Chapter Die to Dinah of D by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Digest (The). The collection of all the laws of Rome compiled by Tribonian and sixteen assistants, by order of Justinian. It amounted to 2,000 volumes, and was finished in three years (A.D. 533). (See Pandects.)

Diggings Come to my diggings. To my rooms, residence, office, sanctum. A word imported from California and its gold diggings.

"My friend here wants to take diggings; and as you were complaining that you would get someone to go halves with you, I thought I had better bring you together." - A. C. Doyle: A Study in Scarlet, chap. i.

Diggory A barn labourer, taken on grand occasions for butler and footman to Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle. He laughs and talks while serving, and is as gauche as possible. (Goldsmith. She Stoops to Conquer.)

Digit The first nine numerals; so called from the habit of counting as far as ten on the fingers. (Latin, digitus, a finger.)

Dignitary (A). A clergyman who holds preferment to which jurisdiction is annexed, as bishops, deans, archdeacons, canons, etc.

Dignus Vindice Nodus (Latin). A knot or difficulty worthy of such hands to untie. Literally, a knotty point worthy to be made a civil action. The person who brought a civil action was called in Roman law a vindex, and the action was called a vindicatio. If the rightful possessor was a matter of dispute, the question became a lis vindiciarum, and was referred to the praetor to determine. A knotty point referred to the praetor was a "dignus vindice nodus. "

Dii Penates (Latin). Household gods; now used for such articles of furniture or decoration as the lady of the house especially prizes.

Dilemma The horns of a dilemma. "Lemma" means a thing taken for granted (Greek, lambano, to take). "Dilemma" is a double lemma, a two-edged sword which strikes both ways, or a bull which will toss you whichever horn you lay hold of. A young rhetorician said to an old sophist, "Teach me to plead, and I will pay you when I gain a cause." The master sued for payment, and the scholar pleaded, "If I gain the cause I shall not pay you, because the judge will say I am not to pay, and if I lose my cause I shall not be required to pay, according to the terms of our agreement." To this the master replied, "Not so; if you gain your cause you must pay me according to the terms of our agreement; and if you lose your cause the judge will condemn you to pay me."

Dilettante (Italian). An amateur of the fine arts, in opposition to a professor. Plural, dilettanti.

"These gentlemen are to be judged, not as dilettanti, but as professors." - Athenæum.

Diligence is that energy and industry which we show when we do what we like (Latin, diligo, I like); but indolence is that listless manner with which we do what thoroughly vexes us. (Latin, in, intensive; dolco, to grieve.)

Diligence A four-wheeled stage-coach, drawn by four or more horses. Common in France before the introduction of railroads. The pun is well known.
   Si vis placere magistro, utere diligentia (i.e. his diligence).

Dilly (plural, Dillies). Stage-coaches. They first began to run in 1779. An abbreviation of the French word diligence (q.v.). "Derby dilly."

Dim and Distant Future (The). In November, 1885, Mr. W. E. Gladstone said that the disestablishment and disendowment of the Anglican Church were questions in "the dim and distant future."

Dimanche (Monsieur). A dun. The term is from Molière's Don Juan, and would be, in English, Mr. Sunday. The word damanche is a corruption and contraction of dies Domanica (the Lord's day).

Dimetæ The ancient Latin name for the inhabitants of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, and Cardiganshire.