Deer-mouse, or Jumping-mouse (Zapus 
Httdsonius). 
deer-grass 
deer-grass (der'gras), n. Species of 
especially the common meadow-beauty, Ji. Vir- 
ginicii. 
deer-hair, deer's-hair (der'-, derz'har), . 
Heath club-rush, f<cii-/iux rirs/tiloxnx : so called 
from its tufts of short slender culms, resem- 
bling coarse hair. 
\litss. lirht-ii, anil <l''<'r-liair are fast covering those stones, 
tn cleanse which had been the business of his life. 
Scott, (lid Mortality, i. 
deer-herd (der'herd), n. One who tends deer; 
a keeper ; a forester. 
deer-hound (der'hound), n, A hound for hunt- 
ing deer; a stag-hound. 
deerlet (der'let), n. [< deer + dim. -let.] A 
little deer ; a pygmy musk-deer or chevrotain ; 
a kanchil. 
deer-lick (der'lik), . A spot of ground, nat- 
urally or artificially salt, which is resorted to 
by deer to nibble or lick the earth. 
deer-mouse (der'mpus), n. 1. A common name 
of the American jumping-mouse, Zapns hud- 
soiiiiin, the only member of the family Za/>o- 
didfe (which 
see): so called 
from its agil- 
ity. It is a spe- 
cies about 4 inch- 
es long, with a 
longer scaly tail 
and enlarged 
hind quarters 
and hind feet, by 
means of which 
it clears several 
feet at a bound. 
The color is yel- 
lowish brown, 
darker on the 
back and paler 
below. It is gen- 
erally distributed 
in woodland of the United States and British America. 
2. A popular name of several species of true 
mice indigenous to 
North America, of 
the family Muridw 
and genus Hespero- 
mys. It is especially 
applied to the common 
white-footed mouse (H. 
leucoptu), which is of 
a grayish or yellowish- 
brown color above, with 
snow-white under parts 
and paws, and the tail 
bicolored. It is about 
3J inches long, the tail 
less, and is very generally distributed in North America. 
deer-neck (der'nek), . A thin, ill-formed neck, 
as of a horse. 
deer-reevet (der'rev), . One of two officers 
annually chosen by Massachusetts towns in the 
colonial period to execute the game-laws re- 
specting deer. 
deer's-hair. n. See deer-hair. 
deerskin (dSr'ddn), . The hide of a deer, or 
leather made from such a hide. 
deer-stalker (der'sta"ker), n. One who prac- 
tises deer-stalking. 
deer-Stalking (der'sta"king), n. The method 
or practice of hunting deer by stealing upon 
them unawares ; still-hunting. 
deer's-tongue (derz ' tung), n. A composite 
plant, Liatris odwatissima, of the United States, 
with rather fleshy leaves which are pleasantly 
fragrant when dry. 
deer-tiger (der'ti'ger), n. The cougar or pu- 
ma, Felis concolor : so called from its tawny or 
fawn color. 
dees 1 !, . An obsolete variant of dais. Chaucer. 
dees' 2 t, n. )il. An obsolete variant of dice, plural 
of die 3 . 
deesst (de'es), n. [< OF. deesse, F. deesse = 
Pr. deuessa, diuessa = It. deessa, diessa, a god- 
dess; with fern, term., P. -esse, < ML. -issa (in 
Sp. diom = Pg. deosa, with simple fern. term. 
-a), < L. dctts, > F. dieu = Pr. deus = Sp. dios = 
Pg. deos = It. dio, a god : see deity.] A god- 
dess. Croft. 
deet (det),''. t. [E. dial, form of diglit.] To 
dress or make clean ; hence, to winnow (corn) 
Brockftt. 
deev (dev), n. Same as dev. 
deevil (de'vil), H. A dialectal (Scotch) form 
of devil.-. Deevll's buckle. See buckle. 
def-t. See dif- and de-. 
deface (de-fas'), r. t.; pret. and pp. defaced, 
ppr .defaciMj. [< ME. aefaoen, defasen, diffacen, 
Jt . defacier, dcffaeier, desfacin; drsfachier = 
It. ifaeelare (Florio), deface, < L. di- priv + 
Jucies, face : see face.] 1. To mar the face or 
Deer-mouse, or White-footed Mouse 
(Hesperomys lencofus). 
1498 
surface of; disfigure; spoil the appearance of: 
as, to deface a monument. 
Their groves he feld ; their gardius did deface. 
Sfftuer, F. Q., II. xii. 83. 
Still pilfers wretched plans, and makes them worse ; 
Like gypsies, lest the stolen brat be known, 
Dtfamag first, then claiming for his own. 
Churchill. AjK.lcvy, 1. 233. 
Though he [Byron] had assisted his oontemporaries in 
building their grotesque and barbarous edifices, he bad 
never joined them in defacing the remains of a chaster 
and more graceful architecture. 
Macaulay, Moore's Byron. 
2. To impair or efface ; blot or blot out ; erase ; 
obliterate; cancel: as, to deface an inscription ; 
to deface a record. 
Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond. 
Shak., M. of V., iii. 2. 
A letter, ever the best and most powerful agent to a 
mistress; it almost always persuades, 'tis always renew- 
ing little impressions that possibly otherwise absence 
would deface. Mrs. Behn, Lover's Watch. 
Defaced Cpln. See <'jil.=Syn. 2. Camel, Obliterate, 
etc. See i-Jface. 
defacement (de- fas 'ment), n. [< deface + 
-ment.] 1. The act of defacing or disfiguring; 
injury to the surface or exterior; disfigurement; 
obliteration. 2. That which disfigures or mars 
appearance. 
The image of fiod is purity and the defacement sin. 
, Bacon. 
The defacements of vice are the results of adverse sur- 
roundings. The American, VI. 410. 
defacer (de-fa'ser), n. One who or that which 
defaces; one who impairs, mars, or disfigures. 
Defacers of a public peace. Shak., Hen. VIII., v. -2. 
defacingly (de-fa'sing-li), adv. In a defacing 
manner. 
de facto (do fak'to). [L., of or in fact: dc, of, 
from ; facto, abl. of faetiim, fact : see rfe 2 and 
fact.] In fact; in reality; actually existing, 
whether with or without legal or moral right : 
as, a government or a governor dc facto. The 
phrase usually implies a question as to whether the thing 
existing de facto exists also dejure, or by right. 
In every international question that could arise, he had 
his option between the de facto ground und the de jure 
ground. Macaulay, Warren Hastings. 
The Irish National League the de facto government 
of Ireland of which Mr. Parnell is president, has prac- 
tically absorbed the I. R. B., or home organisation. 
Fortnightly Itee., N. S., XL. 123. 
defadet, v. i. [ME. defaden, diffadeii, < de-, dif-, 
away, + fndrn, fade.] To fade away. 
Thei wene heore honoure and heore hele, 
Schal ciier last and neuer di/ade. 
Earl;/ Kny. I'oerm (ed. Furnivall), p. 133. 
Now es my face defadide, and foule es me hapnede, 
Ffor I am fallene fro ferre, and trendies bylevyde! 
Morte Arthure (E. E. T. H.), I. 3305. 
defaecate, defecation, etc. See defecate, etc. 
defailt, *'. [ME. defailen, < OF. defaillir, defallir, 
defalir, F. defaillir, fail, faint, swoon, < ML. 
"defallere, fail, < L. de-, away, -f failure, deceive 
(ML. fail): see/. Cf. deriv. default.] I. in- 
trans. To fail. 
It falles the tiesche may noghtc of his vertu noghte 
defaile. llampole, Prose Treatises (E. E. T. H.), p. 2. 
II. trans. To fail ; leave in the lurch ; disap- 
point. 
And if all othir for-sake the, 
I schall neuere fayntely defayle the. 
York Plays, p. 246. 
defailancet (de-fa'lans), . [< OF. dtfaillance, 
a failing, defect, a" fainting, F. defa'illance, a 
fainting, a swoon, = Pr. defaillensa, defalensa, 
< ML. (lefallentia, < "defallere, fail : see defail.] 
Failure; miscarriage. 
Our life is full of di'failances, and all our endeavours can 
never make us such as Christ made us. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 179. 
The affections were the authors of that unhappy defail- 
<"*. Qlanmlle. 
defailementt, " [< OF. defaillement, deffuil- 
lement, failure, < defaillir, fail: see defail.] 
Failure. 
A great part of such like are the Planters of Virginia, 
and partly the occasion of those defaiU-tn< nta. 
Quoted In Capl. John Smith's True Travels, II. 95. 
defailuret (de-fa'lur), H. [Lessprop. spelled dr- 
faileur ;< defail + -ure. Cf. failure.] Defail- 
auce; failure. 
A defaileur of jurisdiction. 
Barrow, On the Pope's Supremacy. 
defaisancet, See defeasance. 
defaitet, c. A Middle 'English form of defeat. 
defamatory 
duet a part of; curtail: used chiefly of money, 
accounts, rents, income, etc. [Rare.] 
The natural method . . . would be to take the present 
existing estimates as they stand, and then to shmv \vb:it 
may be practicably and safely defalcated from them. 
Iliirke, Late State of Nation. 
II. intrans. To be guilty of defalcation ; de- 
fault in one's accounts. 
defalcatet, " [< ML. defalcates, pp.: see the 
verb.] Curtailed. 
Defalcate of their condigne praises. 
Sir T. Kltjut, The Governour, ii. 6. 
. 
defalcate (de-fal'kat), r.; pret. and pp. drftil- 
culcd. ppr. defalcating. [< ML. di-falcntim, pp. 
of Oefalcare, i-ut away, abate, deduct: see di-- 
fallc.] I. trans. To cut off; take away or .ii>- 
defalcation (de-fal-ka'shon), n. [= F. 
tion = It. difalcazione, < ML. defalctitio(n-), de- 
duction: see defalk, defalcate.} 1. The act of 
cutting oft' or deducting a part ; abatement ; cur- 
tailment; specifically, in law, the reduction of 
a claim or demand on contract by the amount 
of a counter-claim. 
When it (divine justice] conies to call the world to an 
account of their actions, [it] will make no defalcation* at 
all for the power of custom, or common practice of the 
world. Htilliufljleet, Sermons, I. ii. 
The tea-table is set forth with its customary bill of fare, 
and without any manner of defalc<il!n. Addition. 
Defalcation is setting off another account or another 
contract - perhaps total want of consideration founded 
on fraud, imposition, or falsehood, is not defalcation . 
though, being relieved in the same way, they arc blended. 
Charles Uiutim, J., ISiO, Houk v. Foley, 2 Pen. & W. (Pa.), 
[250. 
2. That which is cut off; deficit. 3. A defi- 
ciency through breach of trust by one who has 
the management or charge of funds belonging 
to others; a fraudulent deficiency in money 
matters. 
He was charged with large pecuniary defalcatii'ti*. 
Saturday Hen., May 8, 1865. 
defalcator (def'al-ka-tor), n. [< defalcate.] 
One guilty of breach of trust or misappropria- 
tion in money matters ; a defaulter. 
defalk (de-falk'), v. t. [Early mod. E. also 
defaulk; < OF. dcfalquer, desfalquer, F. defalquer 
= Sp. defalcar, deafalcar = Pg. desfalcar = It. 
diffalcare, < ML. defalcare, also difalcare, diffiil- 
care, cut off, abate, deduct, < L. de- ordin-, away, 
+ WL.falcare, cut with a sickle, < li.falx(falc-). 
a sickle: see falcate, defalcate.] To defalcate; 
subtract; deduct. 
They should be allowed 9,500, to be defalked in nine and 
a half years out of their rent. 
State Trials: Lord Naas; Middlesex, an. 1624. (A 1 . .) 
Justin Martyr justified it to Tryphon, that the Jews had 
defalked many sayings trom the books of the old prophets. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), II. 32(1. 
The question is whether the damages sustained can be 
defalked against the demand in this action. 
Justice Sterrett, in Ounnis v. I'lulf (Pa.), 188. 
defaltt, n. and '. An obsolete variant of de- 
fault. 
defamatet (def'a-mat), r. t. [< LL. L. defa- 
niattts (as adj.), diffamatus, pp. of diffamare, de- 
fame: see defame.] To defame; slander. 
defamation (def-a-ma'shon), n. [< ME. diffa- 
macioun, < OF. dijfamation, F. diffamation = Pr. 
difamaeio = Sp. difamaeion = Pg. diffamaqao = 
It. diffamazione, < LL. diffamatio(n-), < L. diffa- 
mare, defame: see defame.] The act of de- 
faming; the wrong of injuring another^ repu- 
tation without good reason or justification ; as- 
persion. 
Thus others we with defamations wound, 
While they stab us ; and so the jest goes round. 
Dryden, tr. of Persius's Satires, iv. 99. 
It is a certain sign of an ill heart to be inclined to defa- 
mation. Dr. Dodd. 
[Formerly defamalinn was used more with reference to 
slander or spoken words. In modern use slander is spo- 
ken defamation and libel is published defamation. Both 
are subjects for civil action for damages. Libel alone is 
usually punishable criminally, the common test of crimi- 
nality being that it tends to a breach of the peace.) = Syn. 
Detraction, aspersion, backbiting, scandal, libel. 
defamatort (def'a-ma-tor), . [= F. diffama- 
teur = Sp. aifamador = Pg. diffamailor = It. 
diffamatore, < LL. as if *difl</itit<i>; < L. diffu- 
mare, defame: see defame.] A defamer; a 
slanderer; a calumniator. 
We should ki-rp in pay a brigade of hunters to frn-t-t 
out defamator*, and to clear tin- nation of this noxious 
vermin, as once we did of wolves. 
<,',', /f/''i/ia// Inttrvatod, p. t'^i. 
defamatory (de-fam'a-to-ri), o. [= F. difiauia- 
toire = Sp. (lifiniHiliiriii = Pg. It. diffinmitorin. 
< WL.difttiiii<it<>i-i/ix,< Li. diffamare, drfitine: see 
defame.] Containing defamation ; calumnious; 
slanderous; libelous; injurious to reputation: 
as, dejiniiittiir// words or writings. 
The most eminent sin is tin 1 bprt-aditiv' of <l-/"i"i'>r>! 
reports. <<" / mm-itt uf Iff Timiim/. 
