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Specifically, any mark of honor to be worn upon the person, as a medal, cross, or ribbon of an order of knighthood, bestowed for services in war, great achievements in literature, art, etc. Decoration Day, a day, May 30, appointed for decorating with flowers the graves of the Union soldiers and sailors, who fell in the…

One who decorates, adorns, or embellishes; specifically, an artisan whose business is the decoration of houses, esp. their interior decoration.

A lopping off; a diminution; abatement; deficit. Specifically: Reduction of a claim by deducting a counterclaim; set-off. Abbott.

Pertaining to, or derived from, the larkspur; specifically, relating to the stavesacre (Delphinium staphisagria).

A washing away; an overflowing of the land by water; an inundation; a flood; specifically, The Deluge, the great flood in the days of Noah (Gen. vii.).

A specific epidemic disease attended with high fever, cutaneous eruption, and severe pains in the head and limbs, resembling those of rheumatism; -- called also breakbone fever. It occurs in India, Egypt, the West Indies, etc., is of short duration, and rarely fatal.

Having a specific name or denomination; specified in the concrete as opposed to abstract; thus, 7 feet is a denominate quantity, while 7 is mere abstract quantity or number. See Compound number, under Compound.

An instrument for ascertaining the specific gravity or density of a substance.

Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design.

tive of their course. I. Taylor. Determinative tables (Nat. Hist.), tables presenting the specific character of minerals, plants, etc., to assist in determining the species to which a specimen belongs.

To ascertain definitely; to find out the specific character or name of; to assign to its true place in a system; as, to determine an unknown or a newly discovered plant or its name.

nd unnecessary departure of a ship from, or delay in, the regular and usual course of the specific voyage insured, thus releasing the underwriters from their responsibility. Deviation of a falling body (Physics), that deviation from a strictly vertical line of descent which occurs in a body falling freely, in consequen…

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.

t; a variety or subdivision of a language; speech characterized by local peculiarities or specific circumstances; as, the Ionic and Attic were dialects of Greece; the Yorkshire dialect; the dialect of the learned. In the midst of this Babel of dialects there suddenly appeared a standard English language. Earle. [Charle…

at which distinguishes or causes to differ;; mark of distinction; characteristic quality; specific attribute. The marks and differences of sovereignty. Davies.

stinguishing part of the essence of a species; the characteristic attribute of a species; specific difference.

To distinguish or mark by a specific difference; to effect a difference in, as regards classification; to develop differential characteristics in; to specialize; to desynonymize. The word then was differentiated into the two forms then and than. Earle. Two or more of the forms assumed by the same original word become d…

The act of distinguishing or describing a thing, by giving its different, or specific difference; exact definition or determination.

Pertaining to: director or directory; specifically, relating to the Directory of France under the first republic. See Directory, 3. Whoever goes to the directorial presence under this passport. Burke.

One who disbelieves, or refuses belief; an unbeliever. Specifically, one who does not believe the Christian religion. I. Watts.