1 i'-' :! 
decry 
discredit, disparage, < dex- (L. dix-) + crier, crv : 
see cry.] 1. To cry down ; speak disparaging- 
ly of ; censure as faulty or worthless; clamor 
against : as, to ileery a poem. 
For small errors they whole plays '/. o //. />///>/, ,>. 
Kar he it from me to i/erc// moral virtue, which .\,i, 
heathens )ia\e -ranted to l.i a reward to itself. 
/;/. Ml,rl,nr,i, Sermons, L, I'rcf. to xi. 
I'cai 1 , dial-mine, nMnph. neglected and ,!><, i.;l, 
My shame in crouds, m\ solitan pride. 
QotdmUh, lies. Vil., I. 411. 
2f. To deprive of credit officially. 
'I In king ma\ a I an\ line ,/.,,,/ o, cry down, any coin 
of tile kingdom, and make it no longer current. 
r,l,ii'k*l<iiir, Com., I. 27s. 
Syn. 1. Itrrril, Dr/iffi'i'illf, Ih-lfllH if,,,,,. It. f.i.nil: I,;, i, ,, 
IHl,iir<i'i,\ run dow n. .liscredit. These words agree ine\ , 
preulng an eiiort t,, ion,, the esteem iii which a person decumblture (ile-kum bi-tiir), n. 
or thing is held. If the effort is unjust, the injustice is 
not so con s| ,ie, ions as in the words com pared under n *!,*,. 
l>,rr,i, to cry down, clamor against, implies activity and 
publicity; it is hardly applicable to persons. />.;,,. ./"/.. 
primarily to lower Hie laluc ol. is less forcible than i/'V;, 
and may apply to persons. l),ti;i,-l t',;,,,i and it,i':,n,it,- !,,,, 
have almost precisely the same meaning to take from or 
diminish repute, as by caviling, ascribing success to aeei 
dent, good conduct to low motives, etc. IliKtmrii'i,', to 
make a thing unequal to what it was in repute; under- 
rate. The last four need not have a personal subject : as, 
it would ,tfrn : i,iif very much /i-m/i his standing; it would 
ttiftfugt him ill public estimation if it were known. 
The Administration and its friends have been attempt- 
ing to circumscribe, and to <l,;-i-;i, the jtowers helongiiig 
to other branches. 1). llVfcxf,/, Speech, Oot li-i 
Our vulgar luxury ,l,;,,;riiil,-x objects not titled to adorn 
ourdwellings. ilnr : i. /.'//,/, Woman in I'llhrcnt., p. 18(1. 
If a man Is honest, it detract* nothing /rum his inei its decuple (dek'u-pl), V. t.\ 
to say he had the wit to see that honesty is the best polii'v. 
K. Hicfii, Victor Emmanuel, p. 112. 
By intermingling a subject s speech witll the king's mes- 
sage, he |tllc secri'tarj | seemed to ilffwialf frunt the hon- 
our and majesty of a king. 
/. li Ifrnrli, Curios, of Lit., IV. 398. 
Why should we make it a [ndnt with our false modesty 
totkmrmft that man we are, and that form of Iwing as- 
signed to us? Knifrniia, Spiritual Ijiws. 
decrystallization (de-kris"ta-li-za'shon), . 
[< *deeryxt<illi:e (< da- priv. "+ crystallize) + 
-atiim.] The act or process of losing the crys- 
talline structure. [Rare.] 
These beautiful forms [ice-flowers] . . . may indeed be 
called " negative " or " inverse " crystals, developed by the 
hreaking-dow n or ili'rriintitllization of the ice. 
Huxley, Physiography, p. 62. 
decubation (de-ku-ba'shon), N. [< L. as if *de- 
eiilnire (oquiv. to decinn/iere : see decumbent), lie 
down, < de, down, + cubare, lie. Cf. L. decu- 
bare, He away from, < de, away, + cubare, lie.] 
The act of lying down, 
decubital (dij-kii'bi-tal ), a. [< deciiliituti + -al.] 
Pertaining to or of tlie nature of a bed-sore or 
ili-clibitns. 
decubitUS (de-kii'bi-tus), M. [NL., < L. decmu- 
decussately 
decumbence.decumbencyidc-knm'i.ens, IMMI- decursiye (de-kei.'si\ >, . [= !'. 
rf)l " |< ilienmlii nl : see -i nei , -enei/.] The Nl,. as if 'deenrnirilx, < L. deciirxiix. pp. of' i/ - 
state of being deonmbtari or of lying down; eurren; run down: see decur.] Running down : 
the posture of lying down. deenrrcnt. l.iiniliin. 
decumbent (dc-kuin'bent), . [< L. decum- dCCUTSively (de-ker'siv-li), adr. In a de.-iir 
IH-H(I-)X, ppr. of deciiiiibere. lie down, < de, down, sive manner: decnrrently. Decuraively pin- 
nasalized form (ill romp.) Of CM- Mite, in 'w.. appli. -d I., a pi iti- leaf having the leallets 
'(.., 
. . v.| In /./. lair, 
ol course; in ordinary course; specifically, a 
writ of those classes which were issnable by 
the cursitor on application of the parly, anil 
without special authority in each ease. 
decurtt (de-kerf), r. t. [< L. deeurtarc. cut off, 
< de, off, 4- eiirture, cut short, < eiirtux, short : 
see curt.] To shorten by cutting off ; abridge. 
Vollr ilffiirtnl or headlessc c!aii-e. Angclorum . nim et 
cet., is thus Knglynheil. HII. Hit/,'. A|Kp|ogy, fol. 147. 
linre. lie: see eiiHibeiit.] 1. Lying down; re- '''" r ''-" t or running along the petiole, 
dining; prostrate; recumbent'. de CUrSU (de ker'sn). [I,.: (to, of, from; , 
I nderneath is the <I>,'<i,nl>,,,t portraiture of a woman 
rest ing on a death's head. Asltmoh; licikshnc. t. _'. 
Specilically 2. In hot., having the base re- 
clining upon the ground, as an ascending stem 
the lower part of which rests upon the earth, 
decumbently (dc-kum'bent-li), ndr-. In a de- 
cumbent manner. 
[Irreg. < I,. 
ili en mhiri; lie down, + -il-iire.] 1. The time 
at which a sick person takes to his bed, or 
during which he is confined to it by disease, decurtate (de-ker'tat), v. t.; pret. and pp. de- 
[Rare.] i-iirlnled, jipr. dicnr/iitiinj. [< L. di'i-urtiitiix, 
Uuriiig his ilri'iniiliilun he was visited by his most dear 
friend. Lij,- ,,j /,/,, (Kills), p. 82. 
2. In astral., the figure of the heavens erected 
for the time of a person's first taking to his bod 
from illness. Prognostics of recovery or death 
were derived from this figure. 
decuple (dek'u-pl), a. and n. [= Sp. decuplo = 
Pg. decuplo = It. dectwln, < 
N. 
, ten- 
II. n. A number ten times repeated. 
pret. and pp. deeu- 
i'n rln led, ppr. 
pp. of dii-iirliiri; cut short: "see dccurt.] 1. 
To cut short; abridge. [Bare.] 2f. To cut 
off or trim the hair or beard of. 
He sends for his barber to depure, ilecurtate, and xpunge 
him. Jiantn', I.enten Stlltte 
decurtate (de-ker'tat), . [< L. decurtiitim, pp. : 
see the verb.] Cut short; abridged. Decur- 
tate syllogism, a syllogism with one of the premises 
unexpressed. 
decurtation (de-ker-ta'shon), w. [= F. decur- 
tii/inii, < LL. deeurtatin(n-), < L. decurtare, cut 
short: see dccurt.] The act of shortening or 
cutting short ; abridgment. 
Same as 
decurt, . . [ME. dceourren, decorrcn, < OP. 
dee,nrre, decourrc, descorre = Pr. decorre = OSp. 
decorrer, < L. dccurrere, run down, flow, move 
down, run over, run through, < de, down, + cur- decurvature (de-ker'va-tur), w. 
rere, run: sea current^.] To r 
_ To run or flow away ; 
leave ; depart ; be wanting. 
Of pompe and of pride the parchemyn deeorreth, 
And prineipaliche of alle peple but tliei be pore of her te. 
fifrs PlomiiaiiJU), xiv. 193. 
decurion (de-ku'ri-on), n. [= 
decurion = Pg. decurioJi = It. decurione, < L. de- 
curio(n-), < decuria, a company of ten : see de- 
cury.] 1. An officer in the Roman army who 
' being 
to recurvation. 
There are Trochilidie which possess almost every grada- 
tion of ilecitrratiiin of the bill. Kltfyf. Brit., XII. 358. 
[< decurve + 
-ature.] Same as decurvation. 
Constant jarring on the lower extremity of a hollow 
cylinder with soft (medullary) contents and flexible end 
walls would tend to a til-curvature of both Inferior and 
superior adjacent end walls. 
K. D. Cape, Origin of the Fittest, p. 376. 
decurve (de-kerv'), c. /. ; pret. and pp. de- 
citrred, ppr. drcurring. [< L. de, down, 4- cur- 
vare, curve, bend. Cf. decurved.] To curve 
downward. 
commanded a decury, or a body of ten soldiers, decurved (de-kervd' ), p. a. [< decvrre + -ed%, 
A deturiun witll his command of ten horsemen ap- 
proached Nazareth from the South. 
L. Wallace, Ben-Hlir, p. 123. 
2. Any commander or overseer of ten; spe- 
cifically, a tithing-man. 
He instituted ilmiriimti through both these colonies: 
that is, one over every ten families. 
after L. decurratux, curved back.] Curved 
downward ; gradually turned down : opposed 
to recurred: as, the declined beak of a bird. 
Towards the end of May a few short Killed or jack cur- 
lew ( \ nmeniiis HtidsonicitB, Lath.) may be seen, like their 
congeneric relative with the long ilrcurreil rostrum. 
/;//./... p. 9. 
lien; pp. "deeuhif,,.-,, lie down : see deeumlmiit.-] , , . Str H ' Tr '">' 1 ''' 1Ieroic V irt " e ' decury (dek'u-ri), . ; pi. decurie* (-riz). [< OF. 
1. The attitude assumed by a siek person when aecunonate (de-ku n-on-at), n. [< L. decurio- dtcurie, F. decurie = Sp. Pg. It. decuria, < L. 
e ""'"*'. < ''<"("-), a decurion: see decurlon.] decuria, a company of ten, <decem = E. ten. Cf. 
lying down in bed. See aiiaelixix.2. Same 
. 
_1 he dignity or office of a decurion. 
i-< iituryi.] A body of ten men under a decurion; 
decula (dek'ft-U). w. A kind of antelope found decurrencet (de-kur'ens), n. [< ML. decurrcn- the ofBce or authority of a decuriou. 
in Abyssinia'. " <, a current, lit. a running down, < L. decur- Tne , atners or 8CIlalor8- who at the Hrst were ,, . 
ren(t-)s, ppr., running down: see dewrrent.] 
lll>. (iinntrn, Tear%of the Church, p. 53(1. 
decurrency (de-kur'en-si), n. [As decurrence : 
see -cy.] In but., tlio jirolongation of a leaf 
below the place of insertion on the stem. 
[< lj. ilieurriH(t-)g, 
deculassement(F.pron.da-kU-las'mon),w. [P., .... ,. 
< 'decider, iinbreech, < de- priv. + cut, breech.] La P se ! effluxion. 
In HUH., the nnliiveching of a cannon ; any se- 
rious damage to one of the essential parts of 
the fennel nre or breech-closing mechanism of 
a breech-loading gun. 
decuman (dek'ji-inan), a. and H. [Also decii- 
'"','"' ilnmiunis, of o^ be'lmlg'ing to' Hie" tent'h decurrent (de-kur'ent), a. 
part (pi. ileeiiuiiini. the tenth cohort, imrtu de- ' 
einiifina, the decuman gate), also considera- 
ble, large, immense (applied to eggs and waves, 
appar. from the notion that every tenth ego; or 
wave in a series is the largest), < decimal.*, deei- 
MW, tenth; see decimal.] I. a. 1. In Hum. 
inilit. //., an epithet applied to a gate of the 
Roman camp near which the tenth cohorts of j 
Hide-urns were encamped. The decuman gate decurr eitly (de-knr ent-h), 
was the principal entrance to the, -amp, an.fwas H f 11 " decnrrent nianner. 
that furthest from the enemy. ^/F^, , ( <1 '.'- kllr . 18). 
[Ppr. of 'deeur, t>. ; < L. decur- 
n re. rundown: ttecdeciirroit.] 
Same as dcciirrent. 
itors, i 
dred, parted themselves into tens or ittcurieit, and governed 
successively by the space of five days, one decury after an- 
The erratas which by long dtfurrmcf of time, through other '" " rik ' r - Kaleiyh, Hist. World, V. ill. 7. 
many men's hands, have befalu it, are easily corrected. decussate (de-kus'at), r. '. ; pret. and pp. de- 
cussated, ppr.' decussating. [< L. decussatus, pp. 
of deeuxsarc, cross, divide crosswise, mark with 
an X, < decussis, the number ten (marked X), 
hence also an X, an intersection (also a ten-as 
piece : see decussis), < decent, = E. ten, + as 
(as*-), a, unit, an ace, an as : see <n-< and as*.] 
To intersect ; cross, as lines, rays of light, leaves, 
see decur. ] In but., extending 
downward beyond the place of 
insertion: as, a decurrent leaf 
(that is, a sessile leaf having 
its base extending downward 
along the stem). Also deciir- 
rini/. 
1 enemy. 
Poinpci . lii,din the enemy in his .-amp, rode out of the 
tm*r, ./..,-. l-hili,!.. \ I. i.vj. 
. 
itcuuum -aie. 
e s i curren. 
immense: used especially of waves, decursiont (de-ker 'shon), . 
I He, \\helme.l and.|,lite sunk liy such |/>.|'M|>| lie hillowes. 
/.',.. 1,',111,1,-n, Tears of the Clllireh, p. .'111. 
'I'hilt sa ilr, -i, i, i, in,- \\ave that took MS fore anil aft 
someulial altered n,\ pulse. 
I'n/iitinrl. tr. of liahelaK r, :: 
II. n. 1. In tixlnil.. one of the ten divisions 
of the ecliptic. 2. A large wave. 
(X Ij. dcciirxiii(n-), < deeiirren; 
run down, flow: see decnr.] 
1. The act of running down, as a stream. 2. 
Iii Itnni. until/., a military nnuufiiver or evolu- 
tion; a march: also, a parade under arms, as 
at a military funeral or other solemnity. 
II. ,>.</, i/ ,.,. IcctisliTiiimus. and a thousand other anti 
inated na s and eeren ies. that we should not ha\c 
si,,,, ks ,,f -urf that elomb and fell 
Spun,, -lidiiiK down the l.alllcd tkcuman. had so jnst a ,,nli,.ii ol were tiiey not ,-tiii p, e-i.rveii on 
l.,:iicll. rathedral. coins. Ad&n, Ancient Medals, i. 
or fibers of nerves. 
Sometimes nearly all, and in rare cases almost none, of 
the pyramidal tlhres <tecu**att, great individual variation 
lielng observed. Hi oil. IX. Hit. 
decussate, decussated (de-kus'at, -a-ted), a. 
[= Sp. deeitxado, < L. deciinxiitiif.; pp.: see the 
verb.] 1. Crossed; intersected: 
specifically applied, in hot., to 
bodies which are arranged in 
pairs alternately crossing each 
other at regular angles. 2. In 
rliet.. arranged in two pairs of 
repeated, contrasted, or paral- 
lelized words or phrases, the 
second pair reversing the order 
of the first; characterized by or 
constituting such an arrange- 
ment: rhiastic. See eliinaHIU.- 
tennffi, in tutam., antenna, in nliieh the joints have hit 
eral proi , "e> ..i h, ineti.s v\),ieh alteinateh ,,,.-, ,.;,, h 
other. 
decussately (de-kus'iit-li), </r. In a decussate 
manner. 
Decussate Leaves. 
Decussate an- 
