1 DESOLATE having been inhabited; as, a desolate wilderneas. A desolate island.' Broome. I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant. Jer. ix. 11. 2 Laid waste; in a ruinous condition; neglected; destroyed; as, desolate altars; desolate towers-3 Solitary; without a companion; forsaken. No one is so accursed by fate, But some heart though unknown, 4. Deprived of comfort; afflicted. Ps. cxliii. 4. My heart within me is desolate. SYN Desert, uninhabited, lonely, waste, forlorn, forsaken, abandoned. Desolate (de'so-lat), v. t. pret. & pp. desolated; ppr. desolating. (L desolo, desolatum, to leave alone, to forsake de, intens., and solo, to lay waste, from solus, alone. SOLE, a.] To deprive of inhabitants; to make desert; to lay waste; to ruin; to ravage. See A state of Desolateness (de'sō-lat-nes), n. being desolate. Desolater (de'sō-låt-ér), n. One who lays waste or desolates; that which desolates. Desolation (de-so-la'shon), n. 1. The act of desolating; destruction or expulsion of inhabitants; devastation; laying waste. What with your praises of the country, what with your discourse of the lamentable desolation thereof, made by the Scots, you have filled me with a great compassion. Spenser. 2 A place deprived of inhabitants or otherwise wasted, ravaged, and ruined. How is Babylon become a desolation among the nations. Jer. 1. 23. 3. The state of being desolated or laid waste; the state of being desolate; gloominess; destitution; ruin Choose them for your lords who spoil and burn whole countries and call desolation peace. Fisher. Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. Mat. xii. 25. 4 The agency by which anything is desolated. Desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Is. xlii. 11. SYN. Ruin, destruction, havoc, devastation, ravage, sadness, destitution, melancholy, gloom, gloominess. Desolator (de'só-lát-ér), n. One who desolates. Byron. Desolatory (de-so'la-to-ri), a. Causing desolation.Desolatory judgments.' Bp. Hall. [Rare.] Desophisticate (de-so-fist'ik-at), v.t. To clear from sophism or error. Hare. [Rare.] Despair (de-spår), n. [See the verb.] 1. Hopelessness; a hopeless state; a destitution of hope or expectation. We are perplexed, but not in despair. 2 Cor. iv. 8. Despair is the thought of the unattainableness of any good, which works differently in men's minds, sometimes producing uneasiness or pain, sometimes rest and indolency Locke. 2 That which causes despair; that of which there is no hope. -Despair, Despond. See under DESPOND. Despairt (de-spar'), v.t. 1. To give up hope of; to lose confidence in I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted Milton. 2. To cause to despair; to deprive of hope. Despairer (dé-spár′ēr), n. Clarke. He speaks despairingly and severely of our society. Boyle. Despairingness (de-spår'ing-nes), n. State of being despairing; hopelessness. Despatch (des-pach'), v.t. [Fr. dépêcher, O. Fr. depeecher, despeecher, to despatch, to expedite, from,' says Littré, a L.L. verb dispedico-dis, neg., and pedica, a snare.' Brachet, however, derives dépêcher from a hypothetical L.L. dispactare, from L. dis, neg, and pango, pactum, to fasten.] 1. To send or send away; particularly applied to the sending of messengers, agents, and letters on special business, and often implying haste; as, the king despatched an envoy to the court of Madrid; he despatched orders or letters to the commander of the forces in Spain. Some hero must be despatched to bear The mournful message to Pelides' ear. Pope. 2. To send out of the world; to put to death. The company shall stone them with stones, and despatch them with their swords. Ezek. xxiii. 47. 3. To perform; to execute speedily; to finish. 4. To bereave; to deprive. Thus was I, sleeping, by a brother's hand, Of life, of crown, of queen, at once despatched. Shak Perhaps, however, in this passage despatch has the sense of to send away, to send out of the world, while of is equal to from.-5.† To rid; to free. I had clean despatched myself of this great charge. Udall. Spelled also Dispatch.-SYN. To expedite, hasten, speed, accelerate, perform, conclude, finish, slay, kill. Despatch (des-pach), v.i. 1. To conclude DESPISE A looking down; a despising; contempt. Mountague. [Rare.] Despend (dē-spend'), v.t. To expend; to dispend; to spend; to squander. Some noble men in Spain can despend £50,000. Howell. Desperado (des-pê-rā'dō), n. [Old Sp.J A desperate fellow; a furious man; a madman; a person urged by furious passions; one fearless or regardless of safety. Desperate (des'pé-rat), a. [L. desperatus, pp. of despero, to despair.] 1. Having no hope; without hope. I am desperate of obtaining her. Shak. 2. Without care of safety; rash; fearless of danger; as, a desperate man. And when the pibroch bids the battle rave, 3. Done or had recourse to without regard to consequences, or in the last extreme; proceeding from despair; rash; reckless; extreme; as, a desperate effort; desperate diseases require desperate remedies. Beware of desperate steps. The darkest day, 4. Despaired of; lost beyond hope of recovery; irretrievable; past cure; hopeless; as, desperate fortunes; a desperate undertaking; a desperate situation or condition; desperate diseases require desperate remedies.-5. Great in the extreme. [Colloq.] Concluding all were desprate sots and fools, That durst depart from Aristotle's rules. Pope. SYN. Hopeless, despairing, desponding,rash, headlong, precipitate, irretrievable, violent, mad, furious, frantic. Desperate (des'pé-rat), n. A desperate man. Doune. an affair with another; to transact and Desperateness (des'pé-rat-nes), n. Madness; finish. Despatch, I say, and find the forester. Shak. Despatch (des-pach'), n. 1. The act of despatching, or state of being despatched; dismissal on an errand or on a commission. "The several messengers from hence attend despatch.' Shak.-2. The sending away or despatching of anything, as the winding up of a business; the getting rid of or doing away with something; dismissal; riddance. A quick despatch of complaints.' Shak. What needed then that terrible despatch of it into your pocket? Shak. 3. Speedy performance; execution or transaction of business with due diligence. Affected despatch is one of the most dangerous things to business that can be. Bacon. 4. Speed; haste; expedition; due diligence; as, the business was done with despatch; go, but make despatch. 'Makes all swift despatch in pursuit of the thing.' Shak.-5. † Conduct; management. You shall put 6. A letter sent or to be sent with expedition by a messenger express; or a letter on some affair of state or of public concern; or a packet of letters, sent by some public officer on public business: often used in the plural; as, a vessel or a messenger has arrived with despatches; a despatch was immediately sent to the admiral. Thrice happy he whose name has been well spelt In the despatch. Byron. 7. A decisive answer. "To-day we shall have our despatch.' Shak. - Happy despatch. See HARRI-KARRI Despatcher (des-pach'èr), n. One who despatches. Despatchful, Dispatchful (des-pach'ful, dis-pach'ful), a. Bent on haste; indicating haste; intent on speedy execution of business. Despatchful looks." Milton. Let one dispatchful bid some swain to lead A well-fed bullock from the grassy mead. Pope. Despect (de-spekt), n. Despection; contempt. Coleridge. [Rare.] Despection (de-spek'shon), n. [L. despectio, a looking down upon, from despicio, despectum, to look down upon. See DESPISE.] fury; rash precipitance; violence; virulence. The foul elephantine leprosy, alleviated for an hour, reappears in new force and desperateness next Carlyle. hour. Desperation (des-pê-ra'shon), n. 1. A despairing; a giving up of hope. Desperation of success." Hammond.-2. Hopelessness; despair; as, the men were in a state of desperation. Hence-3. Fury; rage; disregard of safety or danger; as, the men fought with desperation; they were urged to despera tion. The very place puts toys of desperation, Without more motive into every brain. Shak. Despicability (des'pi-ka-bil"i-ti), n. Despicableness. Eclec. Rev. Despicable (des'pi-ka-bl), a. [L. L. despicabilis, from L. despicor, despicatus, to despise, from despicio. See DESPISE.] That may be or deserves to be despised; contemptible; base; mean; vile; worthless: applicable equally to persons and things; as, a despicable man; despicable company; a despicable gift. Contemptible, Despicable, Paltry, Pitiful. See under CONTEMPTIBLE. SYN. Contemptible, mean, vile, worthless, pitiful, sordid, low, base, degrading. Despicableness (des'pi-ka-bl-nes), n. quality or state of being despicable; meanness; vileness; worthlessness. Despicable ness of the gift.' Boyle. Despicably (des'pi-ka-bli), adv. Meanly; Despiciency (de-spi'shen-si), n. [L. despicio, vilely; contemptibly; as, despicably stingy. to look down upon-de, down, and spicio, specio, to look.] A looking down; a despising. Mede. [Rare.] Longfellow. 'A de 3. An act of malice or contempt. spite done against the Most High.' Milton. -In despite of, in spite of; in successful counteraction of; notwithstanding. 'Seized my hand in despite of my efforts to the contrary.' W. Irving. Despite (dē-spit'), v.t. To vex; to offend; to tease. [Rare.] Saturn, with his wife Rhea, fed by night, setting the town on fire, to despite Bacchus. Sir W. Raleigh. Despite (de-spit'), prep. In spite of; notwithstanding. Despite his exceeding sensibility, our friend sometimes says the most astounding things. Saturday Rev. Despiteful (dē-spit'ful), a. Full of despite or spite; malicious; malignant; as, a despiteful enemy. Haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters. Rom. i. 30. Despitefully (dé-spit'ful-li), adv. With despite; maliciously; contemptuously. Pray for them that despitefully use you. Mat. v. 44Despitefulness (dé-spit'ful-nes), n. Malice; extreme hatred; malignity. Despiteous, Dispiteous+ (dē-spīt'ē-us, dispit'ē-us), a. [See DESPITE.] malicious; furious. To Jewes despiteous Delivered up the Lord of life to die. Despiteful; Spenser. When him he spied Spurring so hote with rage dispiteous. Spenser. Despiteously (dē-spīt ́ē-us-li), adv. Furiously. Despitous, Dispitous,ta. The same as Despiteous. 'Hertes despitous.' Chaucer. Though holy he were and vertuous, He was to sinful men not dispitous. Chaucer. Despitously, adv. With despite; contemptuously; angrily. Out the child he hent despitously. Chaucer. Despoil (de-spoil'), v.t. [L. despolio, to rob, plunder-de, intens., and spolio, to spoil. See SPOIL.] 1. To strip; to take from by force; to rob; to deprive: followed by of; as, to despoil one of arms; to despoil of honours. Despoil'd of innocence, of faith, of bliss. Milton.-2. To strip or divest by any means. Though most were sorely wounded, none were slain, SYN. To strip, deprive, rob, bereave, rifle. Despoilt (de-spoil'), n. Spoil; plunder; despoliation. My houses be, by the oversight, despoil, and evil behaviour of such as I did trust, in ruin and decay. Wolsey. Despoiler (de-spoil'èr), n. One who strips by force; a plunderer. Despoilment (de-spoil'ment), n. The act of despoiling; a plundering. Hobhouse. Despoliation (de-spō'li à"shon), n. The act of despoiling; a stripping. Despond (de-spond'),r. i. [L. despondeo, to promise in marriage, to promise away, to give up (despondere animum or animos means to lose courage, to despond)-de, away, and spondeo, to promise solemnly.] 1. To be cast down; to be depressed or dejected in mind; to lose heart or resolution. I should despair, or at least despond. Scott's Letters. Others depress their own minds, and despond at the first difficulty. Locke. -Despair, Despond. Although despair im age at the loss of hope; sinking into dejection; depressed and inactive in despair. Despondently de-spond'ent-li), adv. Without hope. Desponder (dē-spond'èr), n. One destitute of hope. De Desponding (de-spond'ing), p. and a. spairing; given to despondency; despondent. Superstitions and desponding weakness.' Sir R. L'Estrange. Despondingly (dé-spond'ing-li), adv. In a desponding manner; with dejection of spirits; despairingly. Desponsaget (de-spon'sāj), n. Betrothal. Ethelbert went peaceably to King Offa for desponsage of Athilrid, his daughter. Foxe. Desponsatet (dē-spons'āt), v.t. [L. desponso, to betroth-de, intens., and sponsus, pp. of spondeo, sponsum, to promise solemnly.] To betroth. Cockeram. Desponsation (de-spons-a'shon), n. A betrothing. For all this desponsation of her,. . . she had not set one step toward the consummation of her marriage. Fer. Taylor. Despot (des'pot), n. [Gr. despotes, a master, from same root as Gr. posis, Lith. and Skr. patis, lord, husband, and L. potior, to be master of, as also the adjective potis, able, capable, potestas, power; Slav. hospodar, gospodar, lord, master.] 1. An emperor, king, or prince, invested with absolute power, or ruling without any control from men, constitution, or laws: a title more particularly used under the Byzantine Empire. The despots of Epirus long ruled their dominions by employing the various resources of the different classes of their subjects for the general good. They all assumed the title of Angelos, Komnenos, Ducas; and the title of despot, by which they are generally distinguished, was a Byzantine honorary distinction, never borne by the earlier members of the family until it had been conferred on them by the Greek emperor. Finlay. Hence-2. In a general sense, a tyrant; one who enforces his will regardless of constitution or laws, or the interests and rights of others. In this sense it may be applied to a class as well as to an individual. A despot is the individual or class in whose favour and for whose benefit such a government is carried on. A despot may thus include any number of per sons from unity upward-from a monarch to a mob. Chambers's Encyc Despotat (des'pot-at), n. Government by God's universal law Milton. Despotically (des-pot'ik-al-li), adv. With unlimited power; arbitrarily; in a despotic manner. Despoticalness (des-pot'ik-al-nes), n. Absolute or arbitrary authority. Despotism (des'pot-izm), n. [See DESPOT.] 1. Absolute power; authority unlimited and uncontrolled by men, constitution, or laws, and depending alone on the will of the prince; as, the despotism of a Turkish sultan. 2 An arbitrary government; the rule of a despot; absolutism; autocracy. Despotism is the only form of government which may with safety to itself neglect the education of its infant poor. Bp. Horsley. DESTINE 3. Fig. absolute power or influence of any kind. Such is the despotism of the imagination over uncultivated minds." Macaulay. -Despotism, Tyranny. Both of these words imply absolute power. Despotism is strictly the exercise of absolute power, in conformity with legal sanction. It does not necessarily imply either regard for the welfare of the subjects or its opposite, oppression. Tyranny is the abuse of absolute power, legal or usurped, and implies oppression. Despumate (dē-spu'māt), v.i. [L. despumo, despumatum, to skim off-de, off, and spumo, to foam, from spuma, froth, scum. See SPUE, SPEW.] To throw off impurities; to foam; to froth; to form froth or scum. Cheyne. [Rare.] Despumate (de-spū'māt), v. t. To throw off in foam. Cheyne. [Rare.] Despumation (de-spu-ma'shon), n. The act of throwing off excrementitious matter and forming a froth or scum on the surface of liquor; clarification; scumming. Desquamate (dē-skwa'māt), v.i. [L. desquamo, desquamatum, to scale off; to peel off-de, off, and squama, a scale.] To scale off; to peel off. In The desquamatory stage now begins. Plumbe. Desquamatory (de-skwa'ma-to-ri), n. surg. a kind of trepan formerly used for removing the lamina of exfoliated bones. Desse, n. A desk or dais. Spenser. Dessert (dē-zért'), n. [Fr. dessert, from desservir, to clear the table-de, and servir, to serve.] A service of fruits and sweetmeats, at the close of an entertainment; the last course at the table, after the meat is removed. Dessiatine (des'i-a-tin), n. A Russian land measure 2702 English acres. Written also Deciatine. Chaucer. Capable of 'Miracle of The right of personal vote belongs to those who possess 100 male serfs, or 300 dessiatines of ground. Brougham. Dessus (dá-sü), n. [Fr.] The soprano or highest part in music. [This term is not now used by English musicians.] Destemper (des-tem'per), n. A kind of painting; the same as Distemper (which see). Destin (des'tin), n. Destiny. The destin's adamantine band.' Marston. Destinable (des'tin-a-bl), a. being destined or determined. the order destinable.' Destinably (des'tin-a-bli), adv. In a destinable manner. Destinalt (des'tin-al), a. Pertaining to destiny; determined by destiny; fated. 'The destinal chain.' Chaucer. Destinate (des'tin-at), v. t. pret. & pp. des. tinated; ppr. destinating. [L. destino, destinatum, to place down. See DESTINE.] To design or appoint; to destine. [Rare.] Birds are destinated to fly among the branches of trees and bushes. Ray. Destinate + (des'tin-at), a. Appointed; destined; determined. 'Destinate to hell.' Foxe. Destination (des-tin-a'shon), n. [L. destinatio, a setting fast, a fixing, from destino, destinatum. See DESTINE.] 1. The act of destining or appointing; appointment; nomination. 2. The purpose for which anything is intended or appointed; end or ultimate design; predetermined object or use; as, every animal is fitted for its destination. 3. The place to which a thing is appointed: the predetermined end of a journey or voyage; as, the ship left her destination. It (the fleet) had as many destinations, ... as there were countries. Southey. 4. In Scots law, a term, generally speaking, applied to the series of heirs called to the succession of heritable or movable property, by the provision of the law or title or by the will of the proprietor; but usually applied in a more limited sense to a nomination of successors in a certain order, regulated by the will of the proprietor.-SYN. Appointment, design, purpose, intention, destiny, lot, fate. Destine (des'tin), v. t. pret. & pp. destined; ppr. destining. [L. destino, to place down, DESTINIST to make firm or secure-de, and a root stan, a stronger form of sta, root of stare, to stand. The English stand, stay, belong to the same root] 1. To set, ordain, or appoint to a use, purpose, state, or place; as, we destine a son to the ministerial office, a house for a place of worship, a ship for the London trade, or to Lisbon-2. To fix unalterably, as by a divine decree; to doom; to devote; to appoint unalterably. Not enjoyment and not sorrow Is our destined end or way. Longfellow. Reserved and destined to eternal woe. Milton. SYN. To design, mark out, intend, devote, consecrate, doom, ordain, decree. Destinist (des'tin-ist), n. A believer in destiny. Destiny (des'ti-ni), n. [See DESTINE.] 1. State or condition appointed or predetermined; ultimate fate; doom; lot; fortune; destination; as, men are solicitous to know their future destiny, which is, however, happily concealed from them. That great battle was fought for no single genera. tion, for no single land. The destinies of the human rase were staked on the same cast with the freedom of the English people. Macaulay. 2. Invincible necessity; fate; a necessity or fixed order of things established by a divine decree, or by an indissoluble connection of causes and effects. But who can turn the stream of destiny! Spenser. 3 pl In class, myth, the Parce or Fates; the supposed powers which preside over human life, spin it out, and determine it. Destinies do cut his thread of life.' Shak. See FATE Destituent (des-ti'tü-ent), a. Wanting; deficient. When any condition is destituent or wanting, the duty itself falls. Fer. Taylor. Destitute (des'ti-tût), a. [L. destitutus, pp. of destituo, destitutum, to set down, to forsake-de, down, away, and statuo, to set; lit set from or away. ] 1. Not having or possessing; wanting; as, destitute of virtue or of piety; destitute of food and clothing. It differs from deprived, as it does not necessarily imply previous possession. 'Totally destitute of all shadow of influence.' Burke. 2. Not possessing the necessaries of life; needy; abject; poor; as, the family has been left destitute. Destitute (des'ti-tūt), n. sing. and pl. A destitute person or persons. He will regard the prayer of the destitute. Ps. cii. 17. Have pity on this poor destitute. P. St. John. Destitute (des'ti-tut), v.t. 1. To forsake, desert, abandon. It is the sinfullest thing in the world to forsake or destitute a plantation. Bacon. 2 To render destitute; to cause to be in want. He was willing to part with his places upon hopes not to be destituted, but to be preferred to one of the baron's places in Ireland. Bacon. 3. To disappoint. His expectation is destituted. Fotherby. Destituteness (des'ti-tut-nes), n. The state of being destitute; destitution. [Rare.] Destitution (des-ti-tu'shon), n. 1. The state of being destitute; want: poverty; indigence. Left in so great destitution.' Hooker.2. Absence of anything; deprivation. I am unhappy, thy mother and thyself at a distance from me; and what can compensate for such a destitution. Sterne. Destreine, v.t. [O. Fr. distraindre-L. dis and stringere. See CONSTRAIN.] To vex; to constrain. Chaucer. Destrer, n. [Fr. destrier; L.L. dextrarius, a heavy war-horse-so called because led at the dexter or right hand till wanted in battle.] A war-horse. By him baited his destrer Of herbes fin and good, Destrie, Destruie, v. t. Chaucer. Chaucer. To destroy. Destroy (de-stroi^), v. t. [0. Fr. destruire (now détruire); O.E. destruie, distruye, to destroy, from L. destruo, to pull down, to destroy-de, priv, and struo, to pile, to build See STRUCTURE] 1 To demolish; to pull down; to separate the parts of an edifice, the union of which is necessary to constitute the thing: as, to destroy a house or temple; to destroy a fortification.-2. To ruin; to annihilate; to put an end to, as by demolishing or by burning; as, to destroy a city. Solyman sent his army, which burnt and destroyed the country villages. Knolles. 13 3. To ruin; to overthrow; to annihilate; as, to destroy a theory or scheme; to destroy a government; to destroy influence. Destroy his fib or sophistry-in vain! The creature's at his dirty work again. Pope. 4. To lay waste; to make desolate. Go up against this land, and destroy it. Is. xxxvi. 10. 5. To kill; to slay; to extirpate: applied to men or other animals. Ye shall destroy all this people. Num. xxxii. 15. Milton. 6. To take away; to cause to cease; to put an end to; as, pain destroys happiness. That the body of sin might be destroyed. Rom. vi. 6. SYN. To demolish, lay waste, consume, raze, dismantle, ruin, throw down, overthrow, subvert, desolate, devastate, deface, extirpate, extinguish, kill, slay. Destroyable (de-stroi'a-bl), a. That may be destroyed. [Rare.] ruins, or makes desolate. 'Creatures Plants scarcely destroyable by the weather. Derham. Destroyer (dē-stroi'er), n. One who or that which destroys; one who or that which kills, Destruct (de-strukt'), v.t. To destroy. Destructibility (de-strukt'i-bil"i-ti), n. The . wholly destructed.' Mede. quality of being capable of destruction. Destructible (dē-strukt'i-bl), a. [L. destruo, destructum. See DESTROY.] Liable to destruction; capable of being destroyed. Destructibleness (dē-strukt'i-bl-nes), n. The state of being destructible. Destruction (dē-struk'shon), n. [L. destructio, a pulling down, from destruo, destruc tum. See DESTROY.] 1. The act of destroying; demolition; a pulling down; subversion; ruin, by whatever means; as, the destruction of buildings or of towns. Destruction consists in the annihilation of the form of anything, that form of parts which constitutes it what it is; as, the destruction of grass or herbage by eating; of a forest, by cutting down the trees; or it denotes a total annihilation; as, the destruction of a particular government; the destruction of happiness. 2. Death; murder; slaughter; massacre. There was a deadly destruction throughout all the city. 1 Sam. v. 11. 3. The state of being destroyed; ruin. 'So near destruction brought.' Waller.-4. Cause of destruction; a consuming plague; a destroyer. The destruction that wasteth at noon-day. Ps. xci. 6. 5. In the Talmud of the Jewish Rabbis, one of the seven names for Gehenna or hell. Ps. lxxxviii. 11.-SYN. Demolition, subver destructive. sion, overthrow, desolation, extirpation, extinction, devastation, downfall, extermination, havoc, ruin. Destructionable (de-struk'shon-a-bl), a. Committing destruction; H. More. (Rare.] Destructionist (de-struk'shon-ist), n. One who delights in destroying; a destructive.-2. In theol. one who believes in the final complete destruction, or annihilation, of the wicked. 1. Destructive (de-struktiv), a. Causing destruction; having the quality of destroying; having a tendency to destroy; delighting in destruction; ruinous; mischievous; pernicious with of or to; as, a destructive fire; a destructive disposition; intemperance is destructive of health; evil examples are destructive to the morals of youth.-Destructive distillation, a term applied to the distillation of organic products at high temperatures, by which the elements are separated or evolved in new combinations. The destructive distillation of coal produces the ordinary illuminating gas; that of bone, ammonia; and that of wood, pyroligneous acid or wood-vinegar.-SYN. Mortal, deadly, fatal, ruinous, malignant, baleful, pernicious, mischievous. One who or that which destroys; one who favours the demolition of ancient buildings, &c., on the plea of public convenience; a disturber of existing institutions, customs, and the like; a radical. Destructive (de-strukt’iv), n. Applying to each other what Bentham would have called the dyslogistic names of the day, Anarchist, Destructive, and the like. Finlay. With Destructively (de-struktiv-li), adv. destruction; ruinously; mischievously; with power to destroy. The doctrine that states the time of repentance destructively to a pious life.' South. DETACHED Destructiveness (de-strukt'iv-nes), n. 1. The quality of destroying or ruining.-2. In phren. a propensity whose function is to produce the impulse to destroy. Destructor (dē-struktér), n. A destroyer; a consumer. Destruie. See DESTRIE. Desudation (dē-sũ-dã’shon), n. [L. desudode, and sudo, to sweat.] In med, a sweating; a profuse or morbid sweating, often succeeded by an eruption of pustules, called heat-pimples. Desuete (des'wet), a. Out of use; fallen into desuetude. [Rare.] Desuetude (des'we-tud), n [L. desuetudo, discontinuance, from desuesco, desuetum, to break off a custom or habit-de, priv., and suesco, to accustom one's self, from suus, own, se, self.] The cessation of use; disuse; discontinuance of practice, custom, or fashion; as, habit is contracted by practice, and lost by desuetude; words in every language are lost by desuetude. The sumptuary laws have fallen into such a state of desuetude as was never before seen, Carlyle. Desulphurate, Desulphurize (de-sul'fürāt, de-sul'fu-riz), v. t. To deprive of sulphur. Desulphuration, Desulphurization (desul'-fu-rá"shon, de-sul'fu-riz-a'shon), n. The act of depriving of sulphur. Desultorily (de'sul-to-ri-li), adv. In a desultory manner; without method; loosely. Desultoriness (de'sul-to-ri-nes), n. The character of being desultory; unconnectedness; discursiveness; as, the desultoriness of a speaker's remarks. Desultorioust (de-sul-to'ri-us), a. Desultory. Jer. Taylor. Desultory (de'sul-to-ri), a. [L. desultorius, pertaining to a desultor, or rider in the circus, from desilio, desultum, to leap downde, down, and salio, to leap.] 1. Leaping: hopping about; consisting of leaps. Desultory and rapid motion.' Gilbert White. I shot at it, but it was so desultory that I missed my aim. Gilbert White. 2. Passing from one thing or subject to another without order or natural connection; unconnected; immethodical; as, a desultory conversation. He knew nothing accurately, his (Goldsmith's) reading had been desultory. Macaulay. 3. Inconstant; unstable. 'Of unstable, i.e. of light, desultory, and unbalanced minds." Atterbury.-4. Coming suddenly; started at the moment; not proceeding from natural order or connection with what precedes. A desultory thought.' L'Estrange. - SYN. Rambling, unconnected, unsystematic, immethodical, discursive, inconstant, Desumet (de-sum'), v.t. [L. desumo. See settled, cursory, slight, hasty, loose. ASSUME.] To take from; to borrow. Sir M. Hale. un Desvauxiaceae (da-vo'zi-à"sē-ē), n. pl. [After N. Desvaux, a French botanist.] A natural order of monocotyledonous, small, tufted herbs, with bristly leaves and flowers inclosed in a spathe, found in the South Sea Islands and Australia. The order is divided into four genera. Desynonymization (dē-sin-on'im-iz-a"shon), n. The act of desynonymizing. Desynonymize (de-sin-on'im-iz), v.t. [Prefix de, priv., and synonymize.] To give a turn of meaning to so as to prevent from being absolutely synonymous; to use with kindred but not the same meanings. Coleridge; Trench. Detach (de-tach'), v.t. [Fr. détacher—de, priv., and the root from which the English noun tack is derived. See TACK, ATTACH.] 1. To separate or disunite; to disengage; to part from; as, to detach the coats of a bulbous root from each other; to detach a man from the interest of the minister or from a party. 2. To separate for a special purpose or service: used chiefly in a military sense; as, to detach a ship from a fleet, or a regiment from a brigade. If ten men are in war with forty, and the latter detach only an equal number to the engagement, what benefit do they receive from their superiority. Addison. SYN. To separate, disunite, disengage, sever, disjoin, withdraw, draw off. Detach (de-tach'), v.i. To become detached or separated; to separate or disunite itself or one's self. [Rare.] Detaching, fold by fold, From those still heights, and, slowly, drawing near, A vapour heavy, hueless, formless, cold, Came floating on. Tennyson. Detached (de-tacht') a. 1. Separated; parted DETACHMENT from; disunited; drawn and sent on a separate service; as, detached parcels or portions. The Europeans live in detached houses, each surrounded by walls inclosing large gardens. Dr. W. H. Russell. A detached body of the French lying in their way there followed a very sharp engagement. Burnet. 2. In painting, applied to figures, buildings, trees, &c., when they are painted so as to appear standing out from the back-ground in a natural manner, while the other parts appear in proper relative situations. Detachment (de-tach'ment), n. 1. The act of detaching or separating.-2. State of being detached.-3. The thing or part detached; specifically, a body of troops selected or taken from the main army and employed on some special service or expedition; or a number of ships taken from a fleet and sent on a separate service. A strong detachment of Sarsfield's troops approached. Macaulay. Detail (dě-tal), v.t. [Fr. détailler, to cut in pieces-de, and tailler, to cut, from L. talea, a rod, a layer or cutting, which produced the L.L. taleare, taliare, to cut. See RETAIL, TAILOR.] 1. To relate, report, or narrate in particulars; to recite the particulars of; to particularize; to relate minutely and distinctly; as, he detailed all the facts in due order.-2. Milit. to appoint to a particular service, as an officer or a body of troops. To detail on the plane, in arch. to be exhibited in profile by abutting against the plane: said of a moulding. Detail (dē-tal'), n. [Fr. See the verb.] 1. An individual part; an item; a portion; a particular; as, the account is accurate in all its details. 2. A minute account; a narrative or report of particulars; as, he gave a detail of all the transaction.-3. Milit. a body of troops detailed off for a particular service; a detachment.-4. In the fine arts, minute and particular parts of a picture, statue, or building, as distinguished from the general conception or larger parts of a composition. Details of a plan, in arch. drawings or delineations for the use of workmen. Otherwise called Working Drawings. -- In detail, circumstantially, item by item; individually; part by part. I was unable to treat this part of my subject more in detail, without becoming dry and tedious. Pope. Concentrate your own force, divide that of your enemy, and overwhelm him in detail, is the great principle of military action. Macdougall. SYN. Item, particular, part, portion, account, relation, narrative, recital, report. Detailed (dě-täld'), p. and a. 1. Related in particulars; minutely recited; as, a detailed account.-2. Exact; minute; particular. ‘A detailed examination.' Macaulay. Detailer (de-tal'èr), n. One who details. Detain (de-tan'), v. t. [Fr. détenir, L. detineo, to hold down or off, to detain-de, off, and teneo, to hold. See TENANT.] 1. To keep back or from; to withhold; to keep what belongs to another. Detain not the wages of the hireling. Fer. Taylor. 2. To keep or restrain from proceeding, either going or coming; to stay or stop; as, we were detained by the rain. Let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid. Judg. xiii. 15. 3. To hold in custody. Blackstone.-SYN. To withhold, retain, stop, stay, arrest, check, retard, delay, hinder. Detaint (dě-tán'), n. Detention. 'The certain cause of Artegals detaine.' Spenser. Detainer (dē-tán'èr), n. 1. One who withholds what belongs to another; one who detains, stops, or prevents from going. The detainers of tithes, and cheaters of men's inheritances. Fer. Taylor. 2. In law, (a) a holding or keeping possession of what belongs to another; detention of what is another's, though the original taking may be lawful. Forcible detainer is where a person enters into any lands or tenements or other possessions and retains possession by force. (b) A process lodged with the sheriff against a person in his custody authorizing him to continue to keep him; specifically, a writ by which a prisoner arrested at the suit of one creditor may be detained at the suit of another. Detainment (dē-tan'ment), n. The act of detaining; detention. Though the original taking was lawful, my subse quent detainment of them after tender of amends is wrongful Blackstone. Detarium (de-tāʼri-um), n. [From detar, the name of the tree in Senegal] A genus of West African leguminous trees, of which 14 two species are known-D. senegalense and D. microcarpum. The former is a tree 20 to 35 feet high, bearing a somewhat oval fruit about the size of an apricot, of which there are two varieties, the one bitter and the other sweet. The latter is sold in the markets, and prized by the negroes, as well as eagerly sought after by monkeys and other animals. The bitter fruit is regarded as a violent poison. The wood of the tree is hard, and resembles mahogany. Detect (dē-tekt'), v.t. [L. detego, detectum, to uncover, expose-de, priv., and tego, to cover. See DECK.] 1. To discover; to find out; to bring to light; as, to detect the ramifications and inosculations of the fine vessels; to detect an error in an account. Though should I hold my peace, yet thou Would'st easily detect what I conceal. Milton. 2. To show; to let appear. Shak.-3. To inform against; to complain of; to accuse. He was untruly judged to have preached such articles as he was detected of. Sir T. More. Detectable, Detectible (de-tekt'a-bl, detekt'i-bl), a. That may be detected. ties not detectable.' Fuller. These errors are detectible at a glance.' Latham. Same as Detector. Detecter, n. Detection (de-tek'shon), n. The act of de SYN. To ascertain, discover, find out, find. · Par tecting; the finding out of what is concealed, hidden, or formerly unknown; discovery; as, the detection of an error; the detection of a thief or a burglar; the detection of fraud or forgery; the detection of artifice, device, or a plot. His The sea and rivers are instrumental to the detection of amber and other fossils, by washing away the earth that concealed them. Woodward. Detective (dē-tektiv), a. Fitted for or skilled in detecting; employed in detecting; as, the detective police. Detective (de-tekt'iv), n. A species of police officer, whose special duty it is to detect offences and to apprehend criminals. duties differ from those of the ordinary policeman in that he has no specific beat or round, and in that he is concerned with bringing criminals to justice rather than directly in the prevention of crime. He is usually or always in plain clothes. There are also private detectives who investigate cases, often of a delicate nature, for hire. Detector (de-tekt'ër), n. One who, or that which, detects or brings to light; one who finds out what another attemps to conceal; a revealer; a discover. A death-bed's a detector of the heart. Young. Detenebrate (de-ten'e-brát), v.t. [L. de, and tenebræ, darkness.] To remove dark ness. Detent (de-tent'), n. [L. detentus, a keeping back; Fr. détente. See DETAIN.] A pin, stud, or lever forming a check in a clock, watch, tumbler-lock, or other machine. The detent in a clock falls into the striking wheel, and stops it when the right number of strokes have been given. The detent of a ratchet-wheel prevents back motion. Detention (de-ten'shon), n. [See DETAIN.] 1. The act of detaining; a withholding from another his right; a keeping what belongs to another and ought to be restored. 'Detention of long since due debts.' Shak.2. State of being detained; confinement; restraint; as, detention in custody. Nothing could assure the quiet of both realms but their detention in safe custody. Spotswood. 3. Delay from necessity; a detaining; as, the detention of the mail by bad roads. 'Minding to proceed further south, without long detention in these parts.' Hackluyt.--House of detention, a place where offenders are kept till they are in course of law committed to prison; a lock up; a sponging-house. Deter (de-ter), v.t. pret. & pp. deterred; ppr. deterring. [L. deterreo, to frighten from, to prevent de, from, and terreo, to frighten.] To discourage and stop by fear; to stop or prevent from acting or proceeding by danger, difficulty, or other consideration which disheartens or countervails the motive for an act; as, we are often deterred from our duty by trivial difficulties; the state of the road or a cloudy sky may deter a man from undertaking a journey. A million of frustrated hopes will not deter us from new experiments. F. M. Mason. SYN. Discourage, hinder, prevent, restrain, keep back. Deterge (dě-térj), v.t. pret. & pp. deterged; ppr. deterging. [L. detergeo, to wipe away, DETERMINATION to cleanse by wiping-de, from, and tergeo, to wipe, to scour. See TERSE.] To cleanse; to clear away foul or offending matter from the body or from a wound or ulcer. Detergent (dé-térj'ent), a. Cleansing; purg ing. Arbuthnot. The food ought to be nourishing and detergent. Detergent (dē-térj'ent), n. Anything that has a strong cleansing power; a medicine that has the power of cleansing wounds, ulcers, &c., from offending matter. Deteriorate (dē-tē'ri-ō-rāt), v.i. pret. & pp. deteriorated; ppr. deteriorating. [L. deterioro, deterioratum, to make worse, from deterior, compar. of an obs. adjective deterus, from de, as exterus from ex, interus from in, &c.] To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate. Under such conditions the mind rapidly deteriorates. Goldsmith. Deteriorate (dē-tē'ri-ō-rāt), v.t. To make worse; to reduce in quality; as, to deteriorate a race of men or their condition. 'At the expense of impairing the philosophical powers, and, on the whole, deteriorating the mind. Whately. Deterioration (dē-te'ri-ō-rā"shon), n. A growing or making worse; the state of growing worse. Deteriority (dē-te'ri-o"ri-ti), n. Worse state or quality. The deteriority of diet.' Ray. Determent (de-têr'ment), n. [See DETER.] The act of deterring; the cause of deterring; that which deters. These are not all the determents that opposed my obeying you. Boyle. Determinability (dē-tér'min-a-bil"i-ti), n. Quality of being determinable. Determinable (de-tér'min-a-bl), a. [See DETERMINE.] That may be determined, ascertained with certainty, decided upon, or brought to a conclusion; as, a determinable freehold, that is, an estate for life which may expire upon future contingencies before the life for which it is created expires. The point now before us is not wholly determinable from the bare grammatical use of the words. South, Determinableness (dē-tér'min-a-bl-nes), n. State of being determinable. [Rare.] Determinant (de-tér'min-ant), a. Serving to determine; determinative. Coleridge. Determinant (dē-tér'min-ant), n. 1. That which determines or causes determination. 2. In math. the name given to the sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws. The method of determinants is of great use in the solution of equations embracing several unknown quantities, enabling the student almost by inspection to write down the values of the unknown quantities in terms of the known quantities. Determinate (dē-tér'min-āt), a. [L. determinatus, pp. of determino, determinatum. See DETERMINE.] 1. Limited; fixed; deflnite; as, a determinate quantity of matter. 'A determinate number of feet.' Dryden.2. Established; settled; positive; as, a determinate rule or order. 'The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.' Acts ii. 23.3. Decisive; conclusive. 'A determinate resolution.' Shak.-4. Resolved on. 'My determinate voyage.' Shak.-5. Fixed in purpose; resolute. Like men... more determinate to do, than skilful how to do.' Sidney.--Determinate inflorescence, in bot same as centrifugal inflorescence (which see under CENTRIFUGAL). Determinate problem, in geom. and analysis, a problem which admits of one solution only, or at least a certain and finite number of solutions, being thus opposed to an indeterminate problem, which admits of an infinite number of solutions. Determinatet (dē-tér'min-āt), r.t. To bring to an end, to terminate. Shak. Determinately (de-tér'min-at-li), adv. 1. With certainty; precisely; with exact specification. The principles of religion are determinately true or false. Tillotson. We perceive the distance of visible objects more exactly and determinately with two eyes than one. Reut 2. Resolutely; with fixed resolve. 'Determinately bent to marry.' Sidney. Determinateness (de-tèr'min-at-nes), n The state of being determinate, certain, or precise. Determination (dē-tèr'min-ā"shon), n. 1. The act of determining or deciding. DETERMINATIVE 2. Decision of a question in the mind; firm resolution; settled purpose; as, they have acquainted me with their determination.3 Judicial decision; the ending of a controversy or suit by the judgment of a court; as, justice is promoted by a speedy determination of causes, civil and criminal.4. Absolute direction to a certain end. Remissness can by no means consist with a constant determination of the will to the greatest appa rent good. Locke. 5. An ending; a putting an end to; as, the determination of a will. A speedy determination of that war.' Ludlow. -6. The mental habit of settling upon some line of action with a fixed purpose to adhere to it; adherence to aims or purposes; resoluteness; as, a man of determination.-7. In chem the ascertainment of the exact proportion of any substance in a compound body; as, the determination of nitrogen in the atmosphere. --8. In med. afflux; tendency to flow to, more copiously than is normal; as, determination of blood to the head. 9. In logic, the act of defining a notion or concept by adding differentia, and thus limiting it.-10. In nat. science, the referring of minerals, plants, &c., to the species to which they belong-Decision, Determination, Resolution. See under DECISION. SYN. Decision, conclusion, settlement, termination, purpose, resolution, resolve, firmness. Determinative (dê-tèrʼmin-at-iv),a. 1. Having power to determine or direct to a certain end; shaping; directing; conclusive. ⚫ Incidents determinative of their 2 Limiting that limits or bounds; as, a word may be determinative and limit the subject 3. Having the power of ascertaining precisely; that is employed in determining; as, determinative tables in the natural sciences, that is, tables arranged for determining the specific character of minerals, plants, &c., and to assist in assigning them to their species. Determinative (de-tèrmin-at-iv), n. An ideographic sign annexed to a word expressed by a phonetic sign for the purpose of defining its signification. Thus the figure of a tree is in the Egyptian hieroglyphics determinative of the name of trees; but the figure so employed does not express the word of which it is the symbol. The function of a determinative may be illustrated in our language thus: the words man, city, river may be considered determinatives in the following phrases: the man Josephus,' 'the city London,' 'the river Dee.' Determinator (dé-ter'min-at-ér), n. who determines Determine (dé-térʼmin), v.t. pret. & pp. determined; ppr. determining. [L. determino, to bound, to limit--de, intens., and termino, to bound, from terminus, a boundary. See TERM.] 1. To fix the bounds of; to mark off; to settle; to fix; to establish. One (God) hath made of one blood all nations of men fer to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath deter mined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. Acts xvii. 26. 2 To end; particularly, to end by the decision or conclusion of a cause, or of a doubtful or controverted point; applicable to the decisions of the mind or to judicial decisions; as, I had determined this question in my own mind; the court has determined the cause -3. To end and fix; to settle ultimately, as, this event determined his fate. Milten's subject does not determine the fate of single persons or nations, but of a whole species. Addison. 4 To set bounds to; to form the limits of; to bound, to confine; as, yonder hill determines our view. The knowledge of man hitherto hath been deter mined by the view or sight. Bacon. 5. To give a direction to; as, impulse may determine a moving body to this or that point; hence, to influence the choice of; to cause to come to a conclusion or resolution; as, this circumstance determined him to the study of law. 6. To resolve on; to come to a fixed resolution and intention in respect of. I determined this with myself. 2 Cor. ii. 1. 7. To put an end to; to destroy. Shak.8 To settle or ascertain, as something uncertain. The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God. J. Edwards. 9. In logic, to define and limit by adding 15 differentia.-10. In chem. to ascertain the quantity of; as, to determine the nitrogen in the atmosphere.-SYN. To conclude, decide, end, fix, limit, purpose, resolve, settle, terminate. Determine (dē-tér'min), v.i. 1. To resolve; to conclude; to come to a decision or resolution; to settle on some line of conduct with a fixed purpose to stick to it; as, he determined to remain. He shall pay as the judges determine. Ex. xxi. 22. Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus. Acts xx. 16. The surest way not to fail is to determine to suc ceed. Sheridan. 2. To end; to terminate; as, the danger determined by the death of the conspirators. It becomes a mischief, and determines in a curse. South. Some estates may determine on future contingencies. Blackstone. Determined (dē-tèr'mind), p. and a. 1. Ended; concluded; decided; limited; fixed; settled: resolved; directed.-2. Having a firm or fixed purpose; as, a determined man; or manifesting a firm resolution; as, a determined countenance.-3. Definite; determinate; precisely marked; resolute. Those many shadows lay in spots determined and unmoved.' Wordsworth. Determinedly (de-tèr'mind-li), adv. In a determined manner. Determiner (dē-tèr'min-ér), n. One who decides or determines. Determinism (dē-tèr'min-izm), n. A system of philosophy which denies liberty of action to man, holding that the will is not free, but is invincibly determined by motives; specifically, in the scholastic philosophy, the doctrine that our will is invincibly determined by a providential motive, that is to say by a motive with which divine Providence always furnishes us, so as in our mental deliberations to make the balance incline in accordance with his views. Determinism.-This name is applied by Sir W. Hamilton to the doctrine of Hobbes, as contradis tinguished from the ancient doctrine of fatalism. Fleming. Deterration (dē-te-ra'shon), n. [L. de, and terra, earth.] The uncovering of anything which is buried or covered with earth; a taking from out of the earth. [Rare.] Deterrence (de-tér'ens), n. That which de ters; a hindrance; a deterrent. [Rare.] Deterrent (dē-tèrent), a. Having the power or tendency to deter; discouraging; frightening. The deterrent effect of such penalties is in propor tion to their certainty. Bentham. Deterrent (de-tér'ent), n. ters or tends to deter. That which de No deterrent is more effective than a punishment which, if incurred, . . . is sure, speedy, and severe. Bentham. Detersion (dē-tèr'shon), n. [From L. detergeo, detersum. See DETERGE.] The act of cleansing, as a sore. Detersive (de-ters'iv), a. [Fr. détersif. See DETERGE.] Cleansing; having power to cleanse from offensive matter; detergent. Detersive (dě-térs'iv), n. A medicine which has the power of cleansing ulcers, or carrying off foul matter. Detersively (de-térs'iv-li), adv. In a detersive manner. Detersiveness (dē-tèrs'iv-nes), n. The quality of being detersive. Detest (dě-test), v.t. [L. detestor, to invoke a deity in cursing, to detest or abominatede, intens., and testor, to affirm or bear witness, from testis, a witness.] 1. To abhor; to abominate; to hate extremely; as, to detest crimes or meanness. And love the offender, yet detest th' offence. Pope. 2. To denounce; to condemn. The heresy of Nestorius . . . was detested in the Fuller. Eastern churches. Hate, Abhor, Detest. See under HATE.SYN. To abhor, loathe, abominate, execrate. Detestable (dé-test'a-bl), a. Extremely hateful; abominable; very odious; deserving abhorrence. Thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things. Ezek. v. 11. SYN. Abominable, odious, execrable, abhorred. Ex Detestableness (dé-test'a-bl-nes), n. treme hatefulness. Detestably (de-test'a-bli), adv. Very hatefully; abominably. Detestatet (dē-test'āt), v.t. To detest. Which, as a mortal enemy, the doctrine of the gospel doth detestate and abhor. Udall. DETOUR Detestation (dē-test-ã'shon), n. Extreme hatred; abhorrence; loathing: with of. wars. We are heartily agreed in our detestation of civil Burke. Detester (dě-test'ėr), n. One who abhors. Dethrone (de-thrōn), v.t. pret. & pp. dethroned; ppr. dethroning. [Prefix de, from, and throne, L. thronus, a throne. See THRONE.] 1. To remove or drive from a throne; to depose; to divest of royal authority and dignity. The right of subjects to dethrone bad princes.' Macaulay.-2. To divest of rule or power, or of supreme power. The republicans being dethroned by Cromwell, were the party whose resentment he had the greatest reason to apprehend. Hume. Dethronement (de-thrōn'ment), n. Removal from a throne; deposition of a king, emperor, prince, or any supreme ruler. Dethroner (dě-thrōn'ér), n. One who de thrones. Dethronization (dē-thrōn'iz-a"shon), n. The act of dethroning. Detinet (de'tin-et). [L., he detains.] In law, formerly, a species of action of debt, which lay for the specific recovery of goods, under a contract to deliver them. Detinue (de'ti-nu), n. [Fr. détenu, detained; détenir, to detain.] In law, the form of action whereby a plaintiff seeks to recover a chattel personal unlawfully detained. differs from trover, in that in trover the object is to obtain damages for a wrongful conversion of the property to defendant's use, whereas in detinue the object is to recover the chattel itself. It Detonate (de'tō-nāt), v.t. pret. & pp. detonated; ppr. detonating. [L. detono, detonatum, to thunder down-de, and tono, to thunder.] In chem. to cause to explode; to burn or inflame with a sudden report. Detonate (de'tō-nat), v.i. To explode; to burn with a sudden report; as, nitre detonates with sulphur. Ex Detonating (de'tō-nāt-ing), p. and a. ploding; inflaming with a sudden report.Detonating powders, or fulminating pow ders, certain chemical compounds, which, on being exposed to heat or suddenly struck, explode with a loud report, owing to one or more of the constituent parts suddenly assuming the gaseous state. The chloride and iodide of nitrogen are very powerful detonating substances. The compounds of ammonia with silver and gold, fulminate of silver and of mercury, detonate by slight friction, by means of heat, electricity, or sulphuric acid.-Detonating tube, a species of eudiometer, being a stout glass tube used in chemical analysis for detonating gaseous bodies. It is generally graduated into centesimal parts, and perforated by two opposed wires for the purDetonating pose of passing an electric spark through the gases which are introduced into it, and which are confined within it over mercury and water. Detonation (de-to-na'shon), n. An explosion or sudden report made by the inflammation of certain combustible bodies, as fulminating gold. Tube. Detonator (de'tō-nát-ér), n. That which detonates. The Detonization (de'tō-niz-ã"shon), n. act of exploding, as certain combustible bodies. Detonize (de'tō-niz), v. t. pret. & pp. detonized; ppr. detonizing. [See DETONATE.] To cause to explode; to burn with an explosion; to calcine with detonation. Detonize (de'to-niz), v.i. To explode; to burn with a sudden report. This precipitate. able noise. detonizes with a considerFourcroy. Detorsion (dé-tor'shon), n. Same as Detortion. Detort (dě-tort'), v.t. [L. detorqueo, detortum-de, intens., and torqueo, to twist] To distort; to twist: to wrest; to pervert; to turn from the original or plain meaning. They... have detorted texts of Scripture. Dryden. Detortion (de-tor'shon), n. A turning or wresting; perversion. Detour (de-tör), n. [Fr. détour.] A turning; a roundabout or circuitous way; a deviation from the direct or shortest path, road, or route. This is in fact saying the same thing, only with more detours and circumvolutions. Dr. Tucker. |