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The act of condescending; voluntary descent from one's rank or dignity in intercourse with an inferior; courtesy toward inferiors. It forbids pride . . . and commands humility, modesty, and condescension to others. Tillotson. Such a dignity and condescension . . . as are suitable to a superior nature. Addison.…

Of the same blood; related by birth; descended from the same parent or ancestor. Shak.

motion (Mus.), the progression of parts in opposite directions, one ascending, the other descending.

An Egyptian race thought to be descendants of the ancient Egyptians.

. A heavy pump rod or plunger, raised by the steam, forces up the water by its weight, in descending.

Full of crags, or steep, broken Into its cragged rents descend. J. Baillie.

in a coat of arms; -- often used as a mark of cadency to distinguish a second son and his descendants.

opmost part of the head (see Illust. of Bird.); that part of the head from which the hair descends toward the sides and back; also, the head or brain. From toe to crown he'll fill our skin with pinches. Shak. Twenty things which I set down: This done, I twenty more-had in my crown. Bunyan.

A descendant of Cush, the son of Ham and grandson of Noah.

A low place between hills; a vle or valley. Where mountaines rise, umbrageous dales descend. Thomson.

A descendant of Dan; an Israelite of the tribe of Dan. Judges xiii. 2.

A female descendant; a woman. This woman, being a daughter of Abraham. Luke xiii. 16. Dinah, the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughter of the land. Gen. xxxiv. 1.

Angle of declination, the angle made by a descending line, or plane, with a horizontal plane. -- Circle of declination, a circle parallel to the celestial equator. -- Declination compass (Physics), a compass arranged for finding the declination of the magnetic needle. -- Declination of the compass or needle, the hor…

rection; to bend over or hang down, as from weakness, weariness, despondency, etc.; to condescend. "With declining head." Shak. He . . . would decline even to the lowest of his family. Lady Hutchinson. Disdaining to decline, Slowly he falls, amidst triumphant cries. Byron. The ground at length became broken and decline…

Descending gradually; moderately steep; sloping; downhill.

nation downward; slope; -- opposed to acclivity, or ascent; the same slope, considered as descending, being a declivity, which, considered as ascending, is an acclivity.

To condescend to give or bestow; to stoop to furnish; to vouchsafe; to allow; to grant. Nor would we deign him burial of his men. Shak.

Cast down; humble; submissive. [Obs.] He down descended like a most demiss And abject thrall. Spenser.

Angle of depression (Geod.), one which a descending line makes with a horizontal plane. -- Depression of the dewpoint (Meteor.), the number of degreees that the dew-point is lower than the actual temperature of the atmosphere. -- Depression of the pole, its apparent sinking, as the spectator goes toward the equator.…

To flow; to have origin; to descend; to proceed; to be deduced. Shak. Power from heaven Derives, and monarchs rule by gods appointed. Prior.