DOVE, duv, _n._ a pigeon (esp. in comp., as _ringdove_, _turtle-dove_,
&c.): a word of endearment: an emblem of innocence, gentleness, also of the
Holy Spirit--the 'Holy Dove' (Matt. iii. 16).--_v.t._ to treat as a
dove.--_ns._ DOVE'-COL'OUR, a grayish, bluish, pinkish colour; DOVE'COT,
-COTE, a small cot or box in which pigeons breed.--_adjs._ DOVE'-DRAWN
(_Shak._), drawn by doves; DOVE'-EYED, meek-eyed.--_ns._ DOVE'-HOUSE, a
dovecot; DOVE'LET, a small dove.--_adj._ DOVE'-LIKE, innocent.--_ns._
DOVE'S'-FOOT, the common name for _Geranium molle_; DOVE'SHIP, the
character or quality of a dove.--FLUTTER THE DOVECOTS, to disturb
commonplace, conventional people, as the eagle would a dovecot (see Shak.,
_Cor._ V. vi. 115). [A.S. _dufe_ in _dúfe-doppa_; Ger. _taube_.]
DOVEKIE, duv'ki, _n._ the little auk, a diving bird of the North Atlantic
and Arctic Oceans.
DOVER, d[=o]'ver, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to slumber lightly, doze off.--_v.t._ to
send off into a light sleep.--_n._ a slight unsettled sleep.
DOVER'S POWDER, d[=o]'verz pow'der, _n._ a valuable sudorific medicine,
compounded of ipecacuanha root, powdered opium, and sulphate of potash.
[From Dr Thomas _Dover_, 1660-1742.]
[Illustration]
DOVETAIL, duv't[=a]l, _n._ a mode of fastening boards together by fitting
pieces shaped like a wedge or a dove's tail spread out (_tenons_) into
corresponding cavities (_mortises_).--_v.t._ to fit one thing into another.
DOW, dow, _v.i._ (_obs._) to be good for a purpose: (_Scot._) to be
able.--_p.adjs._ DOCHT, DOUGHT. [A.S. _dugan_.]
DOWAGER, dow'a-j[.e]r, _n._ a widow with a dower or jointure: a title given
to a widow to distinguish her from the wife of her husband's heir. [O. Fr.
_douagere_--Low L. _dotarium_--L. _dot[=a]re_, to endow.]
DOWDY, dow'di, _adj._ untidy, carelessly dressed, soft and slack in
habit.--_n._ an untidy woman.--_adv._ DOW'DILY.--_ns._ DOW'DINESS,
DOW'DYISM.--_adj._ DOW'DYISH. [Ety. unknown.]
DOWEL, dow'el, _n._ a pin of wood or iron inserted in the edges of two
adjacent boards for the purpose of fastening them together.--_v.t._ to
fasten by means of dowels.--_ns._ DOW'EL-JOINT; DOW'EL-PIN. [Prob. related
to Ger. _döbel_, a plug.]
DOWER, dow'[.e]r, _n._ a jointure, that part of the husband's property
which his widow enjoys during her life--sometimes used for DOW'RY.--_adjs._
DOW'ABLE, that may be endowed; DOW'ERED, furnished with dower.--_n._
DOW'ER-HOUSE, the house set apart for the widow.--_adj._ DOW'ERLESS. [O.
Fr. _douaire_--Low L. _dotarium_--L. _dot[=a]re_, to endow.]
DOWF, dowf, _adj._ (_Scot._) dull, heavy, spiritless.--_n._ DOWF'NESS.
[Prob. Ice. _daufr_, deaf.]
DOWIE, dow'i, _adj._ (_Scot._) dull, low-spirited, sad. [Prob. A.S. _dol_,
dull.]
DOWLAS, dowlas, _n._ a coarse linen cloth. [From _Daoulas_ or _Doulas_,
near Brest, in Brittany.]
DOWLE, dowl, _n._ (_Shak._) a portion of down in a feather.
DOWN, down, _n._ the soft hair under the feathers of fowls: the hairy
covering of the seeds of certain plants: anything which soothes or invites
to repose.--_n._ DOWN'-BED.--_p.adj._ DOWNED, filled or covered with
down.--_ns._ DOWN'INESS; DOWN'-QUILT.--_adj._ DOWN'Y, covered with or made
of down: like down: soft: soothing: (_slang_) knowing.--THE DOWNY
(_slang_), bed. [Ice. _dúnn_; Ger. _daune_, _dune_.]
DOWN, down, _n._ a bank of sand thrown up by the sea (same as DUNE): a
treeless land: (_pl._) a tract of hilly land, used for pasturing sheep, as
the North Downs (Kent) and South Downs (Sussex)--also given to the famous
roadstead off the east coast of Kent, inside the Goodwin Sands. [A.S.
_dún_, a hill; prob. from Celt. _dun_, as in _Dun_keld, &c.]
DOWN, down, _adv._ from a higher to a lower position: on the ground: from
earlier to later times: from thick to thin, from large to small (to boil
down, to cut down): from more to less (to beat down a price).--_prep._
along a descent: from a higher to a lower position or state.--_v.t._ to
knock down: to dispirit--also used as a kind of interjection, with _get_,
_go_, _come_, _kneel_, &c. understood.--_n._ a tendency to be down upon, a
grudge against: a descent, reverse of fortune.--_v.i._ DOWN'-BEAR, to bear
or press down.--_adj._ DOWN'CAST, dejected.--_ns._ DOWN'COME, a fall, ruin,
a heavy pour of rain; DOWN'-DRAUGHT, a current of air downwards;
DOWN'-EAST'ER, one living 'down east' from the speaker, a New Englander,
and esp. an inhabitant of Maine; DOWN'FALL, fall, failure, humiliation,
ruin: a falling down, as of rain.--_adjs._ DOWN'FALLEN, ruined; DOWN'-GYVED
(_Shak._), hanging down like fetters.--_n._ DOWN'-HAUL, a rope by which a
jib, &c., is hauled down when set.--_adjs._ DOWN'-HEART'ED, dejected;
DOWN'HILL, descending, sloping.--_n._ DOWN'-LINE, the line of a railway
leading from the capital, or other important centre, to the
provinces.--_adj._ DOWN'LOOKED (_Dryden_), downcast, gloomy.--_ns._
DOWN'-LY'ING, time of retiring to rest: a woman's lying-in; DOWN'POUR, a
heavy fall of rain, &c.--_adv._ DOWN'RIGHT (_obs._), perpendicular: in
plain terms: utterly.--_adj._ plain spoken: brusque: utter (as in
_downright madness_).--_ns._ DOWN'RIGHTNESS; DOWN'RUSH, a rushing down (as
of gas, hot air, &c.); DOWN'-SET'TING, a setting down, a snub;
DOWN'-SIT'TING, sitting down, time of rest (Ps. cxxxix. 2).--_advs._
DOWN'STAIRS, in, or to, a lower story; DOWN'-STREAM, with the
current.--_ns._ DOWN'-THROW, act of throwing down, state of being thrown
down: a sinking of strata below the level of the surrounding beds;
DOWN'-TRAIN, a railway train proceeding from the chief terminus.--_adj._
DOWN'-TRODDEN, trampled on, tyrannised over.--_advs._ DOWN'WARD,
DOWN'WARDS, from higher to lower: from source to outlet: from more ancient
to modern: in the lower part.--_adj._ DOWN'WARD.--DOWN EAST (_U.S._), in or
into Maine and adjoining parts of New England; DOWN IN THE MOUTH, in low
spirits; DOWN ON ONE'S LUCK, in ill-luck; DOWN SOUTH, in the southern
states; DOWN TO THE COUNTRY, away into the country, from London (hence
'down to the Derby,' 'down to Scotland'); DOWN WITH YOUR MONEY, lay it
down, pay it.--A DOWN-TRAIN, a train away from London.--LAY DOWN THE LAW,
to expound authoritatively. [A corr. of M. E. _a-dawn_, _adun_--A.S. _of
dúne_, 'from the hill'--A.S. _dún_, a hill.]
DOWRY, dow'ri, _n._ the property which a woman brings to her husband at
marriage--sometimes used for _dower_. [See DOWER.]
DOWSE, dows, _v.t._ and _v.i._ See DOUSE.
DOWSE, dows, _v.i._ to use the divining-rod.--_n._ DOWS'ER, a water
diviner.
DOXOLOGY, doks-ol'o-ji, _n._ a hymn expressing praise and honour to the
Trinity.--_adj._ DOXOLOG'ICAL. [Gr. _doxologia_--_doxa_, praise, and
_legein_, to speak.]
DOXY, dok'si, _n._ (_Shak._) a mistress: a woman of loose character. [Prob.
conn. with East Fries. _dok_, a bundle, Low Ger. _dokke_.]
DOXY, dok'si, _n._ opinion--'Orthodoxy,' said Warburton, 'is my
doxy--heterodoxy is another man's doxy.' [Gr. _doxa_, opinion.]
DOYEN, dwaw'yong, _n._ dean, senior member (of an academy, diplomatic
corps, &c.). [Fr.,--Lat. _d[=e]canus_.]
DOYLEY. See DOILY.
DOZE, d[=o]z, _v.i._ to sleep lightly, or to be half-asleep: to be in a
dull or stupefied state.--_v.i._ to spend in drowsiness (with
_away_).--_n._ a short light sleep.--_adj._ DOZED, drowsy.--_v.t._
D[=O]'ZEN (_Scot._), to stupefy.--_v.i._ to become stupefied.--_ns._
D[=O]'ZER; D[=O]'ZINESS; D[=O]'ZING.--_adj._ D[=O]'ZY, drowsy. [From a
Scand. root, seen in Ice. _dúsa_, Dan. _döse_, to dose.]
DOZEN, duz'n, _adj._ two and ten, or twelve.--_n._ a collection of twelve
articles.--_adj._ DOZ'ENTH.--BAKER'S DOZEN, DEVIL'S DOZEN, thirteen. [O.
Fr. _dozeine_--L. _duodecim_--_duo_, two, and _decem_, ten.]
DRAB, drab, _n._ a low, sluttish woman: a whore.--_v.i._ to associate with
bad women.--_ns._ DRAB'BER, one who herds with drabs; DRAB'BINESS.--_adjs._
DRAB'BISH, DRAB'BY, sluttish. [Celt.; Gael. _drabag_; Ir. _drabog_, slut.]
DRAB, drab, _n._ thick, strong, gray cloth: a gray or dull-brown colour,
perh. from the muddy colour of undyed wool. [Fr. _drap_, cloth--Low L.
_drappus_, prob. Teut.]
DRABBET, drab'et, _n._ a coarse linen fabric made at Barnsley.
DRABBLE, drab'l, _v.t._ to besmear with mud and water.--_n._ DRABB'LING, a
manner of fishing for barbels with a rod and long line passed through a
piece of lead. [Cf. _drivel_, _dribble_; prob. conn. with _drab_, a low
woman.]
DRABBLER, drab'ler, _n._ an additional piece of canvas, laced to the bottom
of the bonnet of a sail, to give it greater depth.
DRACANTH, drak'anth, _n._ gum tragacanth.
DRACÆNA, dra-s[=e]'na, _n._ the tree which produces the resin called
Dragon's-blood.--_n._ DRAC[=I]'NA, the red resin of dragon's-blood used to
colour varnishes--also DRACINE', DRAC[=O]'NIN. [Low L. _dracæna_, a
she-dragon--Gr. _drakaina_, fem. of _drak[=o]n_, dragon.]
DRACHM, dram, _n._ See DRACHMA, DRAM.
DRACHMA, drak'ma, _n._ an ancient Greek weight, and silver coin of
different values: a modern Greek coin = above 9½d. sterling. [Gr.
_drachm[=e]_--_drassesthai_, to grasp with the hand.]
DRACO, dr[=a]'k[=o], _n._ a northern constellation: a dragon-lizard.
DRACONIAN, dra-k[=o]'nyan, _adj._ severe, as was the legislation, of
_Draco_, the Athenian archon (621 B.C.).--Also DRACON'IC.
DRACONTIUM, dr[=a]-kon'shi-um, _n._ a genus of American araceous plants:
the root of the skunk-cabbage. [Gr.,--_drak[=o]n_, a dragon.]
DRACUNCULUS, dr[=a]-kun'k[=u]-lus, _n._ a herbaceous genus of _Araceæ_; a
dragonet or goby of genus _Callionymus_: a genus of worms, the guinea-worm.
[L., dim, of _draco_, a dragon.]
DRAD, drad, _p.adj._ or _n._ form used by Spenser for _dread_ and
_dreaded_.
DRAFF, draf, _n._ dregs: the refuse of malt that has been brewed
from.--_adjs._ DRAFF'ISH, DRAFF'Y, worthless. [Prob. related to Dut.
_draf_, Ger. _träber_.]
DRAFT, dräft, _n._ anything drawn: a selection of men from an army, &c.: an
order for the payment of money: lines drawn for a plan: a rough sketch: the
depth to which a vessel sinks in water.--_v.t._ to draw an outline of: to
compose and write: to draw off: to detach.--_ns._ DRAFT'-BAR, a
swingle-tree, the bar to which the coupling of a railway-carriage is
attached; DRAFT'-HORSE, a horse used for drawing the plough, heavy loads,
&c., in distinction to a carriage or saddle horse; DRAFT'-OX, an ox used
for drawing loads; DRAFTS'MAN, one who draws plans or designs;
DRAFTS'MANSHIP. [A corr. of DRAUGHT.]