descanter (deskanter)

One who descants. descant-viol (des'kant-viol), n. The smallest or treble viol; a violin: so called because it is fitted to play the descant or upper part in part-music. Des cartes's rule. See rule. descemetitis (de-sem-e-ti'tis), n. [NL., De- scemet + -it is .] Inflammation of the membrane of Descemet (which see, under membrane ). descend (de-send'), v. [ decenden , des cendre = Pr. dei endre , di en- dre = Sp. Pg. descender = It. descend ere , discen- dere, descend ere , pp. des census , come down, go down, fall, sink, de , down, + scandere, climb: see scan, scandent. Cf. ascend, conde- scend, transcend.] I. in trans. 1. To move or pa from a higher to a lower place; move, come, or go downward; fall; sink: as, he de- scended from the tower; the sun is descending . The rain descended , and the floods came. Mat. vii. 25. Thy glories now have touch'd the highest point, And must descend. Fletcher ( and another ) , False One, v. 2. From Cam brian wood and mo Druids descend , auxiliars of the Cro . Words worth, Eccles. Sonnets, i. 10. [He], with holiest meditations fed, Milton , P. R., ii. 111. IMG:content-2442.png:[blocks in formation] He that alwayes singeth one note without deskant breed- eth no delight. Lyly , Euphues, Anat. of Wit, p. 137. Pope , Ody ey. The merry Larke hir mattins sings aloft; The Thrush replyes; the Mavis descant playes. 3. To proceed from a source or original; be de- Spenser, Epithalamion, 1. 81. rived lineally or by transmi ion; come or pa IMG:content-2443.png:[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small] Historians rarely descend to those details from which alone the real state of a community can be collected. Macaulay, Machi a vell i. 5. To come down from a certain moral or so cial standard; lower or abase one's self morally or socially: as, to descend to acts of meanne ; to descend to an inferior position; hence, to condescend; stoop. That your Grace would descend to command me in any thing that might conduce to your Contentment and Service. Howell , Letters, I. iv. 14. His birth and bringing vp will not suffer him to descend to the meanes to get wealth. Bp. Earle, Micro-cosmographie, A Younger Brother. 1556