Diet – Dinner-Time

Diet

DIET, noun [Latin , Gr., manner of living, mode of life prescribe by a physician, food, a room, parlor or bed room. In the middle ages, this word was used to denote the provision or food for one day, and for a journey of one day. Hence it seems to be from dies, day, or its root; and hence the word may have come to signify a meal or supper, and the room occupied for eating.]

1. Food or victuals; as, milk is a wholesome diet; flesh is nourishing diet

2. Food regulated by a physician, or by medical rules; food prescribed for the prevention or cure of disease, and limited in kind or quantity. I restrained myself to a regular diet of flesh once a day.

3. Allowance of provision.

For his diet there was a continual diet given him by the king. Jeremiah 52:34.

4. Board, or boarding; as, to pay a certain sum for diet washing and lodging.

DIET, noun [G.] An assembly of the states or circles of the empire of Germany and of Poland; a convention of princes, electors, ecclesiastical dignitaries, and representatives of free cities, to deliberate on the affairs of the empire. There are also diets of states and cantons.

DIET, verb transitive

1. To feed; to board; to furnish provisions for; as, the master diets his apprentice.

2. To take food by rules prescribed; as, an invalid should carefully diet himself.

3. To feed; to furnish aliment; as, to diet revenge.

DIET, verb intransitive

1. To eat according to rules prescribed.

2. To eat; to feed; as, the students diet in commons.

Diet-Drink

DIET-DRINK, noun Medicated liquors; drink prepared with medicinal ingredients.

Dietary

DIETARY, adjective Pertaining to diet or the rules of diet.

Dieted

DIETED, participle passive Fed; boarded; fed by prescribed rules.

Dieter

DIETER, noun One who diets; one who prescribes rules for eating; one who prepares food by rules.

Dietetic

DIETETIC, DIETETICAL, adjective [Gr.] Pertaining to diet, or to the rules for regulating the kind and quantity of food to be eaten.

Dietetical

DIETETIC, DIETETICAL adjective [Gr.] Pertaining to diet, or to the rules for regulating the kind and quantity of food to be eaten.

Dietine

DIETINE, noun A subordinate or local diet; a cantonal convention.

Dieting

DIETING, noun A subordinate or local diet; a cantonal convention.

DIETING, participle present tense Taking food; prescribing rules for eating; taking food according to prescribed rules.

Diffarreation

DIFFARREATION, noun [Latin] The parting of a cake; a ceremony among the Romans, at the divorce of man and wife.

Differ

DIFFER, verb intransitive [Latin , to bear or move apart. See Bear.]

1. Literally, to be separate. Hence, to be unlike, dissimilar, distinct or various, in nature, condition, form or qualities; followed by from. Men differ from brutes; a statue differs from a picture; wisdom differs from folly.

One star differeth from another star in glory. 1 Corinthians 15:41.

2. To disagree; not to accord; to be of a contrary opinion. We are all free to differ in opinion, and sometimes our sentiments differ less than we at first suppose.

3. To contend; to be at variance; to strive or debate in words; to dispute; to quarrel.

Well never differ with a crowded pit.

DIFFER, verb transitive To cause to be different or various. A different dialect and pronunciation differs persons of divers countries. [This transitive use of the verb is not common, nor to be commended.]

Difference

DIFFERENCE, noun

1. The state of being unlike or distinct; distinction; disagreement; want of sameness; variation; dissimilarity. difference may be total or partial, and exist in the nature and essence of things, in the form, the qualities or degrees. There is a difference in nature between animals and plants; a difference in form between the genera and species of animals; a difference of quality in paper; and a difference in degrees of heat, or of light.

2. The quality which distinguishes one thing from another.

3. Dispute; debate; contention; quarrel; controversy.

What was the difference? It was a contention in public.

4. The point in dispute; ground of controversy.

5. A logical distinction.

6. Evidences or marks of distinction.

The marks and differences of sovereignty.

7. Distinction.

There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek. Romans 10:12.

8. In mathematics, the remainder of a sum or quantity, after a lesser sum or quantity is subtracted.

9. In logic, an essential attribute, belonging to some species, and not found in the genus; being the idea that defines the species.

10. In heraldry, a certain figure added to a coat of arms, serving to distinguish one family from another, or to show how distant a younger branch is from the elder or principal branch.

DIFFERENCE, verb transitive To cause a difference or distinction. A regular administration of justice according to fixed laws differences a civilized from a savage state.

Different

DIFFERENT, adjective

1. Distinct; separate; not the same; as, we belong to different churches or nations.

2. Various or contrary; of various or contrary natures, forms or qualities; unlike; dissimilar; as different kinds of food or drink; different states of health; different shapes; different degrees of excellence.

Differential

DIFFERENTIAL, adjective An epithet applied to an infinitely small quantity, so small as to be less than any assignable quantity. This is called a differential quantity. The differential method is applied to the doctrine of infinitesimals, or infinitely small quantities, called the arithmetic of fluxions. It consists in descending from whole quantities to their infinitely small differences, and comparing them. Hence it is called the differential calculus, or analysis of infinitesimals.

Differently

DIFFERENTLY, adverb In a different manner; variously. Men are differently affected with the same eloquence.

Differing

DIFFERING, participle present tense Being unlike or distinct; disagreeing; contending.

Difficile

DIFFICILE, adjective [Latin] Difficult; hard; scrupulous. [Not used.]

Difficileness

DIFFICILENESS, noun Difficulty to be persuaded. [Not used.]

Difficult

DIFFICULT, adjective [Latin , easy to be made or done; to make or do.]

1. Hard to be made, done or performed; not easy; attended with labor and pains; as, our task is difficult It is difficult to persuade men to abandon vice. It is difficult to ascend a steep hill, or travel a bad road.

2. Hard to be pleased; not easily wrought upon; not readily yielding; not compliant; unaccommodating; rigid; austere; not easily managed or persuaded; as a difficult man; a person of a difficult temper.

3. Hard to be ascended as a hill, traveled as a road, or crossed as a river, etc. We say, a difficult ascent; a difficult road; a difficult river to cross; etc.

Difficulty

DIFFICULTY, noun [Latin]

1. Hardness to be done or accomplished; the state of any thing which renders its performance laborious or perplexing; opposed to easiness or facility; as the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of labor and difficulty

2. That which is hard to be performed or surmounted. We often mistake difficulties for impossibilities. To overcome difficulties is an evidence of a great mind.

3. Perplexity; embarrassment of affairs; trouble; whatever renders progress or execution of designs laborious. We lie under many difficulties, by reason of bad markets, or a low state of trade.

4. Objection; obstacle to belief; that which cannot be easily understood, explained or believed, Men often raise difficulties concerning miracles and mysteries in religion, which candid research will remove.

5. In a popular sense, bodily complaints; indisposition.

Diffide

DIFFIDE, verb intransitive [Latin , to trust.] To distrust; to have no confidence in. [Little used.]

Diffidence

DIFFIDENCE, noun [Latin , to trust. See Faith.]

1. Distrust; want of confidence; any doubt of the power, ability or disposition of others. It is said there was a general diffidence of the strength and resources of the nation, and of the sincerity of the king.

2. More generally, distrust of ones self; want of confidence in our own power, competency, correctness or wisdom; a doubt respecting some personal qualification. We speak or write with diffidence when we doubt our ability to speak or write correctly or to the satisfaction of others. The effect of diffidence is some degree of reserve, modesty, timidity or bashfulness. Hence,

3. Modest reserve; a moderate degree of timidity or bashfulness; as, he addressed the audience or the prince with diffidence

Diffident

DIFFIDENT, adjective

1. Distrustful; wanting confidence; doubting of anothers power, disposition, sincerity or intention.

Be not diffident of wisdom.

Be diffident in dealing with strangers.

2. Distrustful of ones self; not confident; doubtful of ones own power or competency.

Distress makes the humble heart diffident

3. Reserved; modest; timid; as a diffident youth.

Diffidently

DIFFIDENTLY, adverb With distrust; in a distrusting manner; modestly.

Diffluence

DIFFLUENCE, DIFFLUENCY, noun [Latin] A flowing or falling away on all sides.

Diffluency

DIFFLUENCE, DIFFLUENCY noun [Latin] A flowing or falling away on all sides.

Diffluent

DIFFLUENT, adjective Flowing away on all sides; not fixed.

Difform

DIFFORM, adjective [Latin]

1. Irregular in form; not uniform; anomalous; as a difform flower or corol, the parts of which do not correspond in size or proportion; so difform leaves.

2. Unlike; dissimilar.

The unequal refractions of difform rays.

Difformity

DIFFORMITY, noun Irregularity of form; want of uniformity.

Diffranchise

DIFFRANCHISE, DIFFRANCHISEMENT, [See Disfranchise, which is the word in use.]

Diffuse

DIFFUSE, verb transitive diffuze. [Latin , to pour, to spread.]

1. To pour out and spread, as a fluid; to cause to flow and spread.

The river rose and diffused its waters over the adjacent plain.

2. To spread; to send out or extend in all directions; to disperse. Flowers diffuse their odors. The fame of Washington is diffused over Europe. The knowledge of the true God will be diffused over the earth.

DIFFUSE, adjective

1. Widely spread; dispersed.

2. Copious; prolix; using many words; giving full descriptions; as, Livy is a diffuse writer.

3. Copious; verbose; containing full or particular accounts; concise; as a diffuse style.

Diffused

DIFFUSED, participle passive Diffuzed.

1. Spread; dispersed.

2. Loose; flowing; wild.

Diffusedly

DIFFUSEDLY, adverb Diffuzedly. In a diffused manner; with wide dispersion.

Diffusedness

DIFFUSEDNESS, noun Diffuzedness. The state of being widely spread.

Diffusely

DIFFUSELY, adverb

1. Widely; extensively.

2. Copiously; with many words; fully.

Diffusibility

DIFFUSIBILITY, noun Diffuzibility. The quality of being diffusible, or capable of being spread; as the diffusibility of clay in water.

Diffusible

DIFFUSIBLE, adjective Diffuzible. That may flow or be spread in all directions; that may be dispersed; as diffusible stimuli.

Diffusibleness

DIFFUSIBLENESS, noun S as z. Diffusibility.

Diffusion

DIFFUSION, noun S as z.

1. A spreading or flowing of a liquid substance or fluid, in a lateral as well as a lineal direction; as the diffusion of water; the diffusion of air or light.

2. A spreading or scattering; dispersion; as a diffusion of dust or of seeds.

3. A spreading; extension; propagation; as the diffusion of knowledge, or of good principles.

4. Copiousness; exuberance, as of style. [Little used.]

Diffusive

DIFFUSIVE, adjective Having the quality of diffusing, or spreading by flowing, as liquid substances or fluids; or of dispersing, as minute particles. Water, air and light; dust, smoke and odors, are diffusive substances.

2. Extended; spread widely; extending in all directions; extensive; as diffusive charity or benevolence.

Diffusively

DIFFUSIVELY, adverb Widely; extensively; every way.

Diffusiveness

DIFFUSIVENESS, noun

1. The power of diffusing, or state of being diffused; dispersion.

2. Extension, or extensiveness; as the diffusiveness of benevolence.

3. The quality or state of being diffuse, as an author or his style; verboseness; copisousness of words or expression.

Dig

DIG, verb transitive preterit tense Digger or dug; participle passive Digged or dug. [G.]

1. To open and break or turn up the earth with a spade or other sharp instrument.

Be first to dig the ground.

2. To excavate; to form an opening in the earth by digging and removing the loose earth; as, to dig a well, a pit or a mine.

3. To pierce or open with a snout or by other means, as swine or moles.

4. To pierce with a pointed instrument; to thrust in.

Still for the growing liver digged his breast.

To dig down, is to undermine and cause to fall by digging; as, to dig down a wall.

To dig out, or to dig from, is to obtain by digging; as, to dig coals from a mine; to dig out fossils. But the preposition is often omitted, and it is said, the men are digging coals, or digging iron ore. In such phrases, some word is understood; They are digging out ore, or digging for coals, or digging ore from the earth.

To dig up, is to obtain something from the earth by opening it, or uncovering the thing with a spade or other instrument, or to force out from the earth by a bar; as, to dig up a stone.

DIG, verb intransitive

1. To work with a spade or other piercing instrument; to do servile work.

I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. Luke 16:3.

2. To work in search of; to search.

They dig for it, more than for hid treasures. Job 3:21.

To dig in, is to pierce with a spade or other pointed instrument.

Son of man, dig now in the wall. Ezekiel 8:8.

To dig through, to open a passage through; to make an opening from one side to the other.

Digamma

DIGAMMA, noun [Gr., double gamma.] The name of F, most absurdly given to that letter, when first invented or used by the Eolians, on account of its figure. A letter should be named from its sound, and not from its shape. The letter is ef.

Digamy

DIGAMY, noun Second marriage. [Not in use.]

Digastric

DIGASTRIC, adjective [Gr., belly.] Having a double belly; an epithet given to a muscle of the lower jaw.

Digerent

DIGERENT, adjective [Latin] Digesting. [Not in use.]

Digest

DIGEST, noun [Latin , put in order.]

1. A collection or body of Roman laws, digested or arranged under proper titles by order of the Emperor Justinian. A pandect.

2. Any collection, compilation, abridgment or summary of laws, disposed under proper heads or titles; as the digest of Comyns.

DIGEST, verb transitive Latin , to distribute, or to dissolve; to bear, carry, or wear.]

1. To distribute into suitable classes, or under proper heads or titles; to arrange in convenient order; to dispose in due method; as, to digest the Roman laws or the common law.

2. To arrange methodically in the mind; to form with due arrangement of parts; as, to digest a plan or scheme.

3. To separate or dissolve in the stomach, as food; to reduce to minute parts fit to enter the lacteals and circulate; to concoct; to covert into chyme.

4. In chemistry, to soften and prepare by heat; to expose to a gentle heat in a boiler or matrass, as a preparation for chemical operations.

5. To bear with patience; to brook; to receive without resentment; not to reject; as, say what you will, he will digest it.

6. To prepare in the mind; to dispose in a manner that shall improve the understanding and heart; to prepare for nourishing practical duties; as, to digest a discourse or sermon.

7. To dispose an ulcer or wound to suppurate.

8. To dissolve and prepare for manure, as plants and other substances.

DIGEST, verb intransitive

1. To be prepared by heat.

2. To suppurate; to generate laudable pus; as an ulcer or wound.

3. To dissolve and be prepared for manure, as substances in compost.

Digested

DIGESTED, participle passive Reduced to method; arranged in due order; concocted or prepared in the stomach or by a gentle heat; received without rejection; borne; disposed for use.

Digester

DIGESTER, noun

1. He that digests or disposes in order.

2. One who digests his food.

3. A medicine or article of food that aids digestion, or strengthens the digestive power of the stomach.

4. A strong vessel contrived by Papin, in which to boil bony substances with a strong heat, and reduce them to a fluid state, or in general, to increase the solvent power of water.

Digestibility

DIGESTIBILITY, noun The quality of being digestible.

Digestible

DIGESTIBLE, adjective Capable of being digested.

Digesting

DIGESTING, participle present tense Arranging in due order, or under proper heads; dissolving and preparing for circulation in the stomach; softening and preparing by heat; disposing for practice; disposing to generate pus; brooking; reducing by heat to a fluid state.

Digestion

DIGESTION, noun [Latin]

1. The conversion of food into chyme, or the process of dissolving aliment in the stomach and preparing it for circulation and nourishment. A good digestion is essential to health.

2. In chemistry, the operation of exposing bodies to a gentle heat, to prepare them for some action on each other; or the slow action of a solvent on any substance.

3. The act of methodizing and reducing to order; the maturation of a design.

4. The process of maturing an ulcer or wound, and disposing it to generate pus; or the generation of matter.

5. The process of dissolution and preparation of substances for manure, as in compost.

Digestive

DIGESTIVE, adjective

1. Having the power to cause digestion in the stomach; as a digestive preparation or medicine.

2. Capable of softening and preparing by heat.

3. Methodizing; reducing to order; as digestive thought.

4. Causing maturation in wounds or ulcers.

5. Dissolving.

DIGESTIVE, noun

1. In medicine, any preparation or medicine which increases the tone of the stomach, and aids digestion; a stomachic; a corroborant.

2. In surgery, an application which ripens an ulcer or wound, or disposes it to suppurate.

DIGESTIVE salt, the muriate of potash.

Digesture

DIGESTURE, noun Concoction; digestion. [Little used.]

Digged

DIGGED, preterit tense and participle passive of dig.

Digger

DIGGER, noun One who digs; one who opens, throws up and breaks the earth; one who opens a well, pit, trench or ditch.

Dight

DIGHT, verb transitive dite. [Latin] To prepare; to put in order; hence, to dress, or put on; to array; to adorn. [Obsolete, or used only in poetry.]

Digit

DIGIT, noun [Latin , a finger, that is, a shoot; Gr.]

1. The measure of a fingers breadth, or three fourths of an inch.

2. The twelfth part of the diameter of the sun or moon; a term used to express the quantity of an eclipse; as, an eclipse of six digits is one which hides one half of the disk.

3. In arithmetic, any integer under 10; so called from counting on the fingers. Thus 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. are called digits.

Digital

DIGITAL, adjective [Latin] Pertaining to the fingers, or to digits.

Digitate

DIGITATE, DIGITATED, adjective In botany, a digitate leaf is one which branches into several distinct leaflets like fingers; or when a simple, undivided petiole connects several leaflets at the end of it.

Digladiate

DIGLADIATE, verb transitive [Latin] To fence; to quarrel. [Little used.]

Digladiation

DIGLADIATION, noun A combat with swords; a quarrel.

Dignification

DIGNIFICATION, noun [See Dignify.] The act of dignifying; exaltation; promotion.

Dignified

DIGNIFIED, participle passive [See Dignify.]

1. Exalted; honored; invested with dignity; as the dignified clergy.

2. adjective Marked with dignity; noble; as dignified conduct, or manner.

To the great astonishment of the Jews, the manners of Jesus are familiar, yet dignified

Dignify

DIGNIFY, verb transitive [Latin , worthy; to make.]

1. To invest with honor or dignity; to exalt in rank; to promote; to elevate to a high office.

2. To honor; to make illustrious; to distinguish by some excellence, or that which gives celebrity.

Your worth will dignify our feast.

Dignitary

DIGNITARY, noun An ecclesiastic who holds a dignity, or a benefice which gives him some pre-eminence over mere priests and canons, as a bishop, dean, archdeacon, prebendary, etc.

Dignity

DIGNITY, noun [Latin , worthy.]

1. True honor; nobleness or elevation of mind, consisting in a high sense of propriety, truth and justice, with an abhorrence of mean and sinful actions; opposed to meanness. In this sense, we speak of the dignity of mind, and dignity of sentiments. This dignity is based on moral rectitude; all vice is incompatible with true dignity of mind. The man who deliberately injures another, whether male or female, has no true dignity of soul.

2. Elevation; honorable place or rank of elevation; degree of excellence, either in estimation, or in the order of nature. Man is superior in dignity to brutes.

3. Elevation of aspect; grandeur of mein; as a man of native dignity

4. Elevation of deportment; as dignity of manners or behavior.

5. An elevated office, civil or ecclesiastical, giving a high rank in society; advancement; preferment, or the rank attached to it. We say, a man enjoys his dignity with moderation, or without haughtiness. Among ecclesiastics, dignity is office or preferment joined with power or jurisdiction.

6. The rank or title of a nobleman.

7. In oratory, one of the three parts of elocution, consisting in the right use of tropes and figures.

8. In astrology, an advantage which a planet has on account of its being in some particular place of the zodiac, or in a particular station in respect to other planets.

9. A general maxim, or principle. [Not used.]

Dignotion

DIGNOTION, noun [Latin] Distinguishing mark; distinction. [Not in use.]

Digonous

DIGONOUS, adjective [Gr., an angle.] In botany, having two angles, as a stem.

Digraph

DIGRAPH, noun [Gr., to write.] A union of two vowels, of which one only is pronounced, as in head, breath.

Digress

DIGRESS, verb intransitive [Latin , to step. See Grade.]

1. Literally, to step or go from the way or road; hence, to depart or wander from the main subject, design or tenor of a discourse, argument or narration; used only of speaking or writing.

In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to digress into a particular definition, as often as a man varies the signification of any term.

2. To go out of the right way or common track; to deviate; in a literal sense. [Not now in use.]

Digressing

DIGRESSING, participle present tense Departing from the main subject.

Digression

DIGRESSION, noun [Latin]

1. The act of digressing; a departure from the main subject under consideration; an excursion of speech or writing.

2. The part or passage of a discourse, argument or narration, which deviates from the main subject, tenor or design, but which may have some relation to it, or be of use to it.

3. Diviation from a regular course; as, the digression of the sun is not equal. [Little used.]

Digressional

DIGRESSIONAL, adjective Pertaining to or consisting in digression; departing from the main purpose or subject.

Digressive

DIGRESSIVE, adjective Departing from the main subject; partaking of the nature of digression.

Digressively

DIGRESSIVELY, adverb By way of digression.

Digyn

DIGYN, noun [Gr., two; a female.] In botany, a plant having two pistils.

Digynian

DIGYNIAN, adjective Having two pistils.

Dihedral

DIHEDRAL, adjective [Gr., supra; a seat or face.] Having two sides, as a figure.

Dihedron

DIHEDRON, noun [Supra.] A figure with two sides or surfaces.

Dihexahedral

DIHEXAHEDRAL, adjective [di and hexahedral.] In crystalography, having the form of a hexahedral prism with trihedral summits.

Dijudicate

DIJUDICATE, verb transitive [Latin] To judge or determine by censure.

Dijudication

DIJUDICATION, noun Judicial distinction.

Dike

DIKE, noun [G. See Dig. It is radically the same word as ditch, and this is its primary sense; but by an easy transition, it came to signify also the bank formed by digging and throwing up earth. Intrenchment is sometimes used both for a ditch and a rampart.]

1. A ditch; an excavation made in the earth by digging, of greater length than breadth, intended as a reservoir of water, a drain, or for other purpose.

2. A mound of earth, of stones, or of other materials, intended to prevent low lands, from being inundated by the sea or a river. The low countries of Holland are thus defended by dikes.

3. A vein of basalt, greenstone or other stony substance.

DIKE, verb transitive To surround with a dike; to secure by a bank.

DIKE, verb intransitive To dig. [Not in use.]

Dilacerate

DILACERATE, verb transitive [Latin , to tear.] To tear; to rend asunder; to separate by force.

Dilacerated

DILACERATED, participle passive Torn; rent asunder.

Dilacerating

DILACERATING, participle present tense Tearing; rending in two.

Dilaceration

DILACERATION, noun The act of rending asunder; a tearing, or rending. [In lieu of these words, lacerate, laceration, are generally used.]

Dilaniate

DILANIATE, verb transitive [Latin , to rend in pieces.] To tear; to rend in pieces; to mangle. [Little used.]

Dilaniation

DILANIATION, noun A tearing in pieces.

Dilapidate

DILAPIDATE, verb intransitive [Latin , to stone; a stone. It seems originally to have signified to pull down stone-work, or to suffer such work to fall to pieces.] To go to ruin; to fall by decay.

DILAPIDATE, verb transitive

1. To pull down; to waste or destroy; to suffer to go to ruin.

If the bishop, parson, or vicar, etc., dilapidates the buildings, or cuts down the timber of the patrimony of the church--

2. To waste; to squander.

Dilapidated

DILAPIDATED, participle passive Wasted; ruined; pulled down; suffered to go to ruin.

Dilapidating

DILAPIDATING, participle present tense Wasting; pulling down; suffering to go to ruin.

Dilapidation

DILAPIDATION, noun

1. Ecclesiastical waste; a voluntary wasting or suffering to go to decay any building in possession of an incumbent. dilapidation is voluntary or active, when an incumbent pulls down a building; permissive or passive, when he suffers it to decay and neglects to repair it. dilapidation extends to the waste or destruction of wood, and other property of the church.

2. Destruction; demolition; decay; ruin.

3. Peculation.

Dilapidator

DILAPIDATOR, noun One who causes dilapidation.

Dilatability

DILATABILITY, noun [See Dilate.] The quality of admitting expansion by the elastic force of the body itself, or of another elastic substance acting upon it; opposed to contractibility.

Dilatable

DILATABLE, adjective Capable of expansion; possessing elasticity; elastic. A bladder is dilatable by the force of air; air is dilatable by heat. It is opposed to contractible.

Dilatation

DILATATION, noun The act of expanding; expansion; a spreading or extending in all directions; the state of being expanded; opposed to contraction. dilatation differs from extension, as the latter is applied to lines and surfaces; the former to bodies that spread, open or enlarge in all directions. A line or a plain is extended; a bladder, an artery, a balloon is dilated.

Dilate

DILATE, verb transitive [Latin See Delay.]

1. To expand; to distend; to enlarge or extend in all directions; opposed to contract. The air dilates the lungs; air is dilated by rarefaction.

2. To enlarge; to relate at large; to tell copiously or diffusely; as, to dilate upon the policy of a measure. In this sense, it is generally used intransitively. Spenser and Shakespeare have used it in a transitive sense; as, to dilate a theme.

DILATE, adjective Expanded; expansive.

Dilated

DILATED, participle passive Expanded; distended; enlarge so as to occupy a greater space.

Dilater

DILATER, noun One who enlarges; that which expands.

Dilating

DILATING, participle present tense Expanding; enlarging; speaking largely.

Dilator

DILATOR, noun That which widens or expands; a muscle that dilates.

Dilatorily

DILATORILY, adverb With delay; tardily.

Dilatoriness

DILATORINESS, noun [from dilatory.] The quality of being dilatory or late; lateness; slowness in motion; delay in proceeding; tardiness.

Dilatory

DILATORY, adjective [Latin See Delay and Dilate.]

1. Literally, drawing out or extending in time; hence, slow; late; tardy; applied to things; as dilatory councils or measures.

2. Given to procrastination; not proceeding with diligence; making delay; slow; late; applied to persons; as a dilatory messenger. A man is dilatory when he delays attendance, or performance of business, beyond the proper time.

3. In law, intended to make delay; tending to delay; as a dilatory plea, which is designed or which tends to delay the trial of a cause.

Dilection

DILECTION, noun [Latin] A loving.

Dilemma

DILEMMA, noun [Gr., a syllogism which strikes on each side; an assumption; to take.]

1. In logic, an argument equally conclusive by contrary suppositions. A young rhetorician said to an old sophist; Instruct me in pleading, and I will pay you, when I gain a cause. The master sued for the reward, and the scholar endeavored to elude the claim by a dilemma If I gain my cause, I shall withhold your pay, because the award of the judge will be against you. It I lose it, I may withhold it, because I shall not yet have gained a cause. The master replied: If you gain your cause, you must pay me, because you are to pay me, when you gain a cause; if you lose it, you must pay me, because you are to pay me, when you gain a cause; if you lose it, you must pay me, because the judge will award it.

2. A difficult or doubtful choice; a state of things in which evils or obstacles present themselves on every side, and it is difficult to determine what course to pursue.

A strong dilemma in a desperate case!

To act with infamy, or quit the place.

Dilettante

DILETTANTE, noun One who delights in promoting science or the fine arts.

Diligence

DILIGENCE, noun [Latin , to love earnestly; to choose.]

1. Steady application in business of any kind; constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken; exertion of body or mind without unnecessary delay or sloth; due attention; industry; assiduity.

DILIGENCE is the philosophers stone that turns every thing to gold.

Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1:5.

2. Care; heed; heedfulness.

Keep thy heart with all diligence Proverbs 4:23.

3. The name of a stage-coach, used in France.

Diligent

DILIGENT, adjective [Latin]

1. Steady in application to business; constant in effort or exertion to accomplish what is undertaken; assiduous; attentive; industrious; not idle or negligent; applied to persons.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings. Provers 22.

2. Steadily applied; prosecuted with care and constant effort; careful; assiduous; as, make diligent search.

The judges shall make diligent inquisition. Judges 19:1.

Diligently

DILIGENTLY, adverb With steady application and care; with industry or assiduity; not carelessly; not negligently.

Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 6:7.

Dill

DILL, noun [G.] An annual plant of the genus Anethum, the seeds of which are moderately warming, pungent and aromatic.

Dilucid

DILUCID, adjective [Latin] Clear. [Not in use.]

Dilucidate

DILUCIDATE, verb transitive To make clear. [Not in use. See Elucidate.]

Diluent

DILUENT, adjective [Latin See Dilute.]

1. Making liquid or more fluid; making thin; attenuating.

2. Weakening the strength of, by mixture with water.

DILUENT, noun

1. That which thins or attenuates; that which makes more liquid.

2. That which weakens the strength of; as water, which, mixed with wine or spirit, reduces the strength of it.

Dilute

DILUTE, verb transitive [Latin , to wash. See Deluge.]

1. Literally, to wash; but appropriately, to render liquid, or more liquid; to make thin, or more fluid. Thus sirup or molasses is made thin or more liquid by an admixture with water; and the water is said to dilute it. Hence,

2. To weaken, as spirit or an acid, by an admixture of water, which renderst the spirit or acid less concentrated. Thus, we dilute spirit, wine or a decoction by adding to it water.

3. To make weak or weaker, as color, by mixture.

4. To weaken; to reduce the strength or standard of; as, to dilute virtue.

DILUTE, adjective Thin; attenuated; reduced in strength, as spirit or color.

Diluted

DILUTED, participle passive Made liquid; rendered more fluid; weakened, made thin, as liquids.

Diluter

DILUTER, noun That which makes thin, or more liquid.

Diluting

DILUTING, participle present tense Making thin or more liquid; weakening.

Dilution

DILUTION, noun The act of making thin, weak, or more liquid. Opposite to dilution is coagulation or thickening.

Diluvial

DILUVIAL, DILUVIAN, adjective [Latin , a deluge. See Dilute.]

Diluvian

DILUVIAL, DILUVIAN adjective [Latin , a deluge. See Dilute.]

1. Pertaining to a flood or deluge, more especially to the deluge in Noahs day.

2. Effected or produced by a deluge, particularly by the great flood in the days of Noah.

Diluviate

DILUVIATE, verb intransitive To run as a flood. [Not much used.]

Diluvium

DILUVIUM, noun [Latin] In geology, a deposit of superficial loam, sand, gravel, etc., caused by the deluge.

Dim

DIM, adjective [See Damp.]

1. Not seeing clearly; having the vision obscured and indistinct.

When Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim Genesis 27:1.

2. Not clearly seen; obscure; imperfectly seen or discovered; as a dim prospect.

3. Somewhat dark; dusky; not luminous; as a dim shade.

4. Dull of apprehension; having obscure conceptions.

The understanding is dim

5. Having its luster obscured; sullied; tarnished.

How is the gold become dim? Lamentations 4:1.

DIM, verb transitive

1. To cloud; to impair the powers of vision; as, to dim the eyes.

2. To obscure; as, to dim the sight; to dim the prospect.

3. To render dull the powers of conception.

4. To make less bright; to obscure.

Each passion dimmed his face.

5. To render less bright; to tarnish or sully; as, to dim gold.

Dim-Sighted

DIM-SIGHTED, adjective Having dim or obscure vision.

Dimble

DIMBLE, noun A bower; a cell or retreat. [Not in use.]

Dime

DIME, noun A silver coin of the United States, of the value of ten cents; the tenth of a dollar.

Dimension

DIMENSION, noun [Latin , to measure; Gr. See Mete and Measure.] In geometry, the extent of a body, or length, breadth and thickness or depth. A line has one dimension or length; a superficies has two dimensions, length and breadth; and a solid has three dimensions, length, breadth and thickness or depth. The word is generally used int eh plural, and denotes the whole space occupied by a body, or its capacity, size, measure; as the dimensions of a room, or of a ship; the dimensions of a farm, of a kingdom, etc.

Dimensionless

DIMENSIONLESS, adjective Without any definite measure or extent; boundless.

Dimensity

DIMENSITY, noun Extent; capacity.

Dimensive

DIMENSIVE, adjective That marks the boundaries or outlines.

Who can draw the souls dimensive lines?

Dimeter

DIMETER, adjective [Latin] Having two poetical measures.

DIMETER, noun A verse of two measures.

Dimiciliary

DIMICILIARY, adjective Pertaining to an abode, or the residence of a person or family. A domiciliary visit is a visit to a private dwelling, particularly for the purpose of searching it, under authority.

Dimidiate

DIMIDIATE, verb transitive [Latin] To divide into two equal parts.

Dimidiated

DIMIDIATED, adjective [Latin , middle.] Divided into two equal parts; halved.

Dimidiation

DIMIDIATION, noun The act of having; division into two equal parts.

Diminish

DIMINISH, verb transitive [Latin , to lessen; less.]

1. To lessen; to make less or smaller, by any means; opposed to increase and augment; as, to diminish the size of a thing by contraction, or by cutting off a part; to diminish a number by subtraction; to diminish the revenue by limiting commerce, or reducing the customs; to diminish strength or safety; to diminish the heat of a room. It is particularly applied to bulk and quantity, as shorten is to length.

2. To lessen; to impair; to degrade.

I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezekiel 29:15.

3. In music, to take from a note by a sharp, flat or natural.

To diminish from, to take away something.

Neither shall you diminish aught from it Deuteronomy 4:2.

DIMINISH, verb intransitive To lessen; to become or appear less or smaller. The size of an object diminishes, as we recede from it.

Diminishable

DIMINISHABLE, adjective Capable of being reduced in size or quantity.

Diminished

DIMINISHED, participle passive Lessened; made smaller; reduced in size; contracted; degraded.

Diminishing

DIMINISHING, participle present tense Lessening; contracting; degrading.

Diminishingly

DIMINISHINGLY, adverb In a manner to lessen reputation.

Diminuent

DIMINUENT, adjective Lessening. [Little used.]

Diminute

DIMINUTE, adjective Small. [Not in use.]

Diminution

DIMINUTION, noun [Latin]

1. The act of lessening; a making smaller; opposed to augmentation; as the diminution of size, of wealth, of power, of safety.

2. The state of becoming or appearing less; opposed to increase; as the diminution of the apparent diameter of a receding body.

3. Discredit; loss of dignity; degradation.

4. Deprivation of dignity; a lessening of estimation.

5. In architecture, the contraction of the upper part of a column, by which its diameter is made less than that of the lower part.

6. In music, the imitation of or reply to a subject in notes of half the length or value of those of the subject itself.

Diminutive

DIMINUTIVE, adjective Small; little; narrow; contracted; as a diminutive race of men or other animals; a diminutive thought.

DIMINUTIVE, noun In grammar, a word formed from another word, usually an appellative or generic term, to express a little thing of the kind; as, in Latin, lapillus, a little stone, from lapis; cellula, a little cell, from cella, a cell; in French, maisonnette, a little house, from maison, a house; in English, manikin, a little man, from man.

Diminutively

DIMINUTIVELY, adverb In a diminutive manner; in a manner to lessen; as, to speak diminutively of another.

Diminutiveness

DIMINUTIVENESS, noun Smallness; littleness; want of bulk; want of dignity.

Dimish

DIMISH, adjective [from dim.] Somewhat dim, or obscure.

Dimissory

DIMISSORY, adjective [Latin See Dismiss.]

1. Sending away; dismissing to another jurisdiction. A letter dimissory is one given by a bishop to a candidate for holy orders, having a title in his diocese, directed to some other bishop, and giving leave for the bearer to be ordained by him.

2. Granting leave to depart.

Dimit

DIMIT, verb transitive [Latin] To permit to go; to grant to farm; to let. [Not in use.]

Dimity

DIMITY, noun A kind of white cotton cloth, ribbed or figured.

Dimly

DIMLY, adverb [See Dim.]

1. In a dim or obscure manner; with imperfect sight.

2. Not brightly, or clearly; with a faint light.

Dimming

DIMMING, participle present tense Obscuring.

DIMMING, noun Obscurity.

Dimness

DIMNESS, noun

1. Dullness of sight; as the dimness of the eyes.

2. Obscurity of vision; imperfect sight; as the dimness of a view.

3. Faintness; imperfection; as the dimness of a color.

4. Want of brightness; as the dimness of gold or silver.

5. Want of clear apprehension; stupidity; as the dimness of perception.

Dimple

DIMPLE, noun [G., to reel, to indent.] A small natural cavity or depression in the cheek or other part of the face.

DIMPLE, verb intransitive To form dimples; to sink into depressions or little inequalities.

And smiling eddies dimpled on the main.

Dimpled

DIMPLED, adjective Set with dimples; as a dimpled cheek.

Dimply

DIMPLY, adjective Full of dimples, or small depressions; as the dimply flood.

Din

DIN, noun [Latin This word probably belongs to the root of tone and thunder, and denotes a rumbling or rattling noise.] Noise; a loud sound; particularly, a rattling, clattering or rumbling sound, long continued; as the din of arms; the din of war.

DIN, verb transitive To strike with continued or confused sound; to stun with noise; to harass with clamor; as, to din the ears with cries; to din with clamor.

Dine

DINE, verb intransitive [Latin , to cease. Gr., to feast.] To eat the chief meal of the day. This meal seems originally to have been taken about the middle of the day, at least in northern climates, as it still is by laboring people. Among people in the higher walks of life, and in commercial towns, the time of dining is from tow to five or six oclock in the afternoon.

DINE, verb transitive To give a dinner to; to furnish with the principal meal; to feed; as, the landlord dined a hundred men.

Dinetical

DINETICAL, adjective [Gr.] Whirling round. [Not used.]

Ding

DING, verb transitive preterit tense dung or dinged. To thrust or dash with violence. [Little used.]

DING, verb intransitive To bluster; to bounce. [A low word.]

Ding-Dong

DING-DONG, Words used to express the sound of bells.

Dinginess

DINGINESS, noun [See Dingy.] A dusky or dark hue; brownness.

Dingle

DINGLE, noun A narrow dale or valley between hills.

Dingle-Dangle

DINGLE-DANGLE. Hanging loosely, or something dangling.

Dingy

DINGY, adjective Soiled; sullied; of a dark color; brown; dusky; dun.

Dining

DINING, participle present tense Eating the principal meal in the day.

Dining-Room

DINING-ROOM, noun A room for a family or for company to dine in; a room for entertainments.

Dinner

DINNER, noun [See Dine.]

1. The meal taken about the middle of the day; or the principal meal of the day, eaten between noon and evening.

2. An entertainment; a feast.

Behold, I have prepared my dinner Matthew 22:4.

Dinner-Time

DINNER-TIME, noun . The usual time of dining.