I. ˈdī(ə)mənd noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English diamaunt, diamaunde, from Middle French diamant, diamande, from Late Latin diamant-, diamas, alteration of (assumed) Vulgar Latin adimant-, adimas hardest iron or steel, diamond, from Greek adamant-, adamas
1.
a. : native carbon crystallized in the isometric system often in the form of octahedrons with rounded edges and usually nearly colorless that when transparent and more or less free from flaws is highly valued as a precious stone because having high refractive and dispersive powers it shows when faceted a remarkable brilliance and play of prismatic colors and that when off-color or flawed is invaluable for industrial purposes (as for use in wire dies, abrasive powder, rock drills, and turning tools) because it is the hardest substance known (hardness 10, specific gravity 3.52) — see water 7a; brilliant 1, rose , table diamond ; bort
b. : a piece of this material
c. : a crystalline mineral that is like diamond in brilliance — used with a qualifying name; see alençon diamond
d. : crystallized carbon similar to the native but produced by artificial means
2. obsolete : a very hard substance : adamant
3.
a. : something that resembles a diamond (as in value, rarity, or brilliance)
b. : a person possessing very high character or other fine qualities
4. : a square or rhombus-shaped configuration usually having a distinctive orientation (as by having a diagonal perpendicular to the horizontal)
5. : something shaped like a diamond ; specifically : any of the small diamond-shaped marks at regular intervals on the cushions of an American billiard table to aid the player in calculating the angles of his shots
6.
a. : a red lozenge impressed on a playing card ; also : a card marked with such lozenges
b. diamonds plural but singular or plural in construction : the suit comprising cards so marked
c. bridge : an odd trick won or contracted for with diamonds trumps
four diamonds bid and made
7. : a tool holding a diamond ; specifically : any of several instruments varying in shape, size, and surfaces featuring diamond bonded on a metallic base and used typically in dental work and for cutting glass
8. : an old size of printing type (approximately 4 1/2 point) between brilliant and pearl — compare point system
9.
a. : the area of a baseball or softball field enclosed in a square with a base at each corner — called also infield
b. : the entire playing field in baseball or softball
10. : something ornamented or set with a diamond ; specifically : an engagement ring set with a diamond solitaire
11. : rerailer
12. diamonds plural but singular in construction : diamond-skin disease
•
- diamond in the rough
II. adjective
1. : consisting or made of diamond
2. : bright , sparkling
the diamond dawn of a golden winter day — L.C.Stevens
3. : ornamented or set with a diamond
diamond tiara
4. : shaped like a diamond : having diamond-shaped figures or parts
diamond weave
5. : of, relating to, or marking a 60th or a 75th anniversary
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to adorn with or as if with diamonds
the grass is diamonded with cobwebs of dew — Stuart Kinzie