Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE-STRUCT'I-BLE-NESS, n.

The state of being destructible.

DE-STRUC'TION, n. [L. destructio. See Destroy.]

1. The act of destroying; demolition; a pulling down; subversion; ruin, by whatever means; as, the destruction of buildings, or of towns. Destruction consists in the annihilation of the form of any thing, that form of parts which constitutes it what it is; as the destruction of grass or herbage by eating; of a forest, by cutting down the trees; or it denotes a total annihilation; as, the destruction of a particular government; the destruction of happiness.
2. Death; murder; slaughter; massacre. There was a deadly destruction throughout all the city. – 1 Sam. v.
3. Ruin. Destruction and misery are in their ways. – Rom. iii.
4. Eternal death. Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction. – Matth.vii.
5. Cause of destruction; a consuming plague; a destroyer. The destruction that wasteth at noon-day. – Ps. xci.

DE-STRUC'TION-IST, n.

One aiming to destroy.

DE-STRUCT'IVE, a.

Causing destruction; having the quality of destroying; ruinous; mischievous; pernicious; with of or to; as, a destructive fire or famine. Intemperance is destructive of health; evil examples are destructive to the morals of youth.

DE-STRUCT'IVE-LY, adv.

With destruction; ruinously; mischievously; with power to destroy; as, destructively lewd or intemperate.

DE-STRUCT'IVE-NESS, n.

The quality of destroying or ruining.

DE-STRUCT'OR, n.

A destroyer; a consumer. [Not used.] – Boyle.

DES-U-DA'TION, n. [L. desudo; de and sudo, to sweat.]

A sweating; a profuse or morbid sweating, succeeded by an eruption of pustules, called heat-pimples. – Coxe. Encyc.

DES'UE-TUDE, n. [L. desuetudo, from desuesco; de and suesco, to accustom one's self.]

The cessation of use; disuse; discontinuance of practice, custom, or fashion. Habit is contracted by practice, and lost by desuetude. Words in every language are lost by desuetude.

DE-SUL'PHUR-ATE, v.t. [de and sulphurate, or sulphur.]

To deprive of sulphur. – Chimistry.

DE-SUL'PHUR-A-TED, pp.

Deprived of sulphur.

DE-SUL'PHUR-A-TING, ppr.

Depriving of sulphur.

DE-SUL'PHUR-A-TION, n.

The act or operation of depriving of sulphur.

DES'UL-TO-RI-LY, adv. [See Desultory.]

In a desultory manner; without method; loosely.

DES'UL-TO-RI-NESS, n.

A desultory manner; unconnectedness; a passing from one thing to another without order or method.

DE-SUL-TO'RI-OUS, a.

Desultory. – Barrow.

DES'UL-TO-RY, a. [L. desultorius, from desilio; de and salio, to leap.]

1. Leaping; passing from one thing or subject to another, without order or natural connection; unconnected; immethodical; as, a desultory conversation.
2. Coming suddenly; started at the moment; not proceeding from natural order or connection with what precedes; as, a desultory thought.

DE-SUME', v.t. [L. desumo.]

To take from; to borrow. [Not in use.] – Hale.

DE-TACH', v.t. [Fr. detacher; Arm. distaga; Sp. and Port. destacar; It. staccarre; de and the root of Eng. tack. See Attach.]

1. To separate or disunite; to disengage; to part from; as, to detach the coats of a bulbous root from each other; to detach a man from the interest of the minister, or from a party.
2. To separate men from their companies or regiments; to draw from companies or regiments, as a party of men, and send them on a particular service.
3. To select ships from a fleet, and send them on a separate service.

DE-TACH'ED, pp.

1. Separated; parted from; disunited; drawn and sent on a separate service.
2. adj. Separate; as, detached parcels or portions.

DE-TACH'ING, ppr.

Separating; parting from; drawing and sending on a separate employment.

DE-TACH'MENT, n.

1. The act of detaching or separating.
2. A body of troops, selected or taken from the main army, and employed on some special service or expedition.
3. A number of ships, taken from a fleet, and sent on a separate service.

DE-TAIL', n. [Fr.]

1. A narration or report of particulars; a minute and particular account. He related the story in detail. He gave a detail of all the transactions.
2. A selecting of officers or soldiers from the rosters.

DE-TAIL', v.t. [Fr. detailler, to cut in pieces; de and tailler, to cut, Sp. tallar, It. tagliarie.]

1. To relate, report, or narrate in particulars; to recite the particulars of; to particularize; to relate minutely and distinctly; as, he detailed all the facts in due order.
2. To select, as an officer or soldier from a division, brigade, regiment, or battalion. – Law of Massachusetts.

DE-TAIL'ED, pp.

Related in particulars; minutely recited; selected.