Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Dĕf'e-cā'tion, n. p. 345The act of separating from impurities, as lees or dregs; purification. 2. (Med.) The act of voiding excrement from the body.De-fĕct', n. p. 345Want or absence of something necessary for completeness or perfection; fault; imperfection. Errors have been corrected, and defects supplied. Davies. 2. Failing; fault; imperfection, whether physical…De-fēct', v. i. p. 345To fail; to become deficient. [Obs.] “Defected honor.” Warner.De-fĕct′, v. t. p. 345To injure; to damage. “None can my life defect.” [R.] Trouble of Q. Elizabeth, 1639.De-fēc'ti-bil'i-ty, n. p. 345The quality of being defectible; imperfection. [Rare.] Digby. Hale. 2. An imperfection; a defect. [Rare.] “Defectibilities in pronunciation.” Bp. Taylor.De-fēct'i-ble, a. p. 345Liable to become defective or imperfect. [Rare.] “A defectible understanding.” Bp. Taylor.De-fĕc'tion, n. p. 345The act of abandoning a person or cause to which one is bound by allegiance or duty, or to which one has attached himself; want or failure in duty; a failing away; apostasy; backsliding. “The general…De-fec'tion-ist, n. p. 345One who advocates or encourages defection.De-fec'tious, a. p. 345Having defects; imperfect. [Obs.] “A defectious piece [of writing.]” Sidney.De-fĕc'tive, a. p. 345Wanting in substance, quantity, or quality; incomplete; lacking a part; not full, entire, or perfect; deficient; faulty; applied either to natural or moral qualities; as, a defective limb; defective…De-fĕct'ive-ly, adv. p. 345In a defective manner; imperfectly.De-fect'ive-ness, n. p. 345The state of being imperfect; faultiness.De-fĕct/ū-ŏs'i-ty, n. p. 345Defectiveness; faultiness. [Obs.] Montague.De-fĕct'ū-ous, a. p. 345Full of defects; imperfect. [Obs.] Barrow.Dĕf-e-dā'tion, n. p. 345Pollution. [Obs.]De-fênçe', n. p. 345See DEFENSE.De-fence′, v. t. p. 345To defend; to protect. [Obs.] “Better manned and more strongly defenced.” Hales.De-fénd', v. t. p. 345To ward off; to drive back or away; to repel. [Obs.] “To defend again the renegate.” Chaucer. The other strove for to defend The force of Vulcan with his might and main. Spenser. 2. To prohibit; to…De-fĕnd’a-ble, a. p. 345Capable of being defended; defensible. [Rare.]De-fénd'ant, n. p. 345One who defends, or makes defense, against evil; defender. The rampiers and ditches which the defendants had cast up. Spottiswood. 2. (Law.) The party that opposes a complaint, demand, or charge, at…De-fĕnd'ant, a. p. 345Proper or serving for defense; defensive. [Obs.] “Means defendant.” Shak. 2. Making defense; sustaining the character of a defendant. [Rare.]Dĕf'en-dee', n. p. 345One who is protected or defended. [Rare.]De-fénd'er, n. p. 345One who defends; one who maintains, supports, protects, or vindicates; a champion; an advocate; a vindicator. Provinces . . . left without their ancient and puissant defenders. Motley.De-fén'sa-tive, n. p. 345That which serves to guard or defend; as a plaster, or the like, to secure a wound from external injury.De-fénse' or De-fénce', n. p. 345The act of defending, or the state of being defended; prohibition; opposition; protection. Severe defenses . . . against wearing any linen under a certain breadth. Temple. In causes of defense 'tis…De-fénse', v. t. p. 345To furnish with defense; to fortify. [Obs.] [Written also defence.]De-fĕnse'less, a. p. 345Destitute of defense, or without means of repelling assault or injury; unprotected; unprepared to resist attack; unable to oppose; unsheltered.De-fénse'less-ly, adv. p. 345In an unprotected manner.De-fēnse'less-ness, n. p. 346The state of being unguarded or unprotected.De-fēns'er, n. p. 346One who defends; defender. [Obs.] “Comforters, counselors, or defensers.” Foxe.De-fēn'si-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 346Capability of being defended.De-fēn'si-ble, a. p. 346Capable of being defended; as, a defensible city, or a defensible cause.De-fĕn'/si-ble-ness, n. p. 346Capability of being defended; defensibility.De-fēn'sion, n. p. 346Defense. [Obs.] Chaucer.De-fēn'sive, a. p. 346Serving to defend; proper for defense; as, defensive armor. “A moat defensive to a house.” Shak. 2. Carried on by resisting attack or aggression; as, defensive war. 3. In a state or posture to…De-fĕn'sive, n. p. 346That which defends; a safeguard. Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true defensives. Bacon. To be on the defensive, or to stand on the defensive, to be or stand in a state or posture of defense or…De-fēn'sive-ly, adv. p. 346In a defensive manner; on the defensive; in defense.De-fĕn’so-ry, a. p. 346Tending to defend; defensive; as, defensory preparations.De-fēr', v. t. p. 346To put off; to postpone to a future time; to delay; to protract. Defer the spoil of the city till night. Shak. 2. To lay before; to submit in a respectful manner; to refer. The commissioners . . .…De-fĕr′, v. i. p. 346To put off; to delay; to wait. God . . . will not long defer To vindicate the glory of his name. Milton. 2. To yield from respect to the wishes of another; to submit to the opinion of another, or to…Dĕf'er-ençe, n. p. 346A yielding of judgment or preference from respect to the wishes or opinion of another; the act or habit of deferring; regard; respect; complaisance. “Def’erence to the authority of thoughtful and…Dĕf'er-ent, a. p. 346Serving to carry or convey; bearing. [Rare.] “Bodies deferent.” Bacon.Dĕf'er-ent, n. p. 346That which carries or conveys. “Though air be the most favorable deferent of sounds.” Bacon. 2. (Ptolemaic Astron.) An imaginary circle surrounding the earth, in whose periphery the center of a…Dĕf'er-ĕn'tial, a. p. 346Expressing deference; accustomed to defer.Dēf'er-ēn'tial-ly, adv. p. 346With deference.De-fēr'ment, n. p. 346The act of delaying; postponement. [Obs.] My grief, joined with the instant business, Begs a deferment. Suckling.De-fēr'rer, n. p. 346One who defers or puts off.Dē'fer-vĕs'cence, n. p. 346Abatement or loss of heat; the act or state of growing cool. [Rare.] Asi.De-feu'dal-ize, v. t. p. 346To deprive of the feudal character or form.De-fī'ançe, n. p. 346The act of defying, putting in opposition, or provoking to combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat. “A war without a just defiance made.” Dryden. “A trumpet of defiance.” Motley. 2. A…De-fī'ant, a. p. 346Full of defiance; bold; insolent; as, a defiant spirit or act. “In attitude stern and defiant.” Longfellow.De-fi'a-to-ry, a. p. 346Bidding or bearing defiance. [Obs.]De-fī'brī-nāte, v. t. p. 346To deprive of fibrine. Dana.De-fī'brī-nā'tion, n. p. 346The act or process of depriving of fibrine. Dana.De-fī'cience or De-fī'cien-cy, n. p. 346[From Lat. deficiens. See in- [fru.] The state of being deficient; inadequacy; want; failure; imperfection. “A deficiency of blood.” Arbuthnot. “Intellectual deficiency.” Glanville.De-fī'cient, a. p. 346Wanting to make up completeness; not sufficient; inadequate; defective; imperfect; as, deficient estate; deficient strength. The style was indeed deficient in ease and variety. Macaulay. 2. Lacking a…De-fĭ'cient-ly, adv. p. 346In a deficient manner.Dē'fi-çit, n. p. 346Deficiency in amount or quality; lack; as, a deficit in taxes, revenue, &c.De-fī'er, n. p. 346One who challenges to combat or encounter; one who acts in contempt of opposition, law, or authority; as, a defier of the laws.De-fĭg-ū-rā′tion, n. p. 346Same as DISFIGURATION. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.