Chapter Description to Design of D by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Description to Design

Description
(De*scrip"tion) n. [F. description, L. descriptio. See Describe.]

1. The act of describing; a delineation by marks or signs.

2. A sketch or account of anything in words; a portraiture or representation in language; an enumeration of the essential qualities of a thing or species.

Milton has descriptions of morning.

D. Webster.

3. A class to which a certain representation is applicable; kind; sort.

A difference . . . between them and another description of public creditors.

A. Hamilton.

The plates were all of the meanest description.

Macaulay.

Syn. — Account; definition; recital; relation; detail; narrative; narration; explanation; delineation; representation; kind; sort. See Definition.

Descriptive
(De*scrip"tive) a. [L. descriptivus: cf. F. descriptif.] Tending to describe; having the quality of representing; containing description; as, a descriptive figure; a descriptive phrase; a descriptive narration; a story descriptive of the age.

Descriptive anatomy, that part of anatomy which treats of the forms and relations of parts, but not of their textures. — Descriptive geometry, that branch of geometry. which treats of the graphic solution of problems involving three dimensions, by means of projections upon auxiliary planes. Davies & Peck (Math. Dict. )

— De*scrip"tive*ly, adv. — De*scrip"tive*ness, n.

Descrive
(De*scrive") v. t. [OF. descrivre. See Describe.] To describe. [Obs.] Spenser.

Descry
(De*scry") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Descried ; p. pr. & vb. n. Descrying.] [OE. descrien, discrien, to espy, prob. from the proclaiming of what was espied, fr. OF. descrier to proclaim, cry down, decry, F. décrier. The word was confused somewhat with OF. descriven, E. describe, OF. descrivre, from L. describere. See Decry.]

1. To spy out or discover by the eye, as objects distant or obscure; to espy; to recognize; to discern; to discover.

And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel.

Judg. i. 23.

Edmund, I think, is gone . . . to descry
The strength o' the enemy.

Shak.

And now their way to earth they had descried.

Milton.

2. To discover; to disclose; to reveal. [R.]

His purple robe he had thrown aside, lest it should descry him.

Milton.

Syn. — To see; behold; espy; discover; discern.

Descry
(De*scry") n. Discovery or view, as of an army seen at a distance. [Obs.]

Near, and on speedy foot; the main descry
Stands on the hourly thought.

Shak.

Desecate
(Des"e*cate) v. t. [L. desecare to cut off.] To cut, as with a scythe; to mow. [Obs.]