n. [ LL. dialis daily, fr. L. dies day. See Deity. ] 1. An instrument, formerly much used for showing the time of day from the shadow of a style or gnomon on a graduated arc or surface; esp., a sundial; but there are lunar and astral dials. The style or gnomon is usually parallel to the earth's axis, but the dial plate may be either horizontal or vertical. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The graduated face of a timepiece, on which the time of day is shown by pointers or hands. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A miner's compass. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dial bird (Zool.), an Indian bird (Copsychus saularius), allied to the European robin. The name is also given to other related species. --
Dial lock, a lock provided with one or more plates having numbers or letters upon them. These plates must be adjusted in a certain determined way before the lock can be operated. --
Dial plate, the plane or disk of a dial or timepiece on which lines and figures for indicating the time are placed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dialed r Dialled; p. pr. & vb. n. Dialing or Dialling. ] 1. To measure with a dial. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hours of that true time which is dialed in heaven. Talfourd. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mining) To survey with a dial. Raymond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. dialecte, L. dialectus, fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; to converse, discourse. See Dialogue. ] 1. Means or mode of expressing thoughts; language; tongue; form of speech. [ 1913 Webster ]

This book is writ in such a dialect
As may the minds of listless men affect.
Bunyan.
The universal dialect of the world. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The form of speech of a limited region or people, as distinguished from ether forms nearly related to it; a variety or subdivision of a language; speech characterized by local peculiarities or specific circumstances; as, the Ionic and Attic were dialects of Greece; the Yorkshire dialect; the dialect of the learned. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the midst of this Babel of dialects there suddenly appeared a standard English language. Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ Charles V. ] could address his subjects from every quarter in their native dialect. Prescott.

Syn. -- Language; idiom; tongue; speech; phraseology. See Language, and Idiom. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Relating to a dialect; dialectical; as, a dialectical variant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Dialectics. [ 1913 Webster ]

Plato placed his dialectic above all sciences. Liddell & Scott.

{ } a. [ L. dialecticus, Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. dialectique. See Dialect. ] 1. Pertaining to dialectics; logical; argumental. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to a dialect or to dialects. Earle. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a dialectical manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. dialecticien. ] One versed in dialectics; a logician; a reasoner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. dialectica (sc. ars), Gr. &unr_; (sc. &unr_;): cf. F. dialectique. ] That branch of logic which teaches the rules and modes of reasoning; the application of logical principles to discursive reasoning; the science or art of discriminating truth from error; logical discussion. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Dialectics was defined by Aristotle to be the method of arguing with probability on any given problem, and of defending a tenet without inconsistency. By Plato, it was used in the following senses: 1. Discussion by dialogue as a method of scientific investigation. 2. The method of investigating the truth by analysis. 3. The science of ideas or of the nature and laws of being -- higher metaphysics. By Kant, it was employed to signify the logic of appearances or illusions, whether these arise from accident or error, or from those necessary limitations which, according to this philosopher, originate in the constitution of the human intellect. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dialect + -logy. ] That branch of philology which is devoted to the consideration of dialects. Beck. [ 1913 Webster ]