Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
De-clār'er, n. p. 341One who makes known or publishes; that which exhibits.De-clēn'sion, n. p. 341That which is inclining, or appears to incline; declination; descent; slope. “The declension of the land from that place to the sea.” Burnet. 2. A falling off from excellence or perfection; a…De-clīn'a-ble, a. p. 341Admitting of declension or inflection; capable of being declined.Dē'clĭ-nate, a. p. 341(Bot.) Bending downward, in a curve; declined.Dĕc/linā'tion, n. p. 341The act or state of bending downward; inclination; as a declination of the head. 2. The act or state of falling off or declining from excellence or perfection; deterioration; decay; decline. “The…Dĕc'li-nā'tor, n. p. 341An instrument for taking the declination, or inclination, of a reclining plane.De-clīn'a-to-ry, a. p. 341Containing or involving a declination or refusal, as of submission to a charge or sentence. Blackstone. Declinatory plea (O. Eng. Law), the plea of sanctuary or of benefit of clergy, before trial or…De-clīn'a-tūre, n. p. 341The act of putting away or refusing; as, the declinature of an office. [Rare.]De-clīne', v. i. p. 341To lean downward; to bend over or hang down, as from weakness, weariness, despondency, &c.; to condescend. He ... would decline even to the lowest of his family. Lady Hutchinson. Disdaining to…De-cline', v. t. p. 342To bend downward; to bring down; to depress; to cause to bow or fall. In melancholy deep, with head declined. Thomson. 2. To cause to decrease or diminish. [Obs.] “Being you have declined his means.”…De-cline', n. p. 342A falling off; a tendency to a worse state; diminution or decay; deterioration; as, the decline of life; the decline of strength; the decline of virtue and religion. Their fathers lived in the…De-clin'er, n. p. 342One who declines. “A studious decliner of honors.” Evelyn.Dĕc'li-nôm'e-ter, n. p. 342An instrument for measuring the declination of the magnetic needle.De-clin'ōus, a. p. 342(Bot.) Bent downward.De-cliv'i-ty, n. p. 342Deviation from a horizontal line; descent of surface; inclination downward; slope;—opposed to acclivity, or ascent; the same slope, considered as descending, being a declivity, and considered as…De-clī'voûs or De-clīv'i-toûs, a. p. 342Gradually descending; sloping.De-cōct', v. t. p. 342To prepare by boiling; to digest in hot or boiling water; to extract the strength or flavor of by boiling; to make an infusion of. 2. To prepare for assimilation by the heat of the stomach; to…De-cōct'i-ble, a. p. 342Capable of being boiled or digested.De-cōc'tion, n. p. 342The act of preparing for use by boiling. In decoction . . . it either purgeth at the top or settleth at the bottom. Bacon. 2. An extract prepared by boiling something in water. If a plant be boiled…De-cōct'īve, a. p. 342Possessed of power to decoct. Smart.De-cōct'ūre, n. p. 342A substance prepared by decoction; a decoction. Bailey.De-cōl'late, v. t. p. 342To sever the neck of; to behead. A fine piece [of painting] of the decollated head of St. John the Baptist. Burke.De-cōl'īā-ted, p. a. p. 342(Conch.) Worn off in the process of growth; — said of the apex of univalve shells. Dana.Dē'col-lā'tion, n. p. 342The act of beheading; especially used of the execution of St. John the Baptist, and of a painting which represents his beheading. The decollation of St. John, painted in the shades of a single color.…De-cōl’or, v. t. p. 342To deprive of color; to bleach.De-cōl'or-ant, n. p. 342A substance which removes color, or bleaches.De-cōl'or-ā'tion, n. p. 342The removal or absence of color. Ferrand.De-cōl'or-ize, v. t. p. 342To deprive of color.Dē'com-plēx', a. p. 342Repeatedly compound; made up of complex constituents.Dē'com-pōs'a-ble, a. p. 342Capable of being decomposed; capable of being resolved into its constituent elements.Dē'com-pōse', v. t. p. 342To separate the constituent parts of; to set free from previously existing forms of chemical combination; to resolve into original elements; to bring to dissolution.Dē'com-pōse', v. i. p. 342To become resolved or returned from existing combinations; to undergo dissolution.Dē'com-pōs'ite, a. p. 342Compounded more than once; compounded with things already composite. 2. (Bot.) Compounded several times; decompound.De-cōm'po-sī'tion, n. p. 342The act of separating the constituent parts of a compound body or substance. 2. The state of being separated; separation into constituent parts; analysis; release from previous combinations; the…Dē'com-pound', v. t. p. 342To compound or mix with that which is already compound; to form by a second composition. 2. To reduce to constituent parts; to decompose. It divides and decompounds objects into a thousand curious…Dē'com-pound', a. p. 342Compound of what is already compounded; compounded a second time. 2. (Bot.) Several times compounded or divided, as a leaf or stem. Gray. Decompound leaf, a compound leaf whose parts are compound.Dē'com-pound'a-ble, a. p. 342Capable of being decompounded.Dĕc'o-ra-ment, n. p. 342Ornament. [Obs.] Bailey.Dĕc'o-rāte, v. t. p. 342To deck with that which is becoming, ornamental, or honorary; to adorn; to beautify; to embellish; as, to decorate the person; to decorate an edifice; to decorate a lawn with flowers; to decorate the…Dĕc'o-rā'tion, n. p. 342The act of adorning, embellishing, or honoring; ornamentation. 2. That which adorns, enriches, or beautifies; something added by way of embellishment; ornament. The hall was celebrated for . . . the…Dĕc'o-ra-tīve, a. p. 342Suited to embellish; adorning.Dĕc'o-ra-tive-ness, n. p. 342Quality of being decorative.Dĕc'o-rā'tor, n. p. 342One who decorates, adorns, or embellishes.De-cōre', v. t. p. 342To decorate. [Obs.] “To decore and beautify the house of God.” Hall.De-cō’roūs or Dēe’o-roūs, a. p. 342Suitable to a character, or to the time, place, and occasion; marked with decorum; becoming; proper; as, a decorous speech; decorous behavior; a decorous dress for a judge. “A decorous pretext for…De-cō'roūs-ly or Dē'co-roūs-ly, adv. p. 342In a decorous or becoming manner.De-cō'roūs-ness or Dē'cō-roūs-ness, n. p. 342Decency or propriety of behavior.De-cōr'ti-cāte, v. t. p. 342To take off the exterior coating or bark of; to husk; to peel. “Great barley dried and decorticated.” Arbuthnot.De-côr-ti-cā'tion, n. p. 342The act of stripping off the bark or husk.De-cō'rum, n. p. 342Propriety of manner or conduct; grace arising from suitableness of speech and behavior to one's own character, or to the place and occasion; seemliness; decency. “Negligent of the duties and decorums…De-coy', v. t. p. 342To lead or entice into a snare; to lead into danger by artifice; to deceive; to entrap; to insnare; as, to decoy ducks into a net; to decoy troops into an ambush. E'en while fashion's brightest arts…De-coy', n. p. 342Any thing intended to lead into a snare; a lure that deceives and misleads into danger, or the power of an enemy. 2. A wild fowl, or the likeness of one, used by sportsmen to entice other fowl into a…De-coy'-bird, n. p. 342A bird used to draw others into a net, &c.; hence, a person employed to allure others into a snare. Clarke.De-coy'-dŭck, n. p. 342A duck employed to draw others into a net or situation to be taken.De-coy'-măn, n. p. 342A man employed in decoying and catching fowls.De-crēase', v. i. p. 342To become less; to be diminished gradually, in extent, bulk, quantity, or amount, or in strength, quality, or excellence; as, the days decrease in length from June to December. He must increase, but…De-crēase′, v. t. p. 342To cause to lessen, as in dimensions, amount, or quality; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases the means of charity. “That might decrease their present store.” Prior. Syn.—To DECREASE…De-crēase′, n. p. 342A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue; a decrease of strength. 2. The wane of the moon.De-creas'ing-ly, adv. p. 342By diminishing.Dēc're-ā'tion, n. p. 342Act of decreasing; diminution. [Obs.] Cudworth.