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n. A stake or post set in the ground, for guests at a wedding to dance round. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divide the broad bridecake
Round about the bridestake. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Chide + -ster. ] A female scold. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. clandestinus, fr. clam secretly; akin to celare, E. conceal: cf. F. clandestin. ] Conducted with secrecy; withdrawn from public notice, usually for an evil purpose; kept secret; hidden; private; underhand; as, a clandestine marriage. Locke.

Syn. -- Hidden; secret; private; concealed; underhand; sly; stealthy; surreptitious; furtive; fraudulent.

-- Clan*des"tine*ly, adv. -- Clan*des"tine*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Privacy or secrecy. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Nav.) A very fast, unarmored, lightly armed vessel designed to capture or destroy merchant vessels of an enemy. Not being intended to fight, they may be improvised from fast passenger steamers. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. F. détrempe, fr. détremper. ] A kind of painting. See Distemper. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. destin. ] Destiny. [ Obs. ] Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. OF. destinable. ] Determined by destiny; fated. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a destinable manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Determined by destiny; fated. [ Obs. ] “The order destinal.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. destinatus, p. p. of destinare. See Destine. ] Destined. [ Obs. ] “Destinate to hell.” Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To destine, design, or choose. [ Obs. ] “That name that God . . . did destinate.” Udall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. destinatio determination: cf. F. destination destination. ] 1. The act of destining or appointing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Purpose for which anything is destined; predetermined end, object, or use; ultimate design. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The place set for the end of a journey, or to which something is sent; place or point aimed at.

Syn. -- Appointment; design; purpose; intention; destiny; lot; fate; end. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Destined p. pr. & vb. n. Destining. ] [ F. destiner, L. destinare; de + the root of stare to stand. See Stand, and cf. Obstinate. ] To determine the future condition or application of; to set apart by design for a future use or purpose; to fix, as by destiny or by an authoritative decree; to doom; to ordain or preordain; to appoint; -- often with the remoter object preceded by to or for. [ 1913 Webster ]

We are decreed,
Reserved, and destined to eternal woe. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Till the loathsome opposite
Of all my heart had destined, did obtain. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not enjoyment and not sorrow
Is our destined end or way. Longfellow.

Syn. -- To design; mark out; determine; allot; choose; intend; devote; consecrate; doom. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A believer in destiny; a fatalist. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Destinies [ OE. destinee, destene, F. destinée, from destiner. See Destine. ] 1. That to which any person or thing is destined; predetermined state; condition foreordained by the Divine or by human will; fate; lot; doom. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thither he
Will come to know his destiny. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

No man of woman born,
Coward or brave, can shun his destiny. Bryant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The fixed order of things; invincible necessity; fate; a resistless power or agency conceived of as determining the future, whether in general or of an individual. [ 1913 Webster ]

But who can turn the stream of destiny? Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fame comes only when deserved, and then is as inevitable as destiny, for it is destiny. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Destinies (Anc. Myth.), the three Parcæ, or Fates; the supposed powers which preside over human life, and determine its circumstances and duration. [ 1913 Webster ]

Marked by the Destinies to be avoided. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. destituens, p. pr. of destituere. ] Deficient; wanting; as, a destituent condition. [ Obs. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. destitutus, p. p. of destituere to set away, leave alone, forsake; de + statuere to set. See Statute. ] 1. Forsaken; not having in possession (something necessary, or desirable); deficient; lacking; devoid; -- often followed by of. [ 1913 Webster ]

In thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute. Ps. cxli. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

Totally destitute of all shadow of influence. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not possessing the necessaries of life; in a condition of want; needy; without possessions or resources; very poor. [ 1913 Webster ]

They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented. Heb. xi. 37. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To leave destitute; to forsake; to abandon. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To forsake or destitute a plantation. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make destitute; to cause to be in want; to deprive; -- followed by of. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Destituted of all honor and livings. Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To disappoint. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

When his expectation is destituted. Fotherby. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In destitution. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Destitution. [ R. ] Ash. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. destitutio a forsaking. ] The state of being deprived of anything; the state or condition of being destitute, needy, or without resources; deficiency; lack; extreme poverty; utter want; as, the inundation caused general destitution.

v. t. To destroy. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Destroyed p. pr. & vb. n. Destroying. ] [ OE. destroien, destruien, destrien, OF. destruire, F. détruire, fr. L. destruere, destructum; de + struere to pile up, build. See Structure. ] 1. To unbuild; to pull or tear down; to separate virulently into its constituent parts; to break up the structure and organic existence of; to demolish. [ 1913 Webster ]

But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves. Ex. xxxiv. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To ruin; to bring to naught; to put an end to; to annihilate; to consume. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation. Jer. xii. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To put an end to the existence, prosperity, or beauty of; to kill. [ 1913 Webster ]

If him by force he can destroy, or, worse,
By some false guile pervert. Milton.

Syn. -- To demolish; lay waste; consume; raze; dismantle; ruin; throw down; overthrow; subvert; desolate; devastate; deface; extirpate; extinguish; kill; slay. See Demolish. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Destructible. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Plants . . . scarcely destroyable by the weather. Derham. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. p. p. of destroy. [ Narrower terms: annihilated, exterminated, wiped out(predicate); blasted, desolate, desolated, devastated, ravaged, ruined, wasted; blighted, spoilt; blotted out, obliterate, obliterated; demolished, dismantled, razed; done for(predicate), kaput(predicate), gone(prenominal), lost, finished(predicate); extinguished; ruined, wiped out(predicate), impoverished; totaled, wrecked; war-torn, war-worn; despoiled, pillaged, raped, ravaged, sacked ] Also See: damaged. Antonym: preserved [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. destroyed physically or morally.
Syn. -- ruined. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. OF. destruior. ] 1. One who destroys, ruins, kills, or desolates. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Nav.) a small fast warship used primarily as an escort to larger vessels and typically armed with a combination of 5-inch guns, torpedos, depth charges, and missiles; formerly identical to the Torpedo-boat destroyer. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ L. destructus, p. p. of destruere. See Destroy. ] To destroy. [ Obs. ] Mede. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. destructibilité. ] The quality of being capable of destruction; destructibleness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. destructibilis. ] Liable to destruction; capable of being destroyed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being destructible. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. destructio: cf. F. destruction. See Destroy. ] 1. The act of destroying; a tearing down; a bringing to naught; subversion; demolition; ruin; slaying; devastation. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction. Esth. ix. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

'Tis safer to be that which we destroy
Than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Destruction of venerable establishment. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being destroyed, demolished, ruined, slain, or devastated. [ 1913 Webster ]

This town came to destruction. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou castedst them down into destruction. Ps. lxxiii. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A destroying agency; a cause of ruin or of devastation; a destroyer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The destruction that wasteth at noonday. Ps. xci. 6.

Syn. -- Demolition; subversion; overthrow; desolation; extirpation; extinction; devastation; downfall; extermination; havoc; ruin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who delights in destroying that which is valuable; one whose principles and influence tend to destroy existing institutions; a destructive. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Theol.) One who believes in the final destruction or complete annihilation of the wicked; -- called also annihilationist. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who destroys; a radical reformer; a destructionist. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. destructivus: cf. F. destructif. ] Causing destruction; tending to bring about ruin, death, or devastation; ruinous; fatal; productive of serious evil; mischievous; pernicious; -- often with of or to; as, intemperance is destructive of health; evil examples are destructive to the morals of youth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Time's destructive power. Wordsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

Destructive distillation. See Distillation. --
Destructive sorties fld>(Logic), a process of reasoning which involves the denial of the first of a series of dependent propositions as a consequence of the denial of the last; a species of reductio ad absurdum. Whately.

Syn. -- Mortal; deadly; poisonous; fatal; ruinous; malignant; baleful; pernicious; mischievous. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a destructive manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. prenom. (Biochemistry & Physiology) energy-releasing (prenominal); same as catabolic.
Syn. -- . [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. The quality of destroying or ruining. Prynne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Phren.) The faculty supposed to impel to the commission of acts of destruction; propensity to destroy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., from destruere. See Destroy, and cf. Destroyer. ] 1. A destroyer. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Fire, the destructor and the artificial death of things. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A furnace or oven for the burning or carbonizing of refuse; specif. (Sewage Disposal), a furnace (called in full
refuse destructor) in which the more solid constituents of sewage are burnt. Destructors are often so constructed as to utilize refuse as fuel. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. (Computers) in object-oriented programming, a function which destroys an object which was previously created by a different function. [ PJC ]

v. t. To destroy. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ OF. destrier, fr. L. dextra on the right side. The squire led his master's horse beside him, on his right hand. Skeat. ] A war horse. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ AS. yldest, superl. of eald old. See Elder, a. ] 1. Oldest; longest in duration. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Born or living first, or before the others, as a son, daughter, brother, etc.; first in origin. See Elder. “My lady's eldest son.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Their eldest historians are of suspected credit. Bp. Stillingfleet. [ 1913 Webster ]

Eldest hand (Card Playing), the player on the dealer's left hand. R. A. Proctor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F. immodeste, L. immodestus immoderate; pref. im- not + modestus modest. See Modest. ] 1. Not limited to due bounds; immoderate. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not modest; wanting in the reserve or restraint which decorum and decency require; indecent; indelicate; obscene; lewd; as, immodest persons, behavior, words, pictures, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Immodest deeds you hinder to be wrought,
But we proscribe the least immodest thought. Dryden.

Syn. -- Indecorous; indelicate; shameless; shameful; impudent; indecent; impure; unchaste; lewd; obscene. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an immodest manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. immodestia: cf. F. immodestie. ] Lack of modesty, delicacy, or decent reserve; indecency. “A piece of immodesty.” Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. indestructibilité. ] The quality of being indestructible. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + destructible: cf. F. indestructible. ] Not destructible; incapable of decomposition or of being destroyed; as, the Russian harvesters had primitive electronics, but they were built so sturdily they were almost indestructible. -- In`de*struc"ti*ble*ness, n. -- In`de*struc"ti*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ Load, lode + star. See Lode. ] 1. A star that leads; a guiding star; esp., the polestar, Polaris; also, the constellation containing the pole star, the cynosure (Ursa Minor). Chaucer. “ Your eyes are lodestars.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The pilot can no loadstar see. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Something that serves as a guide or provides direction; a cynosure{ 2 }. [ PJC ]

3. Something that attracts attention or on which the atention is fixed; a cynosure{ 3 }. [ PJC ]