Desolatus, see [Relinquere].
Desperans, see [Exspes].
Despicere, see [Spernere].
[Destinare]; Obstinare; Decernere; Statuere; Constituere. 1. Destinare and obstinare denote forming a resolution as a psychological, whereas decernere and statuere as a political, act. 2. Destinare means to form a decided resolution, by which a thing is set at rest; obstinare, to form an unalterable resolution, whereby a man perseveres with obstinacy and doggedness. 3. Decernere denotes the final result of a formal consultation, or, at least, of a deliberation approaching the nature and seriousness of a collegial discussion; statuere, to settle the termination of an uncertain state, and constituere is the word employed, if the subject or object of the transaction is a multitude. Cic. Fr. Tull. Hoc judicium sic expectatur, ut non unæ rei statui, sed omnibus constitui putetur. (iv. 178.)
Destinatio, see [Pervicacia].
Destituere, see [Relinquere].
[Destruere]; Demoliri. Destruere means to pull down an artificially constructed, demoliri, a solid, building. (vi. 2.)
[Deterior]; Pejor. Deterior (a double comparative from de) means, like χείρων, that which has degenerated from a good state, that which has become less worthy; whereas pejor (from πεζός), like κακίων, that which has fallen from bad to worse, that which is more evil than it was. Hence Sallust. Or. Phil. 3. Æmilius omnium flagitiorum postremus, qui pejor an ignavior sit deliberari non potest:—in this passage deterior would form no antithesis to ignavior. The deterrimi are the objects of contempt, the pessimi of abhorrence; Catullus employs the expression pessimas puellas, ‘the worst of girls,’ in a jocular sense, in a passage where this expression has a peculiar force; whereas deterrimus could, under no circumstances, be employed as a jocular expression, any more than the words wretched, depraved. (i. 53.)
Detestari, see [Abominari].
Detinere, see [Manere].