Du"ces te"cum (?). [L., bring with thee.] A judicial process commanding a person to appear in court and bring with him some piece of evidence or other thing to be produced to the court.

Duch"ess (?), n. [F. duchesse, fr. duc duke.] The wife or widow of a duke; also, a lady who has the sovereignty of a duchy in her own right.

||Du`chesse" d'An`gou`lême" (?). [F.] (Bot.) A variety of pear of large size and excellent flavor.

Duch"y (dch"), n.; pl. Duchies (#). [F. duché, OF. duchée, (assumed) LL. ducitas, fr. L. dux. See Duke.] The territory or dominions of a duke; a dukedom.

Duck (dk), n. [Cf. Dan. dukke, Sw. docka, OHG. doccha, G. docke. Cf. Doxy.] A pet; a darling. Shak.

Duck, n. [D. doek cloth, canvas, or Icel. dkr cloth; akin to OHG. tuoh, G. tuch, Sw. duk, Dan. dug.] 1. A linen (or sometimes cotton) fabric, finer and lighter than canvas, -- used for the lighter sails of vessels, the sacking of beds, and sometimes for men's clothing.

2. (Naut.) pl. The light clothes worn by sailors in hot climates. [Colloq.]

Duck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ducked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Ducking.] [OE. duken, douken, to dive; akin to D. duiken, OHG. t&?;hhan, MHG. tucken, tücken, t&?;chen, G. tuchen. Cf. 5th Duck.] 1. To thrust or plunge under water or other liquid and suddenly withdraw.

Adams, after ducking the squire twice or thrice, leaped out of the tub.

Fielding.

2. To plunge the head of under water, immediately withdrawing it; as, duck the boy.

3. To bow; to bob down; to move quickly with a downward motion. " Will duck his head aside." Swift.

Duck (dk), v. i. 1. To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to dive; to plunge the head in water or other liquid; to dip.

In Tiber ducking thrice by break of day.

Dryden.

2. To drop the head or person suddenly; to bow.

The learned pate Ducks to the golden fool.

Shak.

Duck, n. [OE. duke, doke. See Duck, v. t. ] 1. (Zool.) Any bird of the subfamily Anatinæ, family Anatidæ.

The genera and species are numerous. They are divided into river ducks and sea ducks. Among the former are the common domestic duck (Anas boschas); the wood duck (Aix sponsa); the beautiful mandarin duck of China (Dendronessa galeriliculata); the Muscovy duck, originally of South America (Cairina moschata). Among the sea ducks are the eider, canvasback, scoter, etc.

2. A sudden inclination of the bead or dropping of the person, resembling the motion of a duck in water.

Here be, without duck or nod, Other trippings to be trod.

Milton.

Bombay duck (Zoöl.), a fish. See Bummalo. -- Buffel duck, or Spirit duck. See Buffel duck. -- Duck ant (Zoöl.), a species of white ant in Jamaica which builds large nests in trees. -- Duck barnacle. (Zoöl.) See Goose barnacle. -- Duck hawk. (Zoöl.) (a) In the United States: The peregrine falcon. (b) In England: The marsh harrier or moor buzzard. -- Duck mole (Zoöl.), a small aquatic mammal of Australia, having webbed feet and a bill resembling that of a duck (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). It belongs the subclass Monotremata and is remarkable for laying eggs like a bird or reptile; -- called also duckbill, platypus, mallangong, mullingong, tambreet, and water mole. -- To make ducks and drakes, to throw a flat stone obliquely, so as to make it rebound repeatedly from the surface of the water, raising a succession of jets; hence: To play at ducks and drakes, with property, to throw it away heedlessly or squander it foolishly and unprofitably. -- Lame duck. See under Lame.

Duck"bill`, n. (Zoöl.) See Duck mole, under Duck, n.

Duck"-billed` (?), a. Having a bill like that of a duck..

Duck"er (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, ducks; a plunger; a diver.

2. A cringing, servile person; a fawner.

Duck"ing, n. & a., from Duck, v. t. & i.

Ducking stool, a stool or chair in which common scolds were formerly tied, and plunged into water, as a punishment. See Cucking stool. The practice of ducking began in the latter part of the 15th century, and prevailed until the early part of the 18th, and occasionally as late as the 19th century. Blackstone. Chambers.

Duck"-legged` (?), a. Having short legs, like a waddling duck; short-legged. Dryden.

Duck"ling (?), n. A young or little duck. Gay.

{ Duck"meat` (?), or Duck's"-meat` (?) }, n. (Bot.) Duckweed.

Duck's"-bill`, a. Having the form of a duck's bill.

Duck's-bill limpet (Zoöl.), a limpet of the genus Parmaphorus; -- so named from its shape.

Duck's"-foot` (?), n. (Bot.) The May apple (Podophyllum peltatum).

Duck"weed` (?), n. (Bot.) A genus (Lemna) of small plants, seen floating in great quantity on the surface of stagnant pools fresh water, and supposed to furnish food for ducks; -- called also duckmeat.

Duct (?), n. [L. ductus a leading, conducting, conduit, fr. ducere, ductum, to lead. See Duke, and cf. Douche.] 1. Any tube or canal by which a fluid or other substance is conducted or conveyed.

2. (Anat.) One of the vessels of an animal body by which the products of glandular secretion are conveyed to their destination.

3. (Bot.) A large, elongated cell, either round or prismatic, usually found associated with woody fiber.

Ducts are classified, according to the character of the surface of their walls, or their structure, as annular, spiral, scalariform, etc.

4. Guidance; direction. [Obs.] Hammond.

Duc"ti*ble (?), a. Capable of being drawn out [R.] Feltham.

Duc"tile (?), a. [L. ductilis, fr. ducere to lead: cf. F. ductile. See Duct.] 1. Easily led; tractable; complying; yielding to motives, persuasion, or instruction; as, a ductile people. Addison.

Forms their ductile minds To human virtues.

Philips.

2. Capable of being elongated or drawn out, as into wire or threads.

Gold . . . is the softest and most ductile of all metals.

Dryden.

-- Duc"tile*ly (#), adv. -- Duc"tile*ness, n.

Duc`ti*lim"e*ter (?), n. [Ductile + -meter.] An instrument for accurately determining the ductility of metals.

Duc*til"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. ductilité.] 1. The property of a metal which allows it to be drawn into wires or filaments.

2. Tractableness; pliableness. South.

Duc"tion (?), n. [L. ductio, fr. ducere to lead.] Guidance. [Obs.] Feltham.

Duct"less (?), a. Having to duct or outlet; as, a ductless gland.

Duc"tor (?), n. [L., fr. ducere to lead.] 1. One who leads. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

2. (Mach.) A contrivance for removing superfluous ink or coloring matter from a roller. See Doctor, 4. Knight.

Ductor roller (Printing), the roller which conveys or supplies ink to another roller. Knight.

Duc"ture (?), n. Guidance. [Obs.] South.

Dud"der (?), v. t. [In Suffolk, Eng., to shiver, shake, tremble; also written dodder.] To confuse or confound with noise. Jennings.

Dud"der, v. i. To shiver or tremble; to dodder.

I dudder and shake like an aspen leaf.

Ford.

Dud"der, n. [From Duds.] A peddler or hawker, especially of cheap and flashy goods pretended to be smuggled; a duffer. [Eng.]

Dud"der*y (?), n. A place where rags are bought and kept for sale. [Eng.]

Dude (?), n. A kind of dandy; especially, one characterized by an ultrafashionable style of dress and other affectations. [Recent]

The social dude who affects English dress and English drawl.

The American.

Du*deen" (?), n. A short tobacco pipe. [Written also dudheen.] [Irish]

Dudg"eon (?), n. 1. The root of the box tree, of which hafts for daggers were made. Gerarde (1597).

2. The haft of a dagger. Shak.

3. A dudgeon-hafted dagger; a dagger. Hudibras.

Dudg"eon, n. [W. dygen anger, grudge.] Resentment; ill will; anger; displeasure.

I drink it to thee in dudgeon and hostility.

Sir T. Scott.

Dudg"eon, a. Homely; rude; coarse. [Obs.]

By my troth, though I am plain and dudgeon, I would not be an ass.

Beau. & Fl.

Dud"ish (?), a. Like, or characterized of, a dude.

Duds (?), n. pl. [Scot. dud rag, pl. duds clothing of inferior quality.] 1. Old or inferior clothes; tattered garments. [Colloq.]

2. Effects, in general.[Slang]

Due (?), a. [OF. deu, F. dû, p. p. of devoir to owe, fr. L. debere. See Debt, Habit, and cf. Duty.] 1. Owed, as a debt; that ought to be paid or done to or for another; payable; owing and demandable.

2. Justly claimed as a right or property; proper; suitable; becoming; appropriate; fit.

Her obedience, which is due to me.

Shak.

With dirges due, in sad array, Slow through the churchway path we saw him borne.

Gray.

3. Such as (a thing) ought to be; fulfilling obligation; proper; lawful; regular; appointed; sufficient; exact; as, due process of law; due service; in due time.

4. Appointed or required to arrive at a given time; as, the steamer was due yesterday.

5. Owing; ascribable, as to a cause.

This effect is due to the attraction of the sun.

J. D. Forbes.

Due, adv. Directly; exactly; as, a due east course.

Due, n. 1. That which is owed; debt; that which one contracts to pay, or do, to or for another; that which belongs or may be claimed as a right; whatever custom, law, or morality requires to be done; a fee; a toll.

He will give the devil his due.

Shak.

Yearly little dues of wheat, and wine, and oil.

Tennyson.

2. Right; just title or claim.

The key of this infernal pit by due . . . I keep.

Milton.

Due, v. t. To endue. [Obs.] Shak.

Due"bill` (?), n. (Com.) A brief written acknowledgment of a debt, not made payable to order, like a promissory note. Burrill.

Due"ful (?), a. Fit; becoming. [Obs.] Spenser.

Du"el (?), n. [It. duello, fr. L. duellum, orig., a contest between two, which passed into the common form bellum war, fr. duo two: cf. F. duel. See Bellicose, Two, and cf. Duello.] A combat between two persons, fought with deadly weapons, by agreement. It usually arises from an injury done or an affront given by one to the other.

Trial by duel (Old Law), a combat between two persons for proving a cause; trial by battel.

Du"el, v. i. & t. To fight in single combat. [Obs.]

Du"el*er, n. One who engages in a duel. [R.] [Written also dueller.] South.

Du"el*ing, n. The act or practice of fighting in single combat. Also adj. [Written also duelling.]

Du"el*ist (?), n. [F. duelliste.] One who fights in single combat. [Written also duellist.]

A duelist . . . always values himself upon his courage, his sense of honor, his fidelity and friendship.

Hume.

||Du*e"lo (?), n. [It. See Duel.] A duel; also, the rules of dueling. [Obs.] Shak.

||Du*e"ña (?), n. [Sp.] See Doña.

<! p. 460 !>

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

Du*en"na (?), n.; pl. Duennas (#). [Sp. dueña, doña, 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.

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

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

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

Duff (df), n. [From OE. dagh. &radic;67. 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.

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.

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]

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

Du*fren"ite (?), n. [From &?;&?;ierre Armand Dufrénoy, a French geologist.] (Min.) A mineral of a blackish green color, commonly massive or in nodules. It is a hydrous phosphate of iron.

Dug (dg), n. [Akin to Sw. dägga to suckle (a child), Dan. dægge, and prob. to Goth. daddjan. &radic;66.] 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, imp. & p. p. of Dig.

Du*gong" (d*gg"), n. [Malayan d&?;y&?;ng, or Javan. duyung.] (Zoöl.) 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.]

Dug"out` (dg"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.

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

Duke (?) n. [F. duc, fr. L. dux, ducis, leader, commander, fr. ducere to lead; akin to AS. teón 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, v. i. To play the duke. [Poetic]

Lord Angelo dukes it well in his absence.

Shak.

Duke"dom (?), n. 1. The territory of a duke.

2. The title or dignity of a duke. Shak.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

||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 (?), 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, 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, v. i. To become dull or stupid. Rom. of R.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Supinely calm and dully innocent.

G. Lyttelton.

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

Dulse (dls), 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.

Dul"wil*ly (?), n. [Prob. imitative.] (Zoöl.) The ring plover. [Prov. Eng.]

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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