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mental fillet encircling the head, especially as a reward of victory or mark of honorable distinction; hence, anything given on account of, or obtained by, faithful or successful effort; a reward. "An olive branch and laurel crown." Shak. They do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptiblle. 1 Cor. ix. 25…

The hard exterior or surface of bread, in distinction from the soft part or crumb; or a piece of bread grown dry or hard.

Indistinctly crystalline; -- applied to rocks and minerals, whose state of aggregation is so fine that no distinct particles are visible, even under the microscope.

facets or figures. -- Cut nail, a nail cut by machinery from a rolled plate of iron, in distinction from a wrought nail. -- Cut stone, stone hewn or chiseled to shape after having been split from the quarry.

To impress with great distinctness; to imprint; to imitate exactly.

A platform slightly raised above the floor of a hall or large room, giving distinction to the table and seats placed upon it for the chief guests.

To grow dark; to show indistinctly. Thackeray.

- Dead load (Civil Engin.), a constant, motionless load, as the weight of a structure, in distinction from a moving load, as a train of cars, or a variable pressure, as of wind. -- Dead march (Mus.), a piece of solemn music intended to be played as an accompaniment to a funeral procession. -- Dead nettle (Bot.), a ha…

o make deaf; to deprive of the power of hearing; to render incapable of perceiving sounds distinctly. Deafened and stunned with their promiscuous cries. Addison.

That which is declared or proclaimed; announcement; distinct statement; formal expression; avowal. Declarations of mercy and love . . . in the Gospel. Tillotson.

By distinct assertion; not impliedly; in the form of a declaration. The priest shall expiate it, that is, declaratively. Bates.

; determinable; describable by definition; ascertainable; as, definable limits; definable distinctions or regulations; definable words. -- De*fin"a*bly, adv.

To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly; as, the defining power of an optical instrument. Rings . . . very distinct and well defined. Sir I. Newton.

Having certain or distinct; determinate in extent or greatness; limited; fixed; as, definite dimensions; a definite measure; a definite period or interval. Elements combine in definite proportions. Whewell.

Distinctness or clearness, as of an image formed by an optical instrument; precision in detail.

The act of marking, or of ascertaining and setting a limit; separation; distinction. The speculative line of demarcation, where obedience ought to end and resistance must begin, is faint, obscure, and not easily definable. Burke.

of invective. "Demonstrative eloquence." Blair. Demonstrative pronoun (Gram.), a pronoun distinctly designating that to which it refers.

Possessing, or capable of possessing, a distinct denomination or designation; denominable. The least denominative part of time is a minute. Cocker.

A distinct course of life, action, study, or the like; appointed sphere or walk; province. Superior to Pope in Pope's own peculiar department of literature. Macaulay.

Capable of being designated or distinctly marked out; distinguishable. Boyle.