Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE-FAM'A-TO-RY, a.

Calumnious; slanderous; containing defamation; false and injurious to reputation; as, defamatory words; defamatory reports or writings.

DE-FAME', v.t. [Fr. diffamer; It. diffamare; Sp. disfamar; from L. diffamo; de or dis and fama, fame.]

1. To slander; falsely and maliciously to utter words respecting another which tend to injure his reputation or occupation; as to say, a judge is corrupt; a man is perjured; a trader is a knave.
2. To speak evil of; to dishonor by false reports; to calumniate; to libel; to impair reputation by acts or words. Being defamed, we entreat. 1 Cor. iv.

DE-FAM'ED, pp.

Slandered; dishonored or injured by evil reports.

DE-FAM'ER, n.

A slanderer; a detractor; a calumniator.

DE-FAM'ING, n.

Defamation; slander. Jeremiah.

DE-FAM'ING, ppr.

Slandering; injuring the character by false reports.

DE-FAM'ING-LY, adv.

In a defaming manner.

DE-FAT'I-GA-BLE, a.

Liable to be wearied. [Not much used.] Glanville.

DE-FAT'I-GATE, v.t. [L. defatigo; de and fatigo, to tire, See Fatigue.]

To weary or tire. [Little used.] Herbert.

DE-FAT-I-GA'TION, n.

Weariness. [Little used.] Bacon.

DE-FAULT', n. [Fr. defaut, for default, from defaillir, to fail; de and faillir, to fail. See Fail and Fault.]

1. A failing, or failure; an omission of that which ought to be done; neglect to do what duty or law requires; as, this evil has happened through the governor's default. A default or fault, may be a crime, a vice, or a mere defect, according to the nature of the duty omitted.
2. Defect; want; failure. Cooks could make artificial birds, in default of real ones. Arbuthnot.
3. In law, a failure of appearance in court at a day assigned, particularly of the defendant in a suit when called to make answer. It may be applied to jurors, witnesses, &c.; but a plaintif's failing to appear by himself or attorney, is usually called a non-appearance. To suffer a default, is to permit an action to be called without appearing or answering; applied to a defendant.

DE-FAULT', v.i.

To fail in performing a contract or agreement. Johnson.

DE-FAULT', v.t.

1. In law, to call out a defendant [according to the common expression]. To call a defendant officially, to appear and answer in court, and on his failing to answer, to declare him in default, and enter judgment against him; as, let the defendant be defaulted. No costs are to be awarded for such town, if defaulted. Mass. Laws.
2. To call out a cause, in which the defendant does not appear, and enter judgment on the default; as, the cause was defaulted.
3. To fail in performance. Milton.

DE-FAULT', v.t.

To offend. [Obs.]

DE-FAULT'ED, pp.

1. Called out of court, as a defendant or his cause.
2. adj. Having defect.

DE-FAULT'ER, n.

1. One who makes default; one who fails to appear in court when called.
2. One who fails to perform a public duty; particularly, one who fails to account for public money intrusted to his care; a delinquent.

DE-FAULT'ING, ppr.

1. Failing to fulfill a contract; delinquent.
2. Failing to perform a duty or legal requirement; as, a defaulting creditor. Walsh.
3. Calling out of court, and entering judgment against for non-appearance, as a defendant.

DE-FEAS'ANCE, n. [s as z; Norm. defesance; Fr. defesant, from defaire, to undo; de and faire, L. facio.]

1. Literally, a defeating; a rendering null; the preventing of the operation of an instrument.
2. In law, a condition, relating to a deed, which being performed, the deed is defeated or rendered void; or a collateral deed, made at the same time with a feoffment or other conveyance, containing conditions, on the performance of which the estate then created may be defeated. A defeasance, on a bond, or a recognizance, or a judgment recovered, is a condition which, when performed, defeats it. A defeasance differs from the common condition of a bond, in being a separate deed, whereas a common condition is inserted in the bond itself Blackstone.
3. The writing containing a defeasance.
4. Defeat. [Obs.] Spenser.

DE-FEAS'I-BLE, a. [s as z.]

That may be defeated, or annulled; as, a defeasible title; a defeasible estate.

DE-FEAS'I-BLE-NESS, a.

The quality of being defeasible.

DE-FEAT', n. [Fr. defaite, from defaire, to undo; de and faire.]

1. Overthrow; loss of battle; the check, rout, or destruction of an army by the victory of an enemy.
2. Successful resistance; as, the defeat of an attack.
3. Frustration; a rendering null and void; as, the defeat of a title.
4. Frustration; prevention of success; as, the defeat of a plan or design.

DE-FEAT', v.t.

1. To overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse or ruin by victory; to overthrow; applied to an army, or a division of troops; to a fleet, or to a commander. The English army defeated the French on the plains of Abraham. General Wolf defeated Montcalm. The French defeated the Austrians at Marengo.
2. To frustrate; to prevent the success of; to disappoint. We say, our dearest hopes are often defeated. Then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. 2 Sam. xv, and xvii.
3. To render null and void; as, to defeat a title or an estate.
4. To resist with success; as, to defeat an attempt or assault.

DE-FEAT'ED, pp.

Vanquished; effectually resisted; overthrown; frustrated; disappointed; rendered null or inoperative.

DE-FEAT'ING, ppr.

Vanquishing; subduing; opposing successfully; overthrowing; frustrating; disappointing; rendering null and void.

DE-FEAT'URE, n.

1. Change of feature. Shak.
2. Overthrow; defeat. [Obs.] Beaum.