Delay De·lay" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Delayed ;
present participle & verbal noun Delaying .] [ Old French
deleer ,
delaier , from the noun
délai , or directly from Latin
dilatare to enlarge, dilate, in Late Latin , to put off. See
Delay ,
noun , and confer
Delate , 1st
Defer ,
Dilate .]
1. To put off; to defer; to procrastinate; to prolong the time of or before. My lord delayeth his coming.
Matt. xxiv. 48. 2. To retard; to stop, detain, or hinder, for a time; to retard the motion, or time of arrival, of; as, the mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow. Thyrsis! whose artful strains have oft delayed
The huddling brook to hear his madrigal.
Milton. 3. To allay; to temper. [ Obsolete]
The watery showers delay the raging wind.
Surrey.
Delay De·lay" intransitive verb To move slowly; to stop for a time; to linger; to tarry. There seem to be certain bounds to the quickness and slowness of the succession of those ideas, . . . beyond which they can neither delay nor hasten.
Locke.
Delayer De·lay"er noun One who delays; one who lingers.
Delayingly De·lay"ing·ly adverb By delays. [ R.]
Tennyson.
Delayment De·lay"ment noun Hindrance. [ Obsolete]
Gower.
Dele De"le imperative sing. of Latin
delere to destroy. [ Confer
Delete .]
(Print.) Erase; remove; -- a direction to cancel something which has been put in type; usually expressed by a peculiar form of d , thus: &dele;.
Dele De"le transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Deled ;
present participle & verbal noun Deleing .] [ From the preceding word.]
(Print.) To erase; to cancel; to delete; to mark for omission.
Dele Dele transitive verb [ See
Deal .]
To deal; to divide; to distribute. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Deleble Del"e·ble adjective [ Latin
delebilis . See 1st
Dele .]
Capable of being blotted out or erased. "An impression easily
deleble ."
Fuller.
Delectable De·lec"ta·ble adjective [ Old French
delitable , Old French
delitable , French
délectable , from Latin
delectabilis , from
delectare to delight. See
Delight .]
Highly pleasing; delightful. Delectable both to behold and taste.
Milton. --
De*lec"ta*ble*ness ,
noun --
De*lec"ta*bly ,
adverb
Delectate De·lec"tate transitive verb [ Latin
delectatus , past participle of
delectare . See
Delight .]
To delight; to charm. [ R.]
Delectation De`lec·ta"tion noun [ Latin
delectatio : confer French
délectation .]
Great pleasure; delight.
Delectus De·lec"tus noun [ Latin , selection, from
deligere ,
delectum , to select.]
A name given to an elementary book for learners of Latin or Greek. G. Eliot.
Delegacy Del`e·ga·cy noun [ From
Delegate ,
adjective ]
1. The act of delegating, or state of being delegated; deputed power. [ Obsolete]
By way of delegacy or grand commission.
Sir W. Raleigh. 2. A body of delegates or commissioners; a delegation. [ Obsolete]
Burton.
Delegate Del"e·gate noun [ Latin
delegatus , past participle of
delegare to send, delegate;
de- +
legare to send with a commission, to depute. See
Legate .]
1. Any one sent and empowered to act for another; one deputed to represent; a chosen deputy; a representative; a commissioner; a vicar. 2. (a) One elected by the people of a territory to represent them in Congress, where he has the right of debating, but not of voting. (b) One sent by any constituency to act as its representative in a convention; as, a delegate to a convention for nominating officers, or for forming or altering a constitution. [ U.S.]
Court of delegates ,
formerly, the great court of appeal from the archbishops' courts and also from the court of admiralty. It is now abolished, and the privy council is the immediate court of appeal in such cases. [ Eng.]
Delegate Del"e·gate adjective [ Latin
delegatus , past participle ]
Sent to act for or represent another; deputed; as, a delegate judge. "
Delegate power."
Strype.
Delegate Del"e·gate transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Delegated ;
present participle & verbal noun Delegating .]
1. To send as one's representative; to empower as an ambassador; to send with power to transact business; to commission; to depute; to authorize. 2. To intrust to the care or management of another; to transfer; to assign; to commit. The delegated administration of the law.
Locke. Delegated executive power.
Bancroft. The power exercised by the legislature is the people's power, delegated by the people to the legislative.
J. B. Finch.
Delegation Del`e·ga"tion noun [ Latin
delegatio : confer French
délégation .]
1. The act of delegating, or investing with authority to act for another; the appointment of a delegate or delegates. 2. One or more persons appointed or chosen, and commissioned to represent others, as in a convention, in Congress, etc.; the collective body of delegates; as, the delegation from Massachusetts; a deputation. 3. (Rom. Law) A kind of novation by which a debtor, to be liberated from his creditor, gives him a third person, who becomes obliged in his stead to the creditor, or to the person appointed by him. Pothier.
Delegatory Del"e·ga·to·ry adjective [ Latin
delegatorius pert. to an assignment.]
Holding a delegated position. Nash.
Delenda De·len"da noun plural [ Latin , from
delere to destroy.]
Things to be erased or blotted out.
Delenifical Del`e·nif"ic·al adjective [ Latin
delenificus ;
delenire to soothe +
facere to make. See
Lenient .]
Assuaging pain. [ Obsolete]
Bailey.
Delete De·lete" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Deleted ;
present participle & verbal noun Deleting .] [ Latin
deletus , past participle of
delere to destroy. Confer 1st
Dele .]
To blot out; to erase; to expunge; to dele; to omit. I have, therefore, . . . inserted eleven stanzas which do not appear in Sir Walter Scott's version, and have deleted eight.
Aytoun.
Deleterious Del`e·te"ri·ous adjective [ Late Latin
deleterius noxious, Greek
dhlhth`rios , from
dhlei^sqai to hurt, damage; probably akin to Latin
delere to destroy.]
Hurtful; noxious; destructive; pernicious; as, a deleterious plant or quality; a deleterious example. --
Del`e*te"ri*ous*ly ,
adverb --
Del`e*te"ri*ous*ness ,
noun
Deletery Del"e·ter·y adjective [ Late Latin
deleterius : confer French
délétère .]
Destructive; poisonous. [ Obsolete] "
Deletery medicines."
Hudibras.
Deletery Del"e·ter·y noun That which destroys. [ Obsolete]
They [ the Scriptures] are the only deletery of heresies.
Jer. Taylor.
Deletion De·le"tion noun [ Latin
deletio , from
delere . See
Delete .]
Act of deleting, blotting out, or erasing; destruction. [ Obsolete]
Jer. Taylor. A total deletion of every person of the opposing party.
Sir M. Hale.
Deletitious Del`e·ti"tious adjective [ Latin
deleticius .]
Of such a nature that anything may be erased from it; -- said of paper.
Deletive Del"e·tive adjective Adapted to destroy or obliterate. [ R.]
Evelyn.
Deletory Del"e·to·ry noun [ See
Delete .]
That which blots out. [ Obsolete] "A
deletory of sin."
Jer. Taylor.
Delf Delf noun [ Anglo-Saxon
delf a delving, digging. See
Delve .]
A mine; a quarry; a pit dug; a ditch. [ Written also
delft , and
delve .] [ Obsolete]
The delfts would be so flown with waters, that no gins or machines could . . . keep them dry.
Ray.
Delf Delf noun Same as Delftware .
Delft Delft noun Same as Delftware .
Delftware Delft"ware` noun (a) Pottery made at the city of Delft in Holland; hence: (b) Earthenware made in imitation of the above; any glazed earthenware made for table use, and the like.
Delibate Del"i·bate transitive verb [ Latin
delibatus , past participle of
delibare to taste;
de- +
libare to taste.]
To taste; to take a sip of; to dabble in. [ Obsolete]
Delibation Del`i·ba"tion noun [ Latin
delibatio : confer French
délibation .]
Act of tasting; a slight trial. [ Obsolete]
Berkeley.
Deliber Del"i·ber transitive verb & i. To deliberate. [ Obsolete]
Deliberate De·lib"er·ate adjective [ Latin
deliberatus , past participle of
deliberare to deliberate;
de- +
librare to weigh. See
Librate .]
1. Weighing facts and arguments with a view to a choice or decision; carefully considering the probable consequences of a step; circumspect; slow in determining; -- applied to persons; as, a deliberate judge or counselor. "These
deliberate fools."
Shak. 2. Formed with deliberation; well-advised; carefully considered; not sudden or rash; as, a deliberate opinion; a deliberate measure or result. Settled visage and deliberate word.
Shak. 3. Not hasty or sudden; slow. Hooker. His enunciation was so deliberate .
W. Wirt.
Deliberate De·lib"er·ate transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Deliberated ;
present participle & verbal noun Deliberating .]
To weigh in the mind; to consider the reasons for and against; to consider maturely; to reflect upon; to ponder; as, to deliberate a question.
Deliberate De·lib"er·ate intransitive verb To take counsel with one's self; to weigh the arguments for and against a proposed course of action; to reflect; to consider; to hesitate in deciding; -- sometimes with on , upon , about , concerning . The woman that deliberates is lost.
Addison.
Deliberately De·lib"er·ate·ly adverb With careful consideration, or deliberation; circumspectly; warily; not hastily or rashly; slowly; as, a purpose deliberately formed.
Deliberateness De·lib"er·ate·ness noun The quality of being deliberate; calm consideration; circumspection.
Deliberation De·lib`er·a"tion noun [ Latin
deliberatio : confer French
délibération .]
1. The act of deliberating, or of weighing and examining the reasons for and against a choice or measure; careful consideration; mature reflection. Choosing the fairest way with a calm deliberation .
W. Montagu. 2. Careful discussion and examination of the reasons for and against a measure; as, the deliberations of a legislative body or council.
Deliberative De·lib"er·a·tive adjective [ Latin
deliberativus : confer French
délibératif .]
Pertaining to deliberation; proceeding or acting by deliberation, or by discussion and examination; deliberating; as, a deliberative body. A consummate work of deliberative wisdom.
Bancroft. The court of jurisdiction is to be distinguished from the deliberative body, the advisers of the crown.
Hallam.
Deliberative De·lib"er·a·tive noun 1. A discourse in which a question is discussed, or weighed and examined. Bacon. 2. A kind of rhetoric employed in proving a thing and convincing others of its truth, in order to persuade them to adopt it.
Deliberatively De·lib"er·a·tive·ly adverb In a deliberative manner; circumspectly; considerately.
Deliberator De·lib"er·a`tor noun One who deliberates.
Delibrate Del"i·brate transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Delibrated ;
present participle & verbal noun Delibrating .] [ Latin
delibratus , past participle of
delibrare to delibrate;
de from +
liber bark.]
To strip off the bark; to peel. [ Obsolete]
Ash.
Delibration Del`i·bra"tion noun The act of stripping off the bark. [ Obsolete]
Ash.
Delicacy Del"i·ca·cy noun ;
plural Delicacies . [ From
Delicate ,
adjective ]
1. The state or condition of being delicate; agreeableness to the senses; delightfulness; as, delicacy of flavor, of odor, and the like. What choice to choose for delicacy best.
Milton. 2. Nicety or fineness of form, texture, or constitution; softness; elegance; smoothness; tenderness; and hence, frailty or weakness; as, the delicacy of a fiber or a thread; delicacy of a hand or of the human form; delicacy of the skin; delicacy of frame. 3. Nice propriety of manners or conduct; susceptibility or tenderness of feeling; refinement; fastidiousness; and hence, in an exaggerated sense, effeminacy; as, great delicacy of behavior; delicacy in doing a kindness; delicacy of character that unfits for earnest action. You know your mother's delicacy in this point.
Cowper. 4. Addiction to pleasure; luxury; daintiness; indulgence; luxurious or voluptuous treatment. And to those dainty limbs which Nature lent
For gentle usage and soft delicacy ?
Milton. 5. Nice and refined perception and discrimination; critical niceness; fastidious accuracy. That Augustan delicacy of taste which is the boast of the great public schools of England.
Macaulay. 6. The state of being affected by slight causes; sensitiveness; as, the delicacy of a chemist's balance. 7. That which is alluring, delicate, or refined; a luxury or pleasure; something pleasant to the senses, especially to the sense of taste; a dainty; as, delicacies of the table. The merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies .
Rev. xviii. 3. 8. Pleasure; gratification; delight. [ Obsolete]
He Rome brent for his delicacie .
Chaucer. Syn. -- See
Dainty .
Delicate Del"i·cate adjective [ Latin
delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to
deliciae delight: confer French
délicat . See
Delight .]
1. Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring. [ R.]
Dives, for his delicate life, to the devil went.
Piers Plowman. Haarlem is a very delicate town.
Evelyn. 2. Pleasing to the senses; refinedly agreeable; hence, adapted to please a nice or cultivated taste; nice; fine; elegant; as, a delicate dish; delicate flavor. 3. Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature." Shak. 4. Fine or slender; minute; not coarse; -- said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton. 5. Slight or smooth; light and yielding; -- said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk. 6. Soft and fair; -- said of the skin or a surface; as, a delicate cheek; a delicate complexion. 7. Light, or softly tinted; -- said of a color; as, a delicate blue. 8. Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; -- said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness. 9. Tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; -- said of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health. A delicate and tender prince.
Shak. 10. Requiring careful handling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question. There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth.
F. W. Robertson. 11. Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious. 12. Nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music. 13. Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer.
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