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Formerly, defamation generally, whether oral or written; in modern usage, defamation by words spoken; utterance of false, malicious, and defamatory words, tending to the damage and derogation of another; calumny. See the Note under Defamation. Burril.

Moderate; trivial; inconsiderable; slight; as, a man of slender intelligence. A slender degree of patience will enable him to enjoy both the humor and the pathos. Sir W. Scott.

The act of slighting; the manifestation of a moderate degree of contempt, as by neglect or oversight; neglect; indignity.

oving a short space in a relatively long time; not swift; not quick in motion; not rapid; moderate; deliberate; as, a slow stream; a slow motion.

In a slow manner; moderately; not rapidly; not early; not rashly; not readly; tardly.

To express amusement, pleasure, moderate joy, or love and kindness, by the features of the face; to laugh silently. He doth nothing but frown . . . He hears merry tales and smiles not. Shak. She led to see the doughty hero slain. Pope. When last I saw thy young blue eyes, they smiled. Byron.

reely exposed to the sun; anciently, an apartment or inclosure on the roof of a house; in modern times, an apartment in a hospital, used as a resort for convalescents.

Not much; a little; moderate; as, the censure was to some extent just.

With a restrained voice or moderate force; in an undertone.

Somewhat sour; moderately acid; as, sourish fruit; a sourish taste.

The act of sparing; moderation; restraint. [Obs.] Killing for sacrifice, without any spare. Holland.

s by a grating. -- Gaseous spectrum, the spectrum of an incandesoent gas or vapor, under moderate, or especially under very low, pressure. It is characterized by bright bands or lines. -- Normal spectrum, a representation of a spectrum arranged upon conventional plan adopted as standard, especially a spectrum in whic…

es, life itself. [Obs.] "All of spirit would deprive." Spenser. The mild air, with season moderate, Gently attempered, and disposed eo well, That still it breathed foorth sweet spirit. Spenser.

A fit of immoderate laughter or merriment. [Obs.] Thy silly thought enforces my spleen. Shak.

One of the armored projections fitted with gun ports, used on modern war vessels.

To rain moderately, or with scattered drops falling now and then; as, it sprinkles.

Hence, a moderate number or quantity distributed like drops. Craik.

secured to the heel, or above the heel, of a horseman, to urge the horse by its pressure. Modern spurs have a small wheel, or rowel, with short points. Spurs were the badge of knighthood. And on her feet a pair of spurs large. Chaucer.

Restraint of passion; moderation; caution; steadiness; sobriety. [Obs.] "Not grudging that thy lust hath bounds and stays." Herbert. The wisdom, stay, and moderation of the king. Bacon. With prudent stay he long deferred The rough contention. Philips.

To boil slowly, or with the simmering or moderate heat; to seethe; to cook in a little liquid, over a gentle fire, without boiling; as, to stew meat; to stew oysters; to stew apples.