Defn: A 360th part of the circumference of a circle, which part is taken as the principal unit of measure for arcs and angles. The degree is divided into 60 minutes and the minute into 60 seconds.
10. A division, space, or interval, marked on a mathematical or other instrument, as on a thermometer.
11. (Mus.)
Defn: A line or space of the staff.
Note: The short lines and their spaces are added degrees. Accumulation of degrees. (Eng. Univ.) See under Accumulation. — By degrees, step by step; by little and little; by moderate advances. "I 'll leave by degrees." Shak. — Degree of a curve or surface (Geom.), the number which expresses the degree of the equation of the curve or surface in rectilinear coördinates. A straight line will, in general, meet the curve or surface in a number of points equal to the degree of the curve or surface and no more. — Degree of latitude (Geog.), on the earth, the distance on a meridian between two parallels of latitude whose latitudes differ from each other by one degree. This distance is not the same on different parts of a meridian, on account of the flattened figure of the earth, being 68.702 statute miles at the equator, and 69.396 at the poles. — Degree of longitude, the distance on a parallel of latitude between two meridians that make an angle of one degree with each other at the poles — a distance which varies as the cosine of the latitude, being at the equator 69.16 statute miles. — To a degree, to an extreme; exceedingly; as, mendacious to a degree. It has been said that Scotsmen . . . are . . . grave to a degree on occasions when races more favored by nature are gladsome to excess. Prof. Wilson.
DEGU
De"gu, n. Etym: [Native name.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A small South American rodent (Octodon Cumingii), of the family
Octodontidæ.
DEGUM
De*gum", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Degummed; p. pr. & vb. n. Degumming.]
Defn: To deprive of, or free from, gum; as, to degum ramie.
DEGUST De*gust", v. t. Etym: [L. degustare: cf. F. déguster. See Gust to taste.]