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ascus, famous for its hardness, and its beautiful texture, ornamented with waving lines; especially, that which is inlaid with damaskeening; -- formerly much valued for sword blades, from its great flexibility and tenacity.

A mistress of a family, who is a lady; a womam in authority; especially, a lady. Then shall these lords do vex me half so much, As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife. Shak.

A cruciferrous plant (Hesperis matronalis), remarkable for its fragrance, especially toward the close of the day; -- called also rocket and dame's violet. Loudon.

One who dangles about or after others, especially after women; a trifler. " Danglers at toilets." Burke.

A state of ignorance or error, especially on moral or religious subjects; hence, wickedness; impurity. Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John. iii. 19. Pursue these sons of darkness: drive them out From all heaven's bounds. Milton.

ee under Last. -- Darning needle. (a) A long, strong needle for mending holes or rents, especially in stockings. (b) (Zoöl.) Any species of dragon fly, having a long, cylindrical body, resembling a needle. These flies are harmless and without stings.

One who, or that which, daubs; especially, a coarse, unskillful painter.

variety of deafness dependent upon morbid change in some portion of the nervous system, especially the auditory nerve.

One who debauches or corrupts others; especially, a seducer to lewdness.

Excessive indulgence of the appetites; especially, excessive indulgence of lust; intemperance; sensuality; habitual lewdness. Oppose . . . debauchery by temperance. Sprat.

Broken and detached fragments, taken collectively; especially, fragments detached from a rock or mountain, and piled up at the base.

Departure, especially departure from this life; death. His decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Luke ix. 31. And I, the whilst you mourn for his decease, Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase. Spenser.

An account or report of a conclusion, especially of a legal adjudication or judicial determination of a question or cause; as, a decision of arbitrators; a decision of the Supreme Court.

To dress, as the person; to clothe; especially, to clothe with more than ordinary elegance; to array; to adorn; to embellish. Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency. Job xl. 10. And deck my body in gay ornaments. Shak. The dew with spangles decked the ground. Dryden.

The act or art of declaiming; rhetorical delivery; haranguing; loud speaking in public; especially, the public recitation of speeches as an exercise in schools and colleges; as, the practice declamation by students. The public listened with little emotion, but with much civility, to five acts of monotonous declamation.…

The act of beheading or state of one beheaded; -- especially used of the execution of St. John the Baptist.

An authoritative order or decree; especially, a letter of the pope, determining some point or question in ecclesiastical law. The decretals form the second part of the canon law.

A head or chief over ten; especially, an officer who commanded a division of ten soldiers.

One who dedicates; more especially, one who inscribes a book to the favor of a patron, or to one whom he desires to compliment.

That which is deep, especially deep water, as the sea or ocean; an abyss; a great depth. Courage from the deeps of knowledge springs. Cowley. The hollow deep of hell resounded. Milton. Blue Neptune storms, the bellowing deeps resound. Pope.