Part 200

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.

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.

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

Des"e*crate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Desecrated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Desecrating (?).] [L. desecratus, p. p. of desecrare (also desacrare) to consecrate, dedicate; but taken in the sense if to divest of a sacred character; de- + sacrare to consecrate, fr. sacer sacred. See Sacred.] To divest of a sacred character or office; to divert from a sacred purpose; to violate the sanctity of; to profane; to put to an unworthy use; -- the opposite of consecrate.

The [Russian] clergy can not suffer corporal punishment without being previously desecrated.

W. Tooke.

The founders of monasteries imprecated evil on those who should desecrate their donations.

Salmon.

Des"e*cra`ter (?), n. One who desecrates; a profaner. Harper's Mag.

Des`e*cra"tion (?), n. The act of desecrating; profanation; condition of anything desecrated.

Des"e*cra`tor (?), n. One who desecrates. "Desecrators of the church." Morley.

De*seg`men*ta"tion (?), n. (Anat.) The loss or obliteration of division into segments; as, a desegmentation of the body.

De*sert" (d*zrt"), n. [OF. deserte, desserte, merit, recompense, fr. deservir, desservir, to merit. See Deserve.] That which is deserved; the reward or the punishment justly due; claim to recompense, usually in a good sense; right to reward; merit.

According to their deserts will I judge them.

Ezek. vii. 27.

Andronicus, surnamed Pius For many good and great deserts to Rome.

Shak.

His reputation falls far below his desert.

A. Hamilton.

Syn. -- Merit; worth; excellence; due.

Des"ert (dz"rt), n. [F. désert, L. desertum, from desertus solitary, desert, pp. of deserere to desert; de- + serere to join together. See Series.] 1. A deserted or forsaken region; a barren tract incapable of supporting population, as the vast sand plains of Asia and Africa which are destitute of moisture and vegetation.