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completely differenced by their separate and individual characters that we at once acknowledge them as distinct persons. Sir W. Scott.

nformation. Thence diffuse His good to worlds and ages infinite. Milton. We find this knowledge diffused among all civilized nations. Whewell.

fused; a spreading; extension; dissemination; circulation; dispersion. A diffusion of knowledge which has undermined superstition. Burke.

e fine arts; popularly, an amateur; especially, one who follows an art or a branch of knowledge, desultorily, or for amusement only.

To engage as a pledge; to mortgage. [Obs.] Live on the use and never dip thy lands. Dryden. Dipped candle, a candle made by repeatedly dipping a wick in melted tallow. -- To dip snuff, to take snuff by rubbing it on the gums and teeth. [Southern U. S.] -- To dip the colors (Naut.), to lower the colors and return them…

president or senator of the United States, by the election of nominating representatives pledged or instructed to vote for certain candidates dssignated by popular vote.

To refuse strongly and solemnly to own or acknowledge; to deny responsibility for, approbation of, an the like; to disclaim; to disown; as, he was charged with embezzlement, but he disavows the crime. A solemn promise made and disavowed. Dryden.

The subject matter of instruction; a branch of knowledge. Bp. Wilkins.

To obtain for the first time sight or knowledge of, as of a thing existing already, but not perceived or known; to find; to ascertain; to espy; to detect. Some to discover islands far away. Shak.

One who discovers; one who first comes to the knowledge of something; one who discovers an unknown country, or a new principle, truth, or fact. The discoverers and searchers of the land. Sir W. Raleigh.

To free from a gage or pledge; to disengage. [Obs.] Holland.

nder unaccustomed or unfamiliar. We are hindered and disinured . . . towards the true knowledge. Milton.

To refuse to own or acknowledge as belonging to one's self; to disavow or deny, as connected with one's self personally; as, a parent can hardly disown his child; an author will sometimes disown his writings.

o spread; as, the Jews are dispersed among all nations. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge. Prov. xv. 7. Two lions, in the still, dark night, A herd of beeves disperse. Cowper.

Indistinct; faint; obscure, as from distance. Some distant knowledge. Shak. A distant glimpse. W. Irving.

To seize, as a pledge or indemnification; to take possession of as security for nonpayment of rent, the reparation of an injury done, etc.; to take by distress; as, to distrain goods for rent, or of an amercement.

aining; the taking of a personal chattel out of the possession of a wrongdoer, by way of pledge for redress of an injury, or for the performance of a duty, as for nonpayment of rent or taxes, or for injury done by cattle, etc.

A teacher; one skilled in a profession, or branch of knowledge learned man. [Obs.] One of the doctors of Italy, Nicholas Macciavel. Bacon.

hool, or a sect; a principle or position, or the body of principles, in any branch of knowledge; any tenet or dogma; a principle of faith; as, the doctrine of atoms; the doctrine of chances. "The doctrine of gravitation." I. Watts. Articles of faith and doctrine. Hooker. The Monroe doctrine (Politics), a policy enuncia…

ct bird (Didus ineptus), formerly inhabiting the Island of Mauritius. It had short, half-fledged wings, like those of the ostrich, and a short neck and legs; -- called also dronte. It was related to the pigeons.