Doubtfully - Down

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2. Admitting of doubt; not obvious, clear, or certain; questionable; not decided; not easy to be defined, classed, or named; as, a doubtful case, hue, claim, title, species, and the like.
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Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good. Shak.
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Is it a great cruelty to expel from our abode the enemy of our peace, or even the doubtful friend [i. e., one as to whose sincerity there may be doubts]? Bancroft.
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3. Characterized by ambiguity; dubious; as, a doubtful expression; a doubtful phrase.
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4. Of uncertain issue or event.
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We . . . have sustained one day in doubtful fight. Milton.
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The strife between the two principles had been long, fierce, and doubtful. Macaulay.
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5. Fearful; apprehensive; suspicious. [Obs.]
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I am doubtful that you have been conjunct
And bosomed with her. Shak.

Syn. -- Wavering; vacillating; hesitating; undetermined; distrustful; dubious; uncertain; equivocal; ambiguous; problematical; questionable.
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Doubtfully (?), adv. In a doubtful manner.
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Nor did the goddess doubtfully declare. Dryden.
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Doubtfulness, n. 1. State of being doubtful.
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2. Uncertainty of meaning; ambiguity; indefiniteness. “ The doubtfulness of his expressions.” Locke.
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3. Uncertainty of event or issue. Bacon.
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Doubting, a. That is uncertain; that distrusts or hesitates; having doubts. -- Doubtingly, adv.
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Doubtless, a. Free from fear or suspicion. [Obs.]
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Pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure. Shak.
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Doubtless, adv. Undoubtedly; without doubt.
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Doubtlessly, adv. Unquestionably. Beau. & Fl.
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Doubtous (?), a. [OF. dotos, douteus, F. douteux.] Doubtful. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Douc (?), n. (Zoöl.) A monkey (Semnopithecus nemæus), remarkable for its varied and brilliant colors. It is a native of Cochin China.
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Douce (?), a. [F. doux, masc., douce, fem., sweet, fr. L. duleis sweet.] 1. Sweet; pleasant. [Obs.]
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2. Sober; prudent; sedate; modest. [Scot.]
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And this is a douce, honest man. Sir W. Scott.
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Doucepere (?), n. [F. les douze pairs the twelve peers of France, renowned in romantic fiction.] One of the twelve peers of France, companions of Charlemagne in war. [Written also douzepere.] [Obs.]
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Big-looking like a doughty doucepere. Spenser.

{ Doucet (?), Dowset (?) }, n. [F. doucet sweet, dim. of doux. See .] 1. A custard. [Obs.]
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2. A dowcet, or deep's testicle.
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Douceur (?), n. [F., fr. doux sweet. See .] 1. Gentleness and sweetness of manner; agreeableness. Chesterfield.
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2. A gift for service done or to be done; an honorarium; a present; sometimes, a bribe. Burke.
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Douche (?), n. [F., fr. It. doccia, fr. docciare to flow, pour, fr. an assumed LL. ductiare, fr. L. ducere, ductum, to lead, conduct (water). See .] 1. A jet or current of water or vapor directed upon some part of the body to benefit it medicinally; a douche bath.
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2. (Med.) A syringe.
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Doucine (?), n. [F.] (Arch.) Same as Cyma�recta, under .
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Doucker (?), n. [From aouck, for duck. See , v. t.] (Zoöl.) A grebe or diver; -- applied also to the golden-eye, pochard, scoter, and other ducks. [Written also ducker.] [Prov. Eng.]
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Dough (?), n. [OE. dagh, dogh, dow, AS. dāh; akin to D. deeg, G. teig, Icel. deig, Sw. deg, Dan. deig, Goth. daigs; also, to Goth. deigan to knead, L. fingere to form, shape, Skr. dih to smear; cf. Gr. � wall, � to touch, handle. �. Cf. , , , .] 1. Paste of bread; a soft mass of moistened flour or meal, kneaded or unkneaded, but not yet baked; as, to knead dough.
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2. Anything of the consistency of such paste.
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Coloq. To have one's cake dough . See under .
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Dough-baked (?), a. Imperfectly baked; hence, not brought to perfection; unfinished; also, of weak or dull understanding. [Colloq.] Halliwell.
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Doughbird (?), n. (Zoöl.) The Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis). See .
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Doughface (?), n. A contemptuous nickname for a timid, yielding politician, or one who is easily molded. [Political cant, U. S.]
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Dough-faced (?), a. Easily molded; pliable.
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Doughfaceism (?), n. The character of a doughface; truckling pliability.
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Doughiness, n. The quality or state of being doughy.
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Dough-kneaded (?), a. Like dough; soft.
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He demeans himself . . . like a dough-kneaded thing. Milton.
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Doughnut (?), n. A small cake (usually sweetened) fried in a kettle of boiling lard.
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Doughtily (?), adv. In a doughty manner.
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Doughtiness, n. The quality of being doughty; valor; bravery.
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Doughtren (?), n. pl. [See .] Daughters. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Doughty (dout�), a. [Compar. Doughtier (doutĭẽr); superl. Doughtiest.] [OE. duhti, dohti, douhti, brave, valiant, fit, useful, AS. dyhtig; akin to G. tüchtig, Dan. dygtig, Sw. dygdig virtuous, and fr. AS. dugan to avail, be of use, be strong, akin to D. deugen, OHG. tugan, G. taugen, Icel. & Sw. duga, Dan. due, Goth. dugan, but of uncertain origin; cf. Skr. duh to milk, give milk, draw out, or Gr. tychh fortune. √68.] Able; strong; valiant; redoubtable; as, a doughty hero.
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Sir Thopas wex [grew] a doughty swain. Chaucer.
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Doughty families, hugging old musty quarrels to their hearts, buffet each other from generation to generation. Motley.
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☞ Now seldom used, except in irony or burlesque.
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Doughy (dō�), a. Like dough; soft and heavy; pasty; crude; flabby and pale; as, a doughy complexion.
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Doulocracy (?), n. [Gr. doy^los slave + kratei^n to rule.] A government by slaves. [Written also dulocracy.] Hare.
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Doum palm (d�m päm). See .
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Doupe (?), n. (Zoöl.) The carrion crow. [Written also dob.] [Prov. Eng.]
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Dour (?), a. [Cf. F. dur, L. durus.] Hard; inflexible; obstinate; sour in aspect; hardy; bold. [Scot.]
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A dour wife, a sour old carlin. C. Reade.
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Doura, dourah (?), n. sorghums of dry regions of Asia and North Africa; A kind of millet. See .
Syn. -- durra, doura, dourah, Egyptian corn, Indian millet, Guinea corn.
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Douroucouli (?), n. (Zoöl.) A small, nocturnal, South American monkey of the genus Aotus (formerly Nyctipithecus trivirgatus), with large owl-like eyes; hence, the common name owl monkey. [Written also Durukuli and dourikuli.]
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Douse (dous), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Doused (doust); p. pr. & vb. n. Dousing.] [Cf. , and OD. donsen to strike with the fist on the back, Sw. dunsa to fall down violently and noisily; perh. akin to E. din.] 1. To plunge suddenly into water; to duck; to immerse; to dowse. Bp. Stillingfleet.
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2. (Naut.) To strike or lower in haste; to slacken suddenly; as, douse the topsail.
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Douse, v. i. To fall suddenly into water. Hudibras.
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Douse, v. t. [AS. dwæscan. (Skeat.)] To put out; to extinguish; as, douse the lights. [Slang] “ To douse the glim.” Sir W. Scott.
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Dousing-chock (?), n. (Shipbuilding) One of several pieces fayed across the apron and lapped in the knightheads, or inside planking above the upper deck. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
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Dout (?), v. t. [Do + out. Cf. .] To put out. [Obs.] “It douts the light.” Sylvester.
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Douter (?), n. An extinguisher for candles. [Obs.]
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Dove (dŭv), n. [OE. dove, duve, douve, AS. dūfe; akin to OS. dūba, D. duif, OHG. tūba, G. taube, Icel. dūfa, Sw. dufva, Dan. due, Goth. dūbō; perh. from the root of E. dive.] 1. (Zoöl.) A pigeon of the genus Columba and various related genera. The species are numerous.
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☞ The domestic dove, including the varieties called fantails, tumblers, carrier pigeons, etc., was derived from the rock pigeon (Columba livia) of Europe and Asia; the turtledove of Europe, celebrated for its sweet, plaintive note, is Columba turtur or Turtur vulgaris; the ringdove, the largest of European species, is Columba palumbus; the Carolina dove, or Mourning dove, is Zenaidura macroura; the sea dove is the little auk (Mergulus alle or Alle alle). See , , and . The dove is a symbol of peace, innocence, gentleness, and affection; also, in art and in the Scriptures, the typical symbol of the Holy Ghost.
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2. A word of endearment for one regarded as pure and gentle.
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O my dove, . . . let me hear thy voice. Cant. ii. 14.
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3. a person advocating peace, compromise or conciliation rather than war or conflict. Opposite of hawk.
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Coloq. Dove tick (Zoöl.), a mite (Argas reflexus) which infests doves and other birds. -- Coloq. Soiled dove , a prostitute. [Slang]

{ Dovecot (?), Dovecote (?), } n. A small house or box, raised to a considerable height above the ground, and having compartments, in which domestic pigeons breed; a dove house.
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Like an eagle in a dovecote, I
Fluttered your Volscians in Corioli. Shak.
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Dove-eyed (?), a. Having eyes like a dove; meekeyed; as, dove-eyed Peace.
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Dovekie (?), n. (Zoöl.) A guillemot (Uria grylle), of the arctic regions. Also applied to the little auk or sea dove. See under .
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Dovelet (?), n. A young or small dove. Booth.
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Dovelike (?), a. Mild as a dove; gentle; pure and lovable. Longfellow.
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Dove plant (?). (Bot.) A Central American orchid (Peristeria elata), having a flower stem five or six feet high, with numerous globose white fragrant flowers. The column in the center of the flower resembles a dove; -- called also Holy Spirit plant.
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Dover's Powder (?). [From Dr. Dover, an English physician.] (Med.) A powder of ipecac and opium, compounded, in the United States, with sugar of milk, but in England (as formerly in the United States) with sulphate of potash, and in France (as in Dr. Dover's original prescription) with nitrate and sulphate of potash and licorice. It is an anodyne diaphoretic.
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Dove's-foot (?), n. (Bot.) (a) A small annual species of Geranium, native in England; -- so called from the shape of the leaf. (b) The columbine. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
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Doveship (?), n. The possession of dovelike qualities, harmlessness and innocence. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
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Dovetail (?), n. (Carp.) A flaring tenon, or tongue (shaped like a bird's tail spread), and a mortise, or socket, into which it fits tightly, making an interlocking joint between two pieces which resists pulling a part in all directions except one.
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Coloq. Dovetail molding (Arch.), a molding of any convex section arranged in a sort of zigzag, like a series of dovetails. -- Coloq. Dovetail saw (Carp.), a saw used in dovetailing.
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Dovetail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dovetailed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dovetailing.] 1. (Carp.) (a) To cut to a dovetail. (b) To join by means of dovetails.
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2. To fit in or connect strongly, skillfully, or nicely; to fit ingeniously or complexly.
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He put together a piece of joinery so crossly indented and whimsically dovetailed . . . that it was indeed a very curious show. Burke.
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Dovish (?), a. 1. Like a dove; harmless; innocent. “Joined with dovish simplicity.” Latimer.
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2. advocating peace, compromise or conciliation rather than war or conflict. Opposite of hawkish
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Dovyalis n. a small genus of sometimes spiny shrubs or small trees, found in Africa, India, and Sri Lanka.
Syn. -- genus Dovyalis.
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Dow (?), n. A kind of vessel. See .
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Dow, v. t. [F. douer. See .] To furnish with a dower; to endow. [Obs.] Wyclif.
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Dow (dou), prop. n. (Finance) shortened form of or Dow Jones Industrial Average; as, the Dow rose 100 points today.
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Dowable (?), a. [From , v. t.] Capable of being endowed; entitled to dower. Blackstone.
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Dowager (?), n. [OF. douagiere, fr. douage dower. See .] 1. (Eng. Law) A widow endowed, or having a jointure; a widow who either enjoys a dower from her deceased husband, or has property of her own brought by her to her husband on marriage, and settled on her after his decease. Blount. Burrill.
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2. A title given in England to a widow, to distinguish her from the wife of her husband's heir bearing the same name; -- chiefly applied to widows of personages of rank.
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With prudes for proctors, dowagers for deans. Tennyson.
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Coloq. Queen dowager , the widow of a king.
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Dowagerism (?), n. The rank or condition of a dowager; formality, as that of a dowager. Also used figuratively.
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Mansions that have passed away into dowagerism. Thackeray.
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Dowcet (?), n. [See .] One of the testicles of a hart or stag. [Spelt also doucet.] B. Jonson.
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Dowdy (?), a. [Compar. Dowdier (?); superl. Dowdiest.] [Scot. dawdie slovenly, daw, da sluggard, drab, Prov. E. dowd flat, dead.] Showing a vulgar taste in dress; awkward and slovenly in dress; vulgar-looking. -- Dowdily (#), adv. -- Dowdiness, n.
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Dowdy, n.; pl. Dowdies (�). An awkward, vulgarly dressed, inelegant woman. Shak. Dryden.
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Dowdyish, a. Like a dowdy.
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Dowel (?), n. [Cf. G. döbel peg, F. douelle state of a cask, surface of an arch, douille socket, little pipe, cartridge.] (Mech.) 1. A pin, or block, of wood or metal, fitting into holes in the abutting portions of two pieces, and being partly in one piece and partly in the other, to keep them in their proper relative position.
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2. A piece of wood driven into a wall, so that other pieces may be nailed to it.
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Coloq. Dowel joint , a joint secured by a dowel or dowels. -- Coloq. Dowel pin , a dowel. See , n., 1.
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Dowel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Doweled (?) or Dowelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Doweling or Dowelling.] To fasten together by dowels; to furnish with dowels; as, a cooper dowels pieces for the head of a cask.
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doweling n. fastening by dowels.
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Dower (?), n. [F. douaire, LL. dotarium, from L. dotare to endow, portion, fr. dos dower; akin to Gr. � gift, and to L. dare to give. See 1st , and cf. dowry, .] 1. That with which one is gifted or endowed; endowment; gift.
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How great, how plentiful, how rich a dower! Sir J. Davies.
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Man in his primeval dower arrayed. Wordsworth.
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2. The property with which a woman is endowed; especially: (a) That which a woman brings to a husband in marriage; dowry. [Obs.]
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His wife brought in dower Cilicia's crown. Dryden.

(b) (Law) That portion of the real estate of a man which his widow enjoys during her life, or to which a woman is entitled after the death of her husband. Blackstone.
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☞ Dower, in modern use, is and should be distinguished from dowry. The former is a provision for a widow on her husband's death; the latter is a bride's portion on her marriage. Abbott.
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Coloq. Assignment of dower . See under .
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Dowered (?), p. a. Furnished with, or as with, dower or a marriage portion. Shak.
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Dowerless, a. Destitute of dower; having no marriage portion. Shak.
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Dowery (?), n. See .
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Dowitcher (?), n. (Zoöl.) The red-breasted or gray snipe (Macrorhamphus griseus); -- called also brownback, and grayback.
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Dow-Jones Index (?), n. (Finance) an index of certain stock prices on the New York Stock Exchange, computed by the Dow Jones publishing company as a weighted average of the prices of specific stocks in certain categories. Three indices are maintained, the Industrials, the Transportations, and the Utilities. When used without qualification, the term usually refers to the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Syn. -- Dow, Dow Jones, Dow-Jones Average. [PJC]

Dow-Jones Industrial Average (?), n. (Finance) an index of certain stock prices on the New York Stock Exchange, computed by the Dow Jones publishing company as a weighted average of the prices of the common stocks of 30 specific companies classified as industrial. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is often taken as an indicator of the movement of American stock prices generally, though other indices are maintained, averaging the prices of other stocks, and these often change in opposite directions from those of the DJIA.
Syn. -- DJI, DJIA, Dow, Dow Jones, Dow-Jones Average. [PJC]

Dowl (?), n. Same as .
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Dowlas (?), n. [Prob. fr. Doullens, a town of Picardy, in France, formerly celebrated for this manufacture.] A coarse linen cloth made in the north of England and in Scotland, now nearly replaced by calico. Shak.
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Dowle (?), n. [Cf. OF. douille soft. Cf. .] Feathery or wool-like down; filament of a feather. Shak.
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No feather, or dowle of a feather. De Quincey.
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Down (?), n. [Akin to LG. dune, dun, Icel. d�nn, Sw. dun, Dan. duun, G. daune, cf. D. dons; perh. akin to E. dust.] 1. Fine, soft, hairy outgrowth from the skin or surface of animals or plants, not matted and fleecy like wool; esp.: (a) (Zoöl.) The soft under feathers of birds. They have short stems with soft rachis and bards and long threadlike barbules, without hooklets. (b) (Bot.) The pubescence of plants; the hairy crown or envelope of the seeds of certain plants, as of the thistle. (c) The soft hair of the face when beginning to appear.
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And the first down begins to shade his face. Dryden.
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2. That which is made of down, as a bed or pillow; that which affords ease and repose, like a bed of down
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When in the down I sink my head,
Sleep, Death's twin brother, times my breath. Tennyson.
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Thou bosom softness, down of all my cares! Southern.
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