Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter D - Page 44
Dexterity (n.) [U] （手等） 靈巧，熟練，敏捷；機敏；聰明 Readiness and grace in physical activity; skill and ease in using the hands; expertness in manual acts; as, dexterity with the chisel.
In youth quick bearing and dexterity. -- Shak.
Dexterity (n.) Readiness in the use or control of the mental powers; quickness and skill in managing any complicated or difficult affair; adroitness.
His wisdom . . . was turned . . . into a dexterity to deliver himself. -- Bacon.
He had conducted his own defense with singular boldness and dexterity. -- Hallam.
Syn: Adroitness; activity; nimbleness; expertness; skill; cleverness; art; ability; address; tact; facility; aptness; aptitude; faculty. See Skill.
Dexterity (n.) Adroitness in using the hands [syn: dexterity, manual dexterity, sleight].
Dexterous (a.) 敏捷的；靈巧的；用慣右手的 Ready and expert in the use of the body and limbs; skillful and active with the hands; handy; ready; as, a dexterous hand; a dexterous workman.
Dexterous (a.) Skillful in contrivance; quic akt inventing expedients; expert; as, a dexterous manager.
Dexterous the craving, fawning crowd to quit. -- Pope.
Dexterous (a.) Done with dexterity; skillful; artful; as, dexterous management. "Dexterous sleights of hand." -- Trench.
Syn: Adroit; active; expert; skillful; clever; able; ready; apt; handy; versed.
Dexterous (a.) Skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands; "a deft waiter"; "deft fingers massaged her face"; "dexterous of hand and inventive of mind" [syn: deft, dexterous, dextrous].
Dexterously (adv.) 巧妙地；敏捷地 In a dexterous manner; skillfully.
Dexterously (adv.) With dexterity; in a dexterous manner; "dextrously he untied the knots" [syn: dexterously, dextrously, deftly].
Dexterousness (n.) 巧妙；敏捷 The quality of being dexterous; dexterity.
Dextrad (adv.) (Anat.) 【解】【動】向右 Toward the right side; dextrally.
Dextral (a.) 右側的 Right, as opposed to sinistral, or left.
Dextral shell (Zool.), A spiral shell the whorls of which turn from left right, or like the hands of a watch when the apex of the spire is toward the eye of the observer.
Compare: Clockwise
Clockwise (a.) -- Of rotatory motion. dextral
Dextral (a.) Of or on the right; "a dextral gastropod shell with the apex upward has its opening on the right when facing the observer"; "a dextral flatfish lies with the right eye uppermost" [ant: sinistral].
Dextral (a.) Preferring to use right foot or hand or eye; "dextral individuals exhibit dominance of the right hand and eye".
Dextrality (n.) The state of being on the right-hand side; also, the quality of being right-handed; right-handedness. -- Sir T. Browne.
Dextrality (n.) Preference for using the right hand [syn: right- handedness, dextrality].
Dextrally (adv.) Towards the right; as, the hands of a watch rotate dextrally.
Destrer, Dextrer (n.) A war horse. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Dextrer (n.) A war horse; a destrer. [Obs.] "By him baiteth his dextrer." -- Chaucer.
Dextrin (n.) (Chem.) A translucent, gummy, amorphous substance, nearly tasteless and odorless, used as a substitute for gum, for sizing, etc., and obtained from starch by the action of heat, acids, or diastase. It is of somewhat variable composition, containing several carbohydrates which change easily to their respective varieties of sugar. It is so named from its rotating the plane of polarization to the right; -- called also British gum, Alsace gum, gommelin, leiocome, etc. See Achroodextrin, and Erythrodextrin.
Dextrin (n.) Any of various polysaccharides obtained by hydrolysis of starch; a tasteless and odorless gummy substance that is used as a thickening agent and in adhesives and in dietary supplements.
Dextro- () A prefix, from L. dexter, meaning, pertaining to, or toward, the right; (Chem. & Opt.) having the property of turning the plane of polarized light to the right; as, dextrotartaric acid.
Dextrogerous (a.) (Physics & Chem.) See Dextrogyrate.
Dextrogyrate (a.) (Chem. & Opt.) Same as Dextrorotatory.
Dextrorotatory (a.) (Chem. & Opt.) Turning, or causing to turn, toward the right hand; esp., turning the plane of polarization of luminous rays toward the right hand; as, dextrorotatory crystals, sugars, etc. Cf. Levorotatory. Dextrorsal
Dextrorotatory (a.) Rotating to the right [syn: dextrorotary, dextrorotatory, right-handed].
Dextroglucose (n.) (Chem.) Same as Dextrose.
Dextroglucose (n.) An isomer of glucose that is found in honey and sweet fruits [syn: dextrose, dextroglucose, grape sugar].
Compare: Glucose
Glucose (n.) A variety of sugar occurring in nature very abundantly, as in ripe grapes, and in honey, and produced in great quantities from starch, etc., by the action of heat and acids. It is only about half as sweet as cane sugar. Called also dextrose, grape sugar, diabetic sugar, and starch sugar. See Dextrose.
Glucose (n.) (Chem.) Any one of a large class of sugars, isometric with glucose proper, and including levulose, galactose, etc.
Glucose (n.) The trade name of a sirup, obtained as an uncrystallizable reside in the manufacture of glucose proper, and containing, in addition to some dextrose or glucose, also maltose, dextrin, etc. It is used as a cheap adulterant of sirups, beers, etc.
Dextrose (n.) [See Dexter.] (Chem.) A sirupy, or white crystalline, variety of sugar, C6H12O6 (so called from turning the plane of polarization to the right), occurring in many ripe fruits, and also called glucose. Dextrose and levulose are obtained by the inversion of cane sugar or sucrose, and hence the mixture is called called invert sugar. Dextrose is chiefly obtained by the action of heat and acids on starch, and hence called also starch sugar. It is also formed from starchy food by the action of the amylolytic ferments of saliva and pancreatic juice.
Note: The solid products are known to the trade as grape sugar; the sirupy products as glucose, or mixing sirup. These are harmless, but are only about half as sweet as cane sugar or sucrose. Dextrously Dextrous
Compare: Glucose
Glucose (n.) A monosaccharide sugar that has several forms; an important source of physiological energy.
Dextrogyrate (a.) (Chem. & Opt.) Same as Dextrorotatory.
Compare: Maltonic
Maltonic (a.) (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or derived from, maltose; specif., designating an acid called also gluconic or dextronic acid. See Gluconic.
Dextronic (a.) (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, dextrose; as, dextronic acid.
Dextronic acid, A sirupy substance obtained by the partial oxidation of various carbohydrates, as dextrose, etc.
Dextrorotary (a.) (Physics & Chem.) See Dextrotatory.
Dextrorotary (a.) Rotating to the right [syn: dextrorotary, dextrorotatory, right-handed].
Dextrorotatory (a.) (Chem. & Opt.) Turning, or causing to turn, toward the right hand; esp., turning the plane of polarization of luminous rays toward the right hand; as, dextrorotatory crystals, sugars, etc. Cf. Levorotatory. Dextrorsal
Dextrorotatory (a.) Rotating to the right [syn: dextrorotary, dextrorotatory, right-handed].
Dextrorsal (a.) Alt. of Dextrorse
Dextrorse (a.) (Botany) Turning from the left to the right, in the ascending line, as in the spiral inclination of the stem of the common morning-glory ; as, dextrorse vines.
Note: At present scientists predicate dextrorse or sinistrorse quality of the plant regarded objectively; formerly the plant was regarded subjectively, and what is now called dextrorse was then considered sinistrorse.
Dextrorsal (a.) Spiraling upward from left to right; "dextrorse vines" [syn: dextrorse, dextrorsal].
Dextrose (n.) (Chem.) A sirupy, or white crystalline, variety of sugar, C6H12O6 (so called from turning the plane of polarization to the right), occurring in many ripe fruits. Dextrose and levulose are obtained by the inversion of cane sugar or sucrose, and hence called invert sugar. Dextrose is chiefly obtained by the action of heat and acids on starch, and hence called also starch sugar. It is also formed from starchy food by the action of the amylolytic ferments of saliva and pancreatic juice.
Note: The solid products are known to the trade as grape sugar; the sirupy products as glucose, or mixing sirup. These are harmless, but are only about half as sweet as cane sugar or sucrose. Dextrously Dextrous
Dextrose (n.) An isomer of glucose that is found in honey and sweet fruits [syn: dextrose, dextroglucose, grape sugar].
Dextrous (n.) Alt. of Dextrousness
Dextrously (n.) Alt. of Dextrousness
Dextrousness (n.) Same as Dexterous, Dexterously, etc.
Dextrous (a.) Skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands; "a deft waiter"; "deft fingers massaged her face"; "dexterous of hand and inventive of mind" [syn: deft, dexterous, dextrous].
Dey (n.) A servant who has charge of the dairy; a dairymaid. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Deys (n. pl. ) of Dey
Dey (n.) The governor of Algiers; -- so called before the French conquest in 1830.
Deye (v. i.) To die. [Obs.] -- Chaucer. Deynte
Deynte (n. & a.) Alt. of Deyntee
Deyntee (n. & a.) See Dainty. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Dezincification (n.) The act or process of freeing from zinc; also, the condition resulting from the removal of zinc.
Dezincify (v. t.) To deprive of, or free from, zinc.
Dhole (n.) A fierce, wild dog (Canis Dukhunensis), found in the mountains of India. It is remarkable for its propensity to hunt the tiger and other wild animals in packs.
Dhony (n.) A Ceylonese boat. See Doni.
Dhoorra (n.) Alt. of Dhurra
Dhourra (n.) Alt. of Dhurra
Dhurra (n.) Indian millet. See Durra.
Dhow (n.) A coasting vessel of Arabia, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean. It has generally but one mast and a lateen sail.
Di- () A prefix, signifying twofold, double, twice
Di- () denoting two atoms, radicals, groups, or equivalents, as the case may be. See Bi-, 2.
Dia- () Alt. of Di-
Di- () A prefix denoting through; also, between, apart, asunder, across. Before a vowel dia-becomes di-; as, diactinic; dielectric, etc.
Diabase (n.) (Min.) A basic, dark-colored, holocrystalline, igneous rock, consisting essentially of a triclinic feldspar and pyroxene with magnetic iron; -- often limited to rocks pretertiary in age. It includes part of what was early called greenstone.
Diabaterial (a.) Passing over the borders. [R.] -- Mitford.
Diabetes (n.) (Med.) Any of several diseases which is attended with a persistent, excessive discharge of urine; when used without qualification, the term usually refers to diabetes mellitus. The most common form is diabetes mellitus, in which the urine is not only increased in quantity, but contains saccharine matter, and the condition if untreated is generally fatal.
Note: The two major subtypes recognized are Diabetes insipidus and Diabetes mellitus. In Diabetes insipidus there is excretion of large amounts of urine of relatively low density, accompanied by extreme thirst, but the urine contains no abnormal constituent. The more serious form diabetes mellitus (from Latin mellitus, sweetened with honey) is a metabolic disease in which the utilization of carbohydrate is reduced and that of lipids and proteins is increased. This form is caused by a deficiency in insulin (which is mostly formed in the pancreas), and may be accompanied by glucosuria, hyperglycemia, elecrolyte loss, ketoacidosis, and sometimes coma. It has severe long-term effects, including damage to the nerves, the retina, and the kidney, and degeneration of blood vessels which may lead to poor circulation, especially in the limbs, subsequent infection, and eventual loss of limbs. Diabetes mellitus itself has recognized variants, being divided into insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is also called adult-onset diabetes (abbreviated NIDDM), and is the less severe form of diabetes mellitus, occurring mostly in obese individuals over the age of 35. It may be treated by diet and oral hypoglycemic agents, though occasionally serious degenerative effects may develop. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (abbreviated IDDM), also called type I diabetes, is a severe form of the disease, usually starting when the affected person is young (hence also called juvenile-onset diabetes). In addition to the increased urine (polyuria) common to all forms of diabetes, this form is characterized by low levels of insulin in the blood, ketoacidosis, increased appetite, and increased fluid intake, and may lead to weight loss and eventually the severe degenerative effects mentioned above. Treatment requires administration of insulin and careful regulation of the diet. -- Stedman
Diabetes mellitus [NL., sweet diabetes], That form of diabetes in which the urine contains saccharine matter.
Diabetes insipidus [NL., lit., diabetes], The form of diabetes in which the urine contains no abnormal constituent. Diabetic
Diabetes (n.) A polygenic disease characterized by abnormally high glucose levels in the blood; any of several metabolic disorders marked by excessive urination and persistent thirst.
Diabetic (a.) Alt. of Diabetical
Diabetical (a.) Pertaining to diabetes; as, diabetic or diabetical treatment. -- Quian.
Diabetic sugar. (Chem.) Same as Dextrose. Diablerie
Diabetic (a.) Of or relating to or causing diabetes.
Diabetic (a.) Suffering from diabetes.
Diabetic (n.) Someone who has diabetes.
Diablerie (n.) Alt. of Diabley
Diabley (n.) Devilry; sorcery or incantation; a diabolical deed; mischief. Diabolic
Diabolic (a.) Alt. of Diabolical
Diabolical (a.) 魔鬼的；殘忍的 Pertaining to the devil; resembling, or appropriate, or appropriate to, the devil; devilish; infernal; impious; atrocious; nefarious; outrageously wicked; as, a diabolic or diabolical temper or act ; the diabolical expression on his face; fires lit up a diabolic scene. "Diabolic power." -- Milton. "The diabolical institution." -- Motley.
Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean.
Diabolical (a.) Showing a wicked cunning or ingenuity; as, the cold calculation and diabolic art of some statesmen.
Syn: devilish, mephistophelian, mephistophelean.
Diabolical (a.) Extremely evil or cruel; atrocious; outrageously wicked; as, diabolical sorcerers under the influence of devils; diabolical torturers taking pleasure in their craft.
Syn: demonic, fiendish, hellish, infernal, nefarious, satanic. -- Di`a*bol"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Di`a*bol"ic*al*ness, n.
Diabolic (a.) Showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of a devil; "devilish schemes"; "the cold calculation and diabolic art of some statesmen"; "the diabolical expression on his face"; "a mephistophelian glint in his eye" [syn: devilish, diabolic, diabolical, mephistophelian, mephistophelean].
Diabolic (a.) Extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell; "something demonic in him--something that could be cruel"; "fires lit up a diabolic scene"; "diabolical sorcerers under the influence of devils"; "a fiendish despot"; "hellish torture"; "infernal instruments of war"; "satanic cruelty"; "unholy grimaces" [syn: demonic, diabolic, diabolical, fiendish, hellish, infernal, satanic, unholy].
Diabolify (v. t.) To ascribed diabolical qualities to; to change into, or to represent as, a devil. [R.] -- Farindon.
Diabolism (n.) Character, action, or principles appropriate to the devil.
Diabolism (n.) Possession by the devil. -- Bp. Warburton.
Diabolize (v. t.) To render diabolical. [R.]
Diabolize (v.) Turn into a devil or make devilish; "Man devilized by war" [syn: devilize, devilise, diabolize, diabolise].
Diacatholicon (n.) (Med.) A universal remedy; -- name formerly to a purgative electuary.
Diacaustic (a.) (Opt.) Pertaining to, or possessing the properties of, a species of caustic curves formed by refraction. See Caustic surface, under Caustic.
Diacaustic (n.) (Med.) That which burns by refraction, as a double convex lens, or the sun's rays concentrated by such a lens, sometimes used as a cautery.
Diacaustic (n.) (Math.) A curved formed by the consecutive intersections of rays of light refracted through a lens. Diachylon
Diachylon (n.) Alt. of Diachylum
Diachylum (n.) (Med. & Chem.) A plaster originally composed of the juices of several plants (whence its name), but now made of an oxide of lead and oil, and consisting essentially of glycerin mixed with lead salts of the fat acids.
Diacid (a.) (Chem.) Divalent; -- said of a base or radical as capable of saturating two acid monad radicals or a dibasic acid. Cf. Dibasic, a., and Biacid.
Diacodium (n.) A sirup made of poppies.
Diaconal (a.) Of or pertaining to a deacon.
Diaconate (n.) The office of a deacon; deaconship; also, a body or board of deacons.
Diaconate (a.) Governed by deacons. "Diaconate church." -- T. Goodwin.
Diacope (n.) (Gram.) Tmesis.
Diacoustic (a.) Pertaining to the science or doctrine of refracted sounds.
Diacoustics (n.) That branch of natural philosophy which treats of the properties of sound as affected by passing through different mediums; -- called also diaphonics. See the Note under Acoustics. Diacritic
Diacritic (a.) Alt. of Diacritical
Diacritical (a.) That separates or distinguishes; -- applied to points or marks used to distinguish letters of similar form, or different sounds of the same letter, as, [=a], [a^], [aum], [=o], [o^], etc. "Diacritical points." -- Sir W. Jones.
A glance at this typography will reveal great difficulties, which diacritical marks necessarily throw in the way of both printer and writer. -- A. J. Ellis.
Diacritical (a.) Capable of distinguishing; "students having superior diacritic powers"; "the diacritic elements in culture" -- S. F. Nadel [syn: diacritic, diacritical].
Diactinic (a.) (Physics) Capable of transmitting the chemical or actinic rays of light; as, diactinic media.
Diadelphia (n. pl.) (Bot.) A Linnaean class of plants whose stamens are united into two bodies or bundles by their filaments. Diadelphian
Diadelphian (a.) Alt. of Diadelphous
Diadelphous (a.) (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the class Diadelphia; having the stamens united into two bodies by their filaments (said of a plant or flower); grouped into two bundles or sets by coalescence of the filaments (said of stamens).
Diadem (n.) Originally, an ornamental head band or fillet, worn by Eastern monarchs as a badge of royalty; hence (later), also, a crown, in general. "The regal diadem." -- Milton.
Diadem (n.) Regal power; sovereignty; empire; -- considered as symbolized by the crown.
Diadem (n.) (Her.) An arch rising from the rim of a crown (rarely also of a coronet), and uniting with others over its center.
Diadem lemur. (Zool.) See Indri.
Diadem spider (Zool.), The garden spider.
Diadem (v. t.) To adorn with a diadem; to crown.
Not so, when diadem'd with rays divine. -- Pope.
To terminate the evil, To diadem the right. -- R. H. Neale.
Diadem (n.) An ornamental jeweled headdress signifying sovereignty [syn: crown, diadem].
Diadrom (n.) A complete course or vibration; time of vibration, as of a pendulum. [Obs.] -- Locke. Diaeresis
Diaereses (n. pl. ) of Dieresis
Diereses (n. pl. ) of Dieresis
Diaeresis (n.) Alt. of Dieresis
Dieresis (n.) (Gram.) The separation or resolution of one syllable into two; -- the opposite of synaeresis.
Dieresis (n.) A mark consisting of two dots [[umlaut]], placed over the second of two adjacent vowels, to denote that they are to be pronounced as distinct letters; as, co["o]perate, a["e]rial.
Dieresis (n.) A diacritical mark (two dots) placed over a vowel in German to indicate a change in sound [syn: umlaut, dieresis, diaeresis].
Diaeretic (a.) (Med.) Caustic. [Obs.]
Diageotropic (a.) (Bot.) Relating to, or exhibiting, diageotropism.
Diageotropism (n.) (Bot.) The tendency of organs (as roots) of plants to assume a position oblique or transverse to a direction towards the center of the earth.
Diaglyph (n.) An intaglio. -- Mollett. Diaglyphic
Diaglyph (n.) Glyptic art consisting of a sunken or depressed engraving or carving on a stone or gem (as opposed to cameo) [syn: intaglio, diaglyph].
Diaglyphic (a.) Alt. of Diaglyphtic
Diaglyphtic (a.) Represented or formed by depressions in the general surface; as, diaglyphic sculpture or engraving; -- opposed to anaglyphic.
Diagnose (v. t. & i.) To ascertain by diagnosis; to diagnosticate. See Diagnosticate.
Diagnose (v.) Determine or distinguish the nature of a problem or an illness through a diagnostic analysis [syn: diagnose, name].
Diagnose (v.) Subject to a medical analysis.
Diagnoses (n. pl. ) of Diagnosis
Diagnosis (n.) (Med.) 診斷；診斷結果；診斷書 [C] [U] [（+of）]；調查分析，判斷；判斷結論 [C] [U] [（+of）]；【生】特徵簡介 The art or act of recognizing the presence of disease from its signs or symptoms, and deciding as to its character; also, the decision arrived at.
Diagnosis (n.) Hence, the act or process of identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon, especially the abnormal behavior of an animal or artifactual device; as, diagnosis of a vibration in an automobile; diagnosis of the failure of a sales campaign; diagnosis of a computer malfunction.
Diagnosis (n.) Scientific determination of any kind; the concise description of characterization of a species.
Diagnosis (n.) Critical perception or scrutiny; judgment based on such scrutiny; esp., perception of, or judgment concerning, motives and character.
The quick eye for effects, the clear diagnosis of men's minds, and the love of epigram. -- Compton Reade.
My diagnosis of his character proved correct. -- J. Payn.
Differential diagnosis (Med.), The determination of the distinguishing characteristics as between two similar diseases or conditions.
Diagnosis (n.) Identifying the nature or cause of some phenomenon [syn: diagnosis, diagnosing].
Diagnosis (n.) A physician's forecast of the disease by the patient's pulse and purse.
Diagnostic (a.) 診斷的，診斷上有價值的 Pertaining to, or furnishing, a diagnosis; indicating the nature of a disease.