v. t. [ L. ac- (for ad to) + criminari. ] To accuse of a crime. [ Obs. ] -- Ac*crim`i*na"tion n. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Calcimined p. pr. & vb. n. Calcimining. ] To wash or cover with calcimine; as, to calcimine walls. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. calx, calcis, lime. ] A white or colored wash for the ceiling or other plastering of a room, consisting of a mixture of clear glue, Paris white or zinc white, and water. [ Also spelt kalsomine. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who calcimines. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. cheminage, fr. chemin way, road. ] (Old Law) A toll for passage through a forest. [ Obs. ] Cowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A joint accusation. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. criminalis, fr. crimen: cf. F. criminel. See Crime. ] 1. Guilty of crime or sin. [ 1913 Webster ]

The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not criminal in themselves. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Relating to crime; -- opposed to civil; as, the criminal code. [ 1913 Webster ]

The officers and servants of the crown, violating the personal liberty, or other right of the subject . . . were in some cases liable to criminal process. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

Criminal action (Law), an action or suit instituted to secure conviction and punishment for a crime. --
Criminal conversation (Law), unlawful intercourse with a married woman; adultery; -- usually abbreviated, crim. con. --
Criminal law, the law which relates to crimes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who has commited a crime; especially, one who is found guilty by verdict, confession, or proof; a malefactor; a felon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One versed in criminal law. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. criminalitas, fr. L. criminalis. See Criminal. ] The quality or state of being criminal; that which constitutes a crime; guiltiness; guilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

This is by no means the only criterion of criminality. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. to declare (an act) to be illegal.
Syn. -- outlaw, illegalize, ban. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. In violation of law; wickedly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Criminality. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Criminated p. pr. & vb. n. Criminating ] [ L. criminatus, p. p. of criminare, criminari, to criminate, fr. crimen. See Crime. ] 1. To accuse of, or charge with, a crime. [ 1913 Webster ]

To criminate, with the heavy and ungrounded charge of disloyalty and disaffection, an uncorrupt, independent, and reforming parliament. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To involve in a crime or in its consequences; to render liable to a criminal charge. [ 1913 Webster ]

Impelled by the strongest pressure of hope and fear to criminate him. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. criminatio. ] The act of accusing; accusation; charge; complaint. [ 1913 Webster ]

The criminations and recriminations of the adverse parties. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Charging with crime; accusing; criminatory. R. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to, or involving, crimination; accusing; as, a criminatory conscience. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. of or pertaining to criminology. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ L. crimen, crimenis, crime + -logy. ] 1. A treatise on crime or the criminal population. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The branch of sociology which studies crime and criminals. [ PJC ]

-- Crim`i*nol"o*gist n. [1913 Webster]

a. [ L. criminosus, fr. crimen. See Crime. ] Criminal; involving great crime or grave charges; very wicked; heinous. [ Obs. ] Holland.

-- Crim"i*nous*ly, adv. -- Crim"i*nous*ness, n. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Diminished p. pr. & vb. n. Diminishing. ] [ Pref. di- (= L. dis-) + minish: cf. L. diminuere, F. diminuer, OE. diminuen. See Dis-, and Minish. ] 1. To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; -- opposed to augment or increase. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not diminish, but rather increase, the debt. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken. [ 1913 Webster ]

This doth nothing diminish their opinion. Robynson (More's Utopia). [ 1913 Webster ]

I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezek. xxix. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

O thou . . . at whose sight all the stars
Hide their diminished heads. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mus.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To take away; to subtract. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neither shall ye diminish aught from it. Deut. iv. 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

Diminished column, one whose upper diameter is less than the lower. --
Diminished scale, or
Diminishing scale, a scale of gradation used in finding the different points for drawing the spiral curve of the volute. Gwilt. --
Diminishing rule (Arch.), a board cut with a concave edge, for fixing the entasis and curvature of a shaft. --
Diminishing stile (Arch.), a stile which is narrower in one part than in another, as in many glazed doors.

Syn. -- To decrease; lessen; abate; reduce; contract; curtail; impair; degrade. See Decrease. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being diminished or lessened. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, diminishes anything. Clerke (1637). [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner to diminish. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Diminution. [ R. ] Cheke. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ It., p. pr. of diminuere to diminish. ] (Mus.) In a gradually diminishing manner; with abatement of tone; decrescendo; -- expressed on the staff by Dim., or Dimin., or the sign. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. diminuens, p. pr. of diminuere. See Diminish. ] Lessening. Bp. Sanderson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Indicating or causing diminution. Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Small; diminished; diminutive. [ Obs. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Diminutively. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. diminutio, or perh. rather deminutio: cf. F. diminution. See Diminish. ] 1. The act of diminishing, or of making or becoming less; state of being diminished; reduction in size, quantity, or degree; -- opposed to augmentation or increase. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of lessening dignity or consideration, or the state of being deprived of dignity; a lowering in estimation; degradation; abasement. [ 1913 Webster ]

The world's opinion or diminution of me. Eikon Basilike. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor thinks it diminution to be ranked
In military honor next. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) Omission, inaccuracy, or defect in a record. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Mus.) In counterpoint, the imitation of, or reply to, a subject, in notes of half the length or value of those the subject itself.

Syn. -- Decrease; decay; abatement; reduction; deduction; decrement. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Indicating diminution; diminutive. “Diminutival forms” [ of words ]. Earle. -- n. A diminutive. Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. L. deminutivus, F. diminutif. ] 1. Below the average size; very small; little. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Expressing diminution; as, a diminutive word. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Tending to diminish. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Diminutive of liberty. Shaftesbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Something of very small size or value; an insignificant thing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such water flies, diminutives of nature. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Gram.) A derivative from a noun, denoting a small or a young object of the same kind with that denoted by the primitive; as, gosling, eaglet, lambkin. [ 1913 Webster ]

Babyisms and dear diminutives. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The word sometimes denotes a derivative verb which expresses a diminutive or petty form of the action, as scribble. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a diminutive manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being diminutive; smallness; littleness; minuteness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being discriminated. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. discriminalis serving to divide. ] In palmistry, applied to the line which marks the separation between the hand and the arm. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. discriminans, p. pr. of discriminare. ] (Math.) The eliminant of the n partial differentials of any homogenous function of n variables. See Eliminant. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. discriminatus, p. p. of discriminare to divide, separate, fr. discrimen division, distinction, decision, fr. discernere. See Discern, and cf. Criminate. ] Having the difference marked; distinguished by certain tokens. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Discriminated p. pr. & vb. n. Discriminating ] To set apart as being different; to mark as different; to separate from another by discerning differences; to distinguish. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

To discriminate the goats from the sheep. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To make a difference or distinction; to distinguish accurately; as, in judging of evidence, we should be careful to discriminate between probability and slight presumption. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) To treat unequally. (b) (Railroads) To impose unequal tariffs for substantially the same service. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a discriminating manner; distinctly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being discriminated; distinctness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Marking a difference; distinguishing. -- Dis*crim"i*na`ting*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

And finds with keen discriminating sight,
Black's not so black; -- nor white so very white. Canning. [1913 Webster]

2. making careful or fine distinctions, especially as to quality or accuracy; as, a discriminating observer.
Syn. -- discerning, perspicacious. [PJC]

3. having a refined taste or excellent judgment; as, a discriminating taste. [PJC]

n. [ L. discriminatio the contrasting of opposite thoughts. ] 1. The act of discriminating, distinguishing, or noting and marking differences. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make an anxious discrimination between the miracle absolute and providential. Trench. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The state of being discriminated, distinguished, or set apart. Sir J. Reynolds. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Railroads) The arbitrary imposition of unequal tariffs for substantially the same service. [ 1913 Webster ]

A difference in rates, not based upon any corresponding difference in cost, constitutes a case of discrimination. A. T. Hadley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The quality of being discriminating; faculty of nicely distinguishing; acute discernment; as, to show great discrimination in the choice of means. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. That which discriminates; mark of distinction.

Syn. -- Discernment; penetration; clearness; acuteness; judgment; distinction. See Discernment. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Marking a difference; distinguishing; distinctive; characteristic. [ 1913 Webster ]

That peculiar and discriminative form of life. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Observing distinctions; making differences; discriminating. “Discriminative censure.” J. Foster. “Discriminative Providence.” Dr. H. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With discrimination or distinction. J. Foster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. ] One who discriminates. [ 1913 Webster ]