Part 283

Dike, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Diking.] [OE. diken, dichen, AS. dcian to dike. See Dike.] 1. To surround or protect with a dike or dry bank; to secure with a bank.

2. To drain by a dike or ditch.

Dike, v. i. To work as a ditcher; to dig. [Obs.]

He would thresh and thereto dike and delve.

Chaucer.

Dik"er (?), n. 1. A ditcher. Piers Plowman.

2. One who builds stone walls; usually, one who builds them without lime. [Scot.]

Di*lac"er*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilacerated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dilacerating (?).] [L. dilaceratus, p. p. of dilacerare to tear apart; di- = dis- + lacerare to tear.] To rend asunder; to tear to pieces. Sir T. Browne.

Di*lac`er*a"tion (?), n. [L. dilaceratio: cf. F. dilacération.] The act of rending asunder. Arbuthnot.

Di*la"ni*ate (?), v. t. [L. dilaniatus, p. p. of dilaniare to dilacerate; di- = dis- + laniare to tear to pieces.] To rend in pieces; to tear. [R.] Howell.

Di*la`ni*a"tion (?), n. A rending or tearing in pieces; dilaceration. [R.]

Di*lap"i*date (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilapidated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Dilapidating (?).] [L. dilapidare to scatter like stones; di- = dis- + lapidare to throw stones, fr. lapis a stone. See Lapidary.] 1. To bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin, by misuse or through neglect; to destroy the fairness and good condition of; -- said of a building.

If the bishop, parson, or vicar, etc., dilapidates the buildings, or cuts down the timber of the patrimony.

Blackstone.

2. To impair by waste and abuse; to squander.

The patrimony of the bishopric of Oxon was much dilapidated.

Wood.

Di*lap"i*date, v. i. To get out of repair; to fall into partial ruin; to become decayed; as, the church was suffered to dilapidate. Johnson.

Di*lap"i*da`ted (?), a. Decayed; fallen into partial ruin; injured by bad usage or neglect.

A deserted and dilapidated buildings.

Cooper.

Di*lap`i*da"tion (?), n. [L. dilapidatio: cf. F. dilapidation.] 1. The act of dilapidating, or the state of being dilapidated, reduced to decay, partially ruined, or squandered.

Tell the people that are relived by the dilapidation of their public estate.

Burke.

2. Ecclesiastical waste; impairing of church property by an incumbent, through neglect or by intention.

The business of dilapidations came on between our bishop and the Archibishop of York.

Strype.

3. (Law) The pulling down of a building, or suffering it to fall or be in a state of decay. Burrill.