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An oleoresin used in making varnishes; dammar gum; dammara resin. It is obtained from certain resin trees indigenous to the East Indies, esp. Shorea robusta and the dammar pine. Dammar pine, (Bot.), a tree of the Moluccas (Agathis, or Dammara, orientalis), yielding dammar.

With imperfect light, clearness, or knowledge; obscurely; dimly; blindly; uncertainly. What fame to future times conveys but darkly down. Dryden. so softly dark and darkly pure. Byron.

. Dartroud diathesis, A morbid condition of the system predisposing to the development of certain skin deseases, such as eczema, psoriasis, and pityriasis. Also called rheumic diathesis, and hipretism. Piffard.

heory, a theory of the manner and cause of the supposed development of living things from certain original forms or elements.

That may be dated; having a known or ascertainable date. "Datable almost to a year." The Century.

An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate to the minister and e…

Sure as death; unerring; fixed; complete; as, a dead shot; a dead certainty. I had them a dead bargain. Goldsmith.

Capable of causing death; mortal; fatal; destructive; certain or likely to cause death; as, a deadly blow or wound.

A dignitary or presiding officer in certain ecclesiastical and lay bodies; esp., an ecclesiastical dignitary, subordinate to a bishop. Dean of cathedral church, the chief officer of a chapter; he is an ecclesiastical magistrate next in degree to bishop, and has immediate charge of the cathedral and its estates. -- Dea…

An action at law to recover a certain specified sum of money alleged to be due. Burrill. Bond debt, Book debt, etc. See under Bond, Book, etc. -- Debt of nature, death.

Falling off, or subject to fall or be shed, at a certain season, or a certain stage or interval of growth, as leaves (except of evergreens) in autumn, or as parts of animals, such as hair, teeth, antlers, etc.; also, shedding leaves or parts at certain seasons, stages, or intervals; as, deciduous trees; the deciduous m…

Decapitated; worn or cast off in the process of growth, as the apex of certain univalve shells.

ward, and distinguished from high, which is measured upward); far to the bottom; having a certain depth; as, a deep sea. The water where the brook is deep. Shak.

; a prohibitory ordinance. [Obs.] Severe defenses . . . against wearing any linen under a certain breadth. Sir W. Temple.

pable of being defined, limited, or explained; determinable; describable by definition; ascertainable; as, definable limits; definable distinctions or regulations; definable words. -- De*fin"a*bly, adv.

To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly; as, the defining power of an optical instrument. Rings . . . very distinct and well defined. Sir I. Newton.

Having certain or distinct; determinate in extent or greatness; limited; fixed; as, definite dimensions; a definite measure; a definite period or interval. Elements combine in definite proportions. Whewell.

The state of being definite; determinateness; precision; certainty.

Act of ascertaining and explaining the signification; a description of a thing by its properties; an explanation of the meaning of a word or term; as, the definition of "circle;" the definition of "wit;" an exact definition; a loose definition. Definition being nothing but making another understand by words what the te…

r course; a bending, esp. downward; deviation. The other leads to the same point, through certain deflections. Lowth.