DAWTIE, daw'ti, _n._ (_Scot._) a darling: a beloved child--also
DAUT'IE.--_v.t._ DAUT, to fondle.
DAY, d[=a], _n._ the time of light, from sunrise to sunset: the time from
morning till night: twenty-four hours, the time the earth takes to make a
revolution on her axis--this being the _solar_ or _natural_ day as
distinguished from the _sidereal_ day, between two transits of the same
star: a man's period of existence or influence: a time or period.--_ns._
DAY'-BED (_Shak._), a couch or sofa; DAY'-BLIND'NESS, a defect of vision,
in which objects are best seen by a dim light; DAY'-BOOK, a book in which
merchants, &c., enter the transactions of every day; DAY'BREAK; DAY'-COAL,
the upper stratum of coal; DAY'-DREAM, a dreaming or musing while awake;
DAY'-FLY, a fly which lives in its perfect form only for a day, one of the
ephemera; DAY'-L[=A]'BOUR; DAY'-L[=A]'BOURER; DAY'LIGHT; DAY'-LIL'Y, a
flower whose blossoms last only for a day, the hemerocallis.--_adj._
DAY'LONG, during the whole day.--_ns._ DAY'-PEEP (_Milt._), the dawn;
DAY'-SCHOL'AR, a boy who attends a boarding-school during the school-hours,
but boards at home; DAY'-SCHOOL, a school held during the day, as opposed
both to a night-school and to a boarding-school; DAY'-SIGHT =
night-blindness; DAYS'MAN, one who appoints a day to hear a cause: an
umpire; DAY'SPRING, dawn; DAY'STAR, the morning star; DAY'TIME.--_adj._
DAY'-WEA'RIED (_Shak._), wearied with the work of the day.--_n._
DAY'-WORK.--DAY BY DAY, daily; DAY OF DOOM, the judgment day; DAYS OF
GRACE, three days allowed for payment of bills, &c., beyond the day
named.--NAME THE DAY, to fix the day of marriage.--ONE OF THESE DAYS, an
indefinite reference to the near future.--THE DAY, the time spoken of:
(_Scot._) to-day; THE OTHER DAY, not long ago; THE TIME OF DAY, a greeting,
as, 'to give a person the time of day,' to greet him. [A.S. _dæg_; Ger.
_tag_; not conn. with L. _dies_.]
DAYAK. See DYAK.
DAY-WOMAN, d[=a]'-woom'an, _n._ (_Shak._) a dairymaid.
DAZE, d[=a]z, _v.t._ to stun, to stupefy. [Ice. _dasa_, to be breathless;
cf. A.S. _dwæs_, foolish.]
DAZZLE, daz'l, _v.t._ to daze or overpower with any strong light: to
confound by brilliancy, beauty, or cleverness.--_ns._ DAZZ'LEMENT, the act
of dazzling: that which dazzles; DAZZ'LER; DAZZ'LING.--_adv._ DAZZ'LINGLY.
[Freq. of _daze_.]
DEACON, d[=e]'kn, _n._ in Episcopal churches, a member of the order of
clergy under priests: in some Presbyterian churches, an officer, distinct
from the elders, who attends to the secular affairs of the church: in
Congregational and some other churches, an officer who advises the pastor,
distributes the elements at the Communion, and dispenses charity: in
Scotland, the master of an incorporated company:--_fem._ DEA'CONESS, a
female servant of the Christian society in the time of the apostles: in a
convent, a nun who has the care of the altar: one of an order of women in
some Protestant churches who nurse the sick and tend the poor.--_ns._
DEA'CONHOOD, DEA'CONRY, DEA'CONSHIP. [L. _diaconus_--Gr. _diakonos_, a
servant.]
[Illustration]
DEAD, ded, _adj._ without life: death-like: at rest, of a ball: cold and
cheerless: without vegetation: utter: unerring.--_v.t._ to deaden,
dull.--_adv._ in a dead manner.--_n._ the time of greatest stillness, as
'the dead of night.'--_adjs._ DEAD'-ALIVE', DEAD'-AND-ALIVE', dull,
uneventful; DEAD'-BEAT, quite overcome; DEAD'-BORN, still-born.--_n.pl._
DEAD'-CLOTHES, clothes in which to bury the dead.--_n._ DEAD'-COL'OURING,
the first broad outlines of a picture.--_adjs._ DEAD'-DO'ING (_Spens._),
putting to death, destructive; DEAD'-DRUNK, completely drunk.--_v.t._
DEAD'EN, to make dead: to deprive partly of vigour or sensation: to blunt:
to lessen.--_ns._ DEAD'-EYE, (_naut._), a round, flattish wooden block with
a rope or iron band passing round it, and pierced with three holes for a
lanyard; DEAD'-FALL, a trap operated by a weight that, when its support is
removed, falls upon and kills or holds an animal; DEAD'-FREIGHT, money paid
for the empty space in a ship by a person who engages to freight her, but
fails to make out a full cargo; DEAD'-HEAD (_U.S._), one who is allowed,
without payment, to ride in a public carriage, sit in a theatre, or hold a
privilege having a money value; DEAD'-HEAT, a heat or race in which no one
gains the advantage; DEAD'-HOUSE, the house or room where (in hospitals,
police-offices, &c.) dead bodies are kept till buried: a mortuary;
DEAD'-LETT'ER, a letter undelivered and unclaimed at the post-office: a law
or ordinance which has been made but never enforced; DEAD'-LEV'EL, a
stretch of land without any rising ground: sameness; DEAD'-LIFT, a lift
made without help, leverage, &c.; hence an effort under discouraging
conditions.--_n.pl._ DEAD'-LIGHTS, storm-shutters for a cabin
window.--_ns._ DEAD'LINESS; DEAD'-LOCK, the case when matters have become
so complicated that all is at a complete standstill.--_adj._ DEAD'LY,
causing death: fatal: implacable.--_adv._ in a manner resembling
death.--_ns._ DEAD'LY-NIGHT'SHADE, the plant Belladonna (q.v.);
DEAD'-MARCH, a piece of solemn music played at funeral processions, esp. of
soldiers; DEAD'-MEAT, the flesh of animals ready for the market.--_n.pl._
DEAD'-MEN, empty bottles after a carouse.--_ns._ DEAD'NESS; DEAD'-NETT'LE,
a genus of plants of the natural order _Labiatæ_, so called because they
resemble nettles but do not sting; DEAD'-PAY, continued pay dishonestly
drawn for men actually dead; DEAD'-RECK'ONING, an estimation of a ship's
place simply by the log-book; DEAD'-ROPE, a rope not running in any block;
DEAD'-SET, a determined and prolonged attempt; DEAD'-SHOT, an unerring
marksman.--_adj._ DEAD'-STROKE, without recoil.--_ns._ DEAD'-WALL, a wall
unbroken by windows or other openings; DEAD'-WA'TER, the eddy water closing
in behind a ship's stern as she sails; DEAD'-WEIGHT, a heavy or oppressive
burden; DEAD'-WIND, a wind coming directly ahead or opposed to a ship's
course; DEAD'-WOOD, pieces of timber laid on the upper side of the keel at
either end, useless material; DEAD'-WORK, work, itself unprofitable, which
is necessary as a preliminary, as the opening of a mine.--DEAD AS A
DOOR-NAIL, absolutely dead; DEAD LANGUAGE, one no longer spoken; DEAD-MEN'S
BELLS, the foxglove; DEAD-MEN'S FINGERS, a very common coelenterate
belonging to the _Actinozoa_--also _Cow-paps_ and _Mermaid's glove_;
DEAD-MEN'S SHOES, a situation formerly held by some one now dead; DEAD'S
PART (_Scots law_), the part of a man's movable property which he may
bequeath by will, and which is not due to wife and children.--BE DEAD SET
AGAINST, to be utterly opposed to.--PUT THE DEAD WOOD ON (_U.S. slang_), to
gain a great advantage over. [A.S. _deád_; Goth. _dauths_, Ger. _todt_,
from root of _die_.]
DEAF, def, _adj._ dull of hearing: unable to hear at all: not willing to
hear: inattentive.--_v.t._ DEAF'EN, to make deaf, partly or altogether: to
stun: to render impervious to sound.--_n._ DEAF'ENING, stuffing put into
floors, partition-walls, &c. to prevent sounds from passing
through.--_adv._ DEAF'LY.--_ns._ DEAF'-MUTE, one who is both deaf and dumb;
DEAF'NESS. [A.S. _deáf_; Dut. _doof_, Ger. _taub_.]
DEAL, d[=e]l, _n._ a portion; an indefinite quantity: a large quantity; the
act of dividing cards: (_U.S._) a bargain: a fir or pine board:
timber.--_v.t._ to divide, to distribute: to throw about: to
deliver.--_v.i._ to transact business: to act: to distribute
cards.--_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ dealt (delt).--_ns._ DEAL'ER, one who deals: a
trader; DEAL'-FISH, a genus of ribbon-fishes; DEAL'ING, manner of acting
towards others: intercourse of trade. [A.S. _d['æ]lan_--_d['æ]l_, a part;
Ger. _theilen_--_theil_, a part or division. A doublet of _dole_. By some,
however, _deal_, a plank, is taken as a doublet of _thill_, from A.S.
_thel_, a plank.]
DEAMBULATORY, d[=e]-am'b[=u]-la-to-ri, _n._ a passage or aisle round the
choir and apse of a church. [L. _deambul[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_, to walk
about.]
DEAN, d[=e]n, _n._ a small valley.--Also DENE. [A.S. _denu_, a valley. Cf.
DEN.]
DEAN, d[=e]n, _n._ a dignitary in cathedral and collegiate churches who
presides over the other clergy: the president of faculty in a college; the
chief chaplain of the Chapel Royal: the chief judge of the Court of Arches:
the president of a trade-guild.--_ns._ DEAN'ERY, the office of a dean: a
dean's house; DEAN'SHIP, the office or dignity of a dean.--DEAN OF ARCHES,
dean of the Court of Arches (see ARCH); DEAN OF FACULTY, president of the
Faculty of Advocates in Scotland: DEAN OF GUILD, a municipal functionary in
Scotland, who has authority over building and altering of houses.--RURAL
DEAN, one who, under the bishop, has the special care and inspection of the
clergy in certain parishes. [O. Fr. _deien_ (Fr. _doyen_)--Low L.
_decanus_, a chief of ten--L. _decem_, ten.]
DEAR, d[=e]r, _adj._ high in price: costly: scarce: highly valued: beloved:
(_Shak._), earnest, inmost.--_n._ one who is dear or beloved.--_adv._ at a
high price.--_adj._ DEAR'-BOUGHT.--_n._ DEAR'LING (_Spens._), a
darling.--_adj._ DEAR'-LOVED.--_adv._ DEAR'LY.--_ns._ DEAR'NESS; DEAR'Y,
one who is dear. [A.S. _deóre_, _dýre_; cog. with Ger. _theuer_.]
DEAR, d[=e]r, _interj._ indicating surprise, pity, or other emotion, as in
'Oh dear!' 'Dear me!' 'Dear, dear!'--prob. elliptical in 'Dear help us!'
&c. [Sometimes doubtfully referred to _Dio mio_ (It. 'My God'), or to some
compound of Fr. _Dieu_.]
DEARN, DEARNFUL, DERNLY. See DERN, &c.
DEARTH, d[.e]rth, _n._ dearness, high price: scarcity: want: famine;
barrenness.--_adj._ DEARTH'FUL (_Scot._), expensive.
DEASIL, d[=e]'sh[=e]l, _n._ (_Scot._) motion according to the apparent
course of the sun--opp. to _Withershins_.--Also DEA'SOIL, DEI'SHEAL,
DEA'SIUL. [Gael.]
DEARTICULATE, d[=e]-ar-tik'[=u]-l[=a]t, _v.t._ to disjoint.
DEASPIRATE, d[=e]-as'pir-[=a]t, _v.t._ to remove the aspirate.
DEATH, deth, _n._ state of being dead: extinction or cessation of life:
manner of dying: mortality: a deadly plague: cause of death: spiritual
lifelessness: the killing of the animal in hunting.--_ns._ DEATH'-ADD'ER, a
poisonous Australian snake; DEATH'-AG'ONY, the struggle often preceding
death; DEATH'-BED, the bed on which one dies, the last illness;
DEATH'-BELL, the passing bell; DEATH'-BLOW, a blow that causes death;
DEATH'-DAMP, a cold, clammy sweat preceding death.--_n.pl._
DEATH'-D[=U]'TIES, duties paid to government on the inheritance of
property, real or personal, after the death of the former owner.--_n._
DEATH'-FIRE, a kind of light supposed to presage death.--_adjs._ DEATH'FUL,
DEATH'LY, deadly, destructive; DEATH'LESS, never dying: everlasting.--_n._
DEATH'LESSNESS.--_adj._ DEATH'-LIKE (_Shak._), like a dead person,
deadly.--_n._ DEATH'LINESS.--_adj._ DEATH'-MARKED, marked for or by death,
destined to die.--_n._ DEATH'-MASK, a plaster-cast taken from the face
after death.--_adj._ DEATH'-PRAC'TISED (_Shak._), threatened with death by
malicious arts.--_ns._ DEATH'-RATE, the proportion of deaths to the
population; DEATH'-RATT'LE, a rattling in the throat which sometimes
accompanies the last uneasy breathings of a dying person; DEATH'S'-DOOR,
the point of death; DEATH'S'-HEAD, the skull of a human skeleton, or a
figure of it; DEATH'S'-MAN (_Shak._), the public executioner;
DEATH'-STROKE, a death-blow; DEATH'-THROE, the dying agony;
DEATH'-T[=O]'KEN (_Shak._), a sign or token of impending death, a
plague-spot; DEATH'-TRAP, an unsafe building, vessel, or place that shuts
up its occupants to almost certain death; DEATH'-WARR'ANT, an order from
the authorities for the execution of a criminal; DEATH'-WATCH, a watch by a
dying person: a popular name for several insects which produce a ticking
noise, specially audible in the stillness of a death-chamber; DEATH'-WOUND,
a wound which caused death.--DEATH'S'-HEAD MOTH, a species of hawk-moth,
having pale markings on the back of the thorax somewhat like a skull.--BE
DEATH ON, to be fond of, to be good at; BE IN AT THE DEATH, in hunting, to
be up on the animal before the dogs have killed it.--DO, or PUT, TO DEATH,
to kill: to cause to be killed.--GATES, or JAWS, OF DEATH, death's door,
the point of death.--TO DEATH, expressive of intensity, very much. [A.S.
_deáth_; Ger. _tod_. See DEAD and DIE.]