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The act or contract by which a person voluntarily transfers the title to a thing of which be is the owner, from himself to another, without any consideration, as a free gift. Bouvier. Donation party, a party assembled at the house of some one, as of a clergyman, each one bringing some present. [U.S.] Bartlett.…

A lady; madam; mistress; -- the title given a lady in Italy.

colloquially, Out doors, out of the house; in open air; abroad; away; lost. His imaginary title of fatherhood is out of doors. Locke. -- To lay (a fault, misfortune, etc.) at one's door, to charge one with a fault; to blame for. -- To lie at one's door, to be imputable or chargeable to. If I have failed, the fault lie…

beyance; not disclosed, asserted, or insisted on; as, dormant passions; dormant claims or titles. It is by lying dormant a long time, or being . . . very rarely exercised, that arbitrary power steals upon a people. Burke.

not decided; not easy to be defined, classed, or named; as, a doubtful case, hue, claim, title, species, and the like. Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good. Shak. Is it a great cruelty to expel from our abode the enemy of our peace, or even the doubtful friend [i. e., one as to whose sincerity there may be doubts] B…

Capable of being endowed; entitled to dower. Blackstone.

A title given in England to a widow, to distinguish her from the wife of her husband's heir bearing the same name; -- chiefly applied to widows of personages of rank. With prudes for proctors, dowagers for deans. Tennyson. Queen dowager, the widow of a king.

the real estate of a man which his widow enjoys during her life, or to which a woman is entitled after the death of her husband. Blackstone.

A woman entitled to dower. Bouvier.

To invest with any dignity or new character; to entitle; to call. A man of wealth is dubbed a man of worth. Pope.

Right; just title or claim. The key of this infernal pit by due . . . I keep. Milton.

In some European countries, a sovereign prince, without the title of king. Duke's coronet. See Illust. of Coronet. -- To dine with Duke Humphrey, to go without dinner. See under Dine.

The title or dignity of a duke. Shak.

The status, title, or dignity of an earl. He [Pulteney] shrunk into insignificancy and an earldom. Chesterfield.

To merit or deserve, as by labor or service; to do that which entitles one to (a reward, whether the reward is received or not). The high repute Which he through hazard huge must earn. Milton.

and the countries converted to Christianity by missionaries from them. Its full official title is The Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Eastern Church. It became estranged from the Western, or Roman, Church over the question of papal supremacy and the doctrine of the filioque, and a separation, begun in the latter part of t…

ncerns the whole church; as, an ecumenical council. [Written also .] Ecumenical Bishop, a title assumed by the popes. -- Ecumenical council. See under Council.

Master; sir; -- a title of a Turkish state official and man of learning, especially one learned in the law.

One who elects, or has the right of choice; a person who is entitled to take part in an election, or to give his vote in favor of a candidate for office.

The whole body of persons in a nation or state who are entitled to vote in an election, or any distinct class or division of them. The middle-class electorate of Great Britain. M. Arnold.