DEBRIS, de-br[=e]', _n.sing._ and _pl._ rubbish: ruins: a mass of rocky
fragments. [Fr., from _briser_, akin to _bruise_.]
DEBRUISED, de-br[=oo]zd', _p.adj._ (_her._) surmounted or partly covered by
one of the ordinaries. [O. Fr. _debrusier_--_de_, apart, _brusier_, to
break.]
DEBT, det, _n._ what one owes to another: what one becomes liable to do or
suffer: a state of obligation or indebtedness: a duty: (_B._) a
sin.--_p.adj._ DEBT'ED (_Shak._), indebted, obliged to.--_ns._ DEBT'EE, a
creditor; DEBT'OR, one who owes a debt: the side of an account on which
debts are charged.--DEBT OF HONOUR, a debt not recognised by law, but
binding in honour--esp. gambling and betting debts; DEBT OF NATURE,
death.--ACTIVE DEBT, a debt due to one, as opposed to _Passive debt_, a
debt one owes; FLOATING DEBT, miscellaneous public debt, like exchequer and
treasury bills, as opposed to _Funded debt_, that which has been converted
into perpetual annuities like consols in Britain.--IN ONE'S DEBT, under a
pecuniary obligation to one. [O. Fr. _dette_--L. _debitum_, _deb[=e]re_, to
owe.]
DÉBUT, de-bü' (_u_ sounded as in Scot. _gude_), _n._ a beginning or first
attempt: a first appearance before the public, as of an actor, &c.--_n._
DÉBUTANT', one who makes his first appearance before the public:--_fem._
DÉBUTANTE'. [Fr. _début_, a first stroke--_débuter_--_de_, from, _but_,
aim, mark.]
DECACHORD, dek'a-kord, _n._ an ancient musical instrument with ten strings:
anything having ten parts. [Gr. _dekachordos_--_deka_, ten, and
_chord[=e]_, a string.]
DECACUMINATED, d[=e]-ka-k[=u]'mi-n[=a]-ted, _adj._ having the top cut off.
DECADE, dek'[=a]d, DECAD, dek'ad, _n._ a group of ten, esp. a series of ten
years.--_adj._ DEC'ADAL. [Fr. _décade_--Gr. _dekas_--_deka_, ten.]
DECADENCE, dek'a-dens, or de-k[=a]'-, DEC'ADENCY (or de-k[=a]'-), _n._
state of decay: a term for a school in modern French literature not
distinguished for vigour or originality.--_adj._ DEC'ADENT (or de-k[=a]'-),
decaying.--_n._ something decaying or decayed. [Fr.,--Low L. _decadentia_,
from L. _de_, down--_cad[)e]re_, to fall.]
DECAGON, dek'a-gon, _n._ a plane figure of ten angles and sides.--_adj._
DECAG'ONAL. [Gr. _deka_, and _g[=o]nia_, an angle.]
DECAGRAMME, DECAGRAM, dek'a-gram, _n._ a weight of ten grammes, equal to
0.353 oz. [Fr.,--Gr. _deka_, ten, and _gramma_, a weight; L. _granum_, a
grain.]
DECAGYNIA, dek-a-jin'i-a, _n._ a class of plants in the Linnæan system
having ten pistils.--_adjs._ DECAGYN'IAN, DECAG'YNOUS. [Gr. _deka_, ten,
_gyn[=e]_, a woman.]
DECAHEDRON, dek-a-h[=e]'dron, _n._ a solid figure having ten faces.--_adj._
DECAH[=E]'DRAL. [Gr. _deka_, and _hedra_, a seat.]
DECALCIFY, de-kal'si-f[=i], _v.i._ to deprive of lime: to take the
calcareous matter out of bones, teeth, &c.--_n._ DECALCIFIC[=A]'TION. [L.
_de_, away from, _calx_, _calcis_, lime, _fac[)e]re_, to make.]
DECALCOMANIA, d[=e]-kal-k[=o]-m[=a]'ni-a, _n._ the process of transferring
pictures to marble, glass, wood, &c. [Fr.]
DECALITRE, dek'a-l[=e]t-[.e]r, _n._ a French measure, ten litres: equal to
2½ imperial gallons. [Fr.,--Gr. _deka_, ten, and _litra_, a pound.]
DECALOGUE, dek'a-log, _n._ the ten commandments.--_n._ DECAL'OGIST. [Gr.
_deka_, ten, _logos_, a discourse.]
DECAMERON, de-kam'e-ron, _n._ Boccaccio's hundred tales, supposed to be
told in ten days.--_adj._ DECAMERON'IC. [From Gr. _deka_, ten, _h[=e]mera_,
a day.]
DECAMETRE, dek'a-m[=e]t-[.e]r, _n._ a French measure of ten metres, or 32.8
feet. [Fr. _décamètre_--Gr. _deka_, ten, _metron_, a measure. See METRE.]
DECAMP, de-kamp', _v.i._ to go away, esp. secretly.--_n._ DECAMP'MENT. [Fr.
_décamper_.]
DECANAL, dek'an-al, _adj._ pertaining to a dean or deanery.
DECANDRIA, de-kan'dri-a, _n._ a class of plants in the Linnæan system
having ten stamens.--_adjs._ DECAN'DRIAN, DECAN'DROUS. [Gr. _deka_, ten,
and _an[=e]r_, _andros_, a man.]
DECANGULAR, dek-ang'g[=u]-lar, _adj._ having ten angles. [Gr. _deka_, ten,
and L. _angulus_, an angle.]
DECANT, de-kant', _v.t._ to pour off, leaving sediment: to pour from one
vessel into another.--_ns._ DECANT[=A]'TION; DECANT'ER, an ornamental
bottle for holding decanted liquor. [Fr. _décanter_ (It.
_decantare_)--_de_, from, and Low L. _cantus_, a side or corner.]
DECAPHYLLOUS, dek-a-fil'us, _adj._ having ten leaves. [Gr. _deka_, ten,
_phyllon_, a leaf.]
DECAPITATE, de-kap'i-t[=a]t, _v.t._ to take the head from: to behead.--_n._
DECAPIT[=A]'TION. [Low L. _decapit[=a]re_--L. _de_, from, and _caput_,
_capitis_, the head.]
DECAPOD, dek'a-pod, _n._ one of the shellfish which have ten feet or claws,
as the crab.--_adjs._ DECA'PODAL, DECA'PODOUS. [Gr. _deka_, ten, and
_pous_, _podos_, a foot.]
DECARBONATE, de-kär'bon-[=a]t, _v.t._ to deprive of carbon--also
DECAR'BONISE, DECAR'BURISE.--_ns._ DECARBONIS[=A]'TION,
DECARBURIS[=A]'TION. [_De_, from, _carbon_.]
DECASTICH, dek'a-stik, _n._ a poem of ten lines. [Gr. _deka_, ten, and
_stichos_, a row, a verse.]
DECASTYLE, dek'a-st[=i]l, _n._ a portico with ten columns in front. [Gr.
_deka_, ten, _stylos_, a column.]
DECASYLLABIC, dek-a-sil-ab'ik, _adj._ having ten syllables. [Gr. _deka_,
ten, _syllab[=e]_, a syllable.]
DECAUDATE, de-kaw'd[=a]t, _v.t._ to cut off the tail of. [L. _de_, and
_cauda_, tail.]
DECAY, d[=e]-k[=a]', _v.i._ to fall away from a state of health or
excellence: to waste away.--_v.t._ to cause to waste away: to impair.--_n._
a falling into a worse or less perfect state: a passing away: loss of
fortune: (_obs._) misfortune.--_p.adj._ DECAYED', reduced in
circumstances.--_n._ DECAYED'NESS. [O. Fr. _decair_--L. _de_, from
_cad[)e]re_, to fall.]
DECEASE, d[=e]-s[=e]s', _n._ death.--_v.i._ to die.--_p.adj._ DECEASED',
dead. [O. Fr. _deces_ (Fr. _décès_)--L. _decessus_--_de_, away,
_ced[)e]re_, _cessum_, to go.]
DECEIT, de-s[=e]t', _n._ act of deceiving: anything intended to mislead
another: fraud: falseness.--_adj._ DECEIT'FUL, full of deceit: disposed or
tending to deceive: insincere.--_adv._ DECEIT'FULLY.--_n._ DECEIT'FULNESS.
[O. Fr., from L. _decip[)e]re_, _deceptum_, to deceive.]
DECEIVE, de-s[=e]v', _v.t._ to mislead or cause to err: to cheat: to
disappoint.--_adj._ DECEIV'ABLE, that may be deceived: exposed to
imposture.--_n._ DECEIV'ABLENESS.--_adj._ DECEIV'ABLY.--_n._ DECEIV'ER.
[Fr. _décevoir_--L. _decip[)e]re_, _deceptum_--_de_, from _cap[)e]re_, to
take, catch.]
DECEMBER, de-sem'b[.e]r, _n._ the tenth month among the Romans, who began
their year with March: with us, the twelfth month of the year.--_adj._
DECEM'BERLY, wintry, cold.--_n._ DECEM'BRIST, one of those who took part in
the Russian conspiracy of December 1825. [L. _decem_, ten.]
DECEMDENTATE, d[=e]-sem-den't[=a]t, _adj._ having ten points or teeth.
DECEMFID, d[=e]-sem'fid, _adj._ divided into ten parts.
DECEMLOCULAR, d[=e]-sem-lok'[=u]-lar, _adj._ ten-celled.
DECEMPEDAL, d[=e]-sem'ped-al, _adj._ having ten feet.
DECEMVIR, de-sem'vir, _n._ one of ten magistrates who at one time had
absolute power in ancient Rome:--_pl._ DECEM'VIRS, or (L.) DECEMVIRI
(d[=e]-sem'vi-r[=i]).--_adj._ DECEM'VIRAL.--_n._ DECEM'VIR[=A]TE, a body of
ten men in office: the term of office of decemvirs. [L. _decem_, ten, and
_vir_, a man.]
DECENNARY, de-sen'ar-i, _n._ a period of ten years--also
DECENN'IUM.--_adj._ DECENN'IAL, consisting of or happening every ten years.
[L. _decem_, ten, and _annus_, a year.]
DECENNOVAL, de-sen'[=o]-val, _adj._ pertaining to the number 15.
DECENT, d[=e]'sent, _adj._ becoming: seemly: proper: modest: moderate:
tolerable.--_n._ D[=E]'CENCY, becomingness: modesty.--_adv._ D[=E]'CENTLY.
[L. _decens_, _decentis_, pr.p. of _dec[=e]re_, to be becoming.]
DECENTRALISE, de-sen'tral-[=i]z, _v.t._ to withdraw from the centre: to
transfer functions from the central government to local centres.--_n._
DECENTRALIS[=A]'TION. [L. _de_, neg., and _centralise_.]
DECEPTION, de-sep'shun, _n._ act of deceiving: the means by which it is
sought to deceive.--_n._ DECEPTIBIL'ITY.--_adjs._ DECEPT'IBLE, capable of
being deceived; DECEP'TIOUS (_Shak._), deceitful; DECEP'TIVE, tending to
deceive: misleading.--_adv._ DECEP'TIVELY.--_n._ DECEP'TIVENESS.--_adj._
DECEP'TORY, tending to deceive. [O. Fr.,--Low L. _deceptio_,
_-nis_--_decip[)e]re_, to deceive.]
DECERN, de-s[.e]rn', _v.t._ and _v.i._ (_Scots law_) to judge: to decree:
to pass judgment. [O. Fr. _decerner_--L. _decern[)e]re_--_de_, and
_cern[)e]re_, to distinguish.]