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.
Drĭp'ple, a. p. 414Weak or rare. [Obs.]Drip'-stōne, n. p. 414(Arch.) A projecting tablet or molding over the head of door-ways or windows, &c., to throw off rain. 2. A filtering stone. Simmonds.Drīve, v. t. p. 414To impel or urge onward by force in a direction away from one, or along before one; to push forward; to compel to move on; as, to drive cattle; to drive a nail; the wind drives a ship along; smoke…Drīve, v. i. p. 414To rush and press with violence; to move furiously. Fierce Boreas drove against his flying sails. Dryden. Under cover of the night and a driving tempest. Prescott. 2. To be forced along; to be…Drīve, n. p. 414An excursion in a carriage, for exercise or pleasure; — distinguished from a ride, which is taken on horseback. 2. A place suitable or agreeable for driving; a road prepared for driving. Syn. — See…Drĭv'el, v. i. p. 414To slaver; to let spittle drop or flow from the mouth, like a child, idiot, or dotard. 2. To be weak or foolish; to dote; as, a driveling hero; driveling love. Shak. Dryden.Driv'el, n. p. 414Slaver; saliva flowing from the mouth. Dryden. 2. A driveler; a fool; an idiot. [Obs.] Sidney. 3. Inarticulate or unmeaning utterance; foolish talk; nonsense. 4. A servant; a drudge. [Obs.] Huloet.Drīv'el-er, n. p. 414A slaverer; a slabberer; an idiot; a fool. [Written also driveller.]Driv'en, n. p. 414(Mach.) The wheel or other part that is moved by a driver;—called also follower. Rankine.Driv'er, n. p. 414One who drives; the person or thing that urges or compels any thing else to move. 2. The person who drives beasts or a carriage; a coachman; a charioteer, &c.; hence, also, one who runs or regulates…Driv'er-ănt, n. p. 414A species of African ant; the Anomma arcens; — so called because they range about in vast armies, and drive every thing before them. Ogilvie.Driv'ing, p. a. p. 414Having great force of impulse; as, a driving wind or storm. 2. Communicating force; impelling.Drīv'ing-ăx'le, n. p. 414(Mach.) The axle of a driving-wheel.Drīv'ing-bōx, n. p. 414(Mach.) The journal-box of a driving-axle. [See Illust. of Locomotive.]Drīv'ing-nōte, n. p. 414(Mus.) One of two notes standing one at the end of one bar and the other at the beginning of the next, and connected by a tie, so as to form but one note.Drīv'ing-shāft, n. p. 414(Mach.) A shaft that communicates motion.Drīv'ing-spring, n. p. 414A spring fixed upon the box of the driving-axle of a locomotive engine to support the weight and deaden shocks. Ogilvie.Drīv'ing-wheel, n. p. 414(Mach.) A wheel that communicates motion; the wheel of a locomotive, which, adhering to the track, communicates the power of the steam-engine to the vehicle; — called also simply driver. [See Illust.…Driz'zle, v. i. p. 414To rain gently in very small drops; to fall, as water from the clouds, in very fine and slow particles; as, it drizzles; drizzling drops; drizzling rain. Drizzling tears did shed for pure affection.…Drĭz'zle, v. t. p. 414To shed in minute drops or particles. “The air doth drizzle dew.” “Winter’s drizzled snow.” Shak.Drĭz'zle, n. p. 414Fine rain or mist. Halliwell.Drĭz'zly, a. p. 414Shedding small rain, or small particles of snow. “Winter's drizzly reign.” Dryden.Drŏck, n. p. 414A water-course. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Drŏf'land, n. p. 414(Law.) A quitrent or yearly payment made by some tenants to the king or their landlords for the privilege of driving their cattle through a manor to fairs or markets. Cowell.Drōg'er or Drōgh'er, n. p. 414A vessel built solely for burden, and for transporting heavy articles, as cotton, lumber, &c. Bartlett.Drŏg'man or Drŏg'o-man, n. p. 414The same as DRAGOMAN.Droil, v. i. p. 414To work sluggishly or slowly; to plod. [Obs.]Droil, n. p. 414A drone; a sluggard; a drudge. [Obs.] B. & Fl. 2. Labor; toil. [Obs.]Droit, n. p. 414Right; justice; title; fee; privilege; a writ of right; duty; custom. Burvill. Droits of the Admiralty, rights or perquisites of the Admiralty, arising from seizure of enemies' ships detained in port…Droit'ū-ral, a. p. 414(O. Eng. Law.) Relating to the mere right of property, as distinguished from the right of possession. [Obs.] Burvill.Drōll, a. p. 414Fitted to provoke laughter; ludicrous from oddity; queer; amusing; capable of amusing actions or sayings. Syn.—Comic; comical; farcical; diverting; arch; waggish; queer; odd; facetious; merry…Drōll, n. p. 414One whose occupation or practice is to raise mirth by odd tricks; a jester; a buffoon; an antic; a merry-andrew. Prior. 2. Something exhibited to raise mirth or sport, as a puppet, a farce, and the…Drōll, v. i. p. 414To jest; to play the buffoon. [R.] South.Drōll, v. t. p. 414To lead or influence by jest or trick; to cheat; to cajole. [Obs.] Men that will not be reasoned into their senses, may yet be laughed or drolled into them. L'Estrange.Drōll'er, n. p. 414A jester; a buffoon. [Obs.] Glanville.Drōll'er-y, n. p. 414The quality of being droll; that which makes sport; sportive tricks; buffoonery; amusing stories; fun; comicality. “The rich drollery of ‘She Stoops to Conquer.’” Macaulay. 2. Something which serves…Drōll'ing-ly, adv. p. 414In a jesting manner.Drōll'ish, a. p. 414Somewhat droll. Sterne.Drȯm'e-da-ry, n. p. 414(Zoöl.) A species of camel (C. dromedarius), called also the Arabian camel, having one bunch or protuberance on the back, in distinction from the Bactrian camel, which has two bunches.Drōm'ond, n. p. 415A light, fast-sailing vessel; also, a ship of war or of burden. [Obs.]Drōne, n. p. 415The male of the honey bee. It is smaller than the queen-bee, but larger than the working-bee. The drones make no honey, but, after living a few weeks, they are killed or driven from the hive. All…Drōne, v. i. p. 415To live in idleness; to do nothing. “Race of droning kings.” Dryden. 2. To give a low, heavy, dull sound. “Where the beetle wheels his droning flight.” Gray.Drōne'-bee, n. p. 415The male of the bee kind; drone.Drōne'-flȳ, n. p. 415A two-winged insect, resembling the drone-bee.Drōne'-pipe, n. p. 415The largest tube of a bag-pipe, or any thing resembling such a tube. “The drone-pipe of a bumble-bee.” Cowper.Drōn'go, n. p. 415(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Edolius, having an arched beak, and a long, forked tail. The drongos inhabit the deep forests of South Africa, living in small societies, and feeding chiefly upon…Drōn'ish, a. p. 415Like a drone; idle; sluggish; lazy; indolent; inactive; slow. Dronish, broken, ill recollection, is to be the destined character of all your future governors. Burke.Drōn’ish-ly, adv. p. 415In a dronish manner.Drōn'ish-ness, n. p. 415State of being dronish.Drōn’y, a. p. 415Like a drone; indolent; sluggish; lazy.Drōol, v. i. p. 415To drivel or drop saliva; as, the child drools. [Provincial in England, and a familiar nursery word in America.] [Written also dreul.]Drōop, v. i. p. 415To sink or hang down, as an animal, plant, &c., from physical inability or exhaustion, or want of nourishment, or the like. “The purple flowers droop.” Tennyson. Drooped as a wild-born falcon with…Drōop'er, n. p. 415One who, or that which, droops.Drōop'ing-ly, adv. p. 415In a drooping manner.Drōp, n. p. 415The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical mass; a liquid globule; hence, also, the smallest easily measured portion of a fluid; as, a drop of water. 2. That which resembles, or that…Drop serene p. 415(Med.). A disease of the eye, causing blindness by reason of an affection of the retina; amaurosis;—probably so called because, unlike the cataract, it produces no visible change in the organization…Drōp, v. t. p. 415To pour or let fall in drops; to pour in minute globules; to distill. The trees drop balsam, and on all the boughs Health sits, and makes it sovereign as it flows. Creech. 2. To cause to descend…Drōp, v. i. p. 415To distill; to fall in small portions, globules, or drops, as a liquid. The kindly dew drops from the higher tree, And wets the little plants that lowly dwell. Spenser. 2. To let drops fall; to…Drō'pax, n. p. 415(Med.) A preparation used for taking off the hair; a depilatory.Drōp'-hām'mer, n. p. 415See DROP-PRESS.