dignity 
digniteit, F. dignite = Pr. dignitat = Sp. (tigni,- 
dad = Pg. digniditde = It. dignita, degnita, < L. 
dignita(t-)s, worthiness, merit, dignity, grand- 
eur, authority, rank, office, < dignus, worthy, 
prob. akin to dectts, honor, esteem (whence ult. 
E. decorate, decorous, decorum, etc.), and de- 
cere, become (whence ult. E. decent, q. v.). 
Dignity is a doublet of dainty, q. v.] 1. The 
state of being worthy ; nobleness or elevation 
of mind; worthiness: as, dignity of sentiments. 
True dignity abides with her alone 
Who, in the silent hour of inward thought, 
Can still respect, can still revere herself, 
In lowliness of heart. Wordsworth. 
2. Elevation; honorable place or elevated rank ; 
degree of excellence, either in estimation or in 
the order of nature : as, man is superior in dig- 
nity to brutes. 
And there is a deceucie, that euery speech should be to 
the appetite and delight or dignitie of the hearer. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 222. 
Whatever has a value can be replaced by something 
else which is equivalent ; whatever, on the other hand, is 
above all value, and therefore admits of no equivalent, 
has a dignity. Kant, tr. by Abbott. 
3. Elevation and repose of aspect or of deport- 
ment; nobility of mien: as, a man of native 
dignity; "dignity of attitude," J. Caird. 
Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, 
In every gesture dignity and love. 
Milton, P. L., viii. 489. 
Another mechanical method of making great men, and 
adding dignity to kings and queens, is to accompany them 
with halberds and battle axes. Addison, Spectator, No. 42. 
4. Height; importance; rank. 
Small habits well pursued betimes 
May reach the dignity of crimes. 
Mrs. II. More, Florio, i. 
Even in treason there is sometimes a dignity. It is by 
possibility a bold act, a perilous act. 
De Quincey, Essenes, ii. 87. 
6. An elevated office, civil or ecclesiastical; 
hereditary rank or title, or official distinction. 
The Pope spared not to threaten Excommunication to 
K. Henry himself, if he restored not Becket to his Dignity. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 57. 
He [Frederic I. of Prussia] succeeded in gaming the great 
object of his life, the title of King. In the year 1700 he 
assumed this new dignity. Macaiday, Frederic the Great. 
In vain the Protestant bishops pleaded in the House of 
Lords that their position was intolerable and their dignity 
a mere mockery. 
Stubbs, Medieval and Modern Hist., p. 322. 
6. The rank or title of a nobleman ; the right 
to use a title of honor, originally in virtue of 
an estate and accompanied by an official func- 
tion. 
All were surprised to see so many new faces in the most 
eminent dignities. Addison, Vision of Justice. 
7. One who holds high rank ; a dignitary. 
These filthy dreamers . . . speak evil of dignities. 
Jude 8. 
8. Any honor conferred ; promotion. 
For those [honors] of old, 
And the late dignities heap'd up to them, 
We rest your hermits. Shak., Macbeth, i. 6. 
9. In rhet., avoidance of unseemly or trivial 
tropes and figures. 10. In astrol., a situation 
in which a planet has an influence more power- 
ful than usual. 
The lord of the assendent sey they that he is fortunat, 
whan he is in god place fro the assendent as in angle ; or 
in a succedent, where-as he is in dignite & contorted with 
frendly aspectys of planetes & resceived. 
Chaucer, Astrolabe, ii. 4. 
lit. A self-evident truth ; an axiom. This word 
is one of the fantastical learned fabrications with which 
some old writers ornament their pages. It is a Latin imi- 
tation of the Greek aiu>/xa, which means both axiom and 
dignity in the sense of worth. 
These sciences [mathematics], concluding from digni- 
ties and principles known by themselves, receive not sat- 
isfaction from probable reasons, much less from bare and 
peremptory asseverations. Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., i. 7. 
Accidental dignity, in astrol., the situation of a planet 
in a good aspect as to light, motion, etc. Cap of dig- 
nity. Same as cap of maintenance (which see, under 
maintenance). Essential dignity, in astrol., the situa- 
tion of a planet in a favorable part of the zodiac. =Syn. 
2. Station, standing, eminence, loftiness, exaltation, great- 
ness. 3. Majesty, statelincss, gravity, 
dignotiont (dig-no'shon), n. [< L. dignotus, pp. 
of dignoscere, usually dinoscere, know apart, dis- 
tinguish, < di-, dis-, apart, + *gnoscere, noscere, 
know, = E. know 1 .'] Distinguishing mark ; sign. 
That [temperamental] dignotions, and conjecture of 
prevalent humours, may be collected from spots in our 
nails, we are not averse to concede. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., v. 22. 
digoneutic (dl-go-nu'tik), a. [< Gr. Si-, two-, 
+ yoveveiv, beget (< yovoc, offspring, race, stock), 
+ -ic.] In entom., double-brooded ; having two 
broods during a single year. 
1016 
digoneutism (di-go nii'tizm), n. [< digoneut-i-c 
+ -ism."] In entom., the state or quality of be- 
ing digoneutic or double-brooded. 
Digonopora (di-go-nop'o-ra), n. pi. [NL., neut. 
pi. of digonoponis : see 'digonoporous.'} A divi- 
sion of dendroco3lous turbellarian worms, hav- 
ing separate genital pores : opposed to Monogo- 
nopora. It contains the marine planarians of 
such genera as Stylochus, Leptoplctna, and Eury- 
lepta. 
digonoporous (di-go-nop'o-rus), a. [< NL. di- 
ijonoporus, < Gr. ai-, two-, + -yovof (< -y/ *ytv, 
produce) + n6poc, passage.] Having separate 
genital pores, as a planarian; specifically, of 
or pertaining to the Digonopora: opposed to 
monogonoporous. 
digonous (dig'o-nus or dl'go-nus), a. [= P. di- 
gone, < Gr. Si-', two-, + yuvla, angle.] In lot., 
having two angles : as, a digonous stem. 
di grado (de gra'do). [It., step by step, lit. 
from step : di, < L'. de, from ; grado, < L. gra- 
dus, step : see grade.'] In music,, moving by con- 
junct degrees. 
digram (di'gram), n. [= F. digramme,< Gr. Si-, 
two-, + ypd[t/ia, a thing written, < ypafyeiv, write.] 
Same as digraph. 
digraph (di'graf), n. and a. [< Gr. Si-, two-, + 
ypafatv, write.] I. re. Two letters used to rep- 
resent one sound, as ea in head, ill in path. 
All improper diphthongs, or, as I have called them, di- 
graphs, are changed into the single vowels which they 
stand for. T. Sheridan. 
There are five elementary consonants represented by di- 
graphs: th (thin), th = dh (thine, then), sh (she), zh (azure), 
'ng (sing). Trans. Amer. PhUol. Ass., VIII. 
II. a. Consisting of two letters used to rep- 
resent one sound: as, digraph signs; digraph 
consonants. 
digraphic (di-graf 'ik), a. [< digraph + -ic.] Of 
or pertaining to, or of the nature of, a digraph. 
digress (di- or di-gres'), v. i. [< L. digressus, 
pp. of digredi, go apart, step aside, < di- for 
dis-, apart, + gradi, go, step: see grade. Of. 
aggress, congress, egress, ingress, progress, re- 
gress.'] 1. To turn aside from the direct or 
appointed course ; deviate or wander away, as 
from the main road, from the main tenor and 
purpose in speaking or writing, or from the prin- 
cipal line of argument, study, or occupation. 
I have digressed, because of the extreme prejudice which 
both religion and philosophy have received and may re- 
ceive by being commixed together. 
Bacon, Advancement of Learning, ii. 154. 
I will a little digress from my maine discourse of Padua, 
and . . . speak something of him. 
Coryat, Crudities, I. 155. 
In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to 
digress into a particular definition, as often as a man 
varies the signification of any term. Locke. 
Let the student of our history digress into whatever 
other fields he will. J. Stephens. 
2. To turn aside from the right path; trans- 
gress; offend. [Bare.] 
Thy abundant goodness shall excuse 
This deadly blot in thy digressing son. 
Shak., Rich. II., v. 3. 
digresst (di- or di-gres'), n. [< L. digressus, n., 
a going apart, < digredi, pp. digressus, go apart: 
see digress, *.] A digression. 
A digress from my history. Fuller, Ch. Hist., XI. x. 43. 
digression (di- or di-gresh'on), n. [< ME. di- 
gression = OF. digression, F. digression = Pr. 
disgressio = Sp. digresion = Pg. digressao = 
It. digressione, < L. diyressio(n-), < digredi, pp. 
digressus, go apart: see digress, '.] 1. The act 
of digressing; deviation from a regular or ap- 
pointed course; especially, a departure from 
the main subject under consideration ; an ex- 
cursion of speech or writing. 
But what? Methinks I deserve to be pounded for stray- 
ing from poetry to oratory : but both have such an affin- 
ity in the wordish considerations, that I think this digres- 
sion will make my meaning receive the fuller understand- 
ing. Sir P. Sidney, Def. of Poesie (ed. 1810), p. 97. 
Digressions in a book are like foreign troops in a state, 
which argue the nation to want a heart and hands of its 
own. Surift, Tale of a Tub, vii. 
2. Deviation from the path of virtue; trans- 
gression. [Bare.] 
Then my digression is so vile, so base, 
That it will live engraven in my face. 
Shak., Lucrece, 1. 202. 
3. In astron., the angular distance in the eclip- 
tic of the inferior planets Mercury and Venus 
from the sun. 
digressional (di- or dl-gresh'on-al), a. [< di- 
gression + -al."] Pertaining to or consisting in 
digression; departing from the main purpose 
or subject. 
dijudicate 
3 judiciously avoided Fletcher's diirrextdonal 
T. Warton, Notes on Milton's Juvenile Poems. 
Milton has ; 
ornaments. T. 
In particular, the notion of episodes, or digressional 
narratives, interwoven with the principal narrative, was 
ntirely Aristotelian. 
De Quincey, Homer, i. 
digressive (di- or dl-gres'iv), a. [= F. digres- 
sif = Sp. digresivo = Pg. It. digressive, < LL. 
digressivus, < L. digressus, pp. of digredi, digress : 
see digress, v."] Tending to digress; departing 
from the main subject ; partaking of the nature 
of digression. 
The wild diffusion of the sentiments, and the digressive 
sallies of imagination, would have been compressed and 
restrained by confinement of rhyme. Johnson, Young. 
digressively (di- or di-gres'iv-li), adv. By way 
of digression. 
digyn (di'jin), n. [< NL. "digynus, < Gr. it-, two-, 
+ Jim;, woman (mod. bot. pistil).] A plant 
having two pistils. 
Digynia (di-jin'i-a), n. pi. [NL., < *digymis: 
see digyn, digynous.~] The name given by Lin- 
neeus, in his artificial system, to such plants as 
have two styles, or a single style deeply cleft 
into two parts, forming the second order in 
each of his first thirteen classes. 
digynian (dl-jin'i-an), a. [As Digynia + -an.] 
Having two pistils. 
digynons (dij'i-nus), a. [< NL. *digynus : see 
digyn.~] Same as digynian. 
dihedral (dl-he'dral), a. [Also diedral; < di- 
hedron + -al.'] Having two sides, as a figure; 
having two plane faces, as a crys- 
tal. Dihedral angle, the mutual in- 
clination of two intersecting planes, or 
the angular space included between 
them, as the angles between the two 
planes ABD and ABC. 
dihedron (di-he'dron), n. [< Gr. 
Si-, two-, + eSpa, a seat, base ; 
cf. tiictipoc, a seat for two per- 
sons.] A figure With tWO Sides Dihedral Angle. 
or surfaces. 
diheliost, diheliumt (dl-he'li-os, -um), n. [NL., 
< Gr. Sia, through, + tjAiof, sun.] That chord 
of the elliptic orbit of a planet which passes 
through the focus where the sun is and is per- 
pendicular to the transverse axis. Also dihely. 
dihelyt (di-he'li), n. [= F. dihclie, < NL. dilie- 
lios, dihelium: see dilielios.] Same as dihelios. 
dihexagonal (di-hek-sag'o-nal), a. [< di- 2 + 
hexagonal.'] Twelve-sided : as, a dihexagonal 
prism or pyramid : also used to describe a dou- 
ble six-sided pyramid or quartzoid. 
dihexahedrar(di-hek-sa-he'dral), a. [< di- 2 + 
hexahedral.'] In crystal., having the form of a 
hexahedral or six-sided prism with trihedral 
summits. 
dihexahedron (di-hek-sa-he'dron), n. ; pi. di- 
kcxahedrons, dihexaliedra (-drons, -dra). [< Gr. 
<5<-, two-, + f f , = E. six, + kSpa, a seat, base : 
see di- 2 and hexahedron.} In crystal., a six-sided 
prism with trihedral summits. 
Dihexahedra of quartz, and various rare minerals are 
noted in them. Amer. Naturalist, XXII. 247. 
dihydrite (di-hi'drit), n. [< Gr. it-, two-, + 
vSup (iiop-), water, 4- -ite 2 .] A phosphate of 
copper containing two equivalents of water. It 
is found in small green monoclinic crystals. 
diiamb, diiambus (di-i-amb', -am'bus), n. ; pi. 
diiambs, diiatnbi (-ambz', -bi). [< LL. diiambus,^. 
Gr. 6iiapBo(,<. Si-, two-, + iaft/iof, iambus.] Inane, 
pros., two iambi, or an iambic dipody regarded 
as a single compound foot. The name diiambus, 
strictly belonging to the iambic dipody in its normal 
form (^ w ), can be extended to its epitritic variety 
also (- - ~ -). 
Diipolia, Dipolia (di-ip-o-li'a, di-pol'i-a), n.pl. 
[Gr. AwrdAna or Am6?ua, contr. of A7ro7em or 
A;r67.Mz, neut. pi., prop, adj., < Zei'f (gen. A5f, 
dat. AH), Zeus, + IM<i>f, guardian of the city, 
an epithet of Zeus, < n67iif, city.] An ancient 
Athenian festival celebrated annually, with 
sacrifice of an ox, on the 14th of Skirophoriou 
(about the end of June), on the Acropolis, in 
honor of Zeus Polieus that is, Protector of the 
City. Also called Bouplionia. 
dijudicantt (di-jo'di-kant), . [< L. dij-iidi- 
can(t-)s, ppr. of dijudicdre, decide: see diju/li- 
cate.~] One who dijudicates, determines, or de- 
cides. 
And if great philosophers doubt of many things which 
popular dijudicants hold as certain in their creeds, I sup- 
pose ignorance itself will not say it is because they are 
more ignorant. Glanmlle, Vanity of Dogmatizing, xxiii. 
dijudicatet (di-jo'di-kat), v. [< L. dijudicdius, 
pp. of dijudicare, decide, determine, distinguish 
between, < di-, dis-, apart, + judifare, judge: 
see jndicatc, judge.'] I. intrans. To jiidge ; de- 
termine. 
