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power; reasoning; range of reasoning faculty. [Obs.] Difficult, strange, and harsh to the discourses of natural reason. South. Sure he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused. Shak.

One who discourse; a narrator; a speaker; an haranguer. In his conversation he was the most clear discourser. Milward.

to. (a) To prepare one's self for; to apply one's self to. (b) To direct one's speech or discourse to.

the enemy had the advantage of a more elevated position. Give me advantage of some brief discourse. Shak. The advantages of a close alliance. Macaulay.

intended to be struck; the line of fire; the direction of anything, as a spear, a blow, a discourse, a remark, towards a particular point or object, with a view to strike or affect it. Each at the head leveled his deadly aim. Milton.

A figurative sentence or discourse, in which the principal subject is described by another subject resembling it in its properties and circumstances. The real subject is thus kept out of view, and we are left to collect the intentions of the writer or speaker by the resemblance of the secondary to the primary subject.…

A phrase, discourse, or proposition, susceptible of two interpretations; and hence, of uncertain meaning. It differs from equivocation, which arises from the twofold sense of a single term.

Ambiguous discourse; amphibology. If it oracle contrary to our interest or humor, we will create an amphiboly, a double meaning where there is none. Whitlock.

A syllabus, or table of the principal heads of a discourse, disposed in their natural order.

l or intellectual, for the purpose of examining its parts; analysis; as, the anatomy of a discourse.

A discourse on angels, or a body of doctrines in regard to angels. The same mythology commanded the general consent; the same angelology, demonology. Milman.

A discourses on flowers. [R.]

speech by which the orator or writer suddenly breaks off from the previous method of his discourse, and addresses, in the second person, some person or thing, absent or present; as, Milton's apostrophe to Light at the beginning of the third book of "Paradise Lost."

Hence, in specific uses: (a) That part of a sermon or discourse in which the principles before laid down and illustrated are applied to practical uses; the "moral" of a fable. (b) The use of the principles of one science for the purpose of enlarging or perfecting another; as, the application of algebra to geometry.…

The subject matter of a discourse, writing, or artistic representation; theme or topic; also, an abstract or summary, as of the contents of a book, chapter, poem. You and love are still my argument. Shak. The abstract or argument of the piece. Jeffrey. [Shields] with boastful argument portrayed. Milton.…

f, or characterized by, argument; containing a process of reasoning; as, an argumentative discourse.

A distinct portion of an instrument, discourse, literary work, or any other writing, consisting of two or more particulars, or treating of various topics; as, an article in the Constitution. Hence: A clause in a contract, system of regulations, treaty, or the like; a term, condition, or stipulation in a contract; a con…

To discourse, argue, or act as an atheist. [R.] -- A"the*i`zer, n. Cudworth.

One whose thoughts take the form of mental sounds or of internal discourse rather than of visual or motor images.

a figurative sense; rousing into activity; exciting; as, the awakening city; an awakening discourse; the awakening dawn. -- A*wak"en*ing*ly, adv.