Search the Dictionary

A place of retirement, retreat, secrecy, or seclusion. Departure from his happy place, our sweet Recess, and only consolation left. Milton.

To commit; to give in charge; to commend. Paul chose Silas and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. Acts xv. 40 .

To return; to recur. [Obs.] The flame departing and recoursing. Foxe.

The body from which the soul has departed; a corpse; especially, the body, or some part of the body, of a deceased saint or martyr; -- usually in the plural when referring to the whole body. There are very few treasuries of relics in Italy that have not a tooth or a bone of this saint. Addison. Thy relics, Rowe, to thi…

dings and facts exhibited by an officer to his superiors; as, the reports of the heads af departments to Congress, of a master in chancery to the court, of committees to a legislative body, and the like.

A mass said or sung for the repose of a departed soul. We should profane the service of the dead To sing a requiem and such rest to her As to peace-parted souls. Shak.

tinue to hold; to keep in possession; not to lose, part with, or dismiss; to retrain from departure, escape, or the like. "Thy shape invisibleretain." Shak. Be obedient, and retain Unalterably firm his love entire. Milton. An executor may retain a debt due to him from the testator. Blackstone.

To turn back; to cause to face in a contrary direction; to cause to depart. And that old dame said many an idle verse, Out of her daughter's heart fond fancies to reverse. Spenser.

ity . . . of the great philosopher speedily produced a complete revolution throughout the department. Macaulay.

The department of musical science which treats of the length of sounds.

ef executive, as a governor or mayor, large powers of appointment and removal of heads of departments or other subordinate officials. [Polit. Cant, U. S.]

A highly flavored blue-molded cheese, made at Roquefort, department of Aveyron, France. It is made from milk of ewes, sometimes with cow's milk added, and is cured in caves. Improperly, a cheese made in imitation of it.

To steal off; to depart secretly. My conscience will serve me to run from this jew. Shak.

gy. [Obs.] "Too scarce ne too sparing." Chaucer. To make one's self scarce, to decamp; to depart. [Slang]

mperial power or authority; sovereignty; as, to assume the scepter. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shilon come. Gen. xlix. 10.

Any branch or departament of systematized knowledge considered as a distinct field of investigation or object of study; as, the science of astronomy, of chemistry, or of mind.

ections for the Chamber of Deputies, each elector voting for the candidates for the whole department in which he lived, as disting. from scrutin d'arrondissement (da`rôN`des`mäN"), or voting by each elector for the candidate or candidates for his own arrondissement only.

In the United States, in time of peace the bureau of secret service is under the treasury department, and in time of war it aids the war department in securing information concerning the movements of the enemy.

officer of state whose business is to superintend and manage the affairs of a particular department of government, and who is usually a member of the cabinet or advisory council of the chief executive; as, the secretary of state, who conducts the correspondence and attends to the relations of a government with foreign…

A church official whose functions are confined to the vocal department of the choir. Busby.