Dit Dit transitive verb [ Anglo-Saxon
dyttan , akin to Icelandic
ditta .]
To close up. [ Obsolete]
Dr. H. More.
Ditation Di·ta"tion noun [ Latin
ditare to enrich, from
dis ,
ditis , same as
dives , rich.]
The act of making rich; enrichment. [ Obsolete]
Bp. Hall.
Ditch Ditch noun ;
plural Ditches . [ Middle English
dich , orig. the same word as
dik . See
Dike .]
1. A trench made in the earth by digging, particularly a trench for draining wet land, for guarding or fencing inclosures, or for preventing an approach to a town or fortress. In the latter sense, it is called also a moat or a fosse . 2. Any long, narrow receptacle for water on the surface of the earth.
Ditch Ditch transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Ditched ;
present participle & verbal noun Ditching .]
1. To dig a ditch or ditches in; to drain by a ditch or ditches; as, to ditch moist land. 2. To surround with a ditch. Shak. 3. To throw into a ditch; as, the engine was ditched and turned on its side.
Ditch Ditch intransitive verb To dig a ditch or ditches. Swift.
Ditcher Ditch"er noun One who digs ditches.
Dite Dite transitive verb [ See
Dight .]
To prepare for action or use; to make ready; to dight. [ Obsolete]
His hideous club aloft he dites .
Spenser.
Diterebene Di·ter"e·bene noun [ Prefix
di- +
terebene .]
(Chemistry) See Colophene .
Dithecal, Dithecous Di·the"cal, Di·the"cous adjective [ Prefix
di- +
theca .]
(Botany) Having two thecæ, cells, or compartments.
Ditheism Di"the·ism noun [ Prefix
di- +
theism : confer French
dithéisme .]
The doctrine of those who maintain the existence of two gods or of two original principles (as in Manicheism), one good and one evil; dualism.
Ditheist Di"the·ist noun One who holds the doctrine of ditheism; a dualist. Cudworth.
Ditheistic, Ditheistical Di`the·is"tic, Di`the·is"tic·al adjective Pertaining to ditheism; dualistic.
Dithionic Di`thi·on"ic adjective [ Prefix
di- +
-thionic .]
(Chemistry) Containing two equivalents of sulphur; as, dithionic acid. Dithionic acid (Chemistry) ,
an unstable substance, H 2 S 2 O 6 , known only in its solutions, and in certain well-defined salts.
Dithyramb Dith"y·ramb noun [ Latin
dithyrambus , Greek ... a kind of lyric poetry in honor of Bacchus; also, a name of Bacchus; of unknown origin: confer French
dithyrambe .]
A kind of lyric poetry in honor of Bacchus, usually sung by a band of revelers to a flute accompaniment; hence, in general, a poem written in a wild irregular strain. Bentley.
Dithyrambic Dith`y·ram"bic adjective [ Latin
dithyrambicus , Greek ...: confer French
dithyrambique .]
Pertaining to, or resembling, a dithyramb; wild and boisterous. "
Dithyrambic sallies."
Longfellow. --
noun A dithyrambic poem; a dithyramb.
Dithyrambus Dith`y·ram"bus noun [ Latin ]
See Dithyramb .
Dition Di"tion noun [ Latin
ditio ,
dicio : confer French
dition .]
Dominion; rule. [ Obsolete]
Evelyn.
Ditionary Di"tion·a·ry adjective Under rule; subject; tributary. [ Obsolete]
Chapman.
Ditionary Di"tion·a·ry noun A subject; a tributary. [ Obsolete]
Eden.
Ditokous Di"to·kous adjective [ Greek
di- =
di`s- twice + ... a bringing forth, offspring.]
(Zoology) (a) Having two kinds of young, as certain annelids. (b) Producing only two eggs for a clutch, as certain birds do.
Ditolyl Di·tol"yl noun [ Prefix
di- +
tolyl .]
(Chemistry) A white, crystalline, aromatic hydrocarbon, C 14 H 14 , consisting of two radicals or residues of toluene.
Ditone Di"tone` noun [ Greek ... of two tones;
di- =
di`s- twice + ... tone.]
(Mus.) The Greek major third, which comprehend two major tones (the modern major third contains one major and one minor whole tone).
Ditrichotomous Di`tri·chot"o·mous adjective [ Prefix
di- +
trichotomous .]
1. Divided into twos or threes. 2. (Botany) Dividing into double or treble ramifications; -- said of a leaf or stem. [ R.]
Loudon.
Ditrochean Di`tro·che"an adjective (Pros.) Containing two trochees.
Ditrochee Di·tro"chee noun [ Latin
ditrochaeus , Greek ...;
di- =
di`s- twice + ... trochee.]
(Pros.) A double trochee; a foot made up of two trochees.
Ditroite Dit"ro·ite noun [ Named from
Ditro in Transylvania.]
(Min.) An igneous rock composed of orthoclase, elæolite, and sodalite.
Ditt Ditt noun See Dit , noun , 2. [ Obsolete]
Spenser.
Dittander Dit·tan"der noun [ See
Dittany .]
(Botany) A kind of peppergrass ( Lepidium latifolium ).
Dittany Dit"ta·ny noun [ Middle English
dytane ,
detane ,
dytan , Old French
ditain , French
dictame , Latin
dictamnum , from Greek
di`ktamnon ,
di`ktamnos , a plant growing in abundance on Mount
Dicte in Crete. Confer
Dittander .]
(Botany) (a) A plant of the Mint family ( Origanum Dictamnus ), a native of Crete. (b) The Dictamnus Fraxinella . See Dictamnus . (c) In America, the Cunila Mariana , a fragrant herb of the Mint family.
Dittied Dit"tied adjective [ From
Ditty .]
Set, sung, or composed as a ditty; -- usually in composition. Who, with his soft pipe, and smooth- dittied song.
Milton.
Ditto Dit"to noun ;
plural Dittos [ Italian ,
detto ,
ditto , from Latin
dictum . See
Dictum .]
The aforesaid thing; the same (as before). Often contracted to do ., or to two "turned commas" ("), or small marks. Used in bills, books of account, tables of names, etc., to save repetition. A spacious table in the center, and a variety of smaller dittos in the corners.
Dickens.
Ditto Dit"to adverb As before, or aforesaid; in the same manner; also.
Dittology Dit·tol"o·gy noun [ Greek
dittologi`a . Attic form of
dissologi`a repetition of words: ... twofold + ... to speak.]
A double reading, or twofold interpretation, as of a Scripture text. [ R.]
Ditty Dit"ty noun ;
plural Ditties . [ Middle English
dite , Old French
ditié , from Latin
dictatum , past participle neut. of
dictare to say often, dictate, compose. See
Dictate ,
transitive verb ]
1. A saying or utterance; especially, one that is short and frequently repeated; a theme. O, too high ditty for my simple rhyme.
Spenser. 2. A song; a lay; a little poem intended to be sung. "Religious, martial, or civil
ditties ."
Milton. And to the warbling lute soft ditties sing.
Sandys.
Ditty Dit"ty intransitive verb To sing; to warble a little tune. Beasts fain would sing; birds ditty to their notes.
Herbert.
Ditty-bag Dit"ty-bag` noun A sailor's small bag to hold thread, needles, tape, etc.; -- also called sailor's housewife .
Ditty-box Dit"ty-box` noun A small box to hold a sailor's thread, needless, comb, etc.
Diureide Di·u"re·ide noun [
Di- +
ureide .]
(Chemistry) One of a series of complex nitrogenous substances regarded as containing two molecules of urea or their radicals, as uric acid or allantoin. Confer Ureide .
Diuresis Di`u·re"sis noun [ New Latin See
Diuretic .]
(Medicine) Free excretion of urine.
Diuretic Di`u·ret"ic adjective [ Latin
diureticus , Greek ..., from ... to make water; ... through + ... to make water, from ... urine: confer French
diurétique .]
(Medicine) Tending to increase the secretion and discharge of urine. --
noun A medicine with diuretic properties. Diuretic salt (Medicine) ,
potassium acetate; -- so called because of its diuretic properties.
Diuretical Di`u·ret"ic·al adjective Diuretic. [ Obsolete]
Boyle.
Diureticalness Di`u·ret"ic·al·ness noun The quality of being diuretical; diuretic property.
Diurna Di·ur"na noun plural [ New Latin , from Latin
diurnus belonging to the day.]
(Zoology) A division of Lepidoptera , including the butterflies; -- so called because they fly only in the daytime.
Diurnal Di·ur"nal adjective [ Latin
diurnalis , from
dies day. See
Deity , and confer
Journal .]
1. Relating to the daytime; belonging to the period of daylight, distinguished from the night; -- opposed to nocturnal ; as, diurnal heat; diurnal hours. 2. Daily; recurring every day; performed in a day; going through its changes in a day; constituting the measure of a day; as, a diurnal fever; a diurnal task; diurnal aberration, or diurnal parallax; the diurnal revolution of the earth. Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring
Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring.
Shak. 3. (Botany) Opening during the day, and closing at night; -- said of flowers or leaves. 4. (Zoology) Active by day; -- applied especially to the eagles and hawks among raptorial birds, and to butterflies (Diurna) among insects. Diurnal aberration (Anat.) ,
the aberration of light arising from the effect of the earth's rotation upon the apparent direction of motion of light. --
Diurnal arc ,
the arc described by the sun during the daytime or while above the horizon; hence, the arc described by the moon or a star from rising to setting. --
Diurnal circle ,
the apparent circle described by a celestial body in consequence of the earth's rotation. --
Diurnal motion of the earth ,
the motion of the earth upon its axis which is described in twenty-four hours. --
Diurnal motion of a heavenly body ,
that apparent motion of the heavenly body which is due to the earth's diurnal motion. --
Diurnal parallax .
See under Parallax . --
Diurnal revolution of a planet ,
the motion of the planet upon its own axis which constitutes one complete revolution. Syn. -- See
Daily .
Diurnal Di·ur"nal noun [ Confer French
diurnal a prayerbook. See
Diurnal ,
adjective ]
1. A daybook; a journal. [ Obsolete]
Tatler. 2. (R. C. Ch.) A small volume containing the daily service for the "little hours," viz., prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline. 3. (Zoology) A diurnal bird or insect.
Diurnalist Di·ur"nal·ist noun A journalist. [ Obsolete]
Bp. Hall.
Diurnally Di·ur"nal·ly adverb Daily; every day.
Diurnalness Di·ur"nal·ness noun The quality of being diurnal.
Diurnation Di`ur·na"tion noun 1. Continuance during the day. [ Obsolete]
2. (Zoology) The condition of sleeping or becoming dormant by day, as is the case of the bats.
Diuturnal Di`u·tur"nal adjective [ Latin
diuturnus , from
diu a long time, by day; akin to
dies day.]
Of long continuance; lasting. [ R.]
Milton.
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