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-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.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.Dēg'lu-ti'tious, a. p. 347Pertaining to deglutition. [Rare.]De-glū'ti-to-ry, a. p. 347Serving for deglutition.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…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…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.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…De-grāde'ment, n. p. 348Deprivation of rank or office; degradation. [Obs.] Milton.De-grād'ing-ly, adv. p. 348In a degrading manner, or in a way to depreciate.Dēg'ra-vā'tion, n. p. 348The act of making heavy. [Obs.] Bailey.De-grēe', n. p. 348A step, stair, or staircase. [Obs.] “By ladders, or else by degree.” Chaucer. 2. One of a series of progressive steps upward or downward, in quality, rank, acquirement, and the like; grade…De-gŭst', v. t. p. 348To taste. [Obs.] Cockram.Dĕg'us-tā'tion, n. p. 348A tasting. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.De-his'ce, v. i. p. 348To gape; to open, as the capsules of plants.De-his'cence, n. p. 348The act of gaping. 2. (Bot.) The opening of pods and of the cells of anthers at maturity, as to emit seeds, pollen, &c. Martyn.De-his'cent, a. p. 348(Bot.) Opening, as the capsule of a plant. Eaton.Dē'ho-nĕs'tāte, v. t. p. 348To disgrace; to dishonor. [Obs.]De-hŏn'es-tā'tion, n. p. 348A disgracing; dishonoring. [Obs.] Gauden.