DEM S 



mation at the mouth of a river usually 

 approaching the form of a A. The delta 

 of the Nile is an example. 



DEL'TOID, from 5sAr, the letter A, 

 and iTdog, form, delta-like, triangular. 

 Applied, in anatomy, to AthicTs. triangular 

 muscle of the shoulder ; and in botany, to 

 trowel-shaped leaves, &c. 



DELTOI'DES. 1. In botany, plants having 



deltoid leaves. 2. In entomology, a tribe 



of lepidoptera, belonging to the genus 

 Phalcena, Lin., and forming the sub-genus 

 Herminia, Lat. The wings and body form 

 a sort of delta, marked by a re-entering 

 angle on the posterior side. 



DELU'BRUM, the most sacred part of an- 

 cient temples, where the images of the 

 sundry gods were. 



DEMAN'DANT. In law, the pursuer in 

 real actions, in distinction from plaintiff. 

 DEMEN'TIA (Lat.), from de, and me us, the 

 mind. A form of insanity, in which the 

 powers of continued attention and reflec- 

 tion are lost: sometimes an accompani- 

 ment of old age. 



DEMESNE. DEMAIN. In law, lands which 

 are next or adjacent to the lord of the 

 manor's, mansion-house, and which he 

 keeps in his own hands. The term appears 

 to be from maison, house. 



DEM'I-CA'DENCE. In music, an imperfect 

 cadence, or one which falls on any other 

 than the key-note. 



DEM'I-CULVERI'N, a piece of ordnance. 

 The least is 4i inches bore, 10 feet long, 

 and carries a ball 9 Ibs. in weight. The 

 largest is 45 inches bore, 10 feet 4 inches 

 in length, and carries a ball of 12 Ibs. 

 11 oz. 



DEM'I-DIS'IANCE. In fortification, the 

 distance between the outward polygons 

 and the flanks. 



DEM'I-DI'TONE. In music, a minor third. 



DEM'I-GOHGE. In fortification, that part 

 of the polygon which remains after the 

 flank is raised, and goes from the curtain 

 to the angle of the polygon. See GORGE. 



DEM'I- JOHN , a glass vessel or bottle in- 

 closed in wicker-work. 



DEM'I-I.UNE. In fortification, a half- 

 moon, a defence usually attached exte- 

 riorly to the posterns of a ravelin. It is 

 now generally called lunette (q. T.). 



DEM'I-METO'PE. In architecture, a half- 

 metope found at the retiring or project- 

 ing angles of a Doric frieze. 



DEM'I-QCA'VER, a note in music of half 

 the length of a quaver. 



DEM'I-RELIE'VO. In sculpture, a kind of 

 relievo, wherein the figure rises from the 

 plane, as if it had been cut in two, and 

 only one half fixed to the plane. 



DEM'I-SEM'I-QUA'VER, a note in music, 

 equal in length to half a semi-quaver. 



PE*'i-TiNT.Inpa*n<in0,a tintrepresent- 

 lag the medium between light and shtrie. 



DEM 



DEM'I-CR'GCS, Gr., from ^/u^;, people. 

 and toiyet, -work. An artificer employed 

 in ordinary handicraft. 



DEjt'i-viLL,ahalf-vill, consisting of five 

 freemen or frank pledges. 



DEM'I- VOLT, one of the artificial motions 

 of a horse, in which he raises his fore- 

 legs in a particular manner. 

 DEMI'SE, Fr. demis, demise, from dimettre, 

 literally a laying down or removing. The 

 death of a king or queen regnant, and the 

 transfer of the royal authority to a succes- 

 sor, is termed the demise of the crown. In 

 law, a transfer of an estate by lease or 

 will is termed a demise ; and where there 

 are mutual leases made from one to ano- 

 ther, of the same lands or something out 

 of it, the conveyance is termed a demise 

 and re-demise. 



DEMOC'RACY, from S'/j^oj, people, and 

 x^otvut, to govern, government by the 

 people ; one of the three forms of govern- 

 ment ; that in which the supreme power 

 remains in the hands of the people. 



DEM'O-GOR'GON, daiuuv, a demon, -yo^- 

 ys, terrible. A mysterious divinity of 

 antiquity, who was an object rather of 

 terror than of worship. 



DE'MON, DjE'MONjSow^y. In mythology, 

 demons were spirits or genii, who ap- 

 peared to men either to do them service 

 or hurt, and which were therefore objects 

 of worship. The demons of the Platonists- 

 are those immaterial beings since called 

 angels ; those of the New Testament were 

 the tormentors of men: hence, the word, 

 in modern usage, has come to signify an 

 evil spirit or genius, which has the power 

 of influencing the conduct and fortunes of 

 mankind. 



DEMO'NIACS. In chiirch history, a branch 

 of the Anabaptists, who maintain that at 

 the end of the world the devil ('OKIUMV) 

 will be saved. 



DEMONSTRATION, from de, and monstro, 

 to show. In logic, a proof of a proposi- 

 tion, founded on axioms or definitions, or 

 both, and called a priori, when the effect 

 is proved from the cause, and a posteriori, 

 when the cause is proved from the effect. 

 In war, demonstrations are manoeuvres 

 practised for the purpose of misleading 

 the enemy. 



DEMON STRA'TOR. In anatomical schools, 

 one who assists the students in their prac 

 tical lessons on anatomy. 



DE'MOS. In ancient history, a borough 

 or ward. 



DEMUR'RAGE, from demur, to stop. In 

 commercial navigation, an allowance made 

 to the master or owners of a vessel by 

 the freighter, for detaining her longer in 

 the port than the period agreed upon for 

 her sailing. 



DEMUR'HER. from demur, to ftop. IB 



