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A leading or drawing off of water from a stream or source. [Obs.] T. Burnet.

oving downwards. Descending constellations or signs (Astron.), those through which the planets descent toward the south. -- Descending node (Astron.), that point in a planet's orbit where it intersects the ecliptic in passing southward. -- Descending series (Math.), a series in which each term is numerically smaller…

at which serves to determine. Explanatory determinatives . . . were placed after words phonetically expressed, in order to serve as an aid to the reader in determining the meaning. I. Taylor (The Alphabet).

to develop theories; a motor that develops 100 horse power. These serve to develop its tenets. Milner. The 20th was spent in strengthening our position and developing the line of the enemy. The Century.

eviation of the compass, the angle which the needle of a ship's compass makes with the magnetic meridian by reason of the magnetism 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 pe…

alline, igneous rock, consisting essentially of a triclinic feldspar and pyroxene with magnetic iron; -- often limited to rocks pretertiary in age. It includes part of what was early called greenstone.

An arch rising from the rim of a crown (rarely also of a coronet), and uniting with others over its center. Diadem lemur. (Zoöl.) See Indri. -- Diadem spider (Zoöl.), the garden spider.

-- applied to the nucleus of a cell, when, during cell division, the loops of the nuclear network separate into two groups, preparatory to the formation of two daughter nuclei. See Karyokinesis.

A plant with netveined leaves, and monocotyledonous embryos, belonging to the class Dictyogenæ, proposed by Lindley for the orders Dioscoreaceæ, Smilaceæ, Trilliaceæ, etc.

One of two coils of conducting wire so related to one another or to a magnet or armature common to both, that one coil produces polar action contrary to that of the other.

in subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing or speaking. Moreover she beginneth to digress in latitude. Holland. In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to digress into a particular definition as often as a man varies the signification of any term. Locke.

The elongation, or angular distance from the sun; -- said chiefly of the inferior planets. [R.]

gave to each general conception as it thrilled for the first time through the brain a phonetic expression; -- jocosely so called from the analogy of the sound of a bell induced by the stroke of the clapper.

To pierce; to penetrate; -- followed by in or into. When I dipt into the future. Tennyson.

Having two poles, as a magnetic bar.

bing the teeth or gums with a stick or brush dipped in snuff. [U.S.] Dipping needle, a magnetic needle suspended at its center of gravity, and moving freely in a vertical plane, so as to indicate on a graduated circle the magnetic dip or inclination.

In the direction of the general planetary motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; -- said of the motion of a celestial body. Direct action. (Mach.) See Direct-acting. -- Direct discourse (Gram.), the language of any one quoted without change in its form; as, he said "I can not come;" -…

d by stopping or removing the latter; also, a similar current produced by removal of a magnet.

To thrill; to vibrate; to penetrate. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

An unpropitious or baleful aspect of a planet or star; malevolent influence of a heavenly body; hence, an ill portent. [Obs.] Disasters in the sun. Shak.