Decapoda - Decern

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Decapoda (d�kăp�dȧ), prop. n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. deka ten + poys, podos, foot.] 1. (Zoöl.) The order of Crustacea which includes the shrimps, lobsters, crabs, etc.
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☞ They have a carapace, covering and uniting the somites of the head and thorax and inclosing a gill chamber on each side, and usually have five (rarely six) pairs of legs. They are divided into two principal groups: Brachyura and Macrura. Some writers recognize a third (Anomura) intermediate between the others.
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2. (Zoöl.) A division of the dibranchiate cephalopods including the cuttlefishes and squids. See .

{ Decapodal (?), Decapodous (?), } a. (Zoöl.) Belonging to the decapods; having ten feet; ten-footed.
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Decarbonate (?), v. t. To deprive of carbonic acid.
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Decarbonization (?), n. The action or process of depriving a substance of carbon.
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Decarbonize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decarbonized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Decarbonizing.] To deprive of carbon; as, to decarbonize steel; to decarbonize the blood.
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Coloq. Decarbonized iron . See . -- Coloq. Decarbonized steel , homogenous wrought iron made by a steel process, as that of Bessemer; ingot iron.
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Decarbonizer (?), n. He who, or that which, decarbonizes a substance.
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Decarburization (?), n. The act, process, or result of decarburizing.
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Decarburize (?), v. t. To deprive of carbon; to remove the carbon from.
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Decard (?), v. t. To discard. [Obs.]
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You have cast those by, decarded them. J. Fletcher.
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Decardinalize (?), v. t. To depose from the rank of cardinal.
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Decastere (?), n. [L. décastère; Gr. deka ten + F. stère a stere.] (Metric System) A measure of capacity, equal to ten steres, or ten cubic meters.
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Decastich (?), n. [Pref. deca- + Gr. stichos a row, a line of writing, a verse.] A poem consisting of ten lines.
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Decastyle (?), a. [Gr. �; deka ten + stylos a column.] (Arch.) Having ten columns in front; -- said of a portico, temple, etc. -- n. A portico having ten pillars or columns in front.
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Decasyllabic (?), a. [Pref. deca- + syllabic: cf. F. décasyllabique, décasyllable.] Having, or consisting of, ten syllables.
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decathlon (?), n. [See ; .] In the modern Olympic Games, a composite contest consisting of a 100-meter run, a broad jump, putting the shot, a running high-jump, a 400-meter run, throwing the discus, a 100-meter hurdle race, pole vaulting, throwing the javelin, and a 1500-meter run.
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Decatoic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, decane.
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Decay (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Decaying.] [OF. decaeir, dechaer, decheoir, F. déchoir, to decline, fall, become less; L. de- + cadere to fall. See .] To pass gradually from a sound, prosperous, or perfect state, to one of imperfection, adversity, or dissolution; to waste away; to decline; to fail; to become weak, corrupt, or disintegrated; to rot; to perish; as, a tree decays; fortunes decay; hopes decay.
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Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men decay. Goldsmith.
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Decay, v. t. 1. To cause to decay; to impair. [R.]
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Infirmity, that decays the wise. Shak.
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2. To destroy. [Obs.] Shak.
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Decay, n. 1. Gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or of any species of excellence or perfection; tendency toward dissolution or extinction; corruption; rottenness; decline; deterioration; as, the decay of the body; the decay of virtue; the decay of the Roman empire; a castle in decay.
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Perhaps my God, though he be far before,
May turn, and take me by the hand, and more --
May strengthen my decays. Herbert.
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His [Johnson's] failure was not to be ascribed to intellectual decay. Macaulay.
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Which has caused the decay of the consonants to follow somewhat different laws. James Byrne.
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2. Destruction; death. [Obs.] Spenser.
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3. Cause of decay. [R.]
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He that plots to be the only figure among ciphers, is the decay of the whole age. Bacon.

Syn. -- Decline; consumption. See .
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decayable adj. susceptible to decay.
Syn. -- putrescible, putrefiable, spoilable.
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Decayed (?), a. Fallen, as to physical or social condition; affected with decay; rotten; as, decayed vegetation or vegetables; a decayed fortune or gentleman. -- Decayedness (#), n.
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Decayer (?), n. A causer of decay. [R.]
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Decease (?), n. [OE. deses, deces, F. décès, fr. L. decessus departure, death, fr. decedere to depart, die; de- + cedere to withdraw. See , .] Departure, especially departure from this life; death.
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His decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. Luke ix. 31.
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And I, the whilst you mourn for his decease,
Will with my mourning plaints your plaint increase. Spenser.

Syn. -- Death; departure; dissolution; demise; release. See .
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Decease, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Deceased (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Deceasing.] To depart from this life; to die; to pass away.
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She's dead, deceased, she's dead. Shak.
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When our summers have deceased. Tennyson.
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Inasmuch as he carries the malignity and the lie with him, he so far deceases from nature. Emerson.
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Deceased (?), a. Passed away; dead; gone.
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Coloq. The deceased , the dead person.
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Decede (?), v. i. [L. decedere. See , n.] To withdraw. [Obs.] Fuller.
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Decedent (?), a. [L. decedens, p. pr. of decedere.] Removing; departing. Ash.
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Decedent, n. A deceased person. Bouvier.
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Deceit (?), n. [OF. deceit, desçait, decept (cf. deceite, deçoite), fr. L. deceptus deception, fr. decipere. See .] 1. An attempt or disposition to deceive or lead into error; any declaration, artifice, or practice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud.
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Making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit. Amos viii. 5.
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Friendly to man, far from deceit or guile. Milton.
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Yet still we hug the dear deceit. N. Cotton.
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2. (Law) Any trick, collusion, contrivance, false representation, or underhand practice, used to defraud another. When injury is thereby effected, an action of deceit, as it called, lies for compensation.

Syn. -- Deception; fraud; imposition; duplicity; trickery; guile; falsifying; double-dealing; stratagem. See .
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Deceitful (?), a. Full of, or characterized by, deceit; serving to mislead or insnare; trickish; fraudulent; cheating; insincere.
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Harboring foul deceitful thoughts. Shak.
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Deceitfully, adv. With intent to deceive.
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Deceitfulness, n. 1. The disposition to deceive; as, a man's deceitfulness may be habitual.
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2. The quality of being deceitful; as, the deceitfulness of a man's practices.
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3. Tendency to mislead or deceive. “The deceitfulness of riches.” Matt. xiii. 22.
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Deceitless, a. Free from deceit. Bp. Hall.
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Deceivable (?), a. [F. décevable.] 1. Fitted to deceive; deceitful. [Obs.]
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The fraud of deceivable traditions. Milton.
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2. Subject to deceit; capable of being misled.
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Blind, and thereby deceivable. Milton.
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Deceivableness, n. 1. Capability of deceiving.
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With all deceivableness of unrighteousness. 2 Thess. ii. 10.
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2. Liability to be deceived or misled; as, the deceivableness of a child.
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Deceivably, adv. In a deceivable manner.
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Deceive (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deceived (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Deceiving.] [OE. deceveir, F. décevoir, fr. L. decipere to catch, insnare, deceive; de- + capere to take, catch. See , and cf. , .] 1. To lead into error; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose upon; to mislead; to cheat; to disappoint; to delude; to insnare.
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Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Tim. iii. 13.
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Nimble jugglers that deceive the eye. Shak.
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What can 'scape the eye
Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart? Milton.
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2. To beguile; to amuse, so as to divert the attention; to while away; to take away as if by deception.
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These occupations oftentimes deceived
The listless hour. Wordsworth.
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3. To deprive by fraud or stealth; to defraud. [Obs.]
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Plant fruit trees in large borders, and set therein fine flowers, but thin and sparingly, lest they deceive the trees. Bacon.

Syn. -- , , . Deceive is a general word applicable to any kind of misrepresentation affecting faith or life. To delude, primarily, is to make sport of, by deceiving, and is accomplished by playing upon one's imagination or credulity, as by exciting false hopes, causing him to undertake or expect what is impracticable, and making his failure ridiculous. It implies some infirmity of judgment in the victim, and intention to deceive in the deluder. But it is often used reflexively, indicating that a person's own weakness has made him the sport of others or of fortune; as, he deluded himself with a belief that luck would always favor him. To mislead is to lead, guide, or direct in a wrong way, either willfully or ignorantly.
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Deceiver (?), n. One who deceives; one who leads into error; a cheat; an impostor.
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The deceived and the deceiver are his. Job xii. 16.

Syn. -- , . A deceiver operates by stealth and in private upon individuals; an impostor practices his arts on the community at large. The one succeeds by artful falsehoods, the other by bold assumption. The faithless friend and the fickle lover are deceivers; the false prophet and the pretended prince are impostors.
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decelerate v. i. 1. 1 to reduce speed; as, The car decelerated. Opposite of accelerate.
Syn. -- slow, slow down, slow up, retard.
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decelerate v. t. to cause to reduce speed. Opposite of accelerate.
Syn. -- slow down.
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deceleration n. a decrease in velocity. Opposite of acceleration
Syn. -- slowing, retardation.
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December (d�sĕmbẽr), prop. n. [F. décembre, from L. December, fr. decem ten; this being the tenth month among the early Romans, who began the year in March. See .] 1. The twelfth and last month of the year, containing thirty-one days. During this month occurs the winter solstice.
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2. Fig.: With reference to the end of the year and to the winter season; as, the December of his life.
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Decembrist (?), n. (Russian Hist.) One of those who conspired for constitutional government against the Emperor Nicholas on his accession to the throne at the death of Alexander I., in December, 1825; -- called also Dekabrist.

He recalls the history of the decembrists . . . that gallant band of revolutionists. G. Kennan.
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Decemdentate (?), a. [L. decem ten + E. dentate.] Having ten points or teeth.
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Decemfid (d�sĕmfĭd), a. [L. decem ten + root of findere to cleave.] (Bot.) Cleft into ten parts.
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Decemlocular (?), a. [L. decem ten + E. locular.] (Bot.) Having ten cells for seeds.
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Decempedal (d�sĕmp�d�l), a. [L. decem ten + E. pedal.] 1. Ten feet in length.
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2. (Zoöl.) Having ten feet; decapodal. [R.] Bailey.
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Decemvir (d�sĕmvẽr), n.; pl. E. Decemvirs (#), L. Decemviri (#). [L., fr. decem ten + vir a man.] 1. One of a body of ten magistrates in ancient Rome.
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☞ The title of decemvirs was given to various bodies of Roman magistrates. The most celebrated decemvirs framed “the laws of the Twelve Tables,” about 450 B. C., and had absolute authority for three years.
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2. A member of any body of ten men in authority.
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Decemviral (?), a. [L. decemviralis.] Pertaining to the decemvirs in Rome.
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Decemvirate (?), n. [L. decemviratus.] 1. The office or term of office of the decemvirs in Rome.
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2. A body of ten men in authority.
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Decemvirship (?), n. The office of a decemvir. Holland.
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Decence (?), n. Decency. [Obs.] Dryden.
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Decency (?), n.; pl. Decencies (#). [L. decentia, fr. decens: cf. F. décence. See .] 1. The quality or state of being decent, suitable, or becoming, in words or behavior; propriety of form in social intercourse, in actions, or in discourse; proper formality; becoming ceremony; seemliness; hence, freedom from obscenity or indecorum; modesty.
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Observances of time, place, and of decency in general. Burke.
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Immodest words admit of no defense,
For want of decency is want of sense. Roscommon.
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2. That which is proper or becoming.
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The external decencies of worship. Atterbury.
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Those thousand decencies, that daily flow
From all her words and actions. Milton.
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Decene (?), n. [L. decem ten.] (Chem.) One of the higher hydrocarbons, C10H20, of the ethylene series.
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Decennary (?), n.; pl. Decennaries (#). [L. decennium a period of ten years; decem ten + annus a year.] 1. A period of ten years.
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2. (O. Eng. Law) A tithing consisting of ten neighboring families. Burrill.
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Decennial (?), a. [See .] Consisting of ten years; happening every ten years; as, a decennial period; decennial games. Hallam.
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Decennial, n. A tenth year or tenth anniversary.
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Decennium (?), n.; pl. Decenniums (#), L. Decennia (#). [L.] A period of ten years. “The present decennium.” Hallam. “The last decennium of Chaucer's life.” A. W. Ward.

{ Decennoval (?), Decennovary (?), } a. [L. decem ten + novem nine.] Pertaining to the number nineteen; of nineteen years. [R.] Holder.
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decent (dēs�nt), a. [L. decens, decentis, p. pr. of decere to be fitting or becoming; akin to decus glory, honor, ornament, Gr. dokei^n to seem good, to seem, think; cf. Skr. dāç to grant, to give; and perh. akin to E. attire, tire: cf. F. décent. Cf. , , .] 1. Suitable in words, behavior, dress, or ceremony; becoming; fit; decorous; proper; seemly; as, decent conduct; decent language. Shak.
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Before his decent steps. Milton.
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2. Free from immodesty or obscenity; modest.
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3. Comely; shapely; well-formed. [Archaic]
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A sable stole of cyprus lawn
Over thy decent shoulders drawn. Milton.
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By foreign hands thy decent limbs composed. Pope.
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4. Moderate, but competent; sufficient; hence, respectable; fairly good; reasonably comfortable or satisfying; as, a decent fortune; a decent person.
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A decent retreat in the mutability of human affairs. Burke.

-- Decently, adv. -- Decentness, n.
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decentralisation n. same as .
Syn. -- decentralization.
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decentralise v. same as . Opposite of centralize and concentrate
Syn. -- decentralize, deconcentrate.
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decentralizing adj. prenom. causing a dispersion or movement away from the center; -- used especially of power or administrative functions. Opposite of centralizing.
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decentralization (?), n. 1. The action of decentralizing, or the state of being decentralized. “The decentralization of France.” J. P. Peters.
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2. the spread of power away from the center to local branches or governments.
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Decentralize (?), v. t. to make less central; to prevent from centralizing; to cause to withdraw from the center or place of concentration; to divide and distribute (what has been united or concentrated); -- esp. said of authority, or the administration of public affairs.
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Deceptible (?), a. Capable of being deceived; deceivable. Sir T. Browne. -- Deceptibility (�), n.
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Deception (?), n. [F. déception, L. deceptio, fr. decipere, deceptum. See .] 1. The act of deceiving or misleading. South.
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2. The state of being deceived or misled.
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There is one thing relating either to the action or enjoyments of man in which he is not liable to deception. South.
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3. That which deceives or is intended to deceive; false representation; artifice; cheat; fraud.
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There was of course room for vast deception. Motley.

Syn. -- , , , . Deception usually refers to the act, and deceit to the habit of the mind; hence we speak of a person as skilled in deception and addicted to deceit. The practice of deceit springs altogether from design, and that of the worst kind; but a deception does not always imply aim and intention. It may be undesigned or accidental. An imposition is an act of deception practiced upon some one to his annoyance or injury; a fraud implies the use of stratagem, with a view to some unlawful gain or advantage.
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Deceptious (?), a. [LL. deceptiosus.] Tending deceive; delusive. [R.]
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As if those organs had deceptious functions. Shak.
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Deceptive (?), a. [Cf. F. déceptif. See .] Tending to deceive; having power to mislead, or impress with false opinions; as, a deceptive countenance or appearance.
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Language altogether deceptive, and hiding the deeper reality from our eyes. Trench.
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Coloq. Deceptive cadence (Mus.), a cadence on the subdominant, or in some foreign key, postponing the final close.
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Deceptively, adv. In a manner to deceive.
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Deceptiveness, n. The power or habit of deceiving; tendency or aptness to deceive.
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Deceptivity (?), n. Deceptiveness; a deception; a sham. [R.] Carlyle.
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Deceptory (?), a. [L. deceptorius, from decipere.] Deceptive. [R.]
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Decern (?), v. t. [L. decernere. See .] 1. To perceive, discern, or decide. [Obs.] Granmer.
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2. (Scots Law) To decree; to adjudge.
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