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An absorbent material; esp., in high explosives, the sawdust, infusorial earth, mica, etc., mixed with nitroglycerin to make a damp powder (dynamite, etc.) less dangerous to transport, and ordinarily explosive only by suitable fulminating caps.

In the direction of gravity or toward the center of the earth; toward or in a lower place or position; below; -- the opposite of up.

Moving or extending from a higher to a lower place; tending toward the earth or its center, or toward a lower level; declivous. With downward force That drove the sand along he took his way. Dryden.

To filter. Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh. Bacon.

ks; also, the sport of so throwing stones; -- sometimes called ducks and drakes. Internal earthquakes, that, not content with one throe, run along spasmodically, like boys playing at what is called drakestone. De Quincey.

ectful fear; awe. The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth. Gen. ix. 2. His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty, Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings. Shak.

orb moisture; a desiccative; as, the sun and a northwesterly wind are great driers of the earth.

A collection of loose earth and rocks, or boulders, which have been distributed over large portions of the earth's surface, especially in latitudes north of forty degrees, by the agency of ice.

of Drive. Also adj. Driven well, a well made by driving a tube into the earth to an aqueous stratum; -- called also drive well.

A pipe for forcing into the earth.

Dryness; want of rain or of water; especially, such dryness of the weather as affects the earth, and prevents the growth of plants; aridity. The drought of March hath pierced to the root. Chaucer. In a drought the thirsty creatures cry. Dryden.

hose morning drumbeat, following the sun, and keeping company with the hours, circles the earth with one continuous and unbroken strain of the martial airs of England. D. Webster.

Saturated with liquid or moisture; drenched. Let the earth be drunken with our blood. Shak.

d by any means; to exsiccate; as, to dry the eyes; to dry one's tears; the wind dries the earth; to dry a wet cloth; to dry hay. To dry up. (a) To scorch or parch with thirst; to deprive utterly of water; to consume. Their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Is. v. 13. The water of the…

Heavy; gross; cloggy; insensible; spiritless; lifeless; inert. "The dull earth." Shak. As turning the logs will make a dull fire burn, so changes of study a dull brain. Longfellow.

er the sun is up, that shadow which dusketh the light of the moon must needs be under the earth. Holland.

Fine, dry particles of earth or other matter, so comminuted that they may be raised and wafted by the wind; that which is crumbled too minute portions; fine powder; as, clouds of dust; bone dust. Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Gen. iii. 19. Stop! -- for thy tread is on an empire's dust. Byron.…

substance consisting of nitroglycerin absorbed by some inert, porous solid, as infusorial earth, sawdust, etc. It is safer than nitroglycerin, being less liable to explosion from moderate shocks, or from spontaneous decomposition.

An impure earthy or coaly bitumen, which emits a highly fetid odor when burning.

An element of the rare earth-group. Symbol Dy; at. wt., 162.5.