Search the Dictionary

Nice propriety of manners or conduct; susceptibility or tenderness of feeling; refinement; fastidiousness; and hence, in an exaggerated sense, effeminacy; as, great delicacy of behavior; delicacy in doing a kindness; delicacy of character that unfits for earnest action. You know your mother's delicacy in this point. Co…

entle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; -- said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness.

Delightfully; as, to feed deliciously; to be deliciously entertained.

A high degree of gratification of mind; a high-wrought state of pleasurable feeling; lively pleasure; extreme satisfaction; joy. Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not. Shak. A fool hath no delight in understanding. Prov. xviii. 2.

A small cup for, or of, black coffee.

The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter. Bouvier.

An expression, as of the feelings, by outward signs; a manifestation; a show. Did your letters pierce the queen to any demonstration of grief Shak. Loyal demonstrations toward the prince. Prescott.

Expressing, or apt to express, much; displaying feeling or sentiment; as, her nature was demonstrative.

To cause delay to; to put off. [Obs.] He demands a fee, And then demurs me with a vain delay. Quarles.

specific name or denomination; specified in the concrete as opposed to abstract; thus, 7 feet is a denominate quantity, while 7 is mere abstract quantity or number. See Compound number, under Compound.

ng a toothed bill; -- applied to a group of passerine birds, having the bill notched, and feeding chiefly on insects, as the shrikes and vireos. See Illust. (N) under Beak.

Feeding. [R.]

To pasture; to feed; to graze; also, to use for pasture. [R.] Cattle, to graze and departure in his grounds. Blackstone. A right to cut wood upon or departure land. Washburn.

To feel or to express deep and poignant grief for; to bewail; to lament; to mourn; to sorrow over. To find her, or forever to deplore Her loss. Milton. As some sad turtle his lost love deplores. Pope.

haracter; general badness of character; wickedness of mind or heart; absence of religious feeling and principle. Total depravity. See Original sin, and Calvinism.

A genus of coleopterous insects, the larvæ of which feed animal substances. They are very destructive to dries meats, skins, woolens, and furs. The most common species is D. lardarius, known as the bacon beetle.

To desire; to feel the want of; to lack; to miss; to want. Pray have the goodness to point out one word missing that ought to have been there -- please to insert a desiderated stanza. You can not. Prof. Wilson. Men were beginning . . . to desiderate for them an actual abode of fire. A. W. Ward.

Feeling desire; eagerly wishing; solicitous; eager to obtain; covetous. Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him. John xvi. 19. Be not desirous of his dainties. Prov. xxiii. 3.

Feeling or expressing despair; hopeless. -- De*spair"ing*ly, adv. -- De*spair"ing*ness, n.

Feeling or showing despite; malicious; angry to excess; cruel; contemptuous. [Obs.] "Despiteous reproaches." Holland.