Dictionary

An American Dictionary of the English Language

Name: An American Dictionary of the English Language
Author: Noah Webster

by Noah Webster

Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)

Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865

Entries: 95,912
Pages: 1,538
Illustrations: 2,133

Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.

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D
Dĕc'res-cĕn'do, a.p. 343(Mus.) With decreasing volume of sound; a direction to performers, either written upon the staff or indicated thus: Decrescendo.
De-crĕs'cent, a.p. 343Becoming less by gradual diminution; decreasing; as, a decrescent moon.
De-cre'tal, a.p. 343Appertaining to a decree; containing a decree; as, a decretal epistle.
De-crē'tal, n.p. 343An authoritative order or decree; especially, a letter of the pope, determining some point or question in ecclesiastical law. The decretals form the second part of the canon law. 2. A collection of…
De-crēte', n.p. 343Decree. [Obs.] Chaucer.
De-crē'tion, n.p. 343A decreasing. [Obs.] Pearson.
De-crē'tist, n.p. 343One who studies or professes the knowledge of the decretals.
De-crē'tive, a.p. 343Having the force of a decree; determining. The will of God is either decretive or preceptive. Bates.
Dē'cre-to-ri-ly, adv.p. 343In a decretory or definitive manner.
Dĕc're-to-ry, a.p. 343Established by a decree; definitive; settled. The decretory rigors of a condemning sentence. South. 2. Serving to determine; critical. “Decretory days.” Brown.
De-crev', v. i.p. 343To decrease. [Obs.] “She still more decrev'd.” Spenser.
De-crī'al, n.p. 343A crying down; a clamorous censure; condemnation by censure.
De-crī'er, n.p. 343One who decries or clamorously censures.
De-crown′, v. t.p. 343To deprive of a crown. [Obs.] Hakewill.
Dē/crus-tā'tion, n.p. 343The removal of a crust. [Obs.] Cotgrave.
De-cry', v. t.p. 343To cry down; to censure as faulty, mean, or worthless; to clamor against; to discredit; to bring into disrepute; to disparage. For small errors they whole plays decry. Dryden. Measures which are…
Dē`cū-bā'tion, n.p. 343The act of lying down. [Obs.] Evelyn.
De-cūm'bence or De-cūm'ben-cy, n.p. 343The act, posture, or state of lying down. Browne.
De-cūm'bent, a.p. 343Bending or lying down; prostrate; recumbent. The decumbent portraiture of a woman resting on a death's head. Ashmole. 2. (Bot.) Reclining on the ground, as if too weak to stand, and tending to rise…
De-cūm'bent-ly, adv.p. 343In a decumbent posture.
De-cŭm'bi-tūre, n.p. 343The act or time of taking to one's bed, or of lying in bed, from sickness. Boyle. 2. (Astrol.) The scheme or aspect of the heavens by which the prognostics of recovery or death are discovered.
Dē'cū-ple, a.p. 343Tenfold; multiplied by ten.
Dē'cū-ple, n.p. 343A number ten times repeated.
Dē'cū-ple, v. t.p. 343To make tenfold; to multiply by ten.
De-cū'ri-on, n.p. 343(Rom. Antiq.) An officer in the Roman army who commanded ten soldiers. Temple.
De-cū'ri-on-ate, n.p. 343The office of a decurion.
De-cŭr'rent, a.p. 343(Bot.) Extending downward; — said of a leaf whose base extends downward along the stem. Lindley.
De-cūr'rent-ly, adv.p. 343In a decurrent manner.
De-cār'sion, n.p. 343The act of running down, as a stream.
De-cûr'sive, a.p. 343Running down; decurrent.
De-cûr′sive-ly, adv.p. 343In a decursive or decurrent manner. Decursively pinnate (Bot.), having the leaflets decurrent, or running along the petiole;—said of a leaf.
De-cārt', v. t.p. 343To cut short. [Obs.] Bale.
Dē-cur-tā'tion, n.p. 343The act of cutting short. [Obs.]
Dē'cu-ry, n.p. 343A set or squad of ten men under a decurion. [Obs.] Raleigh.
De-cŭs'sāte, v. t.p. 343To cross at an acute angle; to intersect; to lie upon in the form of an X;—used in geometry, of lines; in optics, of rays; in anatomy, of the nerves.
De-cūs'sate or De-cūs'sā-ted, a.p. 343Crossed; intersected. 2. (Bot.) Growing in pairs, each of which is at right angles to the next pair above or below; as, decussated leaves or branches. 3. (Rhet.) Consisting of two rising and two…
De-cŭs′sate-ly, adv.p. 343In a decussate manner.
Dē′cus-sā′tion, n.p. 343The act of crossing at an acute angle; the state of being thus crossed; an intersection in the form of an X; as the decussation of lines, rays, nerves, &c. “Decussations through all the parts of our…
De-cŭs′sa-tīve-ly, adv.p. 343Crosswise; in the form of an X. Browne.
De-dā′li-an, a.p. 343See DÆDALIAN.
Dĕd′a-loŭs, a.p. 343See DÆDALOUS.
De-dēe′o-rāte, v. t.p. 343To deprive of decoration or honor; to disgrace. [Obs.] Bailey.
De-dĕc'o-rā'tion, n.p. 343The act or state of being deprived of decoration or honor. [Obs.] Bailey.
De-dēe′o-roŭs, a.p. 343Serving to deprive of decoration or honor; disgraceful; unbecoming. Bailey.
Dē′den-tī′tion, n.p. 343The shedding of teeth. Browne
Dĕd'i-cāte, v. t.p. 343To set apart and consecrate, as to a divinity, or for a sacred purpose; to devote formally and solemnly; as, to dedicate vessels, treasures, a temple, an altar, or a church, to God or to a religious…
Dĕd'i-cate, a.p. 343Set apart; devoted; consecrated. “Dedicate to nothing temporal.” Shak. Syn.—Devoted; consecrated; addicted.
Dĕd′i-ca-tē′, n.p. 343One to whom a thing is dedicated.
Dĕd'i-cā'tion, n.p. 343The act of setting apart or consecrating to a divine Being, or to a sacred use, often with religious solemnities; solemn appropriation; as, the dedication of Solomon’s temple. 2. The act of devoting…
Dĕd′i-cā′tor, n.p. 343One who dedicates; one who inscribes a book to the favor of a patron.
Dēd′i-ca-tō′ri-al, a.p. 343[From Lat. dedicator; It.
Dĕd′i-ca-to-ryp. 343Composing a dedication; serving as a dedication. “An epistle dedicatory.” Dryden.
Dĕd'i-mŭs, n.p. 343(Law.) A writ to commission private persons to do some act in place of a judge, as to examine a witness, &c. Bouvier.
De-dī′tion, n.p. 343The act of yielding; surrender. [Obs.] Hale.
Dēd′o-lent, a.p. 343Feeling no compunction. [Obs.] Halliwell.
De-dūçe′, v. t.p. 343To lead away or out. [Obs.] “He should hither deduce a colony.” Selden. 2. To take away; to deduct; to subtract; as, to deduce a part from the whole. [Obs.] B. Jonson. 3. To derive or draw; to derive…
De-dūçe′ment, n.p. 343The act or process of deducing; that which is deduced; inference.
De-dū′ci-bĭl′i-ty, n.p. 343Deducibleness.
De-dū′ci-ble, a.p. 343Capable of being deduced or inferred; derivable as a result or consequence. All properties of a triangle are deducible from the complex idea of three lines including a space. Locke. 2. Capable of…
De-dū'ci-ble-ness, n.p. 344The quality of being deducible.