Defn: Tending to describe; having the quality of representing; containing description; as, a descriptive figure; a descriptive phrase; a descriptive narration; a story descriptive of the age. Descriptive anatomy, that part of anatomy which treats of the forms and relations of parts, but not of their textures. — Descriptive geometry, that branch of geometry. which treats of the graphic solution of problems involving three dimensions, by means of projections upon auxiliary planes. Davies & Peck (Math. Dict. ) — De*scrip"tive*ly, adv. — De*scrip"tive*ness, n.
DESCRIVE
De*scrive", v. t. Etym: [OF. descrivre. See Describe.]
Defn: To describe. [Obs.] Spenser.
DESCRY De*scry", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Descried; p. pr. & vb. n. Descrying.] Etym: [OE. descrien, discrien, to espy, prob. from the proclaiming of what was espied, fr. OF. descrier to proclaim, cry down, decry, F. décrier. The word was confused somewhat with OF. descriven, E. describe, OF. descrivre, from L. describere. See Decry.]
1. To spy out or discover by the eye, as objects distant or obscure; to espy; to recognize; to discern; to discover. And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. Judg. i. 23. Edmund, I think, is gone . . . to descry The strength o' the enemy. Shak. And now their way to earth they had descried. Milton.
2. To discover; to disclose; to reveal. [R.] His purple robe he had thrown aside, lest it should descry him. Milton.
Syn.
— To see; behold; espy; discover; discern.
DESCRY
De*scry"
Defn: , Discovery or view, as of an army seen at a distance. [Obs.] Near, and on speedy foot; the main descry Stands on the hourly thought. Shak.
DESECATE
Des"e*cate, v. t. Etym: [L. desecare to cut off.]