dy -abbr
- delivery
- deputy
- duty
Dy -symbol
- dysprosium
dy- -comb form
- two
dy·ad ['dī-,ad, -əd] -n, adj, adv
- pair
- two individuals (as husband and wife) maintaining a sociologically significant relationship
- a meiotic chromosome after separation of the two homologous members of a tetrad
- a mathematical operator indicated by writing the symbols of two vectors without a dot or cross between (as AB)
dy·ad·ic [dī-'a-dik] -n
- a mathematical expression formed by addition or subtraction of dyads
dy·ar·chy ['dī-,är-kē] -n
- a government in which power is vested in two rulers or authorities
dyb·buk ['di-bək] -n
- a wandering soul believed in Jewish folklore to enter and control a living body until exorcised by a religious rite
dye ['dī] -n
- color from dyeing
- a soluble or insoluble coloring matter
- to impart a new and often permanent color to esp. by impregnating with a dye
- to impart (a color) by dyeing
- to take up or impart color in dyeing
dyedinthewool [,dīd-ᵊn-thə-'wu̇l] -adj
- thoroughgoing, uncompromising
- a dyedinthewool conservative
dye·stuff ['dī-,stəf] -n
- dye
dye·wood [-,wu̇d] -n
- a wood (as logwood or fustic) from which coloring matter is extracted for dyeing
- lesbian
dynam -abbr
- dynamics
dy·nam·ic [dī-'na-mik] -adj, adv
- of or relating to physical force or energy
- of or relating to dynamics
- marked by usu. continuous and productive activity or change
- energetic, forceful
- requiring periodic refreshment of charge in order to retain data
dynamic -n
- a dynamic force
- dynamics
- an underlying cause of change or growth
dynamic range -n
- the ratio of the strongest to the weakest sound intensity that can be transmitted or reproduced by an audio or broadcasting system
dy·nam·ics [dī-'na-miks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- a branch of mechanics that deals with forces and their relation primarily to the motion but sometimes also to the equilibrium of bodies
- a pattern or process of change, growth, or activity
- variation and contrast in force or intensity (as in music)
dy·na·mism ['dī-nə-,mi-zəm] -n, adj
- a theory that all phenomena (as matter or motion) can be explained as manifestations of force
- dynamics
- a dynamic or expansionist quality
dy·na·mite ['dī-nə-,mīt] -n, adj
- an explosive that is made of nitroglycerin absorbed in a porous material and that often contains ammonium nitrate or cellulose nitrate
- an explosive (as a mixture of ammonium nitrate and nitrocellulose) that contains no nitroglycerin
- one that has a powerful effect
- an actress who's dy*na*mite at the box office
- something that has great potential to cause trouble or conflict
- an issue regarded as political dy*na*mite
dynamite -vt, n
- to blow up with dynamite
- to cause the failure or destruction of
- terrific, wonderful
dy·na·mo ['dī-nə-,mō] -n
- generator
- a forceful energetic individual
dy·na·mom·e·ter [,dī-nə-'mä-mə-tər] -n, adj
- an instrument for measuring mechanical force
- an apparatus for measuring mechanical power (as of an engine)
dy·na·mo·tor ['dī-nə-,mō-tər] -n
- a motor generator combining the electric motor and generator
dy·nast ['dī-,nast, -nəst] -n
- ruler
dy·nas·ty ['dī-nə-stē also -,nas-tē, esp Brit 'di-nə-stē] -n, adj, adv
- a succession of rulers of the same line of descent
- a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time
dy·na·tron ['dī-nə-,trän] -n
- a vacuum tube in which the secondary emission of electrons from the plate results in a decrease in the plate current as the plate voltage increases
dyne ['dīn] -n
- the unit of force in the centimeter-gram-second system equal to the force that would give a free mass of one gram an acceleration of one centimeter per second per second
dy·nein ['dī-,nēn, -,nē-ən] -n
- an ATPase that is associated esp. with microtubules involved in the movement of cellular organelles and structures (as cilia, flagella, and chromosomes)
dy·node ['dī-,nōd] -n
- an electrode in an electron tube that functions to produce secondary emission of electrons
dys- -prefix
- abnormal
- difficult
- impaired
- bad
dys·ar·thria [di-'sär-thrē-ə] -n
- difficulty in articulating words due to disease of the central nervous system
dys·cra·sia [dis-'krā-zh(ē-)ə] -n
- an abnormal condition of the body and esp. the blood
dys·en·ter·ic [,di-sᵊn-'ter-ik] -adj
- of or relating to dysentery
dys·en·tery ['di-sᵊn-,ter-ē, -,te-rē] -n
- a disease characterized by severe diarrhea with passage of mucus and blood and usu. caused by infection
- diarrhea
dys·func·tion [(,)dis-'fəŋ(k)-shən] -n, adj
- impaired or abnormal functioning
- gastrointestinal dys*func*tion
- abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group
dys·gen·e·sis [(,)dis-'je-nə-səs] -n
- defective development esp. of the gonads (as in Klinefelter's syndrome)
dys·gen·ic [(,)dis-'je-nik] -adj
- tending to promote survival of or reproduction by less well-adapted individuals (as the weak or diseased) esp. at the expense of well-adapted individuals (as the strong or healthy)
- the dys*gen*ic effect of war
- biologically defective or deficient
dys·ki·ne·sia [,dis-kə-'nē-zh(ē-)ə, -kī-] -n, adj
- impairment of voluntary movements resulting in fragmented or jerky motions (as in Parkinson's disease)
dys·lex·ia [dis-'lek-sē-ə] -n, adj or n
- a variable often familial learning disability involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing
dys·lo·gis·tic [,dis-lə-'jis-tik] -adj, adv
- uncomplimentary
dys·men·or·rhea [(,)dis-,me-nə-'rē-ə] -n, adj
- painful menstruation
dys·mor·phic [dis-'mȯr-fik] -adj
- characterized by malformation
dys·pep·sia [dis-'pep-shə, -sē-ə] -n, adj or n, adv
- indigestion
- ill humor : disgruntlement
dys·pha·gia [dis-'fā-j(ē-)ə] -n
- difficulty in swallowing
dys·pha·sia [dis-'fā-zh(ē-)ə] -n, n or adj
- loss of or deficiency in the power to use or understand language as a result of injury to or disease of the brain
dys·phe·mism ['dis-fə-,mi-zəm] -n, adj
- the substitution of a disagreeable, offensive, or disparaging expression for an agreeable or inoffensive one
- an expression so substituted
dys·pho·nia [dis-'fō-nē-ə] -n
- defective use of the voice
dys·pho·ria [dis-'fȯr-ē-ə] -n, adj
- a state of feeling unwell or unhappy
dys·pla·sia [dis-'plā-zh(ē-)ə] -n, adj
- abnormal growth or development (as of organs or cells)
- abnormal anatomical structure due to such growth
dys·pnea ['dis(p)-nē-ə] -n, adj
- difficult or labored respiration
dys·pro·si·um [dis-'prō-zē-əm, -zh(ē-)əm] -n
- an element of the rare-earth group that forms highly magnetic compounds
dys·rhyth·mia [dis-'rith-mē-ə] -n, adj
- an abnormal rhythm
- a disordered rhythm exhibited in a record of electrical activity of the brain or heart
dys·thy·mia [dis-'thī-mē-ə] -n, adj or n
- a mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable mood often accompanied by other symptoms (as eating and sleeping disturbances, fatigue, and poor self-esteem) called also dysthymic disorder
dys·to·cia [dis-'tō-sh(ē-)ə] -n
- slow or difficult labor or delivery
dys·to·nia [dis-'tō-nē-ə] -n, adj
- any of various conditions (as Parkinson's disease and torticollis) characterized by abnormalities of movement and muscle tone
dys·to·pia [(,)dis-'tō-pē-ə] -n, adj
- an imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives
- anti-utopia
dys·tro·phic [dis-'trō-fik] -adj
- relating to or caused by faulty nutrition
- relating to or affected with a dystrophy
- brownish with much dissolved humic matter, a sparse bottom fauna, and a high oxygen consumption
dys·tro·phin ['dis-trə-,fin] -n
- a protein that is associated with a transmembrane complex of skeletal muscle cells and that is absent in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and deficient or defective in Becker muscular dystrophy
dys·tro·phy ['dis-trə-fē] -n
- a condition produced by faulty nutrition
- any myogenic atrophy
- muscular dystrophy
dys·uria [dis-'yu̇r-ē-ə, dish-] -n
- difficult or painful discharge of urine