DIJUDICATE, d[=i]-j[=oo]'di-k[=a]t, _v.t._ and _v.i._ to judge between two: to decide.--_n._ DIJUDIC[=A]'TION. [L. _di_, asunder, and _judic[=a]re_, judge.]
DIKE, d[=i]k, _n._ a trench, or the earth dug out and thrown up: a ditch: a mound raised to prevent inundation: in Scotland, a wall (_Dry-stane dike_, a wall without mortar; _Fail-dike_, a wall of turf), sometimes even a thorn-hedge: (_geol._) a wall-like mass of igneous rock in the fissures of stratified rocks.--_v.t._ to surround with a dike or bank. [A.S. _dic_; Dut. _dijk_, Ger. _teich_, a pond; perh. conn. with Gr. _teichos_, a wall or rampart. See DIG, _Ditch_.]
DILACERATE, di-las'[.e]r-[=a]t, _v.t._ to rend or tear asunder.--_n._ DILACER[=A]'TION. [L. _di_, asunder, and _lacerate_.]
DILAPIDATE, di-lap'i-d[=a]t, _v.t._ to pull stone from stone: to lay waste: to suffer to go to ruin.--_adj._ DILAP'IDATED, in ruins.--_ns._ DILAPID[=A]'TION, the state of ruin: impairing of church property during an incumbency: (_pl._) money paid at the end of an incumbency by the incumbent or his heirs for the purpose of putting the parsonage, &c. in good repair for the succeeding incumbent; DILAP'IDATOR. [L. _dilapid[=a]re_--_di_, asunder, _lapis_, _lapidis_, a stone.]
DILATE, di-l[=a]t', _v.t._ to spread out in all directions: to enlarge: the opposite of _contract_.--_v.i._ to widen: to swell out: to speak at length.--_ns._ DIL[=A]TABIL'ITY, DIL[=A]T'ANCY, DILAT[=A]'TION, DIL[=A]'TION, expansion.--_adjs._ DIL[=A]T'ABLE, that may be dilated or expanded; DIL[=A]'TANT.--_ns._ D[=I]'LAT[=A]TOR, DIL[=A]T'OR, DIL[=A]T'ER.--_adj._ DIL[=A]T'IVE. [L. _dilatus_ (used as pa.p. of _differre_), from _di_ (= _dis_), apart, and _latus_, borne.]
DILATORY, dil'a-tor-i, _adj._ slow: given to procrastination: loitering: tending to delay.--_adv._ DIL'ATORILY.--_n._ DIL'ATORINESS. [L.
_dilatorius_, extending or putting off (time). See DILATE.]
DILEMMA, di-lem'a, _n._ a form of argument in which the maintainer of a certain proposition is committed to accept one of two alternative propositions each of which contradicts his original contention: a position where each of two alternative courses (or of all the feasible courses) is eminently undesirable: a trying practical difficulty. The argument was called a 'horned syllogism,' and the victim compared to a man certain to be impaled on one or other of the horns of an infuriated bull, hence the HORNS OF A DILEMMA: the usual phrase LANDED IN A DILEMMA is, or suggests, a mixed metaphor.--_adj._ DILEMMAT'IC. [L.,--Gr. _dil[=e]mma_--_di-_, twice, double, _l[=e]mma_, an assumption--_lambanein_, to take.]
DILETTANTE, dil-et-an'te, _n._ one who loves the fine arts, but in a superficial way and without serious purpose (the _amateur_ usually practises them): a dabbler in art, science, or literature:--_pl._ DILETTAN'TI ('T[=E]).--_adj._ DILETTAN'TISH.--_ns._ DILETTAN'TISM, DILETTAN'TEISM. [It., pr.p. of _dilettare_, to take delight in--L.
_delect[=a]re_, to delight.]
DILIGENT, dil'i-jent, _adj._ steady and earnest in application: industrious.--_n._ DIL'IGENCE, steady application: industry: (_Scots law_) a warrant to produce witnesses, books, &c., or a process by which persons or goods are attached: a French or continental stage-coach (also pronounced d[=e]-l[=e]-zhongs)--also DILL'Y.--_adv._ DIL'IGENTLY. [Fr.,--_diligens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of L. _dilig[)e]re_, to choose.]
DILL, dil, _n._ an umbelliferous annual, the seeds used in medicine.--_n._ DILL'-WA'TER, a stomachic and carminative. [A.S. _dile_; Ger. and Sw.
_dill_.]
DILLING, dil'ing, _n._ a darling: the youngest child, the weakling of a litter.
DILLY-BAG, dil'i-bag, _n._ an Australian native-made rush or bark-bag.--Also DILL'I, DILL'Y.
DILLY-DALLY, dil'i-dal'i, _v.i._ to loiter, trifle. [A kind of reduplication of _dally_. Cf. SHILLY-SHALLY.]
DILOGY, dil'[=o]-ji, _n._ repetition: intentional ambiguity.--_adj._ DILOG'ICAL.
DILUCIDATE, di-l[=u]'si-d[=a]t, _v.t._ (_obs._) to elucidate.--_adj._ DIL[=U]'CID.--_n._ DILUCID[=A]'TION.
DILUTE, dil-[=u]t', _v.t._ to make thinner or more liquid: to diminish the strength, flavour, &c. of, by mixing, esp. with water.--_v.i._ to become mixed.--_adj._ diminished in strength by mixing with water.--_adj._ DIL'UENT, diluting.--_n._ that which dilutes.--_ns._ DILUTE'NESS; DIL[=U]'TION. [L. _dilu[)e]re_, _dil[=u]tum_--_di_, away from, _lu[)e]re_, to wash.]
DILUVIUM, dil-[=u]'vi-um, _n._ an inundation or flood: (_geol._) a deposit of sand, gravel, &c. made by extraordinary currents of water--also DIL[=U]'VION.--_adjs._ DIL[=U]'VIAL, DIL[=U]'VIAN, pertaining to a flood, esp. that in the time of Noah: caused by a deluge: composed of diluvium.--_n._ DIL[=U]'VIALIST, one who explains geological phenomena by the Flood. [L. _diluvium_--_dilu[)e]re_.]
DIM, dim, _adj._ not bright or distinct: obscure: mysterious: not seeing clearly.--_v.t._ to make dark: to obscure.--_v.i._ to become dim:--_pr.p._ dim'ming; _pa.p._ dimmed.--_adv._ DIM'LY.--_adj._ DIM'MISH, somewhat dim.--_n._ DIM'NESS. [A.S. _dim_; akin to Ice. _dimmr_, dark, and Ger.
_dammerung_, twilight.]
DIME, d[=i]m, _n._ the tenth part of an American dollar, 10 cents, nearly equal to 5d.--DIME MUSEUM, a cheap show; DIME NOVEL, a cheap novel, usually sensational. [Fr., orig. _disme_, from L. _decima_ (_pars_, a part, being understood), a tenth part.]
DIMENSION, di-men'shun, _n._ usually in _pl._, measure in length, breadth, and thickness (the three dimensions of space): extent: size.--_adjs._ DIMEN'SIONAL, concerning dimension (one-dimensional, two-dimensional, three-dimensional space = space of one, two, three dimensions); DIMEN'SIONED, having dimension; DIMEN'SIONLESS.--DIMENSION WORK, masonry in stones of specified size.--FOURTH DIMENSION, an additional dimension attributed to space by a hypothetical speculation. [Fr.,--L.
_dimensio_--_dimet[=i]ri_, _dimensus_--_di_(= _dis_), apart, _met[=i]ri_, to measure.]
DIMEROUS, dim'e-rus, _adj._ consisting of two parts: (_bot._) with two members in each whorl: (_entom._) having two-jointed tarsi.--_n._ DIM'ERISM. [Gr., _di-_, double, _meros_, a part.]
DIMETER, dim'e-t[.e]r, _adj._ containing two metres or measures.--_n._ a verse of two measures. [L.,--Gr. _dimetros_--_di-_, twice, _metron_, a measure.]
DIMETHYLANILINE, di-meth-il-an'i-lin, _n._ an oily liquid: aniline heated with methyl alcohol and hydrochloric acid--from which dyes are obtained.
[L. _di-_, twice, _methyl_, and _aniline_.]
DIMETRIC, d[=i]-met'rik, _adj._ (_crystal._) tetragonal.
DIMIDIATE, di-mid'i-[=a]t, _adj._ divided into halves: having a shape that appears as if halved.--_v.t._ (_her._) to represent the half of.--_n._ DIMIDI[=A]'TION. [L. _dimidi[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_, to halve--_dimidius_; half--_dis_, twice, _medius_, the middle.]
DIMINISH, di-min'ish, _v.t._ to make less: to take a part from: to degrade.--_v.i._ to grow or appear less: to subside.--_adj._ DIMIN'ISHABLE.--_p.adj._ DIMIN'ISHED, made smaller, humbled: (_mus._) lessened by a half-step, as an interval.--_adv._ DIMIN'ISHINGLY. [Coined by adding _di_ to the word _minish_, an imitation of L. _diminu[)e]re_--_di_ = _dis_, apart, _minu[)e]re_, to make less.]
DIMINUENDO, di-min-[=u]-en'd[=o], _adv._ (_mus._) a direction to let the sound die away, marked thus [Diminuendo symbol]. [It.,--L. _diminuendus_, fut. part. pass. of _diminu[)e]re_, _dimin[=u]tum_, to lessen.]
DIMINUTION, dim-in-[=u]'shun, _n._ a lessening: degradation.--_adj._ DIMIN'UTIVE, of a diminished size: small: contracted.--_n._ (_gram._) a word formed from another to express a little one of the kind.--_adv._ DIMIN'UTIVELY.--_n._ DIMIN'UTIVENESS.
DIMISSORY, dim'is-or-i, _adj._ sending away or giving leave to depart to another jurisdiction. [L. _dimissorius_--_dimitt[)e]re_, _dimissum_.]
DIMITY, dim'i-ti, _n._ a kind of stout white cotton cloth, striped or figured in the loom by weaving with two threads. [Through the L., from Gr.
_dimitos_--_di-_, twice, _mitos_, a thread.]
DIMORPHISM, d[=i]-mor'fizm, _n._ (_bot._) a state in which two forms of flower, leaf, &c. are produced by the same species of plant: the property of crystallising in two forms.--_adjs._ DIMOR'PHIC, DIMOR'PHOUS. [Gr.
_di-_, twice, _morph[=e]_, form.]
DIMPLE, dim'pl, _n._ a small hollow: a small natural depression on the face.--_v.i._ to form dimples.--_v.t._ to mark with dimples.--_p.adj._ DIM'PLED.--_n._ DIM'PLEMENT.--_adj._ DIM'PLY. [Dim. of _dip_, with inserted _m_. Another dim. is _dapple_.]
DIMYARIAN, dim-i-[=a]'ri-an, _adj._ double-muscled (of bivalve shells like the clam)--also DIM'YARY.--_n.pl._ DIMY[=A]'RIA. [Gr. _di-_, two, _mys_, a muscle.]
DIN, din, _n._ a loud continued noise.--_v.t._ to assail (the ears) with noise: to annoy with clamour: to obtrude noisily (as to din one's complaints into their ears):--_pr.p._ din'ning; _pa.p._ dinned.--_adj._ DIN'FUL. [A.S. _dyn_, _dyne_; cf. Ice. _dynr_, Dan. _don_, noise.]
DINANDERIE, d[=e]-nong'de-r[=e], _n._ domestic utensils of copper, esp.
such as are quaint and artistic--applied also to Indian and Levantine brass-ware. [Fr., from _Dinant_ in Belgium.]
DINAR, d[=e]-nar', _n._ an ancient Arab gold coin of 65 grains weight. [L.
_denarius_.]
DINARCHY. See DIARCHY.
DINDLE. See DINNLE.
DINE, d[=i]n, _v.i._ to take dinner.--_v.t._ to give a dinner to.--_n._ (_obs._) dinner-time.--_ns._ DIN'ER-OUT, one who goes much to dinner-parties; DINETTE', a preliminary dinner, luncheon; DIN'ING-HALL; DIN'ING-ROOM; DIN'ING-T[=A]'BLE.--DINE OUT, to dine elsewhere than at home; DINE WITH DUKE HUMPHREY, to go without a meal, like those who, unable to procure a dinner, loitered about Duke Humphrey's Walk in Old St Paul's. [O.
Fr. _disner_ (Fr. _diner_)--Low L. _disjun[=a]re_, for _disjejun[=a]re_, to break one's fast--L. _dis-_, and _jejunus_, fasting (cf. _Dejeuner_).
Others explain _disnare_ as from _decen[=a]re_--L. _de_, inten., and _cen[=a]re_, to dine.]
DING, ding, _v.t._ to throw, dash, or hurl: to beat: (_arch._) to urge or enforce: (_Scot._) to defeat, non-plus--also, as _v.i._, to be defeated: to descend, fall, as of continued heavy rain or snow falling.--DING DOUN (_Scot._), to knock or throw down. [M. E. _dingen_; cf. Ice. _dengja_, Sw.
_danga_, to bang.]
DING, ding, _v.i._ to ring, keep sounding.--_v.t._ to reiterate to a wearisome degree.--_n._ DING'-DONG, the sound of bells ringing: monotony: sameness. [Imit. Cf. RING.]
DINGLE, ding'gl, _n._ a little hollow or narrow valley. [Prob. conn. with _dimple_ and _dip_.]
DINGLE-DANGLE, ding'gl-dang'gl, _adv._ hanging loose: swinging backwards and forwards. [A duplication of DANGLE.]