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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. Dick'er, n.p. 370The number or quantity of ten, particularly, ten hides or skins; a dakir: as, a dicker of gloves. [Obs.] “A dicker of cow-hides.” Heywood. 2. A chaffering barter or exchange of small wares. [U. S.]…
  2. Dick'er, v. i.p. 370To negotiate a dicker; to barter. [U. S.] “Ready to dicker and to swap.” Cooper.
  3. Dick'ey or Dick'y, n.p. 370A seat behind a carriage, for servants, &c. 2. A bosom made to be tied over the front of a shirt. 3. A gentleman’s shirt-collar. [New Eng.]
  4. Di-clīn'ic or Di'clī-nate, a.p. 370(Crystallog.) Having two of the intersections between the three axes oblique. Dana.
  5. Di'cli-noŭs, a.p. 370(Bot.) Having the stamens and pistils in separate flowers. Gray.
  6. Di-eō'cōŭs, a.p. 370(Bot.) Two-grained; containing two grains of seed; consisting of two cohering closed carpels or cocci, with one seed in each; as, a dicoccous capsule. Martyn.
  7. Di-cœ'loüs, a.p. 370Having two cavities. R. Owen.
  8. Di'co-ty'le, n.p. 370(Zoöl.) A genus of quadrupeds closely related to the hog, and including the peccaries.
  9. Di-côt/y-lē'don, n.p. 370(Bot.) A plant whose seeds divide into two lobes in germinating.
  10. Di-cŏt'y-lēd'o-nŏus, a.p. 370(Bot.) Having two cotyledons or lobes; as, a dicotyledonous plant.
  11. Dī-crōt'ic, a.p. 370Having a double or rebounding action;—said of the pulse.
  12. Di'cro-tis, a.p. 370(Med.) Beating twice as rapidly as usual; — said of the pulse. Dunglison.
  13. Dic-tā'men, n.p. 370That which is dictated to one person by another; a precept; an injunction; a dictation.
  14. Dic-tam'nus, n.p. 370(Bot.) (a.) A genus of fragrant herbaceous plants, the roots of some species of which are used in medicine, being possessed of sedative and drastic qualities; Fraxinella. (b.) A small evergreen shrub…
  15. Dic'tāte, v. t.p. 370To deliver or state for another person to reduce to writing; to utter so that another may write down. “The mind which dictated the Iliad.” Wayland. 2. To communicate with authority; to deliver to a…
  16. Dic'tate, n.p. 370A statement delivered with authority; an order; a command; an authoritative rule or principle; a prescription; a direction. I credit what the Grecian dictates say. Prior. Syn.—Command; injunction…
  17. Dic-tā/tion, n.p. 370The act of dictating; the act or practice of prescribing. It affords security against the dictation of laws. Paley.
  18. Dic-tā'tor, n.p. 370One who dictates; one who prescribes rules and maxims for the direction of others. 2. One invested with absolute authority, especially a magistrate created in times of exigence and distress, and…
  19. Dic-ta-tō'ri-al, a.p. 370Pertaining or suited to a dictator; absolute; unlimited. “Military powers quite dictatorial.” Irving. 2. Characteristic of a dictator; imperious; dogmatical; overbearing; as, a dictatorial tone or…
  20. Dic-ta-tō’ri-al-ly, adv.p. 370In the manner of a dictator.
  21. Dīc'ta-tō'ri-an, a.p. 370Suited to a dictator; dictatorial. [Obs.] State Trials.
  22. Dic-tā'tor-ship, n.p. 370The office of a dictator; the term of a dictator’s office.
  23. Dic'ta-to-ry, a.p. 370Dogmatical; overbearing. Milton.
  24. Die-tā'tress or Die-tā'trix, n.p. 370A female who dictates or commands.
  25. Dic-tā'tūre, n.p. 370Office of a dictator; dictatorship. Bacon.
  26. Dĭc'tion, n.p. 370Choice of words; selection of terms; manner of expression; style; phraseology. His diction blazes up into a sudden explosion of prophetic grandeur. De Quincey. Syn.—DICTION, STYLE, PHRASEOLOGY. Style…
  27. Dic'tion-ā'ri-an, n.p. 370One who constructs a dictionary; a lexicographer. [Rare.] Dancson.
  28. Dic'tion-a-ry, n.p. 370A book containing the words of a language, arranged alphabetically, with explanations of their meanings; a lexicon; a vocabulary; a word-book. 2. Hence, a work containing information in any…
  29. Dĭc'tum or Dĭc'ta, n.p. 371An authoritative saying or assertion. “A class of critical dicta every where current.” M. Arnold. 2. (Law.) (a.) A judicial opinion expressed by judges on points that do not necessarily arise in the…
  30. Di-dăc'tic, n.p. 371A treatise on teaching or education. [Obs.] Milton.
  31. Di-dăc'tic or Di-dăc'tic-al, a.p. 371Fitted or inclined to teach; intended to instruct; preceptive; arranged in a form suitable for instruction; systematic. “The finest didactic poem in any language.” Macaulay.
  32. Di-dăc'tic-al-ly, adv.p. 371In a didactic manner.
  33. Di'dac-tic'i-ty, n.p. 371Devotion to teaching. Hare.
  34. Di-dăc'tics, n. sing.p. 371The art or science of teaching. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]
  35. Di-dæ'tyl, n.p. 371An animal having two toes.
  36. Dī-dăc'tyl or Dī-dăc'tyl-ōus, a.p. 371Having two toes.
  37. Di'dal, n.p. 371A kind of triangular spade.
  38. Did’ap-per, n.p. 371(Ornith.) A certain bird that dives into the water; a species of grebe; the little, or black-chin grebe; dab-chick; Podiceps minor.
  39. Dī-dăs'ca-lar or Dī-das-cal'ic, a.p. 371Didactic; preceptive. [Rare.]
  40. Did'der, v. i.p. 371To shiver with cold. Sherwood.
  41. Did'dle, v. t.p. 371To cheat or overreach.
  42. Did'dle, v. i.p. 371To totter, as a child in walking. Quarles.
  43. Dī-dĕl’phie, a.p. 371Pertaining to the didelphys. [Written also didelphyc.]
  44. Di-dĕl'phid, n.p. 371A marsupial animal.
  45. Di-dĕl'phid, a.p. 371Pertaining to the marsupials.
  46. Di-dĕl'phis, n.p. 371See DI-DELPHYS.
  47. Dī-del’phye, a.p. 371Pertaining to the didelphys. [Written also didelphic.]
  48. Dĭ-dĕl'phys, n.p. 371(Zoöl.) An animal of the marsupial tribe; — so called by Linnæus, but the term is now restricted to an American genus which includes the opossum. [Written also didelphis.]
  49. Dī’do, n.p. 371A trick; an antic; a caper. To cut a dido, to play a trick; — so called from the trick of Dido, who having bought so much land as a hide would cover, cut it into a long string to inclose more than…
  50. Dī/do-dĕ'c/a-hē'dral, a.p. 371(Crystallog.) Having the form of a dodecahedral prism with hexahedral summits.
  51. Di'drăchm or Di-drăch'mā, n.p. 371A two-drachma piece; an ancient Greek silver coin, worth about thirty cents.
  52. Dĭdstp. 371Second person imperfect of do. See Do.
  53. Di-dūçe'ment, n.p. 371Separation into distinct parts; division. [Obs.] Bacon.
  54. Di-dūc'tion, n.p. 371Act of drawing apart; separation.
  55. Dī'dus, n.p. 371(Ornith.) A genus of birds including the dodo. See DODO.
  56. Di'dym or Di-dym'i-üm, n.p. 371A rare metal related to cerium, in whose ores it is found;— so called from its intimate association with the ores of lantanium, which are always found with those of cerium.
  57. Did'y-mōus, a.p. 371(Bot.) Growing in pairs or twins. Eng. Cyc.
  58. Dĭd'y-nā'mi-ă, n.p. 371(Bot.) A class of plants in the Linnean system, characterized by having four stamens disposed in pairs of unequal length.
  59. Did'y-nā'mi-an or Di-dŷn'a-moüs, a.p. 371(Bot.) Containing four stamens disposed in pairs of unequal length.
  60. Dīe, v. i.p. 371To pass from an animate to a lifeless state; to cease to live; to suffer a total and irreparable loss of action of the vital functions; to become dead; to decease; to expire; — said of animals or…