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from straightness; conduct that declines from sound morals. Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. Ps. cxix. 157.

ducks into a net. Did to a lonely cot his steps decoy. Thomson. E'en while fashion's brightest arts decoy, The heart, distrusting, asks if this be joy. Goldsmith.

An address to a patron or friend, prefixed to a book, testifying respect, and often recommending the work to his special protection and favor.

regard to (the suit, or the wrong charged); to oppose or resist, as a claim at law; to contest, as a suit. Burrill.

To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint. He is . . . among the greatest prelates of this age, however his character may be defiled by . . . dirty hands. Swift.

Apt; fit; dexterous; clever; handy; spruce; neat. [Archaic or Poetic] "The deftest way." Shak. "Deftest feats." Gay. The limping god, do deft at his new ministry. Dryden. Let me be deft and debonair. Byron.

he degree of a power, or radical, is denoted by its index, that of an equation by the greatest sum of the exponents of the unknown quantities in any term; thus, ax4 + bx2 = c, and mx2y2 + nyx = p, are both equations of the fourth degree.

A delineated picture; representation; sketch; description in words. Their softest delineations of female beauty. W. Irving.

Any fact or truth which is decisively attested or intuitively known as a psychological or philosophical datum; as, the deliverance of consciousness.

The shade itself; neither the darkest nor the lightest in a composition. Also called half tint.

A Roman silver coin of the value of about fourteen cents; the "penny" of the New Testament; -- so called from being worth originally ten of the pieces called as.

To quit this world; to die. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. Luke ii. 29. To depart with, to resign; to part with. [Obs.] Shak.

To testify under oath; to depose; to bear witness. [A Scotticism] The fairy Glorians, whose credibility on this point can not be called in question, depones to the confinement of Merlin in a tree. Dunlop.

One who deposes or testifies under oath; one who gives evidence; usually, one who testifies in writing.

To testify under oath; to bear testimony to; -- now usually said of bearing testimony which is officially written down for future use. Abbott. To depose the yearly rent or valuation of lands. Bacon.

One who testifies or deposes; a deponent.

The act of laying down one's testimony in writing; also, testimony laid or taken down in writting, under oath or affirmation, befor some competent officer, and in reply to interrogatories and cross-interrogatories.

some of his brother peers as derogatory to their other. Macaulay. Derogatory clause in a testament (Law), a sentence of secret character inserted by the testator alone, of which he reserves the knowledge to himself, with a condition that no will he may make thereafter shall be valid, unless this clause is inserted wor…

give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of. [Obs.] I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted. Milton.

ssness can by no means consist with a constant determination of the will . . . to the greatest apparent good. Locke.