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ho deposes or testifies under oath; one who gives evidence; usually, one who testifies in writing.

The act of laying down one's testimony in writing; also, testimony laid or taken down in writting, under oath or affirmation, befor some competent officer, and in reply to interrogatories and cross-interrogatories.

Pertaining to a second canon, or ecclesiastical writing of inferior authority; -- said of the Apocrypha, certain Epistles, etc.

ive; to excogitate; to invent; to plan; to scheme; as, to devise an engine, a new mode of writing, a plan of defense, or an argument. To devise curious works. Ex. CCTV. 32. Devising schemes to realize his ambitious views. Bancroft.

on; preceptive; instructive; teaching some moral lesson; as, didactic essays. "Didactical writings." Jer. Taylor. The finest didactic poem in any language. Macaulay.

The quality of being diffuse; especially, in writing, the use of a great or excessive number of word to express the meaning; copiousness; verbosity; prolixity.

; especially, to turn aside from the main subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing or speaking. Moreover she beginneth to digress in latitude. Holland. In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to digress into a particular definition as often as a man varies the signification of any term. Locke.…

e seized for debt; process for enforcing the attendance of witnesses or the production of writings. To do one's diligence, give diligence, use diligence, to exert one's self; to make interested and earnest endeavor. And each of them doth all his diligence To do unto the festé reverence. Chaucer.

An instrument used for double writing, as one for producing embossed writing for the blind and ordinary writing at the same time. -- Dip`lo*graph"ic*al (#), a. -- Dip*log"ra*phy (#), n.

A letter or writing, usually under seal, conferring some privilege, honor, or power; a document bearing record of a degree conferred by a literary society or educational institution.

The science of diplomas, or the art of deciphering ancient writings, and determining their age, authenticity, etc.; paleography.

To treat of something in writing and formally.

personally; as, a parent can hardly disown his child; an author will sometimes disown his writings.

ring or spreading abroad, as of ideas, beliefs, etc. The universal dissemination of those writings. Wayland.

re, between two eras or events. Ten years' distance between one and the other. Prior. The writings of Euclid at the distance of two thousand years. Playfair.

The decree or writing by which marriage is dissolved.

A small piece of paper or parchment, containing the heads of a writing; a summary or digest.

e basis, proof, or support of anything else; -- in its most extended sense, including any writing, book, or other instrument conveying information in the case; any material substance on which the thoughts of men are represented by any species of conventional mark or symbol. Saint Luke . . . collected them from such doc…

Pertaining to written evidence; contained or certified in writing. "Documentary evidence." Macaulay.

The form of any writing as first drawn up; the first rough sketch of written composition, to be filled in, or completed. See Draught.