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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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Digne, a. p. 373Worthy; honorable; noble. [Obs.] “Dearer and more digne sacrifices.” Chaloner.Dig'ni-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 373The act of dignifying; exaltation.Dig'ni-fied, a. p. 373Suited to inspire respect.Dig'ni-fy, v. t. p. 373To invest with dignity or honor; to make illustrious; to give distinction to; to exalt in rank. Your worth will dignify our feast. B. Jonson. Syn.—To exalt; elevate; prefer; advance; honor…Dig'ni-ta-ry, n. p. 373One who possesses exalted rank; especially, one who holds an ecclesiastical rank superior to that of a priest or canon.Dig'ni-ty, n. p. 373The state of being worthy or honorable; elevation of mind or character; honorableness; nobility of sentiment and action; true worth. 2. Elevation of rank; honorable station; degree of excellence…Dig-nōs'tic, n. p. 373An indication. Aubrey.Dig-nō'tion, n. p. 373Distinguishing mark; distinction; diagnostic. [Obs.] Browne.Dig'o-nois, a. p. 373Having two angles. Lee.Di'gram, n. p. 373A union of two written characters expressing a single sound; a digraph.Di'grāph, n. p. 373A combination of two written characters to express a single articulated sound; as ea in head, or th in bath.Di-grĕss’, v. i. p. 373To turn aside; to deviate; to wander; especially, to turn aside or wander from the main or proper subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing and speaking. In the pursuit of an argument…Di-grĕss’, n. p. 373The same as DIGRESSION. [Obs.] “A digress from my history.” Fuller.Dī-grĕs'sion, n. p. 373The act of digressing or deviating, and especially of wandering from the main subject or argument in writing and speaking; hence, a part of a discourse deviating from its main design. The digressions…Di-grēs'sion-al, a. p. 373Pertaining to, or consisting in, digression; departing from the main purpose or subject. Warton.Di-grĕss'ive, a. p. 373Departing from the main subject; partaking of the nature of digression. Johnson.Di-grèss'ive-ly, adv. p. 373By way of digression.Dĭgue, n. p. 373A dike. [Obs.] Temple.Dī-gȳn'i-ā, n. p. 373(Bot.) An order of plants having two pistils or styles.Di-gȳn'i-an or Di-gȳ'nous, a. p. 373(Bot.) Having two pistils or styles.Di-hē'dral, a. p. 373Having two plane faces; as, the dihedral summit of a crystal. Dihedral angle, the angular space included between two planes which meet each other.Di'hex-ăg'o-nal, a. p. 373Consisting of two hexagonal parts united; thus, a dihexagonal pyramid is composed of two hexagonal pyramids placed base to base.Di-hĕx'a-hĕ'dral, a. p. 373(Crystallog.) Having the form of a hexahedral prism with trihedral summits.Di'ī-ām'b, n. p. 373See DIAMBUS.Dī'ī-ăm'bus, n. p. 373(Pros.) A double iambus; a foot consisting of two iambuses. Crosby.Di-jū'di-cant, n. p. 373One who dijudicates, or distinguishes and decides. [Obs.] Wood.Di-jū'di-cāte, v. t. p. 373To make a judicial decision; to decide; to determine. [Obs.] Hales.Di-jū/di-cā'tion, n. p. 373The act of dijudicating; determination. [Obs.] Cockram.Dike, v. i. p. 373To dig. [Obs.] Chaucer.Dike, n. p. 373A ditch; a channel for water made by digging. “Little channels or dikes cut to every bed.” Ray. 2. A mound thrown up to prevent low lands from being inundated by the sea or a river. Dikes that the…Dike, v. t. p. 373To surround or protect with a dike; to secure with a bank. 2. To drain by a dike or dikes.Dik'er, n. p. 373A hedger; a ditcher. Halliwell.Di-lăç'er-āte, v. t. p. 373To rend asunder; to separate by force; to tear. Browne.Di-lăç'er-ā'tion, n. p. 373The act of dilacerating or rending asunder. Arbuthnot.Di-lā'ni-āte, v. t. p. 373To rend in pieces; to mangle; to lacerate. [Obs.] Howell.Dī-lā'ni-ā'tion, n. p. 374A tearing in pieces. [Obs.]Di-lăp'i-dāte, v. t. p. 374To bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin, by misuse or through neglect; to destroy the fairness and good condition of;—said of a building. If the bishop, parson, or vicar, &c., dilapidates…Dĭ-lāp'i-dāte, v. i. p. 374To get out of repair; to fall into partial ruin; to become decayed. A deserted and dilapidated building that had been a barn. Cooper.Dĭ-lăp'ĭ-dā'tion, n. p. 374The act of dilapidating, or the state of being dilapidated, reduced to decay, partially ruined, or squandered. Tell the people that they are relieved by the dilapidation of their public estate.…Dī-lāp'i-dā'tor, n. p. 374One who causes dilapidation.Di-lā'ta-bil'i-ty, n. p. 374The quality of being dilatable, or admitting expansion;—opposed to contractibility. Ral.Dī-lāt′a-ble, a. p. 374Capable of expansion or extension; admitting dilatation;—opposed to contractible; as, the lungs are dilatable by the force of air; air is dilatable by heat.Di'la-tā'tion, n. p. 374The act of dilating or expanding; expansion; augmentation of bulk; a spreading or extending in all directions; the state of being expanded; dilation. 2. (Surg.) The enlargement of a canal, opening…Dī-lāte', v. t. p. 374To expand; to distend; to enlarge or extend in all directions; to swell;—opposed to contract; as, the air dilates the lungs; air is dilated by increase of heat. 2. To enlarge upon; to relate at…Dĭ-lāte’ or Dī-lāte’, v. i. p. 374To grow wide; to expand; to swell or extend in all directions. His heart dilates and glories in his strength. Addison. 2. To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to expatiate; to…Dĭ-lāte’ or Dī-lāte’, a. p. 374Expanded; extensive. [Obs.] B. Jonson.Dī-lā'ted or Dī-lāt'ed, p. a. p. 374Expanded; distended; enlarged. 2. (Bot.) Widening upward or expanding into a lamina. 3. (Zoöl.) Having the margin wide and spreading.Dĭ-lāt’er or Dī-lāt’er, n. p. 374One who dilates, expands, or enlarges.Di-lā'tion or Di-la'tion, n. p. 374Delay. [Obs.] Sp. Hall.Dĭ-lā'tion or Dī-lā'tion, n. p. 374The act of dilating, or the state of being dilated; expansion; dilatation. [Modern.] E. B. Browning. At first her eye with slow dilation rolled. Tennyson. Her murderous perspective before the doing…Dī-lā'tive or Dīlā'tive, a. p. 374Causing dilatation; expansive.Dĭ-lāt'or or Dī-lāt'or, n. p. 374That which widens or expands; a muscle that dilates any part.Dĭl'a-to-ri-ly, adv. p. 374With delay; tardily.Dil'a-to-ri-ness, n. p. 374The quality of being dilatory; lateness; slowness; tardiness.Dīl'a-to-ry, a. p. 374Inclined to defer or put off what ought to be done at once; given to procrastination; delaying; lingering. 2. Marked with procrastination or delay; tardy; slow; — said of actions. 3. Intended to make…Dī-lĕc'tion, n. p. 374Love; preference; choice. [Obs.] Martin.Dī-lēm'mā, n. p. 374(Logic.) An argument which presents an antagonist with two or more alternatives, but is equally conclusive against him, whichever alternative he chooses. The following are instances of the dilemma. A…Dīl'et-tănt', a. p. 374Of, or pertaining to, dilettanteism; amateur; as, dilettant speculation. Carlyle.Dĭl'et-tānt' or Dĭl'et-tān'te, n. p. 374An admirer or lover of the fine arts; an amateur; especially, one who follows an art or a branch of knowledge, desultorily, without serious purpose, or for amusement only.Dīl'et-tān’te-ism, n. p. 374The quality of being a dilettante; desultoriness and frivolity in following art, science, or literature.