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`
`Webster's11
`New College
`
`More than 200,000 clear, concise definitions
`
`The newest words in science, technology, and more
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`Hundreds ofsynonyms, usage notes, and word histories
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`The right choicefor home, school, or office
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`ighton
`ifflin
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`Webster's II
`
`New College Dictionary
`
`«£1
`
`Houghton Mifflin Company
`Boston - New York
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`

`
`Words are included inthis Dictionary on the basis of their usage.
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`Copyright ©2001, 1999, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All
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`Illustrations azimuthal equidistant projection and sinusoidal projection
`©1986 by The American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.
`
`ISBN 0-395-96214-5
`ISBN 0-618-16903-2 {paper-over-boards binding)
`
`Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`
`Webster's n new college dictionary.
`p.
`cm.
`ISBN 0-395-70869-9 (alk. paper)
`1. English language - Dictionaries.
`University dictionary
`PE1628.W55164
`1995
`423""Qc20
`
`I. Webster's II new Riverside
`oc coaa
`^IP
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`For information about this and other Houghton Mifflin trade and refer
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`Printed in the United States
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`Foreig
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`K L
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`every event, act, anddecision is the inevitable consequence of ante
`cedentsthat are independent of the human will.
`de-tenrcQce {dt-tOr'sns, -tflr'-) n. 1.The act ora means ofdeter
`ring. 2. Measures taken by a state oranalliance ofstates toprevent
`hostile action by another state.
`de.ter.rent (di-tilr'ant, -tilr'-) adj. Tending todeter, -n. 1.Some
`thing that deters. 2.Aretaliatory means todeter enemy attack
`de.ter.sive (dl-tOr'sIv, -zlv) adj. [OFr. detersif < Lat. deteisus.
`p.part. of detetgere. to deterge.] Detergent. —dc-ter'sivc n.
`deftest (dl-t6st') n. -tcst-ed, -testaing, -tests. [Lat. detestazi,
`to curse ; de- (pejorative) -i- testaii, toinvoke < testis. wimess.] To
`dislike intensely : abhor. —de*test'er n.
`de«test«a>ble (dl-tes'ts-bsl) adj. Deserving abhorrence. —de»
`test a«bil'i«ty, de>test'a>ble>ne99 n. —dctest'a.bly adv.
`de>tes>ta*tioii (de'tfi-sta'shan) a. 1.Strong dislike orhaired : ab
`horrence. 2. One that is detested.
`de*throne (de-thron') n. -tluoned, -thronging, -thrones. 1.
`Toremove from a throne : depose. 2.Toremove from a powerful or
`prominent position, —de.throne'mentn.
`aet>i-nue (d5t'n-ob', -yob') n. [ME detenue < OFr., detention <
`p.part. ofdetenii, todetain.] Law. 1.a.An action torecover possession
`orthe value ofproperty wrongfully detained, b.Awrit authorizing det
`inue. 2. Ofcs. Theunlawful detention ofpersonal property.
`det>o>na>ble (dSt'n-a-bal) adj. Capable ofbeing detonated.
`det*o*nate{dJt'n-at') vi, o? vt. -nat«ed/ -nat«ing, -nates. [Lat.
`detoitate. detonat-, tothunder down: de-, down + tonaie, tothunder.]
`To explode or cause to explode. —det'o-aat'a«ble adj. —det'-
`o*na'tion n.
`det»o>na»tor (dfit'n-a'tar) n. I. Adevice, asa fuse orpercussion
`cap, used to set offexplosives. 2. Anexplosive.
`de«tour (de'toor', dl-tobr') n. [Fr. detour < OFr. destor < destomer,
`to turnaway : des-. away (< Lat. de-) -f- tourner, to turn, —see tubn.]
`1.Aroundabout way, esp. a road us^ temporarily instead ofa main
`route. 2. A deviation from a direct course of action, —vi.a^ vt.
`-toured, -tour»ing, -tours. Togoor cause to go bya detour.
`de»tox (de-t6ks') InformaL —vt. -toxed, -tox«ing, -tox*es.
`Tosubject todetoxification. —n. (de'tfiks'). Asection ofa hospital or
`clinic where patients are detoxified.
`de_'tox»i«i^ (de-t6k'53-fi') (jiso de«tox>i>cate (-sl-kat') vt.
`-fied, -fy«ing, -fics also -cat-ed, -cat*ing, -cates. (de- + tox-
`i(c) + -FY.) 1. To counteract or destroy the toxic properties of. 2. To
`remove the effects ofa toxic substance from (e.g., one who abuses al
`cohol ordrugs) ortofree from dependence on(e.g., alcohol ordrugs).
`—de<tox'i«fi.ca'tion n.
`de-tract (di-tritkt') v. -tract-ed, -tract-ing, -tracts. (ME de-
`tracten < Lat. detractus. p.part. ofdetrahere, to remove : de-, away -l-
`trahere. to pull.] —vi. To take away something desirable s diminish
`<Poor grooming detracts from one's appearance.> —v£. 1. To dis
`tract. 2. Archaic. Tospeak ill of : BELrrriE. —de.trac'tive adj.
`—de«trac'tor n.
`de«trac«tion (dl-trSk'shan) n. 1.Disparagement. 2. Theactoftak
`ing away.
`de>train (de-tran') vi. a? vt. -trained, -train»ing, -trains. To
`leave or cause to leave a railroad train. —de«train'ment n.
`de*trib«al«ize (de-tri'ba-liz') vt.-ized, -iz>ing,-iz«es.Tocause
`to lose tribal customs by means of acculturation. —de«trib'al«i'
`za'tion n.
`det>ri>ment (det'rs-mant) n. (ME < OFr. < Lat. detrimentum <
`deterere, to lessen ; de-. away + terete, to rub.] 1.Damage, harm, or
`loss. 2. Something that causes damage, harm, or loss.
`det«ri>men>tal (dfit'rs-mfin'tl) adj. Causing harm ordamage : w-
`jURious. —det'ri»men'tal.Iy adv.
`dc'tri'tion (dl-trfsh'an) n. [Med Lat. detiitio < Lat. detritus,
`p.part. of deleters, to lessen, —see detriment.] Tlie act of wearing
`away by rubbing or friction.
`de»tri«tU8 (dl-tri'tas) n., pLdetritus. [Ft. ditritus< Lat. detn'tus,
`p.part. of deterere, to lessen, —see detriment.] 1. Loose fragments,
`particles, or grains that have beenformed by the disintegration of
`rocks. 2. Disintegrated matter : debris.
`de trop (dj trb') adj. (Fr.) Toomuch : superfluous.
`de«tu>mes«cence (de'tob-mes'ans, -cydb-) n. [< Lat. detumescere,
`to subside ; de-(reversal) + tumescere. to swell up < tiunere. to sub
`side.] Contraction following expansion, esp. return ofa swollen organ
`or part to normal size. —de'tU'mes'cent adj.
`Deu<ca>li>oii [ddb-ka'le-sn, dyob-) n. [Lat. < Gk. Deukalion.] Gk.
`Myth. AsouofPrometheus whowithhiswife, Pynha, survived a del
`uge sent by^Zeus and became theancestor ofthe renewed human race,
`deuce' (doos, dyoos) n. [OFr. deus. two < Lat. duos, accusative of
`duo.] 1.a. A playing card or sideofa die bearing twospots, b. A cast
`ofthedice totaling two. 2.Atennis score in which each player orside
`has 40pointsor 5 or more games each andeitherplayer or sidemust
`win 2 successive points or gamesto win the gameor set.
`deuce^ (diTos, dyobs) n. [Prob. < LG duus, a throw of two in dice
`games, bad luck, ult. < Lat. duo, two.] Informal. The devil. —Used
`as a mild oathor exclamation ofarmoyance, impatience, or surprise.
`deuc«ed (dob'sld, dyob'-) adj. [< deuce-.) InformaL Confounded
`<a deuced nuisance> —deuc'^, denc'ed<ly adv.
`
`ie'teat (di-tgnt') n. [Fr. detente, a loosening < OFr. desteate < des-
`tendie. to release : des-. apart (< Lat. de-) + tendre,to stretch< Lat.
`tendere ] A pawl
`j^.tente (da-taNt', -tant') n. [Fr. —see deteot.] Arelaxation or re
`duction, as of tension between nations.
`je.ten«tion (dl-tgn'shsn) n. [ME deteacioun, actofwithholding <
`OFldetention < LLat. detentio < Lat.detentus.p.part.ofdetineie, to
`detain.] 1.a.Theactofdetaining, b.Thestate ofbeing detained, esp.
`aperiod oftemporary custody while awaiting trial. 2.Aforced orpu
`nitivedelay.
`detention home n. Aplace where juvenile delinquents or offend-
`en are held in custody, esp. while awaiting legal action.
`de'ter (dl-tiii') vt- -terred, -ter.ring, -ters. (Lat. detenere : de-.
`away + teneie. tofrighten.] Toprevent ordiscourage from acting, esp.
`by means of doubt or fear. —de«ter'ment n. —de-ter'rer n.
`deterge [dl-turj') «. -tergcd, -terg.ing, -terg-cs. [Fldeteiger
`< lat. deteigeie : de-, off + tergere. to wipe.] To cleanse or wipe oH.
`de«ter-gen»cy (dl-tflr'jan-se) also de<ter«geiice (-jans) n.
`Cleansing power or quality.
`de'ter'gent (di-tiir'jsnt) n. A cleansing substance, esp. one made
`syntheticaOy from chemical compounds rather thanfrom fats andlye
`and used as a wettingagentand emulsifier. —dcter'gent adj.
`de«te'ri»o«rate (dl-tir'e-3-rat') v. -rat>ed, -rat^ing^ -rates.
`[LLat- deteriorate, deteriorat- < Lat. detenor, worse.] —n. To lower
`orimpair in quality, character, or value. —vi. To degenerate. —de*
`te'ri'O'ra'tion n. —de'te'ri«o«ra'tive adj.
`de>ter>mm>a«ble (dl-tOr'ma-na-bal) adi. 1. Capable of being set
`tled, fixed, or determined. 2. Iniv. liable to be terminated. —dc«
`ter'niiiJ'a«ble»iiess n. —de>ter'mia<a*bly adv.
`de*ter-ini>na'Cy (di-tiir'ma-ns-se) n. 1. The quality or condition
`of being determirute. 2. The condition of being determined.
`de*ter*im>nant (di-tur'ma-nant) adj. Determinative. —n. 1. An
`influencing or determining factor. 2. Math. A square array ofquanti
`ties orelements having a valuedetermined by a rule of combination
`for the elements and used esp. in solving certainclasses ofsimulta
`neous equations.
`de>ter'nu<iiate (di-tur'ma-nlt) adj. [ME determinnt < Lat. deter-
`minatus. p.part. ofdeterminate, to determine.] 1.Precisely defined or
`limited : definite. 2. Conclusively settled- 3. Firm in purpose ; ses-
`OLUTE- 4. Bot. a. Terminating in a flowerandblooming in a sequence
`beginning with the topmost or central flower, b. Not continuing in
`definitely at the tipofan axis.
`(cid:127)—de*ter'ini>nate«ly
`adv. —de»
`ter'mi^nate-ness n.
`de«ter«im»nat»er (di-tOr'ma-na-tsr) n. A determiner.
`de»ter-im«na«tion (dl-tflr'ma-na'shsn) n.1.a.The act of making
`or aniving at a decision, b. Thedecision reached. 2. The quality of
`being resolute orfirm inpurpose. 3.a.The act of settUag adispute,
`suit, orother question by anauthoritative decision orpronouncement,
`by ajudicial body. b.Thedecision orpronouncement made. 4.a.
`^e ascertainment or establishment of the extent, quality, position, or
`character ofsomething, b.The result ofsuch ascertainment. 5.Afixed
`movement or tendency toward an objector end. 6. Logic, a. More def-
`imte rendition ofa concept or proposition by further quahfication. b.
`Definition ofa concept through its constituent elements.
`oe»ter-nii«na»tive (dl-tOr'ms-na'tlv, -na-) adj. Able, tending, or
`seiving^to determine, —n. Somethingthat determines. —de»ter'-
`im-na tive-iyadr. —de«ter'inj<na'tive«nes8 n.
`e»ter*mine (dl-tdr'mln) v. -mined, -minting, -mines. [ME
`sterminen < OFr. determiner < Lat. determinare, to limit; de-, off+
`'8/WU71I5, boundary.] —vt. 1.a. To decide orsettle (e.g., a dispute)
`^uttioritatively and conclusively, b. To end or decide by final, esp. ju-
`icial action. 2.To establish orascertain definitely, asafter consider-
`pn'°?' I'^'^'isation, or calculation. 3. To cause to come to a
`or resolution. 4. To be the cause of : regulate <Need
`etif w
`expenditures.> 3. Togive direction to <Their par-
`•f.^
`their religious beliefs.>6.To limit inscope orextent
`fiJi* •
`Math. To fix ordefine the position, form, orcon-
`^^anon of. 8. Logic. To explain or limit by adding differences. 9.
`P'Jt an end to : terminate, —vi. 1. To reach a decision :
`2. Law. To come to an end.
`BOUND, DELIMIT, DEMARCATl, UMIT V. COie
`limits of <Surveyors determined the property
`(di-tur'mfnd) adj. I. Marked by or showing deter-
`2. Decided or resolved <Has the cause iwen de-
`. ~"^e*ter'niined»ly flrfv. —de«ter'mined•ness n.
`de.te"
`belo^ '™"i*er (t^l'Wr'ms-nar) n.1. One that determines. 2. Aword
`article ?®
`modifiers generally regarded as including
`suci) a.^'
`possessive adjectives, and afew other words
`sitior, •
`whose and thatoccupies thefirst po-
`phraseor the second or third positionafter another
`^'•min-ism (dl-tHt'ma-nlz'am) n. Phiios. The doctrine that
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