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.
De*scrip"tive (?), a. [L. descriptivus: cf. F. descriptif.] 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.
De*scrive" (?), v. t. [OF. descrivre. See Describe.] To describe. [Obs.] Spenser.
De*scry" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Descried (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Descrying.] [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.
De*scry" (?), n. 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.
Des"e*cate (?), v. t. [L. desecare to cut off.] To cut, as with a scythe; to mow. [Obs.]
Des"e*crate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desecrated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Desecrating (?).] [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.] 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.
Des"e*cra`ter (?), n. One who desecrates; a profaner. Harper's Mag.
Des`e*cra"tion (?), n. The act of desecrating; profanation; condition of anything desecrated.
Des"e*cra`tor (?), n. One who desecrates. "Desecrators of the church." Morley.
De*seg`men*ta"tion (?), n. (Anat.) The loss or obliteration of division into segments; as, a desegmentation of the body.
De*sert" (d*zrt"), n. [OF. deserte, desserte, merit, recompense, fr. deservir, desservir, to merit. See Deserve.] 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.
Des"ert (dz"rt), n. [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 which are destitute of moisture 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.
Also figuratively.
Before her extended
Dreary and vast and silent, the desert of life.
Longfellow.
Des"ert, a. [Cf. L. desertus, p. p. of deserere, and F. désert. See 2d Desert.] 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.
De*sert" (d*zrt"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deserted; p. pr. & vb. n. Deserting.] [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.) 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.
De*sert", v. i. 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.
De*sert"er (d*zrt"r), n. 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.
De*sert"ful (?), a. Meritorious. [R.] Beau. & Fl.
De*ser"tion (d*zr"shn), n. [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.
De*sert"less (?), a. Without desert. [R.]
De*sert"less*ly, adv. Undeservedly. [R.] Beau. & Fl.
Des"ert*ness (?), n. A deserted condition. [R.] "The desertness of the country." Udall.
{ De*sert"rix (?), De*sert"rice (?), } n. [L. desertrix.] A feminine deserter. Milton.
De*serve" (d*zrv"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deserved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Deserving.] [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.
De*serve" (d*zrv"), v. i. To be worthy of recompense; -- usually with ill or with well.
One man may merit or deserve of another.
South.
De*serv"ed*ly (-zrv"d*l>ycr/), adv. According to desert (whether good or evil); justly.
De*serv"ed*ness, n. Meritoriousness.
De*serv"er (?), n. One who deserves.
De*serv"ing, n. Desert; merit.
A person of great deservings from the republic.
Swift.
De*serv"ing, a. Meritorious; worthy; as, a deserving person or act. -- De*serv"ing*ly, adv.
Des`ha*bille (?), n. [F. déshabillé, fr. déshabiller to undress; pref. dés- (L. dis-) + habiller to dress. See Habiliment, and cf. Dishabille.] An undress; a careless toilet.
De*sic"cant (?), a. [L. desiccans, p. pr. of desiccare. See Desiccate.] Drying; desiccative. -- n. (Med.) A medicine or application for drying up a sore. Wiseman.
Des"ic*cate (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desiccated; p. pr. & vb. n. Desiccating.] [L. desiccatus, p. p. of desiccare to dry up; de- + siccare to dry, siccus dry. See Sack wine.] 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.
Des"ic*cate, v. i. To become dry.
Des`ic*ca"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. dessiccation.] The act of desiccating, or the state of being desiccated.
De*sic"ca*tive (?), a. [Cf. F. dessicatif.] Drying; tending to dry. Ferrand. -- n. (Med.) An application for drying up secretions.
Des"ic*ca`tor (?), n. 1. One who, or that which, desiccates.
2. (Chem.) 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.
De*sic"ca*to*ry (?), a. Desiccative.
De*sid"er*a*ble (?), a. Desirable. [R.] "Good and desiderable things." Holland.
||De*sid`e*ra"ta (?), n. pl. See Desideratum.
De*sid"er*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desiderated; p. pr. & vb. n. Desiderating.] [L. desideratus, p. p. of desiderare to desire, miss. See Desire, and cf. Desideratum.] 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.
De*sid`er*a"tion (?), n. [L. desideratio.] Act of desiderating; also, the thing desired. [R.] Jeffrey.
De*sid"er*a*tive (?), a. [L. desiderativus.] Denoting desire; as, desiderative verbs.
De*sid"er*a*tive, n. 1. An object of desire.
2. (Gram.) 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.
||De*sid`e*ra"tum (?), n.; pl. Desiderata (#). [L., fr. desideratus, p. p. See Desiderate.] Anything desired; that of which the lack is felt; a want generally felt and acknowledge.
{ De*sid"i*ose` (?), De*sid"i*ous (?), } a. [L. desidiosus, fr. desidia a sitting idle, fr. desid&?;re to sit idle; de- + sed&?;re to sit.] Idle; lazy. [Obs.]
De*sid"i*ous*ness, n. The state or quality of being desidiose, or indolent. [Obs.] N. Bacon.
De*sight" (?), n. [Pref. de- + sight.] An unsightly object. [Obs.]
De*sight"ment (?), n. The act of making unsightly; disfigurement. [R.]
To substitute jury masts at whatever desightment or damage in risk.
London Times.
De*sign" (?; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Designed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Designing.] [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.
De*sign", v. i. 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.
<! p. 398 !>
De*sign" (?), n. [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 purpos&?; of the King.
Tennyson.
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.) 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.
Des"ig*na*ble (?), a. Capable of being designated or distinctly marked out; distinguishable. Boyle.
Des"ig*nate (?), a. [L. designatus, p. p. of designare. See Design, v. t.] Designated; appointed; chosen. [R.] Sir G. Buck.
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; as, to designate an officer for or to the command of a post or station.
Syn. -- To name; denominate; style; entitle; characterize; describe.
Des`ig*na"tion (?), n. [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 which have parts.
Locke.
Des"ig*na*tive (?), a. [Cf. F. désignatif.] Serving to designate or indicate; pointing out.
Des"ig*na`tor (?), n. [L.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) An officer who assigned to each his rank and place in public shows and ceremonies.
2. One who designates.
Des"ig*na*to*ry (?), a. Serving to designate; designative; indicating. [R.]
De*sign"ed*ly (?), adv. By design; purposely; intentionally; -- opposed to accidentally, ignorantly, or inadvertently.
De*sign"er (?), n. 1. One who designs, marks out, or plans; a contriver.
2. (Fine Arts) One who produces or creates original works of art or decoration.
3. A plotter; a schemer; -- used in a bad sense.
De*sign"ful (?), a. Full of design; scheming. [R.] -- De*sign"ful*ness, n. [R.] Barrow.
De*sign"ing, a. Intriguing; artful; scheming; as, a designing man.
De*sign"ing, n. The act of making designs or sketches; the act of forming designs or plans.
De*sign"less, a. Without design. [Obs.] -- De*sign"less*ly, adv. [Obs.]
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.
De*sil"ver (?), v. t. To deprive of silver; as, to desilver lead.
De*sil`ver*i*za"tion (?), n. The act or the process of freeing from silver; also, the condition resulting from the removal of silver.
De*sil"ver*ize (?), v. t. To deprive, or free from, silver; to remove silver from.
Des"i*nence (?), n. [Cf. F. désinence.] Termination; ending. Bp. Hall.
Des"i*nent (?), a. [L. desinens, p. pr. of desinere, desitum, to leave off, cease; de- + sinere to let, allow.] Ending; forming an end; lowermost. [Obs.] "Their desinent parts, fish." B. Jonson.
Des`i*nen"tial (?), a. [Cf. F. désinentiel.] Terminal.
Furthermore, b, as a desinential element, has a dynamic function.
Fitzed. Hall.
De*sip"i*ent (?), a. [L. desipiens, p. pr. of desipere to be foolish; de- + sapere to be wise.] Foolish; silly; trifling. [R.]
De*sir`a*bil"i*ty, n. The state or quality of being desirable; desirableness.
De*sir"a*ble (?), a. [F. désirable, fr. L. desiderabilis. See Desire, v. t.] 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.
De*sir"a*ble*ness, n. The quality of being desirable.
The desirableness of the Austrian alliance.
Froude.
De*sir"a*bly, adv. In a desirable manner.
De*sire" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Desiring.] [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 same. C. J. Smith.
De*sire", n. [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.
De*sire"ful (?), a. Filled with desire; eager. [R.]
The desireful troops.
Godfrey (1594).
De*sire"ful*ness, n. The state of being desireful; eagerness to obtain and possess. [R.]
The desirefulness of our minds much augmenteth and increaseth our pleasure.
Udall.
De*sire"less, a. Free from desire. Donne.
De*sir"er (?), n. One who desires, asks, or wishes.
De*sir"ous (?), a. [F. désireux, OF. desiros, fr. desir. See Desire, n.] 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.
De*sir"ous*ly, adv. With desire; eagerly.
De*sir"ous*ness, n. The state of being desirous.
De*sist" (?; 277), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Desisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Desisting.] [L. desistere; de- + sistere to stand, stop, fr. stare to stand: cf. F. désister. See Stand.] 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.
De*sist"ance (?), n. [Cf. F. desistance.] 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.
De*sist"ive (?), a. [See Desist.] Final; conclusive; ending. [R.]
De*si"tion (?), n. [See Desinent.] An end or ending. [R.]
Des"i*tive (?), a. Final; serving to complete; conclusive. [Obs.] "Desitive propositions." I. Watts.
Des"i*tive, n. (Logic) A proposition relating to or expressing an end or conclusion. [Obs.] I. Watts.
Desk (?), n. [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, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Desking.] To shut up, as in a desk; to treasure.
Desk"work` (?), n. Work done at a desk, as by a clerk or writer. Tennyson.
Des"man (ds"man), n. [Cf. Sw. desman musk.] (Zoöl.) An amphibious, insectivorous mammal found in Russia (Myogale moschata). It is allied to the moles, but is called muskrat by some English writers. [Written also dæsman.]
{ Des"mid (?), Des*mid"i*an (?), } n. [Gr. desmo`s chain + e'i^dos form.] (Bot.) 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.
Des"mine (?), n. [Gr. de`smh, desmo`s, bundle, fr. dei^n to bind.] (Min.) Same as Stilbite. It commonly occurs in bundles or tufts of crystals.
||Des`mo*bac*te"ri*a (ds`m*bk*t"r*), n. pl. [Gr. desmo`s bond + E. bacteria.] See Microbacteria.
Des"mo*dont (-dnt), n. [Gr. desmo`s bond + 'odoy`s, 'odo`ntos, tooth.] (Zoöl.) A member of a group of South American blood-sucking bats, of the genera Desmodus and Diphylla. See Vampire.
Des*mog"na*thous (?), a. [Gr. desmo`s bond + gna`qos jaw.] (Zoöl.) 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.
Des"moid (?), a. [Gr. desmo`s ligament + -oid.] (Anat.) Resembling, or having the characteristics of, a ligament; ligamentous.
Des*mol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. desmo`s ligament + -logy.] The science which treats of the ligaments. [R.]
||Des`mo*my*a"ri*a (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; bond + &?; muscle.] (Zoöl.) The division of Tunicata which includes the Salpæ. See Salpa.
||Des"o*late (?), a. [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.
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.
Des"o*late*ly (?), adv. In a desolate manner.
Des"o*late*ness, n. The state of being desolate.
Des"o*la`ter (?), n. One who, or that which, desolates or lays waste. Mede.
Des`o*la"tion (?), n. [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.
Des"o*la`tor (?), n. [L.] Same as Desolater. Byron.
Des"o*la*to*ry (?), a. [L. desolatorius.] Causing desolation. [R.] Bp. Hall.
De`so*phis"ti*cate (?), v. t. To clear from sophism or error. [R.] Hare.
Des`ox*al"ic (?), a. [F. pref. des- from + E. oxalic.] (Chem.) Made or derived from oxalic acid; as, desoxalic acid.
De*spair" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Despaired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Despairing.] [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.] 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.
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.
De*spair", n. [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.
<! p. 399 !>
2. That which is despaired of. "The mere despair of surgery he cures." Shak.
Syn. -- Desperation; despondency; hopelessness.
De*spair"er (?), n. One who despairs.
De*spair"ful (?), a. Hopeless. [Obs.] Spenser.
De*spair"ing, a. Feeling or expressing despair; hopeless. -- De*spair"ing*ly, adv. -- De*spair"ing*ness, n.
De*spar"ple (?), v. t. & i. [OF. desparpeillier.] To scatter; to disparkle. [Obs.] Mandeville.
De*spatch" (?), n. & v. Same as Dispatch.
De`spe*cif"i*cate (?), v. t. [Pref. de- (intens.) + specificate.] To discriminate; to separate according to specific signification or qualities; to specificate; to desynonymize. [R.]
Inaptitude and ineptitude have been usefully despecificated.
Fitzed. Hall.
De*spec`i*fi*ca"tion (?), n. Discrimination.
De*spect" (?), n. [L. despectus, fr. despicere. See Despite, n.] Contempt. [R.] Coleridge.
De*spec"tion (?), n. [L. despectio.] A looking down; a despising. [R.] W. Montagu.
De*speed" (?), v. t. To send hastily. [Obs.]
Despeeded certain of their crew.
Speed.
De*spend" (?), v. t. To spend; to squander. See Dispend. [Obs.]
Some noble men in Spain can despend £50,000.
Howell.
Des`per*a"do (?), n.; pl. Desperadoes (#). [OSp. desperado, p. p. of desperar, fr. L. desperare. See Desperate.] A reckless, furious man; a person urged by furious passions, and regardless of consequence; a wild ruffian.
Des"per*ate (?), a. [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.
Des"per*ate, n. One desperate or hopeless. [Obs.]
Des"per*ate*ly, adv. 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.
Des"per*ate*ness n. Desperation; virulence.
Des`per*a"tion (?), n. [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.
Des`pi*ca*bil"i*ty (?), n. Despicableness. [R.] Carlyle.
Des"pi*ca*ble (?), a. [L. despicabilis, fr. despicari to despise; akin to despicere. See Despise.] 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.
Des"pi*ca*ble*ness, n. The quality of being despicable; meanness; vileness; worthlessness.
Des"pi*ca*bly (?), adv. In a despicable or mean manner; contemptibly; as, despicably stingy.
Des*pi"cien*cy (?), n. [L. despicientia. See Despise.] A looking down; despection. [Obs.]
De*spis"a*ble (?), a. [Cf. OF. despisable.] Despicable; contemptible. [R.]
De*spis"al (?), n. A despising; contempt. [R.]
A despisal of religion.
South.
De*spise" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despised (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Despising.] [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.] 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.
De*spis"ed*ness, n. The state of being despised.
De*spise"ment (?), n. A despising. [R.] Holland.
De*spis"er (?), n. One who despises; a contemner; a scorner.
De*spis"ing*ly, adv. Contemptuously.
De*spite" (?), n. [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.]
De*spite" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despited; p. pr. & vb. n. Despiting.] [OF. despitier, fr. L. despectare, intens. of despicere. See Despite, n.] To vex; to annoy; to offend contemptuously. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.
De*spite", prep. In spite of; against, or in defiance of; notwithstanding; as, despite his prejudices.
Syn. -- See Notwithstanding.
De*spite"ful (?), a. [See Despite, and cf. Spiteful.] 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.
Des*pit"e*ous (?), a. [OE. despitous, OF. despiteus, fr. despit; affected in form by E. piteous. See Despite.] Feeling or showing despite; malicious; angry to excess; cruel; contemptuous. [Obs.] "Despiteous reproaches." Holland.
Des*pit"e*ous*ly, adv. Despitefully. [Obs.]
De*spit"ous (?), a. Despiteous; very angry; cruel. [Obs.]
He was to sinful man not despitous.
Chaucer.
- De*spit"ous*ly, adv. [Obs.]
De*spoil" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Despoiled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Despoiling.] [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.
De*spoil", n. Spoil. [Obs.] Wolsey.
De*spoil"er (?), n. One who despoils.
De*spoil"ment (?), n. Despoliation. [R.]
De*spo`li*a"tion (?), n. [L. despoliatio. See Despoil.] A stripping or plundering; spoliation. Bailey.
De*spond" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Desponded; p. pr. & vb. n. Desponding.] [L. despondre, desponsum, to promise away, promise in marriage, give up, to lose (courage); de- + spondre to promise solemnly. See Sponsor.] 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 the 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.
De*spond" n. Despondency. [Obs.]
The slough of despond.
Bunyan.
De*spond"ence (?), n. Despondency.
The people, when once infected, lose their relish for happiness [and] saunter about with looks of despondence.
Goldsmith.
De*spond"en*cy (?), n. 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.
De*spond"ent (?), a. [L. despondens, -entis, p. pr. of despond&?;re.] Marked by despondence; given to despondence; low-spirited; as, a despondent manner; a despondent prisoner. -- De*spond"ent*ly, adv.
De*spond"er (?), n. One who desponds.
De*spond"ing*ly, adv. In a desponding manner.
De*spon"sage (?), n. [From L. desponsus, p. p. See Despond.] Betrothal. [Obs.]
Ethelbert . . . went peaceably to King Offa for desponsage of Athilrid, his daughter.
Foxe.
De*spon"sate (?), v. t. [L. desponsatus, p. p. of desponsare, intens. of despondere to betroth. See Despond.] To betroth. [Obs.] Johnson.
Des`pon*sa"tion (?), n. [L. desponsatio: cf. OF. desponsation.] A betrothing; betrothal. [Obs.]
For all this desponsation of her . . . she had not set one step toward the consummation of her marriage.
Jer. Taylor.
De*spon"so*ry (?), n.; pl. Desponsories (&?;). A written pledge of marriage. Clarendon.
De*sport" (?), v. t. & i. See Disport.
Des"pot (?), n. [F. despote, LL. despotus, fr. Gr. despo`ths master, lord, the second part of which is akin to po`sis husband, and L. 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.
Des"po*tat (?), n. [Cf. F. despotat.] The station or government of a despot; also, the domain of a despot. Freeman.
{ Des*pot"ic (?), Des*pot"ic*al (?), } a. [Gr. &?;: cf. F. despotique.] 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.
Des"po*tism (?), n. [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.
Des"po*tist, n. A supporter of despotism. [R.]
Des"po*tize (?), v. t. To act the despot.
De*spread" (?), v. t. & i. See Dispread.
Des"pu*mate (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Despumated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Despumating (?).] [L. despumatus, p. p. of despumare to despume; de- + spumare to foam, froth, spuma froth, scum.] To throw off impurities in spume; to work off in foam or scum; to foam.
Des`pu*ma"tion (?), n. [L. despumatio: cf. F. despumation.] The act of throwing up froth or scum; separation of the scum or impurities from liquids; scumming; clarification.
De*spume" (?), v. t. [Cf. F. despumer. See Despumate.] To free from spume or scum. [Obs.]
If honey be despumed.
Holland.
Des"qua*mate (?), v. i. [L. desquamatus, p. p. of desquamare to scale off; de- + squama scale.] (Med.) To peel off in the form of scales; to scale off, as the skin in certain diseases.
Des`qua*ma"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. desquamation.] (Med.) The separation or shedding of the cuticle or epidermis in the form of flakes or scales; exfoliation, as of bones.
{ De*squam"a*tive (?), De*squam"a*to*ry (?), } a. Of, pertaining to, or attended with, desquamation.
De*squam"a*to*ry, n. (Surg.) An instrument formerly used in removing the laminæ of exfoliated bones.
Dess (?), n. Dais. [Obs.]
Des*sert" (?), n. [F., fr. desservir to remove from table, to clear the table; pref. des- (L. dis-) + servir to serve, to serve at table. See Serve.] 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.
Des*tem"per (?), n. [Cf. F. détrempe, fr. détremper.] A kind of painting. See Distemper.
Des"tin (?), n. [Cf. F. destin.] Destiny. [Obs.] Marston.
Des"ti*na*ble (?), a. [Cf. OF. destinable.] Determined by destiny; fated. Chaucer.
Des"ti*na*bly, adv. In a destinable manner.
Des"ti*nal (?), a. Determined by destiny; fated. [Obs.] "The order destinal." Chaucer.
Des"ti*nate (?), a. [L. destinatus, p. p. of destinare. See Destine.] Destined. [Obs.] "Destinate to hell." Foxe.
Des"ti*nate (?), v. t. To destine, design, or choose. [Obs.] "That name that God . . . did destinate." Udall.
Des`ti*na"tion (?), n. [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.