Chapter CXXIII: Conclusion: Con*clu"sion, n. Etym: F., fr. L. conclusio. See Conclude (32)

2. To ruin; to bring to naught; to put an end to; to annihilate; to consume. I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation. Jer. xii. 17.

3. To put an end to the existence, prosperity, or beauty of; to kill. If him by force he can destroy, or, worse, By some false guile pervert. Milton.

Syn. -- To demolish; lay waste; consume; raze; dismantle; ruin; throw down; overthrow; subvert; desolate; devastate; deface; extirpate; extinguish; kill; slay. See Demolish.

DESTROYABLE De*stroy"a*ble, a.

Defn: Destructible. [R.] Plants . . . scarcely destroyable by the weather. Derham.

DESTROYER De*stroy"er, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. destruior.]

Defn: One who destroys, ruins, kills, or desolates.

DESTRUCT De*struct", v. t. Etym: [L. destructus, p. p. of destruere. See Destroy.]

Defn: To destroy. [Obs.] Mede.

DESTRUCTIBILITY De*struc`ti*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. destructibilité.]

Defn: The quality of being capable of destruction; destructibleness.

DESTRUCTIBLE De*struc"ti*ble, a. Etym: [L. destructibilis.]

Defn: Liable to destruction; capable of being destroyed.

DESTRUCTIBLENESS De*struc"ti*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being destructible.

DESTRUCTION De*struc"tion, n. Etym: [L. destructio: cf. F. destruction. See Destroy.]

1. The act of destroying; a tearing down; a bringing to naught; subversion; demolition; ruin; slaying; devastation. The Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction. Esth. ix. 5. 'Tis safer to be that which we destroy Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. Shak. Destruction of venerable establishment. Hallam.

2. The state of being destroyed, demolished, ruined, slain, or devastated. This town came to destruction. Chaucer. Thou castedst them down into destruction. Ps. lxxiii. 18.

2. A destroying agency; a cause of ruin or of devastation; a destroyer. The destruction that wasteth at noonday. Ps. xci. 6.

Syn. -- Demolition; subversion; overthrow; desolation; extirpation; extinction; devastation; downfall; extermination; havoc; ruin.

DESTRUCTIONIST De*struc"tion*ist, n.

1. One who delights in destroying that which is valuable; one whose principles and influence tend to destroy existing institutions; a destructive.

2. (Theol.)

Defn: One who believes in the final destruction or complete annihilation of the wicked; -- called also annihilationist. Shipley.

DESTRUCTIVE De*struc"tive, a. Etym: [L. destructivus: cf. F. destructif.]

Defn: Causing destruction; tending to bring about ruin, death, or devastation; ruinous; fatal; productive of serious evil; mischievous; pernicious; -- often with of or to; as, intemperance is destructive of health; evil examples are destructive to the morals of youth. Time's destructive power. Wordsworth. Destructive distillation. See Distillation. -- Destructive sorties ( (Logic), a process of reasoning which involves the denial of the first of a series of dependent propositions as a consequence of the denial of the last; a species of reductio ad absurdum. Whately.

Syn. -- Mortal; deadly; poisonous; fatal; ruinous; malignant; baleful; pernicious; mischievous.

DESTRUCTIVE De*struc"tive, n.

Defn: One who destroys; a radical reformer; a destructionist.

DESTRUCTIVELY De*struc"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a destructive manner.

DESTRUCTIVENESS De*struc"tive*ness, n.

1. The quality of destroying or ruining. Prynne.

2. (Phren.)

Defn: The faculty supposed to impel to the commission of acts of destruction; propensity to destroy.

DESTRUCTOR De*struc"tor, n. Etym: [L., from destruere. See Destroy, and cf. Destroyer.]

Defn: A destroyer. [R.] Fire, the destructive and the artificial death of things. Boyle.

DESTRUIE De*struie", v. t.

Defn: To destroy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DESUDATION Des`u*da"tion, n. Etym: [L. desudatio, fr. desudare to sweat greatly; de + sudare to sweat.] (Med.)

Defn: A sweating; a profuse or morbid sweating, often succeeded by an eruption of small pimples.

DESUETE De*suete", a. Etym: [L. desuetus, p. p. of desuescere to disuse.]

Defn: Disused; out of use. [R.]

DESUETUDE Des"ue*tude, n. Etym: [L. desuetudo, from desuescere, to grow out of use, disuse; de + suescere to become used or accustomed: cf. F. désuétude. See Custom.]

Defn: The cessation of use; disuse; discontinuance of practice, custom, or fashion. The desuetude abrogated the law, which, before, custom had established. Jer. Taylor.

DESULPHURATE De*sul"phu*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desulphurated; p. pr. & vb. n. Desulphurating.]

Defn: To deprive of sulphur.

DESULPHURATION De*sul`phu*ra"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. désulfuration.]

Defn: The act or process of depriving of sulphur.

DESULPHURIZE De*sul"phur*ize, v. t.

Defn: To desulphurate; to deprive of sulphur. -- De*sul`phur*i*za"tion, n.

DESULTORILY Des"ul*to*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a desultory manner; without method; loosely; immethodically.

DESULTORINESS Des"ul*to*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being desultory or without order or method; unconnectedness. The seeming desultoriness of my method. Boyle.

DESULTORIOUS Des`ul*to"ri*ous, a.

Defn: Desultory. [R.]

DESULTORY Des"ul*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. desultorius, fr. desultor a leaper, fr. desilire, desultum, to leap down; de + salire to leap. See Saltation.]

1. Leaping or skipping about. [Obs.] I shot at it [a bird], but it was so desultory that I missed my aim. Gilbert White.

2. Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order or rational connection; without logical sequence; disconnected; immethodical; aimless; as, desultory minds. Atterbury. He [Goldsmith] knew nothing accurately; his reading had been desultory. Macaulay.

3. Out of course; by the way; as a digression; not connected with the subject; as, a desultory remark.

Syn. -- Rambling; roving; immethodical; discursive; inconstant; unsettled; cursory; slight; hasty; loose.

DESUME De*sume", v. t. Etym: [L. desumere; de + sumere to take.]

Defn: To select; to borrow. [Obs.] Sir. M. Hale.

DESYNONYMIZATION De`syn*on`y*mi*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of desynonymizing.

DESYNONYMIZE De`syn*on"y*mize, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of synonymous character; to discriminate in use; -- applied to words which have been employed as synonyms. Coleridge. Trench.

DETACH De*tach", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detached; p. pr. & vb. n. Detaching.] Etym: [F. détacher (cf. It. distaccare, staccare); pref. dé (L. dis) + the root found also in E. attach. See Attach, and cf. Staccato.]

1. To part; to separate or disunite; to disengage; -- the opposite of attach; as, to detach the coats of a bulbous root from each other; to detach a man from a leader or from a party.

2. To separate for a special object or use; -- used especially in military language; as, to detach a ship from a fleet, or a company from a regiment.

Syn. -- To separate; disunite; disengage; sever; disjoin; withdraw;; draw off. See Detail.

DETACH De*tach", v. i.

Defn: To push asunder; to come off or separate from anything; to disengage. [A vapor] detaching, fold by fold, From those still heights. Tennyson.

DETACHABLE De*tach"a*ble, a.

Defn: That can be detached.

DETACHED De*tached", a.

Defn: Separate; unconnected, or imperfectly connected; as, detached parcels. "Extensive and detached empire." Burke. Detached escapement. See Escapement.

DETACHMENT De*tach"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détachement.]

1. The act of detaching or separating, or the state of being detached.

2. That which is detached; especially, a body of troops or part of a fleet sent from the main body on special service. Troops . . . widely scattered in little detachments. Bancroft.

3. Abstraction from worldly objects; renunciation. A trial which would have demanded of him a most heroic faith and the detachment of a saint. J. H. Newman.

DETAIL De"tail, n. Etym: [F. détail, fr. détailler to cut in pieces, tell in detail; pref. dé- (L. de or dis-) + tailler to cut. See Tailor.]

1. A minute portion; one of the small parts; a particular; an item; - - used chiefly in the plural; as, the details of a scheme or transaction. The details of the campaign in Italy. Motley.

2. A narrative which relates minute points; an account which dwells on particulars.

3. (Mil.)

Defn: The selection for a particular service of a person or a body of men; hence, the person or the body of men so selected. Detail drawing, a drawing of the full size, or on a large scale, of some part of a building, machine, etc. -- In detail, in subdivisions; part by part; item; circumstantially; with particularity.

Syn. -- Account; relation; narrative; recital; explanation; narration.

DETAIL De"tail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detailed; p. pr. & vb. n. Detailing.] Etym: [Cf. F. détailler to cut up in pieces, tell in detail. See Detail, n.]

1. To relate in particulars; to particularize; to report minutely and distinctly; to enumerate; to specify; as, he detailed all the facts in due order.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: To tell off or appoint for a particular service, as an officer, a troop, or a squadron.

Syn. -- Detail, Detach. Detail respect the act of individualizing the person or body that is separated; detach, the removing for the given end or object.

DETAILER De*tail"er, n.

Defn: One who details.

DETAIN De*tain", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detained; p. pr. & vb. n. Detaining.] Etym: [F. détenir, L. detinere, detentum; de + tenere to hold. See Tenable.]

1. To keep back or from; to withhold. Detain not the wages of the hireling. Jer. Taylor.

2. To restrain from proceeding; to stay or stop; to delay; as, we were detained by an accident. Let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee. Judges xiii. 15.

3. To hold or keep in custody.

Syn. -- To withhold; retain; stop; stay; arrest; check; retard; delay; hinder.

DETAIN De*tain", n.

Defn: Detention. [Obs.] Spenser.

DETAINDER De*tain"der, n. (Law)

Defn: A writ. See Detinue.

DETAINER De*tain"er, n.

1. One who detains.

2. (Law) (a) The keeping possession of what belongs to another; detention of what is another's, even though the original taking may have been lawful. Forcible detainer is indictable at common law. (b) A writ authorizing the keeper of a prison to continue to keep a person in custody.

DETAINMENT De*tain"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. detenement.]

Defn: Detention. [R.] Blackstone.

DETECT De*tect", a. Etym: [L. detectus, p. p. of detegere to uncover, detect; de + tegere to cover. See Tegument.]

Defn: Detected. [Obs.] Fabyan.

DETECT De*tect", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detected; p. pr. & vb. n. Detecting.]

1. To uncover; to discover; to find out; to bring to light; as, to detect a crime or a criminal; to detect a mistake in an account. Plain good intention . . . is as easily discovered at the first view, as fraud is surely detected at last. Burke. Like following life through creatures you dissect, You lose it in the moment you detect. Pope.

2. To inform against; to accuse. [Obs.] He was untruly judged to have preached such articles as he was detected of. Sir T. More.

Syn. -- To discover; find out; lay bare; expose.

DETECTABLE; DETECTIBLE De*tect"a*ble, De*tect"i*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being detected or found out; as, parties not detectable. "Errors detectible at a glance." Latham.

DETECTER De*tect"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, detects or brings to light; one who finds out what another attempts to conceal; a detector.

DETECTION De*tec"tion, n. Etym: [L. detectio an uncovering, revealing.]

Defn: The act of detecting; the laying open what was concealed or hidden; discovery; as, the detection of a thief; the detection of fraud, forgery, or a plot. Such secrets of guilt are never from detection. D. Webster.

DETECTIVE De*tect"ive, a.

Defn: Fitted for, or skilled in, detecting; employed in detecting crime or criminals; as, a detective officer.

DETECTIVE De*tect"ive, n.

Defn: One who business it is so detect criminals or discover matters of secrecy.

DETECTOR De*tect"or, n. Etym: [L., a revealer.]

Defn: One who, or that which, detects; a detecter. Shak. A deathbed's detector of the heart. Young. Bank-note detector, a publication containing a description of genuine and counterfeit bank notes, designed to enable persons to discriminate between them. -- Detector l. See under Lock.

DETECTOR BAR De*tect"or bar. (Railroads)

Defn: A bar, connected with a switch, longer than the distance between any two consecutive wheels of a train (45 to 50 feet), laid inside a rail and operated by the wheels so that the switch cannot be thrown until all the train is past the switch.

DETENEBRATE De*ten"e*brate, v. t. Etym: [L. de + tenebrare to make dark, fr. tenebrae darkness.]

Defn: To remove darkness from. [Obs.] Ash.

DETENT De*tent", n. Etym: [F. détente, fr. détendre to unbend, relax; pref. dé- (L. dis- or de) + tendre to stretch. See Distend.] (Mech.)

Defn: That which locks or unlocks a movement; a catch, pawl, or dog; especially, in clockwork, the catch which locks and unlocks the wheelwork in striking.

DETENTION De*ten"tion, n. Etym: [L. detentio: cf. F. détention. See Detain.]

1. The act of detaining or keeping back; a withholding.

2. The state of being detained (stopped or hindered); delay from necessity.

3. Confinement; restraint; custody. The archduke Philip . . . found himself in a sort of honorable detention at Henry's court. Hallam.

DETER De*ter", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deterred; p. pr. & vb. n. Deterring.] Etym: [L. deterrere; de + terrere to frighten, terrify. See Terror.]

Defn: To prevent by fear; hence, to hinder or prevent from action by fear of consequences, or difficulty, risk, etc. Addison. Potent enemies tempt and deter us from our duty. Tillotson. My own face deters me from my glass. Prior.

DETERGE De*terge", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deterged; p. pr. & vb. n. Deterging.] Etym: [L. detergere, detersum; de + tergere to rub or wipe off: cf. F. déterger.]

Defn: To cleanse; to purge away, as foul or offending matter from the body, or from an ulcer.

DETERGENCY De*ter"gen*cy, n.

Defn: A cleansing quality or power. De Foe.

DETERGENT De*ter"gent, a. Etym: [L. detergens, -entis, p. pr. of detergere: cf. F. détergent.]

Defn: Cleansing; purging. -- n.

Defn: A substance which cleanses the skin, as water or soap; a medicine to cleanse wounds, ulcers, etc.

DETERIORATE De*te"ri*o*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deteriorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Deteriorating.] Etym: [L. deterioratus, p. p. of deteriorate to deteriorate, fr. deterior worse, prob. a comparative fr. de down, away.]

Defn: To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair; as, to deteriorate the mind. Whately. The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated. Southey.

DETERIORATE De*te"ri*o*rate, v. i.

Defn: To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate. Under such conditions, the mind rapidly deteriorates. Goldsmith.

DETERIORATION De*te`ri*o*ra"tion, n. Etym: [LL. deterioratio: cf. F. détérioration.]

Defn: The process of growing worse, or the state of having grown worse.

DETERIORITY De*te`ri*or"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. deterior worse. See Deteriorate.]

Defn: Worse state or quality; inferiority. "The deteriority of the diet." [R.] Ray.

DETERMENT De*ter"ment, n. Etym: [From Deter.]

Defn: The act of deterring; also, that which deters. Boyle.

DETERMINABILITY De*ter`mi*na*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality of being determinable; determinableness. Coleridge.

DETERMINABLE De*ter"mi*na*ble, a. Etym: [L. determinabilis finite. See Determine, v. t.]

Defn: Capable of being determined, definitely ascertained, decided upon, or brought to a conclusion. Not wholly determinable from the grammatical use of the words. South.

DETERMINABLENESS De*ter"mi*na*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Capability of being determined; determinability.

DETERMINACY De*ter"mi*na*cy, n.

Defn: Determinateness. [R.]

DETERMINANT De*ter"mi*nant, a. Etym: [L. determinans, p. pr. of determinare: cf. F. déterminant.]

Defn: Serving to determine or limit; determinative.

DETERMINANT De*ter"mi*nant, n.

1. That which serves to determine; that which causes determination.

2. (Math.)

Defn: The sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws; thus, the determinant of the nine numbers. a, b, c,a', b', c',a'\'b7, b'\'b7, c'\'b7, is a b' c'\'b7 -- a b'\'b7 c' + a' b'\'b7 c] -- a' b c'\'b7 + a'\'b7 b' c. The determinant is written by placing the numbers from which it is formed in a square between two vertical lines. The theory of determinants forms a very important branch of modern mathematics.

3. (Logic)

Defn: A mark or attribute, attached to the subject or predicate, narrowing the extent of both, but rendering them more definite and precise. Abp. Thomson.

DETERMINATE De*ter"mi*nate, a. Etym: [L. determinatus, p. p. of determinare. See Determine.]

1. Having defined limits; not uncertain or arbitrary; fixed; established; definite. Quantity of words and a determinate number of feet. Dryden.

2. Conclusive; decisive; positive. The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. Acts ii. 23.

3. Determined or resolved upon. [Obs.] My determinate voyage. Shak.

4. Of determined purpose; resolute. [Obs.] More determinate to do than skillful how to do. Sir P. Sidney. Determinate inflorescence (Bot.), that in which the flowering commences with the terminal bud of a stem, which puts a limit to its growth; -- also called centrifugal inflorescence. -- Determinate problem (Math.), a problem which admits of a limited number of solutions. -- Determinate quantities, Determinate equations (Math.), those that are finite in the number of values or solutions, that is, in which the conditions of the problem or equation determine the number.

DETERMINATE De*ter"mi*nate, v. t.

Defn: To bring to an end; to determine. See Determine. [Obs.] The sly, slow hours shall not determinate The dateless limit of thy dear exile. Shak.

DETERMINATELY De*ter"mi*nate*ly, adv.

1. In a determinate manner; definitely; ascertainably. The principles of religion are already either determinately true or false, before you think of them. Tillotson.

2. Resolutely; unchangeably. Being determinately . . . bent to marry. Sir P. Sidney.

DETERMINATENESS De*ter"mi*nate*ness, n.

Defn: State of being determinate.

DETERMINATION De*ter`mi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. determinatio boundary, end: cf. F. détermination.]

1. The act of determining, or the state of being determined.

2. Bringing to an end; termination; limit. A speedy determination of that war. Ludlow.

3. Direction or tendency to a certain end; impulsion. Remissness can by no means consist with a constant determination of the will . . . to the greatest apparent good. Locke.

4. The quality of mind reaches definite conclusions; decision of character; resoluteness. He only is a well-made man who has a good determination. Emerson.

5. The state of decision; a judicial decision, or ending of controversy.

6. That which is determined upon; result of deliberation; purpose; conclusion formed; fixed resolution. So bloodthirsty a determination to obtain convictions. Hallam.

7. (Med.)

Defn: A flow, rush, or tendency to a particular part; as, a determination of blood to the head.

8. (Physical Sciences)

Defn: The act, process, or result of any accurate measurement, as of length, volume, weight, intensify, etc.; as, the determination of the ohm or of the wave length of light; the determination of the salt in sea water, or the oxygen in the air.

9. (Logic) (a) The act of defining a concept or notion by giving its essential constituents. (b) The addition of a differentia to a concept or notion, thus limiting its extent; -- the opposite of generalization.

10. (Nat. Hist.)

Defn: The act of determining the relations of an object, as regards genus and species; the referring of minerals, plants, or animals, to the species to which they belong; classification; as, I am indebted to a friend for the determination of most of these shells.

Syn. -- Decision; conclusion; judgment; purpose; resolution; resolve; firmness. See Decision.

DETERMINATIVE De*ter"mi*na*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. déterminatif.]

Defn: Having power to determine; limiting; shaping; directing; conclusive. Incidents . . . determinative of their course. I. Taylor. Determinative tables (Nat. Hist.), tables presenting the specific character of minerals, plants, etc., to assist in determining the species to which a specimen belongs.

DETERMINATIVE De*ter"mi*na*tive, n.

Defn: That which serves to determine. Explanatory determinatives . . . were placed after words phonetically expressed, in order to serve as an aid to the reader in determining the meaning. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

DETERMINATOR De*ter"mi*na`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who determines. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

DETERMINE De*ter"mine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Determined; p. pr. & vb. n. Determining.] Etym: [F. déterminer, L. determinare, determinatum; de + terminare limit, terminus limit. See Term.]

1. To fix the boundaries of; to mark off and separate. [God] hath determined the times before appointed. Acts xvii. 26.

2. To set bounds to; to fix the determination of; to limit; to bound; to bring to an end; to finish. The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight. Bacon. Now, where is he that will not stay so long Till his friend sickness hath determined me Shak.

3. To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle. The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God. J. Edwards. Something divinely beautiful . . . that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life. W. Black.

4. To fix the course of; to impel and direct; -- with a remoter object preceded by to; as, another's will determined me to this course.

5. To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name.

6. To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as, the court has determined the cause.

7. To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead; as, this determined him to go immediately.

8. (Logic)

Defn: To define or limit by adding a differentia.

9. (Physical Sciences)

Defn: To ascertain the presence, quantity, or amount of; as, to determine the parallax; to determine the salt in sea water.

DETERMINE De*ter"mine, v. i.

1. To come to an end; to end; to terminate. [Obs.] He who has vented a pernicious doctrine or published an ill book must know that his life determine not together. South. Estates may determine on future contingencies. Blackstone.

2. To come to a decision; to decide; to resolve; -- often with on. "Determine on some course." Shak. He shall pay as the judges determine. Ex. xxi. 22.

DETERMINED De*ter"mined, a.

Defn: Decided; resolute. "Adetermined foe."" Sparks.

DETERMINEDLY De*ter"min*ed*ly, adv.

Defn: In a determined manner; with determination.

DETERMINER De*ter"min*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, determines or decides.

DETERMINISM De*ter"min*ism, n. (Metaph.)

Defn: The doctrine that the will is not free, but is inevitably and invincibly determined by motives. Its superior suitability to produce courage, as contrasted with scientific physical determinism, is obvious. F. P. Cobbe.

DETERMINIST De*ter"min*ist, n. (Metaph.)

Defn: One who believes in determinism. Also adj.; as, determinist theories.

DETERRATION De`ter*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. de + terra earth: cf. F. déterrer to unearth.]

Defn: The uncovering of anything buried or covered with earth; a taking out of the earth or ground. Woodward.

DETERRENCE De*ter"rence, n.

Defn: That which deters; a deterrent; a hindrance. [R.]

DETERRENT De*ter"rent, a. Etym: [L. deterrens, p. pr. of deterrere. See Deter.]

Defn: Serving to deter. "The deterrent principle." E. Davis.

DETERRENT De*ter"rent, n.

Defn: That which deters or prevents.

DETERSION De*ter"sion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détersion. See Deterge.]

Defn: The act of deterging or cleansing, as a sore.

DETERSIVE De*ter"sive, a. Etym: [Cf. détersif.]

Defn: Cleansing; detergent. -- n.

Defn: A cleansing agent; a detergent.

DETERSIVELY De*ter"sive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a way to cleanse.

DETERSIVENESS De*ter"sive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of cleansing.

DETEST De*test", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detested; p. pr. & vb. n. Detesting.] Etym: [L. detestare, detestatum, and detestari, to curse while calling a deity to witness, to execrate, detest; de + testari to be a witness, testify, testis a witness: cf. F. détester. See Testify.]

1. To witness against; to denounce; to condemn. [Obs.] The heresy of Nestorius . . . was detested in the Eastern churches. Fuller. God hath detested them with his own mouth. Bale.

2. To hate intensely; to abhor; to abominate; to loathe; as, we detest what is contemptible or evil. Who dares think one thing, and another tell, My heart detests him as the gates of hell. Pope.

Syn. -- To abhor; abominate; execrate. See Hate.

DETESTABILITY De*test`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Capacity of being odious. [R.] Carlyle.

DETESTABLE De*test"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. detestabilis: cf. F. détestable.]

Defn: Worthy of being detested; abominable; extremely hateful; very odious; deserving abhorrence; as, detestable vices. Thou hast defiled my sanctuary will all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations. Ezek. v. 11.

Syn. -- Abominable; odious; execrable; abhorred.

DETESTABLENESS De*test"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being detestable.

DETESTABLY De*test"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a detestable manner.

DETESTATE De*tes"tate, v. t.

Defn: To detest. [Obs.] Udall.

DETESTATION Det`es*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. detestatio: cf. F. détestation.]

Defn: The act of detesting; extreme hatred or dislike; abhorrence; loathing. We are heartily agreed in our detestation of civil war. Burke.

DETESTER De*test"er, n.

Defn: One who detes

DETHRONE De*throne", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dethroned; p. pr. & vb. n. Dethroning.] Etym: [Pref. de- + throne: cf. F. détrôner; pref. dé- (L. dis-) + trône throne. See Throne.]

Defn: To remove or drive from a throne; to depose; to divest of supreme authority and dignity. "The Protector was dethroned." Hume.

DETHRONEMENT De*throne"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détrônement.]

Defn: Deposal from a throne; deposition from regal power.

DETHRONER De*thron"er, n.

Defn: One who dethrones.

DETHRONIZATION De*thron`i*za"tion, n.

Defn: Dethronement. [Obs.] Speed.

DETHRONIZE De*thron"ize, v. t. Etym: [Cf. LL. dethronizare.]

Defn: To dethrone or unthrone. [Obs.] Cotgrave.

DETINUE Det"i*nue, n. Etym: [OF. detinu, detenu, p. p. of detenir to detain. See Detain.]

Defn: A person or thing detained; (Law)

Defn: a form of action for the recovery of a personal chattel wrongfully detained. Writ of detinue (Law), one that lies against him who wrongfully detains goods or chattels delivered to him, or in possession, to recover the thing itself, or its value and damages, from the detainer. It is now in a great measure superseded by other remedies.

DETONATE Det"o*nate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Detonated; p. pr. & vb. n. Detonating.] Etym: [L. detonare, v. i., to thunder down; de + tonare to thunder; akin to E. thunder. See Thunder, and cf. Detonize.]

Defn: To explode with a sudden report; as, niter detonates with sulphur.

DETONATE Det"o*nate, v. t.

Defn: To cause to explode; to cause to burn or inflame with a sudden report.

DETONATING Det"o*na`ting, a. & n.

Defn: from Detonate. Detonating gas, a mixture of two volumes of hydrogen with one volume of oxygen, which explodes with a loud report upon ignition. -- Detonating powder, any powder or solid substance, as fulminate of mercury, which when struck, explodes with violence and a loud report. -- Detonating primer, a primer exploded by a fuse; -- used to explode gun cotton in blasting operations. -- Detonating tube, a strong tube of glass, usually graduated, closed at one end, and furnished with two wires passing through its sides at opposite points, and nearly meeting, for the purpose of exploding gaseous mixtures by an electric spark, as in gas analysis, etc.

DETONATION Det`o*na"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. détonation.]

Defn: An explosion or sudden report made by the instantaneous decomposition or combustion of unstable substances' as, the detonation of gun cotton.

DETONATOR Det`o*na`tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, detonates.

DETONIZATION Det`o*ni*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of detonizing; detonation.

DETONIZE Det"o*nize, v. t. & i. Etym: [See Detonate.] [imp. & p. p.Detonized; p. pr. & vb. n. Detonizing.]

Defn: To explode, or cause to explode; to burn with an explosion; to detonate.

DETORSION De*tor"sion, n.

Defn: Same as Detortion.

DETORT De*tort", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detorted; p. pr. & vb. n. Detorting.] Etym: [L. detortus, p. p. of detorquere to turn away; de + torquere to turn about, twist: cf. F. détorquer, détordre.]

Defn: To turn form the original or plain meaning; to pervert; to wrest. Hammond.

DETORTION De*tor"tion, n.

Defn: The act of detorting, or the state of being detorted; a twisting or warping.

DETOUR De`tour", n. Etym: [F. détour, fr. détourner to turn aside; pref. dé- (L. dis-) + tourner to turn. See Turn.]

Defn: A turning; a circuitous route; a deviation from a direct course; as, the detours of the Mississippi.

DETRACT De*tract", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detracted; p. pr. & vb. n. Detracting.] Etym: [L. detractus, p. p. of detrahere to detract; de + trahere to draw: cf. F. détracter. See Trace.]

1. To take away; to withdraw. Detract much from the view of the without. Sir H. Wotton.

2. To take credit or reputation from; to defame. That calumnious critic . . . Detracting what laboriously we do. Drayton.

Syn. -- To derogate; decry; disparage; depreciate; asperse; vilify; defame; traduce. See Decry.

DETRACT De*tract", v. i.

Defn: To take away a part or something, especially from one's credit; to lessen reputation; to derogate; to defame; -- often with from. It has been the fashion to detract both from the moral and literary character of Cicero. V. Knox.

DETRACTER De*tract"er, n.

Defn: One who detracts; a detractor. Other detracters and malicious writers. Sir T. North.

DETRACTINGLY De*tract"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a detracting manner.

DETRACTION De*trac"tion, n. Etym: [F. détraction, L. detractio.]

1. A taking away or withdrawing. [Obs.] The detraction of the eggs of the said wild fowl. Bacon.

2. The act of taking away from the reputation or good name of another; a lessening or cheapening in the estimation of others; the act of depreciating another, from envy or malice; calumny.

Syn. -- Depreciation; disparagement; derogation; slander; calumny; aspersion; censure.

DETRACTIOUS De*trac"tious, a.

Defn: Containing detraction; detractory. [R.] Johnson.

DETRACTIVE De*tract"ive, a.

1. Tending to detractor draw. [R.]

2. Tending to lower in estimation; depreciative.

DETRACTIVENESS De*tract"ive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being detractive.

DETRACTOR De*tract"or, n. Etym: [L.: cf. F. détracteur.]

Defn: One who detracts; a derogator; a defamer. His detractors were noisy and scurrilous. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Slanderer; calumniator; defamer; vilifier.

DETRACTORY De*tract"o*ry, a.

Defn: Defamatory by denial of desert; derogatory; calumnious. Sir T. Browne.

DETRACTRESS De*tract"ress, n.

Defn: A female detractor. Addison.

DETRAIN De*train", v. i. & t.

Defn: To alight, or to cause to alight, from a railway train. [Eng.] London Graphic.

DETRECT De*trect", v. t. Etym: [L. detrectare; de + tractare, intens. of trahere to draw.]

Defn: To refuse; to decline. [Obs.] "To detrect the battle." Holinshed.

DETRIMENT Det"ri*ment, n. Etym: [L. detrimentum, fr. deterere, detritum, to rub or wear away; de + terere to rub: cf. F. détriment. See Trite.]

1. That which injures or causes damage; mischief; harm; diminution; loss; damage; -- used very generically; as, detriments to property, religion, morals, etc. I can repair That detriment, if such it be. Milton.

2. A charge made to students and barristers for incidental repairs of the rooms they occupy. [Eng.]

Syn. -- Injury; loss; damage; disadvantage; prejudice; hurt; mischief; harm.

DETRIMENT Det"ri*ment, v. t.

Defn: To do injury to; to hurt. [Archaic] Other might be determined thereby. Fuller.

DETRIMENTAL Det`ri*men"tal, a.

Defn: Causing detriment; injurious; hurtful. Neither dangerous nor detrimental to the donor. Addison.

Syn. -- Injurious; hurtful; prejudicial; disadvantageous; mischievous; pernicious.

DETRIMENTALNESS Det`ri*men"tal*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being detrimental; injuriousness.

DETRITAL De*tri"tal, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or composed of, detritus.

DETRITE De*trite", a. Etym: [L. detritus, p. p.]

Defn: Worn out.

DETRITION De*tri"tion, n. Etym: [LL. detritio. See Detriment.]

Defn: A wearing off or away. Phonograms which by process long-continued detrition have reached a step of extreme simplicity. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

DETRITUS De*tri"tus, n. Etym: [F. détritus, fr. L. detritus, p. p. of deterere. See Detriment.]

1. (Geol.)

Defn: A mass of substances worn off from solid bodies by attrition, and reduced to small portions; as, diluvial detritus.

Note: For large portions, the word débris is used.

2. Hence: Any fragments separated from the body to which they belonged; any product of disintegration. The mass of detritus of which modern languages are composed. Farrar.

DETRUDE De*trude", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detruded; p. pr. & vb. n. Detruding.] Etym: [L. detrudere, detrusum; de + trudere to thrust, push.]

Defn: To thrust down or out; to push down with force. Locke.

DETRUNCATE De*trun"cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detruncated; p. pr. & vb. n. Detruncating.] Etym: [L. detruncatus, p. p. of detruncare to cut off; de + truncare to maim, shorten, cut off. See Truncate.]

Defn: To shorten by cutting; to cut off; to lop off.

DETRUNCATION De`trun*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. detruncatio: cf. F. détroncation.]

Defn: The act of lopping or cutting off, as the head from the body.

DETRUSION De*tru"sion, n. Etym: [L. detrusio. See Detrude.]

Defn: The act of thrusting or driving down or outward; outward thrust. -- De*tru"sive, a.

DETTE Dette, n.

Defn: Debt. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DETTELES Dette"les, a.

Defn: Free from debt. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DETUMESCENCE De`tu*mes"cence, n. Etym: [L. detumescere to cease swelling; de + tumescere, tumere, to swell.]

Defn: Diminution of swelling; subsidence of anything swollen. [R.] Cudworth.

DETUR De"tur, n. Etym: [L. detur let it be given.]

Defn: A present of books given to a meritorious undergraduate student as a prize. [Harvard Univ., U. S.]

DETURB De*turb", v. t. Etym: [L. deturbare.]

Defn: To throw down. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

DETURBATE De*tur"bate, v. t. Etym: [LL. deturbatus, p. p. of deturbare, fr. L. deturbare to thrust down.]

Defn: To evict; to remove. [Obs.] Foxe.

DETURBATION Det`ur*ba"tion, n.

Defn: The act of deturbating. [Obs.]

DETURN De*turn", v. t. Etym: [Pref. de- + turn. Cf. Detour.]

Defn: To turn away. [Obs.] Sir K. Digby.

DETURPATE De*tur"pate, v. t. Etym: [L. deturpare; de + turpare to make ugly, defile, turpis ugly, foul.]

Defn: To defile; to disfigure. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

DETURPATION Det`ur*pa"tion, n.

Defn: A making foul. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

DEUCE Deuce, n. Etym: [F. deux two, OF. deus, fr. L. duo. See Two.]

1. (Gaming)

Defn: Two; a card or a die with two spots; as, the deuce of hearts.

2. (Tennis)

Defn: A condition of the score beginning whendeuce, which decides the game.

DEUCE Deuce, n. Etym: [Cf. LL. dusius, Armor, dus, teûz, phantom, specter; Gael. taibhs, taibhse, apparition, ghost; or fr. OF. deus God, fr. L. deus (cf. Deity.)]

Defn: The devil; a demon. [A euphemism, written also deuse.] [Low]

DEUCED Deu"ced, a.

Defn: Devilish; excessive; extreme. [Low] -- Deu"ced*ly, adv.

DEUSE; DEUSED Deuse, n.; Deu"sed (, a.

Defn: See Deuce, Deuced.

DEUTEROCANONICAL Deu`ter*o*ca*non"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. canonical.]

Defn: Pertaining to a second canon, or ecclesiastical writing of inferior authority; -- said of the Apocrypha, certain Epistles, etc.

DEUTEROGAMIST Deu`ter*og"a*mist, n. Etym: [See Deuterogamy.]

Defn: One who marries the second time.

DEUTEROGAMY Deu`ter*og"a*my, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A second marriage, after the death of the first husband of wife; -- in distinction from bigamy, as defined in the old canon law. See Bigamy. Goldsmith.

DEUTEROGENIC Deu`ter*o*gen"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Of secondary origin; -- said of certain rocks whose material has been derived from older rocks.

DEUTERONOMIST Deu`ter*on"o*mist, n.

Defn: The writer of Deuteronomy.

DEUTERONOMY Deu`ter*on"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. Deuteronomium.] (Bibl.)

Defn: The fifth book of the Pentateuch, containing the second giving of the law by Moses.

DEUTEROPATHIA; DEUTEROPATHY Deu`ter*o*pa*thi"a, Deu`ter*op"a*thy, n. Etym: [NL. deuteropathia, fr. Gr. deutéropathie.] (Med.)

Defn: A sympathetic affection of any part of the body, as headache from an overloaded stomach.

DEUTEROPATHIC Deu`ter*o*path"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to deuteropathy; of the nature of deuteropathy.

DEUTEROSCOPY Deu`ter*os"co*py, n. Etym: [Gr. -scopy.]

1. Second sight. I felt by anticipation the horrors of the Highland seers, whom their gift of deuteroscopy compels to witness things unmeet for mortal eye. Sir W. Scott.

2. That which is seen at a second view; a meaning beyond the literal sense; the second intention; a hidden signification. Sir T. Browne.

DEUTEROZOOID Deu`ter*o*zo"oid, n. Etym: [Gr. zooid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the secondary, and usually sexual, zooids produced by budding or fission from the primary zooids, in animals having alternate generations. In the tapeworms, the joints are deuterozooids.

DEUTHYDROGURET Deut`hy*drog"u*ret, n. (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Deutohydroguret.

DEUTO-; DEUT- Deu"to- or Deut- (dut-) Etym: [Contr. from Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: A prefix which formerly properly indicated the second in a regular series of compound in the series, and not to its composition, but which is now generally employed in the same sense as bi- or di-, although little used.

DEUTOHYDROGURET Deu`to*hy*drog"u*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. deut-, deuto- + hydroguret.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound containing in the molecule two atoms of hydrogen united with some other element or radical. [Obs.]

DEUTOPLASM Deu"to*plasm, n. Etym: [Pref. deuto- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The lifeless food matter in the cytoplasm of an ovum or a cell, as distinguished from the active or true protoplasm; yolk substance; yolk.

DEUTOPLASTIC Deu`to*plas"tic, a. Etym: [Pref. deuto- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or composed of, deutoplasm.

DEUTOSULPHURET Deu`to*sul"phu*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. deuto- + sulphuret.] (Chem.)

Defn: A disulphide. [Obs.]

DEUTOXIDE Deu*tox"ide (; 104), n. Etym: [Pref. deut- + oxide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound containing in the molecule two atoms of oxygen united with some other element or radical; -- usually called dioxide, or less frequently, binoxide.

DEUTZIA Deut"zi*a, n. Etym: [NL. Named after Jan Deutz of Holland.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of shrubs with pretty white flowers, much cultivated.

DEV; DEVA Dev, or De"va (, n. Etym: [Skr. d. Cf. Deity.] (Hind. Myth.)

Defn: A god; a deity; a divine being; an idol; a king.

DEVANAGARI De`va*na"ga*ri, n. Etym: [Skr. d; d god + nagara city, i. e., divine city.]

Defn: The character in which Sanskrit is written.

DEVAPORATION De*vap`o*ra"tion, n.

Defn: The change of vapor into water, as in the formation of rain.

DEVAST De*vast", v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. dévaster. See Devastate.]

Defn: To devastate. [Obs.] Bolingbroke.

DEVASTATE Dev"as*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devastated; p. pr. & vb. n. Devastating.] Etym: [L. devastatus, p. p. of devastare to devastate; de + vastare to lay waste, vastus waste. See Vast.]

Defn: To lay waste; to ravage; to desolate. Whole countries . . . were devastated. Macaulay.

Syn. -- To waste; ravage; desolate; destroy; demolish; plunder; pillage.

DEVASTATION Dev`as*ta"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. dévastation.]

1. The act of devastating, or the state of being devastated; a laying waste. Even now the devastation is begun, And half the business of destruction done. Goldsmith.

2. (Law)

Defn: Waste of the goods of the deceased by an executor or administrator. Blackstone.

Syn. -- Desolation; ravage; waste; havoc; destruction; ruin; overthrow.

DEVASTATOR Dev"as*ta`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who, or that which, devastates. Emerson.

DEVASTAVIT Dev`as*ta"vit, n. Etym: [L., he has wasted.] (Law)

Defn: Waste or misapplication of the assets of a deceased person by an executor or an administrator. Bouvier.

DEVATA De"va*ta, n. Etym: [Hind., fr. Skr. d god.] (Hind. Myth.)

Defn: A deity; a divine being; a good spirit; an idol. [Written also dewata.]

DEVE Deve, a. Etym: [See Deaf.]

Defn: Deaf. [Obs.] Chaucer.

DEVELIN Dev"el*in, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European swift. [Prov. Eng.]

DEVELOP De*vel"op, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Developed; p. pr. & vb. n. Developing.] Etym: [F. déveloper; dé- (L. dis-) + OF. voluper, voleper, to envelop, perh. from L. volup agreeably, delightfully, and hence orig., to make agreeable or comfortable by enveloping, to keep snug (cf. Voluptuous); or. perh. fr. a derivative of volvere, volutum, to roll (cf. Devolve). Cf. Envelop.] [Written also develope.]

1. To free from that which infolds or envelops; to unfold; to lay open by degrees or in detail; to make visible or known; to disclose; to produce or give forth; as, to develop theories; a motor that develops 100 horse power. These serve to develop its tenets. Milner. The 20th was spent in strengthening our position and developing the line of the enemy. The Century.

2. To unfold gradually, as a flower from a bud; hence, to bring through a succession of states or stages, each of which is preparatory to the next; to form or expand by a process of growth; to cause to change gradually from an embryo, or a lower state, to a higher state or form of being; as, sunshine and rain develop the bud into a flower; to develop the mind. The sound developed itself into a real compound. J. Peile. All insects . . . acquire the jointed legs before the wings are fully developed. Owen.

3. To advance; to further; to prefect; to make to increase; to promote the growth of. We must develop our own resources to the utmost. Jowett (Thucyd).

4. (Math.)

Defn: To change the form of, as of an algebraic expression, by executing certain indicated operations without changing the value.

5. (Photog.)

Defn: To cause to become visible, as an invisible or latent image upon plate, by submitting it to chemical agents; to bring to view. To develop a curved surface on a place (Geom.), to produce on the plane an equivalent surface, as if by rolling the curved surface so that all parts shall successively touch the plane.

Syn. -- To uncover; unfold; evolve; promote; project; lay open; disclose; exhibit; unravel; disentangle.

DEVELOP De*vel"op, v. i.

1. To go through a process of natural evolution or growth, by successive changes from a less perfect to a more perfect or more highly organized state; to advance from a simpler form of existence to one more complex either in structure or function; as, a blossom develops from a bud; the seed develops into a plant; the embryo develops into a well-formed animal; the mind develops year by year. Nor poets enough to understand That life develops from within. Mrs. Browning.

2. To become apparent gradually; as, a picture on sensitive paper develops on the application of heat; the plans of the conspirators develop.

DEVELOPABLE De*vel"op*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being developed. J. Peile. Developable surface (Math.), a surface described by a moving right line, and such that consecutive positions of the generator intersect each other. Hence, the surface can be developed into a plane.

DEVELOPER De*vel"op*er, n.

1. One who, or that which, develops.

2. (Photog.)

Defn: A reagent by the action of which the latent image upon a photographic plate, after exposure in the camera, or otherwise, is developed and visible.

DEVELOPMENT De*vel"op*ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. développement.] [Written also developement.]

1. The act of developing or disclosing that which is unknown; a gradual unfolding process by which anything is developed, as a plan or method, or an image upon a photographic plate; gradual advancement or growth through a series of progressive changes; also, the result of developing, or a developed state. A new development of imagination, taste, and poetry. Channing.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The series of changes which animal and vegetable organisms undergo in their passage from the embryonic state to maturity, from a lower to a higher state of organization.

3. (Math.) (a) The act or process of changing or expanding an expression into another of equivalent value or meaning. (b) The equivalent expression into which another has been developed.

4. (mus.)

Defn: The elaboration of a theme or subject; the unfolding of a musical idea; the evolution of a whole piece or movement from a leading theme or motive. Development theory (Biol.), the doctrine that animals and plants possess the power of passing by slow and successive stages from a lower to a higher state of organization, and that all the higher forms of life now in existence were thus developed by uniform laws from lower forms, and are not the result of special creative acts. See the Note under Darwinian.

Syn. -- Unfolding; disclosure; unraveling; evolution; elaboration; growth.

DEVELOPMENTAL De*vel`op*men"tal, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or characteristic of, the process of development; as, the developmental power of a germ. Carpenter.

DEVENUSTATE Dev`e*nus"tate, v. t. Etym: [L. devenustatus, p. p. of devenustare to disfigure; de + venustus lovely, graceful.]

Defn: To deprive of beauty or grace. [Obs.]

DEVERGENCE; DEVERGENCY De*ver"gence, De*ver"gen*cy, n.

Defn: See Divergence. [Obs.]

DEVEST De*vest", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Devested; p. pr. & vb. n. Devesting.] Etym: [L. devestire to undress; de + vestire to dress: cf. OF. devestir, F. dévêtir. Cf. Divest.]

1. To divest; to undress. Shak.

2. To take away, as an authority, title, etc., to deprive; to alienate, as an estate.

Note: This word is now generally written divest, except in the legal sense.

DEVEST De*vest", v. i. (Law)

Defn: To be taken away, lost, or alienated, as a title or an estate.

DEVEX De*vex", a. Etym: [L. devexus, from devehere to carry down.]

Defn: Bending down; sloping. [Obs.]

DEVEX De*vex", n.

Defn: Devexity. [Obs.] May (Lucan).

DEVEXITY De*vex"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. devexitas, fr. devexus. See Devex, a.]

Defn: A bending downward; a sloping; incurvation downward; declivity. [R.] Davies (Wit's Pilgr.)

DEVI De"vi, n.

Defn: ; fem. of Deva. A goddess.

DEVIANT De"vi*ant, a.

Defn: Deviating. [Obs.]

DEVIATE De"vi*ate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Deviated; p. pr. & vb. n. Deviating.] Etym: [L. deviare to deviate; de + viare to go, travel, via way. See Viaduct.]

Defn: To go out of the way; to turn aside from a course or a method; to stray or go astray; to err; to digress; to diverge; to vary. Thus Pegasus, a nearer way to take, May boldly deviate from the common track. Pope.

Syn. -- To swerve; stray; wander; digress; depart; deflect; err.

DEVIATE De"vi*ate, v. t.

Defn: To cause to deviate. [R.] To deviate a needle. J. D. Forbes.

DEVIATION De`vi*a"tion, n. Etym: [LL. deviatio: cf. F. déviation.]

1. The act of deviating; a wandering from the way; variation from the common way, from an established rule, etc.; departure, as from the right course or the path of duty.

2. The state or result of having deviated; a transgression; an act of sin; an error; an offense.

2. (Com.)

Defn: The voluntary and unnecessary departure of a ship from, or delay in, the regular and usual course of the specific voyage insured, thus releasing the underwriters from their responsibility. Deviation of a falling body (Physics), that deviation from a strictly vertical line of descent which occurs in a body falling freely, in consequence of the rotation of the earth. -- Deviation of the compass, the angle which the needle of a ship's compass makes with the magnetic meridian by reason of the magnetism of the iron parts of the ship. -- Deviation of the line of the vertical, the difference between the actual direction of a plumb line and the direction it would have if the earth were a perfect ellipsoid and homogeneous, -- caused by the attraction of a mountain, or irregularities in the earth's density.

DEVIATOR De"vi*a`tor, n. Etym: [L., a forsaker.]

Defn: One who, or that which, deviates.

DEVIATORY De"vi*a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Tending to deviate; devious; as, deviatory motion. [R.] Tully.

DEVICE De*vice", n. Etym: [OE. devis, devise, will, intention, opinion, invention, fr. F. devis architect's plan and estimates (in OF., division, plan, wish), devise device (in sense 3), in OF. also, division, wish, last will, fr. deviser. See Devise, v. t., and cf. Devise, n.]

1. That which is devised, or formed by design; a contrivance; an invention; a project; a scheme; often, a scheme to deceive; a stratagem; an artifice. His device in against Babylon, to destroy it. Jer. li. 11. Their recent device of demanding benevolences. Hallam. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty. Job v. 12.

2. Power of devising; invention; contrivance. I must have instruments of my own device. Landor.

3. (a) An emblematic design, generally consisting of one or more figures with a motto, used apart from heraldic bearings to denote the historical situation, the ambition, or the desire of the person adopting it. See Cognizance. (b) Improperly, an heraldic bearing. Knights-errant used to distinguish themselves by devices on their shields. Addison. A banner with this strange device -Excelsior. Longfellow.

4. Anything fancifully conceived. Shak.

5. A spectacle or show. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

6. Opinion; decision. [Obs.] Rom. of R.

Syn. -- Contrivance; invention; design; scheme; project; stratagem; shift. -- Device, Contrivance. Device implies more of inventive power, and contrivance more of skill and dexterity in execution. A device usually has reference to something worked out for exhibition or show; a contrivance usually respects the arrangement or disposition of things with reference to securing some end. Devices were worn by knights-errant on their shields; contrivances are generally used to promote the practical convenience of life. The word device is often used in a bad sense; as, a crafty device; contrivance is almost always used in a good sense; as, a useful contrivance.

DEVICEFUL De*vice"ful, a.

Defn: Full of devices; inventive. [R.] A carpet, rich, and of deviceful thread. Chapman.

DEVICEFULLY De*vice"ful*ly, adv.

Defn: In a deviceful manner. [R.]

DEVIL Dev"il, n. Etym: [AS. deófol, deóful; akin to G. , Goth. diabaúlus; all fr. L. diabolus the devil, Gr. gal to fall. Cf. Diabolic.]

1. The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind. [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil. Luke iv. 2. That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. Rev. xii. 9.

2. An evil spirit; a demon. A dumb man possessed with a devil. Matt. ix. 32.

3. A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. "That devil Glendower." "The devil drunkenness." Shak. Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil John vi. 70.

4. An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. [Low] The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser. Shak. The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, But wonder how the devil they got there. Pope.

5. (Cookery)

Defn: A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper. Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron. Sir W. Scott.

6. (Manuf.)

Defn: A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc. Blue devils. See under Blue. -- Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian. -- Devil bird (Zoöl.), one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and E. remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery. -- Devil may care, reckless, defiant of authority; -- used adjectively. Longfellow. -- Devil's apron (Bot.), the large kelp (Laminaria saccharina, and L. longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron. -- Devil's coachhorse. (Zoöl.) (a) The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). [Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect (Prionotus cristatus); the wheel bug. [U.S.] -- Devil's darning-needle. (Zoöl.) See under Darn, v. t. -- Devil's fingers, Devil's hand (Zoöl.), the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches. [Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.] -- Devil's riding-horse (Zoöl.), the American mantis (Mantis Carolina). -- The Devil's tattoo, a drumming with the fingers or feet. "Jack played the Devil's tattoo on the door with his boot heels." F. Hardman (Blackw. Mag.). -- Devil worship, worship of the power of evil; -- still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power. -- Printer's devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. "Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer." Macaulay. -- Tasmanian devil (Zoöl.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus, or Diabolus, ursinus). -- To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]

DEVIL Dev"il, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deviled or Devilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Deviling or Devilling.]

1. To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.

2. To grill with Cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper. A deviled leg of turkey. W. Irving. deviled egg a hard-boiled egg, sliced into halves and with the yolk removed and replaced with a paste, usually made from the yolk and mayonnaise, seasoned with salt and/or spices such as paprika.

DEVIL-DIVER; DEVIL BIRD Dev"il-div`er, Dev"il bird` (, n.. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small water bird. See Dabchick.

DEVILESS Dev"il*ess, n.

Defn: A she-devil. [R.] Sterne.

DEVILET Dev"il*et, n.

Defn: A little devil. [R.] Barham.

DEVILFISH Dev"il*fish`, n. (Zoöl.) (a) A huge ray (Manta birostris or Cephaloptera vampyrus) of the Gulf of Mexico and Southern Atlantic coasts. Several other related species take the same name. See Cephaloptera. (b) A large cephalopod, especially the very large species of Octopus and Architeuthis. See Octopus. (c) The gray whale of the Pacific coast. See Gray whale. (d) The goosefish or angler (Lophius), and other allied fishes. See Angler.

DEVILING Dev"il*ing, n.

Defn: A young devil. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

DEVILISH Dev"il*ish, a.

1. Resembling, characteristic of, or pertaining to, the devil; diabolical; wicked in the extreme. "Devilish wickedness." Sir P. Sidney. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. James iii. 15.

2. Extreme; excessive. [Colloq.] Dryden.

Syn. -- Diabolical; infernal; hellish; satanic; wicked; malicious; detestable; destructive. -- Dev"il*ish*ly, adv. -- Dev"il*ish*ness, n.

DEVILISM Dev"il*ism, n.

Defn: The state of the devil or of devils; doctrine of the devil or of devils. Bp. Hall.

DEVILIZE Dev"il*ize, v. t.

Defn: To make a devil of. [R.] He that should deify a saint, should wrong him as much as he that should devilize him. Bp. Hall.

DEVILKIN Dev"il*kin, n.

Defn: A little devil; a devilet.

DEVILMENT Dev"il*ment, n.

Defn: Deviltry. Bp. Warburton.

DEVILRY Dev"il*ry, n.; pl. Devilries (.

1. Conduct suitable to the devil; extreme wickedness; deviltry. Stark lies and devilry. Sir T. More.

2. The whole body of evil spirits. Tylor.

DEVIL'S DARNING-NEEDLE Dev"il's darn"ing-nee`dle. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A dragon fly. See Darning needle, under Darn, v. t.

DEVILSHIP Dev"il*ship, n.

Defn: The character or person of a devil or the devil. Cowley.

DEVILTRY Dev"il*try, n.; pl. Deviltries (.

Defn: Diabolical conduct; malignant mischief; devilry. C. Reade.

DEVILWOOD Dev"il*wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A kind of tree (Osmanthus Americanus), allied to the European olive.

DEVIOUS De"vi*ous, a. Etym: [L. devius; de + via way. See Viaduct.]

1. Out of a straight line; winding; varying from directness; as, a devious path or way.

2. Going out of the right or common course; going astray; erring; wandering; as, a devious step.

Syn. -- Wandering; roving; rambling; vagrant. -- De"vi*ous*ly, adv. -- De"vi*ous*ness, n.

DEVIRGINATE De*vir"gin*ate, a. Etym: [L. devirginatus, p. p. of devirginare.]

Defn: Deprived of virginity. [R.]

DEVIRGINATE De*vir"gin*ate, v. t.

Defn: To deprive of virginity; to deflour. [R.] Sandys.

DEVIRGINATION De*vir`gi*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. devirginatio.]

Defn: A deflouring. [R.] Feltham.