Part 3099

<hw>if*fin"i*tive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[For <ets>definitive</ets>.]</ety> <def>Definitive; determinate; final.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Sir H. Wotton.</i>

<h1>Diffission</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif*fis"sion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[See <er>Diffind</er>.]</ety> <def>Act of cleaving or splitting.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Bailey.</i>

<h1>Difflation</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif*fla"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[LL. <ets>difflatio</ets>, fr. L. <ets>difflare</ets>, <ets>difflatum</ets>, to disperse by blowing.]</ety> <def>A blowing apart or away.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Bailey.</i>

<h1>Diffluence, Diffluency</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw><hw>Dif"flu*ence</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>Dif"flu*en*cy</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>,<hw> <tt>n.</tt> <def>A flowing off on all sides; fluidity.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Diffluent</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif"flu*ent</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>diffluens</ets>, p. pr. of <ets>diffluere</ets> to flow off; <ets>dif- = dis-</ets> + <ets>fluere</ets> to flow.]</ety> <def>Flowing apart or off; dissolving; not fixed.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Bailey.</i>

<h1>Difform</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif"form`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>difforme</ets>, fr. L. <ets>dif- = dis-</ets> + <ets>forma</ets> form. Cf. <er>Deform</er>.]</ety> <def>Irregular in form; -- opposed to <i>uniform</i>; anomalous; hence, unlike; dissimilar; <as>as, to <ex>difform</ex> corolla, the parts of which do not correspond in size or proportion; <ex>difform</ex> leaves.</as></def>

<blockquote>The unequal refractions of <b>difform</b> rays. <i>Sir I. Newton.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Difformity</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif*form"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>difformit\'82</ets>. See <er>Difform</er>, <er>Deformity</er>.]</ety> <def>Irregularity of form; diversity of form; want of uniformity.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Sir T. Browne.</i>

<h1>Diffract</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif*fract"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Diffracted</er>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Diffracting</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>diffractus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>diffringere</ets> to break in pieces; <ets>dif- = dis-</ets> + <ets>frangere</ets> to break. See <er>Fracture</er>.]</ety> <def>To break or separate into parts; to deflect, or decompose by deflection, a<?/ rays of light.</def>

<h1>Diffraction</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif*frac"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>diffraction</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Opt.)</fld> <def>The deflection and decomposition of light in passing by the edges of opaque bodies or through narrow slits, causing the appearance of parallel bands or fringes of prismatic colors, as by the action of a grating of fine lines or bars.</def>

<blockquote>Remarked by Grimaldi (1665), and referred by him to a property of light which he called <b>diffraction</b>. <i>Whewell.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Diffraction grating</col>. <fld>(Optics)</fld> <cd>See under <er>Grating</er>.</cd> -- <col>Diffraction spectrum</col>. <fld>(Optics)</fld> <cd>See under <er>Spectrum</er>.</cd></cs>

<h1>Diffractive</h1> <Xpage=410>

<hw>Dif*frac"tive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>That produces diffraction.</def>

<h1>Diffranchise, Diffranchisement</h1> <Xpage=410>