Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Dī-gĕst'er, n. p. 373One who digests. 2. A medicine or article of food that aids digestion, or strengthens the digestive power of the stomach. 3. A strong closed vessel, in which bones or other substances may be…Di-gĕst′i-bil′i-ty, n. p. 373The quality of being digestible.Di-gĕst'i-ble, a. p. 373Capable of being digested.Di-gĕst'i-ble-ness, n. p. 373The quality of being digestible; digestibility.Di·gēs'tion, n. p. 373The act of digesting; reduction to order; classification. 2. Conversion of food into chyme. 3. Preparation by heat and moisture; gradual solution. 4. Production of pus.Dī-gĕst'ive, a. p. 373Causing to digest; producing digestion; used for digesting; pertaining to digestion. Digestive cheese and fruit there sure will be. B. Jonson. Digestive salt, the muriate of potash.Di-gĕst'ive, n. p. 373(Med.) (a.) A substance which, when applied to a wound or ulcer, promotes suppuration. Dunglison.Di-ġĕst'ūre, n. p. 373Digestion. [Obs.] Harvey.Dĭg'ga-ble, a. p. 373Capable of being digged. Huloet.Dĭg'ger, n. p. 373One who digs.Dĭg'ging, n. p. 373The act or place of digging. 2. (pl.) Places where ore is dug, especially certain localities in California, Australia, and elsewhere, at which gold is obtained. 3. (pl.) Regions; localities. [Low.]Dight, v. t. p. 373To prepare; to put in order; hence, to dress, or put on; to array; to adorn. [Rare.] “Two harmless turtles, dight for sacrifice.” Fairfax. “The clouds in thousand liveries dight.” Milton.Dight’er, n. p. 373One who dights. Halliwell.Dig'it, n. p. 373A finger. [Low.] 2. The measure of a finger's breadth, or three fourths of an inch. 3. (Arith.) One of the nine figures or symbols, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, by which, with the cipher, 0, all…Dig'it, v. t. p. 373To point at or out with the finger. [Obs.] Feltham.Dig'-i-tal, a. p. 373Pertaining to the fingers, or to digits.Dĭg'i-tā'li-a p. 373(n. [Fr. digitaline. See infra.]Dig'i-tā-line p. 373The active principle of the foxglove, or Digitalis purpurea, a violent poison, if taken internally.Dĭg'-i-tā'lĭs, n. p. 373(Bot.) A genus of plants including the foxglove.