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

A red crystalline nitrogenous substance or artificial production, which by reduction passes directly to indigo.

An instrument for measuring the dilatation or expansion of a substance, especially of a fluid.

Either one of the two forms of a dimorphous substance; as, calcite and aragonite are dimorphs.

To dash; to throw violently. [Obs.] To ding the book a coit's distance from him. Milton.

to the metric system; a refractive power equal to that of a glass whose principal focal distance is one meter.

nic representation, invented by Daguerre and Bouton, in which a painting is seen from a distance through a large opening. By a combination of transparent and opaque painting, and of transmitted and reflected light, and by contrivances such as screens and shutters, much diversity of scenic effect is produced.…

A white, crystalline, nitrogenous substance obtained by the reduction of isatin. It is a member of the indol series; -- hence its name.

action of plunging some receptacle, as a dipper, ladle. etc.; into a liquid or a soft substance and removing a part. Whoever dips too deep will find death in the pot. L'Estrange.

A white crystalline substance, C6H5.C6H5, obtained by leading benzene through a heated iron tube. It consists of two benzene or phenyl radicals united.

The soft, spongy, or cancellated substance between the plates of the skull.

Partaking of the nature of two bodies; producing two substances. Wright.

rmal, since there is no direct evidence that is not circumstantial, or dependent on circumstances for its credibility. Wharton. -- Direct examination (Law), the first examination of a witness in the orderly course, upon the merits. Abbott. -- Direct fire (Mil.), fire, the direction of which is perpendicular to the li…

A straight line so situated with respect to a conic section that the distance of any point of the curve from it has a constant ratio to the distance of the same point from the focus.

Any foul of filthy substance, as excrement, mud, dust, etc.; whatever, adhering to anything, renders it foul or unclean; earth; as, a wagonload of dirt. Whose waters cast up mire and dirt. Is. lvii. 20.

A white amorphous substance obtained as a polymeric modification of acrolein.

Deprivation of advantage; unfavorable or prejudicial quality, condition, circumstance, or the like; that which hinders success, or causes loss or injury. I was brought here under the disadvantage of being unknown by sight to any of you. Burke. Abandoned by their great patron, the faction henceforward acted at disadvant…

The decomposition of complex substances, within the organism, into simpler ones suitable only for excretion, with evolution of energy, -- a normal nutritional process the reverse of assimilation; downward metabolism. The breaking down of already existing chemical compounds into simpler ones, sometimes called disassimil…

To put at a distance; to remove. [Obs.] Low-looking dales, disloigned from common gaze. Spenser.

ect of a material in separating the different rays of light by refraction, as when the substance is formed into a prism. -- Dis*pers"ive*ness, n.