Part 2913

<i>Whitlock.</i>

<h1>Demented</h1> <Xpage=388>

<hw>De*ment"ed</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[From <er>Dement</er>.]</ety> <def>Insane; mad; of unsound mind.</def> -- <wordforms><wf>De*ment"ed*ness</wf>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<h1>Dementia</h1> <Xpage=388>

<hw>De*men"ti*a</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L., fr. <ets>demens</ets>. See <er>Dement</er>.]</ety> <def>Insanity; madness; esp. that form which consists in weakness or total loss of thought and reason; mental imbecility; idiocy.</def>

<h1>Demephitize</h1> <Xpage=388>

<hw>De*meph"i*tize</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Demephitized</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Demephitizing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>m\'82phitiser</ets> to infect with <ets>mephitis</ets>.]</ety> <def>To purify from mephitic.</def> -- <wordforms><wf>De*meph`i*ti*za"tion</wf>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<h1>Demerge</h1> <Xpage=388>

<hw>De*merge"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>demergere</ets>.]</ety> <def>To plunge down into; to sink; to immerse.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>The water in which it was <b>demerged</b>. <i>Boyle.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Demerit</h1> <Xpage=388>

<hw>De*mer"it</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>d\'82m\'82rite</ets> demerit (in sense 2), OF. <ets>demerite</ets> demerit (in sense 1), fr. L. <ets>demerere</ets> to deserve well, LL., to deserve well or ill; <ets>de-</ets> + <ets>merere</ets> to deserve. See <er>De</er>-, and <er>Merit</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>That which one merits or deserves, either of good or ill; desert.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>By many benefits and <b>demerits</b> whereby they obliged their adherents, acquired this reputation. <i>Holland.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>That which deserves blame; ill desert; a fault; a vice; misconduct; -- the opposite of <ant>merit</ant>.</def>

<blockquote>They see no merit or <b>demerit</b> in any man or any action. <i>Burke.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Secure, unless forfeited by any <b>demerit</b> or offense. <i>Sir W. Temple.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The state of one who deserves ill.</def>

<h1>Demerit</h1> <Xpage=388>

<hw>De*mer"it</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>d\'82m\'82riter</ets> to deserve ill. See <er>Demerit</er>, <tt>n.</tt>]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>To deserve; -- said in reference to both praise and blame.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>If I have <b>demerited</b> any love or thanks. <i>Udall.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Executed as a traitor . . . as he well <b>demerited</b>. <i>State Trials (1645).</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To depreciate or cry down.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Bp. Woolton.</i>

<h1>Demerit</h1> <Xpage=388>

<hw>De*mer"it</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To deserve praise or blame.</def>

<h1>Demerse</h1> <Xpage=388>