defensive 
II. ii. That which defends or serves for de- 
IVnsc; a safeguard; a security. 
I'Diitciiiinge a resolution politiqne, tonchiiige the fenil- 
nyur '-:"\ n in. 'lit in nion;i]vhye ; w">. a defensive of her 
M.-i'i'--. IIOIKMIIV unit coiistanryr. 
I'nili-ii/inin, 1'artheniades, xiii. 
Wars preventive, upon just fears, are true tleffimirex. 
Bacon. 
The defensive, the state or attitude of defense ; the state 
of being muly to meet or ward off attack. 
I'ncler these circumstances, the ilefenxiiv, for the pres- 
ent, must be your only eare. Lincoln, in Kaymoiid, p. 256. 
To lie on the defensive, or to stand on the defen- 
sive, to be or stjind in a state or posture of defense or re- 
sistance, in opposition to aggression or attack. 
From that time (the battle of Metanrusl, for four more 
years, Hannibal could but ulnml mi Ilif <lrfensivc in the 
southernmost corner of the Italian peninsula. 
KIU-III: ISrit., XI. 444. 
defensively (de-fen'siv-li), adv. In a defensive 
manner ; on the defensive ; in defense. 
Camalodminm, where the Romans had seated them- 
selves to dwell pleasantly, rather then defensively, was 
not fortified. Milton, Hist. Eng., ii. 
defensor (df-fen'sor), n. [L., < defcndere, pp. 
rleffiisus, defend: see defend.] One who de- 
fends. Hence (rc) In Rom. law, a local magistrate of 
minor jurisdiction charged with the duty, among others, 
of appointing curators or guardians for infants having in- 
considerable estates. The name has also been applied to 
one who volunteered to represent in defense an absentee 
or incapable person, (h) In civil law: (1) A defendant. 
(2) One who took up the defense, and asstimed the liabili- 
ty, of a defendant. (3) An advocate, patron, procurator, 
or cognitor. (4) A curator or guardian, (c) In canon law, 
the counsel and custodian of the property of a church. 
Fidei Defensor. See Defender of the Faith, under de- 
fender. 
defensory (de-fen'so-ri), a, f = OF. defensolre, 
deffensoire, <'ML. * defensorius (neut. defenso- 
rium, a defense), < L. defcndere, defend: see 
defend.'] Tending to defend; defensive. John- 
son. 
defer 1 (de-fer'), v.\ pret. and pp. deferred, ppr. 
deferring. [< OF. deferer, F. deferer = Sp. Pg. 
deferir = It. deferire, charge, accuse, intr. give 
way, < L. dfferre (pp. detains), bring down, 
bring before, give, grant, also (with ace. nonien 
= E. name) charge, accuse, < de, down, + fcrre 
= E. fteorl. Cf. delate^.] I. t ra ,, s . i t . TO offer; 
render; assign: as, to defer the command of 
an army. 
The worship deferred to the Virgin. Breoint. 
2. To refer ; leave to another's judgment and 
determination. 
The commissioners . . . deferred the matter nnto the 
Earl of Northumberland. Bacon, Hist. Hen. VII., p. 07. 
II. in trans. To yield to another's opinion; 
submit in opinion : with to. 
They not only deferred to his counsels in pnblick as- 
semblies, but he was moreover the umpire of domestick 
matters. Spence, tr. of Varilla's Hist. House of Hcdicis 
1(1686), p. 306. 
You whose stupidity and insolence 
1 must defer to, soothe at every turn. 
Bromuny, King and Book, II. 278. 
defer 2 (de-fer'), " ; pret. and pp. deferred, ppr. 
deferring. [An alteration, after defer 1 , of differ, 
< ME. di/erren (rare), put off, < OF. differer, 
F. differer = Sp. diferir = Pg. differir = It. de- 
ferire, diferire, defer, delay, < L. diffcrre (pp. 
dilatus), carry different ways, scatter, put off, 
defer (intr. differ, be different, whence directly 
E. differ), < dis-, apart, away, + ferre, carry, 
= E. ftcarl; see differ, dilate, delai/f.] I. trans. 
1. To delay; put off; postpone to a future 
time : as, to defer the execution of a design. 
Soldiers, defer the spoil of the city until night. 
Shalt., 2 Hen. VI., iv. 7. 
Cod, 
Nothing more certain, will not long defer 
To vindicate the glory of his name. 
Milton, S. A., 1. 474. 
Why should we defer our joys? 
B. Jomon, Volpone, iii. 6. 
2f. To cause to wait ; remand; put off: applied 
to persons. 
(There was a] reason why he did not defer him at first 
for his answer, till some more of the magistrates and 
deputies might have been assembled. 
Wiiithrop, Hist. New England, II. 138. 
Deferred annuity. See annuity.- Deferred bonds 
bonds issued by a government or company, entitling the 
holder to a gradually increasing rate of interest up to a 
specified rate, when they are converted into or classed as 
active bonds. Bithell, Counting- House Diet. Deferred 
pay, an allowance of twopence per day paid to soldiers 
and non-commissioned officers serving in the British army 
on discharge, or payable on death. A similar allowance 
of twopence per day is paid annually to all men in the 
army reserve, any sum earned by a mini dying during the 
year being paid to his representatives. Deferred shares 
shares issued by a company which do not entitle the holder 
to share in the profits until the expiration of a specified 
1502 
time or the occurrence of some event, as, for instance, 
when the ordinary shares are in the enjoyment of a given 
annual percentage of profit. Kitl-ll. 
II. iiitninx. To wait; delay; procrastinate. 
Iiefe.r not till to-morrow to be wise ; 
To-morrow's sun to thee may never rise. 
Comjnm, To Cobham. 
deference (def'er-ens), n. [< F. deference = Sp. 
Pg. de/ereneiit = It. dcferenza, < L. as if "defe- 
n-iilia', < deferen(t-)s, ppr. of deferre, defer: see 
defer 1 ,] A yielding in opinion ; submission to 
the opinion, judgment, or wish of another; 
hence, regard, respect, or submission in gen- 
eral: as, a blind deference to authority. 
A natural roughness makes a man uncomplaisant to 
others ; so that he has no deference for their inclinations, 
tempers, or conditions. Locke. 
Adam's Speech, at parting with the Angel, has in it a 
eference and Gratitude agreeable to an Inferior Nature. 
Addition, Spectator, No. 345. 
It would be much more difficult to produce examples of 
injury to a state from the too speedy termination of hos- 
tilities in deference to the public voice. Brougham.. 
When personal Inquiry has been thorough, unbiased, 
and entire, it seems a violation of natural law to say that 
the inquirer should put it aside iu deference to others, 
even of presumably superior qualification. 
Gladstone, Might of Right, p. 199. 
deferent (def'er-ent), a. and n. [= F. deferent 
= Sp. Pg. It. deferente, < L. deferen(t-)s, ppr. of 
deferre, carry down: see defer 1 .] I. a. Bear- 
ing off or away ; carrying off; conveying away ; 
specifically, iu anat. and physiol., efferent: op- 
posed to afferent: as, the deferent duct of the 
testes. 
Defei 
The figures of pipes, or concaves, through which sounds 
pass, or the other bodies deferent, conduce to the variety 
and alteration of the sounds. Bacon, Nat. Hist., 220. 
Deferent canal, the tube by which the seminal fluid of 
a male animal is conveyed from the testicles to the ex- 
ternal sexual organs. Also called the efferent duct, or vas 
deferens. 
II. n. 1 . That which carries or conveys ; a 
conductor. 
Hard bodies refuse not altogether 
to be mediums of sounds. But all of 
them are dull and unapt deferents. 
Bacon, Nat. Hist., 217. 
Specifically 2. A vessel or duct 
in the human body for the con- 
veyance of fluids Deferent of 
the epicycle, or simply the deferent 
(also called the orbit), in the Ptolemaic 
system of astronomy, a circle upon the 
circumference of which another circle the epicycle; ' D, D, 
was supposed to move, this second cir- n, the deferent or 
cle being called the epicycle, and carry- o*lt. 
ing the body of the planet. 
It was in this simple and convincing manner that Co- 
pernicus accounted for the second inequalities of the 
planets, by substituting the orbit of the earth for the three 
epicycles of the superior planets and the two deferents of 
the inferior. Small. 
the planet ; P. K. K, 
deferential (def-e-ren'shal), a. [= F. deferen- 
tiel, < L. as if *deferentialis, < *defcrentia, < defe- 
rcn(t-)s, ppr. of deferre : see deferent, deference.] 
1. Expressing or characterized by deference; 
respectful in manner. 
Their guilt is wrapped in deferential names. 
Lowell, Tempora Mntantnr. 
2. In anat., conveying away or carrying off; 
specifically, pertaining to the vas deferens, or 
deferent duct of the testes. 
The deferential end of the testicular tube opens into a 
sac close to the anus. Huxley, Anat. Invert., p. 548. 
deferentially (def-e-ren'shal-i), adv. In a 
deferential manner ; with deference. 
And did Sir Aylmer (deferentially 
With Hearing chair and lower'd accent) think 
For people talk'd that it was wholly wise? 
Tennyson, Aylmer's Field. 
deferment (de-fer'ment), . [< defer? + -ment.] 
A putting off ; postponement. 
But, sir, my grief, joined with the instant business, 
Begs a deferment. Sir J. Stickling. 
deferrer (df-fer'er), , [< defer* + -!.] One 
who postpones or puts off; a procrastinator. 
A great deferrer, long in hope, grown numb 
With sloth, yet greedy still of what's to come. 
B. Jonson, tr. of Horace's Art of Poetry. 
defervet, '- '. [ME., < L. defervere, boil down, 
boil thoroughly, < de, down, + fervere, boil: 
Me fervent.] To boil down. 
Pefrut, carene, and sape iu oon manere 
Of must is made. Defrut of defcrmmn 
Til thicke. 
Palladinx, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 204. 
defervescence, defervescency (de-fer-ves'ens, 
-en-si), n. [< L. deferrescen(t-)s, ppr. of defer- 
vescere, cease boiling, cool down, abate, < d<: 
off, + fervescere, inceptive of fervere, boil: see 
fertcnt.] 1. Abatement of heat; the state 
defibrinize 
of growing cool; coolness; lukewarmness. 
[Rare.] 
Young beginners are ... not so easily tempted to a 
recession, till after a long time, by a revolution of affec- 
tions, they are abated by a detenvscency in holy actions. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 108. 
2. In jHithol., abatement or decrease of fever 
or feverish symptoms. 
All goes well, though slowly ; and as completeness is 
more precious than rapidity of cure, we must be content 
to mark time and watch gratefully the process of defer- 
vencenee, which is proceeding satisfactorily. 
Londtni Time*. 
defeudalize (de-fu'dal-iz), v. t. ; pret. and pp. 
defeudalized, ppr. defeudalizing. [< de- priv. + 
feudalize.] To deprive of feudal character or 
form, 
deffait, . [OF., pp. of defaire, deffaire, undo, 
defeat: see defeat.] In her., same as decapite. 
defflyt (def'li), adv. A corrupt form of deftly. 
They dauucen dejKif, and singen soot*. 
Spenser, Shep. C'al., April. 
defiablet, a. [ME. dyffyaWe; < defy + -able.] 
Digestible. 
And he must drawe him to places of swete ayre and 
hungry ; anil ete uonrishable ineetes and dyffyable also. 
Juliana Berners, Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle, 
(fol. 1, back. 
defiance (de-fi'ans), . [< ME. defyaunce, < 
OF. defiance, de'fftance, desfiance, F. defiance (= 
Pr. desfiansa = OSp. dexfianza = It. diffidanza, 
diffidenza, disfidanza), < ML. diffkleiitia, diffi- 
dantia, lack of faith, distrust, defiance, < L. dif- 
fiden(t-)s, ppr. of diffidere, ML. also diffldarr, 
distrust, defy: see defiant, diffident, and cf. dif- 
fidence, ult. a doublet of defiance.] If. Sus- 
picion; mistrust. 
Major Holmes, who I perceive would fain get to be free 
and friends with my wife, but I shall prevent it, and she 
herself hath also a defyance against him. 
Pepys, Diary, I. 245. 
2. The act of one who defies ; a challenge to 
fight; an invitation to combat; a call to an 
adversary to fight if he dare. 
As two contentious Kings, that, on each little jar, 
Defiances send forth, proclaiming open war. 
Drayton, Polyolbion, iii. 100. 
He then commanded his trumpeter to sound a defiance 
to his challengers. Scfttt. 
3. A challenge to meet in any contest; a call 
upon one to make good any assertion or charge ; 
an invitation to maintain any cause or point. 
4. Contempt of opposition or danger ; a daring 
or resistance that implies contempt of an ad- 
versary, or disregard of any opposing force : as, 
he pressed forward in defiance of the storm. 
Pride in their port, defiance iu their eye, 
I see the lords of human kind pass by. 
Goldsmith, Traveller, 1. 327. 
Their towers that looked defiance at the sky, 
Fallen by their own vast weight, in fragments lie. 
Bryant, Ruins of Italica. 
It isone thing to likedefiance, and another thing to like 
its consequences. George Eliot, Middlemarch, II. 41. 
To bid defiance to, or to set at defiance, to defy ; 
brave : as, to bid defiance, to ridicule or criticism ; to set 
public opinion at defiance. 
He bids defiance to the gaping crowd. Granvillr. 
defiant (de-fi'ant), a. [< OF. defiant, defiant, 
F. defiant '= Pr. desfiant = OSp. desfiante = It. 
diffidente, disfidante, < L. diffiden(t-)s, distrust- 
ful, defiant, ppr. of diffidere, distrust, ML. also 
diffidare, distrust, defy, > OF. defier, F. deji/i; 
defy: see defy, difftde, and cf. diffident, ult. a 
doublet of defiant.] Characterized by defiance, 
or bold opposition or antagonism; challeng- 
ing. 
He spoke first to Mary Stuart, who, half frightened, half 
defiant, found herself on the edge of a conflict to which 
her own resources were manifestly inadequate. 
Froude. Hist. Eng., Reign of Elizabeth, ix. 
defiantly (de-fi'ant-li), adv. In a defiant man- 
ner ; with defiance. 
defiantness (de-fi'ant-nes), n. The state or 
quality of being defiant. 
He answered, not raising his voice, but speaking with 
quick ilefintn< ..>. George Kliitt. Middleniarch. l\i. 
defiatoryt (de-fi'a-to-ri), a. [Improp. < defy + 
-at-ory.] Bidding or bearing defiance. 
Letters defatnrii. 
Shelford, Learned Discourses (IKK), p. -Jiii. 
defibrinate (de-fi'bri-nat), r. t.; pret. and pp. 
defihriiKited. ppr. dtfibrinutiiia. [< de- priv. + 
fibrin + -ate.] To defibrinize. 
defibrination(de-fi-bri-ua'slioii), . The act or 
process of denl>i'ini/.ing, or depriving of fibril). 
defibrinize (iie-fi'bri-mz), v. t. ; pret. and pp. 
defibrinized, ppr. defilir'nii:in<j. [< de- priv. + 
fibrin + -/.-<.] To deprive of fibrin: specifl- 
