More than one of these 7 encyclopedias carries each of the following subjects — but every one of them treats it in a sentence or two and then moves on. They are gathered here so the different accounts can sit side by side.
Doris
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a word of several applications, (1) The name of a country in Greece, S. of Thessaly, from which it was separated by Mount Eta. Also a colony of the Dorians in Asia Minor, on the coast of Caria. (2) A goddess of the sea, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and wife of Nereus, by whom she had 50 daughters, called Nereids. (3) An asteroid, the 48th found. It was discovered by Goldschmidt, on the date on which Pales was first seen by the same distinguished astronomer. (4) A genus of gasteropodous mollusks, the typical one of the family Dorida. About 100 species are known.
1000 Classical Characters: Daughter of Oceanus and Thetis , wife of her brother Nereus , and mother of the Nereides . The Latin poets sometimes use the name of this divinity for the sea itself.
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and 1000 Classical Characters
Dormouse
Aiton's Encyclopedia: a sort of field mouse. The white-footed mouse of America is sometimes called a dormouse. The common dormouse of Europe is a wood mouse with a pointed muzzle, large eyes, and a bushy tail. It builds nests of leaves and grass in tangles of undergrowth, which it enters by an opening at the top. Its favorite food is acorns, hazelnuts, and the like. In winter time it sleeps for several weeks, hence the name, akin to dormant-mouse, or sleeping-mouse. An allied species frequenting fruit gardens is called the "garden sleeper" by the Germans. See Mouse
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a small European mammal, which has been elevated into the type of a family, Myoxidæ, having a greater affinity to the Sciuridæ (squirrels) than to the Muridæ, and some place them under the former family. The name dormouse refers to the torpid state in which it passes the severe part of the winter, hence it has even been called the Sleeper.
Covered by Aiton's Encyclopedia and Collier's New Encyclopedia
Drachma
Aiton's Encyclopedia: drak'ma, a Greek unit of value and of weight. The present Grecian coin is worth nineteen and one-half cents in gold. It equals the French franc. The Greeks buy and sell by the drachma's worth, just as we keep accounts in dollars. A member of the Grecian legislature, for instance, is allowed a salary of 1,800 drachmas for the session. The ancient silver drachma varied in value, but corresponded to the Roman denarius. In the day of Demosthenes a fat ox was valued at eighty drachmas and a sheep at ten. The ancient weight known as the drachma was the sixth-thousandth part of a talent--less than one-fourth of an ounce. See Coin ; Money
Collier's New Encyclopedia: DRACHM (dram), or DRAM, a silver coin, the unit of the money system in ancient Greece. It varied in value in different parts of Greece and at different times, but always remained the 6000th part of the talent, and 100th part of the mina, and was divided into six obols. The Attic drachma is estimated as equivalent to a French franc, or 19.3c in United States gold. The drachma (originally "a handful") was also the name of a weight, and 100 drachmas made a mina (nearly one pound) in weight, as in money.
Covered by Aiton's Encyclopedia and Collier's New Encyclopedia
Draft
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a written order for the payof a ment sum of money addressed to some person who holds money in trust, or who acts in the capacity of agent or servant of the drawer. Documents of this kind often pass between one department of a bank or mercantile house and some other department, and are distinguished from bills of exchange and checks, in not being drawn upon a debtor.
The Encyclopedia of Founding: An allowance of taper on a pattern, or the parting of a joint; the object being to obtain a free separation of mould and pattern-surfaces which, if left straight, would ceate friction and cause damage to the mould. See TAPER.
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and The Encyclopedia of Founding
Drill
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a metallic tool for boring a hole in metal or hard material such as stone. Its form varies with the material in which it works. The action in metal is usually rotative, and the tool has two or more cutting edges. In stone drills the action is rotative or reciprocating; in the latter case the tool is alternately lifted and dropped. In agriculture, a machine for sowing grain in rows; in fabrics, a heavy cotton twilled goods, used especially for lining; drilling: in military and naval language, the act or process of training soldiers or sailors to military or naval warfare, as in the manual of arms, the execution of evolutions, etc.
The Encyclopedia of Founding: A tool provided for boring vents and gates through hard dry sand and loam. An ordinary brace and bit, or an ancient bow-drill, are suitable tools for this purpose; the latter making a very efficient one.
Covered by Collier's New Encyclopedia and The Encyclopedia of Founding
Drop
American Watchmaker and Jeweler: Is the amount of freedom allowed, in parts which come in contact with each other, to compensate for inaccuracies in workmanship. In horology it is principally applied to the escapement action where a tooth of the escape wheel drops a varying distance from the completion of one action to the beginning of another. In the chronometer, and other escapements, there are two drops. One drop begins at the completion of the unlocking, when the tooth falls upon the impulse pallet, and the other one begins at the completion of the impulse and ends when the tooth drops upon the locking stone. In the lever and cylinder escapements the drop is known as inside or outside drop, according as it takes place on the inside or outside of the pallet or cylinder. All drop is just so much power wasted and should be as small as possible.
The Encyclopedia of Founding: When a portion of mould falls from an over-hanging surface, it is spoken of as a "drop." Drop-gates are gates which connect with the casting from the runner basin vertically. They may be so placed for mere convenience, or with the view of obtaining a clean casting by constructing a basin above that may be instantly filled with metal, and thus allow the casting to fill from the bottom, with no possibility of dirt entering the mould. See GATES; VENTING.
Covered by American Watchmaker and Jeweler and The Encyclopedia of Founding
Dumfries
Aiton's Encyclopedia: dum-fres', a Scottish town on the River Nith, about six miles from the Firth of Solway. It boasts the oldest bridge in Scotland. In the church of a monastery here Robert Bruce slew the Red Comyn. Though a stirring town in ancient border days, it is now a trading city of 20,000 people. It is full of monuments of the past and is proud of possessing the last resting place of Robert Burns. This is a six-sided Greek edifice sheltering a marble group which represents the muse of Scotland robing the plowman poet with the mantle of inspiration as he stands by his plow. See Ayrshire; Burns We linger by the Doon's low trees And pastoral Nith, and Wooded Ayr, And round thy sepulchres, Dumfries, The poet's tomb is there.
Collier's New Encyclopedia: a river port, railway center and parliamentary borough, capital of the county of same name, and the chief place in the S. of Scotland; on the left bank of the Nith, about 6 miles from its junction with the Solway Firth. It is connected with the suburb Maxwelltown (in Kirkcudbright) by three bridges, one dating from the 13th century. Pop. about 19,000.
Covered by Aiton's Encyclopedia and Collier's New Encyclopedia