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The study of races, as to births, marriages, mortality, health, etc. -- Dem`o*graph"ic, a.

evil; mischievous; pernicious; -- often with of or to; as, intemperance is destructive of health; evil examples are destructive to the morals of youth. Time's destructive power. Wordsworth. Destructive distillation. See Distillation. -- Destructive sorties ( (Logic), a process of reasoning which involves the denial of…

A course of food selected with reference to a particular state of health; prescribed allowance of food; regimen prescribed. To fast like one that takes diet. Shak. Diet kitchen, a kitchen in which diet is prepared for invalids; a charitable establishment that provides proper food for the sick poor.

or totally unlike; dissimilar; as, different kinds of food or drink; different states of health; different shapes; different degrees of excellence. Men are as different from each other, as the regions in which they are born are different. Dryden.

To dispose to suppurate, or generate healthy pus, as an ulcer or wound.

od that aids digestion, or strengthens digestive power. Rice is . . . a great restorer of health, and a great digester. Sir W. Temple.

Inclined to mirth; jolly. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl. Well disposed, in good condition; in good health. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Wasteful of health, money, etc., in the pursuit of pleasure; dissolute; intemperate. A life irregular and dissipated. Johnson.

A dissolute course of life, in which health, money, etc., are squandered in pursuit of pleasure; profuseness in vicious indulgence, as late hours, riotous living, etc.; dissoluteness. To reclaim the spendthrift from his dissipation and extravagance. P. Henry.

le sufficiency or reality; to doubt; to be suspicious of; to mistrust. Not distrusting my health. 2 Mac. ix. 22. To distrust the justice of your cause. Dryden. He that requireth the oath doth distrust that other. Udall. Of all afraid, Distrusting all, a wise, suspicious maid. Collins.

To fare; to be, as regards health; as, they asked him how he did; how do you do to-day

up, to drink the whole at a draught; as, to drink off a cup of cordial. -- To drink the health of, or To drink to the health of, to drink while expressing good wishes for the health or welfare of.

alternate ebb and flood of the tide; often used figuratively. This alternation between unhealthy activity and depression, this ebb and flow of the industrial. A. T. Hadley.

Excessively careful; cautious. [Obs.] No men are so envious of their health. Jer. Taylor. -- En"vi*ous*ly, adv. -- En"vi*ous*ness, n.

object, so that it remains firm; equipoise; as, to preserve the equilibrium of the body. Health consists in the equilibrium between those two powers. Arbuthnot.

A dry slough, crust, or scab, which separates from the healthy part of the body, as that produced by a burn, or the application of caustics.

Such a due mixture of qualities in bodies as constitutes health or soundness. Quincy.

he matter forming the false membranes which sometimes result from acute inflammation in a healthy person. Dunglison.

Healthy nutrition; soundless as regards the nutritive functions.

Bodily exertion for the sake of keeping the organs and functions in a healthy state; hygienic activity; as, to take exercise ob horseback. The wise for cure on exercise depend. Dryden.