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-spend', v. t. p. 362To pay out; to squander; to waste. [Obs.] Some noble men in Spain can despend £50,000. Howell.Dēs′per-ā′do, n. p. 362A desperate fellow; a person urged by furious passions; one fearless or regardless of safety; a madman.Dĕs'per-ate, a. p. 362Without hope; given to despair; hopeless; despairing. [Obs.] I am desperate of obtaining her. Shak. 2. Beyond hope; despaired of; irretrievable; past cure; as, a desperate disease; desperate ruin.…Dés'per-ate, n. p. 362A desperate person; one without hope. [Obs.] Donne.Dĕs'per-ate-ly, adv. p. 362In a desperate manner; without regard to danger or safety; beyond hope of rescue; as, the troops fought desperately. She fell desperately in love with him. Addison.Dĕs'per-ate-ness, n. p. 362The state of being desperate.Dĕs'per-ā'tion, n. p. 362The act of despairing; a giving up of hope. “Desperation of success.” Hammond. 2. The state of despair, or hopelessness; abandonment of hope; disregard of consequences. In the desperation of the…Dĕs'pi-ca-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 362Despicableness. [Rare.]Dĕs'pi-ca-ble, a. p. 362Fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; as, a despicable man; despicable company; despicable gift. Syn.—Contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; pitiful; paltry; sordid…Dĕs'pi-ca-ble-ness, n. p. 362The quality or state of being despicable; meanness; vileness; worthlessness.Dĕs'pi-ca-bly, adv. p. 362In a despicable or mean manner; contemptibly; as, despicably poor.Des-pĭ'cien-cy, n. p. 362A looking down; despection. [Obs.]De-spis'a-ble, a. p. 362Despicable; contemptible. [Rare.]De-spiʹsal, n. p. 362Contempt. [Obs.] “A despisal of religion.” South.De-spīse', v. t. p. 362To look down upon with contempt; to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have a low opinion of. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. i. 7. Let not your ears despise my tongue forever. Which shall…De-spīs'ed-ness, n. p. 362The state of being despised.De-spīs'er, n. p. 362One who despises; a contemner; a scorner.De-spīs'ing-ly, adv. p. 362In a despising manner; contemptuously.De-spite', n. p. 362Extreme malice; violent hatred; malignity; malice irritated or enraged; angry hatred; vexation. With all thy despite against the land of Israel. Ezek. xxv. 6. 2. An act prompted by feelings of hatred…De-spite', v. t. p. 362To vex; to offend contemptuously. [Obs.] Raleigh.De-spite', prep. p. 362In spite of; as, despite his prejudices. Syn.—See NOTWITHSTANDING.De-spite'ful, a. p. 362Full of despite; malicious; malignant; as, a despiteful enemy. Haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters. Rom. i. 30.De-spîte'ful-ly, adv. p. 362In a despiteful manner; maliciously; cruelly. Pray for them which despitefully use you. Matt. v. 44.De-spite'ful-ness, n. p. 362The state of being despiteful.Des-pĭt'e-ōus, a. p. 362Feeling or showing despite; malicious. [Obs.] “Despitous reproaches.” Holland. He was to sinful man not despitous. Chaucer.Des-pĭt'e-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 362In a despiteous manner. [Obs.] Speed.De-spoil', v. t. p. 362To strip, as of clothing; to divest or unclothe; to deprive for spoil; to bereave; to rob; to pillage;—usually followed by of. The clothed earth is then bare, Despoiled is the summer fair. Gower. He…De-spoil′, n. p. 363Despoliation. [Obs.] Wolsey.De-spoil'er, n. p. 363One who despoils or strips by force.De-spoil'ment, n. p. 363Act of despoiling; a plundering.De-spō'li-ā'tion, n. p. 363The act of despoiling, or the state of being despoiled.De-spōnd', v. i. p. 363To give up; to abandon hope; to lose courage; to become dispirited or depressed; to despair. I should despair, or at least despond. Scott’s Letters. Others depress their own minds, [and] despond at…De-spŏnd', n. p. 363Despondency. [Obs.] “The slough of despond.” Bunyan.De-spōnd'ençe or De-spōnd'en-cy, n. p. 363The state of desponding; abandonment of hope; discouragement; permanent depression or dejection. The people, when once infected, lose their relish for happiness, [and] saunter about with looks of…De-spōnd'ent, a. p. 363Marked by despondence; given to despondence; as, a despondent manner; a despondent prisoner.De-spōnd'ent-ly, adv. p. 363In a despondent manner.De-spōnd'er, n. p. 363One destitute of hope.De-spōnd'ing-ly, adv. p. 363In a desponding manner.De-spōn'sa'ge, n. p. 363Betrothal. [Obs.] Ethelbert . . . went peaceably to King Offa for desponsage of A thilrid, his daughter. Foxe.De-spŏn'/sāte, v. t. p. 363To betroth. [Obs.]Dēs'pon-sā'tion, n. p. 363A betrothing; alliance. [Obs.] For all this desponsation of her . . . she had not set one step toward the consummation of her marriage. Bp. Taylor.De-spōn'so-ry, n. p. 363A written pledge of marriage. The desponsories . . . in which Don Carlos was constituted the prince's proxy to marry the Infanta on his behalf. Clarendon.Dēs'pot, n. p. 363One who exercises or possesses absolute power over another; a master; a lord; especially, a sovereign invested with absolute power. 2. One who rules regardless of a constitution or laws; a tyrant.Des-pŏt'ic or Des-pŏt'ic-al, a. p. 363Having the character of, or pertaining to, a despot; absolute in power; unrestrained by, or regardless of, constitution and laws; evincing despotism; tyrannical; arbitrary.Des-pŏt'ic-al-ly, adv. p. 363In a despotic manner.Des-pöt'ic-al-ness, n. p. 363The state of being despotic.Dēs'pot-izm, n. p. 363The power, spirit, or principles of a despot; absolute control over others; tyranny. 2. A government which is directed by a despot; absolutism; autocracy. Despotism is the only form of government…Dĕs'pu-māte or De-spū'māte, v. i. p. 363To throw off impurities; to form froth or scum; to foam.Dēs'pu-mā'tion, n. p. 363The separation of the froth or scum on the surface of liquor; clarification; scumming.De-spūme′, v. t. p. 363To free from froth or foam. [Obs.] “If honey be despūmed.” Holland.Dēs'qua-mā'tion, n. p. 363(Med.) The separation of the cuticle or epidermis in the form of flakes or scales; exfoliation.Des-quām'a-to-ry, n. p. 363An instrument for the performance of the operation of desquamation.Dēss, n. p. 363The same as DESK. [Obs.]Des-sért′, n. p. 363A service of pastry, fruits, or sweetmeats, at the close of an entertainment; the last course at the table after the meat.Des-tĕm'per or Dis-tĕm'per, n. p. 363(Paint.) A peculiar sort of painting with opaque colors, ground and diluted with water, glue, &c. Elmes.Dĕs'tin, n. p. 363Destiny. [Obs.] Unless the Destiny's adamantine band / Should tie my teeth, I can not choose but bite. Marston.Dĕs'ti-na-ble, a. p. 363Capable of being destined. [Obs.] “Miracle of the order destinable.” Chaucer.Dĕs'ti-na-bly, adv. p. 363In a destinable manner.Dĕs'ti-nal, a. p. 363Determined by destiny; fated. [Obs.] “The destinal chain.” Chaucer.Dĕs'ti-nāte, v. t. p. 363To destine, design, or appoint. [Obs.] “That name that God . . . did destinate.” Udall.