DECUMARIA. In botany, a genus of the class dodecandria, order monogynia. Calyx ten-leaved, superior; petals ten; capsule eight or nine celled, many seeded. Two species, both natives of Carolina: one a climbing, and the other a creeping plant. DECUMBENCE. DECU'MBENCY. 8. (decumbo, Latin). The act of lying down; the posture of lying down (Brown).

DECUMBENT FLOWER. In botany. Decumbens flos. Having the stamens and pistils declined or bending down to the lower side of it; as in cassia. Stem: caulis decumbens, lying on the ground with the base higher than the other parts.

DEDE/COROUS. a. (dedecus, Latin.) Disgraceful; reproachful; shameful. DEDENTITION. 8. (de and dentitio, Latin.) Loss or shedding of the teeth (Brown). To DEDICATE. v. a. (dedico, Latin.) 1. To devote to some divine power (Numbers). 2. To appropriate solemnly to any person or purpose (Clarendon). 3. To inscribe to a patron (Peacham).

DEDICATE. a. (from the verb.) Consecrate; devote; dedicated; appropriate (Spel man).

DEDICATION, the act of consecrating a temple, altar, statue, palace, &c. to the honour of some deity. The use of dedications is very ancient, both among the worshippers of the true God, and among the heathens; the Hebrews call it л hhanuchah, imitation; which the Greek translators render ryxia, and syל

the name.

DECURRENT LEAF. Folium decurrens. In botany. A sessile leaf having its base extending downwards along the stem; as in symphytum, verbesina, carduus, sphæranthus. Applied also to the petiole, and the stipule.

DECURSION. 8. (decursus, Latin.) The act of running down (Hale).

DECURSIVELY - PINNATE LEAF. Having the leaflets decurrent, or running along the petiole.

DECURTATION. s. (decurtatio, Latin.) The act of cutting short, or shortening. DECURY, ten persons ranged under one chief, or leader.

To DECU'SSATE. v. a. (decusso, Latin.) To intersect at acute angles (Ray).

DECUSSATED LEAVES AND BRANCHES. Growing in pairs, which alternately cross each other at right angles; so that if the stem be viewed vertically, or the eye be directed right down it, the leaves or branches will appear to be in fours.

DECUSSA'TION, a term in geometry, optics, and anatomy, signifying the crossing of two lines, rays, or threads, when they meet in a point, and then go on separately from one another.

DEDDINGTON, a town in Oxfordshire, with a market on Tuesdays. Lat. 52. 2 N. Lon. 12. 1 W.

To DEDECORATE. v. a. (dedecoro, Lat.) To disgrace; to bring a reproach upon. DEDECORATION. 8. (from dedecorate.) The act of disgracing; disgrace.

In the scripture we meet with dedications of the tabernacle, of altars, of the first and second temple, and even of the houses of private persons. There are also dedications of vessels, and garments of the priests and Levites, and even of the men themselves.

The heathens had also dedications of temples, altars, and images of their gods, &c. Nebuchadnezzar held a solemn dedication of his statue (Dan. iii. 2). Pilate dedicated gilt bucklers at Jerusalem to Tiberius (Philo de legat). Petronius would have dedicated a statue to the emperor in the same city (ibid. p. 791.) Tacitus (Hist. lib. iv. c. 53) mentions the dedication of the capitol, upon rebuilding it by Vespasian, &c.

The Christians finding themselves at liberty under Constantine, in lieu of their ruinous churches, built new ones in every place; and dedicated them with a deal of solemnity. The dedication was usually performed in a synod; at least they assembled a number of bishops to assist at the service. We have the description of those of the churches at Jerusalem and Tyre in Eusebius, and many others in later

writers.

DEDICATION, in literature, is an address prefixed to a book, soliciting patronage, or testifying respect for the person to whom it is made. The dedication of the fourth part of Mr. Edward's History of Birds is preserved here, not as one we think worthy of imitation, but on account of its singularity. It is this: "To GOD! the ONE eternal! the incomprehensible! the omnipresent! omniscient and Almighty Creator of all things that exist! from orbs immeasurably great, to the minutest points of matter, this ATOM is dedicated and devoted, with all possible gratitude, humiliation, and worship, and the highest adoration both of body and mind, by his most resigned, low, and humble creature, G. E."

DEDICATOR. s. (from dedicate.) One who inscribes his work to a patron with compliment and servility (Pope).

DE'DICATORY. a. (from dedicate.) Com posing a dedication; adulatory (Pope).

DEDIMUS POTESTATEM, in law. a

commission granted to one or more persons, for the forwarding and dispatching some act appertaining to a judge, or some court; as to take answers in chancery, depositions of witnesses in a cause depending in that court, and levy a fine in the common pleas, &c. where persons live in the country or cannot travel. DEDIDITII, among the Romans differed from CAPTIVES in this, that the latter were taken by force, whereas the former surrendered themselves.

DEDITION. 8. (deditio, Latin.) The act of yielding up any thing; surrendry (Hale). To DEDUCE. v. a. (deduco, Latin.) 1. To draw in a regular connected series (Pope). 2. To form a regular chain of consequential propositions (Locke). 3. To lay down in regular order (Thomson).

DEDUÏCEMENT. 8. (from deduce.) The thing deduced; consequential proposition (Dryden).

DEDU'CIBLE. a. (from deduce.) Collectible by reason; consequential (South). DEĎU'CIVÉ. a. (from deducc.) Perform ing the act of deduction.

To DEDUCT. v. a. (deduco, Latin.) 1. To subtract; to take away; to cut off; to defaleate (Norris). 2. To separate; to dispart: not in use (Spenser).

DEDUCTION.'s. (deductio, Latin.) 1. Consequential collection; consequence (Dup.). 2. That which is deducted, defalcation (Pope). DEDU/CTIVE. a. (from deduct.) Dedu

cible.

DEDUCTIVELY. ad. Consequentially; by regular deduction (Brown).

DEDUTTIONE, the name given by Guido to the gradual rising of the voice, in solmization: the falling of the voice, he called reduttione.

DEE, a river which rises in the county of Merioneth, in two springs which unite near Pimble Meer into one stream. It passes through that lake, crosses Denbighshire, and separates that county from Cheshire, then runs into the Irish Sea, about 15 miles N.W. from Chester. The same name is given to two rivers in Scotland, and one in Ireland.

DEE (John), an English mathematician, born at London in 1527, and educated at St. John's college, Cambridge. On the founding of Trinity college he was chosen one of the fellows. Falling under the suspicion of magical practices, he went abroad, and took his degree of LL.D. at Louvain. He read lectures in the mathematics there, and at other universities, with great applause. In 1551 he returned to England, and obtained the rectory of Upton-upon-Severn. Soon after the accession of Mary to the throne he was taken up and committed to the Tower, on suspicion of treasonable practices; but after some time he was discharged. In 1570 he edited sir Henry Billingsley's translation of Euclid, to which he prefixed a preface, and added notes, which show him to have been a deep mathematician. The year following he was at Louvain, where he fell very ill, and so highly was he esteemed

by the queen, that she sent over two physicians to attend him. He returned as soon as he was recovered, and went to reside at Mortlake, where he collected a great library, which queen Elizabeth went to see in 1575. Her majesty also held frequent conversations with Dee upon philosophical subjects; but he seems to have received hardly any particular marks of her royal favour. In 1581 he and Edward Kelly began their magical operations, which lasted two years, in which they were joined by a Polish nobleman called Laski, who persuaded them to go to his castle. The confederates accordingly set out for Poland, where they remained some time. Their adventures abroad made so much noise that the queen thought proper to send for Dee home again, who accordingly returned in great pomp. In 1596 he was made warden of Manchester college, and died at Mortlake in 1608. Dee continued his magical studies to the last; and was sometimes very rudely treated by the common people as a conjuror. He published several mathematical works in Latin and English, and wrote many more which were never printed; but in 1659 Dr. Meric Casaubon published a True and faithful Relation of what passed for many Years between Dr. John Dee and some Spirits, &c. out of the original copy written with Dr. Dee's own hand, kept in the library of sir Thomas Cotton, knt.

DEED. s. (dæo, Saxon.) 1. Action; thing done (Smallridge). 2. Exploit ; performance (Dryden). 3. Power of action; agency (Milton). 4. Act declaratory of an opinion (Hooker). 5. Written evidence of any legal act (Bacon). 6. Fact; reality; the contrary to fiction (Lee).

DEED, an instrument written on paper or parchment, which relates principally to the conveyance or transferring of property, and the validity of which consists in the following essential particulars: 1. Proper parties to contract with one another, and a proper subject matter to be contracted for; 2. A good and sufficient consideration; 3. Writing on parchment, or paper, duly stamped; 4. Sufficient and legal words, properly disposed; 5. Reading (if it be desired) before execution; 6. By stat. 29 Car. II. c. 3, sealing, in many cases signing also; and, lastly, delivery, which must be done either by the party himself, or by his attorney, lawfully authorised, and expressed in the attestation. If any of these requisites be wanting, the deed is absolutely void, from the beginning.

DEED-POLL, is a deed polled, or shaved, quite even; in contradistinction from an indenture, which is cut unevenly, and answerable to another writing that comprehends the same words. A deed-poll is properly single, or of one part, and is intended for the use of feoffee, grantee, or lessee; an indenture always consists of two or more parts and parties. Every deed that is pleaded shall be intended to be a deed-poll, unless it is alleged to be indented.

DEE/DLESS. a. (from deed.) Unactive

To DEEM. v. n. particip. dempt or deemed. (reman, Saxon.) To judge; to conclude upon consideration; to think; to opine (Dryden). DEEM... (from the verb.) Judgment; surmise; opinion: not in use (Shakspeare). DEEMSTER. s. (from deem.) A judge. This is the name given to the judges who decide all controversies in the Isle of Man.

DEEP. a. (deep, Saxon.) 1. Having length downward; profound (Bacon). 2. Low in situation; not high. 3. Measured from the surface downward (Newton). 4. Entering far; piercing a great way (Shakspeare). 5. Far from the outer part (Dryden). 6. Not superficial; not obvious (Locke). 7. Sagacious; penetrating (Milton). 8. Politick; insiduous (Shakspeare). 9. Grave; solemn (Shaksp.). 10. Dark-coloured (Dryden). 11. Having a great deal of stillness, or gloom, or sadness (Genesis). 12. Depressed; sunk (Corinthians). 13. Bass; grave in sound (Bacon).

DEEP. s. (from the adjective.) 1. The sea; the main; the ocean (Waller). 2. The most solemn or still part (Shakspeare).

DEEP-SEA LINE, or DIP-SEA LINE, in the sea-language, a small line used for sounding, when a ship is in very deep water at sea.

At the end of this fine is a piece of lead, called the deep sea lead, at the bottom of which is a coat of white tallow, to bring up stones, gravel, shells, or the like, from the bottom, in order to learn the differences of the ground; which being entered, from time to time, in the seamen's books, by comparing of observations, enable them to guess by their soundings, &c. what coast they are on, though they cannot see land.

To DEE/PEN. v. a. (from deep.) 1. To make deep; to sink far below the surface (Addison). 2. To darken; to cloud; to make dark (Peacham). 3. To make sad or gloomy (Pope).

DEEPING, or MARKET-DEEPING, a town of Lincolnshire, with a market on Thursdays. It is seated on the Welland, in a fenny country. Lat. 52. 42 N. Lon. 0. 21 W. Adjoining to this town are two villages known by the names of James Deeping, and West Deeping.

Con

DEEP-MOUTHED. a. (deep and mouth.) Having a hoarse aud loud noise (Gay). DEEP-MUSING. a. (deep and muse.) templative; lost in thought (Pope). DEEPLY. ad. (from deep.) 1. To a great depth; far below the surface (Tillotson). 2. With great study or sagacity. 3. Sorrowfully; solemnly (Donne). 4. With a tendency to darkness of colour (Boyle). 5. In a high degree (Bacon).

DE'EPNESS. s. (from deep.) Entrance far below the surface; profundity; depth (Knol.). DEER, in natural history, as a generic term, applies to the cervus tribe generally. (See CERVUS.) Among foresters it is restrained to the individuals of this family that inhabit parks and forests; whose flesh is equally denominat ed venison, though very different in size, flayour, and estimation. Deer are of two de VOL. IV.

scriptions; the one principally bred and preserv ed for the chase, the other for the table. For the first, see RED DEER, STAG, and HIND} for the second, FALLOW DEER, BUCK, and Dor.

To DEFA'CE. v. a. (defuire, French.) To destroy; to rase; to ruin; to disfigure (Prior). DEFACEMENT. s. (from deface.) Vio lation; injury; rasure; destruction (Bacon). DEFACER. s. (from deface.) Destroyer; abolisher; violator (Shakspeare).

a

DE FACTO, something actually in fact, or existing; in contradistinction to de jure, where a thing is only so in justice, but not in fact: as king de facto is a person that is in actual possession of a crown, but has no legal right to the same; and a king de jure is the person who has just right to the erown, though he is out of possession of it.

To DEFA'LCATE. v. a. (defalquer, Fr.) To cut off; to lop; to take away part. DEFALCATION. s. (from defalcate.) Diminution; abatement (Addison).

To DEFALK. v. a. (See DEFALCATE.) To cut off; to lop away (Decay of Prety). DEFAMATION. s. (from defame.) Calumny; reproach; censure; detraction (Addi son).

Where any person circulates any report in jurious to the credit or character of another, the party injured may bring an action to recover damages proportioned to the injury he has sustained; but it is incumbent upon the party to prove he sustained an injury, to entitle him to damages. In some cases, however, as for words spoken which by law are in themselves actionable, as calling a tradesinan a bankrupt, cheat, or swindler, &c. there is no occasion to prove any particular damage; but the plaintiff must be particularly attentive to state words precisely as they were spoken, otherwise he will be nonsuited.

DEFAMATORY, a. (from defame.) Calumnious; unjustly censorious; libellous (Dryden).

To DEFAME. v. a. (de and fama, Latin.) To make infamous; to censure falsely; to dishonour by reports; to calumniate (Dryden).

DEFAME. S. (rom the verb.) Disgrace;" dishonour: not in use (Spenser).

DEFA'MER. s. (from defame.) One that injures the reputation of another (Government of the Tongue).

To DEFATIGATE. v. a. (defatigo, Lat.) To weary; to tire (Maine).

DEFATIGATION. s. (defatigatio, Lat) Weariness; fatigue.

DEFAULT. s. (defaut, French.) 1. Omission of that which we ought to do; neglect. 2. Crime; failure; fault (Hayward). 3. Defect; want (Davies). 4. (In law.) Non-appearance in court at a day assigned (Cowell)

DEFAULT, in hunting, or as it is commonly abbreviated, fault, a term implying that the hunted animal has escaped the sight and scent of the hounds; who, while throwing up their noses, as at a loss, and dashing in different directions in hope of recovery, are said to be at a

E

fault. Different opinions have been formed as to the proper mode of proceeding at this period whether to try forward, or to try backward and here a great deal depends upon the game you are pursuing, and the country you are hunting in.'

If, in pursuit of deer or fox, the hounds throw up on a fallow or highway, they cannot be got forward too soon, for certain it is that these have neither of them stopt in such places. Yet not so with the hare, who is likely to have thrown herself out by the side of the one, or squatted in a land (or furrow) of the other. Faults with the two former are much more easily and expeditiously hit off than with the latter, with whom they are sometimes almost incessant, particularly with a young or a hardhunted hare. It should however be a fixed rule, never to abandon a fault, if possible, without recovery; it being, at least, as likely to bring the lost hare to a view as to find a fresh

one.

DEFAULTER. s. One that makes default. DEFEASANCE. s. (defaisance, French.) 1. The act of annulling or abrogating any contract or stipulation. 2. A condition annexed to an act which performed by the obligee the act is disabled (Cow.). 3. The writing in which a defeasance is contained. 4. A defeat; conquest: obsolete (Spenser).

DEFEASIBLE. a. (from defuire, Fr.) That may be annulled (Davies).

1.

DEFÉAT. s. (from defaire, French.) The overthrow of an army (Addison). 2. Act of destruction; deprivation (Shakspeare).

To DEFEAT. v. a. 1. To overthrow; to undo (Bacon). 2. To frustrate (Milton). 3. To abolish; to undo; to change.

DEFEATURE. s. (from de and feature.) Change of feature; alteration of countenance: not in use (Shakspeare).

To DEFECATE. v. a. (defæœco, Latin.) 1. To purge; to purify; to cleanse (Boyle). 2. To purify from any extraneous or noxious mixture; to clear; to brighten (Glanville). DEFECATE. a. (from the verb.) Purged from lees or foulness (Boyle).

DEFECATION. s. (defacatio, Lat.) Purification; the act of clearing (Harvey).

DEFECT. s. (defectus, Latin.) 1. Want; absence of something necessary; insufficiency (Davies). 2. Failing; imperfection (Shakspeare). 3. A fault; mistake; errour (Hooker). 4. Any natural imperfection; a blemish (Locke).

To DEFECT. v. n. To be deficient (Bro.). DEFECTIBILITY. s. (from defectible.) The state of failing; imperfection (Hale). DEFECTIBLE. a. (from defect.) Imperfect; deficient; wanting (Hale).

DEFECTION. s. (defectio, Latin.) 1. Want; failure. 2. A falling away; apostacy (Raleigh). 3. An abandoning of a king, or a state; revolt (Davies).

DEFECTIVE. a. (from defectivus, Lat.) 1. Wanting the just quantity (Brown). 2. Full of defects; imperfect (Addison). 3. alty; vitious; blamable (Addison).

DEFECTIVE OF DEFICIENT NOUNS. (In grammar.) Indeclinable nouns, or such as want a number in some particular case.

DEFECTIVE VERB. (In grammar.) A verb which wants some of its tenses. DEFECTIVENESS. s. (from defective.) Want; faultiness (Addison).

DEFENCE. s. (defensio, Lat.) 1. Guard; protection; security (Swift). 2. Vindication; justification; apology (Acts). 3. Prohibition (Temple). 4. Resistance.

DEFENCE, in fortification, all sorts of work that cover and defend the opposite posts; as flanks, casements, parapets, and faussebrays.

DEFENCE (Line of), a supposed line drawn from the angle of the curtain, or from any other part in the curtain, to the flanked angle of the opposite bastion. See CURTAIN and BASTION.

A line of defence represents the flight of a musket-ball from the place where the mus keteers stand, to scour the face of the bastion, and ought never to exceed the reach of a musket.

DEFENCE, in law, signifies a plea, or what the defendant ought to make after the plaintiff's count, or declaration, viz. that he defends all the wrong, force, and damages, where and when he ought, &c. If the defendant would plead to the jurisdiction, he must omit the words "where and when he ought;" and if he would shew any disability in the plaintiff, and demand judgment if the plaintiff shall be answered, then he ought to omit the defence of the damage. There is a full defence usually in personal actions.

To DEFENCE. v. a. (defensus, Latin.) To defend by fortification: not in use (Fairfax).

DEFENCES, in heraldry, the weapons of any beast, as the horns of a stag, the tusks of a wild boar, &c.

DEFENCELESS. a. (from defence.) 1. Naked; unarmed; unguarded. (Milton) 2. Impotent; unable to make resistance (Ad.).

†o DEFEND. v. a. (defendo, Lat.) 1. To stand in defence of; to protect; to support (Shakspeare). 2. To vindicate; to uphold; to assert; to maintain (Swift). 3. To fortify; to secure (Dryden). 4. To prohibit; to forbid (Temple). 5. To maintain a place, or cause, against those that attack it (Smith).

DEFEND, defendere, in our ancient laws and statutes, signifies to prohibit or forbid. See DEFENCE. (5 Richard II. cap. 7.) In which sense also Chaucer uses it, in the following passage:

Where can you say in any manner, age,
That ever God defended marriage.

See also Milton's Parad. Lost, book ii. line 86. DEFENDABLE. a. (from defend.) That may be defended.

DEFENDANT. a. (from defendo, Lat.) Defensive; fit for defence (Shakspeare).

DEFENDANT. s. (from the adjective.) 1. He that defends against assailants (Wilkins). 2. (In ław.) The person accused or sued (Hudibras).

DEFE'NDER. s. (from defend.) 1. One that defends; a champion (Shakspeare). 2. An assertor; a vindicator (South). 3. (In law.) An advocate.

DEFENDER OF THE FAITH (Fidei de fensor), a peculiar title belonging to the king of England; as Catholicus to the king of Spain. These titles were given by the popes of Rome. That of Fidei Defensor was first conferred by Leo X. on king Henry VIII. for writing against Martin Luther; and the bull for it bears date, quinto idus Oct. 1521. It was afterwards confirmed by Clement VII. But the pope, on Henry's suppressing the houses of religion at the time of the reformation, not only deprived him of his title, but deposed him from his crown also: though in the 35th year of his reign, his title, &c. was confirmed by parliament; and hath continued to be used by all succeeding kings to this day. Chamberlayne says, the title belonged to the kings of England before that time, and for proof of this appeals to several charters granted to the university of Oxford. So that pope Leo's bull was only a renovation of an ancient right.

DEFE'NSATIVE. s. (from defence.) 1. Guard; defence (Brown). 2. (In surgery.) A bandage, plaster, or the like, used to secure a wound.

DEFENSIBLE. a. (from defence.) 1. That may be defended (Bacon). 2. Justifiable; capable of vindication (Collier).

DEFENSIVE. a. (defensif, Fr.) 1. That serves to defend; proper for defence; not of fensive (Sidney). 2. In a state or posture of defence (Milton).

DEFENSIVE. s. (from the adjective.) 1. Safeguard (Bacon). 2. State of defence (Clarendon).

DEFENSIVELY. ad. In a defensive

manner.

DEFENST. part. pass. (from defence.) Defended: obsolete (Fairfax).

To DEFER. v. n. (from differo, Latin.) 1. To put off; to delay to act (Mill.). 2. To pay deference to another's opinion.

TO DEFER. v. a. 1. To withhold; to delay (Pope). 2. To refer to; to leave to another's judgment and determination (Bacon).

DE'FERENCE. s. (deference, French.) 1. Regard; respect (Swift). 2. Complaisance; condescension (Locke). 3. Submission (Addison).

DEFERENS VAS. (deferens; from differo, to convey; because it conveys the semen to the vesicula seminales.) In anatomy. See VAS DEFERENS

DE/FERENT. a. (from deferens, or defero, Latin.) That carries up and down (Bacon).

DE'FERENT.. (from the adjective.) That which carries; that which conveys (Bacon).

DEFERENT, in the old astronomy, an imaginary circle, which, as it were, carries about the body of a planet, and is the same with the eccentric,

DEFIANCE. s. (from defi, French.) 1. A challenge; an invitation to fight (Dryden). 2. A challenge to make any impeachment good. 3. Expression of abhorrence or contempt (Locke).

DEFICIENCE. DEFICIENCY. s. (from deficio, Latin.) 1. Want; something less than is necessary (Arbuthnot). 2. Defect; failing; imperfection (Spratt).

DEFICIENT. a. (deficiens, Lat.) Failing ; wanting; defective; imperfect (Wotton).

DEFICIENT HYPERBOLA, is a curve having only one asymptote, though two hyperbolie legs running out infinitely by the side of the asymptote, but contrary ways.

DEFICIENT INTERVAL, in music, one less than the true by a comma.

DEFICIENT NUMBERS, those whose allquot parts when added together, make sums less than the numbers themselves: as 8, whose parts, 1, 2, and 4, make only 7.

DEFIER. s. (from deffi, French.) A challenger; a contemner (Tillotson).

To DEFILE. v. a. (apılan, Saxon.) 1. To make foul or impure; to dirty (Shakspeare). 2. To pollute; to make legally or ritually im pure (Leviticus). 3. To corrupt chastity; to violate (Prior). 4. To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate (Wakefield).

To DEFILE. v. n. (deffiler, Fr.) To march; to go off file by file.

DEFILE. S. (defile, Fr.) A narrow passage (Addison).

DEFILE, in fortification, a straight narrow passage, through which a company of horse or foot can pass only in file, by making a small front; so that the enemy may take an oppor tunity to stop their march, and to charge thei with so much the more advantage, as those in the front and rear cannot reciprocally come to the relief of one another.

DEFILEMENT. s. (from defile) The state of being defiled; pollution, corruption (Milton).

DEFÍ'LER. s. (from defile.) One that defiles; a corrupter; a violator (Audison).

DEFINABLE. a. (from define.) 1. Capable of definition (Dryden). 2. That may be ascertained (Burnet).

To DEFINE. v. a. (definio, Latin.) 1. To give the definit on; to explain a thing by its qualities and circumstances (Sidney). 2. To circumscribe; to bound (Newton)."

To DEFINE. v. n. To determine; to decide; to decree (Bacon).

DEFINER. s. (from define.) One that de fines a thing by its qualities (Prior).

DEFINITE. a (from definitus, Lat.) __1. Certain; limited; bounded (Sidney). 2. Exact; precise (Shakspeare).

DEFINITE, in grammar, is applied to an article that has a precise determinate signification; such as the article the in English, le and la in French, &c. which fix and ascertain the noun they belong to, to some particular, as the King, le Roy; whereas in the quality of King, de Roy, the articles of and de