Decouplé. In heraldry, signifies severed or disjoined, so that the ends stand at a distance from one another, as a chevron decouplé.
Decoy. To lead or to entice into a snare; to lead into danger by artifice; to entrap. An enemy is said to be decoyed when a small body of troops draws them in to action, whilst the main body lies in ambush ready to act with the greatest effect.
Decrement. Is a heraldic term by which the wane of the moon is indicated. Decrescent and decours are also used in the same sense. A moon decrescent is a half-moon with her horns turned to the sinister.
Decurion. An officer in the Roman cavalry, who commanded a decuria, which was a body consisting of 10 men.
Deeg. A strong fortress of Hindostan, in the province of Agra, which was captured by the British arms under Gen. Lake in 1804.
Deep. A term used in the disposition or arrangements of soldiers placed in ranks before each other; hence, two deep, three deep, etc. Deep line of operations, a long line.
Default. A military offense, in the British service, is so called.
Defaulter. A soldier who has been guilty of a military offense. It is generally applied to men sentenced to confinement to barracks, and attaches to them until the completion of their punishment.
Defaulter Book. The book in which the defaulter sheets are contained. The regimental defaulter book containing regimental, and the company defaulter book company, defaults.
Defaulters’ Sheet. For every soldier there are two sheets of foolscap paper, in one of which, called his company defaulter sheet, are entered all offenses and the punishments awarded. The other, called the regimental defaulter sheet, contains only offenses for which a man has been punished by more than seven days confined to barracks, or other awards considered of equal gravity.