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and ease in using the hands; expertness in manual acts; as, dexterity with the chisel. In youth quick bearing and dexterity. Shak.

To set with diamonds; to adorn; to enrich. [R.] Diamondizing of your subject. B. Jonson.

To draw flowers or figures, as upon cloth. "If you diaper on folds." Peacham.

an authoritative rule, principle, or maxim; a prescription; as, listen to the dictates of your conscience; the dictates of the gospel. I credit what the Grecian dictates say. Prior.

ragement, love, etc. His heart died within, and he became as a stone. 1 Sam. xxv. 37. The young men acknowledged, in love letters, that they died for Rebecca. Tatler.

in public. Shak. Away therefore went I with the constable, leaving the old warden and the young constable to compose their difference as they could. T. Ellwood.

Wanting confidence in others; distrustful. [Archaic] You were always extremely diffident of their success. Melmoth.

To thrust; to poke. [Colloq.] You should have seen children . . . dig and push their mothers under the sides, saying thus to them: Look, mother, how great a lubber doth yet wear pearls. Robynson (More's Utopia). To dig down, to undermine and cause to fall by digging; as, to dig down a wall. -- To dig from, out of, out…

A division of Trematoda in which alternate generations occur, the immediate young not resembling their parents.

consider carefully; to get an understanding of; to comprehend. Feelingly digest the words you speak in prayer. Sir H. Sidney. How shall this bosom multiplied digest The senate's courtesy Shak.

ignity or honor; to make illustrious; to give distinction to; to exalt in rank; to honor. Your worth will dignity our feast. B. Jonson.

not negligently; with industry or assiduity. Ye diligently keep commandments of the Lord your God. Deut. vi. 17.

A derivative from a noun, denoting a small or a young object of the same kind with that denoted by the primitive; as, gosling, eaglet, lambkin. Babyisms and dear diminutives. Tennyson.

onfused, harsh noise; a loud, continuous, rattling or clanging sound; clamor; roar. Think you a little din can daunt mine ears Shak. He knew the battle's din afar. Sir W. Scott. The dust and din and steam of town. Tennyson.

Force; power; -- esp. in the phrase by dint of. Now you weep; and, I perceive, you feel The dint of pity. Shak. It was by dint of passing strength That he moved the massy stone at length. Sir W. Scott.

de, as by pointing out the way; as, he directed me to the left-hand road. The Lord direct your into the love of God. 2 Thess. iii. 5. The next points to which I will direct your attention. Lubbock.

idance; management; superintendence; administration; as, the direction o. I do commit his youth To your direction. Shak. All nature is but art, unknown to thee;direction, which thou canst not see. Pope.

Exactly; just. Stand you directly in Antonius' way. Shak.

rige is the first word; a dirge. Evensongs and placebo and dirige. Wyclif. Resort, I pray you, unto my sepulture To sing my dirige with great devotion. Lamentation of Mary Magdalene.

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 disadvantage. Palfrey.