Part 292

Syn. -- Decrease; decay; abatement; reduction; deduction; decrement.

Di*min`u*ti"val (?), a. Indicating diminution; diminutive. "Diminutival forms" [of words]. Earle. -- n. A diminutive. Earle.

Di*min"u*tive (?), a. [Cf. L. deminutivus, F. diminutif.] 1. Below the average size; very small; little.

2. Expressing diminution; as, a diminutive word.

3. Tending to diminish. [R.]

Diminutive of liberty.

Shaftesbury.

Di*min"u*tive, n. 1. Something of very small size or value; an insignificant thing.

Such water flies, diminutives of nature.

Shak.

2. (Gram.) A derivative from a noun, denoting a small or a young object of the same kind with that denoted by the primitive; as, gosling, eaglet, lambkin.

Babyisms and dear diminutives.

Tennyson.

The word sometimes denotes a derivative verb which expresses a diminutive or petty form of the action, as scribble.

Di*min"u*tive*ly, adv. In a diminutive manner.

Di*min"u*tive*ness, n. The quality of being diminutive; smallness; littleness; minuteness.

Dim"ish (?), a. See Dimmish.

Di*mis"sion (?), n. [L. dimissio. See Dimit, and cf. Dismission.] Leave to depart; a dismissing. [Obs.] Barrow.

Dim"is*so*ry (?; 277), a. [L. dimissorius: cf. F. dimissoire. See Dimit.] Sending away; dismissing to another jurisdiction; granting leave to depart.

Letters dimissory (Eccl.), letters given by a bishop dismissing a person who is removing into another diocese, and recommending him for reception there. Hook.

Di*mit" (?), v. t. [L. dimittere to send away, le&?; go; di- = dis- + mittere to send. See Dismiss.] To dismiss, let go, or release. [Obs.]

Dim"i*ty (?), n. [Prob. fr. Gr. &?; of double thread, dimity; di- = di`s- twice + &?; a thread of the warp; prob. through D. diemet, of F. dimite, démitte. Cf. Samite.] A cotton fabric employed for hangings and furniture coverings, and formerly used for women's under-garments. It is of many patterns, both plain and twilled, and occasionally is printed in colors.

Dim"ly, adv. In a dim or obscure manner; not brightly or clearly; with imperfect sight.

{ Dim"mish (?), Dim"my (?), } a. Somewhat dim; as, dimmish eyes. "Dimmy clouds." Sir P. Sidney.

Dim"ness, n. [AS. dimness.] 1. The state or quality &?; being dim; lack of brightness, clearness, or distinctness; dullness; obscurity.

2. Dullness, or want of clearness, of vision or of intellectual perception. Dr. H. More.

Syn. -- Darkness; obscurity; gloom. See Darkness.

Di"morph` (?), n. [Gr. &?; two-formed; di`s- twice (see Di-) + &?; form.] (Crystallog.) Either one of the two forms of a dimorphous substance; as, calcite and aragonite are dimorphs.