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.
De-flō'rate, a. p. 347(Bot.) Past the flowering state, as an anther after it has discharged its pollen. Gray.Děf'/lo-rā'/tion, n. p. 347The act of deflouring. Johnson. 2. That which is chosen as the choicest part or flower. [Rare.] The laws of Normandy are, in a great measure, the defloration of the English laws. Hale.De-flour', v. t. p. 347To deprive of flowers. “Rending the cedars, deflouring the gardens.” Mountague. 2. To take away the prime beauty and grace of; to rob of the choicest ornament. He died before the sweetness of his…De-flour'er, n. p. 347One who deflours.De-flōw’, v. i. p. 347To flow down. [Obs.] Browne.Dĕf'lu-ous, a. p. 347Flowing down; falling off. [Obs.] Bailey.De-flū'vĭ-ŭm, n. p. 347A falling off, as of the hair or the bark of trees by disease.De-flŭx′, n. p. 347A flowing down; a running downward. [Obs.] “Deflux of humors.” Bacon.}De-flŭx'ion, n. p. 347(Med.) A flowing, running, or falling of humors or fluid matter, from a superior to an inferior part; a discharge or flowing off of humors;—sometimes used synonymously with inflammation. Dunglison.Dĕf'ly, adv. p. 347Dexterously; skilfully; deftly. [Obs.]Dĕf'e-dā'tion, n. p. 347The act of making filthy. [Obs.] Bentley.De-fō'li-ā'ted, a. p. 347Deprived of leaves.De-fō'li-ā'tion, n. p. 347The fall of the leaf, or shedding of leaves. 2. The time or season of shedding leaves in autumn;—said of plants or trees.De-fōrce′, v. t. p. 347(Law.) (a.) To keep from the lawful possession of the owner; to withhold wrongfully the possession of, as of lands or a freehold. (b.) (Scots Law.) To resist the execution of the law; to oppose by…De fōrce'ment, n. p. 347(Law.) (a.) A keeping out by force or wrong; a wrongful withholding, as of lands or tenements, to which another has a right. (b.) (Scots Law.) Resistance to an officer in the execution of law.…De-fōrce'or, n. p. 347Same as DEFORCIANT.De-fōr'ciant, n. p. 347(Eng. Law.) (a.) One who keeps out of possession the rightful owner of an estate. (b.) One against whom a fictitious action of fine was brought. [Obs.] Burrill.De-fōr/ci-ā'tion, n. p. 347(Law.) A withholding by force or fraud from rightful possession; deforcement.De-fōrm', v. t. p. 347To mar or alter in form; to disfigure. Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time Into this breathing world. Shak. 2. To render displeasing; to deprive of comeliness or perfection; to dishonor.…De-fōrm',, a. p. 347Being of an unnatural, distorted, or disproportioned form; deformed. [Obs.] Sight so deform what heart of rock could long Dry-eyed behold? Milton.Dĕf/or-mā'tion, n. p. 347Act of disfiguring or defacing. Bp. Hall.De-fôrm'ed-ly, adv. p. 347In an ugly manner.De-fōrm'ed-ness, n. p. 347The quality of being deformed; ugliness.De-fōrm'er, n. p. 347One who deforms.De-fōrm'i-ty, n. p. 347The state of being deformed; want of uniformity or symmetry; distortion; irregularity of shape or features; defect; distortion; ugliness. To make an envious mountain on my back, Where sits deformity…De-fōrs'er, n. p. 347One who casts out by force. [Obs.] Blount.De-foul', v. t. p. 347To defile. [Obs.]De-fraud', v. t. p. 347To deprive of right by fraud, deception, or artifice; to keep from possession by deceitful artifice; to withhold wrongfully; to injure by embezzlement; to cheat; to cozen; to deceive; to frustrate…De/frau-dā'tion, n. p. 347The act of defrauding. [Rare.] Browne.De-fraud'er, n. p. 347One who defrauds; a cheat; a cozener; an embezzler; a peculator.De-fraud'ment, n. p. 347Act of defrauding. [Obs.] Milton.De-frāy', v. t. p. 347To pay or discharge; to serve in payment of; to provide for, as a charge, debt, or the like. For the discharge of his expenses, and the defraying his cost, he allowed him . . . four times as much.…De-frāy'al, n. p. 347The act of defraying; payment; as, the defrayal of necessary costs.De-frā'y'er, n. p. 347One who pays or discharges expenses.De-frāy'ment, n. p. 347Payment of charges.Deft, a. p. 347Apt; fit; dexterous; neat. “The deftest way.” Shak. “Deftest feats.” Gay. The limping god, so deft at his new ministry. Dryden. Let me be deft and debonair. Byron.Dēf'ter-dār, n. p. 347The chancellor of the exchequer.Deft'ly, adv. p. 347Aptly; fitly; dextrously; neatly. “Deftly dancing.” Drayton. “Thyself and office deftly show.” Shak.Dēft'ness, n. p. 347The state of being deft; aptness; neatness. [Obs.] Drayton.De-fŭnct', a. p. 347Having finished the course of life; dead; deceased.De-fūnct', n. p. 347A dead person; one deceased.De-fūnc'tion, n. p. 347The state of being defunct; death. [Obs.] “The defunction of King Pharamond.” Shak.De-fy', v. t. p. 347To renounce alliance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce. [Obs.] I defy the surety and the bond. Chaucer. For thee I have defied my constant mistress. Beau. & Fl. 2. To provoke…De-fy', n. p. 347A challenge. [Obs.]De-fy'er, n. p. 347One who defies. See DEFIER.Dēg, v. t. p. 347To sprinkle; to moisten; to pour out. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.De-gär'nish, v. t. p. 347To strip or deprive of entirely, as of furniture, ornaments, means of defense; to unfurnish; to disgarnish; as, to degarnish a house, a city, or a fort. [Rare.] Washington. 2. To deprive of a…De-gär'nish-ment, n. p. 347The act of depriving, as of furniture, apparatus, or a garrison. [Rare.]De-gĕn'der or De-gĕn'er, v. i. p. 347To degenerate. [Obs.] “De-gendering to hate.” Spenser. “A degenerated seed.” Sterling.De-gĕn'er-a-cy, n. p. 347The act of becoming degenerate or inferior in kind; a growing worse. “Willful degeneracy from goodness.” Tillotson. 2. The state of having become degenerate; decay; loss of goodness; deterioration…De-gēn'er-āte, v. i. p. 347To be or grow worse than one's kind; hence, to be inferior; to grow poorer, meaner, or more vicious; to be degraded; to deteriorate. When wit transgresseth decency, it degenerates into insolence and…De-gĕn'er-ate, a. p. 347Having become worse than one's kind; having declined in worth; having lost in goodness; deteriorated; degraded; mean; base; low. “Faint-hearted and degenerate king.” Shak. “A degenerate and degraded…De-gĕn'er-ate-ly, adv. p. 347In a degenerate or base manner.De-gĕn'er-ate-ness, n. p. 347The state of being degenerate, corrupt, or base; degeneracy.De-gēn'er-ā'tion, n. p. 347The act or state of growing worse, or the state of having become worse; decline; degradation; debasement; degeneracy; deterioration. “Our degeneration and apostasy.” Bates. 2. The thing degenerated.…De-gēn'er-a-tīve, a. p. 347Tending to degenerate.De-gēn'er-ous, a. p. 347Fallen from a state of excellence; low; base; mean; unworthy. [Obs.] “Degenerous passions.” Dryden. “Degenerous practices.” South.De-gĕn'er-ōŭs-ly, adv. p. 347In a degenerous manner; basely; meanly. [Obs.]De-glō'ried, a. p. 347Deprived of glory; dishonored. [Obs.] “With thorns degloried.” G. Fletcher.De-glū'ti-nāte, v. t. p. 347To loosen or separate by dissolving the glue which unites; to unglue.