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A will or testament, conveying real estate; the clause of a will making a gift of real property. Fines upon devises were still exacted. Bancroft.

A Linnæan class of plants whose stamens are united into two bodies or bundles by their filaments.

pertaining to the class Diadelphia; having the stamens united into two bodies by their filaments (said of a plant or flower); grouped into two bundles or sets by coalescence of the filaments (said of stamens).

Originally, an ornamental head band or fillet, worn by Eastern monarchs as a badge of royalty; hence (later), also, a crown, in general. "The regal diadem." Milton.

A pointed projection, like a four-sided pyramid, used for ornament in lines or groups.

To ornament with figures, etc., arranged in the pattern called diaper, as cloth in weaving. "Diapered light." H. Van Laun. Engarlanded and diapered With in wrought flowers. Tennyson.

A continuous narrative arranged from the first four books of the New Testament.

To ornament with squares, diamonds, or cubes.

An ornamenting in squares or cubes.

An arbitrament or award.

Fundamental principle; axiom; maxim. [Obs.] Sciences concluding from dignities, and principles known by themselves. Sir T. Browne.

and it is difficult to determine what course to pursue; a vexatious alternative or predicament; a difficult choice or position. A strong dilemma in a desperate case! To act with infamy, or quit the place. Swift. Horns of a dilemma, alternatives, each of which is equally difficult of encountering.

The manifoldness with which the fundamental units of time, length, and mass are involved in determining the units of other physical quantities. Thus, since the unit of velocity varies directly as the unit of length and inversely as the unit of time, the dimensions of velocity are said to be length ÷ time; the dimension…

Crystallizing under two forms fundamentally different, while having the same chemical composition.

Evil in great degree; dreadful; dismal; horrible; terrible; lamentable. Dire was the tossing, deep the groans. Milton. Gorgons and hydras and chimeras dire. Milton.

ge. Wyclif. Resort, I pray you, unto my sepulture To sing my dirige with great devotion. Lamentation of Mary Magdalene.

To deprive of ornaments. Congreve.

e chief priests and scribes saw the marvels that he did . . . they disdained. Genevan Testament (Matt. xxi. 15).

shed church; as, the disestablishment and disendowment of the Irish Church by Act of Parliament.

esolved that all members of the House who held commissions, should be dispensed from parliamentary attendance. Macaulay. He appeared to think himself born to be supported by others, and dispensed from all necessity of providing for himself. Johnson.