Part 224

Potent enemies tempt and deter us from our duty.

Tillotson.

My own face deters me from my glass.

Prior.

De*terge" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deterged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Deterging.] [L. detergere, detersum; de + tergere to rub or wipe off: cf. F. déterger.] To cleanse; to purge away, as foul or offending matter from the body, or from an ulcer.

De*ter"gen*cy (?), n. A cleansing quality or power. De Foe.

De*ter"gent (?), a. [L. detergens, -entis, p. pr. of detergere: cf. F. détergent.] Cleansing; purging. -- n. A substance which cleanses the skin, as water or soap; a medicine to cleanse wounds, ulcers, etc.

De*te"ri*o*rate (d*t"r**rt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deteriorated (- r`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Deteriorating (-r`tng).] [L. deterioratus, p. p. of deteriorare to deteriorate, fr. deterior worse, prob. a comparative fr. de down, away.] To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair; as, to deteriorate the mind. Whately.

The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated.

Southey.

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De*te"ri*o*rate (d*t"r**rt), v. i. To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.

Under such conditions, the mind rapidly deteriorates.

Goldsmith.

De*te`ri*o*ra"tion (?), n. [LL. deterioratio: cf. F. détérioration.] The process of growing worse, or the state of having grown worse.

De*te`ri*or"i*ty (?), n. [L. deterior worse. See Deteriorate.] Worse state or quality; inferiority. "The deteriority of the diet." [R.] Ray.

De*ter"ment (?), n. [From Deter.] The act of deterring; also, that which deters. Boyle.

De*ter`mi*na*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality of being determinable; determinableness. Coleridge.

De*ter"mi*na*ble (?), a. [L. determinabilis finite. See Determine, v. t.] Capable of being determined, definitely ascertained, decided upon, or brought to a conclusion.

Not wholly determinable from the grammatical use of the words.

South.

De*ter"mi*na*ble*ness, n. Capability of being determined; determinability.

De*ter"mi*na*cy (?), n. Determinateness. [R.]

De*ter"mi*nant (?), a. [L. determinans, p. pr. of determinare: cf. F. déterminant.] Serving to determine or limit; determinative.

De*ter"mi*nant, n. 1. That which serves to determine; that which causes determination.

2. (Math.) The sum of a series of products of several numbers, these products being formed according to certain specified laws; thus, the determinant of the nine numbers a, b, c,a&prime;, b&prime;, c&prime;,a&prime;&prime;, b&prime;&prime;, c&prime;&prime;, is a b&prime; c&prime;&prime; - a b&prime;&prime; c&prime; + a&prime; b&prime;&prime; c] - a&prime; b c&prime;&prime; + a&prime;&prime; b&prime; c. The determinant is written by placing the numbers from which it is formed in a square between two vertical lines. The theory of determinants forms a very important branch of modern mathematics.

3. (Logic) A mark or attribute, attached to the subject or predicate, narrowing the extent of both, but rendering them more definite and precise. Abp. Thomson.

De*ter"mi*nate (?), a. [L. determinatus, p. p. of determinare. See Determine.] 1. Having defined limits; not uncertain or arbitrary; fixed; established; definite.