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ing. -- The curtain falls, the performance closes. -- The curtain rises, the performance begins. -- To draw the curtain, to close ot over an object, or to remove it; hence: (a) To hide or to disclose an object. (b) To commence or close a performance. -- To drop the curtain, to end the tale, or close the performance.…

The beginning or first entrance of any house in the calculations of nativities, etc.

, etc., cut unequal lengths. Now draweth cut . . . The which that hath the shortest shall begin. Chaucer.

re with the text." Atterbury. During the ferst year at Dumfries, Burns for the ferst time began to dabble in politics. J. C. Shairp.

From the beginning; a direction to return to, and end with, the first strain; -- indicated by the letters D. C. Also, the strain so repeated.

Odious; pernicious; detestable. Begin, murderer; . . . leave thy damnable faces. Shak.

le earth, so that the land was darkened. Ex. x. 15. So spake the Sovran Voice; and clouds began To darken all the hill. Milton.

To have beginning; to begin; to be dated or reckoned; -- with from. The Batavian republic dates from the successes of the French arms. E. Everett.

To begin to grow light in the morning; to grow light; to break, or begin to appear; as, the day dawns; the morning dawns. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene . . . to see the sepulcher. Matt. xxviii. 1.

The beginning of the day, or first appearance of light; the dawn; hence, the beginning. Milton. The tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us. Luke i. 78.

A beginning or first attempt; hence, a first appearance before the public, as of an actor or public speaker.

To beguile; to amuse, so as to divert the attention; to while away; to take away as if by deception. These occupations oftentimes deceived The listless hour. Wordsworth.

and plainly in any way; to exhibit; to publish; to proclaim; to announce. This day I have begot whom I declare My only Son. Milton. The heavens declare the glory of God. Ps. xix. 1.

That period of a disorder or paroxysm when the symptoms begin to abate in violence; as, the decline of a fever.

of the duties and decorums of his station. Hallam. If your master Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him, That majesty, to keep decorum, must No less beg than a kingdom. Shak.

ken down with age; wasted and enfeebled by the infirmities of old age; feeble; worn out. "Beggary or decrepit age." Milton. Already decrepit with premature old age. Motley.

The act of delaying; postponement. [R.] My grief, joined with the instant business, Begs a deferment. Suckling.

elationship; as, a relation in the third or fourth degree. In the 11th century an opinion began to gain ground in Italy, that third cousins might marry, being in the seventh degree according to the civil law. Hallam.

To lead from truth or into error; to mislead the mind or judgment of to beguile; to impose on; to dupe; to make a fool of. To delude the nation by an airy phantom. Burke.

Apt or fitted to delude; tending to mislead the mind; deceptive; beguiling; delusory; as, delusive arts; a delusive dream. Delusive and unsubstantial ideas. Whewell. -- De*lu"sive*ly, adv. -- De*lu"sive*ness, n.