disc r i m i n a t i n g 
1657 
Discriminating duty. 
leeteil on eertaii 
from the country \v 
JMirtcil ilin-etly, or u In II iriipMite'l trom one e^mitr \ than 
from another. (') A higher tonnage-duty on vessels not, 
owneil by eiti/ens of the importing i-onntry than on vessels 
owncil wholly or in part by such citi/i'ns. Also ealleil '/</' 
I:',; Illirll i/lltl/. 
discriminatingly (di-krim'i-n4-tin*-li), adr. 
In a discriminating manner; with judgment or 
discrimination. 
Let my good qualities In- spoken of *//><-, iuiiiutli nitty, by 
all means ; but not too MuenmbMttngtu. 
The Atlantic, LVIII. Sf.7. 
r^i,alriVVwh l i''n''i, l '' ly r!' v J''' I ' a ''' 1 '''' 1 discruciatingt (dis-krO'shi-a-ting), a. [Ppr. 
<-i/ii-i. torture violently, < ili.t- (intensive) + 
cnirinre, torture, < crux (CTKC-), cross.] Tot- 
turing; excruciating. 
To single hearts doubling is discruciatiny ; such teni)>crs 
mustsweat to dissemble, and prove but hy|x>critical hy|K>- 
crites. .Sir T. llrini-n,; clirist. Mor., Hi. 20. 
discubitoryt (dis-ku'bi-to-ri), . [< ML. * </!.,-- 
ciiltitorius, < L. discubitux', pp. of discumbere, lie 
down: seo discumbency.] Leaning; inclining; 
fitted to a leaning posture. .Sir 7'. Hi-mrm: 
discrimination (dis-krim-i-na'shon), n. [< LL. disculpatet (dis-kul'pat), v. t. [< ML. ilim-iil- 
dixcriniiHiitin, < L. discriminate, pp. discriniinn- 
ttiK, discriminate: see discriminate,'] 1. Theact 
of distinguishing; the act of observing, making, 
or marking a difference; distinction: as, thedis- 
rrimiiiiitinii between right and wrong. 
The sculptors of the last age, from not attending suffi- 
ciently to this discrimination of the different styles of 
painting, have been led into many errors. 
Sir J. Reynolds, Discourses, x. 
To blame might !>e hazardous ; for blame demands rea- 
sons ; but praise enjoys a ready dispensation from all rea- 
sons mill from all diwniHinatf -"- 1.1.-* 1_ 
jialus, pp. of disculpare (> It. discoljiare, scol- 
l>tii-f = Sp. ilixrul/Hir = Pg. desculpin- OF. des- 
enlper, descoulper, dcseouper, F. ilim-nl/itr), free 
from blame, <f L. din- pnv. + culpare, blame, < 
ciiliin, a fault: see culprit. Ct. exculpate, incul- 
pate.] To free from blame or fault; exculpate; 
excuse. 
" How hast thou escaped from above? thou hast cor- 
rupted thy guards, and their lives shall answer it." " .My 
jwverty," said the peasant calmly, "will diseitlpate them. " 
//. Walpole, Castle of Otranto, p. 81. 
they esteemed the glory of Cod as to baffle their di*crn,,i- 
luiiii'n. Miliiian, Latin Christianity, xiv. 8. 
Unable to praise or blame with discrimination, the masses 
tempt their leader to folly by assuring him beforehand of 
plrnarv absolution, t'urfaii/lttly Rev., N. S., XLI. 1M. 
3. The state of being discriminated, distin- disculpatoryt (dis-kul'pa-to-ri), a. [< discul- 
guished, or set apart. l'". te + *] Tending to disculpate. Imp. 
There Is a reverence to be showed them on the account ' 
ing from blame or fault; exculpation. 
This innoxious and Ineffectual character that seems 
formed upon a plan of apology and discwpation, falls 
miserably short of the mark of public duty. 
Burke, Present Discontents. 
iiicic ia u ieveieiiue to oe siiowcu uiem on me account j A /j. , ,-, .* .... T ,. 
of tiieir ditcrimination from other places, and separation OlSCUmbency (dig-kum ben-si), i. [< L. dis- 
for sacred uses. Stillinnjleet . cnmben(t-)s, ppr. of discumbire, lie down, < dis- 
4. That which serves to discriminate ; a mark (intensive) -f cubare (-cumbere), lie: see cubit.] 
of distinction. 
Take heed of abetting any factions, or applying any pub- 
lic discriminations in matters of religion. lip. (Jaudtn. 
Specifically 5. An invidious distinction. 
The act of reclining at ineals, according to the 
manner of the aucients. [Rare.] 
The Greeks and Romans used the custom of dincma- 
beiu-y at meals. Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err. 
Reproaches and all sorts of unkind discriminationi sue- dlSCUmbert (dis-kum'ber), t'. (. [< OF. deseom- 
Bp. Ilaclcet, Abp. Williams, I. 16. 
ceeded. 
= Syn. 2. Discernment, clearness, acuteness, acumen, nice- 
ty, insight. See di/ereiu-e and discernment. 
discriminative (dis-krim'i-na-tiv), a. [< dis- 
criminate + -ive.] 1. That marks distinction ; 
constituting a difference ; characteristic : as, 
the discriminatire features of men. 
discriminative accuracy any of the corresponding empiri- 
cal distinctions which the human mind is able to recog- 
nize. J. Fiske, Cosmic Philos., I. 28. 
2. Making distinctions ; discriminating. 
Discriminative Providence knew before the nature and 
course of all things. 
Dr. II. More, Antidote against Atheism. 
We have also shown that in the cases of the retina and 
brer, dexcoubm; tlcscumbreir, < dcs- priv. + 
combrer, etc., cumber: see dis- and cumber. 
Cf. disencumber.] To disencumber; relieve of 
something cumbersome. 
His limbs discmnbers of the clinging vest, 
And binds the sacred cincture round his breast. 
Pope, Odyssey, v. 
iiscuret, r. t. [ME. discttren, descuren, contr. of 
dexcnreren, discovercn, discover: see discover.] 
To discover ; reveal. 
" Ye (hull witc it well," quod Merlin, "but, loke ye, di- 
eure it not to noon creature, as ye will haue my love." 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), I. 46. 
I will, If please yon it discure, assay 
To ease you of that ill, so wisely as I may. 
Spenser, K. Q., II. Ix. 42. 
kin every sensible total may be siibdfvMed'by^Vfcr/mi'! discurrentt (dis-kur'ent), a. [< dis- priv. + 
native. ^attention into sensible parts, , which are also spaces, current*, a.] Not current. Sir E. Sandys. 
Q - ditcurrcre, pp. disatrsM, run different ways. 
But it is far less probable that sensation is thus Imme- etc see discourse ti 1 1+ A ninniTur or rani 
ate,yand, ( ,>,,,,,,-,,,,,>,,co K ,,, Z antofmo,ecu,arneura, ^SJrt^SMd&VSLr?5Si 
expatiation. 
Because the word discourse is commonly taken for the 
coherence and consequence of words, I will, to avoid 
equivocation, call it discurtion. 
Hobbei, Human Nature, Hi. 
3. The act of discoursing or reasoning. Cole- 
ridge. 
dli . _ 
processes, than that the inseparable motor Impulses which 
attend every form of external stimulation are the imme- 
diate cause or objects of sensation. 
tf. S. Hall, German Culture, p. 234. 
discriminator (dis-krim'i-na-tor), n. [< LL. 
discriminator, < L. diseriniinare" pp. diseriiiiina- 
tus, discriminate : see discriminate.] One who 
discriminates, 
discriminatory (dis-krim'i-na-to-ri), a. [< dis- discursistt (dis-ker'sist), n. [< LL. discurxun, 
criminate + -on/.] Discriminative. Imp. Diet. a discourse (see discourse, n.), + -int.] A dis- 
discriminoid (dis-krim'i-noid), w. [< L. tits- puter. [Bare.] 
crimcii (-"-), difference (see discriminate), + Great dwcm( were apt to . . . dispute the Prince's 
criminoid. run to and fro, LL. speak at length: seo din- 
discriminoust fdis-krim'i-nus), . [< ML. dis- fourxe. Ct. dixcoursive.'] 1. Itelating to the 
critical, LL. (in adv. dixcriminose) understanding, or the active faculty of know- 
iniiH (-mi-), a division: see in 8 or of forming conclusions; ratiocinative : 
decisive, < L. divert 'mm ( 
discriminate.] Hazardous; critical; decisive. 
Any kind of spitting "f blood imports a very diicrimi- 
nous state. Harvey, Consumptions. 
discrivet, ' '. Same as deserirc. Chaucer. 
discrown (dis-kroun'), r. t. [< dis- priv. + 
rriiirn. Of. OF. descournnner, discrown.] To 
deprive of a crown ; remove a crown from. 
The chief 
Seems royal still, though with her head disrrmpnrd. 
ISyrun, Childu Hal-old, iv. 1G7. 
Whence the soul 
opposed to intuitive. 
Reason receives, and reason is her being, 
Discursive or intuitive. Milton, P. L., v. 488. 
These four acts of acquisition, conservation, reproduc- 
tion, ami representation form a class of faculties which we 
may call the subsidiary, as furnishing the materials to a 
higher faculty, the function of which is to elalwrate these 
matt-rials. This clahorativc or discursive faculty is com- 
parison ; for under comparison may be comprised all tin- 
acts of synthesis and analysis, generalization and al*trac 
tiun, judgment and reasoning. Comparison, or the claim- 
discuss 
ratlve or diteunirc faculty, i-onvpunds to tin- dianola of 
tin Creeks, to the Verstand of tbi-Ci-rmans. This faculty 
is thonx'lit proper; and logic, as we shall see, is thenri> m 
i-onvi-mant about its laws. ,s'-Y W. Hamilton. 
2. Passing rapidly from one subject to another; 
desultory; rambling; digressional. 
It Is a regular code, ... of an extent so considerable 
and of a character so free and distvrsirr, that we can 
fairly judge from it the condition of the prove language 
of the time. Tli-kiuir, .span. Lit., 1. II. 
Heart-affluence In discurtim talk 
From household fountains never dry. 
Ti IIUIIHIH, 111 Mi liioriani, clx. 
3f. Passing over an object, as in running the 
eye over the parts of a large object of vision. 
All in Himselfe as in a glasse Hee sees, 
For from Him, by Him, through Him, all things bee: 
His sight is not disrourxive, by degrees, 
But seeing the whole, each single part doth see. 
.S'iY J. Dariex, Nosce Teipsum. 
Discursive judgment, one that Is the result of reason- 
ing ; a dianoetic judgment. 
discursively (dis-ker'siv-li), adv. In a discur- 
sive manner, (a) Dlgresslvely. (6) Argumentative!}- ; 
by reasoning or argument. 
We do discursively and by way of ratiocination deduce 
one thing from another. 
Sir X. Hale, Orlg. of Mankind, p. 22. 
discursiveness (dis-ker'siv-nes), n. The qual- 
ity of being discursive. 
Each head is treated sufficiently, while all temptation 
to discursiveness is stoutly resisted. 
The AthraaniM, No. 3141, p. 15. 
discursory (dis-ker'so-ri), a. [< LL. discursus, 
discourse (see discourse, n.), + -ory.] Having 
the nature of discourse or reason ; rational ; 
argumentative. [Rare.] 
Here shall your Majesty fliul . . . positive theology 
with polemical ; textual with discursoni. 
Bp. llall. Works, I., Ep. Ded. 
discursus (dis-ker'sus), n. [LL.. a conversa- 
tion, discourse : see discourse, n.] Ratiocina- 
tion; argumentation; discourse. 
discus (dis'kus), n.; pi. disci (-si). [L. (NL., 
etc.), a discus, the disk of a dial, < Gr. tiionof, a 
flattish discus, disk, etc. Hence dish, dish, desk, 
and dais: see these words.] 1. In classical 
an tiq. , a circular piece of stone or plate of metal, 
about 12 inches in diameter, pitched from a fixed 
point to the greatest possible distance, as a gym- 
nastic exercise and as an athletic contest. The 
throwing of the discus was a favorite exercise in the 
athletic games of Greece, and was one of the five exercises 
which constituted the iientathlon. See cut under discobo- 
lus. 
2. In anat., jihys., zoot., and bot., a disk of any 
kind. 3. [caj>.] In eool. : (a) A genus of mof- 
lusks. (6) A genus of acalephs. Lesson, 1837. 
(c) A genus of scombroid fishes. Campbell, 
1879. Discus Wastodermicus. Same as Maxloderiuic 
di-sk ( which see, under blaxtodermic). Discus prollge- 
rus, in mini., a mass of cells derived from the mcmhrana 
granulosa of the Graaflan vesicle, accumulated around the 
ovum in a kind of granular zone. 
discuss (dis-kus'), v. t. [< ME. discussen (= 
Olt. digcussarc), examine, scatter, < L. discus- 
sus, pp. of discutere (> It. disciitere = Sp. Pg. 
discutir = OF. discuter, discutir, F. discuter = 
D. disaiteren = G. discutiren = Dan. diskutere 
= Sw. diskutcra, discuss), strike or shake apart, 
break up, scatter, also, in derivatives and in 
ML., examine, discuss, < dis-, apart, + quatere, 
shako: see quash. Ct. concuss, percuss.] 1. To 
shake or strike asunder; break up; disperse; 
scatter. [Obsolete except in surgical use.] 
Supposing we should grant that a vigorous heat and a 
strong arm may by a violent friction discuss some tumor 
of a distempered body. Stillingfeet, .Sermons, I. Ix. 
Consider the threefold effect of Jupiter s trisulc, to 
burn, discuss, and terebrate. Sir T. Bnu-ne, Vulg. Err. 
A pomade of virtue to ditnas pimples. 
Rambler, No. 130. 
2f. To shake off; put away. 
All regard of shame she had discust. 
Spenser, F. Q., III. 1. 48. 
3f. To examine ; consider and declare one's 
opinion concerning ; hence, to explain ; declare; 
speak about. 
Now have yhe herd 
How Crist at his last commyng 
Sal in dome sitte and ducusse alle thyng. 
Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 1. 6247. 
That no brother no sister ne shalle discu*r the connseil 
of this fraternite to no straungere. 
h CiM*(E. E. T. S.), p. 7S. 
Disniss the same in French unto him. 
Shak.. Hen. V., ir. 4. 
4. To agitate; debate; argue about ; reason 
upon ; sift the considerations for and against. 
Men are never so likely to settle a question rightly u 
when they dixuss it freely. 
Macaulay, Southc) ' Colloquies. 
