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.
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…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…Dic-ta-tō’ri-al-ly, adv. p. 370In the manner of a dictator.Dīc'ta-tō'ri-an, a. p. 370Suited to a dictator; dictatorial. [Obs.] State Trials.Dic-tā'tor-ship, n. p. 370The office of a dictator; the term of a dictator’s office.Dic'ta-to-ry, a. p. 370Dogmatical; overbearing. Milton.Die-tā'tress or Die-tā'trix, n. p. 370A female who dictates or commands.Dic-tā'tūre, n. p. 370Office of a dictator; dictatorship. Bacon.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…Dic'tion-ā'ri-an, n. p. 370One who constructs a dictionary; a lexicographer. [Rare.] Dancson.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…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…Di-dăc'tic, n. p. 371A treatise on teaching or education. [Obs.] Milton.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.Di-dăc'tic-al-ly, adv. p. 371In a didactic manner.Di'dac-tic'i-ty, n. p. 371Devotion to teaching. Hare.Di-dăc'tics, n. sing. p. 371The art or science of teaching. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]Di-dæ'tyl, n. p. 371An animal having two toes.Dī-dăc'tyl or Dī-dăc'tyl-ōus, a. p. 371Having two toes.Di'dal, n. p. 371A kind of triangular spade.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.Dī-dăs'ca-lar or Dī-das-cal'ic, a. p. 371Didactic; preceptive. [Rare.]Did'der, v. i. p. 371To shiver with cold. Sherwood.Did'dle, v. t. p. 371To cheat or overreach.Did'dle, v. i. p. 371To totter, as a child in walking. Quarles.Dī-dĕl’phie, a. p. 371Pertaining to the didelphys. [Written also didelphyc.]Di-dĕl'phid, n. p. 371A marsupial animal.Di-dĕl'phid, a. p. 371Pertaining to the marsupials.Di-dĕl'phis, n. p. 371See DI-DELPHYS.Dī-del’phye, a. p. 371Pertaining to the didelphys. [Written also didelphic.]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.]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…Dī/do-dĕ'c/a-hē'dral, a. p. 371(Crystallog.) Having the form of a dodecahedral prism with hexahedral summits.Di'drăchm or Di-drăch'mā, n. p. 371A two-drachma piece; an ancient Greek silver coin, worth about thirty cents.Dĭdst p. 371Second person imperfect of do. See Do.Di-dūçe'ment, n. p. 371Separation into distinct parts; division. [Obs.] Bacon.Di-dūc'tion, n. p. 371Act of drawing apart; separation.Dī'dus, n. p. 371(Ornith.) A genus of birds including the dodo. See DODO.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.Did'y-mōus, a. p. 371(Bot.) Growing in pairs or twins. Eng. Cyc.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.Did'y-nā'mi-an or Di-dŷn'a-moüs, a. p. 371(Bot.) Containing four stamens disposed in pairs of unequal length.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…Dīe, n. p. 371A small cube, marked on its faces with numbers from one to six, used in gaming, by being thrown from a box. [See Illust. of Dice.] 2. Any small cubical body. “Words . . . pasted upon little flat…Dī-ē'cian or Dī-ē'cioŭs, n. p. 371Dī-ē'cioŭs, a. See DIŒCIAN and DIŒCIOUS.Dī-ē'dral, a. p. 371The same as DIHEDRAL.Dī'e-ġē'sis, n. p. 371A narrative or history; a recital or relation.Dī'e-lĕc'tric, n. p. 371(Elec.) Any substance or medium that transmits the electric force by a process different from conduction, as in the phenomena of induction; a non-conductor separating a body electrified by induction…Dī-ĕn'ni-al, a. p. 371Biennial. [Obs.] Scott.Dī-ĕr'e-sis, n. p. 371The same as DIÆRESIS.Dī'er-vĭl'lȧ, n. p. 371(Bot.) A genus of shrubs with yellow flowers; — so called from M. Dierville, who sent it from Canada to Tournefort. Gray.Dīe'-sĭnk'er, n. p. 371An engraver of dies for stamping coins, medals, &c.Dīe'-sĭnk'ing, n. p. 371The process of engraving dies.Dī'e-sĭs, n. p. 371(Mus.) A small interval, less than any in actual practice, but used in the mathematical calculation of intervals. 2. (Print.) The mark ‡; — called also double dagger. Eng. Cyc.Dī'ēs nŏn p. 371(Law.) A day on which courts are not held, as the Sabbath, &c.Dīe'stŏck, n. p. 371A contrivance to hold the dies used for cutting screws.Dī'et, n. p. 371Course of living or nourishment; habitual food; what is eaten and drunk; victuals. For his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king. Jer. lii. 34. 2. Course of food selected with…Dī'et, v. t. p. 371To cause to take food; to feed; to nourish; especially, to cause to eat and drink sparingly, or by prescribed rules.Dī'et, v. i. p. 371To eat; to feed; especially, to eat according to prescribed rules; to eat sparingly.Dī'et, n. p. 371A legislative or administrative assembly in Germany, Poland, and some other countries of Europe; a deliberative convention.