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.
De-tēct', v. t. p. 364To uncover; to find out; to bring to light; as, to detect a crime, a criminal, or his hiding-place. Plain good intention . . . is as easily discovered at the first view as fraud is surely detected at…De-tēct'a-ble, a. p. 364Capable of being detected. “Parties not detectable.” Fuller.De-tĕct'er, n. p. 364One who detects or brings to light; one who finds out what another attempts to conceal.De-tĕc'tion, n. p. 364The act of detecting; the laying open what was concealed or hidden; discovery; as, the detection of a thief or burglar; the detection of fraud or forgery; the detection of artifice, device, or a…De-tĕc'tive, a. p. 364Fitted for, or skilled in, detecting; employed in detecting; as, detective police.De-tēct'ive, n. p. 364A policeman whose business is to detect rogues by adroitly investigating their haunts and habits.De-tēct'or, n. p. 364One who, or that which, detects; a detector. Bank-note detector, a periodical publication containing a description of worthless bank-notes, and intended to facilitate their detection.De-tĕn'e-brāte, v. t. p. 364To remove darkness from. [Obs.] Ash.De-tĕnt′, n. p. 364(Mech.) That which locks or unlocks a movement; especially in clock-work, the stop which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking.De-tĕn’tion, n. p. 364The act of detaining or keeping back; a withholding. 2. The state of being detained; confinement; restraint; delay. The archduke Philip . . . found himself in a sort of honorable detention at Henry’s…De-tĕr', v. t. p. 364To prevent by fear; hence, to hinder, or prevent by opposing motives from doing that to which one is impelled. Potent enemies tempt and deter us from our duty. Tillotson. My own face deters me from…De-tẽrġe', v. t. p. 364To cleanse; to purge away, as foul or offending matter from the body, or from an ulcer.De-tẽr'ġent, a. p. 364Cleansing; purging.De-tẽr'ġent, n. p. 364(Med.) A medicine that has the power of cleansing the vessels or skin from offending matter.De-tē'ri-o-rāte, v. t. p. 364To make worse; to make inferior in quality.De-tē'ri-o-rāte, v. i. p. 364To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate. The art of war ... was greatly deteriorated. Southey.De-tē'ri-o-rā'tion, n. p. 364The state of growing worse, or of having grown worse.De-tē'rĭ-ŏr'i-ty, n. p. 364Worse state or quality; as, deteriority of diet. [Rare.] Hay.De-tĕr'ment, n. p. 364The act of deterring; also, that which deters. Boyle.De-těr'mi-na-bĭl'i-ty, n. p. 364The quality of being determinable; determinableness.De-těr'mi-na-ble, a. p. 364Capable of being determined, definitely ascertained, decided upon, or brought to a conclusion. Not wholly determinable from the bare grammatical use of the words. South.De-tĕr′mi-na-ble-ness, n. p. 364Capability of being determined; determinability.De-tér'mi-nant, a. p. 364Serving to determine; determinative.De-tĕr′mi-nant, n. p. 364That which serves to determine; that which causes determination. 2. (Math.) The sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws; thus…De-tĕr’mi-nate, a. p. 364Having defined limits; not uncertain or arbitrary; fixed; established. “Quantity of words and a determinate number of feet.” Dryden. 2. Conclusive; decisive; positive. The determinate counsel and…De-tēr'mi-nāte, v. t. p. 364To bring to an end. [Obs.] See DETERMINE. The fly-slow hours shall not determinate / The dateless limit of thy dear exile. Shak.De-tēr'mi-nate-ly, adv. p. 364In a determinate manner; definitely; ascertainably; distinctly; resolutely; unchangeably. “Being determinately . . . bent to marry.” Sidney. The principles of religion are already either…De-tēr'mi-nate-ness, n. p. 364The state of being determinate.De-tĕr′mi-nā′tion, n. p. 364The act of determining, or the state of being determined. 2. Bringing to an end; termination. “A speedy determination of that war.” Ludlow. 3. Direction or tendency to a certain end; guiding…De-tĕr'mi-na-tive, a. p. 364Having power to determine; limiting; shaping; directing; conclusive. “Incidents . . . determinative of their course.” J. Taylor. Determinative tables (Nat. Hist.), tables presenting the specific…De-tĕr′mi-nā′tor, n. p. 364One who determines. [Rare.]De-têr'mine, v. t. p. 364To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate. Who . . . hath determined the times . . . appointed. Acts xvii. 26. 2. To set bounds to; to fix the termination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to…De-tér'mine, v. i. p. 364To come to an end; to terminate. [Obs.] It becomes a mischief, and determines in a curse. South. Some estates may determine on future contingencies. Blackstone. 2. To come to a decision; to conclude…De-tér'min-ed-ly, adv. p. 365In a determined manner.De-tér'min-er, n. p. 365One who determines or decides.Dē/ter-mis'sion, n. p. 365Determination; distinction. [Obs.]De-tér'min-ism, n. p. 365(Metaph.) The doctrine that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives.Dē'ter-rā'tion, n. p. 365The uncovering of any thing which is buried or covered with earth; a taking out of the earth. Woodward.De-tér'rence, n. p. 365That which deters; a deterrent; a hinderance. [Rare.]De-tĕr'rent, n. p. 365That which deters or prevents by appealing to the principle of fear. [Rare.]De-tér'rent, a. p. 365Serving to deter. “The deterrent principle.” E. Davis.De-tēr'sion, n. p. 365The act of deterging or cleansing, as a sore.De-tēr′sive, a. p. 365Having power to free from offending matter; cleansing; detergent.De-tēr'sive-ly, adv. p. 365In a detersive manner; in a way to cleanse or purify.De-tēr'sive-ness, n. p. 365The quality of cleansing.De-tēst', v. t. p. 365To hate or dislike extremely; to abhor; to abominate; to loathe; as, to detest crimes or meanness. 2. To denounce as hateful; to condemn. [Obs.] The heresy of Nestorius . . . was detested in the…De-těst'a-ble, a. p. 365Worthy of being detested; abominable; very odious; deserving abhorrence. Thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things. Ezek. v. 11. Syn.—Abominable; odious; execrable; abhorred.De-tēst'a-ble-ness, n. p. 365Extreme hatefulness.De-tēst'a-bly, adv. p. 365Very hatefully; abominably; with detestation. “Detestably abhorring this . . . unnaturalness.” North.De-tĕs′tāte, v. t. p. 365To detest. [Obs.] “Which, as a mortal enemy, the doctrine of the gospel doth detestate and abhor.” Udal.Dĕt'es-tā'tion or Dē'tes-tā'tion, n. p. 365The act of detesting; extreme hatred or dislike; abhorrence; loathing. We are heartily agreed in our detestation of civil war. Burke.De-tĕst'er, n. p. 365One who detests or abhors.De-thrōne', v. t. p. 365To remove or drive from a throne; to depose; to divest of supreme authority and dignity. The Protector was dethroned. Hume.De-thrōne'ment, n. p. 365Removal from a throne; deposition of a king, emperor, prince, or any supreme ruler.De-thrōn'er, n. p. 365One who dethrones.De-thrōn/i-zā'tion, n. p. 365Dethronement. [Obs.]De-thrōn′ize, v. t. p. 365To unthrone. [Obs.] Cotgrave.Dē'ti-nūe, n. p. 365A person or thing detained. Writ of detinue (Law), one that lies against him who wrongfully detains goods or chattels delivered to him, or in his possession, to recover the thing itself, or its value…Dēt'o-nāte, v. i. p. 365(Chem.) To explode with a sudden report; as, niter detonates with sulphur. Detonating powder (Chem.), any compound, which, when struck, explodes with violence and a loud report. — Detonating tube, a…Dĕt'o-nāte, v. t. p. 365(Chem.) To cause to explode; to cause to burn or inflame with a sudden report.