diatribe 
Her continued diatribe, against intellectual people. 
M. C. Clarke. 
A really insolent diatribe, . . . which Knox toasted 
himself to have launched at the Duke and the Marquis of 
Winchester. R. W. Dixon, Hist. Church of Eng., xxi. 
diatribist (dl'a-tri-bist), . [< diatribe + -ist.'] 
One who writes or utters diatribes. 
Diatryma (di-a-tri'ma), . [NL., < Or. Sia, 
through, + rpujai, a hole, < rpiietv, bore, pierce.] 
A genus of gigantic ratite fossil birds from the 
Wahsatch group of the Eocene of New Mexico, 
supposed to be the same as Gastornis (which 
see). The type-species is D. giganteu. Cope. 
diauli, n. Plural of diaulos. 
diaulos (di-a'los), . ; pi. diauli (-11). [< L. di- 
aulos, a double course, < Gr. dwztviof, a double 
pipe or channel, a double course, < A-, two-, + 
aii'Aof, a pipe, flute.] 1. An ancient Greek 
musical instrument, consisting of two single 
flutes, either similar or different, so joined at 
the mouthpiece that they could be played toge- 
ther. See cut under auletris. 2. In anc. Greek 
games, & double course, in which the racers 
passed around a goal at the end of the course, 
and returned to the starting-place. 
Besides the foot-race in which the course was traversed 
only once, there were now the diaulos or double course 
and the "long" footrace (dolichos). 
Encyc. Brit., XVII. 766. 
3. An ancient Greek itinerary measure, the 
equivalent of two stadia, 
diaxon (dl-ak'sonX a. and n. [< Gr. <i<-, two-, 
+ afuiv, axis.] I. a. Having two axes, as a 
sponge-spicule. See extract under diaxonia. 
II. n. A sponge-spicule with two axes, 
diaxonia (di-ak-so'm-a), n. pi. [NL., as diaxon 
+ -.] Sponge-spiciiles having two axes. 
When one of the rays of this triact spicule becomes 
rudimentary, Diaxonia can theoretically be produced. 
It is however advantageous to consider the diaxon spic- 
ules as part of the Triaxonia. 
Von Lendcnfcld, Proc. Zool. Soc., 188, p. 660. 
diazeuctic (dl-a-zuk'tik), a. [Also improp. dia- 
zeutic; < Gr. ifut^ev/cruufc, disjunctive, < Aafetj- 
yviivat, disjoin (cf . TO 6iefcvy[ievov avarrj/ia, the dis- 
junct system of music), < Sia, apart, 4- fyvyviivcu 
= L. jungere, join : see disjunct, join, zeugma, 
etc.] Disjunct: in anc. Gr. music, applied to 
two successive tetrachords that were separated 
by the interval of a tone, and also to the tone 
by which such tetrachords were separated. 
diazeutic (di-a-zu'tik), a. Improper form of 
diazeuctic. 
diazeuxis (di-a-zuk'sis), n. [Gr. AdCtff'f, dis- 
junction, < iu^evyvinxu, disjoin: see diazeuctic.] 
In anc. Gr. music, the separation of two suc- 
cessive tetrachords by the interval of a tone, 
and also the tone by which such tetraehords 
were separated. 
diazo-. [< di- 2 + azo(te).~\ In diem., a prefix 
signifying that a compound contains a group 
consisting of phenyl (CgH 6 ) united with a radi- 
cal consisting of two nitrogen atoms. 
diazoma (di-a-zo'ma), n. ; pi. diazomata (-ma- 
ta). [L., < Gr. Adfu/ia, a girdle, partition, 
lobby, < oiafawitvatj gird round, < 6ta, through, 
+ (,uvvi>vai, gird: see zone.~\ In the anc. Gr. 
theater, a passage usually dividing the auditori- 
Theater of Epidauros, Greece, designed by Polycleitus. 
D D, diazoma; K, orchestra, or konistra. (From the Proceedings 
(IIj>aKTi<i)fori883ofthe Archaeological Society of Athens. ) 
um longitudinally at about the middle, cutting 
the radial flights of steps, and serving to facil- 
itate communication. In some examples there are 
more than one diazoma, and in some small or rude thea- 
ters none is present. In the Roman theater it was called 
prcecinctw. 
dib 1 (dib), v. ; pret. and pp. dibbed, ppr. dibUng. 
[Early mod. E. dibbe ; < ME. diVben, a var. of dip- 
pen, dip : see dip, v. Cf. dab 1 .'} I.f trans. To 
dip. 
1598 
And Jesus blisced thaim on an, 
And bad thaim dib thair cuppcs alle 
And ber tille hern best in halle. 
Early Eng. Metrical Homilies (ed. J. Small), p. 121. 
II. intrans. To dip ; specifically, in angling, 
to dibble. 
In dibbing for roach, dace, or chub, I must not let my 
motion be swift : when I see any of them coming towards 
the bait, I must make two or three short removes, and 
then let it glide gently with the stream, if possible to- 
wards the fish. I. Walton, Complete Angler, p. 107, note. 
dib 1 (dib), . [< dib 1 , v. ; var. of dip, n.~\ 1. A 
dip. 2. A depression in the ground. 3. A 
valley. [Prov. Eng.] 
dib 2 (dib), n. [A var. of dub3.} A pool ; a dub. 
[Scotch.] 
The dibs were full ; the roads foul. 
-Gait, Annals of the Parish, p. 312. 
dib 3 (dib), n. [E. dial.; origin obscure.] 1. One 
of the small bones, or huckle-bones, of a sheep's 
leg; the knee-pan or the ankle-bone. See as- 
tragalus. [Prov. Eng.] 2. pi. A children's 
game, consisting in throwing up the small 
bones of the legs of sheep, or small stones, and 
catching them first on the palm and then on the 
back of the hand. As played with pebbles, this game 
is also called chacktttones, jackstones. In Scotland called 
chuckies, chucks,or chuckie-stanes, and played with pebbles. 
3. pi. Money. [Eng. slang.] 
Pray come with more cash in your pocket: 
Make nunky surrender his dibs. 
James Smith, Rejected Addresses, George Barnwell. 
-dib, -div. [Hind, dip, dwip, < Skt. dvipa, is- 
land.] The final element of many place-names 
in India and the East: as, Serendift (an old 
name of Ceylon), Malawies, Laccaatues. 
Dibamidse (di-bam'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Diba- 
mus + -idee."} A family of true lacertilians, 
typified by the genus Dibamus. They have the 
clavicles dilated proximally, and frequently loop-shaped, 
the premaxillary double, no interorbital septum, no co- 
lumella cranii, no arches, and no osteodcrmal plates. 
Dibamus (dl-ba'mus), n. [NL., < Gr. 07/fa/wp, 
poet, for "di/itj/joi;, on two legs, < it-, two-, + 
/}jjfia, a step, pace: see bema.} A genus of 
lizards, typical of the family Dibamidce. 
dibasic (dl-ba'sik), a. [< Gr. IH-, two-, + ftdatc, 
base, + -ic.~] Same as bibasic. 
dibatis (di-ba'tis), . [An artificial word. ] In 
logic, same as dimaris. 
dibber (dib'er), n. [Appar. < dib 1 for dip + -er 1 . 
Cf. dibble 1 .} 1. An instrument for dibbling; 
a dibble, or a tool having a series of dibbles or 
teeth for making holes in the ground. 2. An 
iron tool with a sharp-pointed end of steel, or 
the pointed end of a claw-bar, used by miners 
and others for making holes. 
The pointed ends of claw-bars are often slightly bent, 
to facilitate getting a pinch and levering in certain posi- 
tions. The end ... is called a dibber, for making holes. 
B'm. Morgan, Man. of Mining Tools, p. 158. 
dibble 1 (dib'l), n. [< ME. dibbille, debylle, 'dibel; 
appar. < dib 1 , dip, + -el, equiv. to -er 1 .} A 
pointed tool, often merely a short, stout, point- 
ed stick, used in gardening and agriculture to 
make holes in the ground for planting seeds or 
bulbs, setting out plants, etc. 
I'll not ut 
The dibble in the earth to set one snp of them. 
Shak., W. T., iv. 3. 
Take an old man's advice, youth, . . . bend thy sword 
into a pruning-hook, and make a dibble of thy dagger. 
Scott, Abbot, xxviii. 
dibble 1 (dib'l), v. t. ; pret. and pp. dibbled, ppr. 
dibbling. [< dibble 1 , n.} To plant with a dib- 
ble, or to make holes in for planting seeds, etc. ; 
make holes or indentations in, as if with a dib- 
ble. 
An' he's brought fouth o' foreign leeks, 
An' dibblet them in his yairdie. 
Remains of A'ithsdale Song, p. 144. 
A skipping deer, 
With pointed hoof dibbling the glebe, prepared 
The soft receptacle, in which, secure, 
Thy rudiments should sleep the winter through. 
Cowper, Yardley Oak (1791). 
Thaw sets in 
After an hour a dripping sound is heard 
In all the forests, and the soft-strewn snow 
Under the trees is dibbled thick with holes. 
M. Arnold, Balder Dead. 
dibble 2 (dib'l), v. i. pret. and pp. dibbled, ppr. 
dibbling. [Freq. of dib 1 for dip.} To dip or 
let the bait fall gently into the water, as in 
angling. 
This stone fly, then, we dape or dibble with, as with the 
drake. Cotton, in Walton's Angler. 
Man in a small boat fishing : ask him civilly what he's 
doing. He answers . . . "Dibbling for chub." ... All 
the villagers dibble. F. C. Burnand, Happy Thoughts, v. 
dibbler (dib'ler), n. One who dibbles, or an 
instrument for dibbling. 
dicacity 
dibbling ((lib'ling), . [Verbal n. of dibble^, v.} 
The act of dipping, as in angling. 
Not an inch of your line being to be suffered to touch 
the water in diblina, it may be allowed to be the stronger. 
Cotton, in Walton's Angler, ii. -241. 
dib-hole (dib'hol), n. In coal-mining, the low- 
est part of the mine, and especially of the shaft, 
into which the water is drained or conducted 
so that it may be raised to the surface by pump- 
ing or otherwise. [Lancashire, Eng.] Called 
sump in Cornwall and in the United States, and 
lodge in various coal-mining districts of England. 
diblastula (di-blas'tu-la), n.; pi. diblastidai 
(-le). [NL., < Gr. &-,'two-, + NL. blastttla. q. 
v.] The two-cell-layered sac into which the 
single cells or plastids constituting the germs 
of the Enterozoa first develop. E. B. IMnkester. 
dibothrian (dl-both'ri-an), o. and n. [< Gr. 61-, 
two-, + ftodpiov, a pit.]" I. o. Pertaining to or 
having the characters of the Dibothriida'. 
II. w.. One of the Dibothriida;; a tapeworm 
with only two facets or fossettes on the head, 
as in the genera Dibothriiim and Bothrioceplia- 
lus. The broad tapeworm, Bothriocephahis la- 
tus, is a dibothrian. 
Dibothriidae (dl-both-ri'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Di- 
bothriiim + -ida;.} A family of cestoid flat- 
worms, or tapeworms, having only two suckers 
on the head :' a synonym of Bottiriocej>halid{e. 
Dibothrium (dl-both'ri-um), n. [NL., < Gr. it-, 
two-, + /ioffpiov, dim. of ft68po(, a pit, trench.] 
The typical genus of the family Dibothriidee. 
dibrach, dibrachys (di'brak, -is), n. [< LL. 
dibracnys, < LGr. M/ipaxvf (= LL. bibrevis), of 
two short syllables, < it- (= L. bi-), two-, + ppa- 
%('f = L. brevis, short.] In anc. pros., a foot 
consisting of two short syllables ; a pyrrhie. 
dibranch (di'brangk), n. One of the Dibranchi- 
ata. 
A whole lobe or arm of a Decapod or Octopod Dibranch. 
E. R. Lankester, Encyc. Brit., XVI. 674. 
Dibranchiata (di-brang-ki-a'ta), n. pi. [NL., 
neut. pi. of dibranchiatus : see dibranchiate.} 
An order of aceta- , 
buliferous cephalo- ^ 
pods, containing 
the decapod and oc- 
topod Cephalopoda. 
It is one of the prime di- 
visions of Cephalopoda 
(the other being Tetra- 
branchiata), having two 
gills in the mantle-cavi- 
ty, from 8 to 10 arms 
bearing suckers, a com- 
plete infundibulum or 
funnel, and usually an 
ink-bag, with, or more 
frequently without, a 
shell. (See cut under 
ink-bag.) All the living 
cephalopods, excepting 
the pearly nautilus, be- 
long to the Dibranchia- 
ta, such as cuttlefishes, 
squids, calamaries, etc., 
together with the paper- 
nautilus. (See cuts under 
argonaut and Argonau- 
tid(K.) Belcmnites are 
fossil forms of the order. 
The order is generally 
divided into two subor- 
ders, Octopoda or Octo- 
cera, and Decapoda or 
Decacera. Also called 
Cryptodibranchiata. See 
also cuts under belem- 
nite and cuttlefish. 
dibranchiate (di- 
brang'ki-at), a. and 
chiatus, < Gr. Si-, 
two-, + SpAyrta, 
gills.] I. a. Having "'.l^ branchiae; s, esophageal ga 
two gills; specifi- ' 
cally, in cephalopods, pertaining to the Di- 
branchiata. 
II. n. A cephalopod of the order Dibranchi- 
ata ; a dibranch. 
dibs (dibz), n. [Ar.] A thick molasses or syr- 
up made in Syria by boiling down grape-juice ; 
also, syrup or honey of dates. 
dibstqne (dib'ston), n. 1. A little stone or bone 
used in the game of dibs. 2. pi. Same as dib s , 2. 
I have seen little girls exercise whole hours together, 
and take abundance of pains to be expert at dibstones. 
Locke. 
dicacious (di-ka'shus), a. [< L. d/ca.r (dicaci-), 
talking sharply or satirically, witty (< dicerc, 
say: see diction), + E. -/,.] Satirical; pert; 
saucy. Imp. Diet. 
dicacityt (di-kas'i-ti), n. [< L. Mcacita(t-)s, 
raillery, wit, (. dicax (dicaci-), witty : see di- 
Female Cuttlefish (Sffta qfficina- 
/w), illustrating anatomy of Dibran- 
chiata. 
i. 2, 3, 4, 5, the produced and modi- 
fied margins of the foot, constituting the 
so-called amis or brachia ; a, buccal 
mass, with lips, iaws, and tongue ; b, 
esophagus; c, salivary gland ; a, stom- 
ach ; e, pyioric caecum ; /, infundibu- 
lum ; .r. intestine ; A, anus; i, ink-bag; 
-*. place of systemic heart ; /.liver; m, 
; mantle; , left hepatic duct; o, 
ovary; /.oviduct; ?, one of the aper- 
tures by which the water-chambers 
communicate with the ex 
