Part 127

||De*lec"tus (?), n. [L., selection, from deligere, delectum, to select.] A name given to an elementary book for learners of Latin or Greek. G. Eliot.

Del`e*ga*cy (?), n. [From Delegate, a.] 1. The act of delegating, or state of being delegated; deputed power. [Obs.]

By way of delegacy or grand commission.

Sir W. Raleigh.

2. A body of delegates or commissioners; a delegation. [Obs.] Burton.

Del"e*gate (?), n. [L. delegatus, p. p. of delegare to send, delegate; de- + legare to send with a commission, to depute. See Legate.] 1. Any one sent and empowered to act for another; one deputed to represent; a chosen deputy; a representative; a commissioner; a vicar.

2. (a) One elected by the people of a territory to represent them in Congress, where he has the right of debating, but not of voting. (b) One sent by any constituency to act as its representative in a convention; as, a delegate to a convention for nominating officers, or for forming or altering a constitution. [U.S.]

Court of delegates, formerly, the great court of appeal from the archbishops' courts and also from the court of admiralty. It is now abolished, and the privy council is the immediate court of appeal in such cases. [Eng.]

Del"e*gate (?), a. [L. delegatus, p. p.] Sent to act for or represent another; deputed; as, a delegate judge. "Delegate power." Strype.

Del"e*gate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Delegated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Delegating (?).] 1. To send as one's representative; to empower as an ambassador; to send with power to transact business; to commission; to depute; to authorize.

2. To intrust to the care or management of another; to transfer; to assign; to commit.

The delegated administration of the law.

Locke.

Delegated executive power.

Bancroft.

The power exercised by the legislature is the people's power, delegated by the people to the legislative.

J. B. Finch.

Del`e*ga"tion (?), n. [L. delegatio: cf. F. délégation.] 1. The act of delegating, or investing with authority to act for another; the appointment of a delegate or delegates.

2. One or more persons appointed or chosen, and commissioned to represent others, as in a convention, in Congress, etc.; the collective body of delegates; as, the delegation from Massachusetts; a deputation.

3. (Rom. Law) A kind of novation by which a debtor, to be liberated from his creditor, gives him a third person, who becomes obliged in his stead to the creditor, or to the person appointed by him. Pothier.

Del"e*ga*to*ry (?), a. [L. delegatorius pert. to an assignment.] Holding a delegated position. Nash.

||De*len"da (?), n. pl. [L., fr. delere to destroy.] Things to be erased or blotted out.

Del`e*nif"ic*al (?), a. [L. delenificus; delenire to soothe + facere to make. See Lenient.] Assuaging pain. [Obs.] Bailey.

De*lete" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deleted; p. pr. & vb. n. Deleting.] [L. deletus, p. p. of delere to destroy. Cf. 1st Dele.] To blot out; to erase; to expunge; to dele; to omit.

I have, therefore, . . . inserted eleven stanzas which do not appear in Sir Walter Scott's version, and have deleted eight.

Aytoun.

Del`e*te"ri*ous (?), a. [LL. deleterius noxious, Gr. dhlhth`rios, fr. dhlei^sqai to hurt, damage; prob. akin to L. delere to destroy.] Hurtful; noxious; destructive; pernicious; as, a deleterious plant or quality; a deleterious example. -- Del`e*te"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Del`e*te"ri*ous*ness, n.

Del"e*ter*y (?), a. [LL. deleterius: cf. F. délétère.] Destructive; poisonous. [Obs.] "Deletery medicines." Hudibras.