1. Continuance during the day. [Obs.]
2. (Zoöl.) The condition of sleeping or becoming dormant by day, as is the case of the bats.
Diuturnal
(Di`u*tur"nal) a. [L. diuturnus, fr. diu a long time, by day; akin to dies day.] Of long continuance; lasting.
[R.] Milton.
Diuturnity
(Di`u*tur"ni*ty) n. [L. diuturnitas.] Long duration; lastingness. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
Divagation
(Di`va*ga"tion) n. [L. divagari to wander about; di- = dis- + vagari to stroll about: cf. F.
divagation. See Vagary.] A wandering about or going astray; digression.
Let us be set down at Queen's Crawley without further divagation.
Thackeray. Divalent
(Div"a*lent) a. [Pref. di- + L. valens, valentis, p. pr. See Valence.] (Chem.) Having two
units of combining power; bivalent. Cf. Valence.
Divan
(Di*van") n. [Per. diwan a book of many leaves, an account book, a collection of books, a senate,
council: cf. Ar. daiwan, F. divan.]
1. A book; esp., a collection of poems written by one author; as, the divan of Hafiz. [Persia]
2. In Turkey and other Oriental countries: A council of state; a royal court. Also used by the poets for a
grand deliberative council or assembly. Pope.
3. A chief officer of state. [India]
4. A saloon or hall where a council is held, in Oriental countries, the state reception room in places, and
in the houses of the richer citizens. Cushions on the floor or on benches are ranged round the room.
5. A cushioned seat, or a large, low sofa or couch; especially, one fixed to its place, and not movable.
6. A coffee and smoking saloon. [Colloq.]
Divaricate
(Di*var"i*cate) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Divaricated; p. pr. & vb. n. Divaricating.] [L. divaricatus,
p. p. of divaricare to stretch apart; di- = dis- + varicare to straddle, fr. varicus straddling, fr. varus
stretched outwards.]
1. To part into two branches; to become bifid; to fork.
2. To diverge; to be divaricate. Woodward.
Divaricate
(Di*var"i*cate), v. t. To divide into two branches; to cause to branch apart.
Divaricate
(Di*var"i*cate) a. [L. divaricatus, p. p.]
1. Diverging; spreading asunder; widely diverging.
2. (Biol.) Forking and diverging; widely diverging; as the branches of a tree, or as lines of sculpture, or
color markings on animals, etc.
Divaricately
(Di*var"i*cate*ly), adv. With divarication.
Divarication
(Di*var`i*ca"tion) n. [Cf. F. divarication.]
1. A separation into two parts or branches; a forking; a divergence.
