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re diverted with sports; men are diverted with works of wit and humor. We are amused by a tale, diverted by a comedy. C. J. Smith.

To place; to put. [Obs.] Tale of a Usurer (about 1330).

Lit., given; hence, in a literary work, as a drama or tale, that which is assumed as to characters, situation, etc., as a basis for the plot or story. W. E. Henley.

A collection of twelve objects; a tale or set of twelve; with or without of before the substantive which follows. "Some six or seven dozen of Scots." "A dozen of shirts to your back." "A dozen sons." "Half a dozen friends." Shak.

lar, or weak, verbs; also, of analogous participial adjectives from nouns; as, pigmented; talented.

en or bestowed upon the person or mind; gift of nature; accomplishment; natural capacity; talents; -- usually in the plural. His early endowments had fitted him for the work he was to do. I. Taylor.

the thing; to furnish with grounds for seeking or claiming with success; as, an officer's talents entitle him to command.

equal quantities of land, water, etc. ; houses of equal size; persons of equal stature or talents; commodities of equal value.

or in a general way; as, to estimate the value of goods or land; to estimate the worth or talents of a person. It is by the weight of silver, and not the name of the piece, that men estimate commodities and exchange them. Locke. It is always very difficult to estimate the age in which you are living. J. C. Shairp.…

Designed or fitted for execution, or carrying into effect; as, executive talent; qualifying for, concerned with, or pertaining to, the execution of the laws or the conduct of affairs; as, executive power or authority; executive duties, officer, department, etc.

e, measure. or condition; hence, remarkable; uncommon; rare; wonderful; as, extraordinary talents or grandeur.

A Feigned story or tale, intended to instruct or amuse; a fictitious narration intended to enforce some useful truth or precept; an apologue. See the Note under Apologue. Jotham's fable of the trees is the oldest extant. Addison .

One of the metrical tales of the Trouvères, or early poets of the north of France.

stopping or opposing; to confront; to encounter; as, to face an enemy in the field of battale. I'll face This tempest, and deserve the name of king. Dryden.

To satisfy; grafity or minister to, as any sense, talent, taste, or desire. I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. Shak. Feeding him with the hope of liberty. Knolles.

e bottom of the page), devoted to light literature, criticism, etc.; also, the article or tale itself, thus printed.

Tasteless; stale; vapid; insipid; dead; as, fruit or drink flat to the taste.

To make vapid or insipid; to render stale.

A genus of perennial herbs (Iris) with swordlike leaves and large three-petaled flowers often of very gay colors, but probably white in the plant first chosen for the royal French emblem.

] In winter's tedious nights, sit by the fire With good old folks, and let them tell thee tales. Shak.