Devitalize transitive verb To deprive of life or vitality. -- De*vi`tal*i*za"tion noun

Devitation noun [ Latin devitatio .] An avoiding or escaping; also, a warning. [ Obsolete] Bailey.

Devitrification noun The act or process of devitrifying, or the state of being devitrified. Specifically, the conversion of molten glassy matter into a stony mass by slow cooling, the result being the formation of crystallites, microbites, etc., in the glassy base, which are then called devitrification products .

Devitrify transitive verb To deprive of glasslike character; to take away vitreous luster and transparency from.

Devocalize transitive verb To make toneless; to deprive of vowel quality. -- De*vo`cal*i*za"tion , noun

If we take a high vowel, such as (i) [ = nearly i of bit], and devocalize it, we obtain a hiss which is quite distinct enough to stand for a weak (jh).

H. Sweet.

Devocation noun [ Latin devocare to call off or away; de + vocare to call.] A calling off or away. [ R.] Hallywell.

Devoid transitive verb [ Middle English devoiden to leave, Old French desvuidier , desvoidier , to empty out. See Void .] To empty out; to remove.

Devoid adjective [ See Devoid , transitive verb ]
1. Void; empty; vacant. [ Obsolete] Spenser.

2. Destitute; not in possession; -- with of ; as, devoid of sense; devoid of pity or of pride.

Devoir noun [ French, from Latin debere to owe. See Due .] Duty; service owed; hence, due act of civility or respect; -- now usually in the plural; as, they paid their devoirs to the ladies. "Do now your devoid , young knights!" Chaucer.

Devolute transitive verb [ Latin devolutus , past participle of devolvere . See Devolve .] To devolve. [ Obsolete] Foxe.

Devolution noun [ Late Latin devolutio : confer French dévolution .]
1. The act of rolling down. [ R.]

The devolution of earth down upon the valleys.

Woodward.

2. Transference from one person to another; a passing or devolving upon a successor.

The devolution of the crown through a . . . channel known and conformable to old constitutional requisitions.

De Quincey.

Devolve transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Devolved ; present participle & verbal noun Devolving .] [ Latin devolvere , devolutum , to roll down; de + volvere to roll down; de + volvere to roll. See Voluble .]
1. To roll onward or downward; to pass on.

Every headlong stream
Devolves its winding waters to the main.

Akenside.

Devolved his rounded periods.

Tennyson.

2. To transfer from one person to another; to deliver over; to hand down; -- generally with upon , sometimes with to or into .

They devolved a considerable share of their power upon their favorite.

Burke.

They devolved their whole authority into the hands of the council of sixty.

Addison.

Devolve intransitive verb To pass by transmission or succession; to be handed over or down; -- generally with on or upon , sometimes with to or into ; as, after the general fell, the command devolved upon (or on) the next officer in rank.

His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville.

Johnson.

Devolvement noun The act or process of devolving;; devolution.

Devon noun One of a breed of hardy cattle originating in the country of Devon, England. Those of pure blood have a deep red color. The small, longhorned variety, called North Devons , is distinguished by the superiority of its working oxen.

Devonian adjective (Geol.) Of or pertaining to Devon or Devonshire in England; as, the Devonian rocks, period, or system.

Devonian age (Geol.) , the age next older than the Carboniferous and later than the Silurian; -- called also the Age of fishes . The various strata of this age compose the Devonian formation or system , and include the old red sandstone of Great Britain. They contain, besides plants and numerous invertebrates, the bony portions of many large and remarkable fishes of extinct groups. See the Diagram under Geology .

Devonian noun The Devonian age or formation.

Devoration noun [ Latin devoratio . See Devour .] The act of devouring. [ Obsolete] Holinshed.

Devotary noun [ See Devote , Votary .] A votary. [ Obsolete] J. Gregory.

Devote transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Devoted ; present participle & verbal noun Devoting .] [ Latin devotus , past participle of devovere ; de + vovere to vow. See Vow , and confer Devout , Devow .]
1. To appropriate by vow; to set apart or dedicate by a solemn act; to consecrate; also, to consign over; to doom; to evil; to devote one to destruction; the city was devoted to the flames.

No devoted thing that a man shall devote unto the Lord . . . shall be sold or redeemed.

Lev. xxvii. 28.

2. To execrate; to curse. [ Obsolete]

3. To give up wholly; to addict; to direct the attention of wholly or compound; to attach; -- often with a reflexive pronoun; as, to devote one's self to science, to one's friends, to piety, etc.

Thy servant who is devoted to thy fear.

Ps. cxix. 38.

They devoted themselves unto all wickedness.

Grew.

A leafless and simple branch . . . devoted to the purpose of climbing.

Gray.

Syn. -- To addict; apply; dedicate; consecrate; resign; destine; doom; consign. See Addict .

Devote adjective [ Latin devotus , past participle ] Devoted; addicted; devout. [ Obsolete] Milton.

Devote noun A devotee. [ Obsolete] Sir E. Sandys.

Devoted adjective Consecrated to a purpose; strongly attached; zealous; devout; as, a devoted admirer. -- De*vot"ed*ly , adverb -- De*vot"ed*ness , noun

Devotee noun One who is wholly devoted; esp., one given wholly to religion; one who is superstitiously given to religious duties and ceremonies; a bigot.

While Father Le Blanc was very devout he was not a devotee .

A. S. Hardy.

Devotement noun The state of being devoted, or set apart by a vow. [ R.] Bp. Hurd.

Devoter noun One who devotes; a worshiper.

Devotion noun [ French dévotion , Latin devotio .]
1. The act of devoting; consecration.

2. The state of being devoted; addiction; eager inclination; strong attachment love or affection; zeal; especially, feelings toward God appropriately expressed by acts of worship; devoutness.

Genius animated by a fervent spirit of devotion .

Macaulay.

3. Act of devotedness or devoutness; manifestation of strong attachment; act of worship; prayer. "The love of public devotion ." Hooker.

4. Disposal; power of disposal. [ Obsolete]

They are entirely at our devotion , and may be turned backward and forward, as we please.

Godwin.

5. A thing consecrated; an object of devotion. [ R.]

Churches and altars, priests and all devotions ,
Tumbled together into rude chaos.

Beau. & Fl.

Days of devotion . See under Day .

Syn. -- Consecration; devoutness; religiousness; piety; attachment; devotedness; ardor; earnestness.

Devotional adjective [ Latin devotionalis .] Pertaining to, suited to, or used in, devotion; as, a devotional posture; devotional exercises; a devotional frame of mind.

Devotionalist, Devotionist noun One given to devotion, esp. to excessive formal devotion.

Devotionality noun The practice of a devotionalist. A. H. Clough.

Devotionally adverb In a devotional manner; toward devotion.

Devoto noun [ Italian ] A devotee. Dr. J. Scott.

Devotor noun [ Latin ] A worshiper; one given to devotion. [ Obsolete] Beau. & Fl.

Devour transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Devoured ; present participle & verbal noun Devouring .] [ French dévorer , from Latin devorare ; de + vorare to eat greedily, swallow up. See Voracious .]
1. To eat up with greediness; to consume ravenously; to feast upon like a wild beast or a glutton; to prey upon.

Some evil beast hath devoured him.

Gen. xxxvii. 20.

2. To seize upon and destroy or appropriate greedily, selfishly, or wantonly; to consume; to swallow up; to use up; to waste; to annihilate.

Famine and pestilence shall devour him.

Ezek. vii. 15.

I waste my life and do my days devour .

Spenser.

3. To enjoy with avidity; to appropriate or take in eagerly by the senses.

Longing they look, and gaping at the sight,
Devour her o'er with vast delight.

Dryden.

Syn. -- To consume; waste; destroy; annihilate.

Devourable adjective That may be devoured.

Devourer noun One who, or that which, devours.

Devouringly adverb In a devouring manner.

Devout adjective [ Middle English devot , devout , French dévot , from Latin devotus devoted, past participle of devovere . See Devote , transitive verb ]
1. Devoted to religion or to religious feelings and duties; absorbed in religious exercises; given to devotion; pious; reverent; religious.

A devout man, and one that feared God.

Acts x. 2.

We must be constant and devout in the worship of God.

Rogers.

2. Expressing devotion or piety; as, eyes devout ; sighs devout ; a devout posture. Milton.

3. Warmly devoted; hearty; sincere; earnest; as, devout wishes for one's welfare.

The devout , devoutly religious persons, those who are sincerely pious.

Syn. -- Holy; pure; religious; prayerful; pious; earnest; reverent; solemn; sincere.

Devout noun
1. A devotee. [ Obsolete] Sheldon.

2. A devotional composition, or part of a composition; devotion. [ Obsolete] Milton.

Devoutful adjective
1. Full of devotion. [ R.]

2. Sacred. [ R.]

To take her from austerer check of parents,
To make her his by most devoutful rights.

Marston.

Devoutless adjective Destitute of devotion. -- De*vout"less*ly , adverb - - De*vout"less*ness , noun

Devoutly adverb
1. In a devout and reverent manner; with devout emotions; piously.

Cast her fair eyes to heaven and prayed devoutly .

Shak.

2. Sincerely; solemnly; earnestly.

'T is a consummation
Devoutly to be wished.

Shak.

Devoutness noun Quality or state of being devout.

Devove transitive verb [ See Devote , transitive verb ] To devote. [ Obsolete] Cowley.

Devow transitive verb [ French dévouer , Latin devovere . See Devote , transitive verb ]
1. To give up; to devote. [ Obsolete]

2. [ Confer Old French desvoer . Confer Disavow .] To disavow; to disclaim. [ Obsolete] G. Fletcher.

Devulgarize transitive verb To free from what is vulgar, common, or narrow.

Shakespeare and Plutarch's "Lives" are very devulgarizing books.

E. A. Abbott.

Dew (dū) noun [ Anglo-Saxon deáw ; akin to Dutch dauw , German thau , tau , Icelandic dögg , Swedish dagg , Danish dug ; confer Sanskrit dhav , dhāv , to flow. √72. Confer Dag dew.]
1. Moisture from the atmosphere condensed by cool bodies upon their surfaces, particularly at night.

Her tears fell with the dews at even.

Tennyson.

2. Figuratively, anything which falls lightly and in a refreshing manner. "The golden dew of sleep." Shak.

3. An emblem of morning, or fresh vigor. "The dew of his youth." Longfellow.

» Dew is used in combination; as, dew - bespangled, dew -drenched, dew drop, etc.

Dew transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Dewed ; present participle & verbal noun Dewing .] To wet with dew or as with dew; to bedew; to moisten; as with dew.

The grasses grew
A little ranker since they dewed them so.

A. B. Saxton.

Dew adjective & noun Same as Due , or Duty . [ Obsolete] Spenser.

Dewar vessel (dū"ẽr). [ After Sir James Dewar , British physicist.] A double-walled glass vessel for holding liquid air, etc., having the space between the walls exhausted so as to prevent conduction of heat, and sometimes having the glass silvered to prevent absorption of radiant heat; -- called also, according to the particular shape, Dewar bulb , Dewar tube , etc.