Part 2876

<p><b>1.</b> <def>A step, stair, or staircase.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>By ladders, or else by <b>degree</b>. <i>Rom. of R.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>One of a series of progressive steps upward or downward, in quality, rank, acquirement, and the like; a stage in progression; grade; gradation; <as>as, <ex>degrees</ex> of vice and virtue; to advance by slow <ex>degrees</ex>; <ex>degree</ex> of comparison.</as></def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The point or step of progression to which a person has arrived; rank or station in life; position.</def> "A dame of high <i>degree</i>." <i>Dryden</i>. "A knight is your <i>degree</i>." <i>Shak</i>. "Lord or lady of high <i>degree</i>."

<i>Lowell.</i>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>Measure of advancement; quality; extent; <as>as, tastes differ in kind as well as in <ex>degree</ex></as>.</def>

<blockquote>The <b>degree</b> of excellence which proclaims genius, is different in different times and different places. <i>Sir. J. Reynolds.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>Grade or rank to which scholars are admitted by a college or university, in recognition of their attainments; <as>as, the <ex>degree</ex> of bachelor of arts, master, doctor, etc.</as></def>

<note>&hand; In the United States diplomas are usually given as the evidence of a degree conferred. In the humanities the first degree is that of <i>bachelor of arts</i> (B. A. or A. B.); the second that of <i>master of arts</i> (M. A. or A. M.). The degree of <i>bachelor</i> (<i>of arts</i>, <i>science</i>, <i>divinity</i>, <i>law</i>, etc.) is conferred upon those who complete a prescribed course of undergraduate study. The first degree in medicine is that of <i>doctor of medicine</i> (M. D.). The degrees of <i>master</i> and <i>doctor</i> are sometimes conferred, in course, upon those who have completed certain prescribed postgraduate studies, as <i>doctor of philosophy</i> (Ph. D.); but more frequently the degree of <i>doctor</i> is conferred as a complimentary recognition of eminent services in science or letters, or for public services or distinction (as <i>doctor of laws</i> (LL. D.) or <i>doctor of divinity</i> (D. D.), when they are called <i>honorary degrees</i>.</note> <-- by 1960 the Ph. D. was more common than the honorary degree. -->

<blockquote>The youth attained his bachelor's <b>degree</b>, and left the university. <i>Macaulay.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <fld>(Genealogy)</fld> <def>A certain distance or remove in the line of descent, determining the proximity of blood; one remove in the chain of relationship; <as>as, a relation in the third or fourth <ex>degree</ex></as>.</def>

<blockquote>In the 11th century an opinion began to gain ground in Italy, that third cousins might marry, being in the seventh <b>degree</b> according to the civil law. <i>Hallam.</i></blockquote>

<hr> <page="384"> Page 384<p>

<p><b>7.</b> <fld>(Arith.)</fld> <def>Three figures taken together in numeration; thus, 140 is one <i>degree</i>, 222,140 two <i>degrees</i>.</def>

<p><b>8.</b> <fld>(Algebra)</fld> <def>State as indicated by sum of exponents; more particularly, the degree of a term is indicated by the sum of the exponents of its literal factors; thus, <mathex>a<exp>2</exp>b<exp>2</exp>c</mathex> is a term of the sixth <i>degree</i>. The <i>degree</i> of a power, or radical, is denoted by its index, that of an equation by the greatest sum of the exponents of the unknown quantities in any term; thus, <mathex>ax<exp>4</exp> + bx<exp>2</exp> = c</mathex>, and <mathex>mx<exp>2</exp>y<exp>2</exp> + nyx = p</mathex>, are both equations of the fourth <i>degree</i>.</def>

<p><b>9.</b> <fld>(Trig.)</fld> <def>A 360th part of the circumference of a circle, which part is taken as the principal unit of measure for arcs and angles. The degree is divided into 60 minutes and the minute into 60 seconds.</def>

<p><b>10.</b> <def>A division, space, or interval, marked on a mathematical or other instrument, as on a thermometer.</def>

<p><b>11.</b> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <def>A line or space of the staff.</def>

<note>&hand; The short lines and their spaces are <i>added degrees</i>.</note>

<cs><col>Accumulation of degrees</col>. <fld>(Eng. Univ.)</fld> <cd>See under <er>Accumulation</er>.</cd> -- <col>By degrees</col>, <cd>step by step; by little and little; by moderate advances.</cd> "I 'll leave <i>by degrees<i>." <i>Shak</i>. -- <col>Degree of a curve &or; surface</col> <fld>(Geom.)</fld>, <cd>the number which expresses the degree of the equation of the curve or surface in rectilinear co\'94rdinates. A straight line will, in general, meet the curve or surface in a number of points equal to the degree of the curve or surface and no more.</cd> -- <col>Degree of latitude</col> <fld>(Geog.)</fld>, <cd>on the earth, the distance on a meridian between two parallels of latitude whose latitudes differ from each other by one degree. This distance is not the same on different parts of a meridian, on account of the flattened figure of the earth, being 68.702 statute miles at the equator, and 69.396 at the poles.</cd> -- <col>Degree of longitude</col>, <cd>the distance on a parallel of latitude between two meridians that make an angle of one degree with each other at the poles -- a distance which varies as the cosine of the latitude, being at the equator 69.16 statute miles.</cd> -- <col>To a degree</col>, <cd>to an extreme; exceedingly; <as>as, mendacious <ex>to a degree<ex></as>.</cd></cs>

<blockquote>It has been said that Scotsmen . . . are . . . grave <b>to a degree</b> on occasions when races more favored by nature are gladsome to excess. <i>Prof. Wilson.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Degu</h1> <Xpage=384>

<hw>De"gu</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Native name.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A small South American rodent (<spn>Octodon Cumingii</spn>), of the family <spn>Octodontid\'91</spn>.</def>

<h1>Degust</h1> <Xpage=384>

<hw>De*gust"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>degustare</ets>: cf. F. <ets>d\'82guster</ets>. See <er>Gust</er> to taste.]</ety> <def>To taste.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Cockeram.</i>

<h1>Degustation</h1> <Xpage=384>

<hw>Deg`us*ta"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>degustatio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>d\'82gustation</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Physiol.)</fld> <def>Tasting; the appreciation of sapid qualities by the taste organs.</def>