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Formerly, a part of the Roman chancery; now, a separate office from which are sent graces or favors, cognizable in foro externo, such as appointments to benefices. The name is derived from the word datum, given or dated (with the indications of the time and place of granting the gift or favor).

A spar formerly used on board of ships, as a crane to hoist the flukes of the anchor to the top of the bow, without injuring the sides of the ship; -- called also the fish davit. (b) pl.

ncorporation of advocates in Edinburgh. -- Dean of guild, a magistrate of Scotch burghs, formerly, and still, in some burghs, chosen by the Guildry, whose duty is to superintend the erection of new buildings and see that they conform to the law. -- Dean of a monastery, Monastic dean, a monastic superior over ten monk…

With decreasing volume of sound; -- a direction to performers, either written upon the staff (abbreviated Dec., or Decresc.), or indicated by the sign.

Having become worse than one's kind, or one's former state; having declined in worth; having lost in goodness; deteriorated; degraded; unworthy; base; low. Faint-hearted and degenerate king. Shak. A degenerate and degraded state. Milton. Degenerate from their ancient blood. Swift. These degenerate days. Pope. I had pla…

of certain skins with oxidized fish oil, which extracts their soluble albuminoids. It was formerly solely a by-product of chamois leather manufacture, but is now made for its own sake, being valuable as a dressing for hides.

Accusation by an informer. Milman.

An accuser; an informer. [R.] Howell.

A tribe of Indians formerly inhabiting the valley of the Delaware River, but now mostly located in the Indian Territory.

ominating officers, or for forming or altering a constitution. [U.S.] Court of delegates, formerly, the great court of appeal from the archbishops' courts and also from the court of admiralty. It is now abolished, and the privy council is the immediate court of appeal in such cases. [Eng.]

tter; to speak; to impart. Till he these words to him deliver might. Spenser. Whereof the former delivers the precepts of the art, and the latter the perfection. Bacon.

A name formerly given to certain Silurian brachiopod shells of the genus Spirifer. Delthyris limestone (Geol.), one of the divisions of the Upper Silurian rocks in New York.

nything, as a cause of existence, or as a necessary condition; -- followed by on or upon, formerly by of. The truth of God's word dependeth not of the truth of the congregation. Tyndale. The conclusion . . . that our happiness depends little on political institutions, and much on the temper and regulation of our own mi…

rance] Chamber of Deputies, one of the two branches of the French legilative assembly; -- formerly called Corps Législatif. Its members, called deputies, are elected by the people voting in districts.

An instrument formerly used in removing the laminæ of exfoliated bones.

One who destroys; a radical reformer; a destructionist.

A prefix which formerly properly indicated the second in a regular series of compound in the series, and not to its composition, but which is now generally employed in the same sense as bi- or di-, although little used.

To give by will; -- used of real estate; formerly, also, of chattels.

A universal remedy; -- name formerly to a purgative electuary.

An instrument, formerly much used for showing the time of day from the shadow of a style or gnomon on a graduated arc or surface; esp., a sundial; but there are lunar and astral dials. The style or gnomon is usually parallel to the earth's axis, but the dial plate may be either horizontal or vertical.…