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.
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.Dī'et-a-ry, a. p. 371Pertaining to diet, or the rules of diet.Dī'et-a-ry, n. p. 371Rule of diet; allowance of food, especially that presented in almshouses, prisons, &c.Dī'et-brē'ad, n. p. 371Food medicated, or regulated by a physician.Dī'et-drink, n. p. 371Medicated drink.Dī'et-er, n. p. 371One who diets; one who prepares, or who partakes of, food according to hygienic rules.Dī'e-tĕt'ic or Dī'e-tĕt'ic-al, a. p. 371Pertaining to diet, or to the rules for regulating the kind and quantity of food to be eaten.Dī'e-tēt'ĭc-al-ly, adv. p. 371In a dietetical manner.Dī'e-tēt'ics, n. sing. p. 371That part of the medical or hygienic art which relates to diet or food. [See Note under MATHEMATICS.]Di/e-tēt'ist, n. p. 371A physician who applies the rules of dietetics to the cure of diseases. Dunglison.Dī'et-ine, n. p. 371A subordinate or local assembly; a diet of inferior rank or consequence; a cantonal convention.Dī'et-ist or Dī'e-ti'tian, n. p. 371One skilled in diet. [Rare.]Dīf-fāme', n. p. 371Bad reputation. [Obs.] Chaucer.Dĭf-făr/re-ā'tion, n. p. 371The parting of a cake; a ceremony among the Romans at the divorce of man and wife. See CONFARREATION.Dĭf'fer, v. i. p. 371To be or stand apart; to disagree; to be unlike or discordant; — often with from. One star differeth from another star in glory. 1 Cor. xv. 41. Minds differ, as rivers differ. Macaulay. 2. To be of…Dif'fer, v. t. p. 371To cause to be different or unlike; as, a different dialect and pronunciation differ persons of divers countries. [Rare.] Lerham.Dif'fer-ence, n. p. 371The act of differing; the state of being different, discordant, or unlike; distinction; dissimilarity; variation; as, a difference of quality in paper; a difference in degrees of heat, or of light.…Dif'fer-ence, v. t. p. 371To cause to differ; to make different; to mark as different; to distinguish. Thou mayest difference gods from men. Chapman. Kings, in receiving justice and undergoing trial, are not differenced from…Dif'fer-ent, a. p. 371Distinct; separate; not the same. “Five different churches.” Addison. 2. Of various or contrary nature, form, or quality; unlike; dissimilar; as, different kinds of food or drink; different states of…Dif'fer-èn-ti-ā, n. p. 371(Logic.) The formal or distinguishing part of the essence of a species; the characteristic attribute of a species; specific difference.Dĭf'fer-ĕn'tial, a. p. 372Creating a difference; discriminating; special; as differential duties. “For whom he procured differential favors.” Motley. 2. (Math.) Pertaining to a differential, or to differentials. 3. (Mech.)…Dĭf'fer-ĕn'tial, n. p. 372(Math.) An increment, usually an indefinitely small one, which is given to a variable quantity. ☞ According to the more modern writers upon the differential and integral calculus, if two or more…Dif/fer-ên’tial-ly, adv. p. 372In the way of differentiation.Dif′fer-èn′ti-āte, v. t. p. 372(Math.) To obtain the differential, or differential co-efficient, of; as, to differentiate an algebraic expression, or an equation.Dif·fer·en·ti-ā′tion, n. p. 372(Logic.) The act of distinguishing or describing a thing, by giving its differentia, or specific difference; exact definition or determination. 2. (Math.) The act or process of differentiating. 3.…Dif'fer-ent-ly, adv. p. 372In a different manner; variously.Dif'fer-ing-ly, adv. p. 372In a differing or different manner. Boyle.Dif-fib'ū-lāte, v. t. p. 372To unbutton. Halliwell.Dif'fi-cĭle, a. p. 372Difficult; unmanageable; contrary. [Obs.] Bacon.Dif'fi-cile-ness, n. p. 372State or quality of being difficile, or difficult. [Obs.] “Aptness to oppose, or difficileness, or the like.” Bacon.Dif'fi-cil'i-tāte, v. t. p. 372To make difficult. [Obs.] Montagu.Dif'fi-cult, a. p. 372Hard to make, do, or perform; requiring labor and pains to accomplish; not easy; arduous; as, a difficult task, work, &c. 2. Hard to deal with; occasioning labor or pains; beset with difficulty, as a…Dif'fi-cult, v. t. p. 372To render difficult; to perplex. [Rare.] Sir W. Temple.Dif'fi·cŭlt-āte, v. t. p. 372To render difficult. [Obs.] Cotgrave.Dif'fi-cult-ly, adv. p. 372With difficulty.Dif'fi-cul-ty, n. p. 372The state of being difficult, or hard to accomplish, or to deal with; hardness; arduousness; — opposed to easiness or facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of labor and…Dif-fide', v. i. p. 372To have no confidence; to distrust. [Obs.]Dif'fi-dence, n. p. 372The state of being diffident; distrust; want of confidence; doubt of the power, ability, or disposition of one's self or others; especially, distrust of one's self; want of confidence in one's own…Dif'fi-dent, a. p. 372Wanting confidence in others; distrustful. “Diffident of present praise.” W. Scott. “Piety so diffident as to require a sign.” Bp. Taylor. 2. Wanting confidence in one's self; not self-reliant…Diffi-dent-ly, adv. p. 372In a diffident or distrustful manner. To stand diffidently against each other with their thoughts in battle array. Hobbes.Dif-find',, v. t. p. 372To split. [Obs.] Bailey.