deer, der, dere, deor

[A. S. deór; O. S. dier. Cognate with O. Fris. diar, dier; Goth. dius; O. H. Ger. tior; Ger. thier: Dut. dier; Dan. dyr, Icel. dýr; Lat. fer a; Gr. ther =a wild beast.] 1. Zool .: The true Deer (Cervidae) are a family of the Ruminants distinguished chiefly by the nature IMG:content-1993.png:[blocks in formation] ception of the Reindeer, are borne by the males only. They are bony throughout, are annually shed and reproduced at the breeding season, increasing each time in size and the number of branches until, 2. To make more sad or gloomy. "Deepens the murmurs of the falling floods, And breathes a browner horror on the woods." Pope: Eloisa to Abelard , 169, 170. 3. To make more deep, grave, or low. B. Intransitive : Dampier: Voy. to N. Holland (1699). "The water deepned and sholdned so very gently."_ a main stem or "beam," carrying one or more IMG:content-1994.png:[blocks in formation] The American Dictionary and Cyclopedia 2. To erase, to obliterate. II. Figuratively : 1. To disfigure, to mar. *2. To cancel. "Pay him six you sand, and deface the bond." Shakesp.: Mer. of Ven ., iii. 2. 3 To slander, to defame. "The Norman writers Bot.: Eleocharis cæspitœus , the Heath Clubrush. "And on the spot where they boiled the pot, The spreat and the deer - hair ne'er shall grow." Minstrelsy of the Border, iii. 376. IMG:content-1996.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1997.jpg:[blocks in formation] figured , or deformed ; it is defaced when any violence is done to the face or any outward part of the body; it is disfigured by the lo of a limb; it is deformed if made contrary to the perfect form of a human being. Inanimate objects are mostly defaced or disfigured , but seldom deformed ; animate objects are either disfigured or deformed , but not defaced . A person may disfigure himself by his dre ; he is deformed by the hand of nature." (Crabb: Eng. Synon.) 1. The act of defacing, disfiguring, or spoiling the appearance of. 2. That which defaces or disfigures; a disfigure- IMG:content-1998.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1999.jpg:[blocks in formation] def-a-ca-tion, s . [DEFECATION.] *de-faik, v . t. [Fr. défalquer .] IMG:content-2000.png:[graphic] IMG:content-2001.jpg:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-2002.png:[blocks in formation] *de-fail', *de-faill', v. i. [Fr. défaillir .] To fail; to wax feeble. "Feill Scott is hor was drewyn into trawaill, Forrown that day, so irkyt can defaill . " it must suppose a def a i lance , or an infirmity, as physic supposes sickne and mortality." -Bishop Tay lor: On Repentance. *de-failed', *dě-fay'led, a. [French défaillir .] Failed, feeble, broken down. def am at or *děf-a-mā-tõr, s. [Eng. defamat(e); -or.] A defamer, a slanderer. " p. 66. to ferret our defamators."-Gent. Instructed, de-făm-a-tör-ỹ, a. [Fr. diff am a to ire, as if from a Lat. diff am at or i us, from diffamo.] Containing or involving defamation; slanderous, libelous, calumnious. "James, a short time before his acce ion, had instituted a civil suit against Oates for defamatory words."Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. iv. dě-fame, *dif-fame, dyf-fame, v . t. & i . [O. Fr. diffamer, defamer; Port. diffamar ; Sp. difamar ; Ital. diff am are , from Lat. diffamo to spread a report: dif = dis =apart, about, and fama =a report.] A. Transitive : 1. To utter or publish falsely and maliciously slanderous words with a view to damage the character, reputation, or busine of another; to slander, to libel. 2. To speak evil of, to asperse; to bring or endeavor to bring into disgrace or ill repute. *3. To cry down, to condemn, to blame. "Thus will the common voice our deed defame ." Pope: Homer's Ody ey, xxi. 355. *4. To disgrace, to bring a scandal or disgrace on. "Lest, they by sight of swords to fury fir'd, Dishonest wounds or violence of soul Defame the bridal feast and friendly bowl." Pope : Homer's Ody ey, xix. 14-16. *5. To charge, to accuse, to indict. "Rebecca is defamed of sorcery."-Scott: Ivanhoe, ch. xxxviii. B. In trans.: To utter or publish defamatory words; to slander, to libel. "They held no torture then so great as shame, And that to slay was le than to defame ." Butler: On the Weakne and Misery of Man. *de-fame, *dif-fame, s. [O. Fr. diffame .] Disgrace, infamy. "Decrees which mighte torne into diffame ." Gower, iii. 154. dě-famed, pa.par.ora. [DEFAME, v.] A. As pa. par.: (See the verb.) B. As adjective: 1. Ord. Lang.: Slandered, calumniated. 2. Her.: An epithet applied to an animal which has lost its tail.