Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter D - Page 91
Doubtfulness (n.) Uncertainty of event or issue. -- Bacon.
Doubtfulness (n.) The state of being unsure of something [syn: doubt, uncertainty, incertitude, dubiety, doubtfulness, dubiousness] [ant: certainty].
Doubtfulness (n.) Uncertainty about the truth or factuality or existence of something; "the dubiousness of his claim"; "there is no question about the validity of the enterprise" [syn: doubt, dubiousness, doubtfulness, question].
Doubting (a.) That is uncertain; that distrusts or hesitates; having doubts. -- Doubt"ing*ly, adv.
Doubting (a.) Marked by or given to doubt; "a skeptical attitude"; "a skeptical listener" [syn: doubting, questioning, skeptical, sceptical].
Doubtless (a.) Free from fear or suspicion. [Obs.]
Pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure. -- Shak.
Doubtless (adv.) Undoubtedly; without doubt.
Doubtless (adv.) Without doubt; certainly; "it's undoubtedly very beautiful" [syn: undoubtedly, doubtless, doubtlessly].
Doubtlessly (adv.) Unquestionably. -- Beau. & Fl.
Doubtlessly (adv.) Without doubt; certainly; "it's undoubtedly very beautiful" [syn: undoubtedly, doubtless, doubtlessly].
Doubtous (a.) Doubtful. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Douc (n.) (Zool.) A monkey ({Semnopithecus nemaeus), remarkable for its varied and brilliant colors. It is a native of Cochin China.
Douce (a.) Sweet; pleasant. [Obs.]
Douce (a.) Sober; prudent; sedate; modest. [Scot.]
And this is a douce, honest man. -- Sir W. Scott.
Doucepere (n.) One of the twelve peers of France, companions of Charlemagne in war. [Written also douzepere.] [Obs.]
Big-looking like a doughty doucepere. -- Spenser. Doucet
Doucet (n.) Alt. of Dowset.
Dowset (n.) A custard. [Obs.]
Dowset (n.) A dowcet, or deep's testicle.
Dowcet (n.) [See Doucet.] One of the testicles of a hart or stag. [Spelt also doucet.] -- B. Jonson.
Douceur (n.) Gentleness and sweetness of manner; agreeableness. -- Chesterfield.
Douceur (n.) A gift for service done or to be done; an honorarium; a present; sometimes, a bribe. -- Burke.
Douche (n.) A jet or current of water or vapor directed upon some part of the body to benefit it medicinally; a douche bath.
Douche (n.) (Med.) A syringe.
Douche (n.) A small syringe with detachable nozzles; used for vaginal lavage and enemas [syn: douche, douche bag].
Douche (n.) Irrigation with a jet of water or medicated solution into or around a body part (especially the vagina) to treat infections or cleanse from odorous contents.
Douche (v.) Direct a spray of water into a bodily cavity, for cleaning.
Doucine (n.) [F.] (Arch.) Same as Cyma recta, under Cyma.
Doucine (n.) (pl. -s) A molding that is convex and concave in continuous curve: Cyma.
Compare: Cyma recta
Cyma recta (n.) (pl. cymae rectae) (Arch.) A cyma (moulding) concave in its upper part, and convex in its lower part.
Golden-eye (n.) (Zool.) A duck ({Glaucionetta clangula), found in Northern Europe, Asia, and America. The American variety (var. Americana) is larger. Called whistler, garrot, gowdy, pied widgeon, whiteside, curre, and doucker. Barrow's golden-eye of America ({Glaucionetta Islandica) is less common.
Doucker (v. t.) (Zool.) A grebe or diver; -- applied also to the golden-eye, pochard, scoter, and other ducks. [Written also ducker.] [Prov. Eng.]
Dough (n.) Paste of bread; a soft mass of moistened flour or meal, kneaded or unkneaded, but not yet baked; as, to knead dough.
Dough (n.) Anything of the consistency of such paste.
To have one's cake dough. See under Cake.
Dough (n.) A flour mixture stiff enough to knead or roll.
Dough (n.) Informal terms for money [syn: boodle, bread, cabbage, clams, dinero, dough, gelt, kale, lettuce, lolly, lucre, loot, moolah, pelf, scratch, shekels, simoleons, sugar, wampum].
Dough, () (batsek, meaning "swelling," i.e., in fermentation). The dough the Israelites had prepared for baking was carried away by them out of Egypt in their kneading-troughs (Ex. 12:34, 39). In the process of baking, the dough had to be turned (Hos. 7:8).
Dough-baked (a.) Imperfectly baked; hence, not brought to perfection; unfinished; also, of weak or dull understanding. [Colloq.] -- Halliwell.
Doughbird (n.) (Zool.) The Eskimo curlew ({Numenius borealis). See Curlew.
Doughface (n.) A contemptuous nickname for a timid, yielding politician, or one who is easily molded. [Political cant, U. S.]
Dough-faced (a.) Easily molded; pliable.
Doughfaceism (n.) The character of a doughface; truckling pliability.
Doughiness (n.) The quality or state of being doughy.
Dough-kneaded (a.) Like dough; soft.
He demeans himself . . . like a dough-kneaded thing. -- Milton.
Doughnut (n.) A small cake (usually sweetened) fried in a kettle of boiling lard.
Doughnut (n.) A toroidal shape; "a ring of ships in the harbor"; "a halo of smoke" [syn: ring, halo, annulus, doughnut, anchor ring].
Doughnut (n.) A small ring-shaped friedcake [syn: doughnut, donut, sinker].
Doughtily (adv.) In a doughty manner.
Doughtiness (n.) The quality of being doughty; valor; bravery.
Doughtren (n. pl.) Daughters. [Obs.] -- Chaucer.
Doughty (a.) Able; strong; valiant; redoubtable; as, a doughty hero.
Sir Thopas wex [grew] a doughty swain. -- Chaucer.
Doughty families, hugging old musty quarrels to their hearts, buffet each other from generation to generation. -- Motley.
Note: Now seldom used, except in irony or burlesque.
Doughy (a.) Like dough; soft and heavy; pasty; crude; flabby and pale; as, a doughy complexion.
Doughy (a.) Having the consistency of dough because of insufficient leavening or improper cooking; "the cake fell; it's a doughy mess" [syn: doughy, soggy].
Doulocracy (n.) A government by slaves. [Written also dulocracy.] -- Hare.
Doum palm () See Doom palm.
Doom palm, () (Bot.) A species of palm tree ({Hyph[ae]ne Thebaica), highly valued for the fibrous pulp of its fruit, which has the flavor of gingerbread, and is largely eaten in Egypt and Abyssinia. [Written also doum palm.]
Doupe (n.) (Zool.) The carrion crow. [Written also dob.] [Prov. Eng.]
Dour (a.) Hard; inflexible; obstinate; sour in aspect; hardy; bold. [Scot.]
A dour wife, A sour old carlin. -- C. Reade. Doura
Dour (a.) Stubbornly unyielding; "dogged persistence"; "dour determination"; "the most vocal and pertinacious of all the critics"; "a mind not gifted to discover truth but tenacious to hold it" -- T.S.Eliot; "men tenacious of opinion" [syn: dogged, dour, persistent, pertinacious, tenacious, unyielding].
Dour (a.) Harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance; "a dour, self-sacrificing life"; "a forbidding scowl"; "a grim man loving duty more than humanity"; "undoubtedly the grimmest part of him was his iron claw" -- J.M.Barrie [syn: dour, forbidding, grim].
Dour (a.) Showing a brooding ill humor; "a dark scowl"; "the proverbially dour New England Puritan"; "a glum, hopeless shrug"; "he sat in moody silence"; "a morose and unsociable manner"; "a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius" -- Bruce Bliven; "a sour temper"; "a sullen crowd" [syn: dark, dour, glowering, glum, moody, morose, saturnine, sour, sullen].
Doura, dourah (n.) Sorghums of dry regions of Asia and North Africa; A kind of millet. See Durra.
Syn: durra, doura, dourah, Egyptian corn, Indian millet, Guinea corn.
Doura (n.) A kind of millet. See Durra.
Durra (n.) (Bot.) A kind of millet, cultivated throughout Asia, and introduced into the south of Europe; a variety of Sorghum vulgare; -- called also Indian millet, and Guinea corn. [Written also dhoorra, dhurra, doura, etc.]
Doura (n.) Sorghums of dry regions of Asia and North Africa [syn: durra, doura, dourah, Egyptian corn, Indian millet, Guinea corn].
Douroucouli (n.) See Durukuli.
Douroucouli (n.) (Zool.) A small, nocturnal, South American monkey of the genus Aotus (formerly Nyctipithecus trivirgatus), with large owl-like eyes; hence, the common name owl monkey. [Written also Durukuli and dourikuli.]
Durukuli (n.) (Zool.) A small, nocturnal, South American monkey of the genus Aotus (formerly Nyctipthecus trivirgatus). The owl monkey. See douroucouli. [Written also douroucouli.]
Douroucouli (n.) Nocturnal monkey of Central America and South America with large eyes and thick fur [syn: douroucouli, Aotus trivirgatus].
Doused (imp. & p. p.) of Douse.
Dousing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Douse.
Douse (v. t.) To plunge suddenly into water; to duck; to immerse; to dowse. -- Bp. Stillingfleet.
Douse (v. t.) (Naut.) To strike or lower in haste; to slacken suddenly; as, douse the topsail.
Douse (v. i.) To fall suddenly into water. -- Hudibras.
Douse (v. t.) To put out; to extinguish ; as, douse the lights. [Slang] " To douse the glim." -- Sir W. Scott.
Douse (v.) 1: Put out, as of a candle or a light; "Douse the lights" [syn: douse, put out].
Douse (v.) Wet thoroughly [syn: douse, dowse].
Douse (v.) Dip into a liquid; "He dipped into the pool" [syn: dip, douse, duck].
Douse (v.) Immerse briefly into a liquid so as to wet, coat, or saturate; "dip the garment into the cleaning solution"; "dip the brush into the paint" [syn: dunk, dip, souse, plunge, douse].
Douse (v.) Lower quickly; "douse a sail."
Douse (v.) Slacken; "douse a rope" [syn: douse, dowse].
Douse (v.) Cover with liquid; pour liquid onto; "souse water on his hot face" [syn: drench, douse, dowse, soak, sop, souse].
Dousing-chock (n.) (Shipbuilding) One of several pieces fayed across the apron and lapped in the knightheads, or inside planking above the upper deck. -- Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Dout (v. t.) To put out. [Obs.] "It douts the light." -- Sylvester.
Douter (n.) An extinguisher for candles. [Obs.]
Dove (n.) (Zool.) A pigeon of the genus Columba and various related genera. The species are numerous.
Note: The domestic dove, including the varieties called fantails, tumblers, carrier pigeons, etc., was rock+pigeon+({Columba+livia">derived from the rock pigeon ({Columba livia) of Europe and Asia; the turtledove of Europe, celebrated for its sweet, plaintive note, is Columba turtur or Turtur vulgaris; the ringdove, the largest of European species, is Columba palumbus; the Carolina dove, or Mourning dove, is Zenaidura macroura; the sea+dove+is+the+little+auk+({Mergulus+alle">sea dove is the little auk ({Mergulus alle or Alle alle). See Turtledove, Ground dove, and Rock pigeon. The dove is a symbol of peace, innocence, gentleness, and affection; also, in art and in the Scriptures, the typical symbol of the Holy Ghost.
Dove (n.) A word of endearment for one regarded as pure and gentle.
O my dove, . . . let me hear thy voice. -- Cant. ii. 14.
Dove (n.) A person advocating peace, compromise or conciliation rather than war or conflict. Opposite of hawk.
Dove+tick+(Zool.),+A+mite+({Argas+reflexus">Dove tick (Zool.), a mite ({Argas reflexus) which infests doves and other birds.
Soiled dove, A prostitute. [Slang] Dovecot
Dove (n.) Any of numerous small pigeons.
Dove (n.) Someone who prefers negotiations to armed conflict in the conduct of foreign relations [syn: dove, peacenik] [ant: hawk, war hawk].
Dove (n.) A constellation in the southern hemisphere near Puppis and Caelum [syn: Columba, Dove].
Dove (n.) Flesh of a pigeon suitable for roasting or braising; flesh of a dove (young squab) may be broiled [syn: squab, dove].
Dove (n.) An emblem of peace.
Compare: Ringdove
Ringdove (n.) (Zool.) A European wild pigeon ({Columba palumbus) having a white crescent on each side of the neck, whence the name. Called also wood pigeon, and cushat.
Ringdove (n.) Greyish Old World turtledove with a black band around the neck; often caged [syn: ringdove, Streptopelia risoria].
Ringdove (n.) Eurasian pigeon with white patches on wings and neck [syn: wood pigeon, ringdove, cushat, Columba palumbus].
Dovecot (n.) Alt. of Dovecote.
Dovecote (n.) A small house or box, raised to a considerable height above the ground, and having compartments, in which domestic pigeons breed; a dove house.
Like an eagle in a dovecote, I Fluttered your Volscians in Corioli. -- Shak.
Dovecote (n.) A birdhouse for pigeons [syn: dovecote, columbarium, columbary].
Dove-eyed (a.) Having eyes like a dove; meekeyed; as, dove-eyed Peace.
Compare: Rotche
Rotche (n.) (Zool.) A very small arctic sea bird ({Mergulus alle, or Alle alle) common on both coasts of the Atlantic in winter; -- called also little auk, dovekie, rotch, rotchie, and sea dove.
Dovekie (n.) (Zool.) A guillemot ({Uria grylle), of the arctic regions. Also applied to the little auk or sea dove. See under Dove.
Dovekie (n.) Small short-billed auk abundant in Arctic regions [syn: little auk, dovekie, Plautus alle].
Dovelet (n.) A young or small dove. -- Booth.
Dovelike (a.) Mild as a dove; gentle; pure and lovable. -- Longfellow.
Dove plant () (Bot.) A Central American orchid ({Peristeria elata), having a flower stem five or six feet high, with numerous globose white fragrant flowers. The column in the center of the flower resembles a dove; -- called also Holy Spirit plant.
Dover's Powder () (Med.) A powder of ipecac and opium, compounded, in the United States, with sugar of milk, but in England (as formerly in the United States) with sulphate of potash, and in France (as in Dr. Dover's original prescription) with nitrate and sulphate of potash and licorice. It is an anodyne diaphoretic.
Dove's-foot (n.) (Bot.) A small annual species of Geranium, native in England; -- so called from the shape of the leaf.
Dove's-foot (n.) (Bot.) The columbine. [Prov. Eng.] -- Halliwell.
Doveship (n.) The possession of dovelike qualities, harmlessness and innocence. [Obs.] -- Bp. Hall.
Dovetail (n.) (Carp.) A flaring tenon, or tongue (shaped like a bird's tail spread), and a mortise, or socket, into which it fits tightly, making an interlocking joint between two pieces which resists pulling a part in all directions except one.
Dovetail molding (Arch.), A molding of any convex section arranged in a sort of zigzag, like a series of dovetails.
Dovetail saw (Carp.), A saw used in dovetailing.
Dovetailed (imp. & p. p.) of Dovetail.
Dovetailing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Dovetail.
Dovetail (v. t.) (Carp.) To cut to a dovetail.
Dovetail (v. t.) (Carp.) To join by means of dovetails.
Dovetail (v. t.) To fit in or connect strongly, skillfully, or nicely; to fit ingeniously or complexly.
He put together a piece of joinery so crossly indented and whimsically dovetailed . . . that it was indeed a very curious show. -- Burke.
Dovetail (n.) A mortise joint formed by interlocking tenons and mortises [syn: dovetail, dovetail joint].
Dovetail (v.) Fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetail.
Dovish (a.) Like a dove; harmless; innocent. "Joined with dovish simplicity." -- Latimer.
Dovish (a.) Advocating peace, compromise or conciliation rather than war or conflict. Opposite of hawkish.
Dovish (a.) Opposed to war [syn: pacifist(a), pacifistic, dovish].
Compare: Dhow
Dhow (n.) A coasting vessel of Arabia, East Africa, and the Indian Ocean. It has generally but one mast and a lateen sail. [Also written dow.]
Dow (n.) A kind of vessel. See Dhow.
Dow (v. t.) To furnish with a dower; to endow. [Obs.] -- Wyclif.
Dow (prop. n.) (Finance) shortened form of the Dow-Jones Index or Dow Jones Industrial Average; as, the Dow rose 100 points today.
DOW, () Direct OverWrite (MO, ...)
Dowable (a.) Capable of being endowed; entitled to dower. -- Blackstone.
Dowager (n.) (Eng. Law) A widow endowed, or having a jointure; a widow who either enjoys a dower from her deceased husband, or has property of her own brought by her to her husband on marriage, and settled on her after his decease. --Blount. -- Burrill.
Dowager (n.) A title given in England to a widow, to distinguish her from the wife of her husband's heir bearing the same name; -- chiefly applied to widows of personages of rank.
With prudes for proctors, dowagers for deans. -- Tennyson.
Queen dowager, The widow of a king.
Dowager (n.) A widow holding property received from her deceased husband.
Dowager. () A widow endowed; one who has a jointure.
Dowager. () In England, this is a title or addition given to the widows of princes, dukes, earls, and other noblemen.
Dowagerism (n.) The rank or condition of a dowager; formality, as that of a dowager. Also used figuratively.
Mansions that have passed away into dowagerism. -- Thackeray.
Dowcet (n.) One of the testicles of a hart or stag. [Spelt also doucet.] -- B. Jonson.
Dowdy (a.) Showing a vulgar taste in dress; awkward and slovenly in dress; vulgar-looking. -- Dow"di*ly, adv. -- Dow"di*ness, n.
Dowdies (n. pl. ) of Dowdy.
Dowdy (n.) An awkward, vulgarly dressed, inelegant woman. -- Shak.
Dowdy (a.) Lacking in smartness or taste; "a dowdy grey outfit"; "a clean and sunny but completely dowdy room."
Dowdy (a.) Primly out of date; "nothing so frumpish as last year's gambling game" [syn: dowdy, frumpy, frumpish].
Dowdy (n.) British marshal of the RAF who commanded the British air defense forces that defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain (1882-1970) [syn: Dowding, Hugh Dowding, Baron Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding, Dowdy].
Dowdy (n.) Deep-dish apple dessert covered with a rich crust [syn: dowdy, pandowdy].
Dowdyish (a.) Like a dowdy.
Dowel (n.) A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into holes in the abutting portions of two pieces, and being partly in one piece and partly in the other, to keep them in their proper relative position.
Dowel (n.) A piece of wood driven into a wall, so that other pieces may be nailed to it.
Dowel joint, A joint secured by a dowel or dowels.
Dowel pin, A dowel. See Dowel, n., 1.
Doweled (imp. & p. p.) of Dowel.
Dowelled () of Dowel.
Doweling (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Dowel.
Dowelling () of Dowel.
Dowel (v. t.) To fasten together by dowels; to furnish with dowels; as, a cooper dowels pieces for the head of a cask.
Dowel (n.) A fastener that is inserted into holes in two adjacent pieces and holds them together [syn: dowel, dowel pin, joggle].
Dower (n.) That with which one is gifted or endowed; endowment; gift.
How great, how plentiful, how rich a dower! -- Sir J. Davies.
Man in his primeval dower arrayed. -- Wordsworth.
Dower (n.) The property with which a woman is endowed ; especially:
Dower (n.) That which a woman brings to a husband in marriage; dowry. [Obs.]
His wife brought in dower Cilicia's crown. -- Dryden.
Dower (n.) (Law) That portion of the real estate of a man which his widow enjoys during her life, or to which a woman is entitled after the death of her husband. -- Blackstone.
Note: Dower, in modern use, is and should be distinguished from dowry. The former is a provision for a widow on her husband's death; the latter is a bride's portion on her marriage. -- Abbott.
Assignment of dower. See under Assignment.
Dower (n.) Money or property brought by a woman to her husband at marriage [syn: dowry, dowery, dower, portion].
Dower (n.) A life estate to which a wife is entitled on the death of her husband.
Dower (v.) Furnish with an endowment; "When she got married, she got dowered" [syn: endow, dower].
Dowered (p. a.) Furnished with, or as with, dower or a marriage portion. -- Shak.
Dowered (a.) Supplied with a dower or dowry.
Dowerless (a.) Destitute of dower; having no marriage portion. -- Shak.
Dowery (n.) See Dower.
Dowitcher (n.) (Zool.) The red-breasted or gray snipe ({Macrorhamphus griseus); -- called also brownback, and grayback.
Dowitcher (n.) Shorebird of the sandpiper family that resembles a snipe.
Dowl (n.) Same as Dowle.
Dowlas (n.) A coarse linen cloth made in the north of England and in Scotland, now nearly replaced by calico. -- Shak.
Dowle (n.) Feathery or wool-like down; filament of a feather. -- Shak.
No feather, or dowle of a feather. -- De Quincey.
Down (n.) （鳥的）絨羽； 絨毛； 軟毛； 汗毛 Fine, soft, hairy outgrowth from the skin or surface of animals or plants, not matted and fleecy like wool; esp.:
Down (n.) (Zool.) The soft under feathers of birds. They have short stems with soft rachis and bards and long threadlike barbules, without hooklets.