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An annual tax formerly laid on the English nation to buy off the ravages of Danish invaders, or to maintain forces to oppose them. It afterward became a permanent tax, raised by an assessment, at first of one shilling, afterward of two shillings, upon every hide of land throughout the realm. Wharton's Law Dict. Tomlins…

e adequate or sufficient courage for any purpose; to be bold or venturesome; not to be afraid; to venture. I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none. Shak. Why then did not the ministers use their new law Bacause they durst not, because they could not. Macaulay. Who dared to sully her sweet love wi…

s life's whole date. Chapman. To bear date, to have the date named on the face of it; -- said of a writing.

Removable, as distinguished from perpetual; -- said of an officer.

A son's wife; a daughter-in-law. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters. Ruth. i. 11.

. When life awakes, and dawns at every line. Pope. Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid. Heber,

A dairymaid. [Obs.]

Flat; without gloss; -- said of painting which has been applied purposely to have this effect.

Making a beat without recoil; giving indications by a single beat or excursion; -- said of galvanometers and other instruments in which the needle or index moves to the extent of its deflection and stops with little or no further oscillation. Deadbeat escapement. See under Escapement.

of his church, who, to use their own phrase, "dealt with him" on the sin of rejecting the aid which Providence so manifestly held out. Hawthorne. Return . . . and I will deal well with thee. Gen. xxxii. 9.

customhouse certificate entitling an exporter of imported goods to a drawback of duties paid on their importation. Burrill.

or to perform for his benefit; thing owed; obligation; liability. Your son, my lord, has paid a soldier's debt. Shak. When you run in debt, you give to another power over your liberty. Franklin.

Having ten columns in front; -- said of a portico, temple, etc. -- n.

concentration; to divide and distribute (what has been united or concentrated); -- esp. said of authority, or the administration of public affairs.

A supposed rare element, said to be associated with cerium, yttrium, etc., in the mineral samarskite, and more recently called samarium. Symbol Dp. See Samarium.

as, the Declaration of Independence (now preserved in Washington). In 1776 the Americans laid before Europe that noble Declaration, which ought to be hung up in the nursery of every king, and blazoned on the porch of every royal palace. Buckle.

Separated or broken up; -- said of the crest of birds when the feathers are divergent.

Extending downward; -- said of a leaf whose base extends downward and forms a wing along the stem. -- De*cur"rent*ly, adv.

ursively pinnate (Bot.), having the leaflets decurrent, or running along the petiole; -- said of a leaf.

To cross at an acute angle; to cut or divide in the form of X; to intersect; -- said of lines in geometrical figures, rays of light, nerves, etc.