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Curt; brief; laconic. Essays and curtal aphorisms. Milton. Curtal dog. See Curtail dog.

and the letters representing them; as, d t are dental letters. Dental formula (Zoöl.), a brief notation used by zoölogists to denote the number and kind of teeth of a mammal. -- Dental surgeon, a dentist.

To make a brief abstract of (a writing) and indorse it on the back of the paper, or to indorse the title or contents on the back of; to summarize; as, to docket letters and papers. Chesterfield.

A brief written acknowledgment of a debt, not made payable to order, like a promissory note. Burrill.

hy. Summer's dun cloud comes thundering up. Pierpont. Chill and dun Falls on the moor the brief November day. Keble. Dun crow (Zoöl.), the hooded crow; -- so called from its color; -- also called hoody, and hoddy. -- Dun diver (Zoöl.), the goosander or merganser.

To throw out, as an exclamation; to utter by a brief and sudden impulse; as, to ejaculate a prayer.

Anything lasting but a day, or a brief time; an ephemeral plant, insect, etc.

A summing up in a brief account. [Obs.] Udall.

A brief writing formed as if to be inscribed on a monument, as that concerning Alexander: "Sufficit huic tumulus, cui non sufficeret orbis."

ts of a former work are reduced within a smaller space by curtailment and condensation; a brief summary; an abridgement. [An] epitome of the contents of a very large book. Sydney Smith.

A journey chiefly for recreation; a pleasure trip; a brief tour; as, an excursion into the country.

The time during which a flash is visible; an instant; a very brief period. The Persians and Macedonians had it for a flash. Bacon.

The act of wavering or of fluttering; flucuation; sudden and brief increase of brightness; as, the last flicker of the dying flame.

f life, that is, youth. The choice and flower of all things profitable the Psalms do more briefly contain. Hooker. The flower of the chivalry of all Spain. Southey. A simple maiden in her flower Is worth a hundred coats of arms. Tennyson.

A sudden and brief blast or gust; a light, temporary breeze; as, a flurry of wind.

Anything of small size, or expressed within brief limits, which is regarded as a gem on account of its beauty or value, as a small picture, a verse of poetry, a witty or wise saying. Artificial gem, an imitation of a gem, made of glass colored with metallic oxide. Cf. Paste, and Strass.

To hint at; to touch lightly or briefly. [Obs.] In company I often glanced it. Shak.

(see Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 19, 161, 162). Also (by Bell and others), the vanish (or brief final element) or the brief initial element, in a class of diphthongal vowels, or the brief final or initial part of some consonants (see Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 18, 97, 191).

A brief reflection or maxim. Peacham.

A sudden squall; a violent blast of wind; a sudden and brief rushing or driving of the wind. Snow, and hail, stormy gust and flaw. Milton.