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The snakebird, a water bird of the genus Plotus; -- so called because it darts out its long, snakelike neck at its prey. See Snakebird.

Pertaining to Darwin; as, the Darwinian theory, a theory of the manner and cause of the supposed development of living things from certain original forms or elements.

To throw with violence or haste; to cause to strike violently or hastily; -- often used with against. If you dash a stone against a stone in the botton of the water, it maketh a sound. Bacon.

pecies, and inhabiting fresh water in the larval state; the ephemeral fly; -- so called because it commonly lives but one day in the winged or adult state. See Ephemeral fly, under Ephemeral.

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

tention. (a) Of agreeable things and interests. [I'll] leave you to attend him: some dear cause Will in concealment wrap me up awhile. Shak. His dearest wish was to escape from the bustle and glitter of Whitehall. Macaulay.

Cause of loss of life. Swiftly flies the feathered death. Dryden. He caught his death the last county sessions. Addison.

n combat for; to strive for. Volunteers . . . thronged to serve under his banner, and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardor in Spain as on the plains of Palestine. Prescott.

To cause to decay; to impair. [R.] Infirmity, that decays the wise. Shak.

A causer of decay. [R.]

ve or lead into error; any declaration, artifice, or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud. Making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit. Amos viii. 5. Friendly to man, far from deceit or g…

To lead into error; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose upon; to mislead; to cheat; to disappoint; to delude; to insnare. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Tim. iii. 13. Nimble jugglers that deceive the eye. Shak. What can 'scape the e…

To prevent from centralizing; to cause to withdraw from the center or place of concentration; to divide and distribute (what has been united or concentrated); -- esp. said of authority, or the administration of public affairs.

conclusion, especially of a legal adjudication or judicial determination of a question or cause; as, a decision of arbitrators; a decision of the Supreme Court.

To defend by declamation; to advocate loudly. [Obs.] "Declaims his cause." South.

That part of the process in which the plaintiff sets forth in order and at large his cause of complaint; the narration of the plaintiff's case containing the count, or counts. See Count, n., 3. Declaration of Independence. (Amer. Hist.) See under Independence. -- Declaration of rights. (Eng. Hist) See Bill of rights,…

To state the plaintiff's cause of action at law in a legal form; as, the plaintiff declares in trespass.

To bend downward; to bring down; to depress; to cause to bend, or fall. In melancholy deep, with head declined. Thomson. And now fair Phoebus gan decline in haste His weary wagon to the western vale. Spenser.

To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means. That might decrease their present store. Prior.

A decision, order, or sentence, given in a cause by a court of equity or admiralty.