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In a gradually diminishing manner; with abatement of tone; decrescendo; -- expressed on the staff by Dim., or Dimin., or the sign.

Expressing diminution; as, a diminutive word.

The theory which maintains that the primitive elements of language are reflex expressions induced by sensory impressions; that is, as stated by Max Müller, the creative faculty gave to each general conception as it thrilled for the first time through the brain a phonetic expression; -- jocosely so called from the analo…

Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous. He howhere, that I know, says it in direct words. Locke. A direct and avowed interference with elections. Hallam.

Without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms. No man hath hitherto been so impious as plainly and directly to condemn prayer. Hooker.

ion of what is judged wrong, unsuitable, or inexpedient; feeling of censure. We have ever expressed the most unqualified disapprobation of all the steps. Burke.

To give forth; to emit or send out; as, a pipe discharges water; to let fly; to give expression to; to utter; as, to discharge a horrible oath.

To express one's self in oral discourse; to expose one's views; to talk in a continuous or formal manner; to hold forth; to speak; to converse. Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear. Shak.

distinction or separation; disjunctive. Discretive proposition (Logic & Gram.), one that expresses distinction, opposition, or variety, by means of discretive particles, as but, though, yet, etc.; as, travelers change their climate, but not their temper.

Full of disdain; expressing disdain; scornful; contemptuous; haughty. From these Turning disdainful to an equal good. Akenside. -- Dis*dain"ful*ly, adv. -- Dis*dain"ful*ness, n.

Expressly; clearly; eloquently. [Obs.] Holland.

That which disfigures; a defacement; a blot. Uncommon expressions . . . are a disfigurement rather than any embellishment of discourse. Hume.

with at, with, or by. To disgust him with the world and its vanities. Prescott. Ærius is expressly declared . . . to have been disgusted at failing. J. H. Newman. Alarmed and disgusted by the proceedings of the convention. Macaulay.

sic). Disjunctive conjunction (Gram.), one connecting grammatically two words or clauses, expressing at the same time an opposition or separation inherent in the notions or thoughts; as, either, or, neither, nor, but, although, except, lest, etc. -- Disjunctive proposition, one in which the parts are connected by disj…

ar; separate. Connecting disparate thoughts, purely by means of resemblances in the words expressing them. Coleridge.

in; to be disagreeable to; to offend; to vex; -- often followed by with or at. It usually expresses less than to anger, vex, irritate, or provoke. God was displeased with this thing. 1 Chron. xxi. 7. Wilt thou be displeased at us forever Psalms lxxxv. 5 (Bk. of Com. Prayer). This virtuous plaster will displease Your te…

To oppose by argument or assertion; to attempt to overthrow; to controvert; to express dissent or opposition to; to call in question; to deny the truth or validity of; as, to dispute assertions or arguments. To seize goods under the disputed authority of writs of assistance. Bancroft.

Marking or expressing distinction or difference; distinguishing; characteristic; peculiar. The distinctive character and institutions of New England. Bancroft.

Expressing separation; denoting a taking singly, not collectively; as, a distributive adjective or pronoun, such as each, either, every; a distributive numeral, as (Latin) bini (two by two). Distributive operation (Math.), any operation which either consists of two or more parts, or works upon two or more things, and w…

Shak. (d) Do, as an auxiliary, is supposed to have been first used before imperatives. It expresses entreaty or earnest request; as, do help me. In the imperative mood, but not in the indicative, it may be used with the verb to be; as, do be quiet. Do, did, and done often stand as a general substitute or representative…