Part 38

||Da"tum (?), n.; pl. Data (#). [L. See 2d Date.] 1. Something given or admitted; a fact or principle granted; that upon which an inference or an argument is based; -- used chiefly in the plural.

Any writer, therefore, who . . . furnishes us with data sufficient to determine the time in which he wrote.

Priestley.

2. pl. (Math.) The quantities or relations which are assumed to be given in any problem.

Datum line (Surv.), the horizontal or base line, from which the heights of points are reckoned or measured, as in the plan of a railway, etc.

||Da*tu"ra (?), n. [NL.; cf. Skr. dhattra, Per. & Ar. tatra, Tatla.] (Bot.) A genus of solanaceous plants, with large funnel-shaped flowers and a four-celled, capsular fruit.

The commonest species are the thorn apple (D. stramonium), with a prickly capsule (see Illust. of capsule), white flowers and green stem, and D. tatula, with a purplish tinge of the stem and flowers. Both are narcotic and dangerously poisonous.

Da*tu"rine (?), n. [From Datura.] (Chem.) Atropine; -- called also daturia and daturina.

Daub (db), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Daubed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Daubing.] [OE. dauben to smear, OF. dauber to plaster, fr. L. dealbare to whitewash, plaster; de- + albare to whiten, fr. albus white, perh. also confused with W. dwb plaster, dwbio to plaster, Ir. & OGael. dob plaster. See Alb, and cf. Dealbate.] 1. To smear with soft, adhesive matter, as pitch, slime, mud, etc.; to plaster; to bedaub; to besmear.

She took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch.

Ex. ii. 3.

2. To paint in a coarse or unskillful manner.

If a picture is daubed with many bright and glaring colors, the vulgar admire it is an excellent piece.

I. Watts.

A lame, imperfect piece, rudely daubed over.

Dryden.

3. To cover with a specious or deceitful exterior; to disguise; to conceal.

So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue.

Shak.

4. To flatter excessively or glossy. [R.]

I can safely say, however, that, without any daubing at all, I am very sincerely your very affectionate, humble servant.

Smollett.

5. To put on without taste; to deck gaudily. [R.]

Let him be daubed with lace.

Dryden.

Daub (?), v. i. To smear; to play the flatterer.

His conscience . . . will not daub nor flatter.

South.