n. [ L. divinatio, fr. divinare, divinatum, to foresee, foretell, fr. divinus: cf. F. divination. See Divine. ] 1. The act of divining; a foreseeing or foretelling of future events; the pretended art discovering secret or future by preternatural means. [ 1913 Webster ]

There shall not be found among you any one that . . . useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter. Deut. xviii. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Among the ancient heathen philosophers natural divination was supposed to be effected by a divine afflatus; artificial divination by certain rites, omens, or appearances, as the flight of birds, entrails of animals, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An indication of what is future or secret; augury omen; conjectural presage; prediction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Birds which do give a happy divination of things to come. Sir T. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. See Divination. ] One who practices or pretends to divination; a diviner. [ R. ] Burton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. divinatoire. ] Professing, or relating to, divination. “A natural divinatory instinct.” Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Divined p. pr. & vb. n. Divining. ] [ L. divinare: cf. F. deviner. See Divination. ] 1. To foresee or foreknow; to detect; to anticipate; to conjecture. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sagacity which divined the evil designs. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To foretell; to predict; to presage. [ 1913 Webster ]

Darest thou . . . divine his downfall? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To render divine; to deify. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Living on earth like angel new divined. Spenser.

Syn. -- To foretell; predict; presage; prophesy; prognosticate; forebode; guess; conjecture; surmise. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To use or practice divination; to foretell by divination; to utter prognostications. [ 1913 Webster ]

The prophets thereof divine for money. Micah iii. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To have or feel a presage or foreboding. [ 1913 Webster ]

Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To conjecture or guess; as, to divine rightly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Compar. Diviner superl. Divinest. ] [ F. divin, L. divinus divine, divinely inspired, fr. divus, dius, belonging to a deity; akin to Gr. &unr_;, and L. deus, God. See Deity. ] 1. Of or belonging to God; as, divine perfections; the divine will. “The immensity of the divine nature.” Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Proceeding from God; as, divine judgments. “Divine protection.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Appropriated to God, or celebrating his praise; religious; pious; holy; as, divine service; divine songs; divine worship. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Pertaining to, or proceeding from, a deity; partaking of the nature of a god or the gods. “The divine Apollo said.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Godlike; heavenly; excellent in the highest degree; supremely admirable; apparently above what is human. In this application, the word admits of comparison; as, the divinest mind. Sir J. Davies. “The divine Desdemona.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

A divine sentence is in the lips of the king. Prov. xvi. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

But not to one in this benighted age
Is that diviner inspiration given. Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Presageful; foreboding; prescient. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill,
Misgave him. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Relating to divinity or theology. [ 1913 Webster ]

Church history and other divine learning. South.

Syn. -- Supernatural; superhuman; godlike; heavenly; celestial; pious; holy; sacred; preëminent. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. divinus a soothsayer, LL., a theologian. See Divine, a. ] 1. One skilled in divinity; a theologian. “Poets were the first divines.” Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A minister of the gospel; a priest; a clergyman. [ 1913 Webster ]

The first divines of New England were surpassed by none in extensive erudition. J. Woodbridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. In a divine or godlike manner; holily; admirably or excellently in a supreme degree. [ 1913 Webster ]

Most divinely fair. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. By the agency or influence of God. [ 1913 Webster ]

Divinely set apart . . . to be a preacher of righteousness. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Divination. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being divine; superhuman or supreme excellence. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]