demivillt (demivil)

In law, a half-vill, consisting of five freemen or frank-pledges. dem i-vol (dem'i-vol), n. In her., a single wing of a bird, used as a bearing. dem i-volt (dem'i-volt), n. [ IMG:content-2339.png:[blocks in formation] Shoughs, water-rugs, and dem i - wolves , are cleped All by the name of dogs. Shak., Macbeth, iii. 1. demobilization (dē-mō"bi-li-zā'shon), n. [F. démobilisation , démobiliser , demobilize: see demobilize.] The act of disbanding troops; the reduction of military armaments to a peace footing; the condition of being demobilized, and not liable to be moved on service. Also written demobilisation . See mobilization . demobilize (dē-mō'bi-līz), v . t .; pret. and pp. de mobilized , ppr. demobilizing . [F. démobiliser , dé- priv. + mobiliser , mobilize: see mobilize .] To disband; change ge from a condition of mobilization. Also written demobilise . democracy (de-mok'ra-si), n.; pl. democracies (-siz). [Formerly democraty, democratie; The majority, having the whole power of the community, may employ all that power in making laws, and executing those laws; and there the form of the government is a perfect democracy . Locke . In this open democracy [of the town meeting), every opinion had utterance; every objection, every fact, every acre of land, every bushel of rye, its entire weight. Emerson, Hist. Discourse at Concord. 2. A state or civil body in which the people themselves exercise all legislative authority, and confer all executive and judicial powers, either by direct collective action or through elected representatives. Athens and some of the other ancient Greek states, and, within the limits of their power, the canton of Appenzell in Switzerland and the towns of the northern United States, are instances of democracies of the first cla . In democratic republics generally, however, all power is exercised by delegated authority. See republic. 3. Political and social equality in general; a state of society in which no hereditary differences of rank or privilege are recognized: opposed to aristocracy. Rank nor name nor pomp has he In the grave's democracy . wod Whittier, Grave by the Lake. 4. [ cap.] In U. S. pol it. hist.: ( a ) The system of principles held by the Democratic party. See democratic. (b) The members of the Democratic party collectively. [The Mi ouri controversy was a political movement for the balance of power, balked by the Northern democ racy , who saw their own overthrow, and the eventual separation of the States, in the establishment of geographical parties divided by a slavery and anti-slavery line. T. H. Benton , Thirty Years, I. 10. 5. In a collective sense, the people; especially, the people regarded as exercising political powers. Thence to the famous orators repair, Those ancient, whose resistle eloquence Wielded at will that fierce democratie . Milton, P. R., iv. 269. Social democracy. See social . democrat (dem'ō-krat), n. [= D. demokraat = G. Dan.Sw.demokrat , démocrate = Sp. demó crata = Pg. democrat a , democrat a , δημοκρατ- , base of δημοκρατ - ικ - ός , δημοκρατ - ία : see democratic, democracy.] 1. One who believes in or adheres to democracy as a principle of government or of organized society; one who believes in political and natural equality; an opponent of arbitrary or hereditary dist i net ions of rank and privilege: opposed to aristocrat. Like most women of first-rate ability, she was at bottom a democrat ; rank was her convenience, but she had no respect for it or belief in it. J. Hawthorne , Dust, p. 157. 2. [ cap . ] A member of the Democratic party in the United States. The name Democrat, now in use by one of the great parties North and South, was originally a term of reproach, like that of Jacobin, and subsequently like that of Locofoco, and has been freely accepted at the South only since the Rebellion. Quoted by Thurlow Weed, Autobiog., p. 135. democrat 3. A light wagon without a top, containing several seats, and usually drawn by two horses. Originally called democratic wagon. [Western and Middle U. S.] - Social democrat. See social.