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ct 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.

The act of digressing or deviating, esp. from the main subject of a discourse; hence, a part of a discourse deviating from its main design or subject. The digressions I can not excuse otherwise, than by the confidence that no man will read them. Sir W. Temple.

Pertaining to, or having the character of, a digression; departing from the main purpose or subject. T. Warton.

Departing from the main subject; partaking of the nature of digression. Johnson.

By way of digression.

A spot on reputation; a stain; a disgrace; a reproach; a blemish. This deadly blot in thy digressing son. Shak.

made upon a missed ball; as, to steal a bye. T. Hughes. By the bye, in passing; by way of digression; apropos to the matter in hand. [Written also by the by.]

A piece in a free form, with frequent digressions from the theme; a fantasia; -- often called caprice.

of collecting works of art, objects in natural history, etc.; as, a collector of coins. I digress into Soho to explore a bookstall. Methinks I have been thirty years a collector. Lamb.

Out of course; by the way; as a digression; not connected with the subject; as, a desultory remark.

ut of the way; to turn aside from a course or a method; to stray or go astray; to err; to digress; to diverge; to vary. Thus Pegasus, a nearer way to take, May boldly deviate from the common track. Pope.

Passing from one thing to another; ranging over a wide field; roving; digressive; desultory. "Discursive notices." De Quincey. The power he [Shakespeare] delights to show is not intense, but discursive. Hazlitt. A man rather tacit than discursive. Carlyle.

A wandering about or going astray; digression. Let us be set down at Queen's Crawley without further divagation. Thackeray.

To turn aside; to digress. [Obs.] I diverted to see one of the prince's palaces. Evelyn.

A digression in which a person is introduced speaking his own words.

he purpose of giving a greater variety to the events related; an incidental narrative, or digression, separable from the main subject, but naturally arising from it.

recedent for; to exemplify; to give an instance of; to instance. [Obs.] "I may example my digression by some mighty precedent." Shak. Burke devoted himself to this duty with a fervid assiduity that has not often been exampled, and has never been surpassed. J. Morley.

A wandering from a subject; digression. I am not in a scribbling mood, and shall therefore make no excursions. Cowper.

A dissertation or digression appended to a work, and containing a more extended exposition of some important point or topic.

A going out of the way; a digression. [Obs.] Fuller.