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An instrument formerly used at sea for taking the altitudes of celestial bodies.

One who shoots with a crossbow. See Arbalest.

An imaginary circle or orbit in the heavens; one of the celestial spheres. Milton.

A nonnucleated mass of protoplasm, the supposed simplest form of independent life differing from the amoeba, in which nuclei are present.

A large, spine-tailed lizard (Uromastix spinipes), found in Egypt, Arabia, and Palestine; -- called also dhobb, and dhabb.

A small herbivorous mammal of the genus Hyrax. The species found in Palestine and Syria is Hyrax Syriacus; that of Northern Africa is H. Brucei; -- called also ashkoko, dassy, and rock rabbit. See Cony, and Hyrax.

Dejection; depression; cloud of the mind. Even now, while thus I stand blest in thy presence, A secret damp of grief comes o'er my soul. Addison. It must have thrown a damp over your autumn excursion. J. D. Forbes.

twenty-four hours. It is measured by the interval between two successive transits of a celestial body over the same meridian, and takes a specific name from that of the body. Thus, if this is the sun, the day (the interval between two successive transits of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a solar da…

ade on each course as found by log, with allowance for leeway, etc., without the aid of celestial observations. -- Dead rise, the transverse upward curvature of a vessel's floor. -- Dead rising, an elliptical line drawn on the sheer plan to determine the sweep of the floorheads throughout the ship's length. -- Dead-…

and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardor in Spain as on the plains of Palestine. Prescott.

Plant fruit trees in large borders, and set therein fine flowers, but thin and sparingly, lest they deceive the trees. Bacon.

The angular distance of any object from the celestial equator, either northward or southward.

One admitted to residence in a foreign country. Ye gods, Natives, or denizens, of blest abodes. Dryden.

The angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon.

rmed on its theme, like variations on a musical air; a comment or comments. Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a descant! De Quincey.

. Oblique descension (Astron.), the degree or arc of the equator which descends, with a celestial object, below the horizon of an oblique sphere. -- Right descension, the degree or arc of the equator which descends below the horizon of a right sphere at the same time with the object. [Obs.]

To discover; to disclose; to reveal. [R.] His purple robe he had thrown aside, lest it should descry him. Milton.

rous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus, or Diabolus, ursinus). -- To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]

The smallest kind of type in English printing, except that called brilliant, which is seldom seen.

xing; to reduce, especially by the addition of water; to temper; to attenuate; to weaken. Lest these colors should be diluted and weakened by the mixture of any adventitious light. Sir I. Newton.