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D I S 
dined; fometimes two, and then the fecond comes out 
on a longer peduncle from the fpathe of the former. This 
flower is very confpicuous and beautiful. 
2. Difa racemofa, or racemed difa: horn fhorter than 
the petals, flowers in racemes. Of this we have no de- 
fcription. 
3. Difa longicornis, or long-horned difa: horn longer 
than the petals, fcape one-flowered. Flowers blue ; beau¬ 
tiful and Angular in its form. 
4. Difa maculata, or fpotted difa: horn conical, very 
fhort; fcape one-flowered. Root-leaves oblong; ftem 
and fheath fpotted with red ; flower blue. 
DISABILITY, f. Want of power to do any thing ; 
weaknefs ; impotence.—He that knows molt of himfelf, 
knows lead of his knowledge, and the exercifed under- 
ftanding is confcious of its difability. Glanville. —-The abi¬ 
lity of mankind does not lie in the impotency or difabili- 
ties of brutes. Locke. —Want of proper qualifications for 
any purpofe ; legal impediment.—This difadvantage 
which the dilfenters at prefent lie under, of a difability to 
receive church preferments, will be eafily remedied by 
the repeal of the tell. Swift. 
DISABILITY, f. in law, an incapacity in a man to 
inherit any lands, or take that benefit which-otherwife 
he might have done : which,may happen four ways; by 
the aft of an anceftor, or of the party himfelf, by the aft 
of God, or of the law. x. Difability, by the aft of the 
anceftor, is where the anceftor is attainted of treafon, &c. 
which corrupts the blood of his children, fo that they 
may not inherit his eftate. 2. Difability, by the aft of 
the party, is where a man binds himfelf by obligation, 
that upon furrender of a leafe, he will grant a new eftate 
to the lefl'ee; and afterwards he grants over the reverlion 
to another, which puts it out of his power to perform it. 
3. Difability, by the aft of God, is where a perfon is of 
non-fane memory, whereby he is incapable to make any 
grant, &c. So that if he pafleth an eftate out of him, it 
may after his death be made void; but it is a maxim in 
law, that a man of full age fhall never be received to 
difable his own perfon. 4. Difability, by the law, is 
where a man, by the foie aft of the law, without any thing 
done by him, is rendered incapable of the benefit of the 
law; as an alien born, See. 4 Rep. 123. There are alfo 
other difabilities, by the common law, of ideocy, infancy, 
and coverture, as to grants, Sec. And by ftatute in many 
cafes : as papifts are difabled to make any prefentation to 
a church. Officers not taking the oaths, are incapable to 
hold offices: as are foreigners, though naturalized, to 
bear offices in the government. A perfon Ihall not be 
admitted to difable himfelf to avoid an office of charge, 
no more than a man Ihall be allowed to fay that he was 
an ideot, to avoid an aft done by himfelf. Garth. 307. 
To DISA'BLE, v. a. To deprive of force; to weaken; 
to difqualify for any aft.—-A Chriftian’s life is a perpe¬ 
tual exercife, a wreftling and warfare, for which fenfual 
pleafure dij'ables him, by yielding to that enemy with 
whom he muft drive. Taylor. —To hinder from aftion: 
ufed of things.—I have known a great fleet difabled for 
two months, and thereby lofe great occafions by an in- 
difpofition of the admiral. Temple. —To impair; to di- 
miniffi: 
I have difabled mine eftate, 
By fhewing fomething a more fwelling port 
Than my faint means would grant continuance. Shakejp. 
To deprive of ufefulnefs or efficacy : 
Your days I will alarm, I’ll haunt your nights. 
And work than age difable your delights. Dryden. 
To exclude, as wanting proper qualifications.—I will 
not difable any for proving a fcholar, nor yet diflemble 
that I have feen many happily forced upon the courfe to 
which by nature they feerned much indifpofed. Wotton. 
To DISABU'SE, v. a. To fet free from a miftake ;■ to 
difentangle from a fallacy ; to fet right; to undeceive..— 
The impofture and fallacy of our fenfes irnpofe not only 
2 
D I S 
on common heads, but even more refined mercuries, who 
have the advantages of an improved realon to dfabufe 
you. Glanville. 
Chaos of thought and paffion, all confus’d ; 
Still by himfelf abus’d or dfabus'd. Pope. 
DISACCOMMODA'TION,/. The ftate of being un¬ 
fit or unprepared.—Devaftations have happened in lome 
places more than in others, according to the accommoda¬ 
tion or difaccommodation of them to fuch calamities. Hale. 
To DISACCO'RD, v.n. To refufe confent.—But Ihe 
did dfaccord. Spenfer. 
To DISACCUSTOM, v.a. To deftroy the force of 
habit by difufe or contrary praftice. 
To DISACKNOW'I.EDGE, v. a. Not to acknow¬ 
ledge.—The manner of denying Chrift’s deity here pro¬ 
hibited, was, by words and oral expreffions verbally to 
deny and difachnowledge it. South. 
DIS ACQUAINTANCE, f. Difufe of familiarity.— 
Confcience, by a long negleft of, and difacquaintance with 
itfelf, contrafts an inveterate ruft or foil. South. 
To DISADVAN'CE, or Disavance, v.n. [from dif. 
avanzare, Ital.] To draw back; to flop the progrefs of: 
Which th’other feeing gan his courfe relent, 
And vaunted fpear eftfoons to difadvance. Spenfer. 
DISADVANTAGE, f Lofs; injury to intereft: as, 
he fold to difadvantage. Diminution of any thing defira- 
ble, as credit, fame, honour.—The mod ffiining merit 
goes down to pofterity with difadvantage, when it is not 
placed by writers in its proper light. Addfon. —A ftate 
not prepared for defence: 
No fort can be fo ftrong, 
No flefhly breaft can armed be fo found, 
But will at laft be won with batt’ry long, 
Or unawares at difadvantage found. Spenfer. 
To DISADVANTAGE, v.a. To injure in intereft of 
any kind.—All other violences are fo far from advancing 
Chriftianity, that they extremely weaken and difadvantage 
it. Decay of Piety. 
DISADVAN'TAGEABLE, adj. Contrary to profit; 
producing lofs. A word not ufed .■—In clearing of a man’s 
eftate, he may as well hurt himfelf in being too hidden, 
as in letting it run on too long ; for hafty felling is com¬ 
monly as difadvantageable as intereft. Bacon. 
DISADVANTAGEOUS, adj. Contrary to intereft ; 
contrary to convenience ; unfavourable.—A multitude of 
eyes will narrowly infpeft every part of an eminent man, 
confider him nicely in all views, and not be a little pleafed 
when they have taken him in the worft and rnoft difad- 
vantageous lights. Addfon. 
DISADVANTA'GEOUSLY, adv. In a manner con¬ 
trary to intereft or profit; in a manner not favourable.— 
An approving nod or fmile ferves to drive you on, and 
make you difplay yourfelves more difadvantageoifly. Go-, 
vernnent of the Tongue. 
DISADVANTA'GEOUSNESS,/. Contrariety to pro. 
fit; inconvenience ; mifehief; lofs. 
DISADVEN'TUROUS,^//. Unhappy; unprofperous: 
Now he hath left you here, 
To be the record of his rueful lofs. 
And of my doleful dfadventurous death. Spenfer. 
To DISAFFE'CT, v. a. To fill with difeontent ; to 
difeoutent; to make lefs faithful or zealous.—They had 
attempted to difaffeEl and difeontent his majefty’s late ar¬ 
my. Clarendon. 
DISAFF'EC'TED, part. adj. Not difpofed to zeal or 
affeftion. Ufually applied to thofe who are enemies 
to the government.—By denying civil worffiip to the 
emperor’s ftatues, which the cuttom then was to give, 
they were proceeded againft as difajfc&ed to the emperor. 
Stilling feet. 
DISAFFEC'TEDLY, adv. Afteradifaffefted manner. 
DISAF, 
