DEIPNOSOPHIST, d[=i]p-nos'[=o]-fist, _n._ one who converses learnedly at dinner, a table-philosopher--from the title of a work by Athenaeus. [Gr.
_deipnon_, dinner, _sophist[=e]s_--_sophos_, wise.]
DEIST, d[=e]'ist, _n._ one who believes in the existence of God, but not in revealed religion.--_n._ D[=E]'ISM, the creed of a deist.--_adjs._ DEIST'IC, -AL.--_adv._ DEIST'ICALLY. [Fr. _deiste_, _deisme_--L. _deus_, a god.]
DEITY, d[=e]'i-ti, _n._ the divinity: godhead: a god or goddess: the Supreme Being. [Fr.,--Low L. _deitas_--L. _deus_, god; Sans. _deva_--_div_, to shine.]
DEJECT, de-jekt', _v.t._ to cast down the countenance or spirits of.--_adj._ (_Shak._) cast down.--_adj._ DEJECT'ED, cast down: dispirited.--_adv._ DEJECT'EDLY.--_ns._ DEJECT'EDNESS; DEJEC'TION, lowness of spirits: (_pl._) faecal discharge (also _dejecta_).--_adj._ DEJEC'TORY, promoting evacuations. [L. _dejic[)e]re_, _-jectum_--_de_, down, _jac[)e]re_, to cast.]
DELAINE, d[=e]-l[=a]n', _n._ an untwilled light dress material, originally of wool--also _Muslin-de-laine_.
DELAPSE, d[=e]-laps', _v.i._ (_obs._) to sink down.--_n._ DELAP'SION.
DELATE, de-l[=a]t', _v.t._ to carry on: to publish: to charge with a crime.--_ns._ DEL[=A]'TION; DELAT'OR. [L. _deferre_, _del[=a]tum_, to bring a report against, to inform--_de_, inten., _ferre_, to bear.]
DELAY, de-l[=a]', _v.t._ to put off to another time: to defer: to hinder or retard.--_v.i._ to pause, linger, or put off time.--_n._ a putting off or deferring: a lingering: hinderance:--_pr.p._ delay'ing; _pa.p._ delayed'.--_n._ DELAY'ER.--_adv._ DELAY'INGLY. [O. Fr. _delaier_--L.
_differre_, _dil[=a]tum_--_dis_, apart, _ferre_, to carry.]
DELAY, de-l[=a]', _v.t._ (_Spens._) to temper, dilute, weaken. [Fr.
_delayer_, dilute--L. _deliqu[=a]re_, clarify.]
DELE, d[=e]'l[=e], _v.t._, delete, efface, a direction in proof-reading to remove a superfluous letter or word, usually marked thus [Dele symbol].--_adjs._ DEL'EBLE, DEL'IBLE, that can be deleted. [L., imper. of _del[=e]re_, to delete.]
DELECTABLE, de-lekt'a-bl, _adj._ delightful: pleasing.--_n._ DELECT'ABLENESS.--_adv._ DELECT'ABLY.--_n._ DELECT[=A]'TION, delight.
[Fr.,--L. _delectabilis_--_delect[=a]re_, to delight.]
DELEGATE, del'e-g[=a]t, _v.t._ to send as a legate or representative: to entrust or commit to.--_n._ one who is delegated: a deputy or representative: (_U.S._) a person elected to represent a territory in congress, as distinguished from the representatives of the States.--_adj._ delegated, deputed.--_ns._ DELEG[=A]'TION, DEL'EGACY, a delegating: the persons delegated. [L. _de_, away, and _legare_, _-[=a]tum_, to send as ambassador.]
DELETE, de-l[=e]t', _v.t._ to blot out: to erase: to destroy.--_n.pl._ DELEN'DA, things to be deleted or erased.--_n._ DEL[=E]'TION.--_adjs._ DEL[=E]'TIVE, DEL[=E]'TORY. [L. _del[=e]re_, _del[=e]tum_, to blot out.]
DELETERIOUS, del-e-t[=e]'ri-us, _adj._ tending to destroy life: hurtful or destructive: poisonous.--_adv._ DELET[=E]'RIOUSLY.--_n._ DELET[=E]'RIOUSNESS. [Gr. _d[=e]l[=e]t[=e]rios_, hurtful--_deleisthai_, to hurt.]
DELF, delf, _n._ a contraction for DELFT'WARE, a kind of earthenware originally made at _Delft_, Holland.
DELF, delf, _n._ a drain, ditch: (_her._) a charge representing a square sod. [A.S. _daelf_--_delfan_, to dig.]
DELIAN, d[=e]'li-an, _adj._ pertaining to _Delos_ in the aegean Sea, birthplace of Apollo and Artemis.
DELIBATE, del'i-b[=a]t, _v.t._ (_obs._) to sip.--_n._ DELIB[=A]'TION.
DELIBERATE, de-lib'[.e]r-[=a]t, _v.t._ to weigh well in one's mind.--_v.i._ to consider the reasons for and against anything: to reflect: to consider.--_adj._ well considered: considering carefully: slow in determining: cautious.--_adv._ DELIB'ERATELY.--_ns._ DELIB'ERATENESS; DELIBER[=A]'TION, the act of deliberating: mature reflection: calmness: coolness.--_adj._ DELIB'ERATIVE, proceeding or acting by deliberation.--_adv._ DELIB'ERATIVELY. [L. _deliber[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_de_, inten., and _libr[=a]re_, to weigh--_libra_, a balance.]
DELICATE, del'i-k[=a]t, _adj._ pleasing to the senses, esp. the taste: dainty: nicely discriminating or perceptive: of a fine, slight texture or constitution: tender: frail, not robust: requiring nice handling: refined in manners: gentle, polite, considerate: luxurious.--_n._ DEL'ICACY, state or quality of being delicate: refinement: nicety: tenderness, weakness: luxuriousness: anything delicate or dainty.--_adv._ DEL'ICATELY, in a delicate manner: (_B._) luxuriously.--_n._ DEL'ICATENESS, state of being delicate: (_B._) delicacy, luxury.--_n.pl._ DEL'ICATES (_B._), delicacies.
[L. _delic[=a]tus_--_deliciae_, allurements, luxury--_delic[)e]re_--_de_, inten., _lac[)e]re_, to entice.]
DELICE, del'is, _n._ (_Spens._) flower delice, the iris. [See FLEUR-DE-LIS.]
DELICIOUS, de-lish'us, _adj._ full of delicacies: highly pleasing to the senses: affording exquisite pleasure.--_n._ DEL'ICE, (_Spens._), delight: a delight or delightful thing.--_adv._ DELI'CIOUSLY, in a delicious manner: (_B._) luxuriously.--_n._ DELI'CIOUSNESS. [L. _deliciosus_--_deliciae_.]
DELICT, de-likt', _n._ a transgression, a misdemeanour. [L. _delictum_, an offence--_de_, and _linqu[)e]re_, to leave.]
DELIGATION, del-i-g[=a]'shun, _n._ a binding up, ligature.
DELIGHT, de-l[=i]t', _v.t._ to please highly.--_v.i._ to have or take great pleasure: to be greatly pleased.--_n._ a high degree of pleasure: extreme satisfaction: that which gives great pleasure.--_p.adj._ DELIGHT'ED, greatly pleased: (_Shak._) delightful.--_adjs._ DELIGHT'FUL, DELIGHT'SOME, full of delight.--_adv._ DELIGHT'FULLY.--_n._ DELIGHT'FULNESS.--_adj._ DELIGHT'LESS, affording no delight. [O. Fr. _deliter_--L. _delect[=a]re_, inten. of _delic[)e]re_.]
DELILAH, d[=e]-l[=i]'la, _n._ the Philistine woman who befooled Samson: a courtesan who seduces a man to betray secrets: a light woman, strumpet.--Also DAL[=I]'LA.
DELIMIT, de-lim'it, _v.t._ to fix or mark the limit of.--_n._ DELIMIT[=A]'TION.
DELINEATE, de-lin'e-[=a]t, _v.t._ to mark out with lines: to represent by a sketch or picture: to portray: to describe accurately in words.--_adj._ DELIN'EABLE.--_ns._ DELINE[=A]'TION, the act of delineating: a sketch, representation, or description (sometimes DELIN'EAMENT); DELIN'EATOR. [L.
_deline[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_de_, down, and _linea_, a line.]
DELINQUENT, de-ling'kwent, _adj._ failing in duty.--_n._ one who fails in or leaves his duty: a transgressor: a criminal.--_n._ DELIN'QUENCY, failure in or omission of duty: a fault: a crime.--_adv._ DELIN'QUENTLY. [L.
_delinquens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _delinqu[)e]re_--_de_, inten., and _linqu[)e]re_, to leave.]
DELIQUESCE, del-i-kwes', _v.i._ to melt and become liquid by absorbing moisture, as certain salts, &c.--_v.i._ and _v.t._ DEL'IQUATE, DELIQ'UIATE, to melt.--_ns._ DELIQUES'CENCE, DELIQUI[=A]'TION.--_adj._ DELIQUES'CENT, liquefying in the air. [L. _deliquesc[)e]re_--_de_, inten., _liquesc[)e]re_, to become fluid--_liqu[=e]re_, to be fluid.]
DELIQUIUM, de-lik'wi-um, _n._ liquefaction by absorption of moisture.
[Fr.,--Low L. _deliquium_--L. _de_, down, and _liqu[=e]re_, to melt.]
DELIRIOUS, de-lir'i-us, _adj._ wandering in mind: light-headed: insane.--_n._ DELIR[=A]'TION, madness, an aberration.--_adj._ DELIRIF[=A]'CIENT, producing delirium.--_n._ any substance with this quality.--_adv._ DELIR'IOUSLY.--_ns._ DELIR'IOUSNESS; DELIR'IUM, state of being delirious: strong excitement: wild enthusiasm.--DELIRIUM TREMENS, a delirious disorder of the brain produced by excessive drinking, and often marked by convulsive or trembling symptoms. [L. _delirus_, crazy--_de_, from, and _lira_, a furrow; _tremens_, the pr.p. of _trem[)e]re_, to tremble.]
DELITESCENT, del-i-tes'ent, _adj._ lying hid or concealed--e.g. the germs of an infectious disease.--_n._ DELITES'CENCE. [L. _delitescens_, pr.p. of _delitesc[)e]re_--_de_, from, and _latesc[)e]re_--_lat[=e]re_, to lie hid.]
DELIVER, de-liv'[.e]r, _v.t._ to liberate or set free from restraint or danger: to rescue from evil or fear: to give up or part with: to communicate: to pronounce: to give forth, as a blow, a ball, &c.: to disburden a woman of a child in childbirth.--_adj._ DELIV'ERABLE.--_ns._ DELIV'ERANCE, act of delivering or freeing: act of transferring from one to another: parturition: the utterance of a judgment or authoritative opinion; DELIV'ERER; DELIV'ERY, the act of delivering: a giving up: the act or manner of speaking in public, of discharging a shot, of throwing a cricket-ball, of pouring water, &c.: the act of giving birth.--GENERAL DELIVERY, the delivery of letters from a post-office window to the persons to whom they are addressed--opp. to house to house delivery; GAOL, or JAIL, DELIVERY (see GAOL). [Fr. _delivrer_--L. _de_, from, _liber[=a]re_, to set free--_liber_, free.]
DELIVERLY, de-liv'[.e]r-li, _adv._ (_Shak._) nimble manner. [O. Fr.
_delivre_, free--L. _de_, and _liber_, free.]
DELL. See DALE.
DELLA-CRUSCAN, del-la-krus'kan, _adj._ belonging to, or resembling, the old Florentine Accademia _della Crusca_ (1582), esp. of a group of sentimental English poetasters resident in Florence about 1784--crushed by Gifford's _Baviad_ in 1794.
DELLA-ROBBIA, del-la-rob'ya, _n._ a term applied to enamelled terra-cotta, said to have been invented by Luca _della Robbia_.
DELPH, an erroneous spelling of DELF.
DELPHIAN, del'fi-an, _adj._ relating to _Delphi_, a town of ancient Greece, or to the famous oracle which was there.--Also DEL'PHIC.
DELPHIN, del'fin, _adj._ pertaining to the _dauphin_ of France, or to an edition of the Latin classics prepared for his use, 64 vols., 1674-1730.
DELPHINIDae, del-fin'i-d[=e], _n._ a family of cetaceans, including dolphins, grampuses, &c. [L. _delphinus_, a dolphin.]
DELPHINIUM, del-fin'i-um, _n._ a genus of _Ranunculaceae_ comprising the larkspurs and stavesacre. [Formed from Gr. _delphinion_, larkspur.]
DELTA, del'ta, _n._ the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet, the capital form of which is [Delta]: a tract of land of like shape formed at the mouth of a river.--_n._ DELTAFIC[=A]'TION, the process of forming a delta.--_adj._ DEL'TOID, of the form of the Greek [Delta]: triangular.--DELTA METAL, a hard alloy of copper, zinc, and iron--the three metals symbolised by the triangular shape; DELTOID MUSCLE, the large triangular muscle of the shoulder. [Gr.,--Heb. _daleth_, a tent-door.]
DELUBRUM, de-l[=u]'brum, _n._ a temple, shrine, sanctuary: a church having a font, a fort. [L.]
DELUCE. See FLEUR-DE-LIS.