List of Abbreviations Used in This Dictionary

Drawcansir, draw′kan-sėr, n. a blustering fellow, a braggart. [The name of a character in Buckingham's Rehearsal (1671).]

Drawing-room, draw′ing-rōōm, n. a room to which the company withdraws after dinner: a reception of company at court.—Drawing-room car, a railway-carriage fitted up as a drawing-room. [Orig. Withdrawing-room.]

Drawl, drawl, v.i. (obs.) to dawdle: to speak in a slow, lengthened tone.—v.t. to utter (words) in a slow and sleepy manner.—n. a slow, lengthened utterance.—n. Drawl′er.—adv. Drawl′ingly.—n. Drawl′ingness. [Freq. of draw, as draggle of drag.]

Drawn, drawn, part. and adj. from Draw, esp. in 'a drawn game or battle,' undecided.—Drawn and quartered, disembowelled and cut into quarters.—At daggers drawn, openly hostile.

Dray, drā, n. a low strong cart for heavy goods; that which is dragged or drawn.—ns. Dray′age; Dray′-horse; Dray′man; Dray′-plough. [A.S. dræge, from dragan. See Drag, v.]

Drazel, drāz′el, n. (prov.) a slut.

Dread, dred, n. fear: awe: the objects that excite fear.—adj. dreaded: inspiring great fear or awe.—v.t. to regard with terror: to regard with reverence.—adjs. Dread′able; Dread′ful, (orig.) full of dread: producing great fear or awe: terrible.—adv. Dread′fully.—n. Dread′fulness.—adj. Dread′less, free from dread: intrepid.—adv. Dread′lessly.—n. Dread′lessness.—adj. Dread′ly (Spens.) dreadful.—ns. Dread′naught, Dread′nought, one who dreads nothing—hence, a garment of thick cloth defending against the weather: the cloth of which it is made.—Penny dreadful, a cheap sensational serial or tale, usually bloody in subject and vulgar in tone. [M. E. dreden—A.S. on-drǽdan, to fear; Ice. ondréda, Old High Ger. in-tratan, to be afraid.]

Dream, drēm, n. a train of thoughts and fancies during sleep, a vision: something only imaginary.—v.i. to fancy things during sleep: to think idly.—v.t. to see in, or as in, a dream:—pa.t. and pa.p. dreamed or dreamt (dremt).—ns. Dream′er; Dream′ery, a place favourable to dreams: dream-work.—adj. Dream′ful (Tenn.), dreamy.—n. Dream′hole, one of the holes in the walls of steeples, towers, &c., for admitting light.—adv. Dream′ily.—n. Dream′iness.—adv. Dream′ingly.—n. Dream′land, the land of dreams, reverie, or imagination.—adj. Dream′less, free from dreams.—ns. Dream′while, the duration of a dream; Dream′world, a world of illusions.—adj. Dream′y, full of dreams: appropriate to dreams: dream-like. [M. E. dream, drēm, not recorded in A.S., but pointing to an assumed A.S. dréam, cog. with O. High Ger. troum, O. Norse draum, &c. This is distinct from the A.S. dréam, mirth, minstrelsy, being ultimately related to dreug-, draug-, drug-, to deceive, the radical sense therefore 'illusion.']

Drear, drēr, Dreary, drēr′i, adj. gloomy: cheerless.—adv. Drear′ily.—ns. Drear′iment, Drear′ing, Drear′ihead, Drear′ihood (Spens.), dreariness, cheerlessness; Drear′iness.—adj. Drear′isome, desolate, forlorn. [A.S. dreórig, mournful, bloody—dreór, gore.]

Dredge, drej, n. an instrument for dragging: a drag-net for catching oysters, &c.: a machine for taking up mud or zoological specimens from the bottom of the sea: a floating machine for deepening a harbour or river by gathering up mud from the bottom by means of buckets on an endless chain—also Dredg′er, Dredg′ing-machine′.—v.t. Dredge, to gather with a dredge: to deepen with a dredge. [Conn. with drag.]

Dredge, drej, v.t. to sprinkle flour on meat while roasting.—ns. Dredg′er, Dredge′-box, Dredg′ing-box, a utensil for dredging. [O. Fr. dragie, sugar-plum, mixed grain for horses—Gr. tragēmata, spices.]

Dree, drē, v.i. to endure, bear, esp. in Dree one's weird, to abide one's destiny. [Scot.; A.S. dreōgan, suffer, perform; Prov. Eng. dree, Scot. dreich, dreigh, all meaning wearisome.]

Dregs, dregz, n.pl. impurities in liquor that fall to the bottom, the grounds: dross: the vilest part of anything.—ns. Dreg′giness, Dreg′gishness.—adj. Dreg′gy, containing dregs: muddy: foul. [Prob. Scand.; Ice. dreggjar.]

Dreich, drēh, adj. (Scot.) long, tiresome. [See Dree.]

Drench, drensh, v.t. to fill with drink or liquid: to wet thoroughly: to soak: to physic by force: (obs.) to drown.—n. a draught: a dose of physic forced down the throat.—n. Drench′er. [A.S. drencan, to give to drink, from drincan, to drink; Ger. tränken, to soak. See Drink.]

Drent, drent (Spens.), obsolete pa.t. of Drench.

Dress, dres, v.t. to put straight or in order, as troops: to put clothes upon: to prepare: to cook: to trim: to deck: to cleanse a sore: to manure.—v.i. to come into line: to put on clothes:—pa.t. and pa.p. dressed or drest.—n. the covering or ornament of the body: a lady's gown: style of dress.—ns. Dress′-cir′cle, part of a theatre (usually the first gallery) set apart for people in evening dress; Dress′-coat, a fine black coat with narrow or cut-away skirts, worn when in full dress; Dress′er, one who dresses: a medical student who dresses wounds: a table on which meat is dressed or prepared for use: a kind of kitchen sideboard with rows of shelves for plates, dishes, &c.—n.pl. Dress′-goods, cloths for making women's and children's gowns, frocks, &c.—ns. Dress′ing, dress or clothes: manure given to land: matter used to give stiffness and gloss to cloth: the sauce, &c., used in preparing a dish for the table, stuffing, &c.: the bandage, &c., applied to a sore: an ornamental moulding: a thrashing; Dress′ing-case, a case of toilet requisites used in dressing one's self: Dress′ing-gown, a loose garment used in dressing, or in deshabille; Dress′ing-jack′et, Dress′ing-sack, a jacket worn by women in dressing: Dress′ing-room; Dress′ing-tā′ble; Dress′maker, a person who makes gowns or dresses for women.—adj. Dress′y, fond of dress.—Evening dress, Full dress, the costume prescribed by fashion for evening receptions, dinners, balls, &c. [O. Fr. dresser, to prepare—L. dirigĕre, directum, to direct.]

Drest, drest, pa.t. and pa.p. of Dress.

Drevill, an old form of Drivel, a slave.

Drew, drōō—did draw—pa.t. of Draw.

Drib, drib, v.t. to cut off in small portions: to filch or steal: to lead on by degrees. [Akin to Drub.]

Dribble, drib′l, v.i. to fall in small drops: to drop quickly: to slaver, as a child or an idiot.—v.t. to let fall in drops: to give out in small portions: at football, &c., to keep the ball moving forward little by little.—v.t. Drib, to dribble, drivel.—n. a driblet.—ns. Drib′bler; Drib′let, Drib′blet, a small drop: a small quantity. [Dim. of Drip.]

Dricksie. See Droxy.

Drier, drī′ėr, n. that which dries: a machine for extracting moisture from wet cloths, grain, &c.: a substance causing paint to dry more rapidly.

Drift, drift, n. a driving: a heap of matter driven together, as snow: the direction in which a thing is driven: a slow current in the sea caused by the wind: leeway: the object aimed at: the meaning of words used: (geol.) detritus, such as broken rock, sand, gravel: (mining) a horizontal excavation or passage.—v.t. to drive into heaps, as snow.—v.i. to be floated along: to be driven into heaps.—ns. Drift′age, that which is drifted: the amount of deviation from a ship's course due to leeway; Drift′-an′chor, an anchor for keeping the ship's head to the wind; Drift′-bolt, a steel bolt used to drive out other bolts; Drift′-ice, floating masses of ice drifting before the wind; Drift′land, an old tribute paid for the privilege of driving cattle through a manor.—adj. Drift′less, without drift or aim.—ns. Drift′-min′ing, gold-mining by means of drifts in the gravel and detritus of old river-beds; Drift′-net, a net kept upright in the water by floats above and weights below; Drift′-sail, a sail immersed in the water, used for lessening the drift of a vessel during a storm; Drift′-way, a road over which cattle were driven: (min.) drift; Drift′-weed, gulf-weed: tangle; Drift′-wood, wood drifted by water.—adj. Drift′y, full of or forming drifts. [See Drive.]

Drill, dril, v.t. to bore, pierce: to make with a drill: to exercise soldiers, pupils, &c.—to sow seeds, &c., in rows.—n. an instrument for boring stone, metal, teeth, or hard substances (not wood), actuated by a kind of bow, by a brace, or otherwise: a large boring instrument used in mining: a ridge with seed or growing plants on it (turnips, potatoes, &c.): the plants in such a row: the machine for sowing the seed in drill-husbandry.—ns. Drill′-bar′row, a grain-drill driven by hand; Drill′-har′row, a harrow for working between drills; Drill′-hus′bandry, the method of sowing seed in drills or rows; Drill′ing-machine′, Drill′ing-lathe, Drill′-press, machines for boring with a drill or drills; Drill′-mas′ter, one who teaches drill, one who trains in anything, esp. in a mechanical manner; Drill′-plough, a plough for sowing grain in drills; Drill′-ser′geant, a sergeant who drills soldiers. [Prob. borrowed from Dut. drillen, to bore; dril, drille, a borer.]

Drill, dril, n. a species of baboon found in Western Africa, resembling the mandrill, but smaller. [A contr. of mandrill.]

Drilling, dril′ing, n. stout twilled linen or cotton cloth.—Also Drill. [Ger. drillich, ticking—L. trilix, three-threaded; tres, three, licium, thread.]

Drily, same as Dryly. See under Dry, adj.

Drink, dringk, v.t. to swallow, as a liquid: to empty, as a glass, bowl, &c.: to take in through the senses.—v.i. to swallow a liquid: to take intoxicating liquors to excess:—pr.p. drink′ing; pa.t. drank; pa.p. drunk.—n. something to be drunk: intoxicating liquor.—adj. Drink′able.—ns. Drink′ableness; Drink′er, a tippler; Drink′-hail, the customary old English reply to a pledge in drinking (wæs hail, 'health or good luck to you,' was answered with drinc hail, 'drink good health or good luck'); Drink′ing-bout; Drink′ing-fount′ain; Drink′ing-horn; Drink′-mon′ey, a gratuity, ostensibly given to buy liquor for drinking to the health of the giver; Drink′-off′ering, an offering of wine, oil, blood, &c. to God or the gods.—Drink himself drunk, to drink until he is drunk; Drink in, to absorb rain, &c., as dry land does; Drink off, to quaff wholly and at a gulp; Drink the others under the table, to continue drinking and remain (comparatively) sober after the others have completely collapsed; Drink to, Drink to the health of, to drink wine, &c., with good wishes for one's health; Drink up, to exhaust by drinking.—In drink, intoxicated.—Strong drink, alcoholic liquor. [A.S. drincan; Ger. trinken.]

Drip, drip, v.i. to fall in drops: to let fall drops.—v.t. to let fall in drops:—pr.p. drip′ping; pa.p. dripped.—n. a falling in drops: that which falls in drops: the edge of a root.—ns. Drip′ping, that which falls in drops, as fat from meat in roasting; Drip′ping-pan, a pan for receiving the dripping from roasting meat; Drip′-stone, a projecting moulding over doorways, &c., to throw off the rain.—Right of drip, right in law to let the drip from one's roof fall on another's land. [A.S. dryppan—dréopan.]

Drive, drīv, v.t. to force along: to hurry one on: to guide, as horses drawing a carriage: to convey or carry in a carriage: to force in, as nails with a hammer: to push briskly: to urge, as a point of argument, a bargain, &c.: to compel: to send away with force, as a ball in cricket, golf, tennis: to chase game towards sportsmen.—v.i. to press forward with violence: to be forced along, as a ship before the wind: to go in a carriage: to tend towards a point: to strike at with a sword, the fist, &c.:—pr.p. drīv′ing; pa.t. drōve; pa.p. driv′en.—n. an excursion in a carriage: a road for driving on: the propelling of a ball in cricket, &c.: the chasing of game towards the shooters, or the sport so obtained, or the ground over which the game is driven: urgent pressure: pushing the sale of a special article by reduction of prices.—ns. Driv′er, one who or that which drives, in all senses: a club used in golf to propel the ball from the teeing-ground; Driv′ing-band, the band or strap which communicates motion from one machine, or part of a machine, to another; Driv′ing-shaft, a shaft from a driving-wheel communicating motion, to machinery; Driv′ing-wheel, a main wheel that communicates motion to other wheels: one of the main wheels in a locomotive.—Drive feathers, down, to separate the lighter from the heavier by exposing them to a current of air.—Drive to one's wits' end, to perplex utterly.—Let drive, to aim a blow. [A.S drífan, to drive; Ger. treiben, to push.]

Drivel, driv′l, v.i. to slaver like a child: to be foolish: to speak like an idiot:—pr.p. driv′elling; pa.p. driv′elled.—n. slaver: nonsense.—n. Driv′eller, a fool. [M. E. drevelen, dravelen; related to Dribble.]

Drivel, driv′l, n. (Spens.) a drudge. [Cf. Old Dut. drevel, a scullion.]

Drizzle, driz′l, v.i. to rain in small drops.—v.t. (Shak.) to shed in small drops.—n. a small, light rain.—adj. Drizz′ly. [Freq. of M. E. dresen—A.S. dreósan, to fall; Norw. drjosa, Goth. driusan.]

Droger, Drogher, drō′ger, n. a West Indian coasting vessel, with long masts and lateen sails.

Drogue, drōg, n. the drag of boards, attached to the end of a harpoon-line, checking the progress of a running whale.

Droguet, drō-gā′, n. a ribbed woollen dress fabric, a variety of rep. [Fr.]

Droich, drōh, n. a dwarf.—adj. Droich′y, dwarfish. [Gael.]

Droil, droil, v.i. to drudge. [Dut. druilen, to loiter.]

Droit, drwa, n. right; duty. [Fr.]

Droll, drōl, adj. odd: amusing: laughable.—n. one who excites mirth: a jester.—v.i. to practise drollery: to jest.—ns. Droll′ery; Droll′ing.—adjs. Droll′ish, rather droll; Droll′y. [Fr., prob. from Dut. drollig, odd—trold, a hobgoblin; cf. Ger. droll, a short thick person.]

Dromedary, drum′e-dar-i, n. a thoroughbred one-humped Arabian camel.—ns. Dromedā′rian, Drom′edarist. [Fr.,—Low L. dromedarius—Gr. dromas, dromados, running—dramein, 2 aor. infin. of trechein, to run.]

Dromond, drom′ond, n. a swift medieval ship of war.—Also Drom′on. [O. Fr.,—Late L. dromo—Gr. dromon—dromos, a running, dramein, to run.]

Dromos, drom′os, n. a Greek race-course: an entrance-passage or avenue, as to a subterranean treasury, &c.—adjs. Drom′ic, -al, pertaining to a race-course: basilican. [Gr.,—dramein, to run.]

Drone, drōn, n. the male of the honey-bee: one who lives on the labour of others, like the drone-bee: a lazy, idle fellow.—adj. Dron′ish, like a drone: lazy, idle.—adv. Dron′ishly.—n. Dron′ishness.—adv. Dron′y. [A.S. drán, the bee; Dan. drone.]

Drone, drōn, v.i. to make a low humming sound.—n. the bass-pipe of a bagpipe.—n. Drone′-pipe, a pipe producing a droning sound. [M. E. drounen, to roar; not found in A.S. Cf. Dut. dreunen, Ger. dröhnen.]

Drool, drool, v.i. to slaver—a form of Drivel.

Droop, drōōp, v.i. to sink or hang down: to grow weak or faint: to decline.—v.t. to let sink.—n. a drooping position.—adv. Droop′ingly, in a drooping manner. [Ice. drúpa, to droop. See Drop.]

Drop, drop, n. a small particle of liquid which falls at one time: a very small quantity of liquid: anything hanging like a drop: a fall: a trap in the gallows scaffold, the fall of which allows the criminal to drop: a device for lowering goods into a ship's hold.—v.i. to fall in small particles: to let drops fall: to fall suddenly: to come to an end: to fall or sink lower.—v.t. to let fall in drops: to let fall: to let go, dismiss, break off, as an acquaintance: to utter casually: to write and send (a note) in an off-hand manner: to set down from a carriage:—pr.p. drop′ping; pa.p. dropped.—ns. Drop′-drill, an apparatus for dropping seed and manure into the soil simultaneously; Drop′-hamm′er, Drop′-press, a swaging, stamping, or forging machine having either a regular or intermittent motion; Drop′let, a little drop; Drop′-lett′er (U.S.), a letter posted in any place merely for local delivery; Drop′-net, a net suspended from a boom, to be suddenly dropped on a passing shoal of fish; Drop′ping, that which is dropped: (pl.) dung, esp. of fowls.—adj. Drop′-ripe, so ripe as to be ready to drop from the tree.—ns. Drop′-Scene, a painted curtain suspended by pulleys, which drops in front of the stage in a theatre; Drop′-stone, a stalactic variety of calcite.—adv. Drop′-wise (Tenn.), by drops.—n. Drop′-wort, the Spiræa Filipendula.—Drop astern (naut.), to pass or move towards the stern; Drop away, off, to depart, disappear; Drop down, to sail, move, or row down a coast, or down a river to the sea; Drop in, to come in casually; Drop out, to disappear from one's place; Drop serene, an old medical name for amaurosis, literally translated from L. gutta serena.—A dropping fire, a continuous irregular discharge of small-arms.—Prince Rupert's drops, drops of glass which have fallen in a melted state into cold water, and have assumed a tadpole-like shape, the whole falling to dust with a loud report if the point of the tail be nipped off. [A.S. dropa, a drop—dreópan, to drop; Dut. drop, Ger. tropfe.]

Dropsy, drop′si, n. an unnatural collection of water in any part of the body.—adjs. Drop′sical, Drop′sied (Shak.), affected with dropsy.—n. Drop′sicalness. [Through Fr. from L. hydropisis—Gr. hydrōps—hydōr, water.]

Drosera, dros′er-a, n. a genus of small herbaceous plants of the order Droseraceæ, generally inhabiting marshy places. [Formed from Gr. droseros—drosos, dew.]

Droshky, drosh′ki, Drosky, dros′ki, n. a low four-wheeled open carriage much used in Russia. [Russ. drozhki.]

Drosometer, drō-som′e-ter, n. an instrument for measuring the quantity of dew condensed on the surface of a body left in the open air. [Gr. drosos, dew, metron, measure.]

Dross, dros, n. the scum which metals throw off when melting: waste matter: refuse: rust.—n. Dross′iness.—adj. Dross′y, like dross: impure: worthless. [A.S. drós, from dreósan, to fall; cf. Dut. droesem; Ger. druse.]

Drought, drowt, Drouth, drowth, n. dryness: want of rain or of water: thirst.—ns. Drought′iness, Drouth′iness.—adjs. Drought′y, Drouth′y, full of drought: very dry: wanting rain, thirsty. [A.S. drúgathe, dryness—drúgian, to dry.]

Drouk, Drook, drōōk, v.t. to drench: (Scot.) to duck.—p.adjs. Drouk′it, Drook′it. [Ice. drukna, to be drowned; cf. Dan. drukne.]

Drove, drōv, pa.t. of Drive.—n. a number of cattle, or other animals, driven.—n. Drov′er, one whose occupation is to drive cattle: (Spens.) a boat. [A.S. dráf—drífan, to drive.]

Drow, drow, n. a kind of elves supposed to belong to Shetland, inhabiting caves—also Trow, a variant of troll.

Drow, drow, n. (Scot.) a drizzling mist.

Drown, drown, v.t. to drench or sink in water: to kill by placing under water: to overpower: to extinguish.—v.t. to be suffocated in water. [A.S. druncnian, to drown—druncen, pa.p. of drincan, to drink. See Drench.]

Drowse, drowz, v.i. to be heavy with sleep: to look heavy and dull.—v.t. to make heavy with sleep: to stupefy.—n. a half-sleeping state.—ns. Drows′ihead, Drows′ihed (Spens.), drowsiness, sleepiness.—adv. Drows′ily.—n. Drows′iness.—adj. Drows′y, sleepy: heavy: dull: inducing sleep. [A.S. drúsian, to be sluggish; Dut. dreósen, to fall asleep.]

Drub, drub, v.t. to beat or thrash:—pr.p. drub′bing; pa.p. drubbed.—n. Drub′bing, a cudgelling. [Murray suggests Ar. daraba, to beat, bastinado, darb, a beating.]

Drudge, druj, v.i. to work hard: to do very mean work.—n. one who works hard: a slave: a menial servant.—ns. Drudg′er; Drudg′ery, Drudg′ism, the work of a drudge: uninteresting toil: hard or humble labour.—adv. Drudg′ingly. [Ety. unknown. Some suggest Celt., as in Ir. drugaire, a drudge.]

Drug, drug, n. any substance used in the composition of medicine: an article that cannot be sold, generally owing to overproduction.—v.t. to mix or season with drugs: to dose to excess.—v.i. to prescribe drugs or medicines:—pr.p. drug′ging; pa.p. drugged.—n. Drug′gist, one who deals in drugs. [O. Fr. drogue, prob. from Dut. droog, dry; as if applied orig. to dried herbs.]

Drug, drug, n. (Shak.) a drudge.

Drugget, drug′et, n. a woven and felted coarse woollen fabric, chiefly used for covering carpets—hence called in some parts of Britain crumbcloth. [O. Fr. droguet, dim. of drogue, a drug, trash. See above.]

Druid, drōō′id, n. a priest among the ancient Celts of Britain, Gaul, and Germany, who worshipped under oak-trees: a member of a benefit society (founded 1781), its lodges called groves:—fem. Dru′idess.—adjs. Druid′ic, -al, Dru′idish.—n. Dru′idism, the doctrines which the Druids taught: the ceremonies they practised. [L. pl. druidæ—Celt. druid—whence Old Ir. drai, Ir. and Gael. draoi, magician. Littré accepts the ety. from Celt. derw, an oak, which is from the same root as Gr. drys, an oak.]

Drum, drum, n. an instrument of percussion, in which a skin of parchment, stretched on a frame of wood or metal, is beaten with an instrument called a drumstick: anything shaped like a drum: the tympanum or middle portion of the ear: (archit.) the upright part of a cupola: (mech.) a revolving cylinder: formerly a large and tumultuous evening party (said to be so called because rival hostesses vied with each other in beating up crowds of guests).—v.i. to beat a drum: to beat with the fingers.—v.t. to drum out, to expel: to summon:—pr.p. drum′ming; pa.p. drummed.—ns. Drum′head, the head of a drum (see Court-martial): the top part of a capstan; Drum′-mā′jor, the chief drummer of a regiment (now called sergeant-drummer); Drum′mer, one who drums: (U.S.) a commercial traveller; Drum′stick, the stick with which the drum is beat: the leg of a cooked fowl. [From a Teut. root found in Dut. trom, Ger. trommel, a drum; prob. imit.]

Drum, drum, n. a small hill or ridge of hills, used in many place-names, as Drumglass, Drumsheugh, &c. [Ir. druim, the back.]

Drumble, drum′bl, v.i. (Shak.) to be sluggish.

Drumly, drum′li, adj. (Scot.) muddy: gloomy.

Drummock, drum′ok. Same as Drammock (q.v.).

Drummond-light, drum′ond-līt, n. the lime-light or oxy-hydrogen light invented by Captain T. Drummond (1797-1840). [See Lime-light.]

Drunk, drungk, pa.p. of Drink.—p.adj. intoxicated: saturated.—n. a drunken bout: a drunk person.—n. Drunk′ard, one who frequently drinks to excess: a habitual drinker.—p.adj. Drunk′en, given to excessive drinking: worthless, besotted: resulting from intoxication.—adv. Drunk′enly.—n. Drunk′enness, excessive drinking: habitual intemperance.

Drupe, drōōp, n. a fleshy fruit containing a stone, as the plum, &c.—adj. Drupā′ceous, producing or pertaining to drupes or stone-fruits.—n. Drup′el, a little drupe. [L. drupa—Gr. dryppa, an over-ripe olive—drypepēs, ripened on the tree, from drys, a tree, and peptein, to cook; cf. drupetēs—drys, and piptein, to fall.]

Druse, drōōs, n. (mining) a rock cavity lined with crystals, a geode or vug. [Ger.]

Druse, drōōs, n. one of a remarkable people inhabiting a mountainous district in the north of Syria, with a peculiar religion interwoven from the Bible and the Koran.—adj. Drus′ian.

Druxy, druk′si, adj. of timber, having decayed spots concealed by healthy wood.—Also Drick′sie.

Dry, drī, adj. free from, deficient in, moisture, sap: not green: not giving milk: thirsty: uninteresting: (obs.) hard: frigid, precise: free from sweetness and fruity flavour (of wines, &c.).—v.t. to free from water or moisture: to exhaust.—v.i. to become dry, to evaporate entirely—both used also with prep. up:—pr.p. dry′ing; pa.p. dried.—n. and adj. Dry′asdust, the pretended editor or introducer of some of Scott's novels—a synonym for a dull and pedantic though learned person.—v.t. Dry′-beat (Shak.), to beat severely, or so as to be dry.—ns. Dry′-bob, a slang name used at Eton for boys who play cricket, football, &c.—opp. to the Wet-bob, who makes rowing his recreation; Dry′-dock (see Dock).—adj. Dry′-eyed, tearless.—n. Dry′-foot (Shak.), like a dog which pursues game by the scent of its foot.—n.pl. Dry′-goods, drapery, &c., as distinguished from groceries, hardware, &c.—n. Dry′-light, a clear, unobstructed light: an unprejudiced view.—advs. Dry′ly, Drī′ly.—ns. Dry′-meas′ure (see Measure); Dry′ness; Dry′-nurse, a nurse who feeds a child without milk from the breast; Dry′-plate, a sensitised photographic plate, with which a picture may be made without the preliminary use of a bath; Dry′-point, a sharp needle by which fine lines are drawn in copperplate engraving; Dry′-rot, a decay of timber caused by fungi which reduce it to a dry, brittle mass: (fig.) a concealed decay or degeneration.—v.t. Dry′-salt, to cure meat by salting and drying.—ns. Dry′salter, a dealer in gums, dyes, drugs, &c.: (obs.) or in salted or dry meats, pickles, &c.; Dry′saltery.—adj. Dry′-shod, without wetting the shoes or feet.—n. Dry′-steam, steam containing no unevaporated water.—adj. Dry′-stone, built of stone without mortar, as some walls.—n. Dry′-stove, a kind of hot-house for preserving the plants of dry, warm climates.—Cut and dried (see Cut).—High and dry (see High). [A.S. dr['y]ge; cf. Dut. droog, Ger. trocken.]

Dryad, drī′ad, n. (Greek myth.) a nymph of the woods: a forest-tree. [Gr. dryas, from drys, a tree.]

Dual, dū′al, adj. consisting of two.—ns. Dū′ad, a pair of objects looked at as one; Dū′al-control′, any joint control or jurisdiction, as of England and France in Egypt; Dū′alism (philos.), that view which seeks to explain the world by the assumption of two radically independent and absolute elements—e.g. (1) the doctrine of the entire separation of spirit and matter, thus being opposed both to idealism and to materialism; (2) the doctrine of two distinct principles of good and of evil, or of two distinct divine beings of these characters; Dū′alist, a believer in dualism.—adj. Dualis′tic, consisting of two: relating to dualism.—ns. Dual′ity, doubleness: state of being double; Dū′al-school, a school for both boys and girls; Dū′archy, government by two. [L.,—duo, two.]

Dualin, dū-al′in, n. an explosive compound of sawdust, saltpetre, and nitro-glycerine.

Duan, dū′an, n. a division of a poem, canto. [Gael.]

Dub, dub, v.t. to confer knighthood, from the ceremony of striking the shoulder with the flat of a sword: to confer any name or dignity: to smooth with an adze: to rub a softening and waterproof mixture into, as leather: to dress a fly for fishing:—pr.p. dub′bing; pa.p. dubbed.—n. Dub′bing, the accolade: a preparation of grease for softening leather—also Dub′bin. [Conn. with O. Fr. a-douber, to equip with arms; but O. Fr. dober may be Teut.]

Dub, dub, n. (Scot.) a pool of foul water: a puddle.

Dubious, dū′bi-us, adj. doubtful: undetermined: causing doubt: of uncertain event or issue.—adv. Dū′biously.—ns. Dū′biousness, Dubī′ety, Dubios′ity, doubtfulness. [L. dubius.]

Dubitate, dū′bi-tāt, v.i. to doubt, hesitate.—adj. Dū′bitable.—ns. Dū′bitancy, Dubitā′tion.—adj. Dū′bitative.—adv. Dū′bitatively. [L. dubitiāre, -ātum.]

Ducal, dū′kal, adj. pertaining to a duke.—adv. Dū′cally.

Ducat, duk′at, n. a gold coin, formerly much used on the Continent, its commonest value being about 9s. 4d., though there were silver ducats in Italy worth 3s. 4d.—n. Ducatoon′, an old silver coin in Venice and elsewhere, worth 5 to 6 shillings. [O. Fr. ducat—It. ducato—ducatus, a duchy. The name was applied to an Apulian silver coin of 1140. The first gold ducat struck at Venice in 1284 bore the legend—'Sit tibi Christe datus quem tu regis iste Ducatus' ('Be this duchy, which thou rulest, dedicated to thee, O Christ'), which may have helped to spread the name, though it did not originate it.]

Duchy, duch′i, n. the territory of a duke, a dukedom.—ns. Duch′ess, the consort or widow of a duke; Duch′y-court, the court of a duchy, esp. that of the duchy of Lancaster.

Duck, duk, n. a kind of coarse cloth for small sails, sacking, &c. [Dut. doeck, linen cloth; Ger. tuch.]

Duck, duk, v.t. to dip for a moment in water.—v.i. to dip or dive: to lower the head suddenly: to cringe, yield.—n. a quick plunge, dip: a quick lowering of the head or body, a jerky bow.—ns. Duck′er, one who ducks: a diving-bird; Duck′ing; Duck′ing-pond; Duck′ing-stool, a stool or chair in which scolds were formerly tied and ducked in the water as a punishment. [A.S. dúcan, to duck, dive; Ger. tauchen, Dut. duiken.]

Duck, duk, n. name given to any member of the family Anatidæ, the prominent marks of which are short webbed feet, with a small hind-toe not reaching the ground, the netted scales in front of the lower leg, and the long bill: the female duck as distinguished from the male drake: in cricket (originally duck's egg), the zero (0), which records in a scoring-sheet that a player has made no runs: (coll.) a darling, sweetheart: a financial defaulter—esp. Lame Duck: also of things.—ns. Duck′-ant, a Jamaican termite nesting in trees; Duck′-bill, an aquatic burrowing and egg-laying Australian mammal, about 18 inches long, with soft fur, broadly webbed feet, and depressed duck-like bill—also called Duck-mole, Platypus, and Ornithorhynchus.—adj. Duck′-billed, having a bill like a duck.—n. Duck′-hawk, the moor-buzzard or marsh-harrier: the peregrine falcon of the United States.—adj. Duck′-legged, short-legged.—ns. Duck′ling, a young duck; Duck's′-foot, the lady's mantle; Duck′-weed, a name for several species of Lemna and Wolffia growing in ditches; Bombay duck, bummals; Wild′-duck, the mallard.—Break one's duck (cricket), to make one's first run (see above); Make, Play, ducks and drakes, to use recklessly: squander, waste (with with, of)—from the skipping of a flat stone across the surface of water. [A.S. duce, a duck, from, dúcan, to duck, dive.]

Duct, dukt, n. a tube conveying fluids in animal bodies or plants. [L. ductus—ducĕre, to lead.]

Ductile, duk′til, adj. easily led: yielding: capable of being drawn out into threads.—ns. Ductilim′eter, an instrument for measuring the ductility of metals; Ductil′ity, capacity of being drawn out without breaking. [Fr.,—L. ductilis—ducĕre, to lead.]

Dud, dud, n. (coll.) in pl. poor or ragged clothes, tatters.—n. Dud′dery, a shop where old clothes are sold, rags collectively.—adj. Dud′dy, ragged. [There is a M. E. dudd, birrus, a cloak, which may be Celt.]

Dudder, dud′er, n. (prov.) confusion.

Dude, dūd, n. (slang) a fop or dandy, esp. remarkable for the exquisite make and quality of his clothes.—adj. Dū′dish.—n. Dū′dism. [Hardly from dud.]

Dudeen, dū-dēn′, n. a short clay tobacco-pipe.

Dudgeon, duj′un, n. resentment: grudge. [There is an Anglo-Fr. digeon, wood hafts of knives, &c., but a connection cannot be stated. Skeat suggests dubiously W. dygen, malice, dychan, a jeer.]

Dudgeon, duj′un, n. the haft of a dagger: a small dagger. [See above.]

Due, dū, adj. owed: that ought to be paid or done to another: proper: appointed, under engagement to be ready, arrive, &c.—adv. exactly: directly.—n. that which is owed: what one has a right to: perquisite: fee or tribute.—adj. Due′ful (Spens.), proper, fit.—Give the devil his due, to give a fair hearing or fair-play to one of notorious character. [O. Fr. deu, pa.p. of devoir—L. debēre, to owe.]

Due, dū, v.t. (Shak.) to endue.

Duel, dū′el, n. a combat between two persons, prearranged, and fought under fixed conditions, generally on an affair of honour—happily harmless in France: any fight or struggle between two parties: single combat to decide a quarrel.—v.i. to fight in a duel:—pr.p. dū′elling; pa.p. dū′elled.—ns. Dū′eller, Dū′ellist; Dū′elling, fighting in a duel: the practice of fighting in single combat; Duell′o, a duel: the laws which regulate duelling.—adj. Dū′elsome, given to duelling. [It. duello—L. duellum, the original form of bellum—duo, two.]

Duenna, dū-en′a, n. an old lady who acts the part of governess in Spain: an old lady who acts as guardian to a younger. [Sp. dueña, a form of doña, mistress—L. domina, fem. of dominus, lord.]

Duet, dū-et′, Duetto, dū-et′o, n. a composition in music for two voices, instruments, or instrumentalists.—ns. Duetti′no, a simple duet; Duet′tist. [It. duetto, due, two—L. duo, two.]

Duff, duf, n. dough: a stiff flour pudding boiled in a bag; decaying vegetable matter, fallen leaves: coaldust. [From dough.]

Duff, duf, v.t. to manipulate an article so as to make it look like new: to alter the brands on stolen cattle.

Duffel, duf′l, n. a thick, coarse woollen cloth, with a thick nap—also Duff′le: (U.S.) change of flannels. [Dut., from Duffel, a town near Antwerp.]

Duffer, duf′ėr, n. a dull plodding person: a fogy, useless old fellow: a counterfeit coin: a claim or mine which proves unproductive.—ns. Duff′erdom, Duff′erism.

Duffer, duf′ėr, n. a peddler of dubious goods, sham jewellery, &c.: one who fakes up sham articles, or duffs cattle.

Dug, dug, n. the nipple of the pap, esp. applied to that of a cow or other beast. [Cf. Sw. dægga, Dan. dægge, to suckle a child. See Dairy.]

Dug, dug, pa.t. and pa.p. of Dig.—n. Dug′out, a boat made by hollowing out the trunk of a tree.

Dugong, dū-gong′, n. a kind of herb-eating whale, from 8 to 20 feet long, found in Indian seas—the supposed original of the mermaid. [Malayan dūyong.]

Duiker, Duyker, dī′kėr, n. a small South African antelope. [Dut.]

Duke, dūk, n. the highest order of nobility next below that of prince: (B.) a chieftain: on the Continent, a sovereign prince.—ns. Duke′dom, the title, rank, or territories of a duke; Duke′ling, a petty duke; Duk′ery, a duke's territory or seat; Duke′ship.—The Dukeries, a group of ducal seats in Nottinghamshire. [O. Fr. duc—L. dux, ducis, a leader—ducĕre, to lead.]

Dulcamara, dul-ka-mā′ra, n. a name for the Bittersweet (q.v.). [Formed from L. dulcis, sweet, amara, bitter.]

Dulcet, duls′et, adj. sweet to the taste, or to the ear: melodious, harmonious.—n. Dulcificā′tion.—adj. Dulcif′luous, flowing sweetly.—v.t. Dul′cify, to make sweet.—ns. Dulcil′oquy, a soft manner of speaking; Dul′cite, Dul′citol, Dul′cose, a saccharine substance derived from various plants—in its crude form, Madagascar manna; Dul′citude, sweetness.—Dulcified spirit, a compound of alcohol with mineral acid. [O. Fr. doucet, dim. of dols (Fr. doux)—L. dulcis, sweet.]

Dulcimer, dul′si-mėr, n. a musical instrument resembling a flat box, with sounding-board and bridges, across which run wires tuned by pegs at the sides, and played on by striking the wires with a small piece of wood in each hand, or more usually with two cork-headed hammers: a Jewish musical instrument, according to Gesenius, a double pipe with a bag. [Sp. dulcemele—L. dulce melos, a sweet song—dulcis, sweet; melos = Gr. melos, a song.]

Dulcinea, dul-sin′ē-a, or dul-sin-ē′a, n. sweetheart. [From Dulcinea del Toboso, the name given by Don Quixote to the mistress of his imagination.]

Dule, dool, n. (Scot.) woe.—n. Dule′-tree, the gallows. [See Dole.]

Dulia, dū-lī′a, n. (R.C. Church) that inferior veneration due to saints and angels.—n. Duloc′racy, government by slaves. [Gr. douleia—doulos, a slave.]

Dull, dul, adj. slow of hearing, of learning, or of understanding: insensible: without life or spirit: slow of motion: drowsy: sleepy: sad: downcast: cheerless: not bright or clear: cloudy: dim, obscure: obtuse: blunt.—v.t. to make dull or stupid: to blunt: to damp: to cloud.—v.i. to become dull.—n. Dull′ard, a dull and stupid person: a dunce.—adjs. Dull′-brained (Shak.), of dull brain or intellect: stupid; Dull′-browed, of gloomy brow or look; Dull′-eyed (Shak.), having eyes dull or wanting expression; Dull′ish, somewhat dull: wearisome.—ns. Dull′ness, Dul′ness, the stale or quality of being dull.—adjs. Dull′-sight′ed; Dull′-wit′ted; Dull′y, somewhat dull.—adv. Dull′y. [A.S. dol—dwelan, to err; Dut. dol, Ger. toll, mad.]

Dulse, duls, n. an edible seaweed, with red, deeply-divided fronds, eaten in Ireland and elsewhere. [Gael, duileasg—duille, a leaf, uisge, water.]

Duly, dū′li, adv. properly: fitly: at the proper time. [See Due.]

Dumb, dum, adj. without the power of speech: silent: soundless.—v.t. (Shak.) to render dumb.—n.pl. Dumb′-bells, double-headed weights swung in the hands for the purpose of developing the arms, muscles of the chest, &c.—n. Dumb′-cane, a plant of the order Araceæ, aberrant in its almost arborescent character, but agreeing with them in its acridity, which is in none of them more highly developed.—adv. Dumb′ly, in silence: mutely.—ns. Dumb′ness; Dumb′-show, gesture without words: pantomime; Dumb′-wait′er, a movable platform used for conveying food, dishes, &c. at meals: a stand with revolving top for holding dessert, &c.—vs.t. Dumfound′, -er, to strike dumb: to confuse greatly: to astonish.—ns. Dum′merer, a dumb person, esp. a rogue who feigns dumbness; Dum′miness; Dum′my, one who is dumb: a mere tool of another, man of straw: a sham package in a shop: the fourth or exposed band when three persons play at whist.—Strike dumb, to silence with astonishment. [A.S. dumb; Ger. dumm, stupid, Dut. dom.]

Dumbledore, dum′bl-dōr, n. (prov.) the bumble-bee: the brown cockchafer.

Dum-dum, dum′-dum, n. a soft-nosed expanding bullet, first made at Dum Dum in British India.

Dumose, dū′mōs, adj. thorny—also Dū′mous.—n. Dumos′ity. [L. dumus, a thorn-bush.]

Dump, dump, v.t. to throw down: to unload.—n. a thud: a place for the discharge of loads, or for rubbish: (pl.) money (slang). [Cf. Dan. dumpe, Norw. dumpa, to fall plump.]

Dump, dump, n. dullness or gloominess of mind, ill-humour, low spirits—now only used in the pl.: (Shak.) a melancholy strain, any tune.—adj. Dump′ish, depressed in spirits.—adv. Dump′ishly.—n. Dump′ishness. [Prob. related to Old Dut. domp, mist; or Ger. dumpf, gloomy.]

Dump, dump, n. a deep hole in a river-bed, a pool. [Prob. Norse dump, a pit.]

Dumpling, dump′ling, n. a kind of thick pudding or mass of paste. [Dim. of dump, in dumpy.]

Dumpy, dump′i, adj. short and thick.—n. a dumpy person or animal, esp. one of a breed of very short-legged fowls.—n. Dumpi′ness.—v.t. Dum′ple, to make or cook, as a dumpling: to bend into a dumpy shape.—n. Dump′y-lev′el, a spirit-level used in surveying, having a short telescope with a large aperture. [From a provincial form dump, a clumsy piece.]

Dun, dun, adj. of a dark colour, partly brown and black: dark.—v.t. (U.S.) to cure and brown, as cod.—v.i. to become dun-coloured.—ns. Dun′-bird, the pochard; Dun′-cow, the shagreen ray; Dun′-dīv′er, the merganser; Dun′-fish, codfish cured by dunning.—adj. Dun′nish, somewhat dun. [A.S. dun, most prob. Celt.; W. dwn, dusky, Gael. donn, brown.]