(?), n. [F. dpartement, fr. dpartir. See Depart, v. i.] 1.
Act of departing; departure. [Obs.]
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-Sudden departments from one extreme to another. Wotton.
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2.
A part, portion, or subdivision.
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3.
A distinct course of life, action, study, or the like; appointed sphere or walk; province.
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-Superior to Pope in Pope's own peculiar department of literature. Macaulay.
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4.
Subdivision of business or official duty; especially, one of the principal divisions of executive government; as, the treasury department; the war department; also, in a university, one of the divisions of instruction; as, the medical department; the department of physics.
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5.
A territorial division; a district; esp., in France, one of the districts composed of several arrondissements into which the country is divided for governmental purposes; as, the Department of the Loire.
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6.
A military subdivision of a country; as, the Department of the Potomac.
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