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.
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.Dif-fīn'ish, v. t. p. 372To define. [Obs.] Chaucer.Dif-fīn'i-tīve, a. p. 372Determinate; definitive. [Obs.] Wotton.Dif-fis'sion, n. p. 372Act of cleaving or splitting. [Obs.] Bailey.Dif-flā'tion, n. p. 372The act of scattering by a gust of wind. [Obs.] Bailey.Dif'flu-ence or Dif'flu-en-cy, n. p. 372A flowing apart or away. [Obs.] Browne.Diff'lu-ent, a. p. 372Flowing apart or away; not fixed. [Obs.] Bailey.Dif'form, a. p. 372Irregular in form; not uniform; anomalous; hence, unlike; dissimilar; as, a difform flower or corol, the parts of which do not correspond in size or proportion; difform leaves. The unequal…Dif-fōrm’i-ty, n. p. 372Irregularity of form; want of uniformity. [Obs.] Browne.Dif-frāct', v. t. p. 372To break or separate into parts; to deflect, or decompose by deflection, as rays of light.Dif-frăc'tion, n. p. 372(Opt.) The deflection and decomposition of light in passing by the edges of opaque bodies or through narrow slits, causing the appearance of parallel bands or fringes of prismatic colors. Remarked by…Dif·frâc'tive, a. p. 372Producing diffraction.Dif-frân'chise or Dif-frân'chise-ment, v. & n. p. 372See DISFRANCHISE, DISFRANCHISEMENT.Dif-fūse′, v. t. p. 372To pour out and spread, as a fluid; to cause to flow; to send out, or extend, in all directions; to circulate; to disseminate; to spend; to waste. Thence diffuse His good to worlds and ages infinite.…Dif-fūse', a. p. 372Poured out; widely spread; not restrained; especially of style, copious; verbose; prolix. Syn.—See PROLIX.Dif-fū's'ed-ly, adv. p. 372In a diffused manner; in a spreading or flowing style. Go not so diffusedly; There are great ladies purpose, sir, to visit you. Beau. & Fl.Dif-fūz'ed-ness, n. p. 372The state of being diffused.Dif-fūse'ly, adv. p. 372In a diffuse manner.Dif-fūse'ness, n. p. 372The quality of being diffuse; especially, in writing, the use of a great or excessive number of words to express the meaning; copiousness; verbosity; prolixity.Dif-fū'ser, n. p. 372One who diffuses.Dif-fū'si-bil'i-ty, n. p. 372The quality of being diffusible; the capability of being spread; as, the diffusibility of clay in water. Kirwan.Dif-fū'si-ble, a. p. 372Capable of flowing or spreading; liable to be diffused; easily dispersed or dissipated; diffusive; as, diffusible stimuli. Browne.Dif-fu'si-ble-ness, n. p. 372Diffusibility.Dif-fū'ṣion, n. p. 372The act of diffusing, or the state of being diffused; dissemination; extension; propagation; as, the diffusion of good principles. A diffusion of knowledge which has undermined superstition. Burke.…Dif-fū'sive, a. p. 372Having the quality of diffusing; capable of spreading by flowing; hence, extending; dispersing; widely reaching. As if a plentiful and diffusive perfume were set up in a house. Hare.Dif-fū'sive-ly, adv. p. 372In a diffusive manner.Dif-fū'sive-ness, n. p. 372The quality or state of being diffusive or diffuse; extensiveness; expansion; dispersion; — said especially of style, diffuseness; copiousness; verbosity; prolixity. The fault that I find with a…Dig, v. t. p. 372To turn and throw up, as the earth; to loosen or remove with a spade, or other sharp instrument; to pierce or open with a snout, or by other means, as swine and moles do. Be first to dig the ground.…Dig, v. i. p. 372To work with a spade or other like instrument; to do servile work; to delve. Dig for it more than for hid treasures. Job iii. 21. I can not dig; to beg I am ashamed. Luke xvi. 3. 2. (Mining.) To take…Dig, n. p. 372A thrust; a punch; a poke; as, a dig in the side. [Vulgar.] 2. A diligent or plodding student. [U. S.]Dig'a-mist, n. p. 372One who marries a second time. Hammond.Dī-gām'mā, n. p. 372(Gr. Gram.) A letter (Ϝ) of the Greek alphabet, which early fell into disuse. It corresponded in power to the Latin u, v, being pronounced, probably, much like the English w.Dī-gām'mate or Dī-gām'mā-ted, a. p. 372(Gr. Gram.) Having the digamma inserted; containing the digamma: as, the Latin word vis is a digammated form of the Greek ἰς. Andrews.Dig'a-mous, a. p. 372Pertaining to a second marriage, that is, one after the death of the first wife or the first husband.Dig'a-my, n. p. 372Second marriage.Dī-gās'tric, a. p. 372(Anat.) (a.) Having a double belly; — said of a muscle of the lower jaw. (b.) Pertaining to a certain muscle situated between the lower jaw and the mastoid process.Dī-gĕn'e-sĭs, n. p. 372See PARTHENOGENESIS.Dig'er-ent, a. p. 372Digesting. [Obs.] Bailey.Di-gĕst’, v. t. p. 372To distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application; to prepare; as, to digest the laws, &c. 2. To separate into nutritive and…Dĭ-gĕst', v. i. p. 373To undergo digestion; as, food digests well. 2. To be prepared by heat. 3. To suppurate; to generate pus or matter, as an ulcer or wound.Di'gest, n. p. 373That which is digested; especially, that which is worked over, classified, and arranged; a body of laws; a compendium; a summary; an abridgment; as, Comyn's Digest; the United States Digest. 2. A…Di·gēst'ed-ly, adv. p. 373In a digested or well-arranged manner.