2. To be overpowered by light; to be confused by excess of brightness.
An overlight maketh the eyes dazzle.
Bacon.
I dare not trust these eyes;
They dance in mists, and dazzle with surprise.
Dryden. Dazzle
(Daz"zle), n. A light of dazzling brilliancy.
Dazzlement
(Daz"zle*ment) n. Dazzling flash, glare, or burst of light. Donne.
Dazzlingly
(Daz"zling*ly) adv. In a dazzling manner.
De-
(De-) A prefix from Latin de down, from, away; as in debark, decline, decease, deduct, decamp.
In words from the French it is equivalent to Latin dis- apart, away; or sometimes to de. Cf. Dis-. It is
negative and opposite in derange, deform, destroy, etc. It is intensive in deprave, despoil, declare,
desolate, etc.
Deacon
(Dea"con) n. [OE. diakne, deakne, deken, AS. diacon, deacon, L. diaconus, fr. Gr. a servant
or minister, a minister of the church; of uncertain origin. In sense 2 prob. confused with dean.]
1. (Eccl.) An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in
different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest
order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate
to the minister and elders, and has charge of certain duties connected with the communion service and
the care of the poor. In Congregational churches, he is subordinate to the pastor, and has duties as in
the Presbyterian church.
2. The chairman of an incorporated company. [Scot.]
Deacon
(Dea"con) v. t. To read aloud each line of (a psalm or hymn) before singing it, — usually with
off. [Colloq. New. Eng.] See Line, v. t.
The expression is derived from a former custom in the Congregational churches of New England. It was
part of the office of a deacon to read aloud the psalm given out, one line at a time, the congregation
singing each line as soon as read; — called, also, lining out the psalm.
Deaconess
(Dea"con*ess) n. (Eccl.) A female deacon; as: (a) (Primitive Ch.) One of an order of women
whose duties resembled those of deacons. (b) (Ch. of Eng. and Prot. Epis. Ch.) A woman set apart
for church work by a bishop. (c) A woman chosen as a helper in church work, as among the Congregationalists.
Deaconhood
(Dea"con*hood) n. The state of being a deacon; office of a deacon; deaconship.
Deaconry
(Dea"con*ry) n. See Deaconship.
Deaconship
(Dea"con*ship), n. The office or ministry of a deacon or deaconess.
Dead
(Dead) a. [OE. ded, dead, deed, AS. deád; akin to OS. dod, D. dood, G. todt, tot, Icel. dauðr,
Sw. & Dan. död, Goth. daubs; prop. p. p. of an old verb meaning to die. See Die, and cf. Death.]
1. Deprived of life; — opposed to alive and living; reduced to that state of a being in which the organs
of motion and life have irrevocably ceased to perform their functions; as, a dead tree; a dead man. "The
queen, my lord, is dead." Shak.
The crew, all except himself, were dead of hunger.
Arbuthnot.
Seek him with candle, bring him dead or living.
Shak.
