dubitatively 
dubitatively (du'bi-ta-tiv-li), adv. Hesitat- 
ingly; doubtingly; as'if in doubt. [Rare.] 
"But ought I not to tell Ezra that I have seen my 
father?" said Mirah, with deprecation in her tone. "No," 
Mrs. Meyrick answered, dubitatively ', " I don't know that 
it is necessary to do that." 
George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, lii. 
Duboisia (du-boi'si-a), n. [NL., named after 
F. N. A. Dubois, a French botanist and ecclesi- 
astic (1752-1824).] 1. A solanaceous genus of 
plants, of Australia and New Caledonia, in- 
cluding two shrubby or arborescent species. 
I), myoporoides is employed in surgery for the dilatation 
of the pupil, and yields an alkaloid, duboisine, identical 
with hyoscyamine. The wood is white and very soft, but 
close and firm, and excellent for carving. The leaves and 
twigs of the pituri, D. Uopwoodii, are chewed by the na- 
tives as a stimulating tonic. 
2. [1. c.] Same as duboisine. 
duboisine (du-boi'sin), . [< Duboisia + -ie 2 .] 
An alkaloid obtained from Duboisiamyoporoides, 
& shrub or small tree which is a native of Aus- 
tralia. In its chemical reactions and its physiological 
effects it presents strong resemblances to hyoscyamine. 
Also duboisia. 
dubs 1 (dubz), n. pi. [An abbr. of doublets.'} 
Doublets at marbles. A player knocking two marbles 
out of the ring cries " dubs" and thereby claims both. 
The ground was beaten by many feet to the hardness of 
a floor, and the village boys delighted to play marbles in 
this convenient spot. Their cries of "rounses," "taw," 
"dubs," "back licks," and "vent" might often be heard 
there before and after school hours. 
The Century, XXXVI. 78. 
dubs 2 (dubz), n.pl. [Cf. equiv. dibs: see dib 3 .~\ 
Money: same as dib 3 , 3. [Slang.] 
ducal (du'kal), a. [= F. ducal = Sp. Pg. ducal = 
It. ducale, < LL. ducalis, < L. dux (due-), a lead- 
er, general, ML. duke : see duke 1 ."] 1. Pertain- 
ing to a duke : as, a ducal coronet. 
Oil, salt, even flour and bread, were subject to monopoly, 
and could only be sold by the ducal agents. Brougham. 
2. In ornith., a term applied to certain large 
terns of the subgenus Thalasseus, as Sterna 
(Thulasseus) cantiaca. Coues. 
ducally (du'kal-i), adv. After the manner of 
a duke ; with a duke or a ducal family : as, 
ducally connected. 
ducape (du'kap), n. A heavy silk, especially 
black or of plain color, usually corded. 
ducat (duk'at), n. [Altered in spelling from 
earlier ductiat, ducket, < ME. duket (= D. du- 
Jcaat, G. dukat, Dan. Sw. dukat), < OF. and F. 
ducat = Pr. ducat = Sp. Pg. ducado = It. du- 
cato, < ML. ducatus, a ducat; so called, it is 
said, from the motto "Sit tibi, Christe, datus, 
quern tu regis, iste ducatus" (let this duchy 
which thou rulest be dedicated to thee, O 
Christ), impressed on a coin struck by Roger 
II. of Sicily as duke of Apulia ; < ML. ducatus, 
a duchy, < L. dux (due-), a leader, ML. duke : see 
duke 1 . Cf. duchy, ult. a doublet of ducat.] 1. 
A gold coin of varying form and value, formerly 
in use in several European countries. A ducat 
was first issued in Apulia, about the middle of the twelfth 
1788 
3. pi Money; cash. [Slang.] 4. An Aus- 
trian weight for gold, which has been deter- 
mined by Vienna authorities to be 3.490896 
grams. This unit is supposed to have been derived 
through the Jews from the Ptolemaic drachma of 3.56 
grams. Ducat gold, in cerain., a name given to gilding 
of brilliant color slightly in relief above the glaze, espe- 
cially in the painting of fine porcelain. 
ducatoon (duk-a-ton'), n. [Also formerly ducka- 
toon, ducadoon; < F. ducaton = Sp. ducaton = 
Pg. ducutao, < It. ducatone, aug. of ducato, a 
Ducat of Ladislaus Postumus, King of Hungary. A. D. 1453-1457. 
British Museum. (Size of the original.} 
century, by the Norman duke Roger II. In 1283 a gold 
ducat was struck in Venice, but the piece was afterward 
called a zecchino (sequin), the ducat becoming only a money 
of account. (See def. 2.) The earliest gold coins of Ger- 
many seem to have been called ducats, and this name was 
applied to German gold coins of the sixteenth and seven- 
teenth centuries. Gold coins called dacats were also is- 
sued in the Netherlands, in Hungary, and elsewhere. The 
value of the ducat varied but little, the coin usually con- 
taining from 3.42 to 3.44 grams of fine gold, worth from 
$2.27 to $2.32. 
If every ducat in six thousand ducats 
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat, 
I would not draw them. Shak., M. of V., iv. 1. 
Take you a ducket, or your chequin of gold, and apply 
to the place affected. B. Jonson, Volpone, ii. 1. 
After it grew tributary to the Turke ; yet was it gov- 
erned and possessed by the Genoese, who paid for their 
immunities the Annuall sum of fourteen thousand duck- 
Ms. Sandys, Travailes, p. 11. 
2. An old money of account in the Venetian 
republic. 
Now whereas the Venetian duckat is much spoken of, 
you must consider that this word duckat doth not signifle 
any one certaine coyne ; but many several! pieces do con- 
curre to make one duckat. Coryat, Crudities, II. US. 
Ducatoon struck by Antonio Priuli. Doge of Venice, A. D. 1618-1623. 
British Museum. (Size of the original.) 
ducat: see ducat.] The English name of the 
ducatone, a silver coin (also called giustina) for- 
merly current in the republic of Venice, and 
containing nearly 398 grains of fine silver, equal 
to 0.965 of the United States silver dollar. 
Some gae her crowns, some ducadoons. 
Sight's Lady (Child's Ballads), VIII. 290). 
The duckatoone, which containeth eight livers, that is, 
six shillings. This piece hath in one side the effigies of 
the Duke of Venice and the Patriarch, . . . and in the 
other, the figure of St. Justina, a chast Patavine [Paduan] 
virgin. Coryat, Crudities, II. 68. 
duces, n. Plural of dux. 
duces tecum (du'sez te'kum). [L., you will 
bring with you : duces, 2d pers. sing. fut. ind. 
of ducere, lead, bring (see duct) ; te, abl. of tu 
= E. thou; cum, with (appended to personal 
pronouns).] In law, a writ commanding a per- 
son to appear in court, and to bring with him 
specified documents or other things in his cus- 
tody, which may be required as evidence. More 
fully called subpoena duces tecum. See subpoena. 
Duchet, a. and n. An obsolete form of Dutch. 
duchess (duch'es), n. [Formerly also dutchess; 
< ME. duchesse, duches (also dukes, i. e., dukess), 
< OF. duchesse, F. duchesse = Pr. duquessa = 
Sp. duquesa = Pg. duqueza = It. duchessa, < ML. 
ducissa (the orig. hard sound of c being retain- 
ed in Rom., after the masc. form), fern, of dux 
(due-), > OF. due, etc., E. duke: see duke 1 ."] 1. 
The consort or widow of a duke, or a woman 
who holds the sovereignty or titles of a duchy. 
Ich am hus dere douheter, duchesse of heuene. 
Piers Plowman (C), iii. 33. 
The dictionary definition is far from being exhaustive, 
since, obviously, where so created, or where the terms of 
the patent so run, a duchess may be duchess in her own 
right. There is no antinomy to resolve in the case of a 
princess being also a duchess. N. and Q., 7th ser. , IV. 229. 
2. A variety of roofing-slate two feet long and 
one foot wide. 3. A part of ladies' head-dress 
in the seventeenth century, apparently a knot 
of ribbon. 
duchy (duch'i), .; pi. duchies (-iz). [Also for- 
merly dutcliy ; < ME. duchie, duchee, duche, < 
OF. duchee, duchet, f., F. duche, m., = Pr. ducat 
= Sp. Pg. ducado = It. ducato, < ML. ducatus, 
a duchy, territory of a duke, L. ducatus, military 
leadership, command, < dux (due-), a leader, 
duck 
ML. a duke: see ditlce 1 , and cf. ducat, dogate.] 
The territory or dominions of a duke ; a duke- 
dom. See duke 1 , 3. 
duchy-court (duch'i-kort), n. The court of a 
duchy; especially, in England, the court of the 
duchy of Lancaster, held before the chancellor 
of the duchy or his deputy, concerning equi- 
table interests in lands held of the crown in 
right of this duchy. 
ducipert, In her., same as cap of maintenance 
(which see, under maintenance). 
duck 1 (duk), v. [< ME. *dukken (= MD. ducken 
= LG. ducken, > G. ducken = Dan. dukke, also 
dt/kke), duck, dive, stoop; a secondary verb, 
partly displacing its orig., E. dial, and Sc. douk, 
dook, < ME. douken, duken, < AS. *ducan (found 
only in deriv. duce, a duck : see duck 2 ) = MD. 
duueken, D. duiken = MLG. duken, LG. duken = 
OHG. tuhhan, MHG. tuchen, G. tauchen = Sw. 
dyka, orig. intr., duck, dive, stoop.] I. intrant. 
1. To plunge the head or the whole body into 
water and immediately withdraw ; make a dip. 
They shot marvellously at him, and he was driven some- 
times to duck into the water. 
North, tr. of Plutarch, p. 609. 
Well, my dear brother, if I scape this drowning, 
'Tis your turn next to sink ; you shall duck twice 
Before I help you. 
Beau, and FL, Scornful Lady, ii. 2. 
2. To nod or bob the head suddenly ; bow. 
Because I cannot flatter, and look fair, . . . 
Duck with French nods and apish courtesy, 
I must be held a rancorous enemy. 
Shak., Rich. III., i. 3. 
You shall have 
A Frenchman ducking lower than your knee, 
At th' instant mocking even your very shoe-ties. 
Ford, Love's Sacrifice, i. 1. 
Hence 3. To give way; yield; cringe. 
"What, take the credit from the Law?" you ask? 
Indeed, we did 1 Law ducks to Gospel here. 
Broivning, Ring and Book, II. 107. 
Wig ducked to wig, each blockhead had a brother, and 
there was a universal apotheosis of the mediocrity of our 
set. Lowell, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 338. 
II. trans. 1 . To dip or plunge in water and 
immediately withdraw : as, to duck a witch or a 
scold. 
So strait they were seizing him there 
To duck him likewise. 
Robin Hood and Little John (Child's Ballads, V. 220). 
I say, duck her in the loch, and then we will see whether 
she is witch or not. Scott, Abbot, ii. 
2. To lower or bend down suddenly, as in dodg- 
ing a missile or an obstacle, or in saluting awk- 
wardly : as, to duck the head. 
duck 1 (duk), . [< duckl, t).] A diving incli- 
nation of the head. 
As it is also their generall custome scarcely to salute 
any man, yet may they neither omitte crosse, nor carved 
statue, without a religious duck. 
Discov. of New World, p. 128. 
Here be, without duck or nod, 
Other trippings to be trod 
Of lighter toes. Milton, Comus, 1. 960. 
duck 2 (duk), n. [= Sc. duik, duke, dook, < ME. 
ducke, dukke, doke, dokke, douke, duke, < AS. duce 
(found only in gen. ducan), a duck, lit. a ducker, 
< "ducan (pret. pi. "ducon. pp. *d6cen), duck, 
dive : see duck 1 , v. Cf . ducker, 3 ; Dan. duk-and, 
dyk-and, a sea-duck (and, duck: see draJcel); 
Sw. dyk-f&gel, diver, plungeon (f&gel = E./Ott'Z). 
So dicer, dipper, dopper, etc., names applied to 
diving birds.] 1. A lamellirostral natatorial 
bird of the family Anatidos and subfamily Ana- 
tlncB or Fuligulince (which see). The technical dis- 
tinction between any duck and other birds of the same fam- 
ily, as geese and mergansers, is not clear ; but a duck may 
usually be recognized by the broad and flat bill, short 
legs, scutellate tarsi, and entirely feathered head. The 
common wild duck or mallard is Anas boscas, the feral 
stock of the domestic duck. The species of ducks are 
numerous, about 125, divided into some 40 modern genera, 
and found in nearly all parts of the world. Most ducks 
fall in one or the other of two series, fresh-water ducks or 
river-ducks, Anatince, and salt-water ducks or sea-ducks, 
Fulit/ulince; and from the latter a few are sometimes 
detached to form a third subfamily, Erismaturince ; but 
the implied distinction in habits by no means holds good, 
since some or any river-ducks may be found in salt wa- 
ter, and few if any sea-ducks are entirely maritime. The 
mallard and closely related species now form the restrict- 
ed genus Anas. Teal are small ducks, chiefly of the ge- 
nus Querquedula ; Q. circin is the garganey. The widgeons 
form the genus Mareca ; the gad-walls, Cliiwlelasmus; the 
spoonbills, Spatula ; the pintails or sprigtails, Dalila. Cer- 
tain arboreal ducks of various parts of the world consti- 
tute the genus Dentlrocii<jna. The muscovy duck or musk- 
duck is Cairina auaausfa. The celebrated mandarin- 
duck of China and the wood-duck or summer duck of the 
United States are two species of the genus Aix, A.oaleri- 
cttlata and A. sponsa. Sheldrakes or burrow-ducks are 
of the genus Casarca or Tadorna. A number of sea-ducks 
with black or red heads are placed in genera variously 
named Fnliijida, Fulix, Aithyia, Xyroca, etc. ; such are 
th8i'au)is and pochard*, tin 1 canvaebaok, and others. The 
ImillcliKids, goldeneyes, and histlewings belong to a ge- 
