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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/strict.dtd">
<html lang=en-us>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
<title>DL - Definition List</title>
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<meta name="description" content="A description of HTML 4.0's DL element for definition lists.">
<meta name="keywords" content="DL, dl element, definition list, lists, list, definitions, terms, HyperText Markup Language, HTML, HTML4, HTML 4.0, Web Design Group, WDG, <dl> tag, <DL> tag">
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<h1>DL - Definition List</h1>
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<table>
<tr valign=top>
<th>Syntax</th>
<td><strong class=required><DL></strong>...<strong class=required></DL></strong></td>
</tr>
<tr valign=top>
<th>Attribute Specifications</th>
<td>
<ul>
<li class=transitional>COMPACT (compact display)</li>
<li><a href="../attrs.html">common attributes</a></li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
<tr valign=top>
<th>Contents</th>
<td>One or more <a href="dt.html">DT</a> or <a href="dd.html">DD</a> elements</td>
</tr>
<tr valign=top>
<th>Contained in</th>
<td><span class=transitional><a href="../special/applet.html">APPLET</a>, </span><a href="../block/blockquote.html">BLOCKQUOTE</a>, <a href="../html/body.html">BODY</a>, <a href="../forms/button.html">BUTTON</a>, <span class=transitional><a href="../block/center.html">CENTER</a>, </span><a href="dd.html">DD</a>, <a href="../phrase/del.html">DEL</a>, <a href="../block/div.html">DIV</a>, <a href="../forms/fieldset.html">FIELDSET</a>, <a href="../forms/form.html">FORM</a>, <span class=transitional><a href="../special/iframe.html">IFRAME</a>, </span><a href="../phrase/ins.html">INS</a>, <a href="li.html">LI</a>, <a href="../special/map.html">MAP</a>, <span class=transitional><a href="../frames/noframes.html">NOFRAMES</a>, </span> <a href="../block/noscript.html">NOSCRIPT</a>, <a href="../special/object.html">OBJECT</a>, <a href="../tables/td.html">TD</a>, <a href="../tables/th.html">TH</a></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p>The <strong class=html>DL</strong> element defines a <em>definition list</em>. An entry in the list is created using the <strong class=html><a href="dt.html">DT</a></strong> element for the term being defined and the <strong class=html><a href="dd.html">DD</a></strong> element for the definition of the term.</p>
<p>A definition list can have multiple terms for a given definition as well as multiple definitions for a given term. Authors can also give a term without a corresponding definition, and vice versa, but such a structure rarely makes sense.</p>
<p>An example follows:</p>
<pre class=example><code class=html><strong><DL></strong>
<DT>Block-level elements</DT>
<DD>
<P>
In HTML, block-level elements may generally contain
inline elements and other block-level elements. They are
usually formatted differently than inline elements,
typically on a new line in visual browsers.
</P>
</DD>
<DT>Inline elements</DT>
<DT>Text-level elements</DT>
<DD>
<P>
Inline (or text-level) elements generally only contain
character data and other inline elements.
</P>
</DD>
<strong></DL></strong></code></pre>
<p>The <strong class=html>DL</strong> element can be adapted for use with structures that are not strict terms and definitions, a practice that is justified when other <abbr class=initialism title="HyperText Markup Language">HTML</abbr> elements cannot adequately describe a structure. Some examples follow:</p>
<ul class=example>
<li><pre><code class=html><H1>Community Calendar</H1>
<strong><DL CLASS=calendar></strong>
<DT>March 8</DT>
<DD>
The Symphony Orchestra presents <CITE>A Rising Star</CITE>
at the Anderson Center. Call 555-1234 for details.
</DD>
<DT>March 10</DT>
<DD>
Bereaved Families Support Night, 7:00 to 9:00 at
523 Main <ABBR TITLE=Street>St.</ABBR>
</DD>
<strong></DL></strong></code></pre></li>
<li><pre><code class=html><strong><DL CLASS=play></strong>
<DT>Brutus</DT>
<DD CLASS="role Brutus">
<P>
I kiss thy hand, but not in flattery, Caesar;<BR>
Desiring thee that Publius Cimber may<BR>
Have an immediate freedom of repeal.
</P>
</DD>
<DT>Caesar</DT>
<DD CLASS="role Caesar">
<P>
What, Brutus!
</P>
</DD>
<DT>Cassius</DT>
<DD CLASS="role Cassius">
<P>
Pardon, Caesar; Caesar, pardon:<BR>
As low as to thy foot doth Cassius fall,<BR>
To beg enfranchisement for Publius Cimber.
</P>
</DD>
<strong></DL></strong></code></pre></li>
</ul>
<p>Note the use of the <strong class=html><a href="../attrs.html#class">CLASS</a></strong> attribute in the preceding examples. This allows the author to easily suggest, through <a href="../../css/index.html">style sheets</a>, a distinguishing presentation for different kinds of definition lists.</p>
<div class=transitional>
<p>In addition to the <a href="../attrs.html">common attributes</a> shared by most elements, <strong class=html>DL</strong> takes a <strong class=html>COMPACT</strong> attribute. This attribute, <a href="../deprecated.html">deprecated</a> in HTML4.0 and poorly supported among browsers, suggests that visual browsers render the list compactly, perhaps with reduced spacing between items.</p>
</div>
<h2>More Information</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/struct/lists.html#edef-DL">DL in <abbr class=initialism title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr> HTML4.0 Recommendation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html32#dl">DL in <abbr class=initialism title="World Wide Web Consortium">W3C</abbr> HTML3.2 Recommendation</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/html-spec/html-spec_5.html#SEC5.6.5">DL in HTML2.0 Standard</a></li>
<li><a href="../../wilbur/list/dl.html">DL in <abbr class=initialism title="Web Design Group">WDG</abbr> HTML3.2 Reference</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.malibutelecom.com/yucca/HTML3.2/5.21.html">UL in <cite>Learning HTML3.2 by Examples</cite></a></li>
</ul>
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<p class=copyright>Copyright © 1998 by <a href="http://www.htmlhelp.com/%7Eliam/">Liam Quinn</a>. This material may be distributed only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Open Publication License, v1.0 or later (the latest version is presently available at <a href="http://www.opencontent.org/openpub/">http://www.opencontent.org/openpub/</a>).</p>
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