famous ponst ovfnorwn. 
dulcarnon 
This, for some reason, was in the dulcimelt, 
derived "from eleiria, meaning sorrow. The passage from 
Chaucer was first thus explained in the London Athen&um, 
Sent. 23, 1871, p. :. 
dulce (duls), a. and . [Altered to suit the orig. 
L. ; early mod. E. doulce, earlier douce, < ME. 
douce, dotoce, sweet, < L. dulcis, sweet: see 
douce.] I. a. Sweet; pleasant; soothing. 
Nevertheless with much doulce and gentle terms they 
make their reasons as violent and as vehement one against 
the other as they may ordinarily. 
Quoted in Stubbs's Const. Hist., 443. 
II. n. Sweet wine ; must. See the extract. 
Sweetness is imparted by the addition of " dulce," that 
is. must, frequently made from grapes dried for some days 
in the sun. Ure, Diet., IV. 950. 
dulcet, f- * [< dulce, a.] To make sweet; ren- 
der pleasant ; soothe. 
1794 dull 
A n nVisnlctp form of dulcimer a subdivision of dulia, is that higher veneration which we 
An obs< oi awrn ner. y . as the most Malu , ( , |>( niere 
[Formerly also dulci- reatllreS] though, of course, infinitely inferior t., Cod, and 
IF. doulcentfr (Koque- incomparably inferior to Christ in his human nature. 
| dolcemele, a musical CaiA. Diet. 
instrument, <.L. dulce melo's, a sweet song: dulce, j) u u c hia (du-lik'i-a), w. [NL., < Gr. Sovfaxk, 
neut. of dulcis, sweet ; inelos, < Gr. uilwc,, a song : i on i c f orm o f rfoAi^oc; , long : see Dolichos.] The 
see melody.] 1. A musical instrument consist- typical genus of the family DuKMidce. 
ing of a body shaped like a trapezium, over Dulichiidae (du-li-kl'i-de), re. pi. [NL., < Duli- 
which are stretched a number of metallic c / (ia + .,-^j.] A family of amphipod crusta- 
AAMIM 
[NL., < Dulus + -inai.] 
ian dentirostral oscine 
passerine birds, commonly referred to the fam- 
strings,havinga compass sometimes diatonic, 
sometimes chromatic of from 2 to 3 octaves. 
D u lfo 1 5 B ( ( lu-lI'ne),n..2>Z. 
The tones are produced by striking the strings with ham- A ^^fj^jgy o f "West Indian dentirostral oscine 
ble. The dulcimer is a very ancient instrument. It is 
specially notable because it was the prototype of the 
pianoforte, which is essentially a keyed dulcimer that 
, sometimes to the Ampelidce. -It 
is* represented by the genus Dulus (which see). 
pianoforte, which is essentially a keyed dulcimer - that du m (dull a [Early mod. E. also dul, dulle; < 
is, a dulcimer whose hammers are operated by keys or OUU ^"i"/" ": !; ,>,, %r,, ' 
levers The immediate precursor of the pianoforte, how- ME. dul, dull, also dyll, dill, and in earlier use 
See harpsi- dwal, < AS. 'dwal, *dwol, found only in contr. 
form dol, stupid, foolish, erring (= OS. dol = 
OFries. dol = D. dol = MLG. dwal, dwel, dol, 
ever, the harpsichord, was a keyed psaltery. 
chord, psaltery, pianoforte. 
Here, among the fiddlers, I first saw a dulcimere played 
Severus . . . (because he 
behind at his backe) . . . wisely and with good foresight 
dulceth. and kindly intreateth the men. 
Hoi/and, tr. of Camden's Britain, p. 68. 
dulcenesst (duls'nes), re. [< "dulce, a. (see 
douce, a.); < L. dulcis, sweet, + -ness.'] Sweet- 
ness ; pleasantness. 
Too much dulceness, goodness, and facility of nature. 
Bacon, Advancement of Learning, ii. 338. 
. . 
would not leave an enemie on with sticks knocking of the string^^pre^. Q ^ ^G , MHO. * G toU ma. 
It was an Abyssinian maid, 
And on her dulcimer she played. 
Coleridge, Khubla Khan. 
2f. A kind of woman's bonnet. 
With bonnet trimmed and flounced withal, 
Which they a dulcimer do call. 
Warton, High Street Tragedy. 
dulcin (dul'sin), re. [< L. dulcis, sweet, + -j2.] 
dulcet (dul'set), a. and . [Altered after L 8ame ag UKK; , wl . 
dulcis, from ME. doucet, sweet < OF. doucet, duldnesst (dul'si-nes), n. [< dulce + -y + 
F. doucet (= Pr. dosset, dousset), dim. of doux, _ ;) , 8o ft ne(j8; easiness of temper. Bacon. 
fern, douce, < L. dulcis, sweet. Cf. doucet.] n^ldiast (dul'si-nist), n. 
I. a. 1. Sweet to the sense, especially of taste; " 
luscious ; exquisite ; also, melodious ; harmo- 
nious. 
Dainty lays and dulcet melody. Spenser. 
Anou out of the earth a fabric huge 
Rose, like an exhalation, with the sound 
Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet. 
Milton, P. L., i. 712. 
[< ML. DulcinisttK, 
pi., < Dulcinus, a proper name (It. Dolcino), < 
L. dulcis, sweet.] A follower of Dulcinus or 
Dolcino (born at Novara, Italy; burned alive 
in 1307), a leader of the Apostolic Brethren of 
= Icel. dulr, silent, close, = Goth, dwals, fool- 
ish), < *dwelan, pret. *dwal, pp. gedwolen, mis- 
lead, = OS. fordwelan, neglect. From the same 
root come AS. dweiian, err, dwola, dwala, error, 
gedwola = OHG. gitwola, error, etc., and ult. E. 
dwell and dwate, q. v. Cf. also dill? and dolt.] 
1. Stupid; foolish; doltish; blockish; slow of 
understanding : as, a lad of dull intellect. 
The murmur was mykell of the mayn pepnll, 
Lest thai dang hir to dethe in hor dull hate. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 11904. 
If our Ancestors had been as dull as we have been of 
late, 'tis probable we had never known the way so much 
as to the East Indies. Dumpier, Voyages, II. i. 102. 
Among those bright folk not the dullest one. 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, III. 366. 
UK^authority oniie ^piJraUisfnmnta^ in thought, expression, or action : as, a surfeit 
ment, and all rites and ceremonies. They held that all leaves one dull; a dull thinker; a dull sermon ; 
So mild and dulcet as the flesh of young pigs. 
Lamb, Roast Pig. 
law and all rights of property should be abolished, and 
that the rite of marriage should be superseded by a 
merely spiritual and celibate union of man and wife. 
2 Agreeable to the mind. dulcitamine (dul-sit-am'in), n. [< dulcite + 
They have . . . styled poesy a dulcet and_gentle phi- amine.] In chem., acompoundjrf dulcitan_with 
losophy. 
Il.t . The sweetbread. 
B. Jouson, Discoveries, ammonia, having the formua eQ5 2 . 
dulcitan(dul'si-tan), n. [< dulcite + -an.] The 
anhydrid of dulcitol (C 6 H 12 O 5 ), an alcohol pre- 
Thee stagg upbreaking they slit to the dulcet or inche- . . ,~ 
pyn. Stanikurst, Mneid, i. 218. pared by heating dulcitol. 
dulcetness (dul'set-nes), re. Sweetness. dulcite (dul'sit), re. [<^.dulcis, 
Be 
with th<_ . . . 
brevity and short time that we have to use them should 
assuage their dulcetness. 
J. Bradford, Writings (Parker Soc.), I. 338. 
dulciant, . [= Dan. Sw. dulcian = OF. doul- 
gaine, doucainite, dmiceine, also doulcine, dou- 
cinc, a flute, = Sp. dulzaina = Pg. dulqaina, do- 
faina, doqainha, < ML. dulciana, a kind of bas- dulcitudet (dul'si-tud), re. [< L. dulcitudo, 
soon, < L. dulcis, sweet: see dulce.] A small sweetness, < dulcis, sweet: see dulce, douce.] 
bassoon. Sweetness. E. Phillips, 1706. 
dulciana (dul-si-an'a), n. [ML., a kind of bas- dulcoratet (dul'ko-rat), v. t. [< LL. dulcoratus, 
soon: see dulcian.]" In organ-building, a stop pp. of dulcorare, sweeten, < dulcoi^ sweetness, 
having metal pipes of small scale, and giv- 
ing thin, incisive, somewhat string-like tones. 
The word was formerly applied to a reed stop 
of delicate tone. See dulcian. Also called 
. Same as dulcitol. 
it so that there were no discommodities mingled j,,i-j + ,.i /j-.i'-j tn n n r< tJtiJntp + nl 1 A 
the commodities; yet as I before have said, the flUlCltOl (dul Sl-tol), re. \\ OUlClte -r -O(.J A 
saccharine substance (C 6 H;uOe), similar to and 
isomerie with mannite, which occurs in various 
plants, and is commercially obtained from an 
unknown plant in Madagascar, and in the crude 
state is called Madagascar manna. Also called 
dulcite, dulcin, dulcose. 
< L. dulcis, sweet: see dulce.] 
make less acrimonious. 
To sweeten; 
The ancients, for the dulcoratiny of fruit, do commend 
swines-dung above all other dung. 
Bacon, Nat. Hist., 465. 
a dull stream ; trade is dull. 
Their hands and their minds through idleness or lack of 
exercise should wax dull. 
Sir T. More, Utopia (tr. by Robinson), i. 
It can never be known, till she is tried, whether a new 
ship will or will not be a good sailer ; for the model of a 
good-sailing ship has been exactly followed in a new one, 
which has been proved, on the contrary, remarkably dull. 
Franklin, Autobiog., p. 262. 
3. Wanting sensibility or keenness ; not quick 
in perception: as, dull of hearing ; dull of seeing. 
And yet, tho' its voice be so clear and full, 
You never would hear it ; your ears are so dull. 
Tennyson, The Poet's Mind. 
4. Sad; melancholy; depressed; dismal. 
If thi herte be dulle and myrke and felis nother witt ne 
sauour ne deuocyone for to thynke. 
Hampole, Prose Treatises (E. E. T. S.), p. 40. 
5. Not pleasing or enlivening; not exhilarat- 
ing; causing dullness or ennui; depressing; 
cheerless : as, dull weather ; a dull prospect. 
He from the Rain-bow, as he came that way, 
Borrow'd a Lace of those fair woven beams 
Which clear Heavens blubber'd face, and gild dull day. 
J. Beaumont, Psyche, i. 59. 
dolcan. 
dulciflcation (dul"si-fi-ka'shon), n. [= F. dul- dulcorationt (dul-ko-ra'shon), n. [< ML. dul- 
cification = Sp. dulcificacion. = Pg. dwlcificaqao coratio(n-), < LL. dulcorare, sweeten: see dul- 
= It. dolcificazione, < L. as if *dulcificatio(n-), < 
dulcijicare, sweeten: see dulcify.] The act of 
sweetening ; the act of freeing from acidity, 
saltness, or acrimony. E. Phillips, 1706. 
dulcifluous (dul-sif 'lo-us), a. [< ML. dulcifluus. 
Fly, 1y, profane fogs, far hence fly away ; 
Taint not the pure streamr -' " s- 
With your dull influence. 
Taint not the pure streams of the springing day 
Crashaw, A Foul Morning. 
< L. dulcis, sweet, + -fluus, (.jlucre, flow.] Flow- 
ing sweetly. Bailey, 1727. 
dulcify (dul'si-fi), ._.; pret. and pp. dulcified, 
corate."] The act of sweetening. 
The fourth is in the dulcoration of some metals ; as 
saccharum Saturni, &c. Bacon, Nat. Hist., 358. 
dulcose (dul'kos), re. [< L. dulcis, sweet, + 
-ose.] Same as dulcitol. 
Same as dool, a dialectal form of 
more agreeable to the taste. 
Can you sublime and dulcify? calcine? 
B. Jonson, Alchemist, ii. 1. 
Other beneficial inventions peculiarly his; such as the 
dulcifying sea-water with that ease and plenty. 
Evelyn, To Mr. Wotton. 
2. To render more agreeable in any sense. 
fed in good-humour. ' Lamb, Artificial Comedy. 
Dulcified spirit, a compound of alcohol with mineral 
ucids : as, dulcified spirits of niter. 
dulciloquyt (diil-sil'o-kwi), re. [= Pg. It. dul- 
ciloquo, It. also dolcitoquo, < LL. duleilo<[tius, 
sweetly speaking, < L. dulc-is, sweet, + loqui, 
speak.] A soft manner of speaking. Bailey, 
1731. 
There are very few people who do not find a voyage 
which lasts several months insupportably dull. 
Macaulay, Warren Hastings. 
Dull, dreary Hats without a bush or tree. 
Whittier, Bridal of Pennacook. 
6. Gross; inanimate; insensible. 
Looks on the dull earth with disturbed mind. 
Shak., Venus and Adonis, 1. 340. 
7. Not bright or clear ; not vivid ; dim ; ob- 
scure : as, a dull fire or light ; a dull red color ; 
the mirror gives a dull reflection. 
One dull breath against her glass. 
D. Q. Rossetti, Love's Nocturn. 
By night, the interiors of the houses present a more dull 
appearance than in the day. 
E. W. Lane, Modern Egyptians, I. 188. 
8. Not sharp or acute; obtuse; blunt: as, a 
dull sword ; a dull needle. 
The murtherous knife was dull and bhmt. 
Shak., Rich. III., iv. 4. 
I wear no dull sword, sir, nor hate I virtue. 
Jie.au. and FL, Knight of Malta, ii. 3. 
Wielding the dull axe of Decay. 
Whittitr, Mogg Megone. 
9. Not keenly felt ; not intense : as, a dull pain. 
Latria, or supreme worship, is due to Cod alone, and can- =Syn 1 Silly etc. See simple. 
not be transferred to any creature without the horrible Anil 1 (dull V T= E dial, dill: < ME. didlen, 
sin of idolatry. Duita Is that secondary veneration which in j-.v j n / j 771 i T /..,,,. 
Catholics give to saints and angels as the servants and <'<. Ml, make dull ; < dull], (t.] I trans. 
special friends of God. Lastly, hyperdulia, which is only 1 . To make dull, stupid, heavy, insensible, etc . ; 
re. [Origin not ascertained.] 
., a peg of wood which joins the ends of 
that form the round of the wheel 
of a gun-carriage. 
Dules (du'lez), re. [NL. (Cuvier, 1829), irreg. < 
Gr. <5oi/loc, a slave. Prop. Dulus, as applied to 
a genus of birds.] A genus of serranoid fishes, 
characterized by a lash-like extension of a spine 
of the dorsal fin, the body being thus under the 
lash, whence the name, 
dule-tree, re. See dool-tree. 
iiwj.u ujfs..i. v- v-cuj-nj ii CULL Y at-U-ou. , , . 7-i*-i-*.\ r- -T s /-* f ^ ' 
His harshest tones in this part came steeped and dulci- dulia (du-ll'a), re [ML., < Gr. AajUfa, service. 
servitude, < Sov^oc, a slave.] An inferior kind 
of worship paid to saints and angels in the Ro- 
man Catholic Church. Also duly, doulia. 
Catholic theologians distinguish three kinds of cultus. 
