Defecate, def′e-kāt, v.t. to clear from dregs or impurities: to purify from extraneous matter.—v.i. to void excrement.—n. Defecā′tion. [L. defæcāre, -ātum, to cleanse—de, from, fæx, fæcis, dregs.]
Defect, de-fekt′, n. a deficiency: a want: imperfection: blemish: fault.—n. Defectibil′ity.—adj. Defect′ible, liable to imperfection: deficient.—ns. Defec′tion, a failure, a falling away from duty: revolt; Defec′tionist.—adj. Defec′tive, having defect: wanting in some necessary quality: imperfect: faulty: insufficient.—adv. Defect′ively.—n. Defect′iveness.—The defects of one's qualities, virtues carried to excess, the faults apt to accompany or flow from good qualities. [L. deficĕre, defectum, to fail—de, down, and facĕre, to do.]
Defence, de-fens′, n. a defending: protection: vindication: (law) a defendant's plea.—pa.p. Defenc′ed (B.), fortified.—adj. Defence′less.—adv. Defence′lessly.—n. Defence′lessness. [See Defend.]
Defend, de-fend′, v.t. to keep off anything hurtful: to guard or protect: to maintain against attack: (obs.) to prohibit, forbid: (law) to resist, as a claim: to contest.—adj. Defend′able, that may be defended.—ns. Defend′ant, a defender: (law) a person accused or sued; Defendee′, one who is defended; Defend′er; Defen′sative, a protection; Defensibil′ity.—adjs. Defens′ible, that may be defended; Defens′ive, Defen′sory, serving to defend: in a state or posture of defence.—n. that which defends: posture of defence.—adv. Defens′ively.—Defender of the Faith, a title borne by the sovereigns of England since Henry VIII., on whom it was conferred in 1521 for his book against Luther.—Be on the defensive, to be in the position to defend one's self. [L. defendĕre, defensum, to ward off—de, off, and obs. fendĕre, to strike.]
Defer, de-fėr′, v.t. to put off to another time: to delay:—pr.p. defer′ring; pa.p. deferred′.—ns. Defer′ment; Defer′rer, a procrastinator.—Deferred annuity (see Annuity); Deferred pay, an allowance paid to soldiers on their discharge, or to their relations on their death; Deferred shares, shares issued by a trading company, but not entitling the holder to a full share of the profits of the company, and sometimes to none at all, until the expiration of a specified time or the occurrence of some event. [L. differre—dis, asunder, ferre, to bear, carry.]
Defer, de-fėr, v.i. to yield to the wishes or opinions of another, or to authority.—v.t. to submit to or lay before:—pr.p. defer′ring; pa.p. deferred′.—n. Def′erence, a deferring or yielding in judgment or opinion: regard: submission.—adj. Def′erent, bearing away, carrying off.—n. a deferent duct (as opposed to an afferent one) in the human body.—adj. Deferen′tial, expressing deference or respect.—adv. Deferen′tially. [L. deferre—de, down, and ferre, to bear.]
Defervescence, de-fer-ves′ens, n. abatement of heat: coolness: decrease of feverish symptoms.—Also Deferves′cency. [L. defervescĕre, to cease boiling—de, down, and fervescĕre, from fervēre, to boil.]
Defeudalise, dē-fū′dal-īz, v.t. to deprive of feudal character.
Deffly (Spens.). For Deftly.
Defiance, de-fī′ans, n. the act of defying: a challenge to combat: aggressiveness: contempt of opposition.—adj. Defī′ant, full of defiance, insolently bold.—adv. Defī′antly.—n. Defī′antness.—adj. Defī′atory, bidding defiance.—Bid defiance to, to defy.