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; to suspend the operation of, as a law; to give up, release, or do without, as services, attention, etc.; to forego; to part with. (b) To allow by dispensation; to excuse; to exempt; to grant dispensation to or for. [Obs.] "Conniving and dispensing with open and common adultery." Milton. (c) To break or go back from,…

ding, or the state of being disregarded; intentional neglect; omission of notice; want of attention; slight. The disregard of experience. Whewell.

A trifle which wastes time or distracts attention. Prevented from finishing them [the letters] a thousand avocations and dissipations. Swift. Dissipation of energy. Same as Degradation of energy, under Degradation.

To draw (the sight, mind, or attention) in different directions; to perplex; to confuse; as, to distract the eye; to distract the attention. Mixed metaphors . . . distract the imagination. Goldsmith.

That which diverts attention; a diversion. "Domestic distractions." G. Eliot.

The act of drawing the attention and force of an enemy from the point where the principal attack is to be made; the attack, alarm, or feint which diverts.

Attention to apparel, or skill in adjusting it. Men of pleasure, dress, and gallantry. Pope.

Showy in dress; attentive to dress. A dressy flaunting maidservant. T. Hook. A neat, dressy gentleman in black. W. Irving.

liveliness or activity; to render heavy; to make inert; to depress; to weary; to sadden. Attention of mind . . . wasted or dulled through continuance. Hooker.

Privilege of being kindly heard; favor; attention. Dionysius . . . would give no ear to his suit. Bacon. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. Shak. About the ears, in close proximity to; near at hand. -- By the ears, in close contest; as, to set by the ears; to fall together by the ears; to be by the ears.…

Intent; fixed closely; as, earnest attention.

Serving or tending to elaborate; constructing with labor and minute attention to details. Elaborative faculty (Metaph.), the intellectual power of discerning relations and of viewing objects by means of, or in, relations; the discursive faculty; thought.

Striking the sense; attracting special attention; impressive; forcible. "Emphatical colors." Boyle. "Emphatical evils." Bp. Reynolds.

steer To turn the glebe. Dryden. To employ one's self, to apply or devote one's time and attention; to busy one's self.

That which engages or occupies; that which consumes time or attention; office or post of business; service; as, agricultural employments; mechanical employments; public employments; in the employment of government. Cares are employments, and without employ The soul is on a rack. Young.

To hold fast; to confine; as, to enchain attention.

To employ the attention and efforts of; to occupy; to engross; to draw on. Thus shall mankind his guardian care engage. Pope. Taking upon himself the difficult task of engaging him in conversation. Hawthorne.

That which engages; engrossing occupation; employment of the attention; obligation by pledge, promise, or contract; an enterprise embarked in; as, his engagements prevented his acceptance of any office. Religion, which is the chief engagement of our league. Milton.

Tending to draw the attention or affections; attractive; as, engaging manners or address. -- En*ga"ging*ly, adv. -- En*ga"ging*ness, n. Engaging and disengaging gear or machinery, that in which, or by means of which, one part is alternately brought into gear or out of gear with another part, as occasion may require.…

Attentive; zealous. [Obs.] Chaucer.