Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Dragsman Dziggetai
fāte, fär; mē, hėr; mīne; mōte; mūte; mōōn; then.
Dragsman. See Drag.
Drail, drāl, n. the iron bow of a plough from which the traces draw: a piece of lead round the shank of the hook in fishing.—v.i. to draggle.
Drain, drān, v.t. to draw off by degrees: to filter: to clear of water by drains: to make dry: to drink dry: to exhaust.—v.i. to flow off gradually.—n. a watercourse: a ditch: a sewer: (slang) a drink: exhausting expenditure.—adj. Drain′able.—ns. Drain′age, the drawing off of water by rivers or other channels: the system of drains in a town; Drain′age-basin, the area of land which drains into one river; Drain′age-tube, a tube of silver, india-rubber, glass, &c., introduced by a surgeon into a wound or abscess to draw off pus, &c.; Drain′er, a utensil on which articles are placed to drain; Drain′ing-en′gine, a pumping-engine for mines, &c.; Drain′ing-plough, a form of plough used in making drains; Drain′-pipe; Drain′-tile; Drain′-trap, a contrivance for preventing the escape of foul air from drains, but admitting the water into them. [A.S. dréahnigan—dragan, to draw.]
Drake, drāk, n. the male of the duck.—n. Drake′stone, a flat stone thrown along the surface of water so as to graze it and then rebound. [Ety. dub.; cf. prov. Ger. draak; O. High Ger. antrahho, Ger. enterich, the first element usually explained as eend, end, anut, 'duck.']
Drake, drāk, n. a dragon: a fiery meteor: a beaked galley, or Viking ship of war: an angler's name for species of Ephemera. [A.S. draca, dragon—L. draco.]
Dram, dram, n. a contraction of Drachm: 1⁄16th of an oz. avoirdupois: formerly, with apothecaries, ⅛th of an oz.: as much raw spirits as is drunk at once.—v.i. to drink a dram.—v.t. to give a dram to.—ns. Dram′-drink′er; Dram′-shop. [Through Fr. and L., from Gr. drachmē. See Drachma.]
Drama, dram′a, n. a story of human life and action represented by actors imitating the language, dress, &c. of the original characters: a composition intended to be represented on the stage: dramatic literature: theatrical entertainment: a series of deeply interesting events.—adjs. Dramatic, -al, belonging to the drama: appropriate to or in the form of a drama: with the force and vividness of the drama.—adv. Dramat′ically.—n. Dramat′icism.—adj. Dram′atīsable.—n. Dramatisā′tion, the act of dramatising: the dramatised version of a novel or story.—v.i. Dram′atīse, to compose in, or turn into, the form of a drama or play.—n. Dram′atist, a writer of plays.—Dram′atis persō′næ (-ē), the characters of a drama or play. [L.,—Gr. drama, dramatos—draein, to do.]
Dramaturgy, dram′a-tur-ji, n. the principles of dramatic composition: theatrical art.—ns. Dram′aturge, Dram′aturgist, a playwright.—adj. Dram′aturgic. [Through Fr. from Gr. dramatourgia, dramatourgos, playwright—drama, and ergon, a work.]
Drammock, dram′ok, n. meal and water mixed raw.
Drank, drangk, pa.t. of Drink.
Drant, drant, v.i. and v.t. (prov.) to drawl, to drone.—n. a droning tone.
Draper, drāp′ėr, n. one who deals in drapery or cloth:—fem. Drap′eress.—n. Drap-de-Berry, a woollen cloth, coming from Berry in France.—v.t. Drape, to cover with cloth.—p.adj. Drap′eried, draped.—n. Drap′ery, cloth goods: hangings of any kind: the draper's business: (art) the representation of the dress of human figures.—v.t. to drape.—n. Drap′et (Spens.), cloth, coverlet. [Fr. drapier—drap, from a Teut. root. See Drab.]
Drappie, Drappy, drap′i, n. (Scot.) a little drop, esp. of spirits.
Drastic, dras′tik, adj. active, powerful.—n. a medicine that purges quickly or thoroughly.—adv. Dras′tically. [Gr. drastikos—draein, to act, to do.]
Drat, drat, v.t. a minced oath used to express vexation, as 'Drat the boy!' [Aphetic from God rot!]
Dratchell, drach′el, n. (prov.) a slut.—Also Drotch′ell.
Draught, dräft, n. act of drawing: force needed to draw: the act of drinking: the quantity drunk at a time: outline of a picture: that which is taken in a net by drawing: a chosen detachment of men: a current of air: the depth to which a ship sinks in the water.—v.t. (more commonly Draft), to draw out.—n. Draught′-en′gine, the engine over the shaft of a coal-pit.—n.pl. Draught′-hooks, large iron hooks fixed on the cheeks of a cannon-carriage.—ns. Draught′-house (B.), a sink, privy; Draught′iness; Draught′-net, a drag-net.—n.pl. Draughts, a game in which two persons make alternate moves (draughts) on a checkered board, called the Draught′board, with pieces called Draughts′men—U.S. checkers, Scot. dambrod.—n. Draughts′man (see Draftsman).—adj. Draught′y, full of draughts or currents of air. [M. E. draht—A.S. dragan, to draw. See Drag, v., and Draw.]
Drave, drāv, old pa.t. of Drive.
Dravidian, dra-vid′i-an, n. of the non-Aryan stock to which the Tamil, Telugu, Canarese, and Malayālam speaking peoples of Southern India belong: of the languages of these races. [Sans. Drāvida, an ancient province of Southern India.]
Draw, draw, v.t. to pull along: to bring forcibly towards one: to entice, attract: to coax into giving information: to make one express himself (also to Draw out a man): to inhale: to take out: to evoke or bring out by some artifice: to extract by pulling: to cast lots: to extract the essence of: to eviscerate (hang, draw, and quarter): to manufacture (wire) by drawing through a small hole: to deduce: to lengthen: to extend to the full length (as in drawing a bow): to force to appear (as a badger from its hole): to receive (as revenues): to demand money by a draft: to make a picture of, by lines drawn: to describe: to require a depth of water for floating.—v.i. to pull: to practise drawing: to move: to approach: to have a free current (of a chimney):—pa.t. drew (drōō); pa.p. drawn.—n. the act of drawing: anything drawn: a drawn or undecided game.—adj. Draw′able.—ns. Draw′back, a disadvantage: a receiving back some part of the duty on goods on their exportation; Draw′-bar (same as Drag-bar); Draw′-boy, the boy who pulls the cords of the harness in figure-weaving, a mechanical device for this purpose; Draw′bridge, a bridge that can be drawn up or let down at pleasure; Drawēē′, the person on whom a bill of exchange is drawn; Draw′er, he or that which draws: one who draws beer or fetches liquor in a tavern: a thing drawn out, like the sliding box in a case: (pl.) a close under-garment for the lower limbs; Draw′-gear, the apparatus by which railway-cars are coupled; Draw′ing, the art of representing objects by lines drawn, shading, &c.: a picture: the distribution of prizes, as at a lottery; Draw′ing-board; Draw′ing-frame, a machine in which carded wool, cotton, or the like is drawn out fine; Draw′ing-knife, a knife with a handle at each end, used by coopers for shaving hoops by drawing it towards one; Draw′ing-mas′ter; Draw′ing-pā′per; Draw′ing-pen; Draw′ing-pen′cil; Draw′ing-room, in engineering, a room where plans and patterns are drawn; Draw′ing-tā′ble, a table which can be extended in length by drawing out sliding leaves; Draw′-net (same as Drag-net); Draw′-plate, a plate of steel or ruby with a hole drilled in it through which wire, tubing, or the like is drawn to make it more slender; Draw′-well, a well from which water is drawn up by a bucket and apparatus.—Draw a bead on (see Bead); Draw a blank (see Blank); Draw a cover, to send the hounds into a cover to frighten out a fox; Draw blank, to do so, but find no fox; Draw back, to retire: to withdraw from an engagement; Draw cuts, to cast lots; Draw in, to reduce, contract: to become shorter; Draw it fine, to be too precise; Draw it mild, to state a thing without exaggeration; Draw near, to approach; Draw off, to take wine, ale, &c. out of a barrel: to retire; Draw on, to approach (of a fixed date); Draw on one's imagination, to make imaginative or lying statements; Draw on one's memory, to try to remember; Draw out, to leave the place (of an army), &c.; Draw over, to persuade to desert to the other side; Draw rein, to slacken speed, to stop; Draw the line, to fix a limit; Draw up, to form in regular order: to arrange or to be arranged (as troops): to compose (as a protest, &c.): to stop (as in driving a carriage).—In drawing, correctly drawn; Out of drawing, inaccurately drawn, or drawn in violation of the principles of drawing. [A later form of Drag.]
Drawcansir, draw′kan-sėr, n. a blustering fellow, a braggart. [The name of a character in Buckingham's Rehearsal (1671).]
Drawing-room, draw′ing-rōōm, n. a room to which the company withdraws after dinner: a reception of company at court.—Drawing-room car, a railway-carriage fitted up as a drawing-room. [Orig. Withdrawing-room.]
Drawl, drawl, v.i. (obs.) to dawdle: to speak in a slow, lengthened tone.—v.t. to utter (words) in a slow and sleepy manner.—n. a slow, lengthened utterance.—n. Drawl′er.—adv. Drawl′ingly.—n. Drawl′ingness. [Freq. of draw, as draggle of drag.]
Drawn, drawn, part. and adj. from Draw, esp. in 'a drawn game or battle,' undecided.—Drawn and quartered, disembowelled and cut into quarters.—At daggers drawn, openly hostile.
Dray, drā, n. a low strong cart for heavy goods; that which is dragged or drawn.—ns. Dray′age; Dray′-horse; Dray′man; Dray′-plough. [A.S. dræge, from dragan. See Drag, v.]
Drazel, drāz′el, n. (prov.) a slut.
Dread, dred, n. fear: awe: the objects that excite fear.—adj. dreaded: inspiring great fear or awe.—v.t. to regard with terror: to regard with reverence.—adjs. Dread′able; Dread′ful, (orig.) full of dread: producing great fear or awe: terrible.—adv. Dread′fully.—n. Dread′fulness.—adj. Dread′less, free from dread: intrepid.—adv. Dread′lessly.—n. Dread′lessness.—adj. Dread′ly (Spens.) dreadful.—ns. Dread′naught, Dread′nought, one who dreads nothing—hence, a garment of thick cloth defending against the weather: the cloth of which it is made.—Penny dreadful, a cheap sensational serial or tale, usually bloody in subject and vulgar in tone. [M. E. dreden—A.S. on-drǽdan, to fear; Ice. ondréda, Old High Ger. in-tratan, to be afraid.]
Dream, drēm, n. a train of thoughts and fancies during sleep, a vision: something only imaginary.—v.i. to fancy things during sleep: to think idly.—v.t. to see in, or as in, a dream:—pa.t. and pa.p. dreamed or dreamt (dremt).—ns. Dream′er; Dream′ery, a place favourable to dreams: dream-work.—adj. Dream′ful (Tenn.), dreamy.—n. Dream′hole, one of the holes in the walls of steeples, towers, &c., for admitting light.—adv. Dream′ily.—n. Dream′iness.—adv. Dream′ingly.—n. Dream′land, the land of dreams, reverie, or imagination.—adj. Dream′less, free from dreams.—ns. Dream′while, the duration of a dream; Dream′world, a world of illusions.—adj. Dream′y, full of dreams: appropriate to dreams: dream-like. [M. E. dream, drēm, not recorded in A.S., but pointing to an assumed A.S. dréam, cog. with O. High Ger. troum, O. Norse draum, &c. This is distinct from the A.S. dréam, mirth, minstrelsy, being ultimately related to dreug-, draug-, drug-, to deceive, the radical sense therefore 'illusion.']
Drear, drēr, Dreary, drēr′i, adj. gloomy: cheerless.—adv. Drear′ily.—ns. Drear′iment, Drear′ing, Drear′ihead, Drear′ihood (Spens.), dreariness, cheerlessness; Drear′iness.—adj. Drear′isome, desolate, forlorn. [A.S. dreórig, mournful, bloody—dreór, gore.]
Dredge, drej, n. an instrument for dragging: a drag-net for catching oysters, &c.: a machine for taking up mud or zoological specimens from the bottom of the sea: a floating machine for deepening a harbour or river by gathering up mud from the bottom by means of buckets on an endless chain—also Dredg′er, Dredg′ing-machine′.—v.t. Dredge, to gather with a dredge: to deepen with a dredge. [Conn. with drag.]
Dredge, drej, v.t. to sprinkle flour on meat while roasting.—ns. Dredg′er, Dredge′-box, Dredg′ing-box, a utensil for dredging. [O. Fr. dragie, sugar-plum, mixed grain for horses—Gr. tragēmata, spices.]
Dree, drē, v.i. to endure, bear, esp. in Dree one's weird, to abide one's destiny. [Scot.; A.S. dreōgan, suffer, perform; Prov. Eng. dree, Scot. dreich, dreigh, all meaning wearisome.]
Dregs, dregz, n.pl. impurities in liquor that fall to the bottom, the grounds: dross: the vilest part of anything.—ns. Dreg′giness, Dreg′gishness.—adj. Dreg′gy, containing dregs: muddy: foul. [Prob. Scand.; Ice. dreggjar.]
Dreich, drēh, adj. (Scot.) long, tiresome. [See Dree.]
Drench, drensh, v.t. to fill with drink or liquid: to wet thoroughly: to soak: to physic by force: (obs.) to drown.—n. a draught: a dose of physic forced down the throat.—n. Drench′er. [A.S. drencan, to give to drink, from drincan, to drink; Ger. tränken, to soak. See Drink.]
Drent, drent (Spens.), obsolete pa.t. of Drench.
Dress, dres, v.t. to put straight or in order, as troops: to put clothes upon: to prepare: to cook: to trim: to deck: to cleanse a sore: to manure.—v.i. to come into line: to put on clothes:—pa.t. and pa.p. dressed or drest.—n. the covering or ornament of the body: a lady's gown: style of dress.—ns. Dress′-cir′cle, part of a theatre (usually the first gallery) set apart for people in evening dress; Dress′-coat, a fine black coat with narrow or cut-away skirts, worn when in full dress; Dress′er, one who dresses: a medical student who dresses wounds: a table on which meat is dressed or prepared for use: a kind of kitchen sideboard with rows of shelves for plates, dishes, &c.—n.pl. Dress′-goods, cloths for making women's and children's gowns, frocks, &c.—ns. Dress′ing, dress or clothes: manure given to land: matter used to give stiffness and gloss to cloth: the sauce, &c., used in preparing a dish for the table, stuffing, &c.: the bandage, &c., applied to a sore: an ornamental moulding: a thrashing; Dress′ing-case, a case of toilet requisites used in dressing one's self: Dress′ing-gown, a loose garment used in dressing, or in deshabille; Dress′ing-jack′et, Dress′ing-sack, a jacket worn by women in dressing: Dress′ing-room; Dress′ing-tā′ble; Dress′maker, a person who makes gowns or dresses for women.—adj. Dress′y, fond of dress.—Evening dress, Full dress, the costume prescribed by fashion for evening receptions, dinners, balls, &c. [O. Fr. dresser, to prepare—L. dirigĕre, directum, to direct.]
Drest, drest, pa.t. and pa.p. of Dress.
Drevill, an old form of Drivel, a slave.
Drew, drōō—did draw—pa.t. of Draw.
Drib, drib, v.t. to cut off in small portions: to filch or steal: to lead on by degrees. [Akin to Drub.]
Dribble, drib′l, v.i. to fall in small drops: to drop quickly: to slaver, as a child or an idiot.—v.t. to let fall in drops: to give out in small portions: at football, &c., to keep the ball moving forward little by little.—v.t. Drib, to dribble, drivel.—n. a driblet.—ns. Drib′bler; Drib′let, Drib′blet, a small drop: a small quantity. [Dim. of Drip.]
Dricksie. See Droxy.
Drier, drī′ėr, n. that which dries: a machine for extracting moisture from wet cloths, grain, &c.: a substance causing paint to dry more rapidly.
Drift, drift, n. a driving: a heap of matter driven together, as snow: the direction in which a thing is driven: a slow current in the sea caused by the wind: leeway: the object aimed at: the meaning of words used: (geol.) detritus, such as broken rock, sand, gravel: (mining) a horizontal excavation or passage.—v.t. to drive into heaps, as snow.—v.i. to be floated along: to be driven into heaps.—ns. Drift′age, that which is drifted: the amount of deviation from a ship's course due to leeway; Drift′-an′chor, an anchor for keeping the ship's head to the wind; Drift′-bolt, a steel bolt used to drive out other bolts; Drift′-ice, floating masses of ice drifting before the wind; Drift′land, an old tribute paid for the privilege of driving cattle through a manor.—adj. Drift′less, without drift or aim.—ns. Drift′-min′ing, gold-mining by means of drifts in the gravel and detritus of old river-beds; Drift′-net, a net kept upright in the water by floats above and weights below; Drift′-sail, a sail immersed in the water, used for lessening the drift of a vessel during a storm; Drift′-way, a road over which cattle were driven: (min.) drift; Drift′-weed, gulf-weed: tangle; Drift′-wood, wood drifted by water.—adj. Drift′y, full of or forming drifts. [See Drive.]
Drill, dril, v.t. to bore, pierce: to make with a drill: to exercise soldiers, pupils, &c.—to sow seeds, &c., in rows.—n. an instrument for boring stone, metal, teeth, or hard substances (not wood), actuated by a kind of bow, by a brace, or otherwise: a large boring instrument used in mining: a ridge with seed or growing plants on it (turnips, potatoes, &c.): the plants in such a row: the machine for sowing the seed in drill-husbandry.—ns. Drill′-bar′row, a grain-drill driven by hand; Drill′-har′row, a harrow for working between drills; Drill′-hus′bandry, the method of sowing seed in drills or rows; Drill′ing-machine′, Drill′ing-lathe, Drill′-press, machines for boring with a drill or drills; Drill′-mas′ter, one who teaches drill, one who trains in anything, esp. in a mechanical manner; Drill′-plough, a plough for sowing grain in drills; Drill′-ser′geant, a sergeant who drills soldiers. [Prob. borrowed from Dut. drillen, to bore; dril, drille, a borer.]
Drill, dril, n. a species of baboon found in Western Africa, resembling the mandrill, but smaller. [A contr. of mandrill.]
Drilling, dril′ing, n. stout twilled linen or cotton cloth.—Also Drill. [Ger. drillich, ticking—L. trilix, three-threaded; tres, three, licium, thread.]
Drily, same as Dryly. See under Dry, adj.
Drink, dringk, v.t. to swallow, as a liquid: to empty, as a glass, bowl, &c.: to take in through the senses.—v.i. to swallow a liquid: to take intoxicating liquors to excess:—pr.p. drink′ing; pa.t. drank; pa.p. drunk.—n. something to be drunk: intoxicating liquor.—adj. Drink′able.—ns. Drink′ableness; Drink′er, a tippler; Drink′-hail, the customary old English reply to a pledge in drinking (wæs hail, 'health or good luck to you,' was answered with drinc hail, 'drink good health or good luck'); Drink′ing-bout; Drink′ing-fount′ain; Drink′ing-horn; Drink′-mon′ey, a gratuity, ostensibly given to buy liquor for drinking to the health of the giver; Drink′-off′ering, an offering of wine, oil, blood, &c. to God or the gods.—Drink himself drunk, to drink until he is drunk; Drink in, to absorb rain, &c., as dry land does; Drink off, to quaff wholly and at a gulp; Drink the others under the table, to continue drinking and remain (comparatively) sober after the others have completely collapsed; Drink to, Drink to the health of, to drink wine, &c., with good wishes for one's health; Drink up, to exhaust by drinking.—In drink, intoxicated.—Strong drink, alcoholic liquor. [A.S. drincan; Ger. trinken.]
Drip, drip, v.i. to fall in drops: to let fall drops.—v.t. to let fall in drops:—pr.p. drip′ping; pa.p. dripped.—n. a falling in drops: that which falls in drops: the edge of a root.—ns. Drip′ping, that which falls in drops, as fat from meat in roasting; Drip′ping-pan, a pan for receiving the dripping from roasting meat; Drip′-stone, a projecting moulding over doorways, &c., to throw off the rain.—Right of drip, right in law to let the drip from one's roof fall on another's land. [A.S. dryppan—dréopan.]
Drive, drīv, v.t. to force along: to hurry one on: to guide, as horses drawing a carriage: to convey or carry in a carriage: to force in, as nails with a hammer: to push briskly: to urge, as a point of argument, a bargain, &c.: to compel: to send away with force, as a ball in cricket, golf, tennis: to chase game towards sportsmen.—v.i. to press forward with violence: to be forced along, as a ship before the wind: to go in a carriage: to tend towards a point: to strike at with a sword, the fist, &c.:—pr.p. drīv′ing; pa.t. drōve; pa.p. driv′en.—n. an excursion in a carriage: a road for driving on: the propelling of a ball in cricket, &c.: the chasing of game towards the shooters, or the sport so obtained, or the ground over which the game is driven: urgent pressure: pushing the sale of a special article by reduction of prices.—ns. Driv′er, one who or that which drives, in all senses: a club used in golf to propel the ball from the teeing-ground; Driv′ing-band, the band or strap which communicates motion from one machine, or part of a machine, to another; Driv′ing-shaft, a shaft from a driving-wheel communicating motion, to machinery; Driv′ing-wheel, a main wheel that communicates motion to other wheels: one of the main wheels in a locomotive.—Drive feathers, down, to separate the lighter from the heavier by exposing them to a current of air.—Drive to one's wits' end, to perplex utterly.—Let drive, to aim a blow. [A.S drífan, to drive; Ger. treiben, to push.]
Drivel, driv′l, v.i. to slaver like a child: to be foolish: to speak like an idiot:—pr.p. driv′elling; pa.p. driv′elled.—n. slaver: nonsense.—n. Driv′eller, a fool. [M. E. drevelen, dravelen; related to Dribble.]
Drivel, driv′l, n. (Spens.) a drudge. [Cf. Old Dut. drevel, a scullion.]
Drizzle, driz′l, v.i. to rain in small drops.—v.t. (Shak.) to shed in small drops.—n. a small, light rain.—adj. Drizz′ly. [Freq. of M. E. dresen—A.S. dreósan, to fall; Norw. drjosa, Goth. driusan.]
Droger, Drogher, drō′ger, n. a West Indian coasting vessel, with long masts and lateen sails.
Drogue, drōg, n. the drag of boards, attached to the end of a harpoon-line, checking the progress of a running whale.
Droguet, drō-gā′, n. a ribbed woollen dress fabric, a variety of rep. [Fr.]
Droich, drōh, n. a dwarf.—adj. Droich′y, dwarfish. [Gael.]
Droil, droil, v.i. to drudge. [Dut. druilen, to loiter.]
Droit, drwa, n. right; duty. [Fr.]
Droll, drōl, adj. odd: amusing: laughable.—n. one who excites mirth: a jester.—v.i. to practise drollery: to jest.—ns. Droll′ery; Droll′ing.—adjs. Droll′ish, rather droll; Droll′y. [Fr., prob. from Dut. drollig, odd—trold, a hobgoblin; cf. Ger. droll, a short thick person.]
Dromedary, drum′e-dar-i, n. a thoroughbred one-humped Arabian camel.—ns. Dromedā′rian, Drom′edarist. [Fr.,—Low L. dromedarius—Gr. dromas, dromados, running—dramein, 2 aor. infin. of trechein, to run.]
Dromond, drom′ond, n. a swift medieval ship of war.—Also Drom′on. [O. Fr.,—Late L. dromo—Gr. dromon—dromos, a running, dramein, to run.]
Dromos, drom′os, n. a Greek race-course: an entrance-passage or avenue, as to a subterranean treasury, &c.—adjs. Drom′ic, -al, pertaining to a race-course: basilican. [Gr.,—dramein, to run.]
Drone, drōn, n. the male of the honey-bee: one who lives on the labour of others, like the drone-bee: a lazy, idle fellow.—adj. Dron′ish, like a drone: lazy, idle.—adv. Dron′ishly.—n. Dron′ishness.—adv. Dron′y. [A.S. drán, the bee; Dan. drone.]
Drone, drōn, v.i. to make a low humming sound.—n. the bass-pipe of a bagpipe.—n. Drone′-pipe, a pipe producing a droning sound. [M. E. drounen, to roar; not found in A.S. Cf. Dut. dreunen, Ger. dröhnen.]
Drool, drool, v.i. to slaver—a form of Drivel.
Droop, drōōp, v.i. to sink or hang down: to grow weak or faint: to decline.—v.t. to let sink.—n. a drooping position.—adv. Droop′ingly, in a drooping manner. [Ice. drúpa, to droop. See Drop.]
Drop, drop, n. a small particle of liquid which falls at one time: a very small quantity of liquid: anything hanging like a drop: a fall: a trap in the gallows scaffold, the fall of which allows the criminal to drop: a device for lowering goods into a ship's hold.—v.i. to fall in small particles: to let drops fall: to fall suddenly: to come to an end: to fall or sink lower.—v.t. to let fall in drops: to let fall: to let go, dismiss, break off, as an acquaintance: to utter casually: to write and send (a note) in an off-hand manner: to set down from a carriage:—pr.p. drop′ping; pa.p. dropped.—ns. Drop′-drill, an apparatus for dropping seed and manure into the soil simultaneously; Drop′-hamm′er, Drop′-press, a swaging, stamping, or forging machine having either a regular or intermittent motion; Drop′let, a little drop; Drop′-lett′er (U.S.), a letter posted in any place merely for local delivery; Drop′-net, a net suspended from a boom, to be suddenly dropped on a passing shoal of fish; Drop′ping, that which is dropped: (pl.) dung, esp. of fowls.—adj. Drop′-ripe, so ripe as to be ready to drop from the tree.—ns. Drop′-Scene, a painted curtain suspended by pulleys, which drops in front of the stage in a theatre; Drop′-stone, a stalactic variety of calcite.—adv. Drop′-wise (Tenn.), by drops.—n. Drop′-wort, the Spiræa Filipendula.—Drop astern (naut.), to pass or move towards the stern; Drop away, off, to depart, disappear; Drop down, to sail, move, or row down a coast, or down a river to the sea; Drop in, to come in casually; Drop out, to disappear from one's place; Drop serene, an old medical name for amaurosis, literally translated from L. gutta serena.—A dropping fire, a continuous irregular discharge of small-arms.—Prince Rupert's drops, drops of glass which have fallen in a melted state into cold water, and have assumed a tadpole-like shape, the whole falling to dust with a loud report if the point of the tail be nipped off. [A.S. dropa, a drop—dreópan, to drop; Dut. drop, Ger. tropfe.]
Dropsy, drop′si, n. an unnatural collection of water in any part of the body.—adjs. Drop′sical, Drop′sied (Shak.), affected with dropsy.—n. Drop′sicalness. [Through Fr. from L. hydropisis—Gr. hydrōps—hydōr, water.]
Drosera, dros′er-a, n. a genus of small herbaceous plants of the order Droseraceæ, generally inhabiting marshy places. [Formed from Gr. droseros—drosos, dew.]
Droshky, drosh′ki, Drosky, dros′ki, n. a low four-wheeled open carriage much used in Russia. [Russ. drozhki.]
Drosometer, drō-som′e-ter, n. an instrument for measuring the quantity of dew condensed on the surface of a body left in the open air. [Gr. drosos, dew, metron, measure.]
Dross, dros, n. the scum which metals throw off when melting: waste matter: refuse: rust.—n. Dross′iness.—adj. Dross′y, like dross: impure: worthless. [A.S. drós, from dreósan, to fall; cf. Dut. droesem; Ger. druse.]
Drought, drowt, Drouth, drowth, n. dryness: want of rain or of water: thirst.—ns. Drought′iness, Drouth′iness.—adjs. Drought′y, Drouth′y, full of drought: very dry: wanting rain, thirsty. [A.S. drúgathe, dryness—drúgian, to dry.]
Drouk, Drook, drōōk, v.t. to drench: (Scot.) to duck.—p.adjs. Drouk′it, Drook′it. [Ice. drukna, to be drowned; cf. Dan. drukne.]
Drove, drōv, pa.t. of Drive.—n. a number of cattle, or other animals, driven.—n. Drov′er, one whose occupation is to drive cattle: (Spens.) a boat. [A.S. dráf—drífan, to drive.]
Drow, drow, n. a kind of elves supposed to belong to Shetland, inhabiting caves—also Trow, a variant of troll.
Drow, drow, n. (Scot.) a drizzling mist.
Drown, drown, v.t. to drench or sink in water: to kill by placing under water: to overpower: to extinguish.—v.t. to be suffocated in water. [A.S. druncnian, to drown—druncen, pa.p. of drincan, to drink. See Drench.]
Drowse, drowz, v.i. to be heavy with sleep: to look heavy and dull.—v.t. to make heavy with sleep: to stupefy.—n. a half-sleeping state.—ns. Drows′ihead, Drows′ihed (Spens.), drowsiness, sleepiness.—adv. Drows′ily.—n. Drows′iness.—adj. Drows′y, sleepy: heavy: dull: inducing sleep. [A.S. drúsian, to be sluggish; Dut. dreósen, to fall asleep.]
Drub, drub, v.t. to beat or thrash:—pr.p. drub′bing; pa.p. drubbed.—n. Drub′bing, a cudgelling. [Murray suggests Ar. daraba, to beat, bastinado, darb, a beating.]
Drudge, druj, v.i. to work hard: to do very mean work.—n. one who works hard: a slave: a menial servant.—ns. Drudg′er; Drudg′ery, Drudg′ism, the work of a drudge: uninteresting toil: hard or humble labour.—adv. Drudg′ingly. [Ety. unknown. Some suggest Celt., as in Ir. drugaire, a drudge.]
Drug, drug, n. any substance used in the composition of medicine: an article that cannot be sold, generally owing to overproduction.—v.t. to mix or season with drugs: to dose to excess.—v.i. to prescribe drugs or medicines:—pr.p. drug′ging; pa.p. drugged.—n. Drug′gist, one who deals in drugs. [O. Fr. drogue, prob. from Dut. droog, dry; as if applied orig. to dried herbs.]
Drug, drug, n. (Shak.) a drudge.
Drugget, drug′et, n. a woven and felted coarse woollen fabric, chiefly used for covering carpets—hence called in some parts of Britain crumbcloth. [O. Fr. droguet, dim. of drogue, a drug, trash. See above.]
Druid, drōō′id, n. a priest among the ancient Celts of Britain, Gaul, and Germany, who worshipped under oak-trees: a member of a benefit society (founded 1781), its lodges called groves:—fem. Dru′idess.—adjs. Druid′ic, -al, Dru′idish.—n. Dru′idism, the doctrines which the Druids taught: the ceremonies they practised. [L. pl. druidæ—Celt. druid—whence Old Ir. drai, Ir. and Gael. draoi, magician. Littré accepts the ety. from Celt. derw, an oak, which is from the same root as Gr. drys, an oak.]
Drum, drum, n. an instrument of percussion, in which a skin of parchment, stretched on a frame of wood or metal, is beaten with an instrument called a drumstick: anything shaped like a drum: the tympanum or middle portion of the ear: (archit.) the upright part of a cupola: (mech.) a revolving cylinder: formerly a large and tumultuous evening party (said to be so called because rival hostesses vied with each other in beating up crowds of guests).—v.i. to beat a drum: to beat with the fingers.—v.t. to drum out, to expel: to summon:—pr.p. drum′ming; pa.p. drummed.—ns. Drum′head, the head of a drum (see Court-martial): the top part of a capstan; Drum′-mā′jor, the chief drummer of a regiment (now called sergeant-drummer); Drum′mer, one who drums: (U.S.) a commercial traveller; Drum′stick, the stick with which the drum is beat: the leg of a cooked fowl. [From a Teut. root found in Dut. trom, Ger. trommel, a drum; prob. imit.]
Drum, drum, n. a small hill or ridge of hills, used in many place-names, as Drumglass, Drumsheugh, &c. [Ir. druim, the back.]
Drumble, drum′bl, v.i. (Shak.) to be sluggish.
Drumly, drum′li, adj. (Scot.) muddy: gloomy.
Drummock, drum′ok. Same as Drammock (q.v.).
Drummond-light, drum′ond-līt, n. the lime-light or oxy-hydrogen light invented by Captain T. Drummond (1797-1840). [See Lime-light.]
Drunk, drungk, pa.p. of Drink.—p.adj. intoxicated: saturated.—n. a drunken bout: a drunk person.—n. Drunk′ard, one who frequently drinks to excess: a habitual drinker.—p.adj. Drunk′en, given to excessive drinking: worthless, besotted: resulting from intoxication.—adv. Drunk′enly.—n. Drunk′enness, excessive drinking: habitual intemperance.
Drupe, drōōp, n. a fleshy fruit containing a stone, as the plum, &c.—adj. Drupā′ceous, producing or pertaining to drupes or stone-fruits.—n. Drup′el, a little drupe. [L. drupa—Gr. dryppa, an over-ripe olive—drypepēs, ripened on the tree, from drys, a tree, and peptein, to cook; cf. drupetēs—drys, and piptein, to fall.]
Druse, drōōs, n. (mining) a rock cavity lined with crystals, a geode or vug. [Ger.]
Druse, drōōs, n. one of a remarkable people inhabiting a mountainous district in the north of Syria, with a peculiar religion interwoven from the Bible and the Koran.—adj. Drus′ian.
Druxy, druk′si, adj. of timber, having decayed spots concealed by healthy wood.—Also Drick′sie.
Dry, drī, adj. free from, deficient in, moisture, sap: not green: not giving milk: thirsty: uninteresting: (obs.) hard: frigid, precise: free from sweetness and fruity flavour (of wines, &c.).—v.t. to free from water or moisture: to exhaust.—v.i. to become dry, to evaporate entirely—both used also with prep. up:—pr.p. dry′ing; pa.p. dried.—n. and adj. Dry′asdust, the pretended editor or introducer of some of Scott's novels—a synonym for a dull and pedantic though learned person.—v.t. Dry′-beat (Shak.), to beat severely, or so as to be dry.—ns. Dry′-bob, a slang name used at Eton for boys who play cricket, football, &c.—opp. to the Wet-bob, who makes rowing his recreation; Dry′-dock (see Dock).—adj. Dry′-eyed, tearless.—n. Dry′-foot (Shak.), like a dog which pursues game by the scent of its foot.—n.pl. Dry′-goods, drapery, &c., as distinguished from groceries, hardware, &c.—n. Dry′-light, a clear, unobstructed light: an unprejudiced view.—advs. Dry′ly, Drī′ly.—ns. Dry′-meas′ure (see Measure); Dry′ness; Dry′-nurse, a nurse who feeds a child without milk from the breast; Dry′-plate, a sensitised photographic plate, with which a picture may be made without the preliminary use of a bath; Dry′-point, a sharp needle by which fine lines are drawn in copperplate engraving; Dry′-rot, a decay of timber caused by fungi which reduce it to a dry, brittle mass: (fig.) a concealed decay or degeneration.—v.t. Dry′-salt, to cure meat by salting and drying.—ns. Dry′salter, a dealer in gums, dyes, drugs, &c.: (obs.) or in salted or dry meats, pickles, &c.; Dry′saltery.—adj. Dry′-shod, without wetting the shoes or feet.—n. Dry′-steam, steam containing no unevaporated water.—adj. Dry′-stone, built of stone without mortar, as some walls.—n. Dry′-stove, a kind of hot-house for preserving the plants of dry, warm climates.—Cut and dried (see Cut).—High and dry (see High). [A.S. dr['y]ge; cf. Dut. droog, Ger. trocken.]
Dryad, drī′ad, n. (Greek myth.) a nymph of the woods: a forest-tree. [Gr. dryas, from drys, a tree.]
Dual, dū′al, adj. consisting of two.—ns. Dū′ad, a pair of objects looked at as one; Dū′al-control′, any joint control or jurisdiction, as of England and France in Egypt; Dū′alism (philos.), that view which seeks to explain the world by the assumption of two radically independent and absolute elements—e.g. (1) the doctrine of the entire separation of spirit and matter, thus being opposed both to idealism and to materialism; (2) the doctrine of two distinct principles of good and of evil, or of two distinct divine beings of these characters; Dū′alist, a believer in dualism.—adj. Dualis′tic, consisting of two: relating to dualism.—ns. Dual′ity, doubleness: state of being double; Dū′al-school, a school for both boys and girls; Dū′archy, government by two. [L.,—duo, two.]
Dualin, dū-al′in, n. an explosive compound of sawdust, saltpetre, and nitro-glycerine.
Duan, dū′an, n. a division of a poem, canto. [Gael.]
Dub, dub, v.t. to confer knighthood, from the ceremony of striking the shoulder with the flat of a sword: to confer any name or dignity: to smooth with an adze: to rub a softening and waterproof mixture into, as leather: to dress a fly for fishing:—pr.p. dub′bing; pa.p. dubbed.—n. Dub′bing, the accolade: a preparation of grease for softening leather—also Dub′bin. [Conn. with O. Fr. a-douber, to equip with arms; but O. Fr. dober may be Teut.]
Dub, dub, n. (Scot.) a pool of foul water: a puddle.
Dubious, dū′bi-us, adj. doubtful: undetermined: causing doubt: of uncertain event or issue.—adv. Dū′biously.—ns. Dū′biousness, Dubī′ety, Dubios′ity, doubtfulness. [L. dubius.]
Dubitate, dū′bi-tāt, v.i. to doubt, hesitate.—adj. Dū′bitable.—ns. Dū′bitancy, Dubitā′tion.—adj. Dū′bitative.—adv. Dū′bitatively. [L. dubitiāre, -ātum.]
Ducal, dū′kal, adj. pertaining to a duke.—adv. Dū′cally.
Ducat, duk′at, n. a gold coin, formerly much used on the Continent, its commonest value being about 9s. 4d., though there were silver ducats in Italy worth 3s. 4d.—n. Ducatoon′, an old silver coin in Venice and elsewhere, worth 5 to 6 shillings. [O. Fr. ducat—It. ducato—ducatus, a duchy. The name was applied to an Apulian silver coin of 1140. The first gold ducat struck at Venice in 1284 bore the legend—'Sit tibi Christe datus quem tu regis iste Ducatus' ('Be this duchy, which thou rulest, dedicated to thee, O Christ'), which may have helped to spread the name, though it did not originate it.]
Duchy, duch′i, n. the territory of a duke, a dukedom.—ns. Duch′ess, the consort or widow of a duke; Duch′y-court, the court of a duchy, esp. that of the duchy of Lancaster.
Duck, duk, n. a kind of coarse cloth for small sails, sacking, &c. [Dut. doeck, linen cloth; Ger. tuch.]
Duck, duk, v.t. to dip for a moment in water.—v.i. to dip or dive: to lower the head suddenly: to cringe, yield.—n. a quick plunge, dip: a quick lowering of the head or body, a jerky bow.—ns. Duck′er, one who ducks: a diving-bird; Duck′ing; Duck′ing-pond; Duck′ing-stool, a stool or chair in which scolds were formerly tied and ducked in the water as a punishment. [A.S. dúcan, to duck, dive; Ger. tauchen, Dut. duiken.]
Duck, duk, n. name given to any member of the family Anatidæ, the prominent marks of which are short webbed feet, with a small hind-toe not reaching the ground, the netted scales in front of the lower leg, and the long bill: the female duck as distinguished from the male drake: in cricket (originally duck's egg), the zero (0), which records in a scoring-sheet that a player has made no runs: (coll.) a darling, sweetheart: a financial defaulter—esp. Lame Duck: also of things.—ns. Duck′-ant, a Jamaican termite nesting in trees; Duck′-bill, an aquatic burrowing and egg-laying Australian mammal, about 18 inches long, with soft fur, broadly webbed feet, and depressed duck-like bill—also called Duck-mole, Platypus, and Ornithorhynchus.—adj. Duck′-billed, having a bill like a duck.—n. Duck′-hawk, the moor-buzzard or marsh-harrier: the peregrine falcon of the United States.—adj. Duck′-legged, short-legged.—ns. Duck′ling, a young duck; Duck's′-foot, the lady's mantle; Duck′-weed, a name for several species of Lemna and Wolffia growing in ditches; Bombay duck, bummals; Wild′-duck, the mallard.—Break one's duck (cricket), to make one's first run (see above); Make, Play, ducks and drakes, to use recklessly: squander, waste (with with, of)—from the skipping of a flat stone across the surface of water. [A.S. duce, a duck, from, dúcan, to duck, dive.]
Duct, dukt, n. a tube conveying fluids in animal bodies or plants. [L. ductus—ducĕre, to lead.]
Ductile, duk′til, adj. easily led: yielding: capable of being drawn out into threads.—ns. Ductilim′eter, an instrument for measuring the ductility of metals; Ductil′ity, capacity of being drawn out without breaking. [Fr.,—L. ductilis—ducĕre, to lead.]
Dud, dud, n. (coll.) in pl. poor or ragged clothes, tatters.—n. Dud′dery, a shop where old clothes are sold, rags collectively.—adj. Dud′dy, ragged. [There is a M. E. dudd, birrus, a cloak, which may be Celt.]
Dudder, dud′er, n. (prov.) confusion.
Dude, dūd, n. (slang) a fop or dandy, esp. remarkable for the exquisite make and quality of his clothes.—adj. Dū′dish.—n. Dū′dism. [Hardly from dud.]
Dudeen, dū-dēn′, n. a short clay tobacco-pipe.
Dudgeon, duj′un, n. resentment: grudge. [There is an Anglo-Fr. digeon, wood hafts of knives, &c., but a connection cannot be stated. Skeat suggests dubiously W. dygen, malice, dychan, a jeer.]
Dudgeon, duj′un, n. the haft of a dagger: a small dagger. [See above.]
Due, dū, adj. owed: that ought to be paid or done to another: proper: appointed, under engagement to be ready, arrive, &c.—adv. exactly: directly.—n. that which is owed: what one has a right to: perquisite: fee or tribute.—adj. Due′ful (Spens.), proper, fit.—Give the devil his due, to give a fair hearing or fair-play to one of notorious character. [O. Fr. deu, pa.p. of devoir—L. debēre, to owe.]
Due, dū, v.t. (Shak.) to endue.
Duel, dū′el, n. a combat between two persons, prearranged, and fought under fixed conditions, generally on an affair of honour—happily harmless in France: any fight or struggle between two parties: single combat to decide a quarrel.—v.i. to fight in a duel:—pr.p. dū′elling; pa.p. dū′elled.—ns. Dū′eller, Dū′ellist; Dū′elling, fighting in a duel: the practice of fighting in single combat; Duell′o, a duel: the laws which regulate duelling.—adj. Dū′elsome, given to duelling. [It. duello—L. duellum, the original form of bellum—duo, two.]
Duenna, dū-en′a, n. an old lady who acts the part of governess in Spain: an old lady who acts as guardian to a younger. [Sp. dueña, a form of doña, mistress—L. domina, fem. of dominus, lord.]
Duet, dū-et′, Duetto, dū-et′o, n. a composition in music for two voices, instruments, or instrumentalists.—ns. Duetti′no, a simple duet; Duet′tist. [It. duetto, due, two—L. duo, two.]
Duff, duf, n. dough: a stiff flour pudding boiled in a bag; decaying vegetable matter, fallen leaves: coaldust. [From dough.]
Duff, duf, v.t. to manipulate an article so as to make it look like new: to alter the brands on stolen cattle.
Duffel, duf′l, n. a thick, coarse woollen cloth, with a thick nap—also Duff′le: (U.S.) change of flannels. [Dut., from Duffel, a town near Antwerp.]
Duffer, duf′ėr, n. a dull plodding person: a fogy, useless old fellow: a counterfeit coin: a claim or mine which proves unproductive.—ns. Duff′erdom, Duff′erism.
Duffer, duf′ėr, n. a peddler of dubious goods, sham jewellery, &c.: one who fakes up sham articles, or duffs cattle.
Dug, dug, n. the nipple of the pap, esp. applied to that of a cow or other beast. [Cf. Sw. dægga, Dan. dægge, to suckle a child. See Dairy.]
Dug, dug, pa.t. and pa.p. of Dig.—n. Dug′out, a boat made by hollowing out the trunk of a tree.
Dugong, dū-gong′, n. a kind of herb-eating whale, from 8 to 20 feet long, found in Indian seas—the supposed original of the mermaid. [Malayan dūyong.]
Duiker, Duyker, dī′kėr, n. a small South African antelope. [Dut.]
Duke, dūk, n. the highest order of nobility next below that of prince: (B.) a chieftain: on the Continent, a sovereign prince.—ns. Duke′dom, the title, rank, or territories of a duke; Duke′ling, a petty duke; Duk′ery, a duke's territory or seat; Duke′ship.—The Dukeries, a group of ducal seats in Nottinghamshire. [O. Fr. duc—L. dux, ducis, a leader—ducĕre, to lead.]
Dulcamara, dul-ka-mā′ra, n. a name for the Bittersweet (q.v.). [Formed from L. dulcis, sweet, amara, bitter.]
Dulcet, duls′et, adj. sweet to the taste, or to the ear: melodious, harmonious.—n. Dulcificā′tion.—adj. Dulcif′luous, flowing sweetly.—v.t. Dul′cify, to make sweet.—ns. Dulcil′oquy, a soft manner of speaking; Dul′cite, Dul′citol, Dul′cose, a saccharine substance derived from various plants—in its crude form, Madagascar manna; Dul′citude, sweetness.—Dulcified spirit, a compound of alcohol with mineral acid. [O. Fr. doucet, dim. of dols (Fr. doux)—L. dulcis, sweet.]
Dulcimer, dul′si-mėr, n. a musical instrument resembling a flat box, with sounding-board and bridges, across which run wires tuned by pegs at the sides, and played on by striking the wires with a small piece of wood in each hand, or more usually with two cork-headed hammers: a Jewish musical instrument, according to Gesenius, a double pipe with a bag. [Sp. dulcemele—L. dulce melos, a sweet song—dulcis, sweet; melos = Gr. melos, a song.]
Dulcinea, dul-sin′ē-a, or dul-sin-ē′a, n. sweetheart. [From Dulcinea del Toboso, the name given by Don Quixote to the mistress of his imagination.]
Dule, dool, n. (Scot.) woe.—n. Dule′-tree, the gallows. [See Dole.]
Dulia, dū-lī′a, n. (R.C. Church) that inferior veneration due to saints and angels.—n. Duloc′racy, government by slaves. [Gr. douleia—doulos, a slave.]
Dull, dul, adj. slow of hearing, of learning, or of understanding: insensible: without life or spirit: slow of motion: drowsy: sleepy: sad: downcast: cheerless: not bright or clear: cloudy: dim, obscure: obtuse: blunt.—v.t. to make dull or stupid: to blunt: to damp: to cloud.—v.i. to become dull.—n. Dull′ard, a dull and stupid person: a dunce.—adjs. Dull′-brained (Shak.), of dull brain or intellect: stupid; Dull′-browed, of gloomy brow or look; Dull′-eyed (Shak.), having eyes dull or wanting expression; Dull′ish, somewhat dull: wearisome.—ns. Dull′ness, Dul′ness, the stale or quality of being dull.—adjs. Dull′-sight′ed; Dull′-wit′ted; Dull′y, somewhat dull.—adv. Dull′y. [A.S. dol—dwelan, to err; Dut. dol, Ger. toll, mad.]
Dulse, duls, n. an edible seaweed, with red, deeply-divided fronds, eaten in Ireland and elsewhere. [Gael, duileasg—duille, a leaf, uisge, water.]
Duly, dū′li, adv. properly: fitly: at the proper time. [See Due.]
Dumb, dum, adj. without the power of speech: silent: soundless.—v.t. (Shak.) to render dumb.—n.pl. Dumb′-bells, double-headed weights swung in the hands for the purpose of developing the arms, muscles of the chest, &c.—n. Dumb′-cane, a plant of the order Araceæ, aberrant in its almost arborescent character, but agreeing with them in its acridity, which is in none of them more highly developed.—adv. Dumb′ly, in silence: mutely.—ns. Dumb′ness; Dumb′-show, gesture without words: pantomime; Dumb′-wait′er, a movable platform used for conveying food, dishes, &c. at meals: a stand with revolving top for holding dessert, &c.—vs.t. Dumfound′, -er, to strike dumb: to confuse greatly: to astonish.—ns. Dum′merer, a dumb person, esp. a rogue who feigns dumbness; Dum′miness; Dum′my, one who is dumb: a mere tool of another, man of straw: a sham package in a shop: the fourth or exposed band when three persons play at whist.—Strike dumb, to silence with astonishment. [A.S. dumb; Ger. dumm, stupid, Dut. dom.]
Dumbledore, dum′bl-dōr, n. (prov.) the bumble-bee: the brown cockchafer.
Dum-dum, dum′-dum, n. a soft-nosed expanding bullet, first made at Dum Dum in British India.
Dumose, dū′mōs, adj. thorny—also Dū′mous.—n. Dumos′ity. [L. dumus, a thorn-bush.]
Dump, dump, v.t. to throw down: to unload.—n. a thud: a place for the discharge of loads, or for rubbish: (pl.) money (slang). [Cf. Dan. dumpe, Norw. dumpa, to fall plump.]
Dump, dump, n. dullness or gloominess of mind, ill-humour, low spirits—now only used in the pl.: (Shak.) a melancholy strain, any tune.—adj. Dump′ish, depressed in spirits.—adv. Dump′ishly.—n. Dump′ishness. [Prob. related to Old Dut. domp, mist; or Ger. dumpf, gloomy.]
Dump, dump, n. a deep hole in a river-bed, a pool. [Prob. Norse dump, a pit.]
Dumpling, dump′ling, n. a kind of thick pudding or mass of paste. [Dim. of dump, in dumpy.]
Dumpy, dump′i, adj. short and thick.—n. a dumpy person or animal, esp. one of a breed of very short-legged fowls.—n. Dumpi′ness.—v.t. Dum′ple, to make or cook, as a dumpling: to bend into a dumpy shape.—n. Dump′y-lev′el, a spirit-level used in surveying, having a short telescope with a large aperture. [From a provincial form dump, a clumsy piece.]
Dun, dun, adj. of a dark colour, partly brown and black: dark.—v.t. (U.S.) to cure and brown, as cod.—v.i. to become dun-coloured.—ns. Dun′-bird, the pochard; Dun′-cow, the shagreen ray; Dun′-dīv′er, the merganser; Dun′-fish, codfish cured by dunning.—adj. Dun′nish, somewhat dun. [A.S. dun, most prob. Celt.; W. dwn, dusky, Gael. donn, brown.]
Dun, dun, v.t. to demand a debt with din or noise: to urge for payment:—pr.p. dun′ning; pa.p. dunned.—n. one who duns: a demand for payment. [Allied to Din.]
Dun, dun, n. a hill: a fortified mound. [A.S. dún—Celt.; in many place-names, as Dunbar, Doncaster.]
Dunce, duns, n. one slow at learning: a stupid person.—ns. Dunce′dom, the class of dunces; Dun′cery, stupidity; Dun′ciad, the epic of dunces, the world of dunces—name of a famous poem by Pope.—adjs. Dun′cish, Dunce′-like. [Duns Scotus (died 1308), the Subtle Doctor, leader of the schoolmen, from him called Dunses, who opposed classical studies on the revival of learning—hence any opposer of learning, a blockhead.]
Dunch, dunsh, v.t. (Scot.) to push with the elbow: to gore with the horns, as a bull. [Hardly related to Sw. dunka, to beat; Dan. dunke, a thump.]
Dunder, dun′dėr, n. lees, dregs.
Dunderfunk, dun′dėr-fungk, n. ship-biscuit, soaked in water, mixed with fat and molasses, and baked in a pan.—Also Dan′dyfunk.
Dunderhead, dun′dėr-hed, n. a stupid person—also Dun′derpate.—adj. Dun′derheaded.—n. Dun′der-headism.
Dundreary, dun-drēr′i, adj. like Lord Dundreary—in Sothern's creation of the part, a lisping and brainless dandy, wearing long side-whiskers.
Dune, dūn, n. a low hill of sand on the seashore. [An earlier form of down, a hill.]
Dung, dung, n. the excrement of animals: refuse litter mixed with excrement.—v.t. to manure with dung.—v.i. to void excrement.—ns. Dung′-bee′tle, the dor-beetle: (pl.) the scarabæoid beetles generally; Dung′-fork, a fork used for moving stable manure; Dung′hill, a heap of dung: any mean situation; Dung′mere, a manure-pit.—adj. Dung′y. [A.S. dung; cf. Dan. dynge, a heap; Ger. dung.]
Dungaree, dung′ga-ri, n. a coarse Indian calico: (pl.) trousers of such.—Also Dung′eree. [Hindi.]
Dungeon, dun′jun, n. (orig.) the principal tower of a castle: a close, dark prison: a cell under ground.—v.t. to confine in a dungeon.—n. Dun′geoner, a gaoler. [O. Fr. donjon—Low L. domnion-em—L. dominus, a lord.]
Dunker, dungk′ėr, n. a member of a sect of German-American Baptists who practise triple immersion.—Also Tunk′er. [Ger.]
Dunlin, dun′lin, n. the red-backed sandpiper. [A dim. of dun.]
Dunlop, dun-lop′, n. a rich cheese made of unskimmed milk—from Dunlop in Ayrshire.
Dunnage, dun′āj, n. on shipboard, a name applied to loose wood of any kind laid in the bottom of the hold to keep the cargo out of the bilge-water, or wedged between parts of the cargo to keep them steady. [Ety. unknown.]
Dunniewassal, Duniwassal, dun-i-was′al, n. (Scot.) a gentleman of inferior rank. [Gael. duin' uasal—duine, a man, uasal, gentle.]
Dunning, dun′ing, n. the process of browning and curing cod-fish.
Dunnock, dun′ok, n. the hedge-sparrow.
Dunny, dun′i, adj. (prov.) deaf.
Dunstable, dun′stä-bl, n. a hat, bonnet, &c. of plaited straw, first made at Dunstable in Bedfordshire.—Dunstable road, highway, anything plain and direct.
Dunt, dunt, n. (Scot.) a blow or stroke, the wound made by such.—v.t. to strike, beat. [See Dint.]
Dunt, dunt, n. (prov.) the gid or sturdy in sheep, &c.
Duo, dū′o, n. a song in two parts. [L. duo, two.]
Duodecahedron, dū-o-dek-a-hē′dron, n. Same as Dodecahedron.
Duodecennial, dū-o-de-sen′i-al, adj. occurring every twelve years. [L. duodecim, twelve, annus, year.]
Duodecimal, dū-o-des′i-mal, adj. computed by twelves: twelfth: (pl.) a method of calculating the area of a rectangle when the length and breadth are stated in feet and inches.—adjs. Duodecim′fid, divided into twelve parts; Duodec′imo, formed of sheets folded so as to make twelve leaves.—n. a book of such sheets—usually written 12mo.—Duodecimal scale, the name given to the division of unity into twelve equal parts. [L. duodecim, twelve—duo, two, and decem, ten.]
Duodecuple, dū-o-dek′ū-pl, adj. twelvefold: consisting of twelve. [L. duodecim, plicāre, to fold.]
Duodenary, dū-ō-den′a-ri, adj. relating to twelve, twelvefold.
Duodenum, dū-o-dē′num, n. the first portion of the small intestines, so called because about twelve fingers'-breadth in length:—pl. Duodē′na.—adj. Duodē′nal. [Formed from L. duodeni, twelve each.]
Duoliteral, dū-ō-lit′er-al, adj. consisting of two letters.
Duologue, dū′ō-log, n. a piece spoken between two.
Duomo, dū-ō′mo, n. a cathedral. [It. See Dome.]
Dup, dup, v.t. (Shak.) to undo a door. [From do and up. Cf. don and doff.]
Dupe, dūp, n. one easily cheated: one who is deceived or misled.—v.t. to deceive: to trick.—n. Dupabil′ity.—adj. Dū′pable.—n. Dū′pery, the art of deceiving others. [Fr. dupe; of uncertain origin.]
Dupion, dū′pi-on, n. a cocoon spun by two silkworms together, also the silk of such.—Also Dou′pion. [Fr.]
Duplex, dū′pleks, adj. twofold: double.—adjs. Dū′ple, double: twofold; Dū′plicate, double: twofold.—n. another thing of the same kind: a copy or transcript.—v.t. to double: to fold.—n. Duplicā′tion.—adj. Dū′plicative.—ns. Dū′plicature, a doubling: anything doubled: the fold of a membrane; Duplic′ity, doubleness: insincerity of heart or speech: deceit; Dū′ply, a second reply in Scots law.—The duplication of the cube was a problem eagerly discussed by the early Greek geometers. [L. duplicāre, -ātum—duplex—duo, two, plicāre, to fold.]
Dura. See Durra.
Durable, dūr′a-bl, adj. able to last or endure: hardy: permanent.—ns. Dur′ableness, Durabil′ity, quality of being durable: power of resisting decay.—adv. Dur′ably.—ns. Dur′ance, continuance: imprisonment: duress; Dur′ant, a strong cloth in imitation of buff-leather; Durā′tion, continuance in time: time indefinitely: power of continuance. [Fr.,—L. durabilis—durāre, to last.]
Dura mater, dū′ra mā′tėr, n. the exterior membrane of the brain and spinal column distinguished from the other two, the arachnoid and the pia mater.
Duramen, dū-rā′mėn, n. the inner and fully ripened wood of dicotyledonous trees. [L.,—durus, hard.]
Durbar, dur′bar, n. an audience-chamber: a reception or levee, esp. a reception of native princes held by the Viceroy of India: the body of officials at a native court. [Pers. dar-bár, a prince's court, lit. a 'door of admittance.']
Durdum. Same as Dirdum.
Dure, dūr, v.i. (obs.) to endure, last, or continue.—adj. Dure′ful (Spens.), enduring, lasting. [Fr. durer—L. durāre—durus, hard.]
Duress, dūr′es, or dūr-es′, n. constraint: imprisonment: constraint illegally exercised to force a person to perform some act. [O. Fr. duresse—L. duritia—durus, hard.]
Durga, dōōr′ga, the wife of Siva (q.v.).
Durgan, dur′gan, n. a dwarf, any undersized creature.—adj. Dur′gy. [Related to dwarf.]
Durham, dur′am, n. one of a particular breed of shorthorned cattle—from the English county.
Durian, dū′ri-an, n. a lofty Indian and Malayan fruit-tree (genus Durio), with leaves resembling those of the cherry, and large bunches of pale-yellow flowers.—Also Dū′rion. [Malay duryon.]
During, dū′ring, prep. for the time a thing lasts: in the course of. [Orig. pr.p. of obs. dure, to last.]
Durmast, dur′mast, n. a sub-species or variety of oak.
Durn, durn, n. (prov.) a door-post.—Also Dern.
Duroy, dū-roi′, n. an obsolete form of corduroy.
Durra, dur′ra, n. a genus of grasses closely allied to sugar-cane and beard-grass—also called Durra millet and Indian millet or Sorgho grass. Much cultivated in Asia, Africa, and the south of Europe.—Also Dour′a, Dhur′ra, and Dur′a. [Ar.]
Durst, durst, pa.t. of Dare, to venture. [A.S. dorste, pa.t. of dear, to dare.]
Dush, dush, v.t. (Scot.) to throw down.
Dusk, dusk, adj. darkish: of a dark colour.—n. twilight: partial darkness: darkness of the colour.—v.t. to occasion a dusky appearance.—v.i. Dusk′en, to grow dark.—adv. Dusk′ily.—n. Dusk′iness.—adj. Dusk′ish, rather dusky: slightly dark or black.—adv. Dusk′ishly.—n. Dusk′ishness.—adv. Dusk′ly.—n. Dusk′ness.—adj. Dusk′y, partially dark or obscure: dark-coloured: sad: gloomy. [A.S. dox, dosc, dark—further history of word obscure.]
Dust, dust, n. fine particles of matter: a cloud of powdery matter present in the atmosphere: powder: earth: the grave, where the body becomes dust: a mean condition: gold-dust—hence money.—v.t. to free from dust: to sprinkle with dust.—ns. Dust′-ball, a disease of horses, in which grain-dust forms a ball in the intestine; Dust′-bin, a bucket, box, &c. for holding dust and rubbish; Dust′-brand, smut (q.v.); Dust′-brush, a light brush for removing dust from walls, &c.; Dust′-cart, a cart for conveying dust and rubbish from the streets; Dust′-contract′or, one who has made a contract to remove dust, &c., as from yards; Dust′er, one who dusts: a cloth or brush used for removing dust; Dust′-hole, a dust-bin; Dust′iness; Dust′man, a scavenger; Dust′-pan, a pan or shovel for removing dust swept from the floor.—adj. Dust′y, covered or sprinkled with dust: like dust.—ns. Dust′y-foot (see Pie-powder); Dust′y-mill′er, the auricula, from the white dust upon its leaves.—Dust a person's jacket, to give him a drubbing.—Bite the dust (see Bite); Down with the dust, pay down the money, originally with reference to gold-dust; Kick up a dust, to make a stir or uproar; Raise a dust, to create a disturbance; Throw dust in a person's eyes, to delude or deceive a person. [A.S. dúst; cf. Ger. dunst, vapour, Dut. duist, meal-dust.]
Dutch, duch, adj. belonging to Holland or its people—in old writers rather applied to the Germans: heavy, clumsy, as in Dutch-built, -buttocked, &c.—n. Dutch′man, a native of Holland.—Dutch auction, courage, tiles (see Auction, Courage, Tile); Dutch carpet, a mixed material of cotton and wool for floor coverings; Dutch cheese, a small round cheese made on the Continent from skim-milk; Dutch clinkers, a hard brick for paving stables, &c.; Dutch clover, white clover; Dutch concert, a concert in which singers sing their various songs simultaneously, or each one sings a verse of any song he likes between bursts of some familiar chorus; Dutch drops, a balsam, or popular nostrum, of oil of turpentine, tincture of guaiacum, &c.; Dutch liquid, an oily substance obtained by mixing chlorine and olefiant gases—not miscible with water, readily dissolving in ether and alcohol, producing anæsthesia; Dutch metal, sometimes called Dutch gold or Dutch leaf, is an alloy of copper and zinc; Dutch oven (see Oven); Dutch pink (see Pink); Dutch rush, the scouring-rush; Dutch wife, an open frame of rattan or cane used in the Dutch Indies, to rest the limbs upon in bed.—Talk like a Dutch uncle, to rebuke with kindness. [Ger. deutsch, (lit.) belonging to the people—Old High Ger. diutisk, of which -isk = the Eng. suffix -ish, and diut = A.S. theod, Goth. thiuda, a nation. See Teutonic.]
Duty, dū′ti, n. that which is due: what one is bound by any obligation to do: obedience: military service: respect or regard: one's proper business: tax on goods.—adj. Dū′teous, devoted to duty: obedient.—adv. Dū′teously.—n. Dū′teousness.—adjs. Dū′tiable, subject to custom duty; Dū′tied, subjected to duties and customs; Dū′tiful, attentive to duty: respectful: expressive of a sense of duty.—adv. Dū′tifully.—n. Dū′tifulness.—adj. Dū′ty-free, free from tax or duty. [Formed from Anglo-Fr. deu or due (mod. Fr. dú) and suffix -ty. See Due (1).]
Duumvirate, dū-um′vi-rāt, n. the union of two men in the same office: a form of government in ancient Rome.—n. Dūum′vir, one of two associated in the same office.—adj. Dūum′viral. [L. duo, two, and vir, a man.]
Duvet, dü-vā′, n. a quilt stuffed with eider-down or swan's-down. [Fr.]
Dux, duks, n. a leader: the head boy in a school or class. [L., a leader.]
Dwale, dwāl, n. (bot.) deadly nightshade: a stupefying drink: (her.) a black colour. [Ice. dvöl, dvali, delay, sleep.]
Dwale, dwāl, n. (obs.) error: a heretic.—adj. perverse. [A.S. dwala, error.]
Dwalm, Dwaum, dwäm, n. (Scot.) a swoon, a sudden sickness.—v.i. to fail in health. [A.S. dwolma, confusion.]
Dwarf, dwawrf, n. an animal or plant that does not reach the ordinary height: a diminutive man.—v.t. to hinder from growing: to make to appear small.—adjs. Dwarf′ish, Dwarf, like a dwarf: very small: despicable.—adv. Dwarf′ishly.—n. Dwarf′ishness.—Dwarfed trees, small trees growing in flower-pots, a characteristic ornament in Chinese and Japanese houses and gardens. [A.S. dweorg; Dut. dwerg, Ice. dvergr, Ger. zwerg.]
Dwell, dwel, v.i. to abide in a place: to remain: to rest the attention: to continue long.—v.t. (Milt.) to inhabit, to place:—pr.p. dwell′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. dwelled or dwelt.—ns. Dwell′er; Dwell′ing, the place where one dwells: habitation: continuance; Dwell′ing-house, a house used as a dwelling, in distinction from a place of business or other building; Dwell′ing-place, a place of residence. [A.S. dwellan, to cause to wander, to delay, from dwal or dol, the original of Eng. dull.]
Dwindle, dwin′dl, v.i. to grow less: to waste away: to grow feeble: to become degenerate.—v.t. to lessen.—n. decline.—n. Dwin′dlement. [Dim. of Dwine.]
Dwine, dwīn, v.i. to pine: (Scot.) to waste away. [A.S. dwínan, to fade; cf. Ice. dvína, Dan. tvine, to pine away.]
Dyad, dī′ad, n. a pair of units treated as one: (chem.) an atom, radical, or element having a combining power of two units: (biol.) a secondary unit of organisation consisting of an aggregate of monads.—adj. Dyad′ic.
Dyak, dī′ak, n. the Malay name for the race who constitute the bulk of the aboriginal population of Borneo, divided into innumerable tribes, differing pretty widely in language, customs, and degrees of savageness.—Also Day′ak.
Dye, dī, n. (Spens.). Same as Die (2).
Dye, dī, v.t. to stain: to give a new colour to:—pr.p. dye′ing; pa.p. dyed.—n. colour: tinge: stain: a colouring liquid.—ns. Dye′-house, a building in which dyeing is done; Dye′ing, the art of imparting colours to textile and other materials, such as cotton, silk, wool, and leather; Dy′er, one whose trade is to dye cloth, &c.; Dy′er's-broom, a European shrubby plant, thoroughly naturalised in some parts of North America—a well-known source of yellow colouring matter; Dy′er's-weed, the woad, weld, or yellow weed, yielding a yellow dye; Dye′-stuff, material used in dyeing; Dye′-wood, any wood from which material is obtained for dyeing; Dye′-work, an establishment for dyeing. [A.S. deágan, to dye, from deág or deáh, colour.]
Dying, dī′ing, pr.p. of Die.—adj. destined for death: mortal: declining: occurring immediately before death, as dying words: supporting a dying person, as a dying-bed: pertaining to death.—n. death.—adv. Dy′ingly.—n. Dy′ingness.—Dying declaration (law), the declaration made by a person convinced of his impending death, and who does not expect to survive the trial of the accused. [See Die (1).]
Dyke. Same as Dike.
Dynactinometer, din-ak-tin-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the actinic force of light. [Gr. dynamis, force, aktis, aktinos, a ray, metron, a measure.]
Dynam, dī′nam, n. a unit of work, a foot-pound: the resultant of all the forces acting on a body.
Dynameter, dī-nam′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the magnifying power of a telescope.—adj. Dynamet′rical, pertaining to a dynameter. [Gr. dynamis, power, and metron, a measure.]
Dynamic, -al, di-nam′ik, -al, adj. relating to force: relating to the effects of forces in nature: causal.—n. Dynam′ic, a moving force.—adv. Dynam′ically.—ns. Dynam′ics, the science which treats of matter and motion, where the nature of the moving body and the cause of its motion are both considered; Dy′namism, a theory which explains the phenomena of the universe by some immanent energy: operation of force; Dy′namist.—adj. Dynamis′tic. [Gr. dynamikos—dynamis, power—dynasthai, to be able.]
Dynamite, din′a-mīt, n. a powerful explosive agent, consisting of absorbent matter, as porous silica, saturated with nitro-glycerine.—v.t. to blow up with dynamite.—ns. Dyn′amitard, Dyn′amiter, a ruffian who would use dynamite to destroy bridges, gaols, &c. [Gr. dynamis.]
Dynamo, dī′na-mo, n. a contraction of Dynamo-electric machine, a machine for generating electric currents by means of the relative movement of conductors and magnets.—adjs. Dy′namo-electric, -al.—ns. Dynamog′eny, production of increased nervous activity; Dynam′ograph, a recording dynamometer: an instrument for marking the degree of compression of an elliptic spring.
Dynamometer, din-am-om′e-tėr, n. originally an instrument for measuring force, such as the pull exerted by a horse in drawing a cart: the name now usually given to instruments for measuring power.—adjs. Dynamomet′ric, -al. [Gr. dynamis, power, and metron, a measure.]
Dynasty, din′as-ti, or d[i]′nas-ti, n. a succession of kings of the same family.—n. Dy′nast, a ruler.—adj. Dynas′tic, belonging to a dynasty. [Gr. dynasteia—dynastēs, a lord, dynasthai, to be able.]
Dyne, dīn, n. the unit of force in the centimetre-gramme-second (C.G.S.) system.
Dyophysite, dī-of′i-zīt, n. a holder of the doctrine of the coexistence of two natures, the divine and the human, in Christ—also Diph′ysite.—adjs. Dyophysit′ic, -al.—n. Dyoph′ysitism.
Dyothelete, dī-oth′e-lēt, adj. holding the doctrine that Christ had two wills, a divine and a human—also Dyoth′elite.—n. one who holds the foregoing.—ns. Dyoth′elitism, Dyoth′elism.
Dysæsthesia, dis-es-thē′si-a, n. impaired sensation, partial insensibility.—adj. Dysæsthetic. [Gr., dys, hard, aisthētos—aisthanesthai, to feel.]
Dyschroa, dis′krō-a, n. discoloration of the skin from disease.—Also Dys′chroia.
Dyscrasia, dis-krā′si-a, n. (path.) an altered condition of the blood and fluids of the system, leading to constitutional diseases, as dropsy, cancer, delirium tremens, lead-poisoning, &c. [From Gr. dys, bad, krasis, a mixture.]
Dysentery, dis′en-ter-i, n. a form of disease accompanied by discharges from the bowels, and differing from diarrhœa chiefly in being attended by marked fever and pain, as also by the presence of blood and inflammatory products in the discharges. It is a disease of the mucous membrane of the colon or great intestine.—adj. Dysenter′ic. [Gr. dysenteria, dys, ill, entera, entrails.]
Dyslogistic, dis-lō-jis′tik, adj. conveying censure, opprobrious.—adv. Dyslogis′tically.—n. Dys′logy, dispraise.
Dysmenorrhœa, dis-men-ō-rē′a, n. difficult or painful menstruation.—adjs. Dysmenorrhœ′al, -ic.
Dysnomy, dis′nō-mi, n. bad legislation.
Dysodyle, -ile, dis′ō-dīl, n. a yellow or grayish laminated bituminous mineral, often found with lignite, burning vividly, with an odour of asafœtida. [Gr. dysōdēs—dys, ill, ozein, to smell.]
Dysopsia, dis-op′si-a, n. dimness or difficulty of vision.—Also Dysō′pia, Dysop′sy.
Dysorexia, dis-ō-rek′si-a, n. an impaired or depraved appetite.—Also Dys′orexy.
Dyspathy, dis′pa-thi, n. antipathy, dislike—opposite of Sympathy.—adj. Dyspathet′ic.
Dyspepsia, dis-pep′si-a, n. a scientific term for indigestion—also Dyspep′sy.—n. Dyspep′tic, a person afflicted with dyspepsia.—adjs. Dyspep′tic, -al, afflicted with, pertaining to, or arising from indigestion.—adv. Dyspep′tically. [Gr. dyspepsia—dys, hard, pessein, pepsein, to digest.]
Dysphagia, dis-fā′ji-a, n. difficulty in swallowing—also Dys′phagy.—adj. Disphag′ic.
Dysphonia, dis-fō′ni-a, n. difficulty in producing sounds. [Gr. dys, ill, phōnē, sound.]
Dysphoria, dis-fō′ri-a, n. impatience under affliction, morbid restlessness.
Dysphuistic, dis-fū-is′tik, adj. ill-sounding, inelegant.
Dyspnœa, disp-nē′a, n. difficulty of breathing.—adjs. Dyspnœ′al, Dyspnœ′ic. [Gr. dys, ill, pnoē, breathing.]
Dysteleology, dis-tel-ē-ol′o-ji, n. the doctrine of purposelessness, or denial of 'final causes:' the study of apparently functionless rudimentary organs in animals and plants.—adj. Dysteleolog′ical.—n. Dysteleol′ogist.
Dysthesia, dis-thē′si-a, n. a morbid habit of body, resulting in general discomfort and impatience.—adj. Dysthet′ic.
Dysthymic, dis-thim′ik, adj. depressed in spirits.
Dystomic, dis-tom′ik, adj. having an imperfect fracture or cleavage.—Also Dys′tomous.
Dysuria, dis-ū′ri-a, n. a difficulty of passing urine—also Dys′ury.—adj. Dysū′ric. [Gr. dys, ill, ouron, urine.]
Dytiscus, dī-tis′kus, n. a genus of water-beetles, including a common large British species, D. marginalis—also Dyt′icus.—adj. Dytis′cid. [Formed from Gr. dytēs, a diver.]
Dyvour, dī′vōōr, n. (Scot.) a bankrupt.—n. Dyv′oury, bankruptcy. [Generally conn. with Fr. devoir, to owe. The old phrase 'drowned in debt' suggests a connection with diver.]
Dzeren, dzē′ren, n. the Mongolian antelope.—Also Dzē′ron—called also Goitered antelope, Yellow goat.
Dziggetai, dzig′ge-tī, n. a species of wild ass, more horse-like than the others, inhabiting the elevated steppes of Tartary—prob. the hemionus (half-ass) of Herodotus and Pliny. [Mongol.]