Part 3305

<i>Ogilvie.</i>

<h1>Dissyllabize</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis*syl"la*bize</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To form into two syllables; to dyssyllabify.</def>

<h1>Dissyllable</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis*syl"la*ble</hw> <tt>(?; 277)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>dissyllabe</ets>, L. <ets>disyllabus</ets>, adj., of two syllables, fr. Gr. <?/; <?/ = <?/ twice + <?/ syllable. See <er>Syllable</er>.]</ety> <def>A word of two syllables; <as>as, <ex>pa-per</ex></as>.</def>

<h1>Dissymmetrical</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis`sym*met"ric*al</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Not having symmetry; asymmetrical; unsymmetrical.</def>

<h1>Dissymmetry</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis*sym"me*try</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Pref. <ets>dis-</ets> + <ets>symmetry</ets>.]</ety> <def>Absence or defect of symmetry; asymmetry.</def>

<h1>Dissympathy</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis*sym"pa*thy</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Lack of sympathy; want of interest; indifference.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Distad</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis"tad</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>adv.</tt> <ety>[<ets>Dist</ets>al + L. <ets>ad</ets> toward.]</ety> <fld>(Anat.)</fld> <def>Toward a distal part; on the distal side of; distally.</def>

<h1>Distaff</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis"taff</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt>; <plu>pl. <plw>Distaffs</plw> <tt>(#)</tt>, <i>rarely</i> <plw>Distaves</plw> <tt>(#)</tt></plu>. <ety>[OE. <ets>distaf</ets>, <ets>dysestafe</ets>, AS. <ets>distaef</ets>; cf. LG. <ets>diesse</ets> the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. <ets>dizen</ets>. See <er>Staff</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand.</def>

<blockquote>I will the <b>distaff</b> hold; come thou and spin. <i>Fairfax.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively.</def>

<blockquote>His crown usurped, a <b>distaff</b> on the throne. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Some say the crozier, some say the <b>distaff</b> was too busy. <i>Howell.</i></blockquote>

<note>&hand; The plural is regular, but <i>Distaves</i> occurs in Beaumont & Fletcher.</note>

<cs><col>Descent by distaff</col>, <cd>descent on the mother's side.</cd> -- <mcol><col>Distaff Day</col>, &or; <col>Distaff's Day</col></mcol>, <cd>the morrow of the Epiphany, that is, January 7, because working at the distaff was then resumed, after the Christmas festival; -- called also <altname>Rock Day</altname>, a distaff being called a <ets>rock<ets>.</cd></cs>

<i>Shipley.</i>

<h1>Distain</h1> <Xpage=433>

<hw>Dis*tain"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Distained</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Distaining</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>desteinen</ets>, OF. <ets>desteindre</ets> to take away the color, F. <ets>d\'82teindre</ets>; pref. <ets>des-</ets> (L. <ets>dis-</ets>) + F. <ets>teindre</ets> to tinge, dye, L. <ets>tingere</ets>. See <er>Tinge</er>, and cf. <er>Stain</er>.]</ety> <def>To tinge with a different color from the natural or proper one; to stain; to discolor; to sully; to tarnish; to defile; -- used chiefly in poetry.</def> "<i>Distained</i> with dirt and blood."

<i>Spenser.</i>

<blockquote> hath . . . <b>distained</b> her honorable blood. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The worthiness of praise <b>distains</b> his worth. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>