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.
Dēm’i-grōat, n. p. 352A half-groat.Dēm'i-jŏhn, n. p. 352A glass vessel or bottle with a large body and small neck, inclosed in wicker-work.Dēm'i-lānçe, n. p. 352A light lance; a short spear; a half-pike.Dēm'i-lūne, n. p. 352(Fort.) A work constructed beyond the main ditch of a fortress, and in front of the curtain between two bastions, intended to defend the curtain; a ravelin. See RAVELIN.Dēm'i-mān, n. p. 352Half a man;—used contemptuously.Dĕm'i-prēm'i-seş, n. pl. p. 352Half-premises.Dēm'i-quā'ver, n. p. 352(Mus.) A note of half the length of the quaver; a semi-quaver. [Rare.]Dēm'i-rĕp, n. p. 352A woman of suspicious chastity.Dēm'i-rī'lī-e'vo, n. p. 352(Sculp.) Half relief, or the standing out of a figure from the background by half its thickness.De-mis'a-bil'i-ty, n. p. 352(Law.) The state of being demisable.De-mīz'a-ble, a. p. 352Capable of being leased; as, an estate demisable by copy of court roll.De-mīse', n. p. 352Transmission by formal act or conveyance to an heir or successor; transferrence; making over; especially the transfer or transmission of the crown or royal authority to a successor. 2. The decease of…De-mīse', v. t. p. 352To transfer or transmit by succession or inheritance; to grant or bestow by will; to bequeath. “Power to demise my lands.” Swift. 2. To convey; to give. [Rare.] His soul is at his conception demised…Dēm'/i-sēm'/i-quā'/ver, n. p. 352(Mus.) A short note, equal in time to the half of a semiquaver, or the thirty-second part of a whole note.De-mis'sion, n. p. 352The act of demitting, or the state of being demitted; a lowering; degradation; depression; humiliation; “A demission of sovereign authority.” L'Estrange. “Demission of mind.” Hammond.De-mīs'sion-a-ry, a. p. 352Pertaining to transfer or conveyance. 2. Tending to lower, depress, or degrade.De-miss'ive or De-miss', a. p. 352Humble. [Obs.]De-miss'ly, adv. p. 352In a humble manner. [Obs.]Dēm'i-sūit, n. p. 352A half suit, as of armor.De-mit', v. i. p. 352To let fall; to depress; hence, to lay down formally, as an office. They [peacocks] demit and let fall the same [i. e., their train]. Bacon. 2. To yield or submit; as, to demit one's self to humble…Dĕm′i-tĭnt′, n. p. 352(Paint.) A gradation of color between positive light and positive shade;—called also half-tint. Elmes.Dēm'i-tōne', n. p. 352(Mus.) An interval of half a tone; a semitone. [Rare.]Dēm'i-ŭrge, n. p. 352(Gr. Antiq.) The highest magistrate in several Grecian cities. 2. God as the creator and former of the world. 3. The creator of the world and of man from matter;—so called by the Gnostics, and…Dēm'i-ür'gie, a. p. 352Pertaining to a demiurge; formative; molding; creative. Far beyond all other political powers of Christianity is the demiurgic power of this religion over the kingdoms of human opinion. De Quincey.Dēm'i-vīll, n. p. 352(Law.) A half vill, consisting of five freemen or frankpledges. Blackstone.Dēm'i-vōlt, n. p. 352(Man.) One of the seven artificial motions of a horse, in which he raises his fore-legs in a particular manner.Dēm'i-wolf, n. p. 352Half a wolf; a mongrel dog, between a dog and a wolf. Shak.De-mōc'ra-cy, n. p. 352Government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is in the hands of the people, and directly exercised by them; hence, more usually, a form of government in which the power…Dēm'o-crat, n. p. 352One who is an adherent or promoter of democracy, or government by the people. 2. A member of the democratic party. [U. S.]Dēm'o-crāt'ic, a. p. 352[Gr. δημοκρατικός, Fr. démo-Dēm'o-crāt'ie-al p. 352Appertaining to democracy, or favoring democracy, or constructed upon the principle of popular government. The Democratic party, name of one of the political parties in the United States.Dēm'o-crāt'ĭc-al, n. p. 352A democrat. [Obs.] Hobbes.Dēm'o-crāt'īe-al-ly, adv. p. 352In a democratical manner. Sidney.De-mōc'ra-tĭsm, n. p. 352The principles or spirit of democracy. [Rare.]De-mōc'ra-tīst, n. p. 352A democrat. [Rare.] Burke.De-mōc'ra-tīze, v. t. p. 352To render democratic. [Rare.]De-mōc'ra-ty, n. p. 352Democracy. [Obs.] Milton.Dē'mo-gôr'gon, n. p. 352A mysterious divinity among the ancients, regarded as an object of terror.Dem-oi-selle', n. p. 352A young lady; a lady's maid. 2. (Ornith.) The Numidian crane, Anthropoides virgo;—so called on account of the grace and symmetry of its form.De-mōl'ish, v. t. p. 352To throw or pull down; to raze; to destroy the fabric of; to pull to pieces; to ruin; as, to demolish an edifice, a wall, or fortification. “Their demolished works to pieces rent.” Dryden. Syn.—To…De-mŏl'ish-er, n. p. 353One who demolishes, or pulls or throws down; one who destroys or lays waste; as, a demolisher of towns.De-mō'li'sh-ment, n. p. 353Ruin; overthrow; demolition. [Obs.] Beaumont.Dēm’o-li'tion, n. p. 353The act of overthrowing, pulling down, or destroying a pile or structure; ruin; destruction; as, the demolition of a house, or of military works.Dē'mon, n. p. 353(Gr. Antiq.) A spirit, or immaterial being, holding a middle place between men and the deities of the pagans; — hence, also, a departed soul. The demon kind is of an intermediate nature between the…Dē'mon-ess, n. p. 353A female demon.De-mōn'e-ti-zā'tion, n. p. 353The act of demonetizing, or condition as demonetized.De-mōn'e-tīze, v. t. p. 353To deprive of value, or to withdraw from use, as currency. They [gold mohurs] have been completely demonetized by the [East India] Company. R. Cobden.De-mō'ni-ac or Dē'mo-ni'a-cal, a. p. 353Pertaining to, or resembling, demons or evil spirits; horrid. “Thy demoniac holds.” Milton. “Sarcastic, demoniacal laughter.” Thackeray. 2. Influenced by demons; produced by demons or evil spirits.…De-mō'ni-ae, n. p. 353A human being possessed by a demon or evil spirit; one whose faculties are overpowered, restrained, or disturbed in their regular operation by an evil spirit. The demoniac in the gospel was sometimes…Dēm'o-nī'ae-al-ly, adv. p. 353In a demoniacal manner.Dē'mo-ni'a-çism, n. p. 353The state of being demoniac, or the practice of demoniacs.De-mō'ni-an, a. p. 353Having the nature of a demon. “Demonian spirits.” Milton.De-mō'ni-an-ism, n. p. 353The state of being possessed by a demon.Dē'mon-īsm, n. p. 353The belief in demons or false gods. The established theology of the heathen world . . . rested upon the basis of demonism. Farmer.Dē'mon-ist, n. p. 353A believer in, or worshiper of, demons; one who believes in demons.Dē'mon-īze, v. t. p. 353To convert into a demon; to infuse the principles or fury of a demon into. 2. To control or possess by a demon.Dē'mon-oc'ra-cy, n. p. 353The power or government of demons. [Obs. and rare.] Bailey.Dē'mon-ŏl'a-try, n. p. 353The worship of demons or of evil spirits. Cudworth.Dē'mon-o-lōg'ic, a. p. 353Dē'mon-o-lōg'ic-al, a. p. 353Pertaining to demonology.