Chapter Darkener to Dastard of D by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

Prince of darkness

, the Devil; Satan. "In the power of the Prince of darkness." Locke.

Syn. — Darkness, Dimness, Obscurity, Gloom. Darkness arises from a total, and dimness from a partial, want of light. A thing is obscure when so overclouded or covered as not to be easily perceived. As tha shade or obscurity increases, it deepens into gloom. What is dark is hidden from view; what is obscure is difficult to perceive or penetrate; the eye becomes dim with age; an impending storm fills the atmosphere with gloom. When taken figuratively, these words have a like use; as, the darkness of ignorance; dimness of discernment; obscurity of reasoning; gloom of superstition.

Darksome
(Dark"some) a. Dark; gloomy; obscure; shaded; cheerless. [Poetic]

He brought him through a darksome narrow pass
To a broad gate, all built of beaten gold.

Spenser.

Darky
(Dark"y) n. A negro. [Sleng]

Darling
(Dar"ling) n. [OE. derling, deorling, AS. deórling; deóre dear + -ling. See Dear, and -ling.] One dearly beloved; a favorite.

And can do naught but wail her darling's loss.

Shak.

Darling
(Dar"ling), a. Dearly beloved; regarded with especial kindness and tenderness; favorite. "Some darling science." I. Watts. "Darling sin." Macaulay.

Darlingtonia
(||Dar`ling*to"ni*a) n. [NL. Named after Dr. William Darlington, a botanist of West Chester, Penn.] (Bot.) A genus of California pitcher plants consisting of a single species. The long tubular leaves are hooded at the top, and frequently contain many insects drowned in the secretion of the leaves.

Darn
(Darn) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Darned (därnd); p. pr. & vb. n. Darning.] [OE. derne, prob. of Celtic origin; cf. W. darnio to piece, break in pieces, W. & Arm. to E. tear. Cf. Tear, v. t.] To mend as a rent or hole, with interlacing stitches of yarn or thread by means of a needle; to sew together with yarn or thread.

He spent every day ten hours in his closet, in darning his stockings.

Swift.

Darning last. See under Last. — Darning needle. (a) A long, strong needle for mending holes or rents, especially in stockings. (b) (Zoöl.) Any species of dragon fly, having a long, cylindrical body, resembling a needle. These flies are harmless and without stings. [In this sense, usually written with a hyphen.] Called also devil's darning- needle.

Darn
(Darn), n. A place mended by darning.

Darn
(Darn), v. t. A colloquial euphemism for Damn.

Darnel
(Dar"nel) n. [OE. darnel, dernel, of uncertain origin; cf. dial. F. darnelle, Sw. dår-repe; perh. named from a supposed intoxicating quality of the plant, and akin to Sw. dåra to infatuate, OD. door foolish, G. thor fool, and Ee. dizzy.] (Bot.) Any grass of the genus Lolium, esp. the Lolium temulentum the grains of which have been reputed poisonous. Other species, as Lolium perenne (rye grass or ray grass), and its variety L. Italicum (Italian rye grass), are highly esteemed for pasture and for making hay.

Under darnel our early herbalists comprehended all kinds of cornfield weeds. Dr. Prior.

Darner
(Darn"er) n. One who mends by darning.

Darnex
(Dar"nex Dar"nic) n. Same as Dornick.