Dielectric, dī-e-lek′trik, adj. non-conducting: transmitting electric effects without conducting.—n. a substance through which electric force acts. [Gr. dia, through, and electric.]
Dielytra, dī-el′i-tra, n. an erroneous name for dicentra.
Diesis, dī′e-sis, n. (mus.) the difference in tone between a major and a minor semitone: (print.) the double dagger (‡).
Dies Iræ, dī′ēz ī′rē, n. the name given (from the opening words) to a famous hymn on the last judgment (c. 1250 A.D.). [L., 'day of wrath.']
Dies non, dī′ēz non, a day on which law courts may not be held. [From L. dies non juridicus, same as dies nefastus, an unlawful day.]
Diet, dī′et, n. mode of living, with especial reference to food: food prescribed by a physician: allowance of provisions.—v.t. to furnish with food.—v.i. to eat: to take food according to rule.—n. Dietā′rian, one who observes prescribed rules for diet.—adj. Dī′etary, pertaining to diet or the rules of diet.—n. course of diet: allowance of food, esp. in large institutions.—ns. Dī′et-drink, medicated liquor; Dī′eter (Shak.), one who diets or prepares food by rule.—adjs. Dietet′ic, -al, pertaining to diet.—adv. Dietet′ically.—ns. Dietet′ics, rules for regulating diet; Dietet′ist, one who lays stress on diet; Dī′etist, an authority on diet. [Fr. diète—Low L. diæta—Gr. diaita, mode of living, diet.]
Diet, dī′et, n. an assembly of princes and delegates, the chief national council in several countries in Europe: (Scots law) the proceedings under a criminal libel: a clerical or ecclesiastical function in Scotland, a diet of worship.—n. Dī′etine, a minor or local diet.—Desert the diet, to abandon criminal proceedings under a particular libel—in Scotch usage. [O. Fr. diete—Low L. diæta—Gr. diaita; or acc. to Littré, from L. dies, a (set) day, with which usage cf. Ger. tag, a day, reichstag.]
Diffarreation, di-far-ē-ā′shun, n. the parting of a cake of spelt—a ceremony at a Roman divorce. [L.]
Differ, dif′ėr, v.i. to be unlike, distinct, or various (used by itself, or followed by with, from, to): to disagree (with from, with): to fall out, dispute (with):—pr.p. diff′ering; pa.p. diff′ered.—ns. Diff′erence, Diff′erency (Shak.), dissimilarity: the quality distinguishing one thing from another: a contention or quarrel: the point in dispute: the excess of one quantity or number over another: (her.) the modification of an achievement of arms to indicate the wearer's relation to the head of the house, as by marks of cadency.—v.t. to make a difference between things.—adj. Diff′erent, distinct: separate: unlike: not the same (with from, not to).—n. Differen′tia (logic), the characteristic quality or attribute of a species.—adj. Differen′tial, creating a difference: special: (math.) pertaining to a quantity or difference infinitely small (see Calculus).—adv. Differen′tially.—v.t. Differen′tiāte, to make different: to create a difference between: to classify as different.—v.i. to become different by specialisation: (math.) to obtain the differential or differential coefficient of.—n. Differentiā′tion, the act of distinguishing or describing a thing by giving its differentia: exact definition: a change by which organs or structures become specialised or modified: (math.) the act or process of differentiating.—adv. Diff′erently.—Differential gear, gear for communicating differential motion; Differential motion, an apparatus by which the difference of two velocities is communicated, as in the Differential screw, a combination of male and female screws; Differential thermometer, a thermometer for marking minute differences of temperature. [L. differre—dif (= dis), apart, ferre, to bear.]
Difficult, dif′i-kult, adj. not easy: hard to be done: requiring labour and pains: hard to please: not easily persuaded.—adv. Diff′icultly.—n. Diff′iculty, laboriousness: obstacle: objection: that which cannot be easily understood or believed: embarrassment of affairs: a quarrel. [The adj. was formed from difficulty, in place of the old form difficile. Fr. difficulté—L. difficultas = difficilitas—difficilis—dif (= dis), neg., and facilis, easy.]