discover 
The great Jurist is higher far than the lawyer ; a> Watt, 
who inivntril tin- nil-mil i -iiuirir, is higher than tin- Jour- 
neymmn who feed Its flrca ami pmirs nil npim IU Irrltatril 
niaeliinrn. HinaiH'i; Orations, I. 157. 
lit i/raH<. 1. To uncover; unmask one's 
self. 
/An-. Aiwawr quickly. 
l-'iil. Why, will you make yourself known, my lord? 
Midiileton, The Ptuenix, II. 2. 
2. To explore. 
Vpon all thone relations and Inducements, Sir Walter 
Raleigh, a noble Gentleman, and then in great esteeme, 
vndertooke to send to discover to the Southward. 
Quoted In Copt, John Smith's True Travels, I. 80. 
discoverability (dis-kuv'er-a-bil'i-ti), n. [< 
dixciiverablf : see -bility.] The quality of being 
discoverable. Carlyle. 
discoverable (dis-kuv'er-a-bl), a. [< discover 
+ -able.'] Capable of being discovered; that 
may be brought to light, seen, or exposed to 
view; that may be found out or made Known. 
Nothing discoverable In the lunar surface is ever covered 
. . . by the Interposition of any clouds or mists. Bentley. 
Much truth, discoverable even at the present stage of 
human improvement, as we have every reason to think, 
remains undiscovered. Eoerett, Orations, I. 276. 
discoverer (dis-kuv'er-er), n. [< discover + -!. 
Cf. F. decouvreur = Sp. desotbridor = Pg. des- 
eobridor = It. discopritore, discovritore, scopri- 
tore.] 1. One who discovers; one who finds 
out or first comes to the knowledge of some- 
tiling. 
Those ways, thro' which the discoverers and searchers 
of the land had formerly pass'd. 
Raleigh, Hist. World, II. v. 5 3. 
2t. One who uncovers, reveals, ormakes known ; 
an informer. 
AU over Ireland the trade of the Discoverer now rose 
Into prominence. Under pretence of Improving the king's 
revenue, these persons received commiasionsof inquiry into 
defective titles, and obtained confiscations and grants at 
small rents for themselves. Leeky, Eng. in 18th Cent., vi. 
3*. A scout ; an explorer. 
Send discoverers forth, 
To know the numbers of our enemies. 
SAo*., 2 Hen. IV., Iv. 1. 
discovert (dis-kuv'ert), a. [< ME. discovert, < 
OF. descovert, descouvert, F decmivert = Sp. 
(obs.) deseubierto = Pg. descoberto = It. disco- 
perto, discoverto, scoperto, scoverto, < ML. disco- 
opertus, uncovered, pp. of discooperire, uncov- 
er, discover: see discover.] If. Uncovered; un- 
protected. 2*. Revealed; shown forth. 
And If youre grace to me be Discouerte. 
Political Poems, etc. (ed. t'urnivall), p. 65. 
3. In law, not covert ; not within the bonds of 
matrimony : applied either to a woman who has 
never been married or to a widow. 
discovert! (dis-kuv'ert), n. [ME. discovert, < 
OF. descovert, descouvert, m., also descoverte, 
descouverte, F. decouverte, opening, discovery, 
exposed position or condition, < descovert, pp. : 
see discovert, a. Cf. covert, .] An exposed or 
uncovered condition or position. 
An Idel man Is like to a place that hath no walles ; there- 
as devilcs may . . . shoot at him at discovert? by tempta- 
tion on every side. Chaucer, Parson's Tale. 
But er the kynge myght his shelde recouer, the catte 
sesed hym at discovert be the sholdres. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 67. 
Alisaunder . . . smot him in the dwcoverte 
Kyghtc with the strok into the heorte 
Paste by the chyne bon. 
King Alisaunder (Weber's Metr. Rom.), 1. 7417. 
discoverture (dis-kuv'er-tur), n. [< OF. des- 
coverture, descouverture, F. dteouvertnre (= Pg. 
descobertura = It. scopertura, scovertara), un- 
covering, < deseorrir, discover. In E. in tech- 
nical sense; of. coverture."] In law, the state 
of being free from coverture ; freedom of a wo- 
man from the coverture of a husband. 
discovery (dis-kuv'er-i), n.; pi. discoveries (-iz). 
[< discover + -y. The ME. word was descuver- 
ing, i. e., discovering. Cf. OF. descouverte, F. 
decouverte (see discovert, n.) ; OF. desrnurrr irn t. 
F. Aecowerement, discovery.] 1. The act of 
disclosing to view. 2. The act of revealing; 
a making known; a declaration; disclosure: 
as, a bankrupt is bound to make a full discovery 
of his estate and effects. [Archaic except in 
legal use.] 
Sin- ilares not thereof make discovery, 
Lest he should hold it her own gross abuse, 
Ere she with blood had staln'd her staln'd excuse. 
Shak., Lucrece, 1. 1314. 
Thru covenant and take oath 
To my discooeni. Chapman. 
The Weakness of which Adam here gives such distant 
ditctireri'-n brings about that fatal Kvent which is the Sub- 
ject of the PUI-III. Addison, Spectator, No. 345. 
1055 
3. The act of gaining sight of; the act of es- 
pying: as, the discovery of land after a voyage. 
4. The act of finding out or of bringing to 
knowledge what was unknown ; first knowledge 
of anything. 
Harvey's discovery of the circulation of the blood. 
Sir W. Hamilton. 
Territory extended by a brilliant career of discovery and 
conquest. /',..,. 
5. That which is discovered, found out, or re- 
vealed ; that which is first brought to light, seen, 
or known : as, the properties of the magnet were 
an important discovery. 
Great and useful discoveries are sometimes made by ac- 
cidental and small beginnings. Steele, Tatler, No. 178. 
In religion there have been many discoveries, but (In 
true religion, I mean) no inventions. Abp. Trench. 
6. In the drama, the unraveling of a plot, or 
the manner of unfolding the plot or story of a 
comedy or tragedy. 7. In law, disclosure by 
a party to an action, at the instance of the other 
party, as of facts within his memory or of a 
document within his control. It was formerly a dis- 
tinguishing feature of the proceedings of a court of chan- 
cery or equity that it could compel the defendant to make 
discovery of all material facts and documents within his 
power, while In courts of common law compelling dis- 
covery has been introduced only by modern statutes. 
8f. Exploration. 
Upon the more exact discovery thereof, they found it to 
be no harbour for ships, but only for boats. 
X. Morton, New England's Memorial, p. 41. 
= Syn. 5. Discovery, Invention. See invention, 
discovery-claim (dis-kuy'er-i-klam), . In 
mining, the portion of mining-ground held or 
claimed by right of discovery, the claimant be- 
ing the first to discover the mineral deposit, 
lode, or vein on which the claim is made. The 
discoverer and locater of a new lead is, in most mining 
districts, entitled to one extra claim for discovery. [Cor- 
d illcran mining-region.) 
discradlet (dis-kra'dl), v. i. [< dig- priv. + 
cradle, v.] To come forth from or as if from a 
cradle ; emerge or originate. 
This airy apparition first discradled 
From 'linn-nay into Portugal. 
Ford, Perkin Warbeck, I. 3. 
discrase, discrasite (dis'kras, -kra-sit), n. 
Same as dyscrasite. 
discredit (dis-kred'it), v. t. [= F. discrediter, 
decrediter = It. discreditare, screditare (= Sp. 
Pg. desacreditar; cf. accredit) ; as dis- + credit, 
v. Cf. OF. discreer = Sp. descreer = Pg. descrer 
discrepant 
credit or reputation ; disreputable ; disgrace- 
ful. 
He [Rochester] hail no scruple about employing in self- 
defense artifices as discreditable as those which had been 
used against him. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. 
discreditably (dis-kred'i-ta-bli), adv. In a dis- 
creditable manner. 
discreditor (dis-kred'i-tor), n. One who dis- 
credits. [Bare.] 
The licencious discreditors of future accounts. 
W. Montague, Devoute Essays, II. til. f S. 
discreet (dis-kref), a. [< ME. discret, discrete, 
discreet; = D. discreet = G. discret = Dan. 8w. 
diskret, < OF. F. discret = Sp. Pg. It. discrete, 
prudent, also distinct, < L. discretus, pp. of dis- 
cernere, distinguish, discern: see diiicern, and 
discrete, doublet of discreet.'] If. Distinct; dis- 
tinguishable; discrete. See discrete, the usual 
spelling in this sense. 
The waters fall, with difference discreet, 
Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did call. 
Spenser, If. Q., II. xii. 71. 
2. Wise or judicious in avoiding mistakes or 
faults, or in selecting the best means to accom- 
plish a purpose ; prudent ; circumspect ; cau- 
tious ; wary ; not rash. 
It (English poetry) Is a metrical! speach corrected and 
reformed by discreet iudgements, and with no lesae cun- 
ning and curiositie then the Greeke and Latine Poesie. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 18. 
When her [Queen Anne's] Indictment was read, she made 
unto It so wise and discreet Answers, that she seemed 
fully to clear her self of all Matters laid to her charge. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 283. 
It is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, 
nor tin- brave, who guides the conversation, and gives 
measures to society. Addison. 
A room in a sober, discreet family, who would not be 
averse to admit a sober, discreet, virtuous, frugal, regular, 
good-natured man of a bad character. Hume. 
3. Civil; polite. [Scotch.] 
I canna say I think It vera discreet o' you to keep push- 
ing in before me in that way. Blackwood's Mag. 
= 8yn. 2. See list under cautious. 
discreetly (dis-kret'li), adv. Prudently; cir- 
cumspectly ; cautiously ; judiciously ; with nice 
judgment of what is best to be done or omitted. 
Poets lose half the praise they should have got, 
Could it be known what they discreetly blot. 
Waller, On Roscommon's Trans, of Horace. 
Low hills over which slender trees are so discreetly 
scattered that each one is a resting-place for a shepherd. 
//. James, Jr., Trans. Sketches, p. 153. 
credit.'] 1. To disbelieve; give no credit to; 
not to credit or believe: as, the report is dis- 
credited. 
While one part of the " wisdom of the world "has been 
discredited as resting solely on authority, another large 
division of it is now rejected as resting on insufficient in- 
duction, and another as resting on groundless assump- 
tions. J. ft. Seeley, Nat. Religion, p. 7. 
2. To injure the credit or reputation of; make 
less esteemed or honored ; fail to do credit to. 
He has discredited my house and board 
With his rude swaggering manners. 
B. Janson, Magnetick Lady, iii. 3. 
He ... least discredits his travels who returns the 
same man he went Sir H. Wotton. 
Myself would work eye dim, and finger lame, 
Far liefer than so much discredit him. 
Tennyson, Geraint. 
3. To deprive of credibility; destroy confidence 
in. 
Substantive evidence is that adduced for the purpose of 
proving a fact in issue, as opposed to evidence given for 
the purpose of discrediting a witness (i. e., showing that 
he is unworthy of belief j or of corroborating his testi- 
mony. Rapalje and Lawrence, Evidence, } 12. 
discredit (dis-kred'it), n. [= F. discredit = 
Sp. descredito = Pg. descredito = It. discredito, 
scredito; from the verb.] 1. Want of credit 
or good repute; some degree of disgrace or 
being discreet ; discretion. 
Mirth, and free mindednesse, simplicitle, 
Patience, discreetnesse, and benignitie. 
Dr. U. More, Psychathanasia, III. ill. 58. 
discrepance (dis-krep'ans or dis'kre-pans), n. 
[< OF. discrepance = Sp. Pg. discrepancia = It. 
discrepansa, < L. discrepantia, discordance, dis- 
similarity, < discrepan(t-)s, ppr. of discrepare : 
see discrepant."] Same as discrepancy. Sir T. 
Elyot. 
discrepancy (dis-krep'an-si or dis'kre-pan-si), 
n. ; pi. discrepancies (-siz). [See discrepance.] 
Difference; disagreement; variance or contra- 
riety, especially of facts or sentiments. 
Distinguishing a different discrepancy betwixt wit and 
wisdom. Ford, Honour Triumphant, ir. 
A negative discrepancy arises where one witness passes 
over in silence what another witness positively avers. A 
positive discrepancy arises where one witness explicitly 
atlirms something which another witness explicitly denies. 
Sir W. Hamilton. 
Such, at last, became the discrepancy between him and 
his Cabinet, that he removed the chief men from office. 
Theodore Parker, Historic Americans, v. 
At this discrepancy of judgments mad, 
The man took on himself the office, judged. 
Broteniny, Ring and Book, I. 107. 
(dis-krep'ant or dis'kre-pant), a. 
n. f< OF. discrepant = Sp. Pg. It. dis- 
thmgs : as, frauds that bring manufactures into 
discredit; a transaction much to his discredit. 
As if it were a discredit for a Gentleman to seeme 
learned, and to shew him selfe amorous of any good Art. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 16. 
I think good to deliver It from the discredits and dis- 
graces which it hath received. 
Bacon, Advancement of Learning, I. 6. 
It is the duty of every Christian to be concerned for the 
reputation or discredit his life may bring on his profes- 
sion. Rogers. 
2. Want of belief, trust, or confidence ; disbe- 
lief: as, his story is received with discredit. 
= 8yTL 1. Disrepute, dishonor, 111 repute. t. Distrust, 
doubt. 
discreditable (dis-kred'i-ta-bl), . [< ills- priv. 
+ creditable. Cf . discredit'.*] Tending to injure 
differ in sound, differ, disagree, < dis-, apart, + 
crepare, make a noise, crackle : see crepitate.] 
I. a. Different; disagreeing; contrary; at vari- 
ance. 
This time 
Is many age* discrepant from thine ; 
This was the season when desert was stonpt to. 
Miadletm and Rowley, World Tost at Tennis. 
As our degrees are In order distant, 
So the degrees of our strengths are dismpant. 
Heywood. 
The Author of our being has Implanted in us our dis- 
crepant tendencies, for wise purposes, and they are, in- 
deed, a part of the law of life Itself. 
a. P. Marsh, Lects. on Eng. Lang., i. 
A cognition which may be widely discrepant from the 
truth. JKi'x', IX. 341. 
