DORMANCY
Dor"man*cy, n. Etym: [From Dormant.]
Defn: The state of being dormant; quiescence; abeyance.
DORMANT Dor"mant, a. Etym: [F., p. pr. of dormir to sleep, from L. dormire; cf. Gr. dra, OSlav. dr.]
1. Sleeping; as, a dormant animal; hence, not in action or exercise; quiescent; at rest; in abeyance; not disclosed, asserted, or insisted on; as, dormant passions; dormant claims or titles. It is by lying dormant a long time, or being . . . very rarely exercised, that arbitrary power steals upon a people. Burke.
2. (Her.)
Defn: In a sleeping posture; as, a lion dormant; — distinguished from couchant. Dormant partner (Com.), a partner who takes no share in the active business of a company or partnership, but is entitled to a share of the profits, and subject to a share in losses; — called also sleeping or silent partner. — Dormant window (Arch.), a dormer window. See Dormer. — Table dormant, a stationary table. [Obs.] Chaucer.
DORMANT
Dor"mant, n. Etym: [See Dormant, a.] (Arch.)
Defn: A large beam in the roof of a house upon which portions of the
other timbers rest or " sleep." Arch. Pub. Soc.
— Called also dormant tree, dorman tree, dormond, and dormer.
Halliwell.
DORMER; DORMER WINDOW Dor"mer, or Dor"mer win"dow (, n. Etym: [Literally, the window of a sleeping apartment. F. dormir to sleep. See Dormant, a. & n.] (Arch.)
Defn: A window pierced in a roof, and so set as to be vertical while the roof slopes away from it. Also, the gablet, or houselike structure, in which it is contained.