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A group of lemuroid mammals having a parachutelike web of skin between the fore and hind legs, of which the colugo (Galeopithecus) is the type. See Colugo.

ower state, from a higher to a lower state, from the more to the less important, from the better to the worse, etc.

A class to which a certain representation is applicable; kind; sort. A difference . . . between them and another description of public creditors. A. Hamilton. The plates were all of the meanest description. Macaulay.

e; to espy; to recognize; to discern; to discover. And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. Judg. i. 23. Edmund, I think, is gone . . . to descry The strength o' the enemy. Shak. And now their way to earth they had descried. Milton.

Betrothal. [Obs.] Ethelbert . . . went peaceably to King Offa for desponsage of Athilrid, his daughter. Foxe.

To betroth. [Obs.] Johnson.

A betrothing; betrothal. [Obs.] For all this desponsation of her . . . she had not set one step toward the consummation of her marriage. Jer. Taylor.

asant." Pope. Dessert spoon, a spoon used in eating dessert; a spoon intermediate in size between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. -- Dessert-spoonful, n., pl. Dessert-spoonfuls, as much as a dessert spoon will hold, usually reckoned at about two and a half fluid drams.

ription of genuine and counterfeit bank notes, designed to enable persons to discriminate between them. -- Detector l. See under Lock.

A bar, connected with a switch, longer than the distance between any two consecutive wheels of a train (45 to 50 feet), laid inside a rail and operated by the wheels so that the switch cannot be thrown until all the train is past the switch.

c. The determinant is written by placing the numbers from which it is formed in a square between two vertical lines. The theory of determinants forms a very important branch of modern mathematics.

in order to serve as an aid to the reader in determining the meaning. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

s long-continued detrition have reached a step of extreme simplicity. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

of the iron parts of the ship. -- Deviation of the line of the vertical, the difference between the actual direction of a plumb line and the direction it would have if the earth were a perfect ellipsoid and homogeneous, -- caused by the attraction of a mountain, or irregularities in the earth's density.…

A double-walled glass vessel for holding liquid air, etc., having the space between the walls exhausted so as to prevent conduction of heat, and sometimes having the glass silvered to prevent absorption of radiant heat; -- called also, according to the particular shape, Dewar bulb, Dewar tube, etc.

A prefix denoting through; also, between, apart, asunder, across. Before a vowel dia- becomes di-; as, diactinic; dielectric, etc.

Differential diagnosis (Med.), the determination of the distinguishing characteristics as between two similar diseases or conditions.

An imaginary speech or discussion between two or more; dialogue. Fulke.

A conversation between two or more persons; particularly, a formal conservation in theatrical performances or in scholastic exercises.

A vacant space, or gap, esp. between teeth in a jaw.