description (desk rips hon)

[ The description is either of the earth and water both together, and it is done by circles, or of the water considered by itself; and is not so much a description of that, as of the mariner's course upon it, or to show the way of a ship upon the sea. J. Gregory, Post huma, p. 257. 2. The act of representing a thing by words or signs, or the account or writing containing such representation; a statement designed to make known the appearance, nature, attributes, accidents, or incidents of anything: as, a description of a house or of a battle. The seventh species of imperfect definition consists of a coacervation or heaping up of circumstances and common adjuncts. And this is properly a description ; although use has now obtained that every imperfect definition be called a description . For example: Man is a two footed animal uncovered with hair or feathers, of an erect countenance, and endued with hands: which formula of definition is used by historians and poets in the description of persons, facts, places, and the like singular things. Burgersdicius, tr. by a Gentleman. The poet makes a most excellent description of it. Shak ., Hen. V., iii. 6. For her own person, It beggar'd all description . Shak ., A. and C., ii. 2. Milton has fine descriptions of morning. D. Webster. Firdusi's great work abounds throughout in bold and animated descriptions , and in certain portions rises to the highest sublimity. N. A. Rev. , CXL. 332. 3. The qualities expre ed in a representation; the combination of qualities which go to constitute a cla or an individual, and would be mentioned in describing it; hence, a variety; sort; kind. Double six you sand, and treble that, Before a friend of this description Shall lose a hair through Ba anio's fault. Shak ., M. of V., iii. 2. Macaulay . The plates were all of the meanest description . desecrate proposition that two triangles are equal if a side and two angles of the one are equal to the corresponding side and angles of the other, may be regarded as descriptive; while the proposition that through any point in space a single parallel to a given line can be drawn, is indisputably metrical, not descriptive. We have in the plane a special line, the line infinity; and on this line two special (imaginary) points, the circular points at infinity. A geometrical theorem has either no relation to the special line and points, and it is then descriptive; or it has a relation to them, and it is then metrical. Salmon . descriptively (des-krip'tiv-li), adv. By description; so as to delineate or represent. descriptivene (des-krip'tiv-nes), n. The character or quality of being descriptive. descrive (des-krīv'), v. t.; pret. and pp. de scrived, ppr. descriving. [ Thenne cam Couetyse, ich can nat hym discryue , So hongerliche and so holwe. Piers Plowman (C), vii. 196. Spenser, F. Q., II. iii. 25. How shall frayle pen descrive her heavenly face? Let me fair nature's face descrive. Burns , To William Simpson. descry (des-kri'), v. t.; pret. and pp. descried, ppr. descrying. [ Harowdes [heralds] of armes than they went For to dyscrye thys turn ament In eche londys zende. Sir Eglamour , 1. 1177. IMG:content-2446.png:[blocks in formation] Spenser, F. Q., VI. vii. 12. His Purple Robe he had thrown aside, lest it should descry him, unwilling to be found. Milton , Hist. Eng., ii. 2. To detect; find out; discover (anything concealed). Of the king they got a sight after dinner in a gallery, and of the queen-mother at her own table; in neither place descryed , no, not by Cadinet, who had been lately amba ador in England. Sir H. Wotton . Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 447. When she saw herself descried , she wept. IMG:content-2447.png:[blocks in formation] It is the soul that sees; the outward eyes Present the object, but the mind descries. full of energy." I descry Figures of men that crouch and creep unheard, And bear away the dead. Bryant , The Fountain. But, on the horizon's verge descried , Hangs, touch'd with light, one snowy sail! vide for representation. The men went and pa ed through the land, and de scribed it by cities into seven parts in a book. Josh. xviii. 9. =Syn. 4. Describe, Narrate, portray, explain. Describe applies primarily to what exists - space, and by extension to what occurs - time, but narrate applies only to the latter: as, to describe a view, a race, or a siege; to narrate an experience or a history. Describe implies often the vividne of personal observation; narrate is more applicable to long series of events. A single narrative may contain many descriptions of separate events. He is described as a mighty warrior, wielding preter natural powers. A. Rev. , CXL. 332. IMG:content-2448.png:[blocks in formation] describe: see describe.] Containing description; serving or aiming to describe; having the quality of representing: as, a descriptive diagram; a descriptive narration. Descriptive names of honour, arising during early militancy, become in some cases official names. H. Spencer , Prin. of Sociol., § 400. Descriptive anatomy, anthropology, astronomy. See the nouns.- Descriptive book ( mil it.), a record-book of a military company, containing descriptive lists of its men, also generally a record of the officers who have served with it.- Descriptive botany. See botany. - Descriptive definition, in logic. See definition. - Descriptive geography, geometry, etc. See the nouns.- Descriptive list. (a) Naval, a report or return made out when men in the United States naval service are discharged, or transferred from one ship to another. In it are noted the previous service and a personal description of each man. (6) Milit., a short military history of each enlisted man, with a description of his person, and an abstract of his account with the government. [U. S.] Descriptive muster-roll. See muster-roll.- Descriptive (opusually posed to defined metrical ) to property be a property or proposition, or proposition in which geom., can be stated without introducing the idea of magnitude. But it would be better to say that it is a property or proposition which relates to the incidence or coincidence of points, lines, and other geometrical elements, in general, or that it is one which does not depend upon the particular system of measurement adopted. Thus, the M. Arnold , Stanzas composed at Carnac. Cannot memory still descry the old school-house and its and snapped marbles? Emerson, Works and Days. There are Albanian or Dalmatian heights from which it is said that, in unusually favourable weather, the Garganian peninsula may be descried. E. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 316. descryt (des-kri'), n. [ Edg. But, by your favour, How near's the other army? Gent. Near, and on speedy foot; the main descry Stands on the hourly thought. Shak ., Lear, iv. 6. desecrate (des'ē-krāt), v. t.; pret. and pp. dese crated, ppr. desecrating. [ It. di a crare, di agrare = OF. F. de acrer ), desecrate, The Ru ian clergy cannot suffer corporal punishment without being previously desecrated . Tooke . Why should we desecrate noble and beautiful souls by intruding on them? Emerson, E ays, 1st ser., p. 192. desecrate There is a great friars' church on this side too, the dese crated church of Saint Francis. E. A. Freeman , Venice, p. 16. As for the material universe, that has long been almost completely desecrated , so that sympathy, communion with the forms of Nature, is pretty well confined to poets, and is generally supposed to be an amiable madne in them. J. R. Seeley, Nat. Religion, p. 48. IMG:content-2449.png:[blocks in formation] Stray all ye Flocks, and desart be ye Plains. desert3, n. See de ert . Congreve, Death of Queen Mary. desert-chough (dez'ert-chuf), n. A bird of the Amidst thy desert walks the lapwing flies. genus Podoces . Goldsmith , Des. Vil., 1. 45. deserted ne (dē-zėr'ted-nes), n . The state of Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetne on the desert air. Gray, Elegy. crates. Also desecrator. Man, the desecrater of the forest temple. Harper's Mag . , LXV. 74.