disa

[Etymol. uncertain.] Bot.: A genus of plants, belonging to the Orchidacese, or Orchids. Disa grandiflora is found on Table Mountain at an elevation of 3,582 feet, the only known locality; for it is in a marshy bottom, near the eastern extremity of the summit, where it is abundant rushes on the margins of small pools and streamlets in a black boggy soil. Two other rare species are also seen there, D. ferruginea and D. tenuifolia. IMG:content-2589.png:[blocks in formation] I. Ordinary Language: 1. A want of bodily ability, strength, or power to do any act; impotence, weakne . "Many withdrew themselves out of pure faintne , and disability to attend the conclusion." -Raleigh. 2. A want of mental or intellectual ability or capacity; incapacity. "The ability of mankind does not lie in the impotency or disabilities of brutes."-Locke. 3. A want of competent or nece ary means or instruments to do any act; inability. II. Law : A want of competence to do any legal act; legal incapacity; a state of being by law in competent to do certain acts, to perform certain duties, or to hold certain offices. "The acts which imposed civil disabilities on those who profe ed his religion." -Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. vi. For the difference between disability and ina bility , see INABILITY. dis-ā-ble, v. t. [Pref. dis, and Eng. able (q. v.).] I. Ordinary Language: IMG:content-2590.png:[blocks in formation] 1420 Pope : Homer's Iliad , xxiii. 544, 545. (2) To render mentally or intellectually incapable; to weaken or destroy the mental powers. "Womanish tremors and childish fancies now disabled him from using it." -Macaulay: Hist. Eng . , ch. x. (3) To deprive of the means, resources, or instruments of action. "I have known a great fleet disabled for two months."_ Temple . IMG:content-2591.png:[blocks in formation] Dryden. disabling-statute, s. "But reason heard, and nature well perused, At once the dreaming mind is disabused." Cowper: Tirocinium, 89, 90, 2. It is followed by of before the misapprehension or delusion from which one is set free. "The admirers of Hume were more likly to be disabused of their error."-Knox: Winter Evenings, Even. 62. dis-a-büş'ed, pa . par . or a. [DISABUSE.] dis-a-büş-ing, pr . par . , a . & 8. [DISABUSE.] A. & B. As pr. par. & particip . adj.: (See the verb.) C. As subst.: The act or proce of undeceiving, or freeing from error or misapprehension. IMG:content-2592.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-2593.png:[blocks in formation] A. As pr. par.: (See the verb.) B. As subst.: The act or proce of making disaccustomed. dis-a-çid-i-fỹ, v . t . [Pref. dis , and Eng. acidify (q. v.).] To render free from acidity; to neutralize or remove the acid in. *dis-ăc-knowledge, v . t . [Pref. dis , and Eng. acknowledge (q. v.).] Not to acknowledge; to deny, to disown, to disavow. "The manner of denying Christ's deity here prohibited, was, by words and oral expre ions verbally to deny and disacknowledge it."- South . C. As subst.: The act of incommoding or putting to inconvenience. IMG:content-2594.png:[blocks in formation]