Chapter CXXII: Conclusion: Con*clu"sion, n. Etym: F., fr. L. conclusio. See Conclude (31)

DERTROTHECA Der`tro*the"ca, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The horny covering of the end of the bill of birds.

DERVISH; DERVISE; DERVIS Der"vish, Der"vise, Der"vis, n. Etym: [Per. derw, fr. OPer. derew to beg, ask alms: cf. F. derviche.]

Defn: A Turkish or Persian monk, especially one who professes extreme poverty and leads an austere life.

DERWORTH Der"worth, a. Etym: [AS. deórwurpe, lit., dearworth.]

Defn: Precious. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

DESCANT Des"cant, n. Etym: [OF. descant, deschant, F. déchant, discant, LL. discantus, fr. L. dis + cantus singing, melody, fr. canere to sing. See Chant, and cf. Descant, v. i., Discant.]

1. (Mus.) (a) Originally, a double song; a melody or counterpoint sung above the plain song of the tenor; a variation of an air; a variation by ornament of the main subject or plain song. (b) The upper voice in part music. (c) The canto, cantus, or soprano voice; the treble. Grove. Twenty doctors expound one text twenty ways, as children make descant upon plain song. Tyndale. She [the nightingale] all night long her amorous descant sung. Milton.

Note: The term has also been used synonymously with counterpoint, or polyphony, which developed out of the French déchant, of the 12th century.

2. A discourse formed on its theme, like variations on a musical air; a comment or comments. Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a descant! De Quincey.

DESCANT Des*cant", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Descanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Descanting.] Etym: [From descant; n.; or directly fr. OF. descanter, deschanter; L. dis- + cantare to sing.]

1. To sing a variation or accomplishment.

2. To comment freely; to discourse with fullness and particularity; to discourse at large. A virtuous man should be pleased to find people descanting on his actions. Addison.

DESCANTER Des*cant"er, n.

Defn: One who descants.

DESCEND De*scend", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Descended; p. pr. & vb. n. Descending.] Etym: [F. descendre, L. descendere, descensum; de- + scandere to climb. See Scan.]

1. To pass from a higher to a lower place; to move downwards; to come or go down in any way, as by falling, flowing, walking, etc.; to plunge; to fall; to incline downward; -- the opposite of ascend. The rain descended, and the floods came. Matt. vii. 25. We will here descend to matters of later date. Fuller.

2. To enter mentally; to retire. [Poetic] [He] with holiest meditations fed, Into himself descended. Milton.

3. To make an attack, or incursion, as if from a vantage ground; to come suddenly and with violence; -- with on or upon. And on the suitors let thy wrath descend. Pope.

4. To come down to a lower, less fortunate, humbler, less virtuous, or worse, state or station; to lower or abase one's self; as, he descended from his high estate.

5. To pass from the more general or important to the particular or less important matters to be considered.

6. To come down, as from a source, original, or stock; to be derived; to proceed by generation or by transmission; to fall or pass by inheritance; as, the beggar may descend from a prince; a crown descends to the heir.

7. (Anat.)

Defn: To move toward the south, or to the southward.

8. (Mus.)

Defn: To fall in pitch; to pass from a higher to a lower tone.

DESCEND De*scend", v. t.

Defn: To go down upon or along; to pass from a higher to a lower part of; as, they descended the river in boats; to descend a ladder. But never tears his cheek descended. Byron.

DESCENDANT De*scend"ant, a. Etym: [F. descendant, p. pr. of descendre. Cf. Descendent.]

Defn: Descendent.

DESCENDANT De*scend"ant, n.

Defn: One who descends, as offspring, however remotely; -- correlative to ancestor or ascendant. Our first parents and their descendants. Hale. The descendant of so many kings and emperors. Burke.

DESCENDENT De*scend"ent, a. Etym: [L. descendens, -entis, p. pr. of descendre. Cf. Descendant.]

Defn: Descending; falling; proceeding from an ancestor or source. More than mortal grace Speaks thee descendent of ethereal race. Pope.

DESCENDER De*scend"er, n.

Defn: One who descends.

DESCENDIBILITY De*scend`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being descendible; capability of being transmitted from ancestors; as, the descendibility of an estate.

DESCENDIBLE De*scend"i*ble, a.

1. Admitting descent; capable of being descended.

2. That may descend from an ancestor to an heir. "A descendant estate." Sir W. Jones.

DESCENDING De*scend"ing, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to descent; moving downwards. Descending constellations or signs (Astron.), those through which the planets descent toward the south. -- Descending node (Astron.), that point in a planet's orbit where it intersects the ecliptic in passing southward. -- Descending series (Math.), a series in which each term is numerically smaller than the preceding one; also, a series arranged according to descending powers of a quantity.

DESCENDINGLY De*scend"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a descending manner.

DESCENSION De*scen"sion, n. Etym: [OF. descension, L. descensio. See Descent.]

Defn: The act of going downward; descent; falling or sinking; declension; degradation. Oblique descension (Astron.), the degree or arc of the equator which descends, with a celestial object, below the horizon of an oblique sphere. -- Right descension, the degree or arc of the equator which descends below the horizon of a right sphere at the same time with the object. [Obs.]

DESCENSIONAL De*scen"sion*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to descension. Johnson.

DESCENSIVE De*scen"sive, a.

Defn: Tending to descend; tending downwards; descending. Smart.

DESCENSORY De*scen"so*ry, n. Etym: [NL. descensorium: cf. OF. descensoire. See Descend.]

Defn: A vessel used in alchemy to extract oils.

DESCENT De*scent", n. Etym: [F. descente, fr. descendre; like vente, from vendre. See Descend.]

1. The act of descending, or passing downward; change of place from higher to lower.

2. Incursion; sudden attack; especially, hostile invasion from sea; - - often followed by upon or on; as, to make a descent upon the enemy. The United Provinces . . . ordered public prayer to God, when they feared that the French and English fleets would make a descent upon their coasts. Jortin.

3. Progress downward, as in station, virtue, as in station, virtue, and the like, from a higher to a lower state, from a higher to a lower state, from the more to the less important, from the better to the worse, etc.

2. Derivation, as from an ancestor; procedure by generation; lineage; birth; extraction. Dryden.

5. (Law)

Defn: Transmission of an estate by inheritance, usually, but not necessarily, in the descending line; title to inherit an estate by reason of consanguinity. Abbott.

6. Inclination downward; a descending way; inclined or sloping surface; declivity; slope; as, a steep descent.

7. That which is descended; descendants; issue. If care of our descent perplex us most, Which must be born to certain woe. Milton.

8. A step or remove downward in any scale of gradation; a degree in the scale of genealogy; a generation. No man living is a thousand descents removed from Adam himself. Hooker.

9. Lowest place; extreme downward place. [R.] And from the extremest upward of thy head, To the descent and dust below thy foot. Shak.

10. (Mus.)

Defn: A passing from a higher to a lower tone.

Syn. -- Declivity; slope; degradation; extraction; lineage; assault; invasion; attack.

DESCRIBABLE De*scrib"a*ble, a.

Defn: That can be described; capable of description.

DESCRIBE De*scribe", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Described; p. pr. & vb. n. Describing.] Etym: [L. describere, descriptum; de- + scribere to write: cf. OE. descriven, OF. descrivre, F. décrire. See Scribe, and cf. Descry.]

1. To represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle.

2. To represent by words written or spoken; to give an account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as, the geographer describes countries and cities.

3. To distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class. [Obs.] Passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book. Josh. xviii. 9.

Syn. -- To set forth; represent; delineate; relate; recount; narrate; express; explain; depict; portray; chracterize.

DESCRIBE De*scribe", v. i.

Defn: To use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty.

DESCRIBENT De*scrib"ent, n. Etym: [L. describens, p. pr. of describere.] (Geom.)

Defn: Same as Generatrix.

DESCRIBER De*scrib"er, n.

Defn: One who describes.

DESCRIER De*scri"er, n.

Defn: One who descries.

DESCRIPTION De*scrip"tion, n. Etym: [F. description, L. descriptio. See Describe.]

1. The act of describing; a delineation by marks or signs.

2. A sketch or account of anything in words; a portraiture or representation in language; an enumeration of the essential qualities of a thing or species. Milton has descriptions of morning. D. Webster.

3. A class to which a certain representation is applicable; kind; sort. A difference . . . between them and another description of public creditors. A. Hamilton. The plates were all of the meanest description. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Account; definition; recital; relation; detail; narrative; narration; explanation; delineation; representation; kind; sort. See Definition.

DESCRIPTIVE De*scrip"tive, a. Etym: [L. descriptivus: cf. F. descriptif.]

Defn: Tending to describe; having the quality of representing; containing description; as, a descriptive figure; a descriptive phrase; a descriptive narration; a story descriptive of the age. Descriptive anatomy, that part of anatomy which treats of the forms and relations of parts, but not of their textures. -- Descriptive geometry, that branch of geometry. which treats of the graphic solution of problems involving three dimensions, by means of projections upon auxiliary planes. Davies & Peck (Math. Dict. ) -- De*scrip"tive*ly, adv. -- De*scrip"tive*ness, n.

DESCRIVE De*scrive", v. t. Etym: [OF. descrivre. See Describe.]

Defn: To describe. [Obs.] Spenser.

DESCRY De*scry", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Descried; p. pr. & vb. n. Descrying.] Etym: [OE. descrien, discrien, to espy, prob. from the proclaiming of what was espied, fr. OF. descrier to proclaim, cry down, decry, F. décrier. The word was confused somewhat with OF. descriven, E. describe, OF. descrivre, from L. describere. See Decry.]

1. To spy out or discover by the eye, as objects distant or obscure; to espy; to recognize; to discern; to discover. And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. Judg. i. 23. Edmund, I think, is gone . . . to descry The strength o' the enemy. Shak. And now their way to earth they had descried. Milton.

2. To discover; to disclose; to reveal. [R.] His purple robe he had thrown aside, lest it should descry him. Milton.

Syn. -- To see; behold; espy; discover; discern.

DESCRY De*scry"

Defn: , Discovery or view, as of an army seen at a distance. [Obs.] Near, and on speedy foot; the main descry Stands on the hourly thought. Shak.

DESECATE Des"e*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. desecare to cut off.]

Defn: To cut, as with a scythe; to mow. [Obs.]

DESECRATE Des"e*crate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desecrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Desecrating.] Etym: [L. desecratus, p. p. of desecrare (also desacrare) to consecrate, dedicate; but taken in the sense if to divest of a sacred character; de- + sacrare to consecrate, fr. sacer sacred. See Sacred.]

Defn: To divest of a sacred character or office; to divert from a sacred purpose; to violate the sanctity of; to profane; to put to an unworthy use; -- the opposite of consecrate. The [Russian] clergy can not suffer corporal punishment without being previously desecrated. W. Tooke. The founders of monasteries imprecated evil on those who should desecrate their donations. Salmon.

DESECRATER Des"e*cra`ter, n.

Defn: One who desecrates; a profaner. Harper's Mag.

DESECRATION Des`e*cra"tion, n.

Defn: The act of desecrating; profanation; condition of anything desecrated.

DESECRATOR Des"e*cra`tor, n.

Defn: One who desecrates. "Desecrators of the church." Morley.

DESEGMENTATION De*seg`men*ta"tion, n. (Anat.)

Defn: The loss or obliteration of division into segments; as, a desegmentation of the body.

DESERT De*sert", n. Etym: [OF. deserte, desserte, merit, recompense, fr. deservir, desservir, to merit. See Deserve.]

Defn: That which is deserved; the reward or the punishment justly due; claim to recompense, usually in a good sense; right to reward; merit. According to their deserts will I judge them. Ezek. vii. 27. Andronicus, surnamed Pius For many good and great deserts to Rome. Shak. His reputation falls far below his desert. A. Hamilton.

Syn. -- Merit; worth; excellence; due.

DESERT Des"ert, n. Etym: [F. désert, L. desertum, from desertus solitary, desert, pp. of deserere to desert; de- + serere to join together. See Series.]

1. 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 dreary desert and a gloomy waste. Pope.

2. A tract, which may be capable of sustaining a population, but has been left unoccupied and uncultivated; a wilderness; a solitary place. He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Is. li. 3.

Note: Also figuratively. Before her extended Dreary and vast and silent, the desert of life. Longfellow.

DESERT Des"ert, a. Etym: [Cf. L. desertus, p. p. of deserere, and F. désert. See 2d Desert.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a desert; forsaken; without life or cultivation; unproductive; waste; barren; wild; desolate; solitary; as, they landed on a desert island. He . . . went aside privately into a desert place. Luke ix. 10. Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air. Gray. Desert flora (Bot.), the assemblage of plants growing naturally in a desert, or in a dry and apparently unproductive place. -- Desert hare (Zoöl.), a small hare (Lepus sylvaticus, var. Arizonæ) inhabiting the deserts of the Western United States. -- Desert mouse (Zoöl.), an American mouse (Hesperomys eremicus), living in the Western deserts.

DESERT De*sert", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deserted; p. pr. & vb. n. Deserting.] Etym: [Cf. L. desertus, p. p. of deserere to desert, F. déserter. See 2d Desert.]

1. 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. "The deserted fortress." Prescott.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: 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.

DESERT De*sert", v. i.

Defn: To abandon a service without leave; to quit military service without permission, before the expiration of one's term; to abscond. The soldiers . . . deserted in numbers. Bancroft.

Syn. -- To abandon; forsake; leave; relinquish; renounce; quit; depart from; abdicate. See Abandon.

DESERTER De*sert"er (, n.

Defn: One who forsakes a duty, a cause or a party, a friend, or any one to whom he owes service; especially, a soldier or a seaman who abandons the service without leave; one guilty of desertion.

DESERTFUL De*sert"ful, a.

Defn: Meritorious. [R.] Beau. & Fl.

DESERTION De*ser"tion, n. Etym: [L. desertio: cf. F. désertion.]

1. The act of deserting or forsaking; abandonment of a service, a cause, a party, a friend, or any post of duty; the quitting of one's duties willfully and without right; esp., an absconding from military or naval service. Such a resignation would have seemed to his superior a desertion or a reproach. Bancroft.

2. The state of being forsaken; desolation; as, the king in his desertion.

3. Abandonment by God; spiritual despondency. The spiritual agonies of a soul under desertion. South.

DESERTLESS De*sert"less, a.

Defn: Without desert. [R.]

DESERTLESSLY De*sert"less*ly, adv.

Defn: Undeservedly. [R.] Beau. & Fl.

DESERTNESS Des"ert*ness, n.

Defn: A deserted condition. [R.] "The desertness of the country." Udall.

DESERTRIX; DESERTRICE De*sert"rix, De*sert"rice, n. Etym: [L. desertrix.]

Defn: A feminine deserter. Milton.

DESERVE De*serve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deserved; p. pr. & vb. n. Deserving.] Etym: [OF. deservir, desservir, to merit, L. deservire to serve zealously, be devoted to; de- + servire to serve. See Serve.]

1. To earn by service; to be worthy of (something due, either good or evil); to merit; to be entitled to; as, the laborer deserves his wages; a work of value deserves praise. God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. Job xi. 6. John Gay deserved to be a favorite. Thackeray. Encouragement is not held out to things that deserve reprehension. Burke.

2. To serve; to treat; to benefit. [Obs.] A man that hath So well deserved me. Massinger.

DESERVE De*serve", v. i.

Defn: To be worthy of recompense; -- usually with ill or with well. One man may merit or deserve of another. South.

DESERVEDLY De*serv"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: According to desert (whether good or evil); justly.

DESERVEDNESS De*serv"ed*ness, n.

Defn: Meritoriousness.

DESERVER De*serv"er, n.

Defn: One who deserves.

DESERVING De*serv"ing, n.

Defn: Desert; merit. A person of great deservings from the republic. Swift.

DESERVING De*serv"ing, a.

Defn: Meritorious; worthy; as, a deserving or act. -- De*serv"ing*ly, adv.

DESHABILLE Des`ha*bille, n. Etym: [F. déshabillé, fr. déshabiller to undress; pref. dés- (L. dis-) + habiller to dress. See Habiliment, and cf. Dishabille.]

Defn: An undress; a careless toilet.

DESICCANT De*sic"cant, a. Etym: [L. desiccans, p. pr. of desiccare. See Desiccate.]

Defn: Drying; desiccative. -- n.

Defn: (Med.) A medicine or application for drying up a sore. Wiseman.

DESICCATE Des"ic*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desiccated; p. pr. & vb. n. Desiccating.] Etym: [L. desiccatus, p. p. of desiccare to dry up; de- + siccare to dry, siccus dry. See Sack wine.]

Defn: To dry up; to deprive or exhaust of moisture; to preserve by drying; as, to desiccate fish or fruit. Bodies desiccated by heat or age. Bacon.

DESICCATE Des"ic*cate, v. i.

Defn: To become dry.

DESICCATION Des`ic*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dessiccation.]

Defn: The act of desiccating, or the state of being desiccated.

DESICCATIVE De*sic"ca*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. dessicatif.]

Defn: Drying; tending to dry. Ferrand. -- n. (Med.)

Defn: An application for drying up secretions.

DESICCATOR Des"ic*ca`tor, n.

1. One who, or that which, desiccates.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: A short glass jar fitted with an air-tight cover, and containing some desiccating agent, as sulphuric acid or calcium chloride, above which is suspended the material to be dried, or preserved from moisture.

DESICCATORY De*sic"ca*to*ry, a.

Defn: Desiccative.

DESIDERABLE De*sid"er*a*ble, a.

Defn: Desirable. [R.] "Good and desiderable things." Holland.

DESIDERATA De*sid`e*ra"ta, n. pl.

Defn: See Desideratum.

DESIDERATE De*sid"er*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desiderated; p. pr. & vb. n. Desiderating.] Etym: [L. desideratus, p. p. of desiderare to desire, miss. See Desire, and cf. Desideratum.]

Defn: To desire; to feel the want of; to lack; to miss; to want. Pray have the goodness to point out one word missing that ought to have been there -- please to insert a desiderated stanza. You can not. Prof. Wilson. Men were beginning . . . to desiderate for them an actual abode of fire. A. W. Ward.

DESIDERATION De*sid`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. desideratio.]

Defn: Act of desiderating; also, the thing desired. [R.] Jeffrey.

DESIDERATIVE De*sid"er*a*tive, a. Etym: [L. desiderativus.]

Defn: Denoting desire; as, desiderative verbs.

DESIDERATIVE De*sid"er*a*tive, n.

1. An object of desire.

2. (Gram.)

Defn: A verb formed from another verb by a change of termination, and expressing the desire of doing that which is indicated by the primitive verb.

DESIDERATUM De*sid`e*ra"tum, n.; pl. Desiderata. Etym: [L., fr. desideratus, p. p. See Desiderate.]

Defn: Anything desired; that of which the lack is felt; a want generally felt and acknowledge.

DESIDIOSE; DESIDIOUS De*sid"i*ose`, De*sid"i*ous, a. Etym: [L. desidiosus, fr. desidia a sitting idle, fr. desid to sit idle; de- + sed to sit.]

Defn: Idle; lazy. [Obs.]

DESIDIOUSNESS De*sid"i*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being desidiose, or indolent. [Obs.] N. Bacon.

DESIGHT De*sight", n. Etym: [Pref. de- + sight.]

Defn: An unsightly object. [Obs.]

DESIGHTMENT De*sight"ment, n.

Defn: The act of making unsightly; disfigurement. [R.] To substitute jury masts at whatever desightment or damage in risk. London Times.

DESIGN De*sign", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Designed; p. pr. & vb. n. Designing.] Etym: [F. désigner to designate, cf. F. dessiner to draw, dessin drawing, dessein a plan or scheme; all, ultimately, from L. designare to designate; de- + signare to mark, mark out, signum mark, sign. See Sign, and cf. Design, n., Designate.]

1. To draw preliminary outline or main features of; to sketch for a pattern or model; to delineate; to trace out; to draw. Dryden.

2. To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint. We shall see Justice design the victor's chivalry. Shak. Meet me to-morrow where the master And this fraternity shall design. Beau. & Fl.

3. 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.

4. To intend or purpose; -- usually with for before the remote object, but sometimes with to. Ask of politicians the end for which laws were originally designed. Burke. He was designed to the study of the law. Dryden.

Syn. -- To sketch; plan; purpose; intend; propose; project; mean.

DESIGN De*sign", v. i.

Defn: To form a design or designs; to plan. Design for, to intend to go to. [Obs.] "From this city she designed for Collin [Cologne]." Evelyn.

DESIGN De*sign", n. Etym: [Cf. dessein, dessin.]

1. 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.

2. 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. The vast design and purposTennyson. The leaders of that assembly who withstood the designs of a besotted woman. Hallam. A . . . settled design upon another man's life. Locke. How little he could guess the secret designs of the court! Macaulay.

3. Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design.

4. 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.

5. (Mus.)

Defn: The invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole. Arts of design, those into which the designing of artistic forms and figures enters as a principal part, as architecture, painting, engraving, sculpture. -- School of design, one in which are taught the invention and delineation of artistic or decorative figures, patterns, and the like.

Syn. -- Intention; purpose; scheme; project; plan; idea. -- Design, Intention, Purpose. Design has reference to something definitely aimed at. Intention points to the feelings or desires with which a thing is sought. Purpose has reference to a settled choice or determination for its attainment. "I had no design to injure you," means it was no part of my aim or object. "I had no intention to injure you," means, I had no wish or desire of that kind. "My purpose was directly the reverse," makes the case still stronger. Is he a prudent man . . . that lays designs only for a day, without any prospect to the remaining part of his life Tillotson. I wish others the same intention, and greater successes. Sir W. Temple. It is the purpose that makes strong the vow. Shak.

DESIGNABLE Des"ig*na*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being designated or distinctly marked out; distinguishable. Boyle.

DESIGNATE Des"ig*nate, a. Etym: [L. designatus, p. p. of designare. See Design, v. t.]

Defn: Designated; appointed; chosen. [R.] Sir G. Buck.

DESIGNATE Des"ig*nate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Designated; p. pr. & vb. n. Designating.]

1. To mark out and make known; to point out; to name; to indicate; to show; to distinguish by marks or description; to specify; as, to designate the boundaries of a country; to designate the rioters who are to be arrested.

2. To call by a distinctive title; to name.

3. To indicate or set apart for a purpose or duty; -- with to or for; to designate an officer for or to the command of a post or station.

Syn. -- To name; denominate; style; entitle; characterize; describe.

DESIGNATION Des`ig*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. designatio: cf. F. désignation.]

1. The act of designating; a pointing out or showing; indication.

2. Selection and appointment for a purpose; allotment; direction.

3. That which designates; a distinguishing mark or name; distinctive title; appellation. The usual designation of the days of the week. Whewell.

4. Use or application; import; intention; signification, as of a word or phrase. Finite and infinite seem . . . to be attributed primarily, in their first designation, only to those things have parts. Locke.

DESIGNATIVE Des"ig*na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. désignatif.]

Defn: Serving to designate or indicate; pointing out.

DESIGNATOR Des"ig*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: An officer who assigned to each his rank and place in public shows and ceremonies.

2. One who designates.

DESIGNATORY Des"ig*na*to*ry, a.

Defn: Serving to designate; designative; indicating. [R.]

DESIGNEDLY De*sign"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: By design; purposely; intentionally; -- opposed to accidentally, ignorantly, or inadvertently.

DESIGNER De*sign"er, n.

1. One who designs, marks out, or plans; a contriver.

2. (Fine Arts)

Defn: One who produces or creates original works of art or decoration.

3. A plotter; a schemer; -- used in a bad sense.

DESIGNFUL De*sign"ful, a.

Defn: Full of design; scheming. [R.] -- De*sign"ful*ness, n. [R.] Barrow.

DESIGNING De*sign"ing, a.

Defn: Intriguing; artful; scheming; as, a designing man.

DESIGNING De*sign"ing, n.

Defn: The act of making designs or sketches; the act of forming designs or plans.

DESIGNLESS De*sign"less, a.

Defn: Without design. [Obs.] -- De*sign"less*ly, adv. [Obs.]

DESIGNMENT De*sign"ment, n.

1. Delineation; sketch; design; ideal; invention. [Obs.] For though that some mean artist's skill were shown In mingling colors, or in placing light, Yet still the fair designment was his own. Dryden.

2. Design; purpose; scheme. [Obs.] Shak.

DESILVER De*sil"ver, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of silver; as, to desilver lead.

DESILVERIZATION De*sil`ver*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act or the process of freeing from silver; also, the condition resulting from the removal of silver.

DESILVERIZE De*sil"ver*ize, v. t.

Defn: To deprive, or free from, silver; to remove silver from.

DESINENCE Des"i*nence, n. Etym: [Cf. F. désinence.]

Defn: Termination; ending. Bp. Hall.

DESINENT Des"i*nent, a. Etym: [L. desinens, p. pr. of desinere, desitum, to leave off, cease; de- + sinere to let, allow.]

Defn: Ending; forming an end; lowermost. [Obs.] "Their desinent parts, fish." B. Jonson.

DESINENTIAL Des`i*nen"tial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. désinentiel.]

Defn: Terminal. Furthermore, b, as a desinential element, has a dynamic function. Fitzed. Hall.

DESIPIENT De*sip"i*ent, a. Etym: [L. desipiens, p. pr. of desipere to be foolish; de- + sapere to be wise.]

Defn: Foolish; silly; trifling. [R.]

DESIRABILITY De*sir`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being desirable; desirableness.

DESIRABLE De*sir"a*ble, a. Etym: [F. désirable, fr. L. desiderabilis. See Desire, v. t.]

Defn: Worthy of desire or longing; fitted to excite desire or a wish to possess; pleasing; agreeable. All of them desirable young men. Ezek. xxiii. 12. As things desirable excite Desire, and objects move the appetite. Blackmore.

DESIRABLENESS De*sir"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being desirable. The desirableness of the Austrian alliance. Froude.

DESIRABLY De*sir"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a desirable manner.

DESIRE De*sire", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desired; p. pr. & vb. n. Desiring.] Etym: [F. désirer, L. desiderare, origin uncertain, perh. fr. de- + sidus star, constellation, and hence orig., to turn the eyes from the stars. Cf. Consider, and Desiderate, and see Sidereal.]

1. To long for; to wish for earnestly; to covet. Neither shall any man desire thy land. Ex. xxxiv. 24. Ye desire your child to live. Tennyson.

2. To express a wish for; to entreat; to request. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord 2 Kings iv. 28. Desire him to go in; trouble him no more. Shak.

3. To require; to demand; to claim. [Obs.] A doleful case desires a doleful song. Spenser.

4. To miss; to regret. [Obs.] She shall be pleasant while she lives, and desired when she dies. Jer. Taylor.

Syn. -- To long for; hanker after; covet; wish; ask; request; solicit; entreat; beg. -- To Desire, Wish. In desire the feeling is usually more eager than in wish. "I wish you to do this" is a milder form of command than "I desire you to do this," though the feeling prompting the injunction may be the usage C. J. Smith.

DESIRE De*sire", n. Etym: [F. désir, fr. désirer. See Desire, v. t.]

1. 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. Unspeakable desire to see and know. Milton.

2. An expressed wish; a request; petition. And slowly was my mother brought To yield consent to my desire. Tennyson.

3. Anything which is desired; an object of longing. The Desire of all nations shall come. Hag. ii. 7.

4. Excessive or morbid longing; lust; appetite.

5. Grief; regret. [Obs.] Chapman.

Syn. -- Wish; appetency; craving; inclination; eagerness; aspiration; longing.

DESIREFUL De*sire"ful, a.

Defn: Filled with desire; eager. [R.] The desireful troops. Godfrey (1594).

DESIREFULNESS De*sire"ful*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being desireful; eagerness to obtain and possess. [R.] The desirefulness of our minds much augmenteth and increaseth our pleasure. Udall.

DESIRELESS De*sire"less, a.

Defn: Free from desire. Donne.

DESIRER De*sir"er, n.

Defn: One who desires, asks, or wishes.

DESIROUS De*sir"ous, a. Etym: [F. désireux, OF. desiros, fr. desir. See Desire, n.]

Defn: Feeling desire; eagerly wishing; solicitous; eager to obtain; covetous. Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him. John xvi. 19. Be not desirous of his dainties. Prov. xxiii. 3.

DESIROUSLY De*sir"ous*ly, adv.

Defn: With desire; eagerly.

DESIROUSNESS De*sir"ous*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being desirous.

DESIST De*sist", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Desisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Desisting.] Etym: [L. desistere; de- + sistere to stand, stop, fr. stare to stand: cf. F. désister. See Stand.]

Defn: To cease to proceed or act; to stop; to forbear; -- often with from. Never desisting to do evil. E. Hall. To desist from his bad practice. Massinger. Desist (thou art discern'd, And toil'st in vain). Milton.

DESISTANCE De*sist"ance, n. Etym: [Cf. F. desistance.]

Defn: The act or state of desisting; cessation. [R.] Boyle. If fatigue of body or brain were in every case followed by desistance . . . then would the system be but seldom out of working order. H. Spencer.

DESISTIVE De*sist"ive, a. Etym: [See Desist.]

Defn: Final; conclusive; ending. [R.]

DESITION De*si"tion, n. Etym: [See Desinent.]

Defn: An end or ending. [R.]

DESITIVE Des"i*tive, a.

Defn: Final; serving to complete; conclusive. [Obs.] "Desitive propositions." I. Watts.

DESITIVE Des"i*tive, n. (Logic)

Defn: A proposition relating to or expressing an end or conclusion. [Obs.] I. Watts.

DESK Desk, n. Etym: [OE. deske, the same word as dish, disk. See Dish, and cf. Disk.]

1. A table, frame, or case, usually with sloping top, but often with flat top, for the use writers and readers. It often has a drawer or repository underneath.

2. A reading table or lectern to support the book from which the liturgical service is read, differing from the pulpit from which the sermon is preached; also (esp. in the United States), a pulpit. Hence, used symbolically for "the clerical profession."

DESK Desk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desked; p. pr. & vb. n. Desking.]

Defn: To shut up, as in a desk; to treasure.

DESKWORK Desk"work`, n.

Defn: Work done at a desk, as by a clerk or writer. Tennyson.

DESMAN Des"man, n. Etym: [Cf. Sw. desman musk.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An amphibious, insectivorous mammal found in Russia (Myogale moschata). It is allied to the moles, but is called muscrat by some English writers. [Written also dæsman.]

DESMID; DESMIDIAN Des"mid, Des*mid"i*an, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A microscopic plant of the family Desmidiæ, a group of unicellular algæ in which the species have a greenish color, and the cells generally appear as if they consisted of two coalescing halves.

DESMINE Des"mine, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Same as Stilbite. It commonly occurs in bundles or tufts of crystals.

DESMOBACTERIA Des`mo*bac*te"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [Gr. bacteria.]

Defn: See Microbacteria.

DESMODONT Des"mo*dont, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A member of a group of South American blood-sucking bats, of the genera Desmodus and Diphylla. See Vampire.

DESMOGNATHOUS Des*mog"na*thous, a. Etym: [Gr. desmo`s bond + (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the maxillo-palatine bones united; -- applied to a group of carinate birds (Desmognathæ), including various wading and swimming birds, as the ducks and herons, and also raptorial and other kinds.

DESMOID Des"moid, a. Etym: [Gr. desmo`s ligament + -oid.] (Anat.)

Defn: Resembling, or having the characteristics of, a ligament; ligamentous.

DESMOLOGY Des*mol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. desmo`s ligament + -logy.]

Defn: The science which treats of the ligaments. [R.]

DESMOMYARIA Des`mo*my*a"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The division of Tunicata which includes the Salpæ. See Salpa.

DESOLATE Des"o*late, a. Etym: [L. desolatus, p. p. of desolare to leave alone, forsake; de- + solare to make lonely, solus alone. See Sole, a.]

1. Destitute or deprived of inhabitants; deserted; uninhabited; hence, gloomy; as, a desolate isle; a desolate wilderness; a desolate house. I will make Jerusalem . . . a den of dragons, and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. Jer. ix. 11. And the silvery marish flowers that throng The desolate creeks and pools among. Tennyson.

2. Laid waste; in a ruinous condition; neglected; destroyed; as, desolate altars.

3. Left alone; forsaken; lonely; comfortless. Have mercy upon, for I am desolate. Ps. xxv. 16. Voice of the poor and desolate. Keble.

4. Lost to shame; dissolute. [Obs.] Chaucer.

5. Destitute of; lacking in. [Obs.] I were right now of tales desolate. Chaucer.

Syn. -- Desert; uninhabited; lonely; waste.

DESOLATE Des"o*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desolated; p. pr. & vb. n. Desolating.]

1. To make desolate; to leave alone; to deprive of inhabitants; as, the earth was nearly desolated by the flood.

2. To lay waste; to ruin; to ravage; as, a fire desolates a city. Constructed in the very heart of a desolating war. Sparks.

DESOLATELY Des"o*late*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desolate manner.

DESOLATENESS Des"o*late*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being desolate.

DESOLATER Des"o*la`ter, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, desolates or lays waste. Mede.

DESOLATION Des`o*la"tion, n. Etym: [F. désolation, L. desolatio.]

1. The act of desolating or laying waste; destruction of inhabitants; depopulation. Unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Dan. ix. 26.

2. The state of being desolated or laid waste; ruin; solitariness; destitution; gloominess. You would have sold your king to slaughter, . . . And his whole kingdom into desolation. Shak.

3. A place or country wasted and forsaken. How is Babylon become a desolation! Jer. l. 23.

Syn. -- Waste; ruin; destruction; havoc; devastation; ravage; sadness; destitution; melancholy; gloom; gloominess.

DESOLATOR Des"o*la`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Same as Desolater. Byron.

DESOLATORY Des"o*la*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. desolatorius.]

Defn: Causing desolation. [R.] Bp. Hall.

DESOPHISTICATE De`so*phis"ti*cate, v. t.

Defn: To clear from sophism or error. [R.] Hare.

DESOXALIC Des`ox*al"ic, a. Etym: [F. pref. des- from + E. oxalic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Made or derived from oxalic acid; as, desoxalic acid.

DESPAIR De*spair", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Despaired; p. pr. & vb. n. Despairing.] Etym: [OE. despeiren, dispeiren, OF. desperer, fr. L. desperare; de- + sperare to hope; akin to spes hope, and perh. to spatium space, E. space, speed; cf. OF. espeir hope, F. espoir. Cf. Prosper, Desperate.]

Defn: To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation; -- often with of. We despaired even of life. 2 Cor. i. 8. Never despair of God's blessings here. Wake.

Syn. -- See Despond.

DESPAIR De*spair", v. t.

1. To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of. [Obs.] I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted. Milton.

2. To cause to despair. [Obs.] Sir W. Williams.

DESPAIR De*spair", n. Etym: [Cf. OF. despoir, fr. desperer.]

1. Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency. We in dark dreams are tossing to and fro, Pine with regret, or sicken with despair. Keble. Before he [Bunyan] was ten, his sports were interrupted by fits of remorse and despair. Macaulay.

2. That which is despaired of. "The mere despair of surgery he cures." Shak.

Syn. -- Desperation; despondency; hopelessness.

DESPAIRER De*spair"er, n.

Defn: One who despairs.

DESPAIRFUL De*spair"ful, a.

Defn: Hopeless. [Obs.] Spenser.

DESPAIRING De*spair"ing, a.

Defn: Feeling or expressing despair; hopeless. -- De*spair"ing*ly, adv. -- De*spair"ing*ness, n.

DESPARPLE De*spar"ple, v. t. & i. Etym: [OF. desparpeillier.]

Defn: To scatter; to disparkle. [Obs.] Mandeville.

DESPATCH De*spatch", n. & v.

Defn: Same as Dispatch.

DESPECIFICATE De`spe*cif"i*cate, v. t. Etym: [Pref. de- (intens.) + specificate.]

Defn: To discriminate; to separate according to specific signification or qualities; to specificate; to desynonymize. [R.] Inaptitude and ineptitude have been usefully despecificated. Fitzed. Hall.

DESPECIFICATION De*spec`ifi*ca"tion, n.

Defn: Discrimination.

DESPECT De*spect", n. Etym: [L. despectus, fr. despicere. See Despite, n.]

Defn: Contempt. [R.] Coleridge.

DESPECTION De*spec"tion, n. Etym: [L. despectio.]

Defn: A looking down; a despising. [R.] W. Montagu.

DESPEED De*speed", v. t.

Defn: To send hastily. [Obs.] Despeeded certain of their crew. Speed.

DESPEND De*spend", v. t.

Defn: To spend; to squander. See Dispend. [Obs.] Some noble men in Spain can despend Howell.

DESPERADO Des`per*a"do, n.; pl. Desperadoes. Etym: [OSp. desperado, p. p. of desperar, fr. L. desperare. See Desperate.]

Defn: A reckless, furious man; a person urged by furious passions, and regardless of consequence; a wild ruffian.

DESPERATE Des"per*ate, a. Etym: [L. desperatus, p. p. of desperare. See Despair, and cf. Desperado.]

1. Without hope; given to despair; hopeless. [Obs.] I am desperate of obtaining her. Shak.

2. Beyond hope; causing despair; extremely perilous; irretrievable; past cure, or, at least, extremely dangerous; as, a desperate disease; desperate fortune.

3. Proceeding from, or suggested by, despair; without regard to danger or safety; reckless; furious; as, a desperate effort. "Desperate expedients." Macaulay.

4. Extreme, in a bad sense; outrageous; -- used to mark the extreme predominance of a bad quality. A desperate offendress against nature. Shak. The most desperate of reprobates. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Hopeless; despairing; desponding; rash; headlong; precipitate; irretrievable; irrecoverable; forlorn; mad; furious; frantic.

DESPERATE Des"per*ate, n.

Defn: One desperate or hopeless. [Obs.]

DESPERATELY Des"per*ate*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desperate manner; without regard to danger or safety; recklessly; extremely; as, the troops fought desperately. She fell desperately in love with him. Addison.

DESPERATENESS Des"per*ate*ness n.

Defn: Desperation; virulence.

DESPERATION Des`per*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. desperatio: cf. OF. desperation.]

1. The act of despairing or becoming desperate; a giving up of hope. This desperation of success chills all our industry. Hammond.

2. A state of despair, or utter hopeless; abandonment of hope; extreme recklessness; reckless fury. In the desperation of the moment, the officers even tried to cut their way through with their swords. W. Irving.

DESPICABILITY Des`pi*ca*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Despicableness. [R.] Carlyle.

DESPICABLE Des"pi*ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. despicabilis, fr. despicari to despise; akin to despicere. See Despise.]

Defn: Fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; as, a despicable man; despicable company; a despicable gift.

Syn. -- Contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; pitiful; paltry; sordid; low; base. See Contemptible.

DESPICABLENESS Des"pi*ca*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being despicable; meanness; vileness; worthlessness.

DESPICABLY Des"pi*ca*bly, adv.

Defn: In a despicable or mean manner; contemptibly; as, despicably stingy.

DESPICIENCY Des*pi"cien*cy, n. Etym: [L. despicientia. See Despise.]

Defn: A looking down; despection. [Obs.]

DESPISABLE De*spis"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. despisable.]

Defn: Despicable; contemptible. [R.]

DESPISAL De*spis"al, n.

Defn: A despising; contempt. [R.] A despisal of religion. South.

DESPISE De*spise", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despised; p. pr. & vb. n. Despising.] Etym: [OF. despis-, in some forms of despire to despise, fr. L. despicere, despectum, to look down upon, despise; de- + spicere, specere, to look. See Spy, and cf. Despicable, Despite.]

Defn: To look down upon with disfavor or contempt; to contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have a low opinion or contemptuous dislike of. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov. i. 7. Men naturally despise those who court them, but respect those who do not give way to them. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

Syn. -- To contemn; scorn; disdain; slight; undervalue. See Contemn.

DESPISEDNESS De*spis"ed*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being despised.

DESPISEMENT De*spise"ment, n.

Defn: A despising. [R.] Holland.

DESPISER De*spis"er, n.

Defn: One who despises; a contemner; a scorner.

DESPISINGLY De*spis"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: Contemptuously.

DESPITE De*spite", n. Etym: [OF. despit, F. dépit, fr. L. despectus contempt, fr. despicere. See Despise, and cf. Spite, Despect.]

1. Malice; malignity; spite; malicious anger; contemptuous hate. With all thy despite against the land of Israel. Ezek. xxv. 6.

2. An act of malice, hatred, or defiance; contemptuous defiance; a deed of contempt. A despite done against the Most High. Milton. In despite, in defiance of another's power or inclination. -- In despite of, in defiance of; in spite of. See under Spite. "Seized my hand in despite of my efforts to the contrary." W. Irving. -- In your despite, in defiance or contempt of you; in spite of you. [Obs.]

DESPITE De*spite", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despited; p. pr. & vb. n. Despiting.] Etym: [OF. despitier, fr. L. despectare, intens. of despicere. See Despite, n.]

Defn: To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.

DESPITE De*spite", prep.

Defn: In spite of; against, or in defiance of; notwithstanding; as, despite his prejudices.

Syn. -- See Notwithstanding.

DESPITEFUL De*spite"ful, a. Etym: [See Despite, and cf. Spiteful.]

Defn: Full of despite; expressing malice or contemptuous hate; malicious. -- De*spite"ful*ly, adv. -- De*spite"ful*ness, n. Haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters. Rom. i. 30. Pray for them which despitefully use you. Matt. v. 44. Let us examine him with despitefulness and fortune. Book of Wisdom ii. 19.

DESPITEOUS Des*pit"e*ous, a. Etym: [OE. despitous, OF. despiteus, fr. despit; affected in form by E. piteous. See Despite.]

Defn: Feeling or showing despite; malicious; angry to excess; cruel; contemptuous. [Obs.] "Despiteous reproaches." Holland.

DESPITEOUSLY Des*pit"e*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: Despitefully. [Obs.]

DESPITOUS De*spit"ous, a.

Defn: Despiteous; very angry; cruel. [Obs.] He was to sinful man not despitous. Chaucer. - De*spit"ous*ly, adv. [Obs.]

DESPOIL De*spoil", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despoiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Despoiling.] Etym: [OF. despoiller, F. dépouiller, L. despoliare, despoliatum; de- + spoliare to strip, rob, spolium spoil, booty. Cf. Spoil, Despoliation.]

1. To strip, as of clothing; to divest or unclothe. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To deprive for spoil; to plunder; to rob; to pillage; to strip; to divest; -- usually followed by of. The clothed earth is then bare, Despoiled is the summer fair. Gower. A law which restored to them an immense domain of which they had been despoiled. Macaulay. Despoiled of innocence, of faith, of bliss. Milton.

Syn. -- To strip; deprive; rob; bereave; rifle.

DESPOIL De*spoil", n.

Defn: Spoil. [Obs.] Wolsey.

DESPOILER De*spoil"er, n.

Defn: One who despoils.

DESPOILMENT De*spoil"ment, n.

Defn: Despoliation. [R.]

DESPOLIATION De*spo`li*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. despoliatio. See Despoil.]

Defn: A stripping or plundering; spoliation. Bailey.

DESPOND De*spond", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Desponded; p. pr. & vb. n. Desponding.] Etym: [L. despond, desponsum, to promise away, promise in marriage, give up, to lose (courage); de- + spond to promise solemnly. See Sponsor.]

Defn: To give up, the will, courage, or spirit; to be thoroughly disheartened; to lose all courage; to become dispirited or depressed; to take an unhopeful view. I should despair, or at least despond. Scott's Letters. Others depress their own minds, [and] despond at the first difficulty. Locke. We wish that . . . desponding patriotism may turn its eyes hitherward, and be assured that foundations of our national power still stand strong. D. Webster.

Syn. -- Despond, Dispair. Despair implies a total loss of hope, which despond does not, at least in every case; yet despondency is often more lasting than despair, or than desperation, which impels to violent action.

DESPOND De*spond" n.

Defn: Despondency. [Obs.] The slough of despond. Bunyan.

DESPONDENCE De*spond"ence, n.

Defn: Despondency. The people, when once infected, lose their relish for happiness [and] saunter about with looks of despondence. Goldsmith.

DESPONDENCY De*spond"en*cy, n.

Defn: The state of desponding; loss of hope and cessation of effort; discouragement; depression or dejection of the mind. The unhappy prince seemed, during some days, to be sunk in despondency. Macaulay.

DESPONDENT De*spond"ent, a. Etym: [L. despondens, -entis, p. pr. of despond.]

Defn: Marked by despondence; given to despondence; low-spirited; as, a despondent manner; a despondent prisoner. -- De*spond"ent*ly, adv.

DESPONDER De*spond"er, n.

Defn: One who desponds.

DESPONDINGLY De*spond"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desponding manner.

DESPONSAGE De*spon"sage, n. Etym: [From L. desponsus, p. p. See Despond.]

Defn: Betrothal. [Obs.] Ethelbert . . . went peaceably to King Offa for desponsage of Athilrid, his daughter. Foxe.

DESPONSATE De*spon"sate, v. t. Etym: [L. desponsatus, p. p. of desponsare, intens. of despondere to betroth. See Despond.]

Defn: To betroth. [Obs.] Johnson.

DESPONSATION Des`pon*sa"tion, n. Etym: [L. desponsatio: cf. OF. desponsation.]

Defn: A betrothing; betrothal. [Obs.] For all this desponsation of her . . . she had not set one step toward the consummation of her marriage. Jer. Taylor.

DESPONSORY De*spon"so*ry, n.; pl. Desponsories (.

Defn: A written pledge of marriage. Clarendon.

DESPORT De*sport", v. t. & i.

Defn: See Disport.

DESPOT Des"pot, n. Etym: [F. despote, LL. despotus, fr. Gr. potens. See Potent.]

1. A master; a lord; especially, an absolute or irresponsible ruler or sovereign. Irresponsible power in human hands so naturally leads to it, that cruelty has become associated with despot and tyrant. C. J. Smith.

2. One who rules regardless of a constitution or laws; a tyrant.

DESPOTAT Des"po*tat, n. Etym: [Cf. F. despotat.]

Defn: The station or government of a despot; also, the domain of a despot. Freeman.

DESPOTIC; DESPOTICAL Des*pot"ic, Des*pot"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. despotique.]

Defn: Having the character of, or pertaining to, a despot; absolute in power; possessing and abusing unlimited power; evincing despotism; tyrannical; arbitrary. -- Des*pot"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Des*pot"ic*al*ness, n.

DESPOTISM Des"po*tism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. despotisme.]

1. The power, spirit, or principles of a despot; absolute control over others; tyrannical sway; tyranny. "The despotism of vice." Byron.

2. A government which is directed by a despot; a despotic monarchy; absolutism; autocracy. Despotism . . . is the only form of government which may with safety to itself neglect the education of its infant poor. Bp. Horsley.

DESPOTIST Des"po*tist, n.

Defn: A supporter of despotism. [R.]

DESPOTIZE Des"po*tize, v. t.

Defn: To act the despot.

DESPREAD De*spread", v. t. & i.

Defn: See Dispread.

DESPUMATE Des"pu*mate, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Despumated; p. pr. & vb. n. Despumating.] Etym: [L. despumatus, p. p. of despumare to despume; de- + spumare to foam, froth, spuma froth, scum.]

Defn: To throw off impurities in spume; to work off in foam or scum; to foam.

DESPUMATION Des`pu*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. despumatio: cf. F. despumation.]

Defn: The act of throwing up froth or scum; separation of the scum or impurities from liquids; scumming; clarification.

DESPUME De*spume", v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. despumer. See Despumate.]

Defn: To free from spume or scum. [Obs.] If honey be despumed. Holland.

DESQUAMATE Des"qua*mate, v. i. Etym: [L. desquamatus, p. p. of desquamare to scale off; de- + squama scale.] (Med.)

Defn: To peel off in the form of scales; to scale off, as the skin in certain diseases.

DESQUAMATION Des`qua*ma"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. desquamation.] (Med.)

Defn: The separation or shedding of the cuticle or epidermis in the form of flakes or scales; exfoliation, as of bones.

DESQUAMATIVE; DESQUAMATORY De*squam"a*tive, De*squam"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or attended with, desquamation.

DESQUAMATORY De*squam"a*to*ry, n. (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument formerly used in removing the laminæ of exfoliated bones.

DESS Dess, n.

Defn: Dais. [Obs.]

DESSERT Des*sert", n. Etym: [F., fr. desservir to remove from table, to clear the table; pref. des- (L. dis-) + servir to serve, to serve at table. See Serve.]

Defn: A service of pastry, fruits, or sweetmeats, at the close of a feast or entertainment; pastry, fruits, etc., forming the last course at dinner. "An 't please your honor," quoth the peasant, "This same dessert is not so pleasant." Pope. Dessert spoon, a spoon used in eating dessert; a spoon intermediate in size between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. -- Dessert-spoonful, n., pl. Dessert-spoonfuls, as much as a dessert spoon will hold, usually reckoned at about two and a half fluid drams.

DESTEMPER Des*tem"per, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détrempe, fr. détremper.]

Defn: A kind of painting. See Distemper.

DESTIN Des"tin, n. Etym: [Cf. F. destin.]

Defn: Destiny. [Obs.] Marston.

DESTINABLE Des"ti*na*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. destinable.]

Defn: Determined by destiny; fated. Chaucer.

DESTINABLY Des"ti*na*bly, adv.

Defn: In a destinable manner.

DESTINAL Des"ti*nal, a.

Defn: Determined by destiny; fated. [Obs.] "The order destinal." Chaucer.

DESTINATE Des"ti*nate, a. Etym: [L. destinatus, p. p. of destinare. See Destine.]

Defn: Destined. [Obs.] "Destinate to hell." Foxe.

DESTINATE Des"ti*nate, v. t.

Defn: To destine, design, or choose. [Obs.] "That name that God . . . did destinate." Udall.

DESTINATION Des`ti*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. destinatio determination: cf. F. destination destination.]

1. The act of destining or appointing.

2. Purpose for which anything is destined; predetermined end, object, or use; ultimate design.

3. The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.

Syn. -- Appointment; design; purpose; intention; destiny; lot; fate; end.

DESTINE Des"tine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Destined; p. pr. & vb. n. Destining.] Etym: [F. destiner, L. destinare; de + the root of stare to stand. See Stand, and cf. Obstinate.]

Defn: To determine the future condition or application of; to set apart by design for a future use or purpose; to fix, as by destiny or by an authoritative decree; to doom; to ordain or preordain; to appoint; -- often with the remoter object preceded by to or for. We are decreed, Reserved, and destined to eternal woe. Milton. Till the loathsome opposite Of all my heart had destined, did obtain. Tennyson. Not enjoyment and not sorrow Is our destined end or way. Longfellow.

Syn. -- To design; mark out; determine; allot; choose; intend; devote; consecrate; doom.

DESTINIST Des"ti*nist, n.

Defn: A believer in destiny; a fatalist. [R.]

DESTINY Des"ti*ny, n.; pl. Destinies. Etym: [OE. destinee, destene, F. destinée, from destiner. See Destine.]

1. That to which any person or thing is destined; predetermined state; condition foreordained by the Divine or by human will; fate; lot; doom. Thither he Will come to know his destiny. Shak. No man of woman born, Coward or brave, can shun his destiny. Bryant.

2. The fixed order of things; invincible necessity; fate; a resistless power or agency conceived of as determining the future, whether in general or of an individual. But who can turn the stream of destiny Spenser. Fame comes only when deserved, and then is as inevitable as destiny, for it is destiny. Longfellow. The Destinies (Anc. Myth.), the three Parcæ, or Fates; the supposed powers which preside over human life, and determine its circumstances and duration. Marked by the Destinies to be avoided. Shak.

DESTITUENT De*stit"u*ent, a. Etym: [L. destituens, p. pr. of destituere.]

Defn: Deficient; wanting; as, a destituent condition. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

DESTITUTE Des"ti*tute, a. Etym: [L. destitutus, p. p. of destituere to set away, leave alone, forsake; de + statuere to set. See Statute.]

1. Forsaken; not having in possession (something necessary, or desirable); deficient; lacking; devoid; -- often followed by of. In thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. Ps. cxli. 8. Totally destitute of all shadow of influence. Burke.

2. Not possessing the necessaries of life; in a condition of want; needy; without possessions or resources; very poor. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented. Heb. xi. 37.

DESTITUTE Des"ti*tute, v. t.

1. To leave destitute; to forsake; to abandon. [Obs.] To forsake or destitute a plantation. Bacon.

2. To make destitute; to cause to be in want; to deprive; -- followed by of. [Obs.] Destituted of all honor and livings. Holinshed.

3. To disappoint. [Obs.] When his expectation is destituted. Fotherby.

DESTITUTELY Des"ti*tute*ly, adv.

Defn: In destitution.

DESTITUTENESS Des"ti*tute*ness, n.

Defn: Destitution. [R.] Ash.

DESTITUTION Des`ti*tu"tion, n. Etym: [L. destitutio a forsaking.]

Defn: The state of being deprived of anything; the state or condition of being destitute, needy, or without resources; deficiency; lack; extreme poverty; utter want; as, the inundation caused general destitution.

DESTRER; DEXTRER Des*trer", Dex"trer, n. Etym: [OF. destrier, fr. L. dextra on the right side. The squire led his master's horse beside him, on his right hand. Skeat.]

Defn: A war horse. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DESTRIE De*strie", v. t.

Defn: To destroy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DESTROY De*stroy", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Destroyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Destroying.] Etym: [OE. destroien, destruien, destrien, OF. destruire, F. détruire, fr. L. destruere, destructum; de + struere to pile up, build. See Structure.]

1. To unbuild; to pull or tear down; to separate virulently into its constituent parts; to break up the structure and organic existence of; to demolish. But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves. Ex. xxxiv. 13.