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An American Dictionary of the English Language

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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  1. De-flŭx′, n.p. 347A flowing down; a running downward. [Obs.] “Deflux of humors.” Bacon.}
  2. 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.
  3. Dĕf'ly, adv.p. 347Dexterously; skilfully; deftly. [Obs.]
  4. Dĕf'e-dā'tion, n.p. 347The act of making filthy. [Obs.] Bentley.
  5. De-fō'li-ā'ted, a.p. 347Deprived of leaves.
  6. 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.
  7. 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…
  8. 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.…
  9. De-fōrce'or, n.p. 347Same as DEFORCIANT.
  10. 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.
  11. De-fōr/ci-ā'tion, n.p. 347(Law.) A withholding by force or fraud from rightful possession; deforcement.
  12. 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.…
  13. 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.
  14. Dĕf/or-mā'tion, n.p. 347Act of disfiguring or defacing. Bp. Hall.
  15. De-fôrm'ed-ly, adv.p. 347In an ugly manner.
  16. De-fōrm'ed-ness, n.p. 347The quality of being deformed; ugliness.
  17. De-fōrm'er, n.p. 347One who deforms.
  18. 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…
  19. De-fōrs'er, n.p. 347One who casts out by force. [Obs.] Blount.
  20. De-foul', v. t.p. 347To defile. [Obs.]
  21. 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…
  22. De/frau-dā'tion, n.p. 347The act of defrauding. [Rare.] Browne.
  23. De-fraud'er, n.p. 347One who defrauds; a cheat; a cozener; an embezzler; a peculator.
  24. De-fraud'ment, n.p. 347Act of defrauding. [Obs.] Milton.
  25. 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.…
  26. De-frāy'al, n.p. 347The act of defraying; payment; as, the defrayal of necessary costs.
  27. De-frā'y'er, n.p. 347One who pays or discharges expenses.
  28. De-frāy'ment, n.p. 347Payment of charges.
  29. 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.
  30. Dēf'ter-dār, n.p. 347The chancellor of the exchequer.
  31. Deft'ly, adv.p. 347Aptly; fitly; dextrously; neatly. “Deftly dancing.” Drayton. “Thyself and office deftly show.” Shak.
  32. Dēft'ness, n.p. 347The state of being deft; aptness; neatness. [Obs.] Drayton.
  33. De-fŭnct', a.p. 347Having finished the course of life; dead; deceased.
  34. De-fūnct', n.p. 347A dead person; one deceased.
  35. De-fūnc'tion, n.p. 347The state of being defunct; death. [Obs.] “The defunction of King Pharamond.” Shak.
  36. 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…
  37. De-fy', n.p. 347A challenge. [Obs.]
  38. De-fy'er, n.p. 347One who defies. See DEFIER.
  39. Dēg, v. t.p. 347To sprinkle; to moisten; to pour out. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
  40. 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…
  41. De-gär'nish-ment, n.p. 347The act of depriving, as of furniture, apparatus, or a garrison. [Rare.]
  42. De-gĕn'der or De-gĕn'er, v. i.p. 347To degenerate. [Obs.] “De-gendering to hate.” Spenser. “A degenerated seed.” Sterling.
  43. 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…
  44. 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…
  45. 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…
  46. De-gĕn'er-ate-ly, adv.p. 347In a degenerate or base manner.
  47. De-gĕn'er-ate-ness, n.p. 347The state of being degenerate, corrupt, or base; degeneracy.
  48. 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.…
  49. De-gēn'er-a-tīve, a.p. 347Tending to degenerate.
  50. De-gēn'er-ous, a.p. 347Fallen from a state of excellence; low; base; mean; unworthy. [Obs.] “Degenerous passions.” Dryden. “Degenerous practices.” South.
  51. De-gĕn'er-ōŭs-ly, adv.p. 347In a degenerous manner; basely; meanly. [Obs.]
  52. De-glō'ried, a.p. 347Deprived of glory; dishonored. [Obs.] “With thorns degloried.” G. Fletcher.
  53. De-glū'ti-nāte, v. t.p. 347To loosen or separate by dissolving the glue which unites; to unglue.
  54. Dĕg'/lu-tĭ'tion, n.p. 347The act of swallowing. “The muscles employed in the act of deglutition.” Paley. 2. The power of swallowing. “When the deglutition is totally abolished.” Arbuthnot.
  55. Dēg'lu-ti'tious, a.p. 347Pertaining to deglutition. [Rare.]
  56. De-glū'ti-to-ry, a.p. 347Serving for deglutition.
  57. Dēg'ra-dā'tion, n.p. 347The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; deposition; diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, or a bishop. 2. The state of being reduced in rank, character…
  58. De-grāde', v. t.p. 348To reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree; to deprive of any office or dignity; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman, or a general officer. Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber…
  59. De-grāde', v. i.p. 348(Nat. Hist.) To present degraded forms; to exhibit a degradation of a type or structure; as, a family of plants or animals degrades through this or that genus or group of genera. Dana.
  60. De-grād'ed, p. a.p. 348Reduced in rank, character, or reputation; sunken; low; base. The Netherlands . . . were reduced practically to a very degraded condition. Motley. 2. (Nat. Hist.) Presenting the typical characters in…