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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.

  1. Di-vāp'o-rā'tion, n.p. 397(Chem.) The act or process of expelling vapors by heat.
  2. Di-vār'i-cāte, v. i.p. 397To part into two branches; to open; to fork. Woodward. 2. (Bot.) To diverge widely; to spread asunder at an obtuse angle;—said of the branches of plants.
  3. Di-văr'i-cāte, v. t.p. 397To divide into two branches; to cause to branch apart. Warburton.
  4. Di-văr'i-cate, a.p. 397(Bot.) Turning off at a very large angle, as a right angle or more, with the axis of growth; widely divergent.
  5. Di-vār'i-cate-ly, adv.p. 397With divarication.
  6. Di-vār'i-cā'tion, n.p. 397A separation into two parts or branches; a parting; a forking. 2. A wide divergence. 3. An ambiguity of meaning; equivocation. 4. (Nat. Hist.) A crossing or intersection of fibers at different angles.
  7. Di-väst', a.p. 398Devastated; laid waste. [Obs.] Owen.
  8. Dive', v. i.p. 398To descend or plunge into water, as an animal, head first; to thrust the body under, or very deeply into, water, or other fluid; as, in the pearl fishery, men are employed to dive for shells. 2. To…
  9. Dive', v. t.p. 398To explore by diving. [Rare.] The Curtii bravely dived the gulf of fame. Denham.
  10. Dive'dāp'per, n.p. 398A certain small bird; a didapper. Middleton.
  11. Di-vēl', v. t.p. 398To rend apart. [Obs.] Browne.
  12. Di-vĕl'ient, a.p. 398Drawing asunder; separating. [Rare.]
  13. DI-vĕl'li-cāte, v. t.p. 398To pull in pieces. [Obs. or rare.]
  14. Div'er, n.p. 398One who dives; one who plunges head first into water; one who sinks by effort; as, a diver in the pearl fishery. 2. One who goes deeply into a study or business. 3. (Ornith.) A bird of certain…
  15. Di'vĕrb, n.p. 398A saying in which two members of the sentence are contrasted: an antithetical proverb. [Obs.] Italy, a paradise for horses, a hell for women, as the diverb goes. Burton.
  16. Dĭ′ver-ber-ā′tion, n.p. 398A sounding through.
  17. Di-vĕrge', v. i.p. 398To extend, or proceed from a common point in different directions; to deviate gradually from a given course or line;—opposed to converge; as, rays of light diverge as they proceed from the sun. 2. To…
  18. Di-vērge'ment, n.p. 398Act of diverging; divergence.
  19. Di-vĕr'gence or Di-vĕr'gen-cy, n.p. 398[Fr. divergence, It. divergen-za, Sp. divergencia, Lat. divergens. [See infra.] A receding from each other in radiating lines; as, the divergence of lines, or the angle of divergence. Gregory.
  20. Dī-vĕr'gent, a.p. 398Departing or receding from each other, as lines radiating from the same point; deviating gradually from a given direction;—opposed to convergent.
  21. Di-vēr'ging-ly, adv.p. 398In a diverging manner.
  22. Dī'vers, a.p. 398Different in kind or species; various; diverse. [Obs.] Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds. Deut. xxii. 9. 2. Several; sundry; more than one, but not a great number; as, we have divers…
  23. Di'verse, a.p. 398Different in kind; different; unlike. And calling forth, straightway, A diverse dream out of his prison dark. Spencer. 2. Capable of various forms; multiform. Eloquence is a diverse thing. B. Jonson.
  24. Dī-vērse', adv.p. 398In different directions. And with tendrils creep diverse. Philips.
  25. Dī-vērse', v. i.p. 398To turn aside. [Obs.] “The red-cross knight diverst.” Spenser.
  26. Dī'verse-ly, adv.p. 398In different ways; differently; variously. “Diversely interpreted.” Bacon. 2. In different directions; to different points. On life's vast ocean diversely we sail. Pope.
  27. Dī-vĕr'si-fī/a-ble, a.p. 398Capable of being diversified or varied. Boyle.
  28. Di-vĕr'si-fi-cā'tion, n.p. 398The act of making various, or of changing forms or qualities. Boyle. 2. State of diversity or variation; modification; change; alteration. Infinite diversifications of tint may be produced.…
  29. Dī-vēr'si-fied, p. a.p. 398Distinguished by various forms, or by a variety of aspects; as, diversified scenery; a diversified landscape.
  30. Dī-vĕr'si-fōrm, a.p. 398Of a different form; of varied forms.
  31. Dī-vēr'si-fy, v. t.p. 398To make diverse or various in form or qualities; to give variety to; to variegate; to distinguish by numerous differences or aspects. “Separated and diversified one from another.” Locke. “Its seven…
  32. Dī'ver-sil'o-quent, a.p. 398Speaking in different ways. [Rare.]
  33. Dī-vērʹsion, n.p. 398The act of turning aside from any course, occupation, or object; as, the diversion of a stream from its channel; diversion of the mind from business. 2. That which diverts; that which turns or draws…
  34. Dī-vēr'si-ty, n.p. 398A state of difference; dissimilitude; unlikeness. Not resting in a bare diversity, rise into a contrariety. South. 2. Multiplicity of difference; variety. Roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling…
  35. Dī'ver-sīv'o-lent, a.p. 398Desiring many different things. [Obs.]
  36. Dī-vēr'so in-tēl'ē-tup. 398(Law.) With a different intent or purpose; in a different view or point of view; by a different course or process.
  37. Dī-vĕr'so-ry, a.p. 398Serving to divert. [Obs.]
  38. Dī-vēr'so-ry, n.p. 398A wayside inn. [Obs. and rare.] Chapman.
  39. Dĭ-vĕrt’, v. t.p. 398To turn off from any course, direction, or intended application; to turn aside; as, to divert a river from its usual channel; to divert commerce from its usual course. “That crude apple that diverted…
  40. Dī-vērt', v. i.p. 398To turn aside; to digress. [Obs.] I diverted to see one of the prince's palaces. Evelyn.
  41. Dĭ-vĕrt'er, n.p. 398One who, or that which, diverts, turns off, or pleases.
  42. Dī-vĕr'ti-cle, n.p. 398A turning; a by-way. [Obs.] Hale. 2. (Anat.) A blind tube branching out of a longer one, especially out of the intestinal canal. Wright.
  43. Dī-vĕrt'ing-ly, adv.p. 398In an amusing or entertaining manner.
  44. Di-vērt'ing-ness, n.p. 398The quality of being amusing or diverting. [Rare.]
  45. Di-vĕrt'ise, v. t.p. 398To divert; to please; to entertain. [Obs.] Dryden.
  46. Di-vērt'ise-ment, n.p. 398Diversion; amusement; recreation. [Rare.] In these disagreeable divertisements the morning crept away as it could. W. Scott. 2. (pron. de-vērt'iz-mong.) [Fr.] A short ballet, or other entertainment…
  47. Di-vērt'ive, a.p. 398Tending to divert; amusing; interesting. “Things of a pleasant and divertive nature.” Rogers.
  48. Di-vēst', v. t.p. 398To strip, as of clothes, arms, or equipage;—opposed to invest. 2. To deprive; as, to divest one of his rights or privileges.
  49. Di-vēst'i-ble, a.p. 398Capable of being divested. Boyle.
  50. Di-vēst'i-tūre, n.p. 398The act of stripping, putting off, or depriving; the state of being divested; the surrender of rights, privileges, or property.
  51. Di-vĕst'ment, n.p. 398The act of divesting. [Rare.]
  52. Dī-vĕst'ūre, n.p. 398Act of putting off. [Obs.] Boyle.
  53. Di-vīd’a-ble, a.p. 398Capable of being divided. 2. Divided; separate; parted. [Obs.] Shak.
  54. Dĭ-vīd’ant, a.p. 398Different; separate. [Obs.] Shak.
  55. Di-vīde', v. t.p. 398To sever into parts or pieces; to separate; to sunder. Divide the living child in two. 1 Kings iii. 25. 2. To cause to be separate; to keep apart by a partition, or by an imaginary line or limit; as…
  56. Dī-vīde', v. i.p. 398To be separated; to part; to open; to cleave; to sunder. 2. To break friendship. “Brothers divide.” Shak. 3. To vote by separating a legislative house into two parts. The emperors sat, voted, and…
  57. Dĭ-vīde', n.p. 398A dividing ridge between the tributaries of two streams; a water-shed. J. C. Fremont.
  58. Di-vīd'ed, p. a.p. 398Parted; disunited; distributed. 2. (Bot.) Cut into divisions, by incisions extending nearly to the midrib;—said of a leaf.
  59. Di-vīd'ed-ly, adv.p. 398Separately. Knatchbull.
  60. Dĭv'i-dend, n.p. 398A sum divided; a division; a part or share made by division; the percentage divided;—applied in cases of the pro rata division of assets among creditors, or profits among stockholders. 2. (Arith.) A…