Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DEW, v.t.

To wet with dew; to moisten. – Milton. Dryden.

DEW'BENT, a.

Bent by the dew. – Thomson.

DEW'-BER-RY, n.

The fruit of a species of brier or bramble, that creeps along the ground, of the genus Rubus.

DEW-BE-SPAN'GLED, a.

Spangled with dew-drops. – Gray.

DEW-BE-SPRENT', a.

Sprinkled with dew. [Obs.] – Milton.

DEW-BE-SPRINK'LED, a.

Sprinkled with dew. Shenstone.

DEW'-DRENCH-ED, a.

Drenched with dew.

DEW'-DROP, n.

A drop of dew, which sparkles at sunrise; a spangle of dew. – Milton.

DEW'-DROP-PING, a.

Wetting, as with dew. – Thomson.

DEW'ED, pp.

Moistened with dew.

DEW-IM-PEARL'ED, a. [See Pearl.]

Covered with dew-drops, like pearls. – Drayton.

DEW'I-NESS, n.

State of being dewy.

DEW'ING, ppr.

Wetting or moistening with dew.

DEW'-LAP, n. [dew and lap, to lick.]

1. The flesh that hangs from the throat of oxen, which laps or licks the dew in grazing. – Addison.
2. In Shakespeare, a lip flaccid with age.

DEW'-LAPT, a.

Furnished with a dew-lap.

DEW'LESS, a.

Having no dew.

DEW'-WORM, n.

A worm, called otherwise earth-worm, a species of Lumbricus, which lives just under the surface of the ground.

DEW'Y, a.

1. Partaking of dew; like dew; as, dewy mist.
2. Moist with dew; as, dewy fields. His dewy locks distilled / Ambrosia. – Milton.

DEX'TER, a. [L. dexter; Gr. δεξιος; Ir. deas.]

Right, as opposed to left; a term used in heraldry, to denote the right side of a shield or coat of arms; as, bend-dexter; dexter-point. – Encyc.

DEX-TER'I-TY, n. [L. dexteritas, from dexter, right, fit, prompt.]

1. Readiness of limbs; adroitness; activity; expertness; skill; that readiness in performing an action, which proceeds from experience or practice, united with activity or quick motion. We say, a man handles an instrument, or eludes a thrust, with dexterity.
2. Readiness of mind or mental faculties, as in contrivance, or inventing means to accomplish a purpose; promptness in devising expedients; quickness and skill in managing or conducting a scheme of operations. We say, a negation is conducted with dexterity. – Gibbon.

DEX'TRAL, a.

Right, as opposed to left. – Brown.

DEX-TRAL'I-TY, n.

The state of being on the right side.

DEX'TRINE, n.

A substance of a gummy appearance, into which the interior molecules of starch are converted by diastase or acids; used in cookery. It is named from its turning the plane of polarization to the right hand. – Ure.

DEX-TROR'SAL, a. [dexter and vorsus, versus, from verto, to turn.]

Rising from right to left, as a spiral line or helix. – Henry.

DEX'TROUS, a.

1. Ready and expert in the use of the body and limbs; skillful and active in manual employment; adroit; as, a dextrous hand; a dextrous workman.
2. Ready in the use of the mental faculties; prompt in contrivance and management; expert; quick at inventing expedients; as, a dextrous manager. Dextrous the craving, fawning crowd to quit. – Pope.
3. Skillful; artful; done with dexterity; as, dextrous management.