Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
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.
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.De-fīg'ūre, v. t. p. 346To delineate. [Obs.] “Stones as they are here defigured.” Weaver.Dē-fĭl-āde', v. t. p. 346(Fort.) To raise so as to shelter interior works when in danger of being commanded by an enemy from some higher point; as, to defilade the exposed side of a fortress.De-fīle', v. t. p. 346(Fort.) The same as DEFILADE. See DEFILADE.De-fīle′ or Dē′fīle, n. p. 346A narrow passage or way, in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass, as between hills, &c. 2. (Fort.) The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the…De-file', v. t. p. 346To make unclean; to render foul or dirty; to befoul; to pollute; to corrupt. They that touch pitch will be defiled. Shak. 2. To make impure; to render turbid; as, the water or liquor is defiled. 3.…De-file', v. i. p. 346To march off file by file; to file off.De-fīle'ment, n. p. 346The act of defiling, or state of being defiled, whether physically or morally; foulness; dirtiness; uncleanness. “Defilements of the flesh.” Hopkins. The chaste can not take into such filth without…De-fīl'er, n. p. 346One who defiles; one who corrupts or violates; that which pollutes.De-fīn'a-ble, a. p. 346Capable of being defined, limited, or explained; determinable; describable by definition; ascertainable; as, definable limits; definable distinctions; definable words.De-fīn'a-bly, adv. p. 346In a definable manner.De-fine', v. t. p. 346To fix the bounds of; to bring to a termination; to end. “To define controversies.” Barrow. 2. To determine or clearly exhibit the boundaries of; to mark the limits of; as, to define the extent of a…De-fine', v. i. p. 346To determine; to decide. [Obs.]De-fine'ment, n. p. 346The act of defining; definition; description. [Obs.] Shak.De-fin'er, n. p. 346One who defines, determines, or explains.Dĕf'i-nĭte, a. p. 346Having certain limits; determinate in extent or greatness; as, definite dimensions; a definite measure; a definite period or interval. Elements combine in definite proportions. Whewell. 2. Having…Dĕf'i-nĭte, n. p. 346A thing defined. [Obs.] Ayliffe.Dĕf'i-nĭte-ly, adv. p. 346In a definite manner.Dĕf'i-nĭte-ness, n. p. 346The state of being definite; determinateness; precision.Def/i-nĭ'tion, n. p. 346The act of defining, determining, distinguishing, explaining, or establishing the signification of. Definition being nothing but making another understand by words what the term defined stands for.…Dĕf′-i-nĭ′tion-al, a. p. 346Employed in defining; abounding in definitions.De-fīn'i-tive, a. p. 346Determinate; positive; final; conclusive; unconditional; express. “A strict and definitive truth.” Browne. “Some definitive and permanent scheme of reconciliation.” Prescott. 2. Limiting…De-fin'i-tive, n. p. 346(Gram.) A word used to define or limit the extent of the signification of a common noun, such as the article, and some pronouns. ☞ Definitives . . . are commonly called by grammarians articles. . .…De-fĭn'i-tive-ly, adv. p. 346In a definitive manner; finally; conclusively; positively.De-fīn'i-tive-ness, n. p. 346Determinateness; conclusiveness.De-fin'i-tūde, n. p. 346Definiteness. Definitude . . . is a knowledge of minute differences. Sir W. Hamilton.De-fixʹ, v. t. p. 346To fix; to fasten; to establish. [Obs.] “To defix their princely seat . . . in that extreme province.” Hakluyt.Def'-la-gra-bil'i-ty, n. p. 346(Chem.) The state of being deflagrable. “The ready deflagrability of saltpeter.” Boyle.