DWARF, noun

1. A general name for an animal or plant which is much below the ordinary size of the species or kind. A man that never grows beyond two or three feet in highth, is a dwarf This word when used alone usually refers to the human species, but sometimes to other animals. When it is applied to plants, it is more generally used in composition; as a dwarf-tree; dwarf-elder.

2. An attendant on a lady or knight in romances.

DWARF, verb transitive To hinder from growing to the natural size; to lessen; to make or keep small.

DWARFISH, adjective Like a dwarf; below the common stature or size; very small; low; petty; despicable; as a dwarfish animal; a dwarfish shrub.

DWARFISHLY, adverb Like a dwarf.

DWARFISHNESS, noun Smallness of stature; littleness of size.

DWAUL, verb intransitive To be delirious.

DWELL, verb intransitive preterit tense dwelled, usually contracted into dwelt. [See Dally.]

1. To abide as a permanent resident, or to inhabit for a time; to live in a place; to have a habitation for some time or permanence.

God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem. Genesis 9:27.

DWELL imports a residence of some continuance. We use abide for the resting of a night or an hour; but we never say, he dwelt in a place a day or a night. dwell may signify a residence for life or for a much shorter period, but not for a day. In scripture, it denotes a residence of seven days during the feast of tabernacles.

Ye shall dwell in booths seven days. Leviticus 23:42.

The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. John 1:38.

2. To be in any state or condition; to continue.

To dwell in doubtful joy.

3. To continue; to be fixed in attention; to hang upon with fondness.

The attentive queen dwelt on his accents.

They stand at a distance, dwelling on his looks and language, fixed in amazement.

4. To continue long; as, to dwell on a subject, in speaking, debate or writing; to dwell on a note in music.

DWELL, as a verb transitive, is not used. We who dwell this wild, in Milton, is not a legitimate phrase.

DWELL'ER, noun An inhabitant; a resident of some continuance in a place.

DWELL'ING, participle present tense Inhabiting; residing; sojourning; continuing with fixed attention.

DWELL'ING, noun Habitation; place of residence; abode.

Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons. Jeremiah 49:33.

1. Continuance; residence; state of life.

Thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. Daniel 4:25.

DWIN'DLE, verb intransitive

1. To diminish; to become less; to shrink; to waste or consume away. The body dwindles by pining or consumption; an estate swindles by waste, by want of industry or economy; an object dwindles in size, as it recedes from view; an army dwindles by death or desertion.

Our drooping days have dwindled down to naught.

2. To degenerate; to sink; to fall away.

Religious societies may dwindle into factious clubs.

DWIN'DLE, verb transitive To make less; to bring low.

1. To break; to disperse.

DWIN'DLED, adjective Shrunk; diminished in size.

DWIN'DLING, participle present tense Falling away; becoming less; pining; consuming; moldering away.