D.

The fourth letter of the English alphabet. It is used as an abbreviation for a number of words, the more important and usual of which are as follows: 1. Digestum, or Digesta, that is, the Digest or Pandects in the Justinian collections of the civil law. Citations to this work are sometimes indicated by this abbreviation, but more commonly by “Dig.” 2. Dictum. A remark or observation, as In the phrase “obiter dictum,” (q. v.) 3. Demisione. “On the demise.” An ac tion of ejectment is entitled “Doe d. Stiles v. Roe;” that is, “Doe, on the demise of Stiles, against Roe.” 4. “Doctor.” As in the abbreviated forms of certain academical degrees. “M. D.,” “doctor of medicine;” LL. D.,” “doctor of laws;” “D. C. L.,” “doctor of civil law.” 5. “District.” Thus, “U. S. Or. Ct W. D. Pa.” stands for “United States Circuit Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.” 6. “Dialogue” Used only in citations to the work called “Doctor and Student.” In the Roman system of notation, this letter stands for five hundred; and, when a horizontal dash or stroke is placed above It, it denotes five thousand.