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A current flowing in one direction only; -- distinguished from alternating current. When steady and not pulsating a direct current is often called a continuous current.

ce to an imaginary vertical axis; -- distinguished from elevation. The direction is given when the plane of sight passes through the object. Wilhelm.

A slender grooved instrument upon which a knife is made to slide when it is wished to limit the extent of motion of the latter, or prevent its injuring the parts beneath.

A prefix from the Latin, whence F. dés, or sometimes dé-, dis-. The Latin dis- appears as di- before b, d, g, l, m, n, r, v, becomes dif- before f, and either dis- or di- before j. It is from the same root as bis twice, and duo, E. two. See Two, and cf. Bi-, Di-, Dia-. Dis- denotes separation, a parting from, as in dis…

in opinion; to hold discordant views; to be at controversy; to quarrel. Who shall decide, when doctors disagree Pope.

A breaking off or interruption of an estate, which happened when an alienation was made by a tenant in tail, or other tenant, seized in right of another, of a larger estate than the tenant was entitled to, whereby the party ousted or injured was driven to his real action, and could not enter. This effect of such aliena…

scounting commercial paper; a bill broker. -- Discount day, a particular day of the week when a bank discounts bills. -- True discount, the interest which, added to a principal, will equal the face of a note when it becomes due. The principal yielding this interest is the present value of the note.

deserving one's notice; to look with scorn upon; to scorn, as base acts, character, etc. When the Philistine . . . saw Dawid, he disdained him; for he was but a youth. 1 Sam. xvii. 42. 'T is great, 't manly to disdain disguise. Young.

mouth; to discharge violently or in great quantities from a confined place. This mountain when it rageth, . . . casteth forth huge stones, disgorgeth brimstone. Hakluyt. They loudly laughed To see his heaving breast disgorge the briny draught. Dryden.

As much as a dish holds when full.

m infectious or contagious matter; to destroy putrefaction; to purify; to make innocuous. When the infectious matter and the infectious matter and the odoriferous matter are one . . . then to deodorize is to disinfect. Ure.

The lower side of the body of some invertebrates, especially when used for locomotion, when it is often called a creeping disk.

; a dismal place. Full well the busy whisper, circling round, Convey'd the dismal tidings when he frowned. Goldsmith. A dismal description of an English November. Southey.

r permit to go; to put away. He dismissed the assembly. Acts xix. 41. Dismiss their cares when they dismiss their flock. Cowper. Though he soon dismissed himself from state affairs. Dryden.

d disoblige their friends, shall infallibly come to know the value of them by having none when they shall most need them. South. My plan has given offense to some gentlemen, whom it would not be very safe to disoblige. Addison.

losure); to treat (a private park) as a common. The Gentiles were made to be God's people when the Jews' inclosure was disparked. Jer. Taylor.

To make allowance for the dispart in (a gun), when taking aim. Every gunner, before he shoots, must truly dispart his piece. Lucar.

-- Dispatch box, a box for carrying dispatches; a box for papers and other conveniences when traveling.

relative effect 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.

Inclined; minded. When he was disposed to pass into Achaia. Acts xviii. 27.