Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DIF'FER-ENCE, v.t.

To cause a difference or distinction. A regular administration of justice according to fixed laws differences a civilized from a savage state.

DIF'FER-ENC-ED, pp.

Caused to differ; separated.

DIF'FER-ENC-ING, ppr.

Causing a difference; making different.

DIF'FER-ENT, a.

1. Distinct; separate; not the same; as, we belong to different churches or nations.
2. Various or contrary; of various or contrary natures, forms or qualities; unlike; dissimilar; as, different kinds of food or drink; different states of health; different shapes; different degrees of excellence.

DIF-FER-EN'TIAL, a.

An epithet applied to an infinitely small quantity, so small as to be less than any assignable quantity. This is called a differential quantity. The differential method is applied to the doctrine of infinitesimals, or infinitely small quantities, called the arithmetic of fluxions. It consists in descending from whole quantities to their infinitely small differences, and comparing them. Hence, it is called the differential calculus, or analysis of infinitesimals. – Encyc. Harris.

DIF'FER-ENT-LY, adv.

In a different manner; variously. Men are differently affected with the same eloquence.

DIF'FER-ING, ppr.

Being unlike or distinct; disagreeing; contending.

DIF'FER-ING-LY, adv.

In a different manner.

DIF'FI-CILE, a. [L. difficilis.]

Difficult; hard; scrupulous. [Not used.] – Bacon.

DIF'FI-CILE-NESS, n.

Difficulty to be persuaded. [Not used.] – Bacon.

DIF'FI-CULT, a. [L. difficilis; dis and facilis, easy to be made or done, from facio, to make or do; Sp. dificultoso; It. difficoltoso.]

1. Hard to be made, done or performed; not easy; attended with labor and pains; as, our task is difficult. It is difficult to persuade men to abandon vice. It is difficult to ascends a steep hill, or travel a bad road.
2. Hard to be pleased; not easily wrought upon; not readily yielding; not compliant; unaccommodating; rigid; austere; not easily managed or persuaded; as, a difficult man; a person of a difficult temper.
3. Hard to be ascended as a hill, traveled as a road, or crossed as a river, &c. We say, a difficult ascent; a difficult road; a difficult river to cross; &c.

DIF'FI-CUL-TY, n. [Fr. difficulté; It. difficultà; Sp. dificultad; L. difficultas.]

1. Hardness to be done or accomplished; the state of any thing which renders its performance laborious or perplexing; opposed to easiness of facility; as, the difficulty of a task or enterprise; a work of labor and difficulty.
2. That which is hard to be performed or surmounted. We often mistake difficulties for impossibilities. To overcome difficulties is an evidence of a great mind.
3. Perplexity; embarrassment of affairs; trouble; whatever renders progress or execution of designs laborious. We lie under many difficulties, by reason of bad markets, or a low state of trade.
4. Objection; obstacle to belief; that which can not be easily understood, explained or believed. Men often raise difficulties concerning miracles and mysteries in religion, which candid research will remove.
5. In a popular sense, bodily complaints; indisposition.

DIF-FIDE', v.i. [L. diffido; dis and fido, to trust.]

To distrust; to have no confidence in. [Little used.] – Dryden.

DIF'FI-DENCE, n. [It. diffidanza; Sp. difidencia; from L. diffidens, diffido; dis and fido, to trust. See Faith.]

1. Distrust; want of confidence; any doubt of the power, ability or disposition of others. It is said there was a general diffidence of the strength and resources of the nation, and of the sincerity of the king.
2. More generally, distrust of one's self; want of confidence in our own power, competency, correctness or wisdom; a doubt respecting some personal qualification. We speak or write with diffidence, when we doubt our ability to speak or write correctly or to the satisfaction of others. The effect of diffidence is some degree of reserve, modesty, timidity or bashfulness. Hence,
3. Modest reserve; a moderate degree of timidity or bashfulness; as, he addressed the audience or the prince with diffidence.

DIF'FI-DENT, a.

1. Distrustful; wanting confidence; doubting another's power, disposition, sincerity or intention. Be not diffident of wisdom. – Milton. Be diffident in dealing with strangers. – Anon.
2. Distrustful of one's self; not confident; doubtful of one's own power or competency. Distress makes the humble heart diffident. – Clarissa.
3. Reserved; modest; timid; as, a diffident youth.

DIF'FI-DENT-LY, adv.

With distrust; a distrusting manner; modestly.

DIF'FLU-ENCE, or DIF'FLU-EN-CY, n. [L. diffluo.]

A flowing or falling away on all sides. – Brown.

DIF'FLU-ENT, a.

Flowing away on all sides; not fixed.

DIF'FORM, a. [L. dis and forma. But it appears to have been adopted from the French or Italian, difforme, which we write deform.]

1. Irregular in form; not uniform; anomalous; as, a difform flower or corol, the parts of which do not correspond in size or proportion; so, difform leaves. – Martyn.
2. Unlike; dissimilar. The unequal refractions of deform rays. – Newton.

DIF'FORM'I-TY, n.

Irregularity of form; want of uniformity. – Brown.

DIF-FRACT', v.t. [L. diffractum, diffringo.]

To break in pieces.

DIF-FRACT'ED, pp.

Broken in pieces.

DIF-FRACT'ING, ppr.

Breaking in pieces.

DIF-FRAC'TION, n.

The act of breaking in pieces.

DIF-FRAN'CHISE, or DIF-FRAN'CHISE-MENT, n. [See Disfranchise, which is the word in use.]