6 letter word starting with d

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Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
dabbed imp. & past participle of Dab
dabber noun That with which one dabs; hence, a pad or other device used by printers, engravers, etc., as for dabbing type or engraved plates with ink.
dabble verb t. To wet by little dips or strokes; to spatter; to sprinkle; to moisten; to wet., To play in water, as with the hands; to paddle or splash in mud or water., To work in slight or superficial manner; to do in a small way; to tamper; to meddle.
daboia noun A large and highly venomous Asiatic viper (Daboia xanthica).
dacapo From the beginning; a direction to return to, and end with, the first strain; — indicated by the letters D. C. Also, the strain so repeated.
dacian adjective Of or pertaining to Dacia or the Dacians., A native of ancient Dacia.
dacoit noun One of a class of robbers, in India, who act in gangs.
dactyl noun A poetical foot of three sylables (– ~ ~), one long followed by two short, or one accented followed by two unaccented; as, L. tegm/n/, E. merb6ciful; — so called from the similarity of its arrangement to that of the joints of a finger., A finger or toe; a digit., The claw or terminal joint of a leg of an insect or crustacean.
dadoes plural of Dado
daedal adjective Alt. of Daedalian
daemon adjective Alt. of Daemonic
dagger noun A short weapon used for stabbing. This is the general term: cf. Poniard, Stiletto, Bowie knife, Dirk, Misericorde, Anlace., A mark of reference in the form of a dagger [/]. It is the second in order when more than one reference occurs on a page; — called also obelisk., To pierce with a dagger; to stab., A timber placed diagonally in a ship’s frame.
dagges noun pl. An ornamental cutting of the edges of garments, introduced about a. d. 1346, according to the Chronicles of St Albans.
daggle verb t. To trail, so as to wet or befoul; to make wet and limp; to moisten., To run, go, or trail one’s self through water, mud, or slush; to draggle.
dagoba noun A dome-shaped structure built over relics of Buddha or some Buddhist saint.
dahlia noun A genus of plants native to Mexico and Central America, of the order Compositae; also, any plant or flower of the genus. The numerous varieties of cultivated dahlias bear conspicuous flowers which differ in color.
dahlin noun A variety of starch extracted from the dahlia; — called also inulin. See Inulin.
daimio noun The title of the feudal nobles of Japan.
dainty noun Value; estimation; the gratification or pleasure taken in anything., That which is delicious or delicate; a delicacy., A term of fondness., Rare; valuable; costly., Delicious to the palate; toothsome., Nice; delicate; elegant, in form, manner, or breeding; well-formed; neat; tender., Requiring dainties. Hence: Overnice; hard to please; fastidious; squeamish; scrupulous; ceremonious.
dakoit noun Alt. of Dakoity
dallop noun A tuft or clump.
dammed imp. & past participle of Dam
damage noun Injury or harm to person, property, or reputation; an inflicted loss of value; detriment; hurt; mischief., The estimated reparation in money for detriment or injury sustained; a compensation, recompense, or satisfaction to one party, for a wrong or injury actually done to him by another., To ocassion damage to the soudness, goodness, or value of; to hurt; to injure; to impair., To receive damage or harm; to be injured or impaired in soudness or value; as. some colors in /oth damage in sunlight.
damask noun Damask silk; silk woven with an elaborate pattern of flowers and the like., Linen so woven that a pattern in produced by the different directions of the thread, without contrast of color., A heavy woolen or worsted stuff with a pattern woven in the same way as the linen damask; — made for furniture covering and hangings., Damask or Damascus steel; also, the peculiar markings or “water” of such steel., A deep pink or rose color., Pertaining to, or originating at, the city of Damascus; resembling the products or manufactures of Damascus., Having the color of the damask rose., To decorate in a way peculiar to Damascus or attributed to Damascus; particularly: (a) with flowers and rich designs, as silk; (b) with inlaid lines of gold, etc., or with a peculiar marking or “water,” as metal. See Damaskeen.
dammar noun Alt. of Dammara
damned imp. & past participle of Damn, Sentenced to punishment in a future state; condemned; consigned to perdition., Hateful; detestable; abominable.
damnum noun Harm; detriment, either to character or property.
damped imp. & past participle of Damp
dampen verb t. To make damp or moist; to make slightly wet., To depress; to check; to make dull; to lessen., To become damp; to deaden.
damper noun That which damps or checks; as: (a) A valve or movable plate in the flue or other part of a stove, furnace, etc., used to check or regulate the draught of air. (b) A contrivance, as in a pianoforte, to deaden vibrations; or, as in other pieces of mechanism, to check some action at a particular time.
dampne verb t. To damn.
damsel noun A young person, either male or female, of noble or gentle extraction; as, Damsel Pepin; Damsel Richard, Prince of Wales., A young unmarried woman; a girl; a maiden., An attachment to a millstone spindle for shaking the hopper.
damson noun A small oval plum of a blue color, the fruit of a variety of the Prunus domestica; — called also damask plum.
danced imp. & past participle of Dance
dancer noun One who dances or who practices dancing.
dander noun Dandruff or scurf on the head., Anger or vexation; rage., To wander about; to saunter; to talk incoherently.
dandie noun One of a breed of small terriers; — called also Dandie Dinmont.
dandle verb t. To move up and down on one’s knee or in one’s arms, in affectionate play, as an infant., To treat with fondness, as if a child; to fondle; to toy with; to pet., To play with; to put off or delay by trifles; to wheedle.
danger noun Authority; jurisdiction; control., Power to harm; subjection or liability to penalty., Exposure to injury, loss, pain, or other evil; peril; risk; insecurity., Difficulty; sparingness., Coyness; disdainful behavior., To endanger.
dangle verb i. To hang loosely, or with a swinging or jerking motion., To cause to dangle; to swing, as something suspended loosely; as, to dangle the feet.
daniel noun A Hebrew prophet distinguished for sagacity and ripeness of judgment in youth; hence, a sagacious and upright judge.
danish adjective Belonging to the Danes, or to their language or country., The language of the Danes.
danite noun A descendant of Dan; an Israelite of the tribe of Dan., One of a secret association of Mormons, bound by an oath to obey the heads of the church in all things.
daphne noun A genus of diminutive Shrubs, mostly evergreen, and with fragrant blossoms., A nymph of Diana, fabled to have been changed into a laurel tree.
dapper adjective Little and active; spruce; trim; smart; neat in dress or appearance; lively.
dapple noun One of the spots on a dappled animal., Alt. of Dappled, To variegate with spots; to spot.
daring present participle & vb. noun of Dare, of Dare, Boldness; fearlessness; adventurousness; also, a daring act., Bold; fearless; adventurous; as, daring spirits.
dargue noun A day’s work; also, a fixed amount of work, whether more or less than that of a day.
darken adjective To make dark or black; to deprive of light; to obscure; as, a darkened room., To render dim; to deprive of vision., To cloud, obscure, or perplex; to render less clear or intelligible., To cast a gloom upon., To make foul; to sully; to tarnish., To grow or darker.
darkle verb i. To grow dark; to show indistinctly.
darkly adverb With imperfect light, clearness, or knowledge; obscurely; dimly; blindly; uncertainly., With a dark, gloomy, cruel, or menacing look.
darned imp. & past participle of Darn
darnel noun Any grass of the genus Lolium, esp. the Lolium temulentum (bearded darnel), the grains of which have been reputed poisonous. Other species, as Lolium perenne (rye grass or ray grass), and its variety L. Italicum (Italian rye grass), are highly esteemed for pasture and for making hay.
darner noun One who mends by darning.
darnex noun Alt. of Darnic
darnic noun Same as Dornick.
darted imp. & past participle of Dart
darter noun One who darts, or who throw darts; that which darts., The snakebird, a water bird of the genus Plotus; — so called because it darts out its long, snakelike neck at its prey. See Snakebird., A small fresh-water etheostomoid fish. The group includes numerous genera and species, all of them American. See Etheostomoid.
dartle verb t. & i. To pierce or shoot through; to dart repeatedly: — frequentative of dart.
dartos noun A thin layer of peculiar contractile tissue directly beneath the skin of the scrotum.
dasewe verb i. To become dim-sighted; to become dazed or dazzled.
dashed imp. & past participle of Dash
dasher noun That which dashes or agitates; as, the dasher of a churn., A dashboard or splashboard., One who makes an ostentatious parade.
datary noun An officer in the pope’s court, having charge of the Dataria., The office or employment of a datary.
dating present participle & vb. noun of Date
dative adjective Noting the case of a noun which expresses the remoter object, and is generally indicated in English by to or for with the objective., In one’s gift; capable of being disposed of at will and pleasure, as an office., Removable, as distinguished from perpetual; — said of an officer., Given by a magistrate, as distinguished from being cast upon a party by the law., The dative case. See Dative, a., 1.
datura noun A genus of solanaceous plants, with large funnel-shaped flowers and a four-celled, capsular fruit.
daubed imp. & past participle of Daub
dauber noun One who, or that which, daubs; especially, a coarse, unskillful painter., A pad or ball of rags, covered over with canvas, for inking plates; a dabber., A low and gross flatterer., The mud wasp; the mud dauber.
daubry noun A daubing; specious coloring; false pretenses.
davyne noun A variety of nephelite from Vesuvius.
davyum noun A rare metallic element found in platinum ore. It is a white malleable substance. Symbol Da. Atomic weight 154.
dawdle verb i. To waste time in trifling employment; to trifle; to saunter., To waste by trifling; as, to dawdle away a whole morning., A dawdler.
dawish adjective Like a daw.
dawned imp. & past participle of Dawn
dayaks noun pl. See Dyaks.
dayfly noun A neuropterous insect of the genus Ephemera and related genera, of many species, and inhabiting fresh water in the larval state; the ephemeral fly; — so called because it commonly lives but one day in the winged or adult state. See Ephemeral fly, under Ephemeral.
dazing present participle & vb. noun of Daze
dazzle verb t. To overpower with light; to confuse the sight of by brilliance of light., To bewilder or surprise with brilliancy or display of any kind., To be overpoweringly or intensely bright; to excite admiration by brilliancy., To be overpowered by light; to be confused by excess of brightness., A light of dazzling brilliancy.
deacon noun An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate to the minister and elders, and has charge of certain duties connected with the communion service and the care of the poor. In Congregational churches, he is subordinate to the pastor, and has duties as in the Presbyterian church., The chairman of an incorporated company., To read aloud each line of (a psalm or hymn) before singing it, — usually with off.
deaden adjective To make as dead; to impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation; to lessen the force or acuteness of; to blunt; as, to deaden the natural powers or feelings; to deaden a sound., To lessen the velocity or momentum of; to retard; as, to deaden a ship’s headway., To make vapid or spiritless; as, to deaden wine., To deprive of gloss or brilliancy; to obscure; as, to deaden gilding by a coat of size.
deadly adjective Capable of causing death; mortal; fatal; destructive; certain or likely to cause death; as, a deadly blow or wound., Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile; flagitious; as, deadly enemies., Subject to death; mortal., In a manner resembling, or as if produced by, death., In a manner to occasion death; mortally., In an implacable manner; destructively., Extremely.
deafen verb t. To make deaf; to deprive of the power of hearing; to render incapable of perceiving sounds distinctly., To render impervious to sound, as a partition or floor, by filling the space within with mortar, by lining with paper, etc.
deafly adverb Without sense of sounds; obscurely., Lonely; solitary.
dealer noun One who deals; one who has to do, or has concern, with others; esp., a trader, a trafficker, a shopkeeper, a broker, or a merchant; as, a dealer in dry goods; a dealer in stocks; a retail dealer., One who distributes cards to the players.
dealth noun Share dealt.
dearie noun Same as Deary.
dearly adverb In a dear manner; with affection; heartily; earnestly; as, to love one dearly., At a high rate or price; grievously., Exquisitely.
dearth noun Scarcity which renders dear; want; lack; specifically, lack of food on account of failure of crops; famine.
debarb verb t. To deprive of the beard.
debark verb t. & i. To go ashore from a ship or boat; to disembark; to put ashore.
debase adjective To reduce from a higher to a lower state or grade of worth, dignity, purity, station, etc.; to degrade; to lower; to deteriorate; to abase; as, to debase the character by crime; to debase the mind by frivolity; to debase style by vulgar words.
debate verb t. To engage in combat for; to strive for., To contend for in words or arguments; to strive to maintain by reasoning; to dispute; to contest; to discuss; to argue for and against., To engage in strife or combat; to fight., To contend in words; to dispute; hence, to deliberate; to consider; to discuss or examine different arguments in the mind; — often followed by on or upon., A fight or fighting; contest; strife., Contention in words or arguments; discussion for the purpose of elucidating truth or influencing action; strife in argument; controversy; as, the debates in Parliament or in Congress., Subject of discussion.
debile adjective Weak.
deblai noun The cavity from which the earth for parapets, etc. (remblai), is taken.
debosh verb t. To debauch.
debris noun Broken and detached fragments, taken collectively; especially, fragments detached from a rock or mountain, and piled up at the base., Rubbish, especially such as results from the destruction of anything; remains; ruins.
debted p. adjective Indebted; obliged to.
debtee noun One to whom a debt is due; creditor; — correlative to debtor.
debtor noun One who owes a debt; one who is indebted; — correlative to creditor.
decade noun A group or division of ten; esp., a period of ten years; a decennium; as, a decade of years or days; a decade of soldiers; the second decade of Livy.
decamp verb i. To break up a camp; to move away from a camping ground, usually by night or secretly., Hence, to depart suddenly; to run away; — generally used disparagingly.
decane noun A liquid hydrocarbon, C10H22, of the paraffin series, including several isomeric modifications.
decani adjective Used of the side of the choir on which the dean’s stall is placed; decanal; — correlative to cantoris; as, the decanal, or decani, side.
decant verb t. To pour off gently, as liquor, so as not to disturb the sediment; or to pour from one vessel into another; as, to decant wine.
decard verb t. To discard.
decede noun To withdraw.
deceit noun An attempt or disposition to deceive or lead into error; any declaration, artifice, or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud., Any trick, collusion, contrivance, false representation, or underhand practice, used to defraud another. When injury is thereby effected, an action of deceit, as it called, lies for compensation.
decene noun One of the higher hydrocarbons, C10H20, of the ethylene series.
decent adjective Suitable in words, behavior, dress, or ceremony; becoming; fit; decorous; proper; seemly; as, decent conduct; decent language., Free from immodesty or obscenity; modest., Comely; shapely; well-formed., Moderate, but competent; sufficient; hence, respectable; fairly good; reasonably comfortable or satisfying; as, a decent fortune; a decent person.
decern verb t. To perceive, discern, or decide., To decree; to adjudge.
decerp verb t. To pluck off; to crop; to gather.
decide verb t. To cut off; to separate., To bring to a termination, as a question, controversy, struggle, by giving the victory to one side or party; to render judgment concerning; to determine; to settle., To determine; to form a definite opinion; to come to a conclusion; to give decision; as, the court decided in favor of the defendant.
decile noun An aspect or position of two planets, when they are distant from each other a tenth part of the zodiac, or 36ยก.
decime noun A French coin, the tenth part of a franc, equal to about two cents.
decine noun One of the higher hydrocarbons, C10H15, of the acetylene series; — called also decenylene.
decked imp. & past participle of Deck
deckel noun Same as Deckle.
decker noun One who, or that which, decks or adorns; a coverer; as, a table decker., A vessel which has a deck or decks; — used esp. in composition; as, a single-decker; a three-decker.
deckle noun A separate thin wooden frame used to form the border of a hand mold, or a curb of India rubber or other material which rests on, and forms the edge of, the mold in a paper machine and determines the width of the paper.
decoct verb t. To prepare by boiling; to digest in hot or boiling water; to extract the strength or flavor of by boiling; to make an infusion of., To prepare by the heat of the stomach for assimilation; to digest; to concoct., To warm, strengthen, or invigorate, as if by boiling.
decore verb t. To decorate; to beautify.
decree noun An order from one having authority, deciding what is to be done by a subordinate; also, a determination by one having power, deciding what is to be done or to take place; edict, law; authoritative ru// decision., A decision, order, or sentence, given in a cause by a court of equity or admiralty., A determination or judgment of an umpire on a case submitted to him., An edict or law made by a council for regulating any business within their jurisdiction; as, the decrees of ecclesiastical councils., To determine judicially by authority, or by decree; to constitute by edict; to appoint by decree or law; to determine; to order; to ordain; as, a court decrees a restoration of property., To ordain by fate., To make decrees; — used absolutely.
decrew verb i. To decrease.
decurt verb t. To cut short; to curtail.
decury noun A set or squad of ten men under a decurion.
dedans noun A division, at one end of a tennis court, for spectators.
deduce verb t. To lead forth., To take away; to deduct; to subtract; as, to deduce a part from the whole., To derive or draw; to derive by logical process; to obtain or arrive at as the result of reasoning; to gather, as a truth or opinion, from what precedes or from premises; to infer; — with from or out of.
deduct verb t. To lead forth or out., To take away, separate, or remove, in numbering, estimating, or calculating; to subtract; — often with from or out of., To reduce; to diminish.
deduit noun Delight; pleasure.
deemed imp. & past participle of Deem
deepen verb t. To make deep or deeper; to increase the depth of; to sink lower; as, to deepen a well or a channel., To make darker or more intense; to darken; as, the event deepened the prevailing gloom., To make more poignant or affecting; to increase in degree; as, to deepen grief or sorrow., To make more grave or low in tone; as, to deepen the tones of an organ., To become deeper; as, the water deepens at every cast of the lead; the plot deepens.
deeply adverb At or to a great depth; far below the surface; as, to sink deeply., Profoundly; thoroughly; not superficially; in a high degree; intensely; as, deeply skilled in ethics., Very; with a tendency to darkness of color., Gravely; with low or deep tone; as, a deeply toned instrument., With profound skill; with art or intricacy; as, a deeply laid plot or intrigue.
deesis noun An invocation of, or address to, the Supreme Being.
deface verb t. To destroy or mar the face or external appearance of; to disfigure; to injure, spoil, or mar, by effacing or obliterating important features or portions of; as, to deface a monument; to deface an edifice; to deface writing; to deface a note, deed, or bond; to deface a record., To destroy; to make null.
defail verb t. To cause to fail.
defalk verb t. To lop off; to abate.
defame verb t. To harm or destroy the good fame or reputation of; to disgrace; especially, to speak evil of maliciously; to dishonor by slanderous reports; to calumniate; to asperse., To render infamous; to bring into disrepute., To charge; to accuse., Dishonor.
defeat verb t. To undo; to disfigure; to destroy., To render null and void, as a title; to frustrate, as hope; to deprive, as of an estate., To overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse, or ruin by victory; to overthrow., To resist with success; as, to defeat an assault., An undoing or annulling; destruction., Frustration by rendering null and void, or by prevention of success; as, the defeat of a plan or design., An overthrow, as of an army in battle; loss of a battle; repulse suffered; discomfiture; — opposed to victory.
defect noun Want or absence of something necessary for completeness or perfection; deficiency; — opposed to superfluity., Failing; fault; imperfection, whether physical or moral; blemish; as, a defect in the ear or eye; a defect in timber or iron; a defect of memory or judgment., To fail; to become deficient., To injure; to damage.
defend verb t. To ward or fend off; to drive back or away; to repel., To prohibit; to forbid., To repel danger or harm from; to protect; to secure against; attack; to maintain against force or argument; to uphold; to guard; as, to defend a town; to defend a cause; to defend character; to defend the absent; — sometimes followed by from or against; as, to defend one’s self from, or against, one’s enemies., To deny the right of the plaintiff in regard to (the suit, or the wrong charged); to oppose or resist, as a claim at law; to contest, as a suit.
defier noun One who dares and defies; a contemner; as, a defier of the laws.
defile verb i. To march off in a line, file by file; to file off., Same as Defilade., Any narrow passage or gorge in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass between hills, rocks, etc., The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade., To make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute., To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint., To injure in purity of character; to corrupt., To corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate., To make ceremonially unclean; to pollute.
define verb t. To fix the bounds of; to bring to a termination; to end., To determine or clearly exhibit the boundaries of; to mark the limits of; as, to define the extent of a kingdom or country., To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly; as, the defining power of an optical instrument., To determine the precise signification of; to fix the meaning of; to describe accurately; to explain; to expound or interpret; as, to define a word, a phrase, or a scientific term., To determine; to decide.
deflow verb i. To flow down.
deflux noun Downward flow.
deform verb t. To spoil the form of; to mar in form; to misshape; to disfigure., To render displeasing; to deprive of comeliness, grace, or perfection; to dishonor., Deformed; misshapen; shapeless; horrid.
defoul verb t. To tread down., To make foul; to defile.
defray verb t. To pay or discharge; to serve in payment of; to provide for, as a charge, debt, expenses, costs, etc., To avert or appease, as by paying off; to satisfy; as, to defray wrath.
deftly adverb Aptly; fitly; dexterously; neatly.
defuse verb t. To disorder; to make shapeless.
defied imp. & past participle of Defy
degree noun A step, stair, or staircase., One of a series of progressive steps upward or downward, in quality, rank, acquirement, and the like; a stage in progression; grade; gradation; as, degrees of vice and virtue; to advance by slow degrees; degree of comparison., The point or step of progression to which a person has arrived; rank or station in life; position., Measure of advancement; quality; extent; as, tastes differ in kind as well as in degree., Grade or rank to which scholars are admitted by a college or university, in recognition of their attainments; as, the degree of bachelor of arts, master, doctor, etc., A certain distance or remove in the line of descent, determining the proximity of blood; one remove in the chain of relationship; as, a relation in the third or fourth degree., Three figures taken together in numeration; thus, 140 is one degree, 222,140 two degrees., State as indicated by sum of exponents; more particularly, the degree of a term is indicated by the sum of the exponents of its literal factors; thus, a2b3c is a term of the sixth degree. The degree of a power, or radical, is denoted by its index, that of an equation by the greatest sum of the exponents of the unknown quantities in any term; thus, ax4 + bx2 = c, and mx2y2 + nyx = p, are both equations of the fourth degree., A 360th part of the circumference of a circle, which part is taken as the principal unit of measure for arcs and angles. The degree is divided into 60 minutes and the minute into 60 seconds., A division, space, or interval, marked on a mathematical or other instrument, as on a thermometer., A line or space of the staff.
degust verb t. To taste.
dehorn verb t. To deprive of horns; to prevent the growth of the horns of (cattle) by burning their ends soon after they start. See Dishorn.
dehors preposition Out of; without; foreign to; out of the agreement, record, will, or other instrument., All sorts of outworks in general, at a distance from the main works; any advanced works for protection or cover.
dehort verb t. To urge to abstain or refrain; to dissuade.
dehusk verb t. To remove the husk from.
deific adjective Alt. of Deifical
deject verb t. To cast down., To cast down the spirits of; to dispirit; to discourage; to dishearten., Dejected.
delate verb To carry; to convey., To carry abroad; to spread; to make public., To carry or bring against, as a charge; to inform against; to accuse; to denounce., To carry on; to conduct., To dilate.
delays plural of Delay
delete verb t. To blot out; to erase; to expunge; to dele; to omit.
delict noun An offense or transgression against law; (Scots Law) an offense of a lesser degree; a misdemeanor.
deline verb t. To delineate., To mark out.
deloul noun A special breed of the dromedary used for rapid traveling; the swift camel; — called also herire, and maharik.
deltas plural of Delta
deltic adjective Deltaic.
delude verb t. To lead from truth or into error; to mislead the mind or judgment of; to beguile; to impose on; to dupe; to make a fool of., To frustrate or disappoint.
deluge noun A washing away; an overflowing of the land by water; an inundation; a flood; specifically, The Deluge, the great flood in the days of Noah (Gen. vii.)., Fig.: Anything which overwhelms, or causes great destruction., To overflow with water; to inundate; to overwhelm., To overwhelm, as with a deluge; to cover; to overspread; to overpower; to submerge; to destroy; as, the northern nations deluged the Roman empire with their armies; the land is deluged with woe.
delved imp. & past participle of Delve
delver noun One who digs, as with a spade.
demain noun Rule; management., See Demesne.
demand verb t. To ask or call for with authority; to claim or seek from, as by authority or right; to claim, as something due; to call for urgently or peremptorily; as, to demand a debt; to demand obedience., To inquire authoritatively or earnestly; to ask, esp. in a peremptory manner; to question., To require as necessary or useful; to be in urgent need of; hence, to call for; as, the case demands care., To call into court; to summon., To make a demand; to inquire., The act of demanding; an asking with authority; a peremptory urging of a claim; a claiming or challenging as due; requisition; as, the demand of a creditor; a note payable on demand., Earnest inquiry; question; query., A diligent seeking or search; manifested want; desire to possess; request; as, a demand for certain goods; a person’s company is in great demand., That which one demands or has a right to demand; thing claimed as due; claim; as, demands on an estate., The asking or seeking for what is due or claimed as due., The right or title in virtue of which anything may be claimed; as, to hold a demand against a person., A thing or amount claimed to be due.
demean verb t. To manage; to conduct; to treat., To conduct; to behave; to comport; — followed by the reflexive pronoun., To debase; to lower; to degrade; — followed by the reflexive pronoun., Management; treatment., Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor., Demesne., Resources; means.
dement verb t. To deprive of reason; to make mad., Demented; dementate.
demise noun Transmission by formal act or conveyance to an heir or successor; transference; especially, the transfer or transmission of the crown or royal authority to a successor., The decease of a royal or princely person; hence, also, the death of any illustrious person., The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter., To transfer or transmit by succession or inheritance; to grant or bestow by will; to bequeath., To convey; to give., To convey, as an estate, by lease; to lease.
demiss adjective Cast down; humble; submissive.
dempne verb t. To damn; to condemn.
demure adjective Of sober or serious mien; composed and decorous in bearing; of modest look; staid; grave., Affectedly modest, decorous, or serious; making a show of gravity., To look demurely.
demies plural of Demy
denary adjective Containing ten; tenfold; proceeding by tens; as, the denary, or decimal, scale., The number ten; a division into ten., A coin; the Anglicized form of denarius.
dengue noun A specific epidemic disease attended with high fever, cutaneous eruption, and severe pains in the head and limbs, resembling those of rheumatism; — called also breakbone fever. It occurs in India, Egypt, the West Indies, etc., is of short duration, and rarely fatal.
denial noun The act of gainsaying, refusing, or disowning; negation; — the contrary of affirmation., A refusal to admit the truth of a statement, charge, imputation, etc.; assertion of the untruth of a thing stated or maintained; a contradiction., A refusal to grant; rejection of a request., A refusal to acknowledge; disclaimer of connection with; disavowal; — the contrary of confession; as, the denial of a fault charged on one; a denial of God.
denier noun One who denies; as, a denier of a fact, or of the faith, or of Christ., A small copper coin of insignificant value.
denize verb t. To make a denizen; to confer the rights of citizenship upon; to naturalize.
dennet noun A light, open, two-wheeled carriage for one horse; a kind of gig.
denote verb t. To mark out plainly; to signify by a visible sign; to serve as the sign or name of; to indicate; to point out; as, the hands of the clock denote the hour., To be the sign of; to betoken; to signify; to mean.
dented imp. & past participle of Dent, Indented; impressed with little hollows.
dental adjective Of or pertaining to the teeth or to dentistry; as, dental surgery., Formed by the aid of the teeth; — said of certain articulations and the letters representing them; as, d t are dental letters., An articulation or letter formed by the aid of the teeth., A marine mollusk of the genus Dentalium, with a curved conical shell resembling a tooth. See Dentalium.
dentel noun Same as Dentil.
dentex noun An edible European marine fish (Sparus dentex, or Dentex vulgaris) of the family Percidae.
dentil noun A small square block or projection in cornices, a number of which are ranged in an ornamental band; — used particularly in the Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite orders.
denude verb t. To divest of all covering; to make bare or naked; to strip; to divest; as, to denude one of clothing, or lands.
denied imp. & past participle of Deny
deodar noun A kind of cedar (Cedrus Deodara), growing in India, highly valued for its size and beauty as well as for its timber, and also grown in England as an ornamental tree.
depart verb i. To part; to divide; to separate., To go forth or away; to quit, leave, or separate, as from a place or a person; to withdraw; — opposed to arrive; — often with from before the place, person, or thing left, and for or to before the destination., To forsake; to abandon; to desist or deviate (from); not to adhere to; — with from; as, we can not depart from our rules; to depart from a title or defense in legal pleading., To pass away; to perish., To quit this world; to die., To part thoroughly; to dispart; to divide; to separate., To divide in order to share; to apportion., To leave; to depart from., Division; separation, as of compound substances into their ingredients., A going away; departure; hence, death.
depend verb i. To hang down; to be sustained by being fastened or attached to something above., To hang in suspense; to be pending; to be undetermined or undecided; as, a cause depending in court., To rely for support; to be conditioned or contingent; to be connected with anything, as a cause of existence, or as a necessary condition; — followed by on or upon, formerly by of., To trust; to rest with confidence; to rely; to confide; to be certain; — with on or upon; as, we depend on the word or assurance of our friends; we depend on the mail at the usual hour., To serve; to attend; to act as a dependent or retainer., To impend.
depict past participle Depicted., Depicted., To form a colored likeness of; to represent by a picture; to paint; to portray., To represent in words; to describe vividly.
deploy verb t. & i. To open out; to unfold; to spread out (a body of troops) in such a way that they shall display a wider front and less depth; — the reverse of ploy; as, to deploy a column of troops into line of battle., Alt. of Deployment
depone verb t. To lay, as a stake; to wager., To lay down., To assert under oath; to depose., To testify under oath; to depose; to bear witness.
deport verb t. To transport; to carry away; to exile; to send into banishment., To carry or demean; to conduct; to behave; — followed by the reflexive pronoun., Behavior; carriage; demeanor; deportment.
depose verb t. To lay down; to divest one’s self of; to lay aside., To let fall; to deposit., To remove from a throne or other high station; to dethrone; to divest or deprive of office., To testify under oath; to bear testimony to; — now usually said of bearing testimony which is officially written down for future use., To put under oath., To bear witness; to testify under oath; to make deposition.
depper adjective Deeper.
depure verb t. To depurate; to purify.
depute verb t. To appoint as deputy or agent; to commission to act in one’s place; to delegate., To appoint; to assign; to choose., A person deputed; a deputy.
deputy noun One appointed as the substitute of another, and empowered to act for him, in his name or his behalf; a substitute in office; a lieutenant; a representative; a delegate; a vicegerent; as, the deputy of a prince, of a sheriff, of a township, etc., A member of the Chamber of Deputies.
derain verb t. To prove or to refute by proof; to clear (one’s self).
derail verb t. To cause to run off from the rails of a railroad, as a locomotive.
derbio noun A large European food fish (Lichia glauca).
deride verb t. To laugh at with contempt; to laugh to scorn; to turn to ridicule or make sport of; to mock; to scoff at.
derive verb t. To turn the course of, as water; to divert and distribute into subordinate channels; to diffuse; to communicate; to transmit; — followed by to, into, on, upon., To receive, as from a source or origin; to obtain by descent or by transmission; to draw; to deduce; — followed by from., To trace the origin, descent, or derivation of; to recognize transmission of; as, he derives this word from the Anglo-Saxon., To obtain one substance from another by actual or theoretical substitution; as, to derive an organic acid from its corresponding hydrocarbon., To flow; to have origin; to descend; to proceed; to be deduced.
dermal adjective Pertaining to the integument or skin of animals; dermic; as, the dermal secretions., Pertaining to the dermis or true skin.
dermic adjective Relating to the derm or skin., Pertaining to the dermis; dermal.
dermis noun The deep sensitive layer of the skin beneath the scarfskin or epidermis; — called also true skin, derm, derma, corium, cutis, and enderon. See Skin, and Illust. in Appendix.
dernly adverb Secretly; grievously; mournfully.
dervis noun A Turkish or Persian monk, especially one who professes extreme poverty and leads an austere life.
descry verb t. To spy out or discover by the eye, as objects distant or obscure; to espy; to recognize; to discern; to discover., To discover; to disclose; to reveal., Discovery or view, as of an army seen at a distance.
desert noun That which is deserved; the reward or the punishment justly due; claim to recompense, usually in a good sense; right to reward; merit., A deserted or forsaken region; a barren tract incapable of supporting population, as the vast sand plains of Asia and Africa are destitute and vegetation., A tract, which may be capable of sustaining a population, but has been left unoccupied and uncultivated; a wilderness; a solitary place., Of or pertaining to a desert; forsaken; without life or cultivation; unproductive; waste; barren; wild; desolate; solitary; as, they landed on a desert island., To leave (especially something which one should stay by and support); to leave in the lurch; to abandon; to forsake; — implying blame, except sometimes when used of localities; as, to desert a friend, a principle, a cause, one’s country., To abandon (the service) without leave; to forsake in violation of duty; to abscond from; as, to desert the army; to desert one’s colors., To abandon a service without leave; to quit military service without permission, before the expiration of one’s term; to abscond.
design noun To draw preliminary outline or main features of; to sketch for a pattern or model; to delineate; to trace out; to draw., To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint., To create or produce, as a work of art; to form a plan or scheme of; to form in idea; to invent; to project; to lay out in the mind; as, a man designs an essay, a poem, a statue, or a cathedral., To intend or purpose; — usually with for before the remote object, but sometimes with to., To form a design or designs; to plan., A preliminary sketch; an outline or pattern of the main features of something to be executed, as of a picture, a building, or a decoration; a delineation; a plan., A plan or scheme formed in the mind of something to be done; preliminary conception; idea intended to be expressed in a visible form or carried into action; intention; purpose; — often used in a bad sense for evil intention or purpose; scheme; plot., Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design., The realization of an inventive or decorative plan; esp., a work of decorative art considered as a new creation; conception or plan shown in completed work; as, this carved panel is a fine design, or of a fine design., The invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole.
desire verb t. To long for; to wish for earnestly; to covet., To express a wish for; to entreat; to request., To require; to demand; to claim., To miss; to regret., The natural longing that is excited by the enjoyment or the thought of any good, and impels to action or effort its continuance or possession; an eager wish to obtain or enjoy., An expressed wish; a request; petition., Anything which is desired; an object of longing., Excessive or morbid longing; lust; appetite., Grief; regret.
desist verb i. To cease to proceed or act; to stop; to forbear; — often with from.
desked imp. & past participle of Desk
desman noun An amphibious, insectivorous mammal found in Russia (Myogale moschata). It is allied to the moles, but is called muskrat by some English writers.
desmid noun Alt. of Desmidian
despot noun A master; a lord; especially, an absolute or irresponsible ruler or sovereign., One who rules regardless of a constitution or laws; a tyrant.
destin noun Destiny.
desume verb t. To select; to borrow.
detach verb t. To part; to separate or disunite; to disengage; — the opposite of attach; as, to detach the coats of a bulbous root from each other; to detach a man from a leader or from a party., To separate for a special object or use; — used especially in military language; as, to detach a ship from a fleet, or a company from a regiment., To push asunder; to come off or separate from anything; to disengage.
detail noun A minute portion; one of the small parts; a particular; an item; — used chiefly in the plural; as, the details of a scheme or transaction., A narrative which relates minute points; an account which dwells on particulars., The selection for a particular service of a person or a body of men; hence, the person or the body of men so selected., To relate in particulars; to particularize; to report minutely and distinctly; to enumerate; to specify; as, he detailed all the facts in due order., To tell off or appoint for a particular service, as an officer, a troop, or a squadron.
detain verb t. To keep back or from; to withhold., To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay; as, we were detained by an accident., To hold or keep in custody., Detention.
detect adjective Detected., To uncover; to discover; to find out; to bring to light; as, to detect a crime or a criminal; to detect a mistake in an account., To inform against; to accuse.
detent noun That which locks or unlocks a movement; a catch, pawl, or dog; especially, in clockwork, the catch which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking.
detest verb t. To witness against; to denounce; to condemn., To hate intensely; to abhor; to abominate; to loathe; as, we detest what is contemptible or evil.
detort verb t. To turn form the original or plain meaning; to pervert; to wrest.
detour noun A turning; a circuitous route; a deviation from a direct course; as, the detours of the Mississippi.
deturb verb t. To throw down.
deturn verb t. To turn away.
deuced adjective Devilish; excessive; extreme.
deused adjective See Deuce, Deuced.
deuto- Alt. of Deut-
devast verb t. To devastate.
devata noun A deity; a divine being; a good spirit; an idol.
devest verb t. To divest; to undress., To take away, as an authority, title, etc., to deprive; to alienate, as an estate., To be taken away, lost, or alienated, as a title or an estate.
device noun That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice., Power of devising; invention; contrivance., An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance., Improperly, an heraldic bearing., Anything fancifully conceived., A spectacle or show., Opinion; decision.
devise verb t. To form in the mind by new combinations of ideas, new applications of principles, or new arrangement of parts; to formulate by thought; to contrive; to excogitate; to invent; to plan; to scheme; as, to devise an engine, a new mode of writing, a plan of defense, or an argument., To plan or scheme for; to purpose to obtain., To say; to relate; to describe., To imagine; to guess., To give by will; — used of real estate; formerly, also, of chattels., To form a scheme; to lay a plan; to contrive; to consider., The act of giving or disposing of real estate by will; — sometimes improperly applied to a bequest of personal estate., A will or testament, conveying real estate; the clause of a will making a gift of real property., Property devised, or given by will., Device. See Device.
devoid verb t. To empty out; to remove., Void; empty; vacant., Destitute; not in possession; — with of; as, devoid of sense; devoid of pity or of pride.
devoir noun Duty; service owed; hence, due act of civility or respect; — now usually in the plural; as, they paid their devoirs to the ladies.
devote verb t. To appropriate by vow; to set apart or dedicate by a solemn act; to consecrate; also, to consign over; to doom; to evil; to devote one to destruction; the city was devoted to the flames., To execrate; to curse., To give up wholly; to addict; to direct the attention of wholly or compound; to attach; — often with a reflexive pronoun; as, to devote one’s self to science, to one’s friends, to piety, etc., Devoted; addicted; devout., A devotee.
devoto noun A devotee.
devour verb t. To eat up with greediness; to consume ravenously; to feast upon like a wild beast or a glutton; to prey upon., To seize upon and destroy or appropriate greedily, selfishly, or wantonly; to consume; to swallow up; to use up; to waste; to annihilate., To enjoy with avidity; to appropriate or take in eagerly by the senses.
devout verb t. Devoted to religion or to religious feelings and duties; absorbed in religious exercises; given to devotion; pious; reverent; religious., Expressing devotion or piety; as, eyes devout; sighs devout; a devout posture., Warmly devoted; hearty; sincere; earnest; as, devout wishes for one’s welfare., A devotee., A devotional composition, or part of a composition; devotion.
devove verb t. To devote.
dewing present participle & vb. noun of Dew
dewlap noun The pendulous skin under the neck of an ox, which laps or licks the dew in grazing., The flesh upon the human throat, especially when with age.
dewret verb t. To ret or rot by the process called dewretting.
dewrot verb t. To rot, as flax or hemp, by exposure to rain, dew, and sun. See Dewretting.
dexter adjective Pertaining to, or situated on, the right hand; right, as opposed to sinister, or left., On the right-hand side of a shield, i. e., towards the right hand of its wearer. To a spectator in front, as in a pictorial representation, this would be the left side.
deynte noun & adjective Alt. of Deyntee
dhurra noun Indian millet. See Durra.
diacid adjective Divalent; — said of a base or radical as capable of saturating two acid monad radicals or a dibasic acid. Cf. Dibasic, a., and Biacid.
diadem noun Originally, an ornamental head band or fillet, worn by Eastern monarchs as a badge of royalty; hence (later), also, a crown, in general., Regal power; sovereignty; empire; — considered as symbolized by the crown., An arch rising from the rim of a crown (rarely also of a coronet), and uniting with others over its center., To adorn with a diadem; to crown.
dialed imp. & past participle of Dial
diaper noun Any textile fabric (esp. linen or cotton toweling) woven in diaper pattern. See 2., Surface decoration of any sort which consists of the constant repetition of one or more simple figures or units of design evenly spaced., A towel or napkin for wiping the hands, etc., An infant’s breechcloth., To ornament with figures, etc., arranged in the pattern called diaper, as cloth in weaving., To put a diaper on (a child)., To draw flowers or figures, as upon cloth.
diatom noun One of the Diatomaceae, a family of minute unicellular Algae having a siliceous covering of great delicacy, each individual multiplying by spontaneous division. By some authors diatoms are called Bacillariae, but this word is not in general use., A particle or atom endowed with the vital principle.
diazo- A combining form (also used adjectively), meaning pertaining to, or derived from, a series of compounds containing a radical of two nitrogen atoms, united usually to an aromatic radical; as, diazo-benzene, C6H5.N2.OH.
dibber noun A dibble.
dibble verb i. A pointed implement used to make holes in the ground in which no set out plants or to plant seeds., To dib or dip frequently, as in angling., To plant with a dibble; to make holes in (soil) with a dibble, for planting., To make holes or indentations in, as if with a dibble.
dicast noun A functionary in ancient Athens answering nearly to the modern juryman.
dicing present participle & vb. noun of Dice, An ornamenting in squares or cubes., Gambling with dice.
dicker noun The number or quantity of ten, particularly ten hides or skins; a dakir; as, a dicker of gloves., A chaffering, barter, or exchange, of small wares; as, to make a dicker., To negotiate a dicker; to barter.
dickey noun Alt. of Dicky
dictum noun An authoritative statement; a dogmatic saying; an apothegm., A judicial opinion expressed by judges on points that do not necessarily arise in the case, and are not involved in it., The report of a judgment made by one of the judges who has given it., An arbitrament or award.
diddle verb i. To totter, as a child in walking., To cheat or overreach.
didine adjective Like or pertaining to the genus Didus, or the dodo.
dieses plural of Diesis
diesis noun A small interval, less than any in actual practice, but used in the mathematical calculation of intervals., The mark /; — called also double dagger.
dieted imp. & past participle of Diet
dieter noun One who diets; one who prescribes, or who partakes of, food, according to hygienic rules.
dietic adjective Dietetic.
differ verb i. To be or stand apart; to disagree; to be unlike; to be distinguished; — with from., To be of unlike or opposite opinion; to disagree in sentiment; — often with from or with., To have a difference, cause of variance, or quarrel; to dispute; to contend., To cause to be different or unlike; to set at variance.
digged of Dig
digamy noun Act, or state, of being twice married; deuterogamy.
digest verb t. To distribute or arrange methodically; to work over and classify; to reduce to portions for ready use or application; as, to digest the laws, etc., To separate (the food) in its passage through the alimentary canal into the nutritive and nonnutritive elements; to prepare, by the action of the digestive juices, for conversion into blood; to convert into chyme., To think over and arrange methodically in the mind; to reduce to a plan or method; to receive in the mind and consider carefully; to get an understanding of; to comprehend., To appropriate for strengthening and comfort., Hence: To bear comfortably or patiently; to be reconciled to; to brook., To soften by heat and moisture; to expose to a gentle heat in a boiler or matrass, as a preparation for chemical operations., To dispose to suppurate, or generate healthy pus, as an ulcer or wound., To ripen; to mature., To quiet or abate, as anger or grief., To undergo digestion; as, food digests well or ill., To suppurate; to generate pus, as an ulcer., That which is digested; especially, that which is worked over, classified, and arranged under proper heads or titles, A compilation of statutes or decisions analytically arranged. The term is applied in a general sense to the Pandects of Justinian (see Pandect), but is also specially given by authors to compilations of laws on particular topics; a summary of laws; as, Comyn’s Digest; the United States Digest.
digger noun One who, or that which, digs.
digram noun A digraph.
diiamb noun A diiambus.
diking present participle & vb. noun of Dike
dilate verb t. To 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., To enlarge upon; to relate at large; to tell copiously or diffusely., To grow wide; to expand; to swell or extend in all directions., To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge; — with on or upon., Extensive; expanded.
dilogy noun An ambiguous speech; a figure in which a word is used an equivocal sense.
dilute verb t. To make thinner or more liquid by admixture with something; to thin and dissolve by mixing., To diminish the strength, flavor, color, etc., of, by mixing; to reduce, especially by the addition of water; to temper; to attenuate; to weaken., To become attenuated, thin, or weak; as, it dilutes easily., Diluted; thin; weak.
dimmed imp. & past participle of Dim
dimble noun A bower; a dingle.
dimera noun pl. A division of Coleoptera, having two joints to the tarsi., A division of the Hemiptera, including the aphids.
dimish adjective See Dimmish.
dimity noun A cotton fabric employed for hangings and furniture coverings, and formerly used for women’s under-garments. It is of many patterns, both plain and twilled, and occasionally is printed in colors.
dimple noun A slight natural depression or indentation on the surface of some part of the body, esp. on the cheek or chin., A slight indentation on any surface., To form dimples; to sink into depressions or little inequalities., To mark with dimples or dimplelike depressions.
dimply adjective Full of dimples, or small depressions; dimpled; as, the dimply pool.
dinned imp. & past participle of Din
dining present participle & vb. noun of Dine, from Dine, a.
dinged imp. & past participle of Ding
dingey noun Alt. of Dinghy
dinghy noun A kind of boat used in the East Indies., A ship’s smallest boat.
dingle noun A narrow dale; a small dell; a small, secluded, and embowered valley.
dinner noun The principal meal of the day, eaten by most people about midday, but by many (especially in cities) at a later hour., An entertainment; a feast.
dinted imp. & past participle of Dint
diodon noun A genus of spinose, plectognath fishes, having the teeth of each jaw united into a single beaklike plate. They are able to inflate the body by taking in air or water, and, hence, are called globefishes, swellfishes, etc. Called also porcupine fishes, and sea hedgehogs., A genus of whales.
dipped imp. & past participle of Dip
diploe noun The soft, spongy, or cancellated substance between the plates of the skull.
dipnoi noun pl. A group of ganoid fishes, including the living genera Ceratodus and Lepidosiren, which present the closest approximation to the Amphibia. The air bladder acts as a lung, and the nostrils open inside the mouth. See Ceratodus, and Illustration in Appendix.
dipody noun Two metrical feet taken together, or included in one measure.
dipper noun One who, or that which, dips; especially, a vessel used to dip water or other liquid; a ladle., A small grebe; the dabchick., The buffel duck., The water ouzel (Cinolus aquaticus) of Europe., The American dipper or ouzel (Cinclus Mexicanus).
dipsas noun A serpent whose bite was fabled to produce intense thirst., A genus of harmless colubrine snakes.
dipyre noun A mineral of the scapolite group; — so called from the double effect of fire upon it, in fusing it, and rendering it phosphorescent.
direct adjective Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end; as, a direct line; direct means., Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken., Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous., In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line., In the direction of the general planetary motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; — said of the motion of a celestial body., To arrange in a direct or straight line, as against a mark, or towards a goal; to point; to aim; as, to direct an arrow or a piece of ordnance., To point out or show to (any one), as the direct or right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way; as, he directed me to the left-hand road., To determine the direction or course of; to cause to go on in a particular manner; to order in the way to a certain end; to regulate; to govern; as, to direct the affairs of a nation or the movements of an army., To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order; as, he directed them to go., To put a direction or address upon; to mark with the name and residence of the person to whom anything is sent; to superscribe; as, to direct a letter., To give direction; to point out a course; to act as guide., A character, thus [/], placed at the end of a staff on the line or space of the first note of the next staff, to apprise the performer of its situation.
direly adverb In a dire manner.
dirige noun A service for the dead, in the Roman Catholic Church, being the first antiphon of Matins for the dead, of which Dirige is the first word; a dirge.
dirked imp. & past participle of Dirk
disard noun See Dizzard.
disarm verb t. To deprive of arms; to take away the weapons of; to deprive of the means of attack or defense; to render defenseless., To deprive of the means or the disposition to harm; to render harmless or innocuous; as, to disarm a man’s wrath.
disbar verb t. To expel from the bar, or the legal profession; to deprive (an attorney, barrister, or counselor) of his status and privileges as such.
disbud verb To deprive of buds or shoots, as for training, or economizing the vital strength of a tree.
discal adjective Pertaining to, or resembling, a disk; as, discal cells.
discus noun A quoit; a circular plate of some heavy material intended to be pitched or hurled as a trial of strength and skill., The exercise with the discus., A disk. See Disk.
disert adjective Eloquent.
dished imp. & past participle of Dish
dismal adjective Fatal; ill-omened; unlucky., Gloomy to the eye or ear; sorrowful and depressing to the feelings; foreboding; cheerless; dull; dreary; as, a dismal outlook; dismal stories; a dismal place.
disman verb t. To unman.
dismaw verb t. To eject from the maw; to disgorge.
dismay verb i. To disable with alarm or apprehensions; to depress the spirits or courage of; to deprive or firmness and energy through fear; to daunt; to appall; to terrify., To render lifeless; to subdue; to disquiet., To take dismay or fright; to be filled with dismay., Loss of courage and firmness through fear; overwhelming and disabling terror; a sinking of the spirits; consternation., Condition fitted to dismay; ruin.
disorb verb t. To throw out of the proper orbit; to unsphere.
disord noun Disorder.
disown verb t. To refuse to own or acknowledge as belonging to one’s self; to disavow or deny, as connected with one’s self personally; as, a parent can hardly disown his child; an author will sometimes disown his writings., To refuse to acknowledge or allow; to deny.
dispel verb t. To drive away by scattering, or so to cause to vanish; to clear away; to banish; to dissipate; as, to dispel a cloud, vapors, cares, doubts, illusions.
disple verb t. To discipline; to correct.
disray variant of Disarray.
distad adverb Toward a distal part; on the distal side of; distally.
distal adjective Remote from the point of attachment or origin; as, the distal end of a bone or muscle, Pertaining to that which is distal; as, the distal tuberosities of a bone.
dister verb t. To banish or drive from a country.
distil verb t. & i. See Distill.
disuse verb t. To cease to use; to discontinue the practice of., To disaccustom; — with to or from; as, disused to toil., Cessation of use, practice, or exercise; inusitation; desuetude; as, the limbs lose their strength by disuse.
dition noun Dominion; rule.
ditone noun The Greek major third, which comprehend two major tones (the modern major third contains one major and one minor whole tone).
dittos plural of Ditto
diurna noun pl. A division of Lepidoptera, including the butterflies; — so called because they fly only in the daytime.
divast adjective Devastated; laid waste.
diving present participle & vb. noun of Dive, That dives or is used or diving.
diverb noun A saying in which two members of the sentence are contrasted; an antithetical proverb.
divers adjective Different in kind or species; diverse., Several; sundry; various; more than one, but not a great number; as, divers philosophers. Also used substantively or pronominally.
divert verb t. To turn aside; to turn off from any course or intended application; to deflect; as, to divert a river from its channel; to divert commerce from its usual course., To turn away from any occupation, business, or study; to cause to have lively and agreeable sensations; to amuse; to entertain; as, children are diverted with sports; men are diverted with works of wit and humor., To turn aside; to digress.
divest verb t. To unclothe; to strip, as of clothes, arms, or equipage; — opposed to invest., Fig.: To strip; to deprive; to dispossess; as, to divest one of his rights or privileges; to divest one’s self of prejudices, passions, etc., See Devest.
divide verb t. To part asunder (a whole); to sever into two or more parts or pieces; to sunder; to separate into parts., To cause to be separate; to keep apart by a partition, or by an imaginary line or limit; as, a wall divides two houses; a stream divides the towns., To make partition of among a number; to apportion, as profits of stock among proprietors; to give in shares; to distribute; to mete out; to share., To disunite in opinion or interest; to make discordant or hostile; to set at variance., To separate into two parts, in order to ascertain the votes for and against a measure; as, to divide a legislative house upon a question., To subject to arithmetical division., To separate into species; — said of a genus or generic term., To mark divisions on; to graduate; as, to divide a sextant., To play or sing in a florid style, or with variations., To be separated; to part; to open; to go asunder., To cause separation; to disunite., To break friendship; to fall out., To have a share; to partake., To vote, as in the British Parliament, by the members separating themselves into two parties (as on opposite sides of the hall or in opposite lobbies), that is, the ayes dividing from the noes., A dividing ridge of land between the tributaries of two streams; a watershed.
divine adjective Of or belonging to God; as, divine perfections; the divine will., Proceeding from God; as, divine judgments., Appropriated to God, or celebrating his praise; religious; pious; holy; as, divine service; divine songs; divine worship., Pertaining to, or proceeding from, a deity; partaking of the nature of a god or the gods., Godlike; heavenly; excellent in the highest degree; supremely admirable; apparently above what is human. In this application, the word admits of comparison; as, the divinest mind. Sir J. Davies., Presageful; foreboding; prescient., Relating to divinity or theology., One skilled in divinity; a theologian., A minister of the gospel; a priest; a clergyman., To foresee or foreknow; to detect; to anticipate; to conjecture., To foretell; to predict; to presage., To render divine; to deify., To use or practice divination; to foretell by divination; to utter prognostications., To have or feel a presage or foreboding., To conjecture or guess; as, to divine rightly.
djinns plural of Djinnee
doable adjective Capable of being done.
do-all noun General manager; factotum.
dobber noun See Dabchick., A float to a fishing line.
dobbin noun An old jaded horse., Sea gravel mixed with sand.
dobson noun The aquatic larva of a large neuropterous insect (Corydalus cornutus), used as bait in angling. See Hellgamite.
dobule noun The European dace.
docent adjective Serving to instruct; teaching.
docile adjective Teachable; easy to teach; docible., Disposed to be taught; tractable; easily managed; as, a docile child.
docity noun Teachableness.
docked imp. & past participle of Dock
docket noun A small piece of paper or parchment, containing the heads of a writing; a summary or digest., A bill tied to goods, containing some direction, as the name of the owner, or the place to which they are to be sent; a label., An abridged entry of a judgment or proceeding in an action, or register or such entries; a book of original, kept by clerks of courts, containing a formal list of the names of parties, and minutes of the proceedings, in each case in court., A list or calendar of causes ready for hearing or trial, prepared for the use of courts by the clerks., A list or calendar of business matters to be acted on in any assembly., To make a brief abstract of (a writing) and indorse it on the back of the paper, or to indorse the title or contents on the back of; to summarize; as, to docket letters and papers., To make a brief abstract of and inscribe in a book; as, judgments regularly docketed., To enter or inscribe in a docket, or list of causes for trial., To mark with a ticket; as, to docket goods.
doctor noun A teacher; one skilled in a profession, or branch of knowledge learned man., An academical title, originally meaning a men so well versed in his department as to be qualified to teach it. Hence: One who has taken the highest degree conferred by a university or college, or has received a diploma of the highest degree; as, a doctor of divinity, of law, of medicine, of music, or of philosophy. Such diplomas may confer an honorary title only., One duly licensed to practice medicine; a member of the medical profession; a physician., Any mechanical contrivance intended to remedy a difficulty or serve some purpose in an exigency; as, the doctor of a calico-printing machine, which is a knife to remove superfluous coloring matter; the doctor, or auxiliary engine, called also donkey engine., The friar skate., To treat as a physician does; to apply remedies to; to repair; as, to doctor a sick man or a broken cart., To confer a doctorate upon; to make a doctor., To tamper with and arrange for one’s own purposes; to falsify; to adulterate; as, to doctor election returns; to doctor whisky., To practice physic.
dodded adjective Without horns; as, dodded cattle; without beards; as, dodded corn.
dodder noun A plant of the genus Cuscuta. It is a leafless parasitical vine with yellowish threadlike stems. It attaches itself to some other plant, as to flax, goldenrod, etc., and decaying at the root, is nourished by the plant that supports it., To shake, tremble, or totter.
dodged imp. & past participle of Dodge
dodger noun One who dodges or evades; one who plays fast and loose, or uses tricky devices., A small handbill., See Corndodger.
dodkin noun A doit; a small coin.
dodman noun A snail; also, a snail shell; a hodmandod., Any shellfish which casts its shell, as a lobster.
dodoes plural of Dodo
doffed imp. & past participle of Doff
doffer noun A revolving cylinder, or a vibrating bar with teeth, in a carding machine, which doffs, or strips off, the cotton from the cards.
dogged imp. & past participle of Dog, Sullen; morose., Sullenly obstinate; obstinately determined or persistent; as, dogged resolution; dogged work.
dogate noun The office or dignity of a doge.
dogday One of the dog days.
dogger noun A two-masted fishing vessel, used by the Dutch., A sort of stone, found in the mines with the true alum rock, chiefly of silica and iron.
dogget noun Docket. See Docket.
dogmas plural of Dogma
dogtie noun A cramp.
doings plural of Doing
doling present participle & vb. noun of Dole
dolent adjective Sorrowful.
dolium noun A genus of large univalve mollusks, including the partridge shell and tun shells.
dollar noun A silver coin of the United States containing 371.25 grains of silver and 41.25 grains of alloy, that is, having a total weight of 412.5 grains., A gold coin of the United States containing 23.22 grains of gold and 2.58 grains of alloy, that is, having a total weight of 25.8 grains, nine-tenths fine. It is no longer coined., A coin of the same general weight and value, though differing slightly in different countries, current in Mexico, Canada, parts of South America, also in Spain, and several other European countries., The value of a dollar; the unit commonly employed in the United States in reckoning money values.
dolman noun A long robe or outer garment, with long sleeves, worn by the Turks., A cloak of a peculiar fashion worn by women.
dolmen noun A cromlech. See Cromlech.
dolven past participle of Delve.
domage noun Damage; hurt., Subjugation.
domain noun Dominion; empire; authority., The territory over which dominion or authority is exerted; the possessions of a sovereign or commonwealth, or the like. Also used figuratively., Landed property; estate; especially, the land about the mansion house of a lord, and in his immediate occupancy; demesne., Ownership of land; an estate or patrimony which one has in his own right; absolute proprietorship; paramount or sovereign ownership.
domett noun A kind of baize of which the ward is cotton and the weft woolen.
domify verb t. To divide, as the heavens, into twelve houses. See House, in astrological sense., To tame; to domesticate.
domina noun Lady; a lady; — a title formerly given to noble ladies who held a barony in their own right.
domine noun A name given to a pastor of the Reformed Church. The word is also applied locally in the United States, in colloquial speech, to any clergyman., A West Indian fish (Epinula magistralis), of the family Trichiuridae. It is a long-bodied, voracious fish.
domino noun A kind of hood worn by the canons of a cathedral church; a sort of amice., A mourning veil formerly worn by women., A kind of mask; particularly, a half mask worn at masquerades, to conceal the upper part of the face. Dominos were formerly worn by ladies in traveling., A costume worn as a disguise at masquerades, consisting of a robe with a hood adjustable at pleasure., A person wearing a domino., A game played by two or more persons, with twenty-eight pieces of wood, bone, or ivory, of a flat, oblong shape, plain at the back, but on the face divided by a line in the middle, and either left blank or variously dotted after the manner of dice. The game is played by matching the spots or the blank of an unmatched half of a domino already played, One of the pieces with which the game of dominoes is played.
domini plural of Dominus
domite noun A grayish variety of trachyte; — so called from the Puy-de-Dome in Auvergne, France, where it is found.
donned imp. & past participle of Don
donary noun A thing given to a sacred use.
donate verb t. To give; to bestow; to present; as, to donate fifty thousand dollars to a college.
donjon noun The chief tower, also called the keep; a massive tower in ancient castles, forming the strongest part of the fortifications. See Illust. of Castle.
donkey noun An ass; or (less frequently) a mule., A stupid or obstinate fellow; an ass.
donnat noun See Do-naught.
donzel noun A young squire, or knight’s attendant; a page.
doodle noun A trifler; a simple fellow.
doomed imp. & past participle of Doom
doorga noun A Hindoo divinity, the consort of Siva, represented with ten arms.
dopper noun An Anabaptist or Baptist.
doquet noun A warrant. See Docket.
dorado noun A southern constellation, within which is the south pole of the ecliptic; — called also sometimes Xiphias, or the Swordfish., A large, oceanic fish of the genus Coryphaena.
dorian adjective Of or pertaining to the ancient Greeks of Doris; Doric; as, a Dorian fashion., Same as Doric, 3., A native or inhabitant of Doris in Greece.
dorism noun A Doric phrase or idiom.
dormer noun Alt. of Dormer window
dorsad adverb Toward the dorsum or back; on the dorsal side; dorsally.
dorsal adjective Pertaining to, or situated near, the back, or dorsum, of an animal or of one of its parts; notal; tergal; neural; as, the dorsal fin of a fish; the dorsal artery of the tongue; — opposed to ventral., Pertaining to the surface naturally inferior, as of a leaf., Pertaining to the surface naturally superior, as of a creeping hepatic moss., A hanging, usually of rich stuff, at the back of a throne, or of an altar, or in any similar position.
dorsel noun A pannier., Same as Dorsal, n.
dorser noun See Dosser.
dorsum noun The ridge of a hill., The back or dorsal region of an animal; the upper side of an appendage or part; as, the dorsum of the tongue.
dories plural of Dory, of Dory
dosing present participle & vb. noun of Dose
dossel noun Same as Dorsal, n.
dosser noun A pannier, or basket., A hanging tapestry; a dorsal.
dossil noun A small ovoid or cylindrical roil or pledget of lint, for keeping a sore, wound, etc., open; a tent., A roll of cloth for wiping off the face of a copperplate, leaving the ink in the engraved lines.
dotted imp. & past participle of Dot, Marked with, or made of, dots or small spots; diversified with small, detached objects.
dotage verb i. Feebleness or imbecility of understanding or mind, particularly in old age; the childishness of old age; senility; as, a venerable man, now in his dotage., Foolish utterance; drivel., Excessive fondness; weak and foolish affection.
dotant noun A dotard.
dotard verb i. One whose mind is impaired by age; one in second childhood.
dotary noun A dotard’s weakness; dotage.
doting present participle & vb. noun of Dote, That dotes; silly; excessively fond.
dotery noun The acts or speech of a dotard; drivel.
dotish adjective Foolish; weak; imbecile.
douane noun A customhouse.
double adjective Twofold; multiplied by two; increased by its equivalent; made twice as large or as much, etc., Being in pairs; presenting two of a kind, or two in a set together; coupled., Divided into two; acting two parts, one openly and the other secretly; equivocal; deceitful; insincere., Having the petals in a flower considerably increased beyond the natural number, usually as the result of cultivation and the expense of the stamens, or stamens and pistils. The white water lily and some other plants have their blossoms naturally double., Twice; doubly., To increase by adding an equal number, quantity, length, value, or the like; multiply by two; to double a sum of money; to double a number, or length., To make of two thicknesses or folds by turning or bending together in the middle; to fold one part upon another part of; as, to double the leaf of a book, and the like; to clinch, as the fist; — often followed by up; as, to double up a sheet of paper or cloth., To be the double of; to exceed by twofold; to contain or be worth twice as much as., To pass around or by; to march or sail round, so as to reverse the direction of motion., To unite, as ranks or files, so as to form one from each two., To be increased to twice the sum, number, quantity, length, or value; to increase or grow to twice as much., To return upon one’s track; to turn and go back over the same ground, or in an opposite direction., To play tricks; to use sleights; to play false., To set up a word or words a second time by mistake; to make a doublet., Twice as much; twice the number, sum, quantity, length, value, and the like., Among compositors, a doublet (see Doublet, 2.); among pressmen, a sheet that is twice pulled, and blurred., That which is doubled over or together; a doubling; a plait; a fold., A turn or circuit in running to escape pursues; hence, a trick; a shift; an artifice., Something precisely equal or counterpart to another; a counterpart. Hence, a wraith., A player or singer who prepares to take the part of another player in his absence; a substitute., Double beer; strong beer., A feast in which the antiphon is doubled, hat is, said twice, before and after the Psalms, instead of only half being said, as in simple feasts., A game between two pairs of players; as, a first prize for doubles., An old term for a variation, as in Bach’s Suites.
doubly adverb In twice the quantity; to twice the degree; as, doubly wise or good; to be doubly sensible of an obligation., Deceitfully.
doucet noun Alt. of Dowset
dowset noun A custard., A dowcet, or deep’s testicle.
douche noun A jet or current of water or vapor directed upon some part of the body to benefit it medicinally; a douche bath., A syringe.
doughy adjective Like dough; soft and heavy; pasty; crude; flabby and pale; as, a doughy complexion.
doused imp. & past participle of Douse
douter noun An extinguisher for candles.
dovish adjective Like a dove; harmless; innocent.
dowcet noun One of the testicles of a hart or stag.
dowery noun See Dower.
dowlas noun A coarse linen cloth made in the north of England and in Scotland, now nearly replaced by calico.
downed imp. & past participle of Down
dowral adjective Of or relating to a dower.
dowser noun A divining rod used in searching for water, ore, etc., a dowsing rod., One who uses the dowser or divining rod.
doxies plural of Doxy
dozing present participle & vb. noun of Doze
dozens plural of Dozen
drachm noun A drachma., Same as Dram.
dracin noun See Draconin.
dradde imp. of Dread.
dradge noun Inferior ore, separated from the better by cobbing.
draffy adjective Dreggy; waste; worthless.
dragon noun A fabulous animal, generally represented as a monstrous winged serpent or lizard, with a crested head and enormous claws, and regarded as very powerful and ferocious., A fierce, violent person, esp. a woman., A constellation of the northern hemisphere figured as a dragon; Draco., A luminous exhalation from marshy grounds, seeming to move through the air as a winged serpent., A short musket hooked to a swivel attached to a soldier’s belt; — so called from a representation of a dragon’s head at the muzzle., A small arboreal lizard of the genus Draco, of several species, found in the East Indies and Southern Asia. Five or six of the hind ribs, on each side, are prolonged and covered with weblike skin, forming a sort of wing. These prolongations aid them in making long leaps from tree to tree. Called also flying lizard., A variety of carrier pigeon., A fabulous winged creature, sometimes borne as a charge in a coat of arms.
draine noun The missel thrush.
draped imp. & past participle of Drape
draper noun One who sells cloths; a dealer in cloths; as, a draper and tailor.
drapet noun Cloth.
drasty adjective Filthy; worthless.
draugh noun See Draft.
drawee noun The person on whom an order or bill of exchange is drawn; — the correlative of drawer.
drawer noun One who, or that which, draws, One who draws liquor for guests; a waiter in a taproom., One who delineates or depicts; a draughtsman; as, a good drawer., One who draws a bill of exchange or order for payment; — the correlative of drawee., That which is drawn, A sliding box or receptacle in a case, which is opened by pulling or drawing out, and closed by pushing in., An under-garment worn on the lower limbs.
drazel noun A slut; a vagabond wench. Same as Drossel.
dreamt of Dream
dreamy superl. Abounding in dreams or given to dreaming; appropriate to, or like, dreams; visionary.
dreary superl. Sorrowful; distressful., Exciting cheerless sensations, feelings, or associations; comfortless; dismal; gloomy.
dredge noun Any instrument used to gather or take by dragging; as: (a) A dragnet for taking up oysters, etc., from their beds. (b) A dredging machine. (c) An iron frame, with a fine net attached, used in collecting animals living at the bottom of the sea., Very fine mineral matter held in suspension in water., To catch or gather with a dredge; to deepen with a dredging machine., A mixture of oats and barley., To sift or sprinkle flour, etc., on, as on roasting meat.
dreggy adjective Containing dregs or lees; muddy; foul; feculent.
dreint p. p. of Drench to drown.
drench verb t. To cause to drink; especially, to dose by force; to put a potion down the throat of, as of a horse; hence. to purge violently by physic., To steep in moisture; to wet thoroughly; to soak; to saturate with water or other liquid; to immerse., A drink; a draught; specifically, a potion of medicine poured or forced down the throat; also, a potion that causes purging., A military vassal mentioned in Domesday Book.
dressy adjective Showy in dress; attentive to dress.
dretch verb t. & i. See Drecche.
drevil noun A fool; a drudge. See Drivel.
dreynt p. p., of Drench to drown.
driest superl. of Dry, a.
drifty adjective Full of drifts; tending to form drifts, as snow, and the like.
drimys noun A genus of magnoliaceous trees. Drimys aromatica furnishes Winter’s bark.
driven past participle of Drive, of Drive. Also adj.
drivel verb i. To slaver; to let spittle drop or flow from the mouth, like a child, idiot, or dotard., To be weak or foolish; to dote; as, a driveling hero; driveling love., Slaver; saliva flowing from the mouth., Inarticulate or unmeaning utterance; foolish talk; babble., A driveler; a fool; an idiot., A servant; a drudge.
driver noun One who, or that which, drives; the person or thing that urges or compels anything else to move onward., The person who drives beasts or a carriage; a coachman; a charioteer, etc.; hence, also, one who controls the movements of a locomotive., An overseer of a gang of slaves or gang of convicts at their work., A part that transmits motion to another part by contact with it, or through an intermediate relatively movable part, as a gear which drives another, or a lever which moves another through a link, etc. Specifically:, The driving wheel of a locomotive., An attachment to a lathe, spindle, or face plate to turn a carrier., A crossbar on a grinding mill spindle to drive the upper stone., The after sail in a ship or bark, being a fore-and-aft sail attached to a gaff; a spanker.
drogue noun See Drag, n., 6, and Drag sail, under Drag, n.
dromon In the Middle Ages, a large, fast-sailing galley, or cutter; a large, swift war vessel.
droned imp. & past participle of Drone
drongo noun A passerine bird of the family Dicruridae. They are usually black with a deeply forked tail. They are natives of Asia, Africa, and Australia; — called also drongo shrikes.
dronte noun The dodo.
dropsy noun An unnatural collection of serous fluid in any serous cavity of the body, or in the subcutaneous cellular tissue.
drosky noun A low, four-wheeled, open carriage, used in Russia, consisting of a kind of long, narrow bench, on which the passengers ride as on a saddle, with their feet reaching nearly to the ground. Other kinds of vehicles are now so called, esp. a kind of victoria drawn by one or two horses, and used as a public carriage in German cities.
drossy superl. Of, pertaining to, resembling, dross; full of dross; impure; worthless.
drough imp. of Draw.
droumy adjective Troubled; muddy.
drouth noun Same as Drought.
droven past participle of Drive.
drover noun One who drives cattle or sheep to market; one who makes it his business to purchase cattle, and drive them to market., A boat driven by the tide.
drowse verb i. To sleep imperfectly or unsoundly; to slumber; to be heavy with sleepiness; to doze., To make heavy with sleepiness or imperfect sleep; to make dull or stupid., A slight or imperfect sleep; a doze.
drowsy superl. Inclined to drowse; heavy with sleepiness; lethargic; dozy., Disposing to sleep; lulling; soporific., Dull; stupid.
drowth noun See Drought.
droyle verb i. See Droil.
drudge verb i. To perform menial work; to labor in mean or unpleasant offices with toil and fatigue., To consume laboriously; — with away., One who drudges; one who works hard in servile employment; a mental servant.
druery noun Courtship; gallantry; love; an object of love.
drumly adjective Turbid; muddy.
drupal adjective Drupaceous.
drupel noun Alt. of Drupelet
drused adjective Covered with a large number of minute crystals.
druxey adjective Alt. of Druxy
drying present participle & vb. noun of Dry, Adapted or tending to exhaust moisture; as, a drying wind or day; a drying room., Having the quality of rapidly becoming dry.
dualin noun An explosive substance consisting essentially of sawdust or wood pulp, saturated with nitroglycerin and other similar nitro compounds. It is inferior to dynamite, and is more liable to explosion.
dubbed imp. & past participle of Dub
dubber noun One who, or that which, dubs., A globular vessel or bottle of leather, used in India to hold ghee, oil, etc.
ducked imp. & past participle of Duck
ducker noun One who, or that which, ducks; a plunger; a diver., A cringing, servile person; a fawner.
ductor noun One who leads., A contrivance for removing superfluous ink or coloring matter from a roller. See Doctor, 4.
dudder verb t. To confuse or confound with noise., To shiver or tremble; to dodder., A peddler or hawker, especially of cheap and flashy goods pretended to be smuggled; a duffer.
dudeen noun A short tobacco pipe.
dudish adjective Like, or characterized of, a dude.
dueful adjective Fit; becoming.
dueler noun One who engages in a duel.
duenna noun The chief lady in waiting on the queen of Spain., An elderly lady holding a station between a governess and companion, and appointed to have charge over the younger ladies in a Spanish or a Portuguese family., Any old woman who is employed to guard a younger one; a governess.
duetto noun See Duet.
duffel noun A kind of coarse woolen cloth, having a thick nap or frieze.
duffer noun A peddler or hawker, especially of cheap, flashy articles, as sham jewelry; hence, a sham or cheat., A stupid, awkward, inefficient person.
duffle noun See Duffel.
dugong noun An aquatic herbivorous mammal (Halicore dugong), of the order Sirenia, allied to the manatee, but with a bilobed tail. It inhabits the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, East Indies, and Australia.
dugout noun A canoe or boat dug out from a large log., A place dug out., A house made partly in a hillside or slighter elevation.
dugway noun A way or road dug through a hill, or sunk below the surface of the land.
dulcet adjective Sweet to the taste; luscious., Sweet to the ear; melodious; harmonious.
duller imp. & past participle of Dull, One who, or that which, dulls.
dumbly adverb In silence; mutely.
dumose adjective Alt. of Dumous
dumous adjective Abounding with bushes and briers., Having a compact, bushy form.
dumped imp. & past participle of Dump
dumple verb t. To make dumpy; to fold, or bend, as one part over another.
dunned imp. & past participle of Dun
dunder noun The lees or dregs of cane juice, used in the distillation of rum.
dunged imp. & past participle of Dung
dunker noun One of a religious denomination whose tenets and practices are mainly those of the Baptists, but partly those of the Quakers; — called also Tunkers, Dunkards, Dippers, and, by themselves, Brethren, and German Baptists.
dunlin noun A species of sandpiper (Tringa alpina); — called also churr, dorbie, grass bird, and red-backed sandpiper. It is found both in Europe and America.
dunner noun One employed in soliciting the payment of debts.
dunted adjective Beaten; hence, blunted.
dunter noun A porpoise.
duping present participle & vb. noun of Dupe
dupery noun The act or practice of duping.
dupion noun A double cocoon, made by two silkworms.
duplex adjective Double; twofold.
dupper noun See 2d Dubber.
durant noun See Durance, 3.
durbar noun An audience hall; the court of a native prince; a state levee; a formal reception of native princes, given by the governor general of India.
durene noun A colorless, crystalline, aromatic hydrocarbon, C6H2(CH3)4, off artificial production, with an odor like camphor.
duress noun Hardship; constraint; pressure; imprisonment; restraint of liberty., The state of compulsion or necessity in which a person is influenced, whether by the unlawful restrain of his liberty or by actual or threatened physical violence, to incur a civil liability or to commit an offense., To subject to duress.
durham noun One or a breed of short-horned cattle, originating in the county of Durham, England. The Durham cattle are noted for their beef-producing quality.
durian noun Alt. of Durion
durion noun The fruit of the durio. It is oval or globular, and eight or ten inches long. It has a hard prickly rind, containing a soft, cream-colored pulp, of a most delicious flavor and a very offensive odor. The seeds are roasted and eaten like chestnuts.
during preposition In the time of; as long as the action or existence of; as, during life; during the space of a year.
durity noun Hardness; firmness., Harshness; cruelty.
durous adjective Hard.
dusken verb t. To make dusk or obscure.
dusted imp. & past participle of Dust
duster noun One who, or that which, dusts; a utensil that frees from dust., A revolving wire-cloth cylinder which removes the dust from rags, etc., A blowing machine for separating the flour from the bran., A light over-garment, worn in traveling to protect the clothing from dust.
dutied adjective Subjected to a duty.
duties plural of Duty
dvergr noun A dwarf supposed to dwell in rocks and hills and to be skillful in working metals.
dwarfs plural of Dwarf
dwarfy adjective Much undersized.
dwaule verb i. To be delirious.
dyadic adjective Pertaining to the number two; of two parts or elements.
dyeing present participle & vb. noun of Dye, The process or art of fixing coloring matters permanently and uniformly in the fibers of wool, cotton, etc.
dynamo noun A dynamo-electric machine.
dynast noun A ruler; a governor; a prince., A dynasty; a government.
dysury noun Difficult or painful discharge of urine.
dzeren noun Alt. of Dzeron
dzeron noun The Chinese yellow antelope (Procapra gutturosa), a remarkably swift-footed animal, inhabiting the deserts of Central Asia, Thibet, and China.