DE -abbr
- defensive end
- Delaware
- diatomaceous earth
- doctor of engineering
de- -prefix
- do the opposite of
- reverse of
- remove (a specified thing) from
- remove from (a specified thing)
- reduce
- something derived from (a specified thing): derived from something (of a specified nature)
- get off of (a specified thing)
- having a molecule characterized by the removal of one or more atoms (of a specified element)
DEA -abbr
- Drug Enforcement Administration
de·ac·ces·sion [,dē-ik-'se-shən, -ak-] -vt, n
- to sell or otherwise dispose of (an item in a collection)
- the museum deaccession ed several paintings
de·acid·i·fy [,dē-ə-'si-də-,fī] -vt, n
- to remove acid from : reduce the acidity of (as by neutralization)
dea·con ['dē-kən] -n
- : a subordinate officer in a Christian church: as
- a Roman Catholic, Anglican, or Eastern Orthodox cleric ranking next below a priest
- one of the laymen elected by a church with congregational polity to serve in worship, in pastoral care, and on administrative committees
- a Mormon in the lowest grade of the Aaronic priesthood
dea·con·ess ['dē-kə-nəs] -n
- a woman chosen to assist in the church ministry
- one in a Protestant order
deacon's bench -n
- a bench with usu. spindled arms and back
de·ac·ti·vate [(,)dē-'ak-tə-,vāt] -vt, n
- to make inactive or ineffective
- deactivate a chemical compound
dead ['ded] -adj, n
- deprived of life : no longer alive
- having the appearance of death : deathly
- lacking power to move, feel, or respond : numb
- very tired
- incapable of being stirred emotionally or intellectually : unresponsive
- grown cold : extinguished
- inanimate, inert
- barren, infertile
- no longer producing or functioning : exhausted
- lacking power or effect
- no longer having interest, relevance, or significance
- no longer in use : obsolete
- no longer active : extinct
- lacking in gaiety or animation
- lacking in commercial activity : quiet
- commercially idle or unproductive
- lacking elasticity
- being out of action or out of use
- free from any connection to a source of voltage and free from electric charges
- being out of play
- temporarily forbidden to play or to make a certain play in croquet
- not running or circulating : stagnant
- not turning
- the dead center of a lathe
- not imparting motion or power although otherwise functioning
- lacking warmth, vigor, or taste
- absolutely uniform
- unerring
- exact
- dead center of the target
- certain to be doomed
- he's dead if he's late for curfew
- irrevocable
- abrupt
- complete, absolute
- all-out
- caught it on the dead run
- devoid of former occupants
- one that is dead usu. used collectively
- the state of being dead
- raised him from the dead -- Col 2:12(RSV)
- the time of greatest quiet
- absolutely, utterly
- suddenly and completely
- directly
dead air -n
- a period of silence esp. during a broadcast
deadair space ['ded-'er-] -n
- an unventilated air space
dead·beat ['ded-,bēt] -n
- loafer
- one who persistently fails to pay personal debts or expenses
deadbeat -adj
- having a pointer that gives a reading with little or no oscillation
dead bolt -n
- a lock bolt that is moved by turning a knob or key without action of a spring
deadcat bounce -n
- a brief and insignificant recovery (as of stock prices) after a steep decline
dead duck -n
- one that is doomed
dead·en ['de-dᵊn] -vb, n, adv
- to impair in vigor or sensation : blunt
- to deprive of brilliance
- to make vapid or spiritless
- to make (as a wall) impervious to sound
- to deprive of life : kill
- to become dead : lose life or vigor
deadend ['ded-,end] -adj, n
- lacking opportunities esp. for advancement
- lacking an exit
- unruly
- to come to a dead end : terminate
- the road deadend s at the lake
- the investigation deadend ed
dead end ['ded-'end] -n
- an end (as of a street) without an exit
- a position, situation, or course of action that leads to nothing further
dead·en·ing -n
- material used to soundproof walls or floors
dead·eye ['ded-,ī] -n
- a rounded wood block encircled by a rope or an iron band and having holes to receive the lanyard that is used esp. to set up shrouds and stays
- an unerring marksman
dead·fall [-,fȯl] -n
- a trap so constructed that a weight (as a heavy log) falls on an animal and kills or disables it
- a tangled mass of fallen trees and branches
dead hand -n
- mortmain
- the oppressive influence of the past
dead·head ['ded-,hed] -n
- one who has not paid for a ticket
- a dull or stupid person
- a partially submerged log
deadhead -vi
- to make esp. a return trip without a load
- to deadhead a plant
- to remove the faded flowers of (a plant) esp. to keep a neat appearance and to promote reblooming by preventing seed production
dead heat -n
- a tie with no single winner of a race
- tie
dead horse -n
- an exhausted or profitless topic or issue usu. used in the phrases beat a dead horse and flog a dead horse
dead letter -n
- something that has lost its force or authority without being formally abolished
- a letter that is undeliverable and unreturnable by the post office
dead lift ['ded-,lift] -n, vt
- a lift in weight lifting in which the weight is lifted from the floor to hip level
dead·light ['ded-,līt] -n
- a metal cover or shutter fitted to a port to keep out light and water
dead·line [-,līn] -n
- a line drawn within or around a prison that a prisoner passes at the risk of being shot
- a date or time before which something must be done
- the time after which copy is not accepted for a particular issue of a publication
dead load -n
- a constant load in a structure (as a bridge, building, or machine) that is due to the weight of the members, the supported structure, and permanent attachments or accessories
dead·lock ['ded-,läk] -n, vb
- a state of inaction or neutralization resulting from the opposition of equally powerful uncompromising persons or factions : standstill
- the deadlock was broken with a key compromise
- a tie score
dead·ly ['ded-lē] -adj, n
- likely to cause or capable of producing death
- aiming to kill or destroy : implacable
- highly effective
- unerring
- marked by determination or extreme seriousness
- tending to deprive of force or vitality
- suggestive of death esp. in dullness or lack of animation
- very great : extreme
deadly -adv
- in a manner to cause death : mortally
- suggesting death
- extremely
deadly nightshade -n
- belladonna
deadly sin -n
- one of seven sins of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth held to be fatal to spiritual progress
dead·man ['ded-,man] -n
- an anchor (as a metal plate) buried in snow and used (as in mountain climbing) to secure a rope
dead man's float -n
- a prone floating position with the arms extended forward
dead march -n
- a solemn march for a funeral
dead meat -n
- one that is doomed
- he's dead meat if they catch him
dead metaphor -n
- a word or phrase (as time is running out) that has lost its metaphoric force through common usage
deadon ['ded-'ȯn, -'än] -adj
- exactly correct or accurate
- his impersonations were deadon
dead·pan ['ded-,pan] -adj, adv
- marked by an impassive matter-of-fact manner, style, or expression
deadpan -n
- a completely expressionless face
- a deadpan manner of behavior or presentation
- to express in a deadpan manner
dead presidents -n pl
- U.S. money in the form of bills
- dollars
dead reckoning -n, vb
- the determination without the aid of celestial observations of the position of a ship or aircraft from the record of the courses sailed or flown, the distance made, and the known or estimated drift
- guesswork
dead space -n
- the portion of the respiratory system which is external to the bronchioles and through which air must pass to reach the bronchioles and alveoli
deadstick landing ['ded-,stik-] -n
- a landing of an airplane or spacecraft made without power
deadtree ['ded-'trē] -adj
- being the print version of a work available in both print and electronic formats
- reads the deadtree edition
dead·weight ['ded-'wāt] -n
- the unrelieved weight of an inert mass
- dead load
- a ship's load including the total weight of cargo, fuel, stores, crew, and passengers
deadweight ton -n
- a long ton used in indicating a ship's gross capacity abbr. dwt
dead·wood [-,wu̇d] -n
- wood dead on the tree
- useless personnel or material
- solid timbers built in at the extreme bow and stern of a ship when too narrow to permit framing
- bowling pins that have been knocked down but remain on the alley
de·aer·ate [,dē-'er-,āt] -vt, n
- to remove air or gas from
deaf ['def, dial 'dēf] -adj, adv, n
- lacking or deficient in the sense of hearing
- unwilling to hear or listen : not to be persuaded
- was overwrought and deaf to reason
deafaid ['def-,ād] -n
- hearing aid
deaf·en ['de-fən] -vt
- to make deaf
- was deafen ed by the explosion
deaf·en·ing -adj, adv
- that deafens
- very loud : earsplitting
- fell with a deafening clap
- very noticeable
- their silence on the issue was deafening
deafmute ['def-'myüt] -n, adj
- a deaf person who cannot speak
deal ['dēl] -n
- part, portion
- a usu. large or indefinite quantity or degree
- the act or right of distributing cards to players in a card game
- hand
- to give as one's portion : apportion
- tried to deal justice to all
- dealt out three sandwiches apiece
- to distribute (playing cards) to players in a game
- administer, deliver
- sell
- trade
- deal a player to another team
- to distribute the cards in a card game
- to concern oneself or itself
- the book deal s with education
- to engage in bargaining : trade
- to sell or distribute something as a business
- to take action with regard to someone or something
- to reach or try to reach a state of acceptance or reconcilement
- trying to deal with her son's death
- an act of dealing : transaction
- bargain
- contract
- package deal
- treatment received
- an arrangement for mutual advantage
- affair
- dinner was an informal deal
- situation, story
- what is the deal with that guy?
- mccoy used in the phrase the real deal
- a board of fir or pine
- pine or fir wood
de·alat·ed [(,)dē-'ā-,lā-təd] -adj, n
- divested of the wings used of postnuptial adults of insects (as ants) that drop their wings after a nuptial flight
deal·er·ship ['dē-lər-,ship] -n
- an authorized sales agency
deal·fish ['dēl-,fish] -n
- any of several silvery ribbonfishes (genus Trachipterus,esp. T. arcticus) inhabiting deep seas
deal·ing -n
- method of business : manner of conduct
- friendly or business interactions
dealing box -n
- a case that holds a deck of playing cards so that they may be dealt one by one
de·am·i·nase [(,)dē-'a-mi-,nās, -,nāz] -n
- an enzyme that hydrolyzes amino compounds (as amino acids) with removal of the amino group
de·am·i·nate [-,nāt] -vt, n
- to remove the amino group from (a compound)
dean ['dēn] -n, vi
- the head of the chapter of a collegiate or cathedral church
- a Roman Catholic priest who supervises one district of a diocese
- the head of a division, faculty, college, or school of a university
- a college or secondary school administrator in charge of counseling and disciplining students
- doyen
dean·ery ['dēn-rē, 'dē-nə-rē] -n
- the office, jurisdiction, or official residence of a clerical dean
dean's list -n
- a list of students receiving special recognition from the dean of a college because of superior scholarship
dear ['dir] -adj
- severe, sore
- in our dear peril -- Shak.
- noble
- highly valued : precious often used in a salutation
- affectionate, fond
- high or exorbitant in price : expensive
- eggs are very dear just now
- heartfelt
- dearly
- the effort cost them dear
- dearly
- so dear I loved the man -- Shak.
- a loved one : sweetheart
- a lovable person
- used esp. to express annoyance or dismay
Dear John [-'jän] -n
- a letter (as to a soldier) in which a wife asks for a divorce or a girlfriend breaks off an engagement or a friendship
dear·ly -adv
- with affection : fondly
- heartily, earnestly
- prayed so dearly for peace
- at a high rate or price
- paid dearly for the error
dearth ['dərth] -n
- scarcity that makes dear
- famine
- an inadequate supply : lack
dea·sil ['dē-zəl] -adv
- clockwise
death ['deth] -n
- a permanent cessation of all vital functions : the end of life
- an instance of dying
- a disease causing many death s
- the cause or occasion of loss of life
- drinking was the death of him
- a cause of ruin
- the slander that was death to my character -- Wilkie Collins
- the destroyer of life represented usu. as a skeleton with a scythe
- the state of being dead
- the passing or destruction of something inanimate
- extinction
- civil death
- slaughter
- the lie of life in matter : that which is unreal and untrue
death·bed ['deth-,bed] -n
- the bed in which a person dies
- the last hours of life
death benefit -n
- money payable to the beneficiary of a deceased
death·blow ['deth-,blō] -n
- a destructive or killing stroke or event
death camas -n
- any of several plants (genus Zigadenus) of the lily family that cause poisoning of livestock in the western U.S.
death camp -n
- a concentration camp in which large numbers of prisoners are systematically killed
death cap -n
- a very poisonous mushroom ( Amanita phalloides) of deciduous woods of No. America and Europe that varies in color from pure white to olive or yellow and has a prominent volva at the base called also death cup
death·care ['deth-,ker] -adj
- of, relating to, or providing products or services for the burial or cremation of the dead
death duty -n
- death tax
death grip -n
- an extremely tight grip caused esp. by fear
- hold
- maintained their death grip on overseas markets
death instinct -n
- an innate and unconscious tendency toward self-destruction postulated in psychoanalytic theory to explain aggressive and destructive behavior not satisfactorily explained by the pleasure principle called also Thanatos
death·less ['deth-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- immortal, imperishable
death·ly ['deth-lē] -adj, adv
- fatal
- of, relating to, or suggestive of death
death mask -n
- a cast taken from the face of a dead person
death metal -n
- a type of heavy metal music that is characterized by the use of dark, violent, or gory imagery
death rate -n
- the ratio between deaths and individuals in a specified population and time
death rattle -n
- a rattling or gurgling sound produced by air passing through mucus in the lungs and air passages of a dying person
death ray -n
- a weapon that generates an intense beam of particles or radiation by which it destroys its target
death row -n
- a prison area housing inmates sentenced to death usu. used with on
- prisoners waiting on death row
death sentence -n
- a sentence condemning a convicted defendant to death
- an affliction or a situation that is considered to be fatal
- a prognosis of death
death'shead ['deths-,hed] -n
- a human skull or a depiction of a human skull symbolizing death
death'shead hawk moth -n
- a large dark hawk moth ( Acherontia atropos) esp. of Mediterranean regions with markings resembling a human skull on the back of the thorax called also death's-head moth
deaths·man ['deths-mən] -n
- executioner
death squad -n
- any of various extremist groups whose members kill suspected political adversaries and criminals
death tax -n
- a tax arising on the transmission of property after the owner's death
- estate tax
death trap -n
- a structure or situation that is potentially very dangerous to life
death warrant -n
- a warrant for the execution of a death sentence
- deathblow
death·watch ['deth-,wäch] -n
- a small insect that makes a ticking sound
- deathwatch beetle
deathwatch -n
- a vigil kept over the dead or dying
- the guard set over a criminal to be executed
deathwatch beetle -n
- any of various small beetles (family Anobiidae, esp. Xestobium rufovillosum) that bore in seasoned or dead wood (as of old buildings) and make a tapping noise as a mating call
death wish -n
- the conscious or unconscious desire for the death of oneself or of another
deb ['deb] -n
- debutante
- debenture
de·ba·cle [dē-'bä-kəl, di-, -'ba-; ÷'de-bə-kəl] -n
- a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river
- a violent disruption (as of an army) : rout
- a great disaster
- a complete failure : fiasco
de·bar [di-'bär, dē-] -vt, n
- to bar from having or doing something : preclude
de·bark [di-'bärk, dē-] -vb, n
- disembark
- to remove bark from
de·base [di-'bās, dē-] -vt, n
- to lower in status, esteem, quality, or character
- to reduce the intrinsic value of (a coin) by increasing the base-metal content
- to reduce the exchange value of (a monetary unit)
de·bat·able [di-'bā-tə-bəl, dē-] -adj, adv
- claimed by more than one country
- debatable border territory
- open to dispute : questionable
- the debatable wisdom of his advice
- open to debate
- capable of being debated
de·bate [di-'bāt, dē-] -n
- : a contention by words or arguments: as
- the formal discussion of a motion before a deliberative body according to the rules of parliamentary procedure
- a regulated discussion of a proposition between two matched sides
debate [-'bāt-mənt] -vb, n
- fight, contend
- to contend in words
- to discuss a question by considering opposed arguments
- to participate in a debate
- to argue about
- the subject was hotly debated
- to engage (an opponent) in debate
- to turn over in one's mind
- he's still debating what to do
de·bauch [di-'bȯch, -'bäch, dē-] -vt, n
- to make disloyal
- to seduce from chastity
- to lead away from virtue or excellence
- to corrupt by intemperance or sensuality
debauch -n
- an act or occasion of debauchery
- orgy
de·bauch·ee [di-,bȯ-'chē, -,bä-; ,de-bə-'shē, -'shā] -n
- one given to debauchery
de·bauch·ery [di-'bȯ-chə-rē, -chrē, -'bä-] -n
- extreme indulgence in sensuality
- orgies
- seduction from virtue or duty
de·beak [(,)dē-'bēk] -vt
- to remove the tip of the upper mandible of (as a chicken) to prevent cannibalism and fighting
de·beard [-'bird] -vt
- to remove the byssus from (a mussel)
de·ben·ture [di-'ben-chər] -n
- a corporate security other than an equity security : bond
- a bond backed by the general credit of the issuer rather than a specific lien on particular assets
de·bil·i·tate [di-'bi-lə-,tāt, dē-] -vt, n
- to impair the strength of : enfeeble
de·bil·i·ty [di-'bi-lə-tē, dē-] -n
- weakness, infirmity
deb·it ['de-bət] -vt
- to enter upon the debit side of an account : charge with a debit
debit -n
- a record of an indebtedness
- an entry on the left-hand side of an account constituting an addition to an expense or asset account or a deduction from a revenue, net worth, or liability account
- the sum of the items entered as debits
- a charge against a bank deposit account
- drawback, shortcoming
debit card -n
- a card like a credit card by which money may be withdrawn or the cost of purchases paid directly from the holder's bank account without the payment of interest
deb·o·nair [,de-bə-'ner] -adj, adv, n
- gentle, courteous
- suave, urbane
- lighthearted, nonchalant
de·bone [(,)dē-'bōn] -vt, n
- bone
Deb·o·rah ['de-b(ə-)rə] -n
- a Hebrew prophetess who rallied the Israelites in their struggles against the Canaanites
de·bouch [di-'bau̇ch, -'büsh, dē-] -vb, n
- to cause to emerge : discharge
- to march out into open ground
- troops debouch ing from the town
- emerge, issue
- rivers debouch ing into the sea
de·bride·ment [di-'brēd-mənt, dā-, -,mänt, dā-brēd-'mäⁿ] -n, vt
- the usu. surgical removal of lacerated, devitalized, or contaminated tissue
de·brief [(,)dē-'brēf] -vt
- to interrogate (as a pilot) usu. upon return (as from a mission) in order to obtain useful information
- to carefully review upon completion
de·bris [də-'brē, dā-', 'dā-,, Brit usu 'de-(,)brē] -n
- the remains of something broken down or destroyed
- an accumulation of fragments of rock
- something discarded : rubbish
debt ['det] -n, adj
- sin, trespass
- something owed : obligation
- unable to pay off his debt s
- a state of owing
- the common-law action for the recovery of money held to be due
debt·or ['de-tər] -n
- one guilty of neglect or violation of duty
- one who owes a debt
debt service -n
- the amount of interest and sinking fund payments due annually on long-term debt
de·bug [(,)dē-'bəg] -vt, n
- to remove insects from
- to eliminate errors in or malfunctions of
- to remove a concealed microphone or wiretapping device from
de·bunk [(,)dē-'bəŋk] -vt, n
- to expose the sham or falseness of
de·but ['dā-,byü, dā-'] -n
- a first appearance
- a formal entrance into society
debut -vi
- to make a debut
- to present to the public for the first time : introduce
deb·u·tant ['de-byu̇-,tänt] -n
- one making a debut
deb·u·tante ['de-byu̇-,tänt] -n
- debutant
- a young woman making her formal entrance into society
dec -abbr
- deceased
- declaration; declared
- declination
- decorated; decorative
- decrease
- decrescendo
Dec -abbr
- December
deca- -comb form
- ten
de·cade ['de-,kād, de-'kād; esp sense 1b 'de-kəd] -n, adj
- : a group or set of 10: as
- a period of 10 years
- a division of the rosary that consists primarily of 10 Hail Marys
- a ratio of 10 to 1 : order of magnitude
de·cade·long ['de-,kād-,lȯŋ] -adj
- lasting a decade
dec·a·dence ['de-kə-dən(t)s also di-'kā-] -n
- the process of becoming decadent : the quality or state of being decadent
- a period of decline
dec·a·den·cy [-dᵊn-sē] -n
- decadence
dec·a·dent ['de-kə-dənt also di-'kā-] -adj, adv
- marked by decay or decline
- of, relating to, or having the characteristics of the decadents
- characterized by or appealing to self-indulgence
decadent -n
- one of a group of late 19th century French and English writers tending toward artificial and unconventional subjects and subtilized style
- one that is decadent
de·caf ['dē-,kaf] -n
- decaffeinated coffee
de·caf·fein·at·ed [(,)dē-'ka-fə-nā-təd, -fē-ə-] -adj
- having the caffeine removed
deca·gon ['de-kə-,gän] -n
- a plane polygon of 10 angles and 10 sides
deca·gram [-,gram] -n
- dekagram
deca·he·dron [,de-kə-'hē-drən] -n
- a polyhedron of 10 faces
de·cal ['dē-,kal, di-'kal; Canad usu 'de-kəl] -n
- a picture, design, or label made to be transferred (as to glass) from specially prepared paper
de·cal·ci·fi·ca·tion [(,)dē-,kal-sə-fə-'kā-shən] -n, vt
- the removal or loss of calcium or calcium compounds (as from bones or soil)
de·cal·co·ma·nia [di-,kal-kə-'mā-nē-ə] -n
- the art or process of transferring pictures and designs from specially prepared paper (as to glass)
- decal
deca·li·ter ['de-kə-,lē-tər] -n
- dekaliter
deca·logue ['de-kə-,lȯg, -,läg] -n
- ten commandments
- a basic set of rules carrying binding authority
deca·me·ter ['de-kə-,mē-tər] -n
- dekameter
de·cam·e·ter [de-'ka-mə-tər, də-] -n
- a line of verse consisting of 10 metrical feet
deca·me·tho·ni·um [,de-kə-mə-'thō-nē-əm] -n
- a synthetic ion used in the form of either its bromide or iodide salts (C 16H 38Br 2N 2or C 16H 38I 2N 2) as a skeletal muscle relaxant
- either of these salts
deca·met·ric [,de-kə-'me-trik] -adj
- of, relating to, or being a radio wave of high frequency
de·camp [di-'kamp, dē-] -vi, n
- to break up a camp
- to depart suddenly : abscond
dec·ane ['de-,kān] -n
- any of several isomeric liquid alkanes C 10H 22
de·cant [di-'kant, dē-] -vt, n
- to draw off (a liquid) without disturbing the sediment or the lower liquid layers
- to pour from one vessel into another
- to pour out, transfer, or unload as if by pouring
de·cant·er [di-'kan-tər, dē-] -n
- a vessel used to decant or to receive decanted liquids
- an ornamental glass bottle used for serving wine
de·cap·i·tate [di-'ka-pə-,tāt, dē-] -vt, n
- to cut off the head of : behead
deca·pod ['de-kə-,päd] -n, adj, adj or n
- any of an order (Decapoda) of crustaceans (as shrimps, lobsters, and crabs) with five pairs of thoracic appendages one or more of which are modified into pincers, with stalked eyes, and with the head and thorax fused into a cephalothorax and covered by a carapace
- any of the cephalopod mollusks (orders Sepioidea and Teuthoidea) with 10 arms including cuttlefishes, squids, and related forms
de·car·bon·ate [(,)dē-'kär-bə-,nāt] -vt, n
- to remove carbon dioxide or carbonic acid from
de·car·bon·ize [(,)dē-'kär-bə-,nīz] -vt, n
- to remove carbon from
de·car·box·yl·ase [,dē-kär-'bäk-sə-,lās, -,lāz] -n
- any of a group of enzymes that accelerate decarboxylation esp. of amino acids
de·car·box·yl·ation [-,bäk-sə-'lā-shən] -n, vt
- the removal or elimination of carboxyl from a molecule
de·car·bu·rize [(,)dē-'kär-b(y)ə-,rīz] -vt, n
- decarbonize
dec·are ['de-,ker, -,kär] -n
- a metric unit of area equal to 10 ares or 0.2471 acre
de·ca·su·al·iza·tion [(,)dē-,ka-zh(ə-)wə-lə-'zā-shən, -,ka-zhə-lə, -,ka-zhü-ə-lə-] -n
- the process of eliminating the employment of casual workers in order to stabilize the workforce
deca·syl·lab·ic [,de-kə-sə-'la-bik] -adj, n
- consisting of 10 syllables or composed of verses of 10 syllables
de·cath·lete [di-'kath-,lēt] -n
- an athlete who competes in the decathlon
de·cath·lon [di-'kath-lən, -,län, -'ka-thə-] -n
- a 10-event athletic contest
- a composite contest that consists of the 100-meter, 400-meter, and 1500-meter runs, the 110-meter high hurdles, the javelin and discus throws, shot put, pole vault, high jump, and long jump
de·cay [di-'kā] -vb, n
- to decline from a sound or prosperous condition
- to decrease usu. gradually in size, quantity, activity, or force
- to fall into ruin
- to decline in health, strength, or vigor
- to undergo decomposition
- to cause to decay : impair
- infirmity that decay s the wise -- Shak.
- to destroy by decomposition
decay -n
- gradual decline in strength, soundness, or prosperity or in degree of excellence or perfection
- a wasting or wearing away : ruin
- destruction, death
- rot
- aerobic decomposition of proteins chiefly by bacteria
- the product of decay
- a decline in health or vigor
- : decrease in quantity, activity, or force: as
- spontaneous decrease in the number of radioactive atoms in radioactive material
- spontaneous disintegration (as of an atom or a particle)
Dec·ca ['de-kə] -n
- a system of long-range navigation used chiefly in Europe that utilizes the phase differences of continuous-wave signals from synchronized ground transmitters to establish position
decd -abbr
- deceased
de·cease [di-'sēs] -n, vi
- departure from life : death
de·ceased [-'sēst] -adj
- no longer living
- recently dead used of persons
deceased -n
- a dead person
de·ce·dent [di-'sē-dᵊnt] -n
- a deceased person used chiefly in law
de·ceit [di-'sēt] -n
- the act or practice of deceiving : deception
- an attempt or device to deceive : trick
- the quality of being deceitful : deceitfulness
de·ceit·ful [-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- : having a tendency or disposition to deceive:
- not honest
- deceptive, misleading
de·ceiv·able [di-'sē-və-bəl] -adj
- deceitful, deceptive
- capable of being deceived
de·ceive [di-'sēv] -vb, n, adv
- ensnare
- to be false to
- to fail to fulfill
- cheat
- to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid
- to while away
- to practice deceit
- to give a false impression
de·cel·er·ate [(,)dē-'se-lə-,rāt] -vb, n
- to reduce the speed of : slow down
- to decrease the rate of progress of
- to move at decreasing speed
De·cem·ber [di-'sem-bər, dē-] -n
- the 12th month of the Gregorian calendar
De·cem·brist [-brist] -n
- one taking part in the unsuccessful uprising against the Russian emperor Nicholas I in December 1825
de·cem·vir [di-'sem-vər] -n, adj
- one of a ruling body of 10
- one of a body of 10 magistrates in ancient Rome
de·cen·cy ['dē-sᵊn-sē] -n
- fitness
- orderliness
- the quality or state of being decent : propriety
- conformity to standards of taste, propriety, or quality
- standard of propriety usu. used in pl.
- conditions or services considered essential for a proper standard of living
- literary decorum
de·cen·ni·al [di-'se-nē-əl] -adj, n, adv
- consisting of or lasting for 10 years
- occurring or being done every 10 years
de·cen·ni·um [-nē-əm] -n
- a period of 10 years : decade
de·cent ['dē-sᵊnt] -adj, adv
- appropriate
- well-formed : handsome
- conforming to standards of propriety, good taste, or morality
- modestly clothed
- free from immodesty or obscenity
- fairly good : adequate, satisfactory
- marked by moral integrity, kindness, and goodwill
- hard-working and decent folks
- it's very decent of them to help
de·cen·ter [(,)dē-'sen-tər, -'se-nər] -vt
- to cause to lose or shift from an established center or focus
- to disconnect from practical or theoretical assumptions of origin, priority, or essence
- decenter Western conceptions of history -- Ernest Larsen
de·cen·tral·i·sa·tion [(,)dē-,sen-trə-lə-'zā-shən] -n, vb
(variant of decentralization)
- the dispersion or distribution of functions and powers
- the delegation of power from a central authority to regional and local authorities
- the redistribution of population and industry from urban centers to outlying areas
de·cen·tral·i·za·tion [(,)dē-,sen-trə-lə-'zā-shən] -n, vb
- the dispersion or distribution of functions and powers
- the delegation of power from a central authority to regional and local authorities
- the redistribution of population and industry from urban centers to outlying areas
de·cep·tion [di-'sep-shən] -n, adj
- the act of deceiving
- the fact or condition of being deceived
- something that deceives : trick
de·cep·tive [di-'sep-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- tending or having power to deceive : misleading
de·cer·e·brate [(,)dē-'ser-ə-brət, -,brāt] -adj
- characteristic of decerebration
- having the cerebrum removed or made inactive
- to remove the cerebrum from
- to make incapable of cerebral activity
de·cer·ti·fy [(,)dē-'sər-tə-,fī] -vt, n
- to withdraw or revoke the certification of
de·chlo·ri·nate [(,)dē-'klȯr-ə-,nāt] -vt, n
- to remove chlorine from
deci- -comb form
- one tenth part of
deci·bel ['de-sə-,bel, -bəl] -n
- a unit for expressing the ratio of two amounts of electric or acoustic signal power equal to 10 times the common logarithm of this ratio
- a unit for expressing the ratio of the magnitudes of two electric voltages or currents or analogous acoustic quantities equal to 20 times the common logarithm of the voltage or current ratio
- a unit for expressing the relative intensity of sounds on a scale from zero for the average least perceptible sound to about 130 for the average pain level
- degree of loudness
- extremely loud sound usu. used in pl.
de·cide [di-'sīd, dē-] -vb, n, adj
- to make a final choice or judgment about
- to select as a course of action used with an infinitive
- to infer on the basis of evidence
- conclude
- they decided that he was right
- to bring to a definitive end
- one blow decided the fight
- to induce to come to a choice
- her pleas decided him to help
- to make a choice or judgment
de·cid·ed -adj, adv, n
- unquestionable
- free from doubt or wavering
- has decided ideas on politics
de·cid·ing -adj
- that decides : decisive
- drove in the deciding run
de·cid·ua [di-'si-jə-wə, -jü-ə] -n, adj
- the part of the endometrium that in higher placental mammals undergoes special modifications in preparation for and during pregnancy and is cast off at parturition
- the part of the endometrium cast off in the process of menstruation
de·cid·u·ous [di-'si-jə-wəs, -jü-əs] -adj, n
- falling off or shed seasonally or at a certain stage of development in the life cycle
- having deciduous parts
- maples, birches, and other deciduous trees
- having the dominant plants deciduous
- ephemeral
deciduous tooth -n
- milk tooth
dec·ile ['de-,sī(-ə)l, -səl] -n, adj
- any one of nine numbers that divide a frequency distribution into 10 classes such that each contains the same number of individuals
- any one of these 10 classes
dec·i·mal ['de-sə-məl, 'des-məl] -adj, adv
- : numbered or proceeding by tens:
- based on the number 10
- expressed in or utilizing a decimal system esp. with a decimal point
- subdivided into 10th or 100th units
decimal -n
- any real number expressed in base 10
- decimal fraction
decimal fraction -n
- a fraction (as .25 or .025 ) or mixed number (as 3.025 3) in which the denominator is a power of 10 usu. expressed by use of the decimal point
dec·i·mal·i·sa·tion [,de-sə-mə-lə-'zā-shən] -n, vt
(variant of decimalization)
- conversion (as of a currency) to a decimal system
dec·i·mal·i·za·tion [,de-sə-mə-lə-'zā-shən] -n, vt
- conversion (as of a currency) to a decimal system
decimal place -n
- the position of a digit as counted to the right of the decimal point in a decimal
decimal point -n
- a period, centered dot, or in some countries a comma at the left of a proper decimal fraction (as .678) or between the parts of a mixed number (as 3.678) expressed by a whole number and a decimal fraction
decimal system -n
- a number system that uses a notation in which each number is expressed in base 10 by using one of the first nine integers or 0 in each place and letting each place value be a power of 10
- a system of measurement or currency in which the basic units increase by powers of 10
dec·i·mate ['de-sə-,māt] -vt, n
- to select by lot and kill every tenth man of
- to exact a tax of 10 percent from
- poor as a decimated Cavalier -- John Dryden
- to reduce drastically esp. in number
- cholera decimated the population
- to cause great destruction or harm to
- firebombs decimated the city
- an industry decimated by recession
de·ci·pher [dē-'sī-fər] -vt, adj, n
- decode
- depict
- to make out the meaning of despite indistinctness or obscurity
- to interpret the meaning of
de·ci·sion [di-'si-zhən] -n, adj
- the act or process of deciding
- a determination arrived at after consideration : conclusion
- a report of a conclusion
- promptness and firmness in deciding : determination
- win
- a victory in boxing decided on points
- a win or loss officially credited to a pitcher in baseball
- has five wins in eight decision s
decision -vt
- to win a decision over (a boxing opponent)
decision theory -n
- a branch of statistical theory concerned with quantifying the process of making choices between alternatives
decision tree -n
- a tree diagram which is used for making decisions in business or computer programming and in which the branches represent choices with associated risks, costs, results, or probabilities
de·ci·sive [di-'sī-siv] -adj, adv, n
- having the power or quality of deciding
- resolute, determined
- unmistakable, unquestionable
deck ['dek] -n
- a platform in a ship serving usu. as a structural element and forming the floor for its compartments
- : something resembling the deck of a ship: as
- a story or tier of a building (as a sports stadium)
- the roadway of a bridge
- a flat floored roofless area adjoining a house
- the lid of the compartment at the rear of the body of an automobile
- the compartment
- a layer of clouds
- a pack of playing cards
- a packet of narcotics
- tape deck
- cover
- to clothe in a striking or elegant manner : array
- decorate
- deck the halls with boughs of holly -- English carol
- to portray or present with embellishments
- to furnish with or as if with a deck
- to knock down forcibly : floor
- deck ed him with one punch
deck chair -n
- a folding chair often having an adjustable leg rest
deck·er ['de-kər] -n
- something having a specified number of decks, levels, floors, or layers used in combination
- many of the city's buses are double- deckers
deck·hand ['dek-,hand] -n
- a sailor who performs manual duties
deck·house [-,hau̇s] -n
- a superstructure on a ship's upper deck
deck·ing ['de-kiŋ] -n
- deck
- material for a deck
deck·le ['de-kəl] -n
- a frame around the edges of a mold used in making paper by hand
- either of the bands around the edge of the wire of a papermaking machine that determine the width of the web
deckle edge [-'ejd] -n, adj
- the rough untrimmed edge of paper left by a deckle or produced artificially
deck shoe -n
- a low shoe having a nonslip sole and a lace that is threaded through a channel around the back of the shoe
deck tennis -n
- a game in which players toss a ring or quoit back and forth over a net
de·claim [di-'klām, dē-] -vb, n
- to speak rhetorically
- to recite something as an exercise in elocution
- to speak pompously or bombastically : harangue
- to deliver rhetorically
- an actor declaim ing his lines
- to recite in elocution
de·clam·a·to·ry [di-'kla-mə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- of, relating to, or marked by declamation or rhetorical display
de·clar·ant [di-'kler-ənt] -n
- a person who makes a statement or declaration esp. in connection with a legal proceeding
dec·la·ra·tion [,de-klə-'rā-shən] -n
- the act of declaring : announcement
- the first pleading in a common-law action
- a statement made by a party to a legal transaction usu. not under oath
- something that is declared
- a document containing such a declaration
de·clar·a·tive [di-'kler-ə-tiv] -adj, adv
- making a declaration : declaratory
de·clar·a·to·ry [-ə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- serving to declare, set forth, or explain
- declaring what is the existing law
- declaring a legal right or interpretation
de·clare [di-'kler] -vb, adj
- to make known formally, officially, or explicitly
- to make clear
- to make evident : show
- to state emphatically : affirm
- to make a full statement of (one's taxable or dutiable property)
- to announce (as a trump suit) in a card game
- meld
- to make payable
- to make a declaration
- to avow one's opinion or support
- to announce one's intentions (as to run for political office)
de·clar·er [di-'kler-ər] -n
- one that declares
- the bridge player who names the trump and plays both his or her own hand and that of the dummy
de·class [(,)dē-'klas] -vt
- to remove from a class
- to assign to a lower social status
de·clas·se [,dā-,kla-'sā, -,klä-] -adj
- fallen or lowered in class, rank, or social position
- of inferior status
de·clas·si·fy [(,)dē-'kla-sə-,fī] -vt, n
- to remove or reduce the security classification of
- declassify a secret document
de·claw [-'klȯ] -vt
- to remove the claws of (as a cat) surgically
de·clen·sion [di-'klen(t)-shən] -n, adj
- noun, adjective, or pronoun inflection esp. in some prescribed order of the forms
- a class of nouns or adjectives having the same type of inflectional forms
- a falling off or away : deterioration
- descent, slope
dec·li·na·tion [,de-klə-'nā-shən] -n, adj
- angular distance north or south from the celestial equator measured along a great circle passing through the celestial poles
- a turning aside or swerving
- deterioration
- a bending downward : inclination
- a formal refusal
- the angle formed between a magnetic needle and the geographical meridian
de·cline [di-'klīn, dē-] -vb, adj, n
- to turn from a straight course : stray
- to slope downward : descend
- to bend down : droop
- to stoop to what is unworthy
- to sink toward setting
- to draw toward a close : wane
- to tend toward an inferior state or weaker condition
- to withhold consent
- to become less in amount
- to give in prescribed order the grammatical forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective)
- avert
- avoid
- to cause to bend or bow downward
- to refuse to undertake, undergo, engage in, or comply with
- to refuse esp. courteously
decline [also 'dē-,klīn] -n
- : the process of declining:
- a gradual physical or mental sinking and wasting away
- a change to a lower state or level
- the decline of the aristocracy
- the period during which something is deteriorating or approaching its end
- a downward slope
- a wasting disease
- pulmonary tuberculosis
de·clin·ing [-niŋ] -adj
- of or relating to the period during which something is deteriorating or nearing its end
de·clin·ist [di-'klī-nist] -n
- one who theorizes that a nation or society is in or is headed for a state of economic, political, or social decline
de·cliv·i·tous [di-'kli-və-təs] -adj
- moderately steep
de·cliv·i·ty [-tē] -n
- downward inclination
- a descending slope
de·co ['de-(,)kō, dā-'kō, 'dā-,] -n
- art deco
de·coct [di-'käkt] -vt
- to extract the flavor of by boiling
- boil down, concentrate
de·coc·tion [di-'käk-shən] -n
- an extract obtained by decocting
- the act or process of decocting
de·code [(,)dē-'kōd] -vt
- to convert (as a coded message) into intelligible form
- to recognize and interpret (an electronic signal)
- decipher
- to discover the underlying meaning of
- decode the play's imagery
de·cod·er [-'kō-dər] -n
- one that decodes
- an electronic device that converts signals from one form to another (as for unscrambling a television transmission)
de·col·late [dē-'kä-,lāt] -vt, n
- behead
de·col·le·tage [(,)dā-,kä-lə-'täzh, (,)dā-,kȯl-'täzh, ,de-klə-] -n
- the low-cut neckline of a dress
- a decollete dress
- bust
de·col·le·te [(,)dā-,käl-'tā, -,kȯl-, -lə-'tā; also dā-'kȯl-tā] -adj
- wearing a strapless or low-necked dress
- having a low-cut neckline
decollete -n
- decolletage
de·col·o·nize [(,)dē-'kä-lə-,nīz] -vt, n
- to free from colonial status
de·col·or·ize [(,)dē-'kə-lə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to remove color from
- decolorize vinegar by adsorption of impurities on activated charcoal
de·com·mis·sion [,dē-kə-'mi-shən] -vt
- to remove (as a ship or nuclear power plant) from service
de·com·pen·sa·tion [(,)dē-,käm-pən-'sā-shən, -,pen-] -n, vb
- loss of physiological or psychological compensation
- inability of the heart to maintain adequate circulation
de·com·pose [,dē-kəm-'pōz] -vb, n, adj
- to separate into constituent parts or elements or into simpler compounds
- decompose water by electrolysis
- decompose a word into its base and affixes
- rot
- to break up into constituent parts by or as if by a chemical process : decay, rot
de·com·pos·er [,dē-kəm-'pō-zər] -n
- any of various organisms (as many bacteria and fungi) that return constituents of organic substances to ecological cycles by feeding on and breaking down dead protoplasm
de·com·pound [,dē-'käm-,pau̇nd, ,dē-kəm-'] -adj
- having divisions that are themselves compound
de·com·press [,dē-kəm-'pres] -vt, n
- to release from pressure or compression
- to convert (as a compressed file or signal) to an expanded or original size
- to undergo release from pressure
- relax
- need a week off to decompress
decompression sickness -n
- a sometimes fatal disorder that is marked by neuralgic pains and paralysis, distress in breathing, and often collapse and that is caused by the release of gas bubbles (as of nitrogen) in tissue upon too rapid decrease in air pressure after a stay in a compressed atmosphere called also bends, caisson disease
de·con·cen·trate [(,)dē-'kän(t)-sən-,trāt] -vt, n
- to reduce or abolish the concentration of : decentralize
de·con·di·tion [,dē-kən-'di-shən] -vt
- to cause extinction of (a conditioned response)
- to cause to lose physical fitness
de·con·ges·tant [,dē-kən-'jes-tənt] -n, adj
- an agent that relieves congestion (as of mucous membranes)
de·con·ges·tion [,dē-kən-'jes(h)-chən] -n, vt, adj
- the process of relieving congestion
de·con·se·crate [(,)dē-'kän(t)-sə-,krāt] -vt, n
- to remove the sacred character of
de·con·struct [,dē-kən-'strəkt] -vt, adj, n
- to examine (as a work of literature) using the methods of deconstruction
- to take apart or examine in order to reveal the basis or composition of often with the intention of exposing biases, flaws, or inconsistencies
- deconstruct the myths of both the left and the right -- Wayne Karlin
- to adapt or separate the elements of for use in an ironic or radically new way
- uses his masterly tailoring skills to deconstruct the classics -- Vogue
- destroy, demolish
- nations that are deconstruct ing themselves -- Jim Hoagland
de·con·struc·tion [,dē-kən-'strək-shən] -n
- a philosophical or critical method which asserts that meanings, metaphysical constructs, and hierarchical oppositions (as between key terms in a philosophical or literary work) are always rendered unstable by their dependence on ultimately arbitrary signifiers
- an instance of the use of this method
- a deconstruction of the natureculture opposition in Rousseau's work
- the analytic examination of something (as a theory) often in order to reveal its inadequacy
de·con·struc·tion·ism [-shə-,ni-zəm] -n, adj or n
- deconstruction
de·con·struc·tiv·ism [-'strək-ti-,vi-zəm] -n, adj or n
- an architectural movement or style influenced by deconstruction that encourages radical freedom of form and the open manifestation of complexity in a building rather than strict attention to functional concerns and conventional design elements (as right angles or grids)
de·con·tam·i·nate [,dē-kən-'ta-mə-,nāt] -vt, n
- to rid of contamination (as radioactive material)
de·con·tex·tu·al·ize [,dē-kən-'teks-chə-wə-,līz, -chə-,līz, -chü-ə-,līz] -vt
- to remove from a context
de·con·trol [,dē-kən-'trōl] -vt, n
- to end control of
de·cor [dā-'kȯr, di-'; 'de-,kȯr, 'dā-,] -n
- a stage setting
- decoration
- the style and layout of interior furnishings
dec·o·rate ['de-kə-,rāt] -vt
- to add honor to
- to furnish with something ornamental
- to award a mark of honor to
- a soldier decorated for valor
dec·o·ra·tion [,de-kə-'rā-shən] -n
- the act or process of decorating
- something that adorns, enriches, or beautifies : ornament
- a badge of honor (as a U.S. military award)
Decoration Day -n
- memorial day
dec·o·ra·tive ['de-k(ə-)rə-tiv, 'de-kə-,rā-] -adj, adv, n
- serving to decorate
- purely ornamental
decorative art -n
- art that is concerned primarily with the creation of useful items (as furniture, ceramics, or textiles) usu. used in pl.
- objects of decorative art
dec·o·ra·tor ['de-kə-,rā-tər] -n
- one that decorates
- one that designs or executes interiors and their furnishings
decorator -adj
- suitable for interior decoration
dec·o·rous ['de-kər-əs also di-'kȯr-əs] -adj, adv, n
- marked by propriety and good taste : correct
de·cor·ti·ca·tion [(,)dē-,kȯr-tə-'kā-shən] -n, vt
- the act or process of removing the outer coverings (as bark or husks) from something (as fiber or seed)
- the surgical removal of the outer layer or covering of an organ or structure (as the brain or a kidney)
de·co·rum [di-'kȯr-əm] -n
- literary and dramatic propriety : fitness
- propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance
- orderliness
- the conventions of polite behavior
de·cou·page [,dā-(,)kü-'päzh] -n, vt
- the art of decorating surfaces by applying cutouts (as of paper) and then coating with usu. several layers of finish (as lacquer or varnish)
- work produced by decoupage
de·cou·ple [(,)dē-'kə-pəl] -vt
- to eliminate the interrelationship of : separate
de·coy ['dē-,kȯi, di-'] -n
- a pond into which wildfowl are lured for capture
- someone or something used to lure or lead another into a trap
- an artificial bird used to attract live birds within shot
- someone or something used to draw attention away from another
- to lure by or as if by a decoy : entice
de·crease [di-'krēs, 'dē-,] -vb, adv
- to grow progressively less (as in size, amount, number, or intensity)
- to cause to decrease
- the process of decreasing
- an amount of diminution : reduction
de·cree [di-'krē] -n
- an order usu. having the force of law
- a religious ordinance enacted by council or titular head
- a foreordaining will
- a judicial decision of the Roman emperor
- a judicial decision esp. in an equity or probate court
decree [-'krē-ər] -vb, n
- to command or enjoin by or as if by decree
- to determine or order judicially
- ordain
de·creelaw [di-'krē-,lȯ] -n
- a decree of a ruler or ministry having the force of a law enacted by the legislature
dec·re·ment ['de-krə-mənt] -n, adj
- a gradual decrease in quality or quantity
- the quantity lost by diminution or waste
- the amount of decrease (as of a variable)
de·crep·it [di-'kre-pət] -adj, adv
- wasted and weakened by or as if by the infirmities of old age
- impaired by use or wear : worn-out
- fallen into ruin or disrepair
- dilapidated, run-down
de·crep·i·tate [di-'kre-pə-,tāt] -vb, n
- to roast or calcine (as salt) so as to cause crackling or until crackling stops
- to become decrepitated
de·crep·i·tude [di-'kre-pə-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n
- the quality or state of being decrepit
de·cre·scen·do [,dā-krə-'shen-(,)dō] -n
- a gradual decrease in volume of a musical passage
- a decrescendo musical passage
decrescendo -adv or adj
- with a decrease in volume used as a direction in music
de·cres·cent [di-'kre-sᵊnt] -adj
- becoming less by gradual diminution : decreasing, waning
de·cre·tal [di-'krē-tᵊl, 'de-kri-tᵊl] -n
- decree
- a papal letter giving an authoritative decision on a point of canon law
de·cre·tive [-'krē-tiv] -adj
- having the force of a decree : decretory
de·cre·to·ry ['de-krə-,tȯr-ē, di-'krē-tər-ē] -adj
- relating to or fixed by a decree or decision
de·crim·i·nal·ize [(,)dē-'kri-mə-nə-,līz, -'krim-nəl-] -vt, n
- to remove or reduce the criminal classification or status of
- to repeal a strict ban on while keeping under some form of regulation
- decriminalize the possession of marijuana
de·cry [di-'krī, dē-] -vt, n
- to depreciate (as a coin) officially or publicly
- to express strong disapproval of
- decry the emphasis on sex
de·crypt [(,)dē-'kript] -vt, n
- decode
de·cu·bi·tus ulcer [di-'kyü-bə-təs-] -n
- bedsore
de·cum·bent [di-'kəm-bənt, dē-] -adj
- lying down
- reclining on the ground but with ascending apex or extremity
dec·u·ple ['de-kyə-pəl] -adj
- tenfold
- taken in groups of 10
de·cu·ri·on [di-'kyu̇r-ē-ən] -n
- a Roman cavalry officer in command of 10 men
- a member of a Roman senate
de·cur·rent [di-'kər-ənt, -'kə-rənt] -adj
- running or extending downward along the stem
de·curved [(,)dē-'kərvd] -adj
- curved downward : bent down
de·cus·sate ['de-kə-,sāt, di-'kə-,sāt] -vb
- intersect, cross
- arranged in pairs each at right angles to the next pair above or below
de·cus·sa·tion [,de-kə-'sā-shən, ,dē-,kə-] -n
- the action of crossing (as of nerve fibers) esp. in the form of an X
- a crossed tract of nerve fibers passing between centers on opposite sides of the nervous system
ded·i·cate ['de-di-kət] -adj
- dedicated
- to devote to the worship of a divine being
- to set apart (a church) to sacred uses with solemn rites
- to set apart to a definite use
- money dedicated to their vacation fund
- to commit to a goal or way of life
- ready to dedicate his life to public service
- to inscribe or address by way of compliment
- dedicate a book to a friend
- to open to public use
ded·i·cat·ed -adj, adv
- devoted to a cause, ideal, or purpose : zealous
- given over to a particular purpose
ded·i·ca·tee [,de-di-kə-'tē] -n
- one to whom a thing is dedicated
ded·i·ca·tion [,de-di-'kā-shən] -n, adj
- an act or rite of dedicating to a divine being or to a sacred use
- a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose
- a name and often a message prefixed to a literary, musical, or artistic production in tribute to a person or cause
- self-sacrificing devotion
- her dedication to the cause
- a ceremony to mark the official completion or opening of something (as a building)
de·dif·fer·en·ti·a·tion [(,)dē-,di-fə-,ren-chē-'ā-shən] -n, vi
- reversion of specialized structures (as cells) to a more generalized or primitive condition often as a preliminary to major physiological or structural change
de·duce [di-'düs, dē-; chiefly Brit -'dyüs] -vt, adj
- to determine by deduction
- to infer from a general principle
- to trace the course of
de·duct [di-'dəkt, dē-] -vt
- to take away (an amount) from a total : subtract
- deduce, infer
de·duct·ible [di-'dək-tə-bəl, dē-] -adj, n
- allowable as a deduction
- expenses that are deductible from taxable income
deductible -n
- a clause in an insurance policy that relieves the insurer of responsibility for an initial specified loss of the kind insured against
- the amount of the loss specified in such a clause
de·duc·tion [di-'dək-shən, dē-] -n
- an act of taking away
- deduction of legitimate business expenses
- something that is or may be subtracted
- deduction s from his taxable income
- the deriving of a conclusion by reasoning
- inference in which the conclusion about particulars follows necessarily from general or universal premises
- a conclusion reached by logical deduction
de·duc·tive [di-'dək-tiv, dē-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or provable by deduction
- employing deduction in reasoning
dee ['dē] -n
- the letter d
- something shaped like the letter D
deed ['dēd] -n, adj
- something that is done
- a usu. illustrious act or action : feat, exploit
- the act of performing : action
- righteous in word and in deed
- a signed and usu. sealed instrument containing some legal transfer, bargain, or contract
- to convey or transfer by deed
deed poll [-'pōl] -n
- a deed (as to change one's name) made and executed by only one party
deedy ['dē-dē] -adj
- industrious
dee·jay ['dē-,jā] -n, vb
- disc jockey
deem ['dēm] -vb
- to come to think or judge : consider
- deem ed it wise to go slow
- to have an opinion : believe
deem·pha·size [(,)dē-'em(p)-fə-,sīz] -vt, n
- to reduce in relative importance
- play down
deen·er·gize [,dē-'e-nər-,jīz] -vt
- to disconnect from a source of electricity : shut off the power to
deep ['dēp] -adj, adv, n
- : extending far from some surface or area: as
- extending far downward
- extending well inward from an outer surface
- not located superficially within the body
- deep pressure receptors in muscles
- extending well back from a surface accepted as front
- extending far laterally from the center
- occurring or located near the outer limits of the playing area
- thrown deep
- having a specified extension in an implied direction usu. downward or backward
- difficult to penetrate or comprehend : recondite
- deep mathematical problems
- mysterious, obscure
- grave in nature or effect
- of penetrating intellect : wise
- intensely engrossed or immersed
- characterized by profundity of feeling or quality
- deep-seated
- high in saturation and low in lightness
- having a low musical pitch or pitch range
- situated well within the boundaries
- a house deep in the woods
- remote in time or space
- being below the level of consciousness
- covered, enclosed, or filled to a specified degree usu. used in combination
- large
- having many good players
- to a great depth : deeply
- far on : late
- danced deep into the night
- near the outer limits of the playing area
- the shortstop was playing deep
- long
- a vast or immeasurable extent : abyss
- the extent of surrounding space or time
- ocean
- any of the deep portions of a body of water
- a generally long and narrow area in the ocean where the depth exceeds 3000 fathoms (5500 meters)
- the middle or most intense part
- any of the fathom points on a sounding line other than the marks
deepdish [-,dish] -adj
- baked in a deep dish
- baked in a deep dish with usu. a fruit filling and no bottom crust
deep ecology -n
- a movement or a body of concepts that considers humans no more important than other species and that advocates a corresponding radical readjustment of the relationships between humans and nature
deep·en ['dē-pən] -vb
- to make deep or deeper
- to become deeper or more profound
deep fat -n
- hot fat or oil deep enough in a cooking utensil to cover the food to be fried
deep focus -n
- a photographic effect or technique (as in filmmaking) characterized by great depth of field
Deep·freeze ['dēp-,frēz] -trademark
- used for a freezer for food storage
deepfreeze ['dēp-'frēz] -vt
- quick-freeze
- to store in a frozen state
deep freeze ['dēp-,frēz] -n
- cold storage
- a bill ... in deep freeze awaiting a new congress -- Newsweek
- intense cold
deepfry ['dēp-'frī] -vt
- to cook in deep fat
deep fryer -n
- a utensil suitable for deep-fat frying
deep pocket ['dēp-'pä-kə-təd] -n, adj
- a person or an organization having substantial financial resources
- substantial financial resources
- a corporation with deep pockets
deeproot·ed ['dēp-'rü-təd, -'ru̇-] -adj
- deeply implanted or established
deepsea ['dēp-'sē] -adj
- of, relating to, or occurring in the deeper parts of the sea
deepseat·ed ['dēp-'sē-təd] -adj
- situated far below the surface
- a deepseated inflammation
- firmly established
deepsix ['dēp-'siks] -vt
- to get rid of : discard, eliminate
- legislators voting to deepsix a government program
- to throw overboard
deep six -n
- a place of disposal or abandonment used esp. in the phrase give it the deep six
deepsky ['dēp-,skī] -adj
- relating to or existing in space outside the solar system
deep space -n
- space well outside the earth's atmosphere and esp. that part lying beyond the earth-moon system
deep structure -n
- a formal representation of the underlying semantic content of a sentence
- the structure which such a representation specifies
deep throat -n
- an informant who divulges damaging information under cover of anonymity
deep·wa·ter ['dēp-,wȯ-tər, -,wä-] -adj
- of, relating to, or characterized by water of considerable depth
- able to accommodate oceangoing vessels
deer ['dir] -n, adj
- animal
- a small mammal
- any of numerous slender-legged ruminant mammals (family Cervidae, the deer family) having usu. brownish fur and antlers borne by the males of nearly all and by the females of a few forms
deer·ber·ry [-,ber-ē, -,be-rē] -n
- either of two shrubs ( Vaccinium stamineumor V. caesium) of the heath family that are found in dry woods and scrub of the eastern U.S.
- the edible fruit of a deerberry
deer·fly ['dir-,flī] -n
- any of numerous small horseflies (as of the genus Chrysops) that include important vectors of tularemia
deer·hound [-,hau̇nd] -n
- scottish deerhound
deer mouse -n
- any of various mice (genus Peromyscus) of No. and Central America
- one ( P. maniculatus) widely distributed in forests and grasslands of No. America
deer·skin ['dir-,skin] -n
- leather made from the skin of a deer
- a garment of this leather
deer·stalk·er [-,stȯ-kər] -n
- a close-fitting hat with a visor at the front and the back and with earflaps that may be worn up or down called also deerstalker cap deerstalker hat
deer tick -n
- an ixodid tick ( Ixodes scapularissyn. I. dammini) of the eastern U.S. and Canada that transmits the bacterium causing Lyme disease called also black-legged tick
deer·yard ['dir-,yärd] -n
- a place where deer herd in winter
dees·ca·late [(,)dē-'es-kə-,lāt, ÷-kyə-] -vt, n, adj
- limit
- to decrease in extent, volume, or scope
deet ['dēt] -n
- a colorless oily liquid insect and tick repellent C 12H 17NO
def ['def] -adj
- cool
- defendant; defense
- deferred
- defined; definition
- definite
de·face [di-'fās, dē-] -vt, n
- to mar the appearance of : injure by effacing significant details
- impair
- destroy
de fac·to [di-'fak-(,)tō, dā-, dē-] -adv
- in reality : actually
de facto -adj
- actual
- being such in effect though not formally recognized
- exercising power as if legally constituted
- resulting from economic or social factors rather than from laws or actions of the state
de·fal·cate [di-'fal-,kāt, -'fȯl-, dē-; 'de-fəl-] -vb, n
- deduct, curtail
- to engage in embezzlement
de·fal·ca·tion [,dē-,fal-'kā-shən, ,dē-,fȯl-, di-; ,de-fəl-] -n
- deduction
- the act or an instance of embezzling
- a failure to meet a promise or an expectation
def·a·ma·tion [,de-fə-'mā-shən] -n, adj
- the act of defaming another : calumny
de·fame [di-'fām, dē-] -vt, n
- disgrace
- to harm the reputation of by libel or slander
- accuse
de·fa·mil·iar·ize [(,)dē-fə-'mil-yə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to present or render in an unfamiliar artistic form usu. to stimulate fresh perception
de·fang [(,)dē-'faŋ] -vt
- to make harmless or less powerful
de·fat [(,)dē-'fat] -vt
- to remove fat from
de·fault [di-'fȯlt, dē-; 'dē-,fȯlt] -n
- failure to do something required by duty or law : neglect
- fault
- a failure to pay financial debts
- failure to appear at the required time in a legal proceeding
- failure to compete in or to finish an appointed contest
- a selection made usu. automatically or without active consideration due to lack of a viable alternative
- remained the club's president by default
- a selection automatically used by a computer program in the absence of a choice made by the user
default -vi, n
- : to fail to fulfill a contract, agreement, or duty: as
- to fail to meet a financial obligation
- to fail to appear in court
- to fail to compete in or to finish an appointed contest
- to forfeit a contest by such failure
- to make a default selection
- the program default s to a standard font
- to fail to perform, pay, or make good
- forfeit
- to exclude (a player or a team) from a contest by default
DEF·CON ['def-,kän] -n
- any of five levels of U.S. military defense readiness ranked according to the perceived threat to national security
de·fea·sance [di-'fē-zən(t)s] -n
- the termination of a property interest in accordance with stipulated conditions (as in a deed)
- an instrument stating such conditions of limitation
- a rendering null or void
- defeat, overthrow
de·fea·si·ble [di-'fē-zə-bəl] -adj, n
- capable of being annulled or made void
de·feat [di-'fēt, dē-] -vt, adj
- destroy
- nullify
- frustrate
- to win victory over : beat
defeat -n
- frustration by nullification or by prevention of success
- the bill suffered defeat in the Senate
- destruction
- an overthrow esp. of an army in battle
- the loss of a contest
de·feat·ism [di-'fē-,ti-zəm, dē-] -n, n or adj
- an attitude of accepting, expecting, or being resigned to defeat
de·fea·ture [di-'fē-chər, dē-] -n
- disfigurement
- defeat
def·e·cate ['de-fi-,kāt] -vb, n
- to free from impurity or corruption
- to discharge from the anus
- to discharge feces from the bowels
de·fect ['dē-,fekt, di-'] -n
- an imperfection that impairs worth or utility : shortcoming
- the grave defect s in our foreign policy
- an imperfection (as a vacancy or an unlike atom) in a crystal lattice
- a lack of something necessary for completeness, adequacy, or perfection : deficiency
- to forsake one cause, party, or nation for another often because of a change in ideology
- to leave one situation (as a job) often to go over to a rival
- the reporter defect ed to another network
de·fec·tion [di-'fek-shən] -n
- conscious abandonment of allegiance or duty (as to a person, cause, or doctrine) : desertion
de·fec·tive [di-'fek-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- imperfect in form or function : faulty
- a defective pane of glass
- falling below the norm in structure or in mental or physical function
- lacking one or more of the usual forms of grammatical inflection
defective -n
- a person who is subnormal physically or mentally
de·fem·i·nize [(,)dē-'fe-mə-,nīz] -vt, n
- to divest of feminine qualities or characteristics : masculinize
de·fence [di-'fen(t)s; as antonym of “offense,” often 'dē-,] -n, adj, adv
(variant of defense)
- the act or action of defending
- the defense of our country
- speak out in defense of justice
- a defendant's denial, answer, or plea
- capability of resisting attack
- defensive play or ability
- a player known for good defense
- means or method of defending or protecting oneself, one's team, or another
- a defensive structure
- an argument in support or justification
- the collected facts and method adopted by a defendant to protect and defend against a plaintiff's action
- a sequence of moves available in chess to the second player in the opening
- a defending party or group (as in a court of law)
- a defensive team
- the military and industrial aggregate that authorizes and supervises arms production
- appropriations for defense
de·fend [di-'fend] -vb, adj
- to drive danger or attack away from
- to maintain or support in the face of argument or hostile criticism
- to prove (as a doctoral thesis) valid by answering questions in an oral exam
- to attempt to prevent an opponent from scoring at
- elects to defend the south goal
- prevent, forbid
- to act as attorney for
- to deny or oppose the right of a plaintiff in regard to (a suit or a wrong charged) : contest
- to retain or seek to retain (as a title or position) against a challenge in a contest
- they successfully defend ed their championship
- to take action against attack or challenge
- to play or be on defense
- playing deep to defend against a pass
- to play against the high bidder in a card game
de·fen·dant [di-'fen-dənt, in legal circles often -,dant] -n
- a person required to make answer in a legal action or suit
defendant -adj
- being on the defensive : defending
de·fend·er [di-'fen-dər] -n
- one that defends
- a player in a sport (as football) assigned to a defensive position
de·fen·es·tra·tion [(,)dē-,fe-nə-'strā-shən] -n, vt
- a throwing of a person or thing out of a window
- a usu. swift dismissal or expulsion (as from a political party or office)
de·fense [di-'fen(t)s; as antonym of “offense,” often 'dē-,] -n, adj, adv
- the act or action of defending
- the defense of our country
- speak out in defense of justice
- a defendant's denial, answer, or plea
- capability of resisting attack
- defensive play or ability
- a player known for good defense
- means or method of defending or protecting oneself, one's team, or another
- a defensive structure
- an argument in support or justification
- the collected facts and method adopted by a defendant to protect and defend against a plaintiff's action
- a sequence of moves available in chess to the second player in the opening
- a defending party or group (as in a court of law)
- a defensive team
- the military and industrial aggregate that authorizes and supervises arms production
- appropriations for defense
defense -vt
- to take specific defensive action against (an opposing team or player or an offensive play)
de·fense·man [-mən, -,man] -n
- a player in a sport (as hockey) who is assigned to a defensive zone or position
defense mechanism -n
- an often unconscious mental process (as repression) that makes possible compromise solutions to personal problems
- a defensive reaction by an organism
de·fen·si·ble [di-'fen(t)-sə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- capable of being defended
de·fen·sive [di-'fen(t)-siv, 'dē-,] -adj, adv, n
- serving to defend or protect
- devoted to resisting or preventing aggression or attack
- of or relating to the attempt to keep an opponent from scoring in a game or contest
- a player with good defensive skills
- valuable in defensive play
- a defensive card in bridge
- designed to keep an opponent from being the highest bidder
defensive -n
- a defensive position
defensive medicine -n
- the practice of ordering medical tests, procedures, or consultations of doubtful clinical value in order to protect the prescribing physician from malpractice suits
de·fer [di-'fər] -vt, n
- put off, delay
- to postpone induction of (a person) into military service
defer -vb
- to delegate to another
- he could defer his job to no one -- J. A. Michener
- to submit to another's wishes, opinion, or governance usu. through deference or respect
- deferred to her father's wishes
def·er·ence ['de-fə-rən(t)s, 'def-rən(t)s] -n
- respect and esteem due a superior or an elder
- affected or ingratiating regard for another's wishes
def·er·ent ['de-fə-rənt, 'def-rənt] -adj
- deferential
def·er·en·tial [,de-fə-'ren-chəl] -adj, adv
- showing or expressing deference
de·fer·ment [di-'fər-mənt] -n
- the act of delaying or postponing
- official postponement of military service
de·fer·ra·ble [di-'fər-ə-bəl] -adj, n
- capable of or suitable or eligible for being deferred
de·fer·ral [di-'fər-əl] -n
- the act of delaying : postponement
de·ferred -adj
- withheld for or until a stated time
- charged in cases of delayed handling
de·fer·ves·cence [,dē-(,)fər-'ve-sᵊn(t)s, ,de-fər-] -n
- the subsidence of a fever
deffer ['def] -adj
(variant of def)
- cool
- defendant; defense
- deferred
- defined; definition
- definite
deffest ['def] -adj
(variant of def)
- cool
- defendant; defense
- deferred
- defined; definition
- definite
de·fi·ance [di-'fī-ən(t)s, dē-] -n
- the act or an instance of defying : challenge
- disposition to resist : willingness to contend or fight
de·fi·ant [-ənt] -adj, adv
- full of or showing defiance : bold, impudent
de·fi·bril·la·tor [(,)dē-'fi-brə-,lā-tər] -n, vt
- an electronic device that applies an electric shock to restore the rhythm of a fibrillating heart
de·fi·brin·ate [(,)dē-'fi-brə-,nāt, -'fī-] -vt, n
- to remove fibrin from (blood)
de·fi·cien·cy [di-'fi-shən-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being deficient : inadequacy
- : an amount that is lacking or inadequate : shortage: as
- a shortage of substances necessary to health
- deletion
deficiency disease -n
- a disease (as scurvy) caused by a lack of essential dietary elements and esp. a vitamin or mineral
de·fi·cient [di-'fi-shənt] -adj, adv
- lacking in some necessary quality or element
- not up to a normal standard or complement : defective
deficient -n
- one that is deficient
def·i·cit ['de-fə-sət, Brit also di-'fis-ət or 'dē-fə-sət] -n
- deficiency in amount or quality
- a lack or impairment in a functional capacity
- disadvantage
- scored two runs to overcome a 21 deficit
- an excess of expenditure over revenue
- a loss in business operations
deficit spending -n
- the spending of public funds raised by borrowing rather than by taxation
de·fi·er [di-'fī(-ə)r] -n
- one that defies
def·i·lade ['de-fə-,lād, -,läd] -vt, n
- to arrange (fortifications) so as to protect the lines from frontal or enfilading fire and the interior from fire from above or behind
de·file [di-'fī(-ə)l, dē-] -vt, n
- : to make unclean or impure: as
- to corrupt the purity or perfection of : debase
- the countryside defiled by billboards
- to violate the chastity of : deflower
- to make physically unclean esp. with something unpleasant or contaminating
- to violate the sanctity of : desecrate
- sully, dishonor
- a narrow passage or gorge
- to march off in a line
de·fin·able [di-'fī-nə-bəl] -adj, adv
- able to be defined
- able to be specified to have a particular function or operation
de·fine [di-'fīn] -vb, n
- to determine or identify the essential qualities or meaning of
- whatever define s us as human
- to discover and set forth the meaning of (as a word)
- to create on a computer
- to fix or mark the limits of : demarcate
- rigidly defined property lines
- to make distinct, clear, or detailed esp. in outline
- the issues aren't too well defined
- characterize, distinguish
- you define yourself by the choices you make -- Denison Univ. Bull.
- to make a definition
de·fin·i·en·dum [di-,fi-nē-'en-dəm] -n
- an expression that is being defined
de·fin·i·ens [di-'fi-nē-,enz] -n
- an expression that defines : definition
def·i·nite ['de-fə-nit, 'def-nət] -adj, adv, n
- having distinct or certain limits
- set definite standards for pupils to meet
- free of all ambiguity, uncertainty, or obscurity
- demanded a definite answer
- unquestionable, decided
- the quarterback was a definite hero today
- typically designating an identified or immediately identifiable person or thing
- being constant in number, usu. less than 20, and occurring in multiples of the petal number
- cymose
definite integral -n
- the difference between the values of the integral of a given function f( x) for an upper value band a lower value aof the independent variable x
def·i·ni·tion [,de-fə-'ni-shən] -n, adj
- an act of determining
- the formal proclamation of a Roman Catholic dogma
- a statement expressing the essential nature of something
- a statement of the meaning of a word or word group or a sign or symbol
- a product of defining
- the action or process of defining
- the action or the power of describing, explaining, or making definite and clear
- the definition of a telescope
- her comic genius is beyond definition
- clarity of visual presentation : distinctness of outline or detail
- improve the definition of an image
- clarity esp. of musical sound in reproduction
- sharp demarcation of outlines or limits
- a jacket with distinct waist definition
de·fin·i·tive [di-'fi-nə-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- serving to provide a final solution or to end a situation
- authoritative and apparently exhaustive
- serving to define or specify precisely
- serving as a perfect example : quintessential
- fully differentiated or developed
- issued as a regular stamp for the country or territory in which it is to be used
definitive -n
- a definitive postage stamp
definitive host -n
- the host in which the sexual reproduction of a parasite takes place
de·fi·ni·tize ['de-fə-nə-,tīz, di-'fi-] -vt
- to make definite
de·fi·ni·tude [di-'fi-nə-,tüd, -,tyüd] -n
- precision, definiteness
def·la·grate ['def-lə-,grāt] -vb, n
- to cause to deflagrate
- to burn rapidly with intense heat and sparks being given off
de·flate [di-'flāt, ,dē-] -vb, n
- to release air or gas from
- to reduce in size, importance, or effectiveness
- deflate his ego with cutting remarks
- to reduce (a price level) or cause (a volume of credit) to contract
- to lose firmness through or as if through the escape of contained gas
de·fla·tion [di-'flā-shən, ,dē-] -n, adj
- an act or instance of deflating : the state of being deflated
- a contraction in the volume of available money or credit that results in a general decline in prices
- the erosion of soil by the wind
de·flect [di-'flekt, dē-] -vb, adj, n
- to turn aside esp. from a straight course or fixed direction
- to turn aside : deviate
de·flec·tion [di-'flek-shən, dē-] -n
- a turning aside or off course : deviation
- the departure of an indicator or pointer from the zero reading on the scale of an instrument
de·flexed ['dē-,flekst, di-'] -adj
- turned abruptly downward
de·flo·ra·tion [,def-lə-'rā-shən, ,dē-flȯ-] -n
- rupture of the hymen
de·flow·er [(,)dē-'flau̇(-ə)r] -vt, n
- to deprive of virginity
- to take away the prime beauty of
de·fog [(,)dē-'fȯg, -'fäg] -vt, n
- to remove fog or condensed moisture from
de·fo·li·ant [(,)dē-'fō-lē-ənt] -n
- a chemical spray or dust applied to plants in order to cause the leaves to drop off prematurely
de·fo·li·ate [-lē-,āt] -vt, n
- to deprive of leaves esp. prematurely
de·force [(,)dē-'fȯrs] -vt, n
- to keep (as lands) by force from the rightful owner
- to eject (a person) from possession by force
de·for·es·ta·tion [(,)dē-,fȯr-ə-'stā-shən, -,fär-] -n, vt
- the action or process of clearing of forests
- the state of having been cleared of forests
de·form [di-'fȯrm, dē-] -vb, adj
- to spoil the form of
- to spoil the looks of : disfigure
- a face deform ed by bitterness
- to mar the character of
- a marriage deform ed by jealousy
- to alter the shape of by stress
- to become misshapen or changed in shape
de·for·mal·ize [(,)dē-'fȯr-mə-,līz] -vt
- to make less formal
de·for·ma·tion [,dē-,fȯr-'mā-shən, ,de-fər-] -n, adj
- alteration of form or shape
- the product of such alteration
- the action of deforming : the state of being deformed
- change for the worse
de·for·ma·tive [di-'fȯr-mə-tiv, dē-] -adj
- tending to deform
de·formed -adj
- distorted or unshapely in form : misshapen
de·for·mi·ty [di-'fȯr-mə-tē, dē-] -n
- the state of being deformed
- : imperfection, blemish: as
- a physical blemish or distortion : disfigurement
- a moral or aesthetic flaw or defect
de·frag [dē-'frag] -vt
- defragment
de·frag·ment [(,)dē-'frag-mənt] -vt, n
- to reorganize separated fragments of related data on (a computer disk) into a contiguous arrangement
de·frag·ment·er [-'frag-,men-tər, -mən-] -n
- software that defragments a computer disk
de·fraud [di-'frȯd, dē-] -vt, n
- to deprive of something by deception or fraud
de·fray [di-'frā, dē-] -vt, adj, n
- to provide for the payment of : pay
- to bear the expenses of
de·frock [(,)dē-'fräk] -vt
- to deprive (as a priest) of the right to exercise the functions of office
- to remove from a position of honor or privilege
de·frost [di-'frȯst, 'dē-,] -vt, n
- to release from a frozen state
- to free from ice
- defog
- to thaw out esp. from a deep-frozen state
deft ['deft] -adj, adv, n
- characterized by facility and skill
de·funct [di-'fəŋkt, dē-] -adj
- no longer living, existing, or functioning
de·fund [(,)dē-'fənd] -vt
- to withdraw funding from
de·fuse [(,)dē-'fyüz] -vt
- to remove the fuse from (as a mine or bomb)
- to make less harmful, potent, or tense
de·fy [di-'fī, dē-] -vt
- to challenge to combat
- to challenge to do something considered impossible : dare
- to confront with assured power of resistance : disregard
- to resist attempts at : withstand
- the paintings defy classification
- challenge, defiance
deg -abbr
- degree
de·ga·ge [,dā-,gä-'zhā] -adj
- free of constraint : nonchalant
- being free and easy
- clothes with a degage look
- extended with toe pointed in preparation for a ballet step
de·gas [(,)dē-'gas] -vt
- to remove gas from
de Gaull·ism [di-'gō-,li-zəm, -'gȯ-] -n
- gaullism
de·gauss [(,)dē-'gau̇s] -vt, n
- to remove or neutralize the magnetic field of
de·gen·der·ize [dē-'jen-də-,rīz] -vt
- to eliminate any reference to a specific gender in (as a word, text, or act)
de·gen·er·a·cy [di-'jen-rə-sē, -'je-nə-, dē-] -n
- the state of being degenerate
- the process of becoming degenerate
- sexual perversion
- the coding of an amino acid by more than one codon
de·gen·er·ate [di-'jen-rət, -'je-nə-, dē-] -adj, adv, n
- having declined or become less specialized (as in nature, character, structure, or function) from an ancestral or former state
- having sunk to a condition below that which is normal to a type
- having sunk to a lower and usu. corrupt and vicious state
- degraded
- being mathematically simpler (as by having a factor or constant equal to zero) than the typical case
- characterized by atoms stripped of their electrons and by very great density
- consisting of degenerate matter
- having two or more states or subdivisions
- having more than one codon representing an amino acid
- being such a codon
- to pass from a higher to a lower type or condition : deteriorate
- to sink into a low intellectual or moral state
- to decline in quality
- the poetry gradually degenerate s into jingles
- to decline from a condition or from the standards of a species, race, or breed
- to evolve or develop into a less autonomous or less functionally active form
- degenerated into dependent parasites
- to cause to degenerate
- : one that is degenerate: as
- one degraded from the normal moral standard
- a sexual pervert
- one showing signs of reversion to an earlier culture stage
de·gen·er·a·tion [di-,je-nə-'rā-shən, ,dē-] -n
- degenerate condition
- a lowering of effective power, vitality, or essential quality to an enfeebled and worsened kind or state
- intellectual, moral, or artistic decline
- progressive deterioration of physical characters from a level representing the norm of earlier generations or forms
- deterioration of a tissue or an organ in which its function is diminished or its structure is impaired
de·gen·er·a·tive [di-'je-nə-rə-tiv, -'jen-rə-; -'je-nə-,rā-; dē-] -adj
- of, relating to, involving, or causing degeneration
de·gla·ci·a·tion [(,)dē-,glā-s(h)ē-'ā-shən] -n, adj
- the melting of ice
- the retreat of a glacier or ice sheet
de·glam·or·ize [(,)dē-'gla-mə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to remove the glamour from
- a book that deglamorize s Hollywood
de·glaze [(,)dē-'glāz] -vt
- to remove the glaze from
deglaze -vt
- to dissolve the small particles of sauteed meat remaining in (a pan) by adding a liquid and heating
de·glu·ti·tion [,dē-glü-'ti-shən, ,de-glü-] -n
- the act or process of swallowing
de·grad·able [di-'grā-də-bəl, dē-] -adj, n
- capable of being chemically degraded
deg·ra·da·tion [,de-grə-'dā-shən] -n, adj
- the act or process of degrading
- decline to a low, destitute, or demoralized state
- moral or intellectual decadence : degeneration
de·grade [di-'grād, dē-] -vb, n, adv
- to lower in grade, rank, or status : demote
- to strip of rank or honors
- to lower to an inferior or less effective level
- degrade the image quality
- to scale down in desirability or salability
- to bring to low esteem or into disrepute
- his actions have degraded his profession
- to drag down in moral or intellectual character : corrupt
- to impair in respect to some physical property
- material degraded by exposure to sunlight
- to wear down by erosion
- to reduce the complexity of (a chemical compound) : decompose
- to pass from a higher grade or class to a lower
- to become reduced in complexity
de·grad·ed [-'grā-dəd] -adj, adv
- reduced far below ordinary standards of civilized life and conduct
- characterized by degeneration of structure or function
de·gran·u·la·tion [(,)dē-,gra-nyə-'lā-shən] -n
- the process of losing granules
- the process by which cytoplasmic granules (as of mast cells) release their contents
de·grease [(,)dē-'grēs, -'grēz] -vt, n
- to remove grease from
de·gree [di-'grē] -n, adj
- a step or stage in a process, course, or order of classification
- a rank or grade of official, ecclesiastical, or social position
- a particular standing esp. as to dignity or worth
- the civil condition or status of a person
- a step in a direct line of descent or in the line of ascent to a common ancestor
- step, stair
- a member of a series arranged in steps
- a measure of damage to tissue caused by injury or disease
- the extent, measure, or scope of an action, condition, or relation
- different in degree but not in kind
- relative intensity
- one of the forms or sets of forms used in the comparison of an adjective or adverb
- a legal measure of guilt or negligence
- found guilty of robbery in the first degree
- a title conferred on students by a college, university, or professional school on completion of a program of study
- a grade of membership attained in a ritualistic order or society
- an academic title conferred to honor distinguished achievement or service
- the formal ceremonies observed in the conferral of such a distinction
- a unit of measure for angles equal to an angle with its vertex at the center of a circle and its sides cutting off of the circumference
- a unit of measure for arcs of a circle equal to the amount of arc that subtends a central angle of one degree
- a position or space on the earth or in the heavens as measured by degrees of latitude
- a step, note, or tone of a musical scale
- a line or space of the musical staff
- one of the divisions or intervals marked on a scale of a measuring instrument
- any of various units for measuring temperature
- the sum of the exponents of the variables in the term of highest degree in a polynomial, polynomial function, or polynomial equation
- the sum of the exponents of the variable factors of a monomial
- the greatest power of the derivative of highest order in a differential equation after the equation has been rationalized and cleared of fractions with respect to the derivative
de·greeday [di-'grē-,dā] -n
- a unit that represents one degree of difference from a given point (as 65) in the mean daily outdoor temperature and that is used esp. to measure heat requirements
degree of freedom
- any of a limited number of ways in which a body may move or in which a dynamic system may change
- one of the capabilities of a statistic for variation of which there are as many as the number of unrestricted and independent variables determining its value
de·gres·sive [di-'gre-siv, 'dē-] -adj, adv
- tending to descend or decrease
de·grin·go·lade [,dā-,graⁿ(ŋ)-gə-'läd] -n
- a rapid decline or deterioration (as in strength, position, or condition) : downfall
de·gum [(,)dē-'gəm] -vt
- to free from gum, a gummy substance, or sericin
de·gus·ta·tion [,dē-,gəs-'tā-shən] -n, vt
- the action or an instance of tasting esp. in a series of small portions
de haut en bas [də-ō-täⁿ-bä] -adj or adv
- of superiority : of or with condescension
de·hisce [di-'his] -vi
- to split along a natural line
- to discharge contents by so splitting
- seedpods dehiscing at maturity
de·his·cence [di-'hi-sᵊn(t)s] -n, adj
- an act or instance of dehiscing
- pollen freed by dehiscence of the anther
de·horn [(,)dē-'hȯrn] -vt, n
- to deprive of horns
- to prevent the growth of the horns of
de·hu·man·ize [(,)dē-'hyü-mə-,nīz, (,)dē-'yü-] -vt, n
- to deprive of human qualities, personality, or spirit
de·hu·mid·i·fy [,dē-hyü-'mi-də-,fī, ,dē-yü-] -vt, n
- to remove moisture from (as air)
de·hy·drate [(,)dē-'hī-,drāt] -vt, n
- to remove bound water or hydrogen and oxygen from (a chemical compound) in the proportion in which they form water
- to remove water from (as foods)
- to deprive of vitality or savor
- to lose water or body fluids
de·hy·dra·tion [,dē-,hī-'drā-shən] -n
- the process of dehydrating
- an abnormal depletion of body fluids
de·hy·dro·chlo·ri·na·tion [(,)dē-,hī-drə-,klȯr-ə-'nā-shən] -n, vt
- the process of removing hydrogen and chlorine or hydrogen chloride from a compound
de·hy·dro·epi·an·dros·ter·one [(,)dē-,hī-drō-,e-pē-an-'dräs-tə-,rōn] -n
- a weakly androgenic ketosteroid C 19H 28O 2secreted by the adrenal glands that is an intermediate in the biosynthesis of testosterone and estrogens (as estradiol)
- a synthetic derivative of this compound abbr DHEA
de·hy·dro·ge·nase [,dē-(,)hī-'drä-jə-,nās, (,)dē-'hī-drə-jə-, -,nāz] -n
- an enzyme that accelerates the removal of hydrogen from metabolites and its transfer to other substances
de·hy·dro·ge·na·tion [,dē-(,)hī-,drä-jə-'nā-shən, (,)dē-,hī-drə-jə-] -n, vt
- the removal of hydrogen from a chemical compound
de·ice [(,)dē-'īs] -vt, n
- to rid or keep free of ice
- deice an airplane's wings
de·i·cide ['dē-ə-,sīd, 'dā-ə-] -n
- the act of killing a divine being or a symbolic substitute of such a being
- the killer or destroyer of a god
deic·tic ['dīk-tik also 'dāk-] -adj
- showing or pointing out directly
- the words this, that, and those have a deictic function
de·i·fi·ca·tion [,dē-ə-fə-'kā-shən, ,dā-] -n
- the act or an instance of deifying
de·i·fy ['dē-ə-,fī, 'dā-] -vt
- to make a god of
- to take as an object of worship
- to glorify as of supreme worth
deign ['dān] -vb
- to condescend reluctantly and with a strong sense of the affront to one's superiority that is involved
- stoop
- would not even deign to talk to him
- to condescend to give or offer
deil ['dēl] -n
- devil
de·in·dus·tri·al·i·za·tion [(,)dē-in-,dəs-trē-ə-lə-'zā-shən] -n, vb
- the reduction or destruction of a nation's or region's industrial capacity
dei·non·y·chus [(,)dī-'nä-ni-kəs] -n
- any of a genus ( Deinonychus) of small bipedal carnivorous theropod dinosaurs from the Cretaceous having a very large sharp claw on the second digit of both hind feet
de·in·sti·tu·tion·al·i·za·tion [(,)dē-,in(t)-stə-,tü-shə-nə-lə-'zā-shən, -,tyü-] -n, vt
- the release of institutionalized individuals from institutional care (as in a psychiatric hospital) to care in the community
- the reform or modification of an institution to remove or disguise its institutional character
de·ion·ize [(,)dē-'ī-ə-,nīz] -vt, n
- to remove ions from
- deionize water by ion exchange
de·ism ['dē-,i-zəm, 'dā-] -n, adj, adv
- a movement or system of thought advocating natural religion, emphasizing morality, and in the 18th century denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe
de·i·ty ['dē-ə-tē, 'dā-] -n
- the rank or essential nature of a god : divinity
- god , supreme being
- a god or goddess
- the deities of ancient Greece
- one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful
deix·is ['dīk-sis also 'dāk-] -n
- the pointing or specifying function of some words (as definite articles and demonstrative pronouns) whose denotation changes from one discourse to another
de·ja vu [,dā-,zhä-'vü, -'vᵫ] -n
- the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time
- a feeling that one has seen or heard something before
- something overly or unpleasantly familiar
de·ject [di-'jekt, dē-] -adj
- dejected
deject -vt
- to make gloomy
de·jec·ta [di-'jek-tə, dē-] -n pl
- feces, excrement
de·ject·ed [di-'jek-təd, dē-] -adj, adv, n
- cast down in spirits : depressed
- downcast
- thrown down
- lowered in rank or condition
de·jec·tion [di-'jek-shən, dē-] -n
- lowness of spirits
de ju·re [(,)dē-'ju̇r-ē, (,)dā-'yu̇r-] -adv or adj
- by right : of right
- based on laws or actions of the state
deka·met·ric [,de-kə-'me-trik] -adj
- decametric
deke ['dēk] -vb, n
- to fake (an opponent) out of position (as in ice hockey)
- to deke an opponent
del -abbr
- delegate; delegation
- delete
Del -abbr
- Delaware
de·lam·i·na·tion [(,)dē-,la-mə-'nā-shən] -n, vi
- separation into constituent layers
de·late [di-'lāt, dē-] -vt, n
- accuse, denounce
- report, relate
Del·a·ware ['de-lə-,wer, -wər] -n
- a member of an American Indian people orig. of the Delaware valley
- the Algonquian language of the Delaware
de·lay [di-'lā, dē-] -n
- the act of delaying : the state of being delayed
- get started without delay
- an instance of being delayed
- the time during which something is delayed
delay -vb, n
- put off, postpone
- to stop, detain, or hinder for a time
- the mails were delay ed by heavy snows
- to cause to be slower or to occur more slowly than normal
- delay a child's development
- to move or act slowly
- to cause delay
de·le ['dē-(,)lē] -vt
- to delete esp. from typeset matter
dele -n
- a mark indicating that something is to be deled
de·lec·ta·ble [di-'lek-tə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- highly pleasing : delightful
- delicious
delectable -n
- something that is delectable
- a delicious food item
de·lec·ta·tion [,dē-,lek-'tā-shən, di-; ,de-lək-] -n
- delight, enjoyment
del·e·ga·ble ['de-li-gə-bəl] -adj
- capable of being delegated
del·e·ga·cy [-gə-sē] -n
- a body of delegates : board
- the act of delegating
- appointment as delegate
del·e·gate ['de-li-gət, -,gāt] -n
- : a person acting for another: as
- a representative to a convention or conference
- a representative of a U.S. territory in the House of Representatives
- a member of the lower house of the legislature of Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia
- to entrust to another
- to appoint as one's representative
- to assign responsibility or authority
- a good manager knows how to delegate
del·e·ga·tion [,de-li-'gā-shən] -n
- the act of empowering to act for another
- a group of persons chosen to represent others
de·le·git·i·mate [,dē-lə-'ji-tə-,māt] -vt, n
- delegitimize
de·le·git·i·mize [-'ji-tə-,mīz] -vt, n
- to diminish or destroy the legitimacy, prestige, or authority of
- delegitimize a government
de·lete [di-'lēt, dē-] -vt
- to eliminate esp. by blotting out, cutting out, or erasing
- delete a passage in a manuscript
del·e·te·ri·ous [,de-lə-'tir-ē-əs] -adj, adv, n
- harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way
de·le·tion [di-'lē-shən, dē-] -n
- the act of deleting
- something deleted
- the absence of a section of genetic material from a gene or chromosome
- the mutational process that results in a deletion
delft ['delft] -n
- tin-glazed Dutch earthenware with blue and white or polychrome decoration
- ceramic ware (as tiles) resembling or imitative of Dutch delft
delft·ware ['delft-,wer] -n
- delft
Del·hi belly ['de-lē-] -n
- diarrhea contracted in India esp. by tourists
- traveler's diarrhea
deli ['de-lē] -n
- delicatessen
de·lib·er·ate [di-'li-bə-,rāt] -vb
- to think about or discuss issues and decisions carefully
- to think about deliberately and often with formal discussion before reaching a decision
- characterized by or resulting from careful and thorough consideration
- characterized by awareness of the consequences
- slow, unhurried, and steady as though allowing time for decision on each individual action involved
de·lib·er·a·tion [di-,li-bə-'rā-shən] -n, adj, adv
- the act of deliberating
- a discussion and consideration by a group of persons (as a jury or legislature) of the reasons for and against a measure
- the quality or state of being deliberate
del·i·ca·cy ['de-li-kə-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being luxurious
- indulgence
- something pleasing to eat that is considered rare or luxurious
- considered caviar a delicacy
- the quality or state of being dainty : fineness
- frailty
- the delicacy of his health
- fineness or subtle expressiveness of touch (as in painting or music)
- precise and refined perception and discrimination
- extreme sensitivity : precision
- an electronic instrument of great delicacy
- refined sensibility in feeling or conduct
- the quality or state of being squeamish
- the quality or state of requiring delicate handling
del·i·cate ['de-li-kət] -adj, adv
- : pleasing to the senses:
- generally pleasant
- the climate's delicate, the air most sweet -- Shak.
- pleasing to the sense of taste or smell esp. in a mild or subtle way
- a robust wine will dominate delicate dishes
- marked by daintiness or charm of color, lines, or proportions
- an ample tear trilled down her delicate cheek -- Shak.
- marked by fineness of structure, workmanship, or texture
- marked by keen sensitivity or fine discrimination
- a more delicate syntactic analysis -- R. H. Robins
- fastidious, squeamish
- a person of delicate tastes
- not robust in health or constitution : weak, sickly
- had been considered a delicate child
- easily torn or damaged : fragile
- the delicate chain of life
- : requiring careful handling:
- easily unsettled or upset
- the delicate relationships defined by the Constitution -- New Yorker
- requiring skill or tact
- involving matters of a deeply personal nature : sensitive
- this is a delicate matter. Could I possibly speak to you alone -- Daphne Du Maurier
- marked by care, skill, or tact
- delicate handling of a difficult situation
- marked by great precision or sensitivity
delicate -n
- something delicate
del·i·ca·tes·sen [,de-li-kə-'te-sᵊn] -n pl
- ready-to-eat food products (as cooked meats and prepared salads)
- a store where delicatessen are sold
de·li·cious [di-'li-shəs] -adj, adv, n
- affording great pleasure : delightful
- appealing to one of the bodily senses esp. of taste or smell
Delicious -n
- a sweet red or yellow eating apple of U.S. origin that has a crown of five rounded prominences on the end opposite the stem
de·lict [di-'likt, dē-] -n
- an offense against the law
de·light [di-'līt, dē-] -n
- a high degree of gratification : joy
- extreme satisfaction
- something that gives great pleasure
- her performance was a delight
- the power of affording pleasure
delight -vb, n
- to take great pleasure
- delight ed in playing the guitar
- to give keen enjoyment
- a book certain to delight
- to give joy or satisfaction to
de·light·ed -adj, adv, n
- delightful
- highly pleased
de·light·ful [di-'līt-fəl, dē-] -adj, adv, n
- highly pleasing
de·light·some [-'līt-səm] -adj
- very pleasing : delightful
De·li·lah [di-'lī-lə] -n
- the mistress and betrayer of Samson in the book of Judges
de·lim·it [di-'li-mət, dē-] -vt, n
- to fix or define the limits of
de·lim·it·er [di-'li-mə-tər, dē-] -n
- a character that marks the beginning or end of a unit of data
de·lin·eate [di-'li-nē-,āt, dē-] -vt, n
- to indicate or represent by drawn or painted lines
- to mark the outline of
- lights delineating the narrow streets
- to describe, portray, or set forth with accuracy or in detail
- delineate a character in the story
- delineate the steps to be taken by the government
de·lin·ea·tion [-,li-nē-'ā-shən] -n, adj
- the act of delineating
- something made by delineating
de·lin·quen·cy [di-'liŋ-kwən-sē, -'lin-] -n
- a delinquent act
- conduct that is out of accord with accepted behavior or the law
- juvenile delinquency
- a debt on which payment is overdue
de·lin·quent [-kwənt] -n
- a delinquent person
delinquent -adj, adv
- offending by neglect or violation of duty or of law
- being overdue in payment
- a delinquent charge account
- of, relating to, or characteristic of delinquents : marked by delinquency
del·i·quesce [,de-li-'kwes] -vi
- to dissolve or melt away
- to become soft or liquid with age or maturity used of some fungal structures (as gills)
del·i·ques·cent [-'kwe-sᵊnt] -adj, n
- tending to melt or dissolve
- tending to undergo gradual dissolution and liquefaction by the attraction and absorption of moisture from the air
- having repeated division into branches
- elms are deliquescent trees
de·lir·i·ous [di-'lir-ē-əs] -adj, adv, n
- of, relating to, or characteristic of delirium
- affected with or marked by delirium
de·lir·i·um [di-'lir-ē-əm] -n
- an acute mental disturbance characterized by confused thinking and disrupted attention usu. accompanied by disordered speech and hallucinations
- frenzied excitement
- he would stride about his room in a delirium of joy -- Thomas Wolfe
delirium tre·mens [-'trē-mənz, -'tre-] -n
- a violent delirium with tremors that is induced by excessive and prolonged use of alcoholic liquors called also d.t.'s
de·lish [di-'lish] -adj
- delicious
de·list [(,)dē-'list] -vt
- to remove from a list
- to remove (a security) from the list of securities that may be dealt in on a particular exchange
de·liv·er [di-'li-vər, dē-] -vb, n, adj
- to set free
- and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil -- Mt 6:13(AV)
- to take and hand over to or leave for another : convey
- hand over, surrender
- deliver ed the prisoners to the sheriff
- deliver ed themselves over to God
- to assist in giving birth
- to aid in the birth of
- to give birth to
- to cause (oneself) to produce as if by giving birth
- has deliver ed himself of half an autobiography -- H. C. Schonberg
- speak, sing, utter
- deliver ed their lines with style
- to send (something aimed or guided) to an intended target or destination
- ability to deliver nuclear warheads
- to bring (as votes) to the support of a candidate or cause
- to come through with : produce
- can deliver the best results
- the new car deliver s high gas mileage
- to produce the promised, desired, or expected results : come through
- can't deliver on all these promises
de·liv·er·ance [di-'li-v(ə-)rən(t)s, dē-] -n
- the act of delivering someone or something : the state of being delivered
- liberation, rescue
- something delivered
- an opinion or decision (as the verdict of a jury) expressed publicly
de·liv·ery [di-'li-v(ə-)rē, dē-] -n
- the act or manner of delivering something
- something delivered
delivery boy -n
- a person employed by a retail store to deliver small orders to customers on call
de·liv·ery·man [-v(ə-)rē-mən, -,man] -n
- a person who delivers wholesale or retail goods to customers usu. over a regular local route
dell ['del] -n
- a secluded hollow or small valley usu. covered with trees or turf
Del·mon·i·co steak [del-'mä-ni-(,)kō-] -n
- club steak called also Delmonico
de·lo·cal·ize [(,)dē-'lō-kə-,līz] -vt, n
- to free from the limitations of locality
- to remove (a charge or charge carrier) from a particular position
de·louse [(,)dē-'lau̇s, -'lau̇z] -vt
- to remove lice from
Del·phi·an ['del-fē-ən] -adj
- delphic
Del·phic ['del-fik] -adj, adv
- of or relating to ancient Delphi or its oracle
- ambiguous, obscure
del·phin·i·um [del-'fi-nē-əm] -n
- any of a large genus ( Delphinium) of the buttercup family that comprises chiefly perennial erect branching herbs with palmately divided leaves and irregular flowers in showy spikes and includes several that are poisonous
Del·phi·nus [del-'fī-nəs, -'fē-] -n
- a northern constellation nearly west of Pegasus
delt ['delt] -n
- deltoid usu. used in pl.
del·ta ['del-tə] -n, adj
- the 4th letter of the Greek alphabet
- something shaped like a capital Greek delta
- the alluvial deposit at the mouth of a river
- an increment of a variable symbol
- delta wave
delta -adj
- fourth in position in the structure of an organic molecule from a particular group or atom symbol
Delta
- a communications code word for the letter d
delta ray -n
- an electron ejected by an ionizing particle in its passage through matter
delta wave -n
- a high amplitude electrical rhythm of the brain with a frequency of less than four cycles per second that occurs esp. in slow-wave sleep, in infancy, and in many diseased conditions of the brain called also delta delta rhythm
delta wing -n
- a triangular swept-back airplane wing with a usu. straight trailing edge
del·toid ['del-,tȯid] -n
- a large triangular muscle that covers the shoulder joint and serves to raise the arm laterally
deltoid -adj
- having a triangular shape
- relating to, associated with, or supplying the deltoid
del·toi·de·us [del-'tȯi-dē-əs] -n
- deltoid
de·lude [di-'lüd, dē-] -vt, n
- to mislead the mind or judgment of : deceive, trick
- frustrate, disappoint
- evade, elude
del·uge ['del-,yüj, -,yüzh; ÷də-'lüj, 'dā-,lüj] -n
- an overflowing of the land by water
- a drenching rain
- an overwhelming amount or number
- received a deluge of offers
deluge -vt
- to overflow with water : inundate
- overwhelm, swamp
de·lu·sion [di-'lü-zhən, dē-] -n, adj
- the act of deluding : the state of being deluded
- something that is falsely or delusively believed or propagated
- a persistent false psychotic belief regarding the self or persons or objects outside the self that is maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary
- the abnormal state marked by such beliefs
de·lu·sive [-'lü-siv, -'lü-ziv] -adj, adv, n
- likely to delude
- constituting a delusion
de·lu·so·ry [-sə-rē, -zə-] -adj
- deceptive, delusive
de·lus·ter [(,)dē-'ləs-tər] -vt
- to reduce the sheen of (as yarn or fabric)
de·luxe [di-'ləks, dē- also -'lu̇ks, -'lüks] -adj
- notably luxurious, elegant, or expensive
delve ['delv] -vb, n
- excavate
- to dig or labor with or as if with a spade
- to make a careful or detailed search for information
- to examine a subject in detail
- the book delve s into the latest research
- cave, hollow
dely -abbr
- delivery
dem -abbr
- demonstrative
Dem ['dem] -n
- democrat
de·mag·ne·tize [(,)dē-'mag-nə-,tīz] -vt, n
- to deprive of magnetic properties
dem·a·gog·ic [,de-mə-'gä-gik also -'gä-jik or -'gō-jik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a demagogue : employing demagoguery
dem·a·gogue ['de-mə-,gäg] -n
- a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power
- a leader championing the cause of the common people in ancient times
demagogue -vb
- to behave like a demagogue
- to treat (as an issue) in a demagogic manner
de·mand [di-'mand, -'mänd, dē-] -n
- an act of demanding or asking esp. with authority
- something claimed as due
- question
- willingness and ability to purchase a commodity or service
- the demand for quality day care
- the quantity of a commodity or service wanted at a specified price and time
- a seeking or state of being sought after
- in great demand as an entertainer
- urgent need
- the requirement of work or of the expenditure of a resource
- equal to the demand s of the office
- oxygen demand for waste oxidation
demand [-'man-də-bəl] -vb, adj, n
- to make a demand : ask
- to ask or call for with authority : claim as due or just
- demand ed to see a lawyer
- to call for urgently, peremptorily, or insistently
- demand ed that the rioters disperse
- to ask authoritatively or earnestly to be informed of
- demand the reason for the dismissal
- to require to come : summon
- to call for as useful or necessary
- etiquette demand s a handwritten thank-you
de·man·dant [di-'man-dənt] -n
- the plaintiff in a real action
- one who makes a demand or claim
demand deposit -n
- a bank deposit that can be withdrawn without advance notice
de·mand·ing [-'man-diŋ-lē] -adj, adv, n
- requiring much time, effort, or attention : exacting
demand loan -n
- call loan
demand note -n
- a note payable on demand
de·mandpull [di-'man(d)-,pu̇l] -n, adj
- an increase or upward trend in spendable money that tends to result in increased competition for available goods and services and a corresponding increase in consumer prices
de·mandside [di-'mand-,sīd] -adj
- of, relating to, or being an economic theory that advocates use of government spending and growth in the money supply to stimulate the demand for goods and services and therefore expand economic activity
dem·an·toid ['de-mən-,tȯid] -n
- a green variety of garnet used as a gem
de·mar·cate [di-'mär-,kāt, 'dē-,] -vt, n
- delimit
- to set apart : distinguish
- demarcate teachers as mentor, master and model teachers based on their level of education -- Shanay Cadette
de·marche [dā-'märsh, di-', 'dā-,] -n
- a course of action : maneuver
- a diplomatic or political initiative or maneuver
- a petition or protest presented through diplomatic channels
de·mark [di-'märk] -vt
- demarcate
de·ma·te·ri·al·ize [,dē-mə-'tir-ē-ə-,līz] -vt, n
- to cause to become or appear immaterial
- to lose or appear to lose materiality
deme ['dēm] -n
- a unit of local government in ancient Attica
- a local population of closely related interbreeding organisms
de·mean [di-'mēn] -vt
- to conduct or behave (oneself) usu. in a proper manner
demean -vt
- to lower in character, status, or reputation
de·mean·or [di-'mē-nər] -n
- behavior toward others : outward manner
de·mean·our [di-'mē-nər] -n
(variant of demeanor)
- behavior toward others : outward manner
de·ment·ed [di-'men-təd] -adj, adv, n
- mad, insane
- suffering from or exhibiting cognitive dementia
de·men·tia [di-'men(t)-shə, -shē-ə] -n, adj
- a usu. progressive condition (as Alzheimer's disease) marked by deteriorated cognitive functioning often with emotional apathy
- madness, insanity
- a fanaticism bordering on dementia
dementia prae·cox [-'prē-,käks] -n
- schizophrenia
dem·e·rara sugar [,de-mə-'rär-ə-, -'rer-] -n
- a coarse light-brown raw sugar
de·mer·it [di-'mer-ət, dē-, -'me-rət] -n
- offense
- a quality that deserves blame or lacks merit : fault, defect
- lack of merit
- a mark usu. entailing a loss of privilege given to an offender
De·mer·ol ['de-mə-,rȯl, -,rōl] -trademark
- used for meperidine
de·mer·sal [di-'mər-səl] -adj
- living near, deposited on, or sinking to the bottom of the sea
de·mesne [di-'mān, -'mēn] -n
- legal possession of land as one's own
- manorial land actually possessed by the lord and not held by tenants
- the land attached to a mansion
- landed property : estate
- region , territory
- realm , domain
De·me·ter [di-'mē-tər] -n
- the Greek goddess of agriculture
de·meth·yl·ate [(')dē-'me-thə-,lāt] -vt, n
- to remove a methyl group from (a chemical compound)
demi- -prefix
- half
- one that partly belongs to (a specified type or class)
demiglace ['de-mē-,glas] -n
- a highly concentrated reduced brown sauce often used as a base for other sauces
demi·god ['de-mē-,gäd] -n
- a mythological being with more power than a mortal but less than a god
- a person so outstanding as to seem to approach the divine
demi·god·dess ['de-mē-,gä-dəs] -n
- a female demigod
demi·john ['de-mē-,jän] -n
- a large narrow-necked bottle usu. enclosed in wickerwork
de·mil·i·ta·rize [(,)dē-'mi-lə-tə-,rīz, di-] -vt, n
- to do away with the military organization or potential of
- to prohibit (as a zone or frontier area) from being used for military purposes
- to rid of military characteristics or uses
demi·mon·daine [,de-mi-,män-'dān, -'män-,, -mē-] -n
- a woman supported by a wealthy lover
- a woman of the demimonde
demi·monde ['de-mi-,mänd, -mē-] -n
- a class of women on the fringes of respectable society supported by wealthy lovers
- their world
- the world of prostitution
- a distinct circle or world that is often an isolated part of a larger world
- a night in the disco demimonde
- one having low reputation or prestige
de·min·er·al·i·za·tion [(,)dē-,mi-nə-rə-lə-'zā-shən, di-] -n, vt
- loss of bodily minerals (as calcium salts) esp. in disease
- the process of removing mineral matter or salts (as from water)
de min·i·mis [dē-'mi-nə-məs, dā-'mē-ni-mis] -adj
- lacking significance or importance : so minor as to merit disregard
- de minimis fringe benefits
demi·rep ['de-mi-,rep, -mē-] -n
- demimondaine
de·mise [di-'mīz] -vb
- to convey (as an estate) by will or lease
- convey, give
- to transmit by succession or inheritance
- die, decease
- to pass by descent or bequest
- the property has demised to the king's heirs
demise -n
- the conveyance of an estate
- transfer of the sovereignty to a successor
- death
- a cessation of existence or activity
- a loss of position or status
demisec [,de-mi-'sek, -mē-] -adj
- moderately sweet
demi·semi·qua·ver [,de-mē-'se-mē-,kwā-vər] -n
- thirty-second note
de·mis·sion [di-'mi-shən] -n
- resignation, abdication
de·mit [di-'mit] -vb
- dismiss
- resign
- to withdraw from office or membership
demi·tasse ['de-mi-,tas, -,täs, -mē] -n
- a small cup of black coffee
- the cup used to serve it
demi·urge ['de-mē-,ərj] -n, adj
- a Platonic subordinate deity who fashions the sensible world in the light of eternal ideas
- a Gnostic subordinate deity who is the creator of the material world
- one that is an autonomous creative force or decisive power
demi·world ['de-mē-,wərld] -n
- demimonde
demo ['de-(,)mō] -n
- democrat
- demonstration
- demonstration
- demonstrator
- a recording intended to show off a song or performer to a record producer
de·mob [(,)dē-'mäb, di-] -vt
- demobilize
demob -n
- the act or process of demobilizing
de·mo·bi·lize [di-'mō-bə-,līz, ,dē-] -vt, n
- disband
- to discharge from military service
de·moc·ra·cy [di-'mä-krə-sē] -n
- government by the people
- rule of the majority
- a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usu. involving periodically held free elections
- a political unit that has a democratic government
- the principles and policies of the Democratic party in the U.S.
- from emancipation Republicanism to New Deal Democracy -- C. M. Roberts
- the common people esp. when constituting the source of political authority
- the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges
dem·o·crat ['de-mə-,krat] -n
- an adherent of democracy
- one who practices social equality
- a member of the Democratic party of the U.S.
dem·o·crat·ic [,de-mə-'kra-tik] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or favoring democracy
- of or relating to one of the two major political parties in the U.S. evolving in the early 19th century from the anti-federalists and the Democratic-Republican party and associated in modern times with policies of broad social reform and internationalism
- relating to, appealing to, or available to the broad masses of the people
- favoring social equality : not snobbish
democratic centralism -n
- a principle of Communist party organization by which members take part in policy discussions and elections at all levels but must follow decisions made at higher levels
DemocraticRepublican -adj
- of or relating to a major American political party of the early 19th century favoring a strict interpretation of the Constitution to restrict the powers of the federal government and emphasizing states' rights
de·moc·ra·tize [di-'mä-krə-,tīz] -vt, n
- to make democratic
de·mo·de [,dā-mō-'dā] -adj
- no longer fashionable : out-of-date
de·mod·ed [(,)dē-'mō-dəd] -adj
- demode
de·mod·u·late [(,)dē-'mä-jə-,lāt] -vt, n
- to extract the information from (a modulated signal)
De·mo·gor·gon [,dē-mə-'gȯr-gən, 'dē-mə-,] -n
- a mysterious spirit or deity often explained as a primeval creator god who antedates the gods of Greek mythology
de·mo·graph·ic [,de-mə-'gra-fik, ,dē-mə-] -adj, adv
- of or relating to demography or demographics
- relating to the dynamic balance of a population esp. with regard to density and capacity for expansion or decline
demographic -n
- the statistical characteristics of human populations (as age or income) used esp. to identify markets
- a market or segment of the population identified by demographics
de·mog·ra·phy [di-'mä-grə-fē] -n
- the statistical study of human populations esp. with reference to size and density, distribution, and vital statistics
dem·oi·selle [,dem-wə-'zel] -n
- a young lady
- damselfish
De·Moi·vre's theorem [di-'mȯi-vərz-, -'mwäv(-rə)z-] -n
- a theorem of complex numbers: the nth power of a complex number has for its absolute value and its argument respectively the nth power of the absolute value and ntimes the argument of the complex number
de·mol·ish [di-'mä-lish] -vt, n
- tear down, raze
- to break to pieces : smash
- to do away with : destroy
- to strip of any pretense of merit or credence
de·mo·li·tion [,de-mə-'li-shən, ,dē-mə-] -n
- the act of demolishing
- destruction in war by means of explosives
- explosives for destruction in war
demolition derby -n
- a contest in which skilled drivers ram old cars into one another until only one car remains running
- something that resembles a demolition derby in destructiveness
de·mon ['dē-mən] -n, adj, vt
- an evil spirit
- a source or agent of evil, harm, distress, or ruin
- an attendant power or spirit : genius
- a supernatural being of Greek mythology intermediate between gods and men
- one that has exceptional enthusiasm, drive, or effectiveness
de·mon·e·tize [(,)dē-'mä-nə-,tīz, -'mə-] -vt, n
- to stop using (a metal) as a monetary standard
- to deprive of value for official payment
de·mo·ni·ac [di-'mō-nē-,ak] -adj, adv
- possessed or influenced by a demon
- demonic
demoniac -n
- one possessed by a demon
de·mon·ic [di-'mä-nik, dē-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or suggestive of a demon : fiendish
de·mon·ol·o·gy [,dē-mə-'nä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- the study of demons or evil spirits
- belief in demons : a doctrine of evil spirits
- a catalog of enemies
- the liberal creed at that time put Big Business in a central place in its demonology -- Carl Kaysen
de·mon·stra·ble [di-'män(t)-strə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- capable of being demonstrated
- apparent, evident
dem·on·strate ['de-mən-,strāt] -vb
- to show clearly
- demonstrate a willingness to cooperate
- to prove or make clear by reasoning or evidence
- to illustrate and explain esp. with many examples
- to show or prove the value or efficiency of to a prospective buyer
- demonstrate a new product
- to make a demonstration
- crowds demonstrating for the right to vote
dem·on·stra·tion [,de-mən-'strā-shən] -n, adj
- : an act, process, or means of demonstrating to the intelligence: as
- conclusive evidence : proof
- derivation
- a showing of the merits of a product or service to a prospective consumer
- an outward expression or display
- a show of armed force
- a public display of group feelings toward a person or cause
de·mon·stra·tive [di-'män(t)-strə-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- demonstrating as real or true
- characterized or established by demonstration
- pointing out the one referred to and distinguishing it from others of the same class
- marked by display of feeling
- inclined to display feelings openly
demonstrative -n
- a demonstrative word or morpheme
dem·on·stra·tor ['de-mən-,strā-tər] -n
- : one that demonstrates:
- a product (as an automobile) used to demonstrate performance or merits to prospective buyers
- a person who engages in a public demonstration
de·mor·al·ize [di-'mȯr-ə-,līz, ,dē-, -'mär-] -vt, n, adv
- to corrupt the morals of
- to weaken the morale of : discourage, dispirit
- to upset or destroy the normal functioning of
- to throw into disorder
de·mos ['dē-,mäs] -n
- populace
- the common people of an ancient Greek state
de·mote [di-'mōt, ,dē-] -vt, n
- to reduce to a lower grade or rank
- to relegate to a less important position
de·mot·ic [di-'mä-tik] -adj
- of, relating to, or written in a simplified form of the ancient Egyptian hieratic writing
- popular, common
- of or relating to the form of Modern Greek that is based on everyday speech
de·mount [(,)dē-'mau̇nt] -vt, adj
- to remove from a mounted position
- disassemble
de·mul·cent [di-'məl-sənt] -adj
- soothing
demulcent -n
- a usu. mucilaginous or oily substance (as tragacanth) that can soothe or protect an abraded mucous membrane
de·mul·ti·plex·er [(,)dē-'məl-tə-,plek-sər] -n
- an electronic device that separates a multiplex signal into its component parts
de·mur [di-'mər] -vi
- delay, hesitate
- to file a demurrer
- to take exception : object often used with to or at
demur -n
- hesitation (as in doing or accepting) usu. based on doubt of the acceptability of something offered or proposed
- the act or an instance of objecting : protest
de·mure [di-'myu̇r] -adj, adv, n
- reserved, modest
- affectedly modest, reserved, or serious : coy
de·mur·rage [di-'mər-ij, -'mə-rij] -n
- the detention of a ship by the freighter beyond the time allowed for loading, unloading, or sailing
- a charge for detaining a ship, freight car, or truck
de·mur·ral [di-'mər-əl, -'mə-rəl] -n
- the act or an instance of demurring
de·mur·rer [di-'mər-ər, -'mə-rər] -n
- a response in a court proceeding in which the defendant does not dispute the truth of the allegation but claims it is not sufficient grounds to justify legal action
- objection
- one that demurs
de·my·e·lin·at·ing [(,)dē-'mī-ə-lə-,nā-tiŋ] -adj, n
- causing or characterized by the loss or destruction of myelin
de·mys·ti·fy [(,)dē-'mis-tə-,fī] -vt, n
- to eliminate the mystifying features of
de·my·thol·o·gize [,dē-mi-'thä-lə-,jīz] -vt, n
- to divest of mythological forms in order to uncover the meaning underlying them
- demythologize the Gospels
- to divest of mythical elements or associations
den ['den] -n
- the lair of a wild usu. predatory animal
- a hollow or cavern used esp. as a hideout
- a center of secret activity
- a small usu. squalid dwelling
- a comfortable usu. secluded room
- a subdivision of a Cub Scout pack made up of two or more boys
- to live in or retire to a den
- polar bears den in ice caves or snowdrifts
- to drive into a den
Den -abbr
- Denmark
de·nar·i·us [di-'ner-ē-əs] -n
- a small silver coin of ancient Rome
- a gold coin of the Roman Empire equivalent to 25 denarii
de·na·tion·al·ize [(')dē-'nash-nə-,līz, -'na-shə-nə-,līz] -vt, n
- to divest of national character or rights
- to remove from ownership or control by the national government
de·nat·u·ral·ize [(,)dē-'na-ch(ə-)rə-,līz] -vt, n
- to make unnatural
- to deprive of the rights and duties of a citizen
de·na·ture [(,)dē-'nā-chər] -vb, n
- dehumanize
- : to deprive of natural qualities : change the nature of: as
- to make (alcohol) unfit for drinking (as by adding an obnoxious substance) without impairing usefulness for other purposes
- to modify the molecular structure of (as a protein or DNA) esp. by heat, acid, alkali, or ultraviolet radiation so as to destroy or diminish some of the original properties and esp. the specific biological activity
- to become denatured
de·na·zi·fy [(,)dē-'nät-si-,fī, -'nat-] -vt, n
- to rid of Nazism and its influence
dendr- -comb form
- tree: resembling a tree
den·dri·form ['den-drə-,fȯrm] -adj
- treelike in form
den·drite ['den-,drīt] -n
- a branching treelike figure produced on or in a mineral by a foreign mineral
- the mineral so marked
- a crystallized arborescent form
- any of the usu. branching protoplasmic processes that conduct impulses toward the body of a neuron
den·drit·ic [(,)den-'dri-tik] -adj
- resembling or having dendrites : branching like a tree
- a dendritic drainage system
dendritic cell -n
- any of various antigen-presenting cells with long irregular processes
den·dro·chro·nol·o·gy [,den-(,)drō-krə-'nä-lə-jē] -n, adj, adv
- the science of dating events and variations in environment in former periods by comparative study of growth rings in trees and aged wood
den·dro·gram ['den-drə-,gram] -n
- a branching diagram representing a hierarchy of categories based on degree of similarity or number of shared characteristics esp. in biological taxonomy
den·droid ['den-,drȯid] -adj
- resembling a tree in form : arborescent
den·drol·o·gy [den-'drä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- the study of trees
dene ['dēn] -n
- valley
De·ne [de-'nā, dā-] -n
- a member of any of the Athabascan-speaking peoples of the interior of Alaska and northwestern Canada
- the languages of these peoples
Den·eb ['de-,neb, -nəb] -n
- a star of the first magnitude in Cygnus
den·e·ga·tion [,de-ni-'gā-shən] -n
- denial
de·ner·vate ['dē-(,)nər-,vāt] -vt, n
- to deprive of a nerve supply
den·gue ['deŋ-gē, -,gā] -n
- an acute infectious disease caused by a flavivirus (species Dengue virusof the genus Flavivirus), transmitted by aedes mosquitoes, and characterized by headache, severe joint pain, and a rash called also breakbone fever dengue fever
de·ni ['de-nē, 'dā-] -n pl
- see denar at
de·ni·abil·i·ty [dē-,nī-ə-'bi-lə-tē] -n
- the ability to deny something esp. on the basis of being officially uninformed
de·ni·able [di-'nī-ə-bəl, dē-] -adj
- capable of being denied
de·ni·al [di-'nī(-ə)l, dē-] -n
- refusal to satisfy a request or desire
- refusal to admit the truth or reality (as of a statement or charge)
- assertion that an allegation is false
- refusal to acknowledge a person or a thing : disavowal
- the opposing by the defendant of an allegation of the opposite party in a lawsuit
- self-denial
- negation in logic
- a psychological defense mechanism in which confrontation with a personal problem or with reality is avoided by denying the existence of the problem or reality
de·ni·er [di-'nī(-ə)r, dē-] -n
- one who denies
de·nier -n
- a small orig. silver coin formerly used in western Europe
- a unit of fineness for yarn equal to the fineness of a yarn weighing one gram for each 9000 meters
- 100- denier yarn is finer than 150- denier yarn
den·i·grate ['de-ni-,grāt] -vt, n, adj
- to attack the reputation of : defame
- denigrate one's opponents
- to deny the importance or validity of : belittle
- denigrate their achievements
den·im ['de-nəm] -n, adj
- a firm durable twilled usu. cotton fabric woven with colored warp and white filling threads
- a similar fabric woven in colored stripes
- overalls or trousers usu. of blue denim
de·ni·tri·fi·ca·tion [(,)dē-,nī-trə-fə-'kā-shən] -n, vt
- the loss or removal of nitrogen or nitrogen compounds
- reduction of nitrates or nitrites commonly by bacteria (as in soil) that usu. results in the escape of nitrogen into the air
den·i·zen ['de-nə-zən] -n
- inhabitant
- a person admitted to residence in a foreign country
- an alien admitted to rights of citizenship
- one that frequents a place
den mother -n
- a female adult leader of a Cub Scout den
- a person seen in the role of leader or protector of a group
de·nom·i·nal [dē-'nä-mə-nᵊl] -adj
- derived from a noun
de·nom·i·nate [di-'nä-mə-,nāt, dē-] -vt
- to give a name to : designate
- to express or designate in some denomination
- will denominate prices in U.S. dollars
de·nom·i·nate number [di-,nä-mə-nət-] -n
- a number (as 7in 7 feet) that specifies a quantity in terms of a unit of measurement
de·nom·i·na·tion [di-,nä-mə-'nā-shən] -n, adj, adv
- an act of denominating
- a value or size of a series of values or sizes (as of money)
- name, designation
- a general name for a category
- a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices
de·nom·i·na·tion·al·ism [-shə-nə-,li-zəm] -n
- devotion to denominational principles or interests
- the emphasizing of denominational differences to the point of being narrowly exclusive : sectarianism
de·nom·i·na·tive [di-'nä-mə-nə-tiv] -adj, n
- derived from a noun or adjective
de·nom·i·na·tor [di-'nä-mə-,nā-tər] -n
- the part of a fraction that is below the line and that functions as the divisor of the numerator
- a shared trait
- the average level (as of taste or opinion) : standard
de·no·ta·tion [,dē-nō-'tā-shən] -n
- an act or process of denoting
- meaning
- a direct specific meaning as distinct from an implied or associated idea
- a denoting term : name
- sign, indication
- visible denotation s of divine wrath
- the totality of things to which a term is applicable esp. in logic
de·no·ta·tive ['dē-nō-,tā-tiv, di-'nō-tə-tiv] -adj
- denoting or tending to denote
- relating to denotation
de·note [di-'nōt, dē-] -vt, n
- to serve as an indication of : betoken
- the swollen bellies that denote starvation
- to serve as an arbitrary mark for
- red flares denoting danger
- to make known : announce
- his crestfallen look denoted his distress
- to serve as a linguistic expression of the notion of : mean
- to stand for : designate
de·noue·ment [,dā-,nü-'mäⁿ, dā-'nü-,] -n
- the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work
- the outcome of a complex sequence of events
de·nounce [di-'nau̇n(t)s, dē-] -vt, n
- to pronounce esp. publicly to be blameworthy or evil
- they denounced him as a bigot
- proclaim
- to announce threateningly
- to inform against : accuse
- portend
- to announce formally the termination of (as a treaty)
de no·vo [di-'nō-(,)vō, dā-, dē-] -adv or adj
- over again : anew
dense ['den(t)s] -adj, adv, n
- marked by compactness or crowding together of parts
- having a high mass per unit volume
- carbon dioxide is a dense gas
- slow to understand : stupid, thickheaded
- was too dense to get the joke
- extreme
- having between any two elements at least one element
- the set of rational numbers is dense
- demanding concentration to follow or comprehend
- having high or relatively high opacity
- a dense photographic negative
den·si·fy ['den(t)-sə-,fī] -vt, n
- to make denser : compress
den·si·tom·e·ter [,den(t)-sə-'tä-mə-tər] -n, adj
- an instrument for determining optical, photographic, or mass density
- diagnose osteoporosis using an X-ray bone densitometer
den·si·ty ['den(t)-sə-tē] -n
- the quality or state of being dense
- : the quantity per unit volume, unit area, or unit length: as
- the mass of a substance per unit volume
- the distribution of a quantity (as mass, electricity, or energy) per unit usu. of space (as length, area, or volume)
- the average number of individuals or units per space unit
- a population density of 500 per square mile
- a housing density of 10 houses per acre
- the degree of opacity of a translucent medium
- the common logarithm of the opacity
density function -n
- probability density function
dent ['dent] -vb
- to make a dent in
- to have a weakening effect on
- to form a dent by sinking inward : become dented
- a depression or hollow made by a blow or by pressure
- an appreciable impression or effect often made against resistance
- hasn't made a dent in the problem
- a weakening or lessening effect
- costs that have made a dent in the budget
- tooth
- dental; dentist; dentistry
dent- -comb form
- tooth : teeth
den·tal ['den-tᵊl] -adj, adv
- of or relating to the teeth or dentistry
- articulated with the tip or blade of the tongue against or near the upper front teeth
dental -n
- a dental consonant
dental floss -n
- a thread used to clean between the teeth
dental hygienist -n
- a licensed dental professional who cleans and examines teeth
den·ta·li·um [den-'tā-lē-əm] -n
- any of a genus ( Dentalium) of widely distributed tooth shells
- tooth shell
dental technician -n
- one who makes dental appliances
den·tate ['den-,tāt] -adj
- having teeth or pointed conical projections
- a dentate margin of a leaf
dent corn -n
- an Indian corn having kernels that contain both hard and soft starch and that become indented at maturity
den·ti·cle ['den-ti-kəl] -n
- a conical pointed projection (as a small tooth)
den·tic·u·late [den-'ti-kyə-lət] -adj, n
- finely dentate or serrate
- a denticulate margin of a leaf
- cut into dentils
den·ti·form ['den-tə-,fȯrm] -adj
- shaped like a tooth
den·ti·frice ['den-tə-frəs] -n
- a powder, paste, or liquid for cleaning the teeth
den·til ['den-tᵊl, -,til] -n, adj
- one of a series of small projecting rectangular blocks forming a molding esp. under a cornice
den·tin ['den-tᵊn] -n, adj
- a calcareous material similar to but harder and denser than bone that composes the principal mass of a tooth
den·tist ['den-təst] -n
- one who is skilled in and licensed to practice the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, injuries, and malformations of the teeth, jaws, and mouth and who makes and inserts false teeth
den·tist·ry ['den-tə-strē] -n
- the art or profession of a dentist
den·ti·tion [den-'ti-shən] -n
- the development and cutting of teeth
- the character of a set of teeth esp. with regard to their number, kind, and arrangement
- teeth
den·tu·lous ['den-chə-ləs] -adj
- having teeth
den·ture ['den-chər] -n
- a set of teeth
- an artificial replacement for one or more teeth
- a set of false teeth
den·tur·ist ['den-chə-rist] -n
- a dental technician who makes, fits, and repairs dentures directly for the public
de·nu·cle·ar·ize [(')dē-'n(y)ü-klē-ə-,rīz, ÷-kyə-lə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to remove nuclear arms from : prohibit the use of nuclear arms in
de·nude [di-'n(y)üd, dē-] -vt, n
- to deprive of something important
- to strip of all covering or surface layers
- to lay bare by erosion
- to strip (land) of forests
de·nu·mer·a·ble [di-'n(y)ü-mə-rə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- countable
de·nun·ci·a·tion [di-,nən(t)-sē-'ā-shən] -n, adj
- an act of denouncing
- a public condemnation
Den·ver boot ['den-vər-] -n
- a metal clamp that is locked onto one of the wheels of an automobile to immobilize it esp. until its owner pays accumulated parking fines
Denver omelet -n
- western omelet
Denver sandwich -n
- western sandwich
de·ny [di-'nī, dē-] -vt, adv
- to declare untrue
- to refuse to admit or acknowledge : disavow
- to give a negative answer to
- to refuse to grant
- to restrain (oneself) from gratification of desires
- decline
- to refuse to accept the existence, truth, or validity of
de·o·dar ['dē-ə-,där] -n
- an East Indian cedar ( Cedrus deodara)
de·odor·ant [dē-'ō-də-rənt] -n, adj
- a preparation that destroys or masks unpleasant odors
de·odor·ize [dē-'ō-də-,rīz] -vt, n
- to eliminate or prevent the offensive odor of
- to make (something unpleasant or reprehensible) more acceptable
- the movie deodorize s his scandalous career
de·on·tic [(,)dē-'än-tik] -adj
- of or relating to moral obligation : deontological
de·on·tol·o·gy [,dē-,än-'tä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- the theory or study of moral obligation
Deo vo·len·te [,dā-(,)ō-vō-'len-tē, ,dē-]
- God being willing
de·ox·i·dize [(,)dē-'äk-sə-,dīz] -vt, n
- to remove esp. elemental oxygen from
de·oxy [(,)dē-'äk-sē] -adj
- containing less oxygen in the molecule than the compound from which it is derived usu. used in combination
de·ox·y·gen·ate [(,)dē-'äk-si-jə-,nāt, ,dē-äk-'si-jə-] -vt, n
- to remove esp. molecular oxygen from
- deoxygenate s the lake water
de·ox·y·gen·at·ed -adj
- having the hemoglobin in the reduced state
de·oxy·ri·bo·nu·cle·ase [(,)dē-'äk-si-,rī-bō-'n(y)ü-klē-,ās, -,āz] -n
- dnase
de·oxy·ri·bo·nu·cle·ic acid [(,)dē-'äk-si-,rī-bō-n(y)u̇-,klē-ik-, -,klā-] -n
- dna
de·oxy·ri·bo·nu·cle·o·tide [-'n(y)ü-klē-ə-,tīd] -n
- a nucleotide that contains deoxyribose and is a constituent of DNA
de·oxy·ri·bose [(,)dē-,äk-si-'rī-,bōs, -,bōz] -n
- a pentose sugar C 5H 10O 4that is a structural element of DNA
dep -abbr
- depart; departure
- department
- deponent
- deposed
- deposit
- depot
- deputy
de·part [di-'pärt, dē-] -vb
- to go away : leave
- die
- to turn aside : deviate
- to go away from : leave
de·part·ed -adj
- bygone
- having died esp. recently
- mourning our departed friend
de·part·ee [-pär-'tē] -n
- a person who is departing or who has departed
de·part·ment [di-'pärt-mənt] -n, adj, adv
- a distinct sphere : province
- a category consisting esp. of a measurable activity or attribute
- lacking in the trustworthiness department -- Garrison Keillor
- : a functional or territorial division: as
- a major administrative division of a government
- a major territorial administrative subdivision
- a division of a college or school giving instruction in a particular subject
- a major division of a business
- a section of a department store handling a particular kind of merchandise
- a territorial subdivision made for the administration and training of military units
de·part·men·tal·ize [di-,pärt-'men-tə-,līz, ,dē-] -vt, n
- to divide into departments
department store -n
- a store having separate sections for a wide variety of goods
de·par·ture [di-'pär-chər] -n
- the act or an instance of departing
- death
- a setting out (as on a new course)
- divergence
- a departure from tradition
de·pau·per·ate [di-'pȯ-pə-rət] -adj
- falling short of natural development or size
- impoverished
de·pend [di-'pend] -vi
- to be determined, based, or contingent
- the value of Y depend s on X
- to be pending or undecided
- to place reliance or trust
- to be dependent esp. for financial support
- to hang down
de·pend·able [di-'pen-də-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- capable of being depended on : reliable
- a dependable source of income
de·pen·dence [di-'pen-dən(t)s] -n
- the quality or state of being dependent
- the quality or state of being influenced or determined by or subject to another
- reliance, trust
- one that is relied on
- drug addiction
- developed a dependence on painkillers
- habituation
de·pen·den·cy [-dən(t)-sē] -n
- dependence
- something that is dependent on something else
- a territorial unit under the jurisdiction of a nation but not formally annexed by it
- a building (as a stable) that is an adjunct to a main dwelling
de·pen·dent [di-'pen-dənt] -adj, adv
- hanging down
- determined or conditioned by another : contingent
- plans that are dependent on the weather
- relying on another for support
- affected with a drug dependence
- subject to another's jurisdiction
- subordinate
- not mathematically or statistically independent
- a dependent set of vectors
- equivalent
dependent [-dənt] -n
- dependency
- one that is dependent
- a person who relies on another for support
dependent variable -n
- a mathematical variable whose value is determined by that of one or more other variables in a function
de·per·son·al·i·za·tion [(,)dē-,pər-snə-lə-'zā-shən, -,pər-sə-nə-lə-] -n
- an act or process of depersonalizing
- the quality or state of being depersonalized
- a psychopathological syndrome characterized by loss of identity and feelings of unreality and strangeness about one's own behavior
de·per·son·al·ize [(')dē-'pər-snə-,līz, -'pər-sə-nə-] -vt
- to deprive of the sense of personal identity
- schools that depersonalize students
- to make impersonal
- depersonalizing medical care
de·phos·phor·y·la·tion [(,)dē-,fäs-fȯr-ə-'lā-shən] -n, vt
- the process of removing phosphate groups from an organic compound (as ATP) by hydrolysis
- the resulting state
de·pict [di-'pikt, dē-] -vt, n
- to represent by or as if by a picture
- a mural depict ing a famous battle
- describe
de·pig·men·ta·tion [(,)dē-,pig-mən-'tā-shən, -,men-] -n
- loss of normal pigmentation
dep·i·la·tion [,de-pə-'lā-shən] -n, vt
- the removal of hair, wool, or bristles by chemical or mechanical methods
de·pil·a·to·ry [di-'pi-lə-,tȯr-ē] -n, adj
- an agent for removing hair, wool, or bristles
de·plane [(,)dē-'plān] -vi
- to disembark from an airplane
de·plete [di-'plēt] -vt, adj, n
- to empty of a principal substance
- to lessen markedly in quantity, content, power, or value
de·plor·able [di-'plȯr-ə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- lamentable
- deserving censure or contempt : wretched
- deplorable living conditions
de·plore [di-'plȯr] -vt, n, adv
- to feel or express grief for
- to regret strongly
- to consider unfortunate or deserving of deprecation
- many critics deplore his methods
de·ploy [di-'plȯi] -vb, adj, n
- to extend (a military unit) esp. in width
- to place in battle formation or appropriate positions
- to spread out, utilize, or arrange for a deliberate purpose
- to move, spread out, or function while being deployed
- the troops deploy ed along the front
- the parachute failed to deploy
de·po·lar·ize [(,)dē-'pō-lə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to cause to become partially or wholly unpolarized
- to prevent or remove polarization of (as a dry cell or cell membrane)
de·po·lit·i·cize [,dē-pə-'li-tə-,sīz] -vt, n
- to remove the political character of : take out of the realm of politics
de·po·ly·mer·ize [(,)dē-pə-'li-mə-,rīz, -'pä-lə-mə-] -vt, n
- to decompose (macromolecules) into simpler compounds (as monomers)
- to undergo decomposition into simpler compounds
de·pone [di-'pōn] -vb
- testify
de·po·nent [di-'pō-nənt] -adj
- occurring with passive or middle voice forms but with active voice meaning
- the deponent verbs in Latin and Greek
deponent -n
- a deponent verb
- one who gives evidence
de·pop·u·late [(,)dē-'pä-pyə-,lāt] -vt, n
- ravage
- to reduce greatly the population of
de·port [di-'pȯrt, dē-] -vt
- to behave or comport (oneself) esp. in accord with a code
- to carry away
- to send out of the country by legal deportation
de·port·able [di-'pȯr-tə-bəl, dē-] -adj
- punishable by deportation
- subject to deportation
de·por·ta·tion [,dē-,pȯr-'tā-shən, -pər-] -n
- an act or instance of deporting
- the removal from a country of an alien whose presence is unlawful or prejudicial
de·por·tee [,dē-,pȯr-'tē, di-] -n
- one who has been deported or is under sentence of deportation
de·port·ment [di-'pȯrt-mənt, dē-] -n
- the manner in which one conducts oneself : behavior
de·pos·al [di-'pō-zəl, dē-] -n
- an act of deposing from office
de·pose [di-'pōz, dē-] -vb
- to remove from a throne or other high position
- to put down : deposit
- to testify to under oath or by affidavit
- affirm, assert
- to take a deposition of
- to bear witness
de·pos·it [di-'pä-zət] -vb, n
- to place esp. for safekeeping or as a pledge
- to put in a bank
- to lay down : place
- to let fall (as sediment)
- to become deposited
deposit -n
- the state of being deposited
- : something placed for safekeeping: as
- money deposited in a bank
- money given as a pledge or down payment
- a place of deposit : depository
- an act of depositing
- something laid down
- matter deposited by a natural process
- a natural accumulation (as of iron ore, coal, or gas)
de·pos·i·tary [di-'pä-zə-,ter-ē] -n
- a person to whom something is entrusted
- depository
de·po·si·tion [,de-pə-'zi-shən, ,dē-pə-] -n, adj
- an act of removing from a position of authority
- a testifying esp. before a court
- declaration
- testimony taken down in writing under oath
- out-of-court testimony made under oath and recorded by an authorized officer for later use in court
- a meeting at which such testimony is taken
- an act or process of depositing
- something deposited : deposit
de·pos·i·to·ry [di-'pä-zə-,tȯr-ē] -n
- depositary
- a place where something is deposited esp. for safekeeping
depository library -n
- a library designated to receive U.S. government publications
de·pot [1 & 2 are 'de-(,)pō also 'dē-, 3 is 'dē- sometimes 'de-] -n
- a place for storing goods or motor vehicles
- store, cache
- a place for the storage of military supplies
- a place for the reception and forwarding of military replacements
- a building for railroad or bus passengers or freight
depr -abbr
- depreciation
- depression
de·prave [di-'prāv] -vt, n
- to speak ill of : malign
- to make bad : corrupt
- to corrupt morally
de·praved [di-'prāvd] -adj, adv, n
- marked by corruption or evil
- perverted
de·prav·i·ty [di-'pra-və-tē also -'prā-] -n
- a corrupt act or practice
- the quality or state of being depraved
dep·re·cate ['de-pri-,kāt] -vt, adv, n
- to pray against (as an evil)
- to seek to avert
- deprecate the wrath...of the Roman people -- Tobias Smollett
- to express disapproval of
- play down: make little of
- speaks five languages...but deprecate s this facility -- Time
- belittle, disparage
- the most reluctantly admired and least easily deprecated of...novelists -- New Yorker
dep·re·ca·to·ry ['de-pri-kə-,tȯr-ē, 'de-prə-,kā-tə-rē] -adj, adv
- seeking to avert disapproval : apologetic
- serving to deprecate : disapproving
de·pre·ci·ate [di-'prē-shē-,āt] -vb, adj, adv, n
- to lower in estimation or esteem
- to lower the price or estimated value of
- to deduct from taxable income a portion of the original cost of (a business asset) over several years as the value of the asset decreases
- to fall in value
dep·re·date ['de-prə-,dāt] -vb, n, adj
- to lay waste : plunder, ravage
- to engage in plunder
dep·re·nyl ['de-prə-,nil] -n
- a monoamine oxidase inhibitor C 13H 17N used esp. to treat Parkinson's disease
de·press [di-'pres, dē-] -vt, adj
- repress, subjugate
- to press down
- to cause to sink to a lower position
- to lessen the activity or strength of
- drugs that may depress the appetite
- sadden, discourage
- don't let the news depress you
- to decrease the market value or marketability of
de·pres·sant [di-'pre-sᵊnt, dē-] -n, adj
- one that depresses
- an agent that reduces a bodily functional activity or an instinctive desire (as appetite)
de·pressed -adj
- low in spirits : sad
- affected by psychological depression
- vertically flattened
- having the central part lower than the margin
- lying flat or prostrate
- dorsoventrally flattened
- suffering from economic depression
- underprivileged
- being below the standard
de·press·ing [-siŋ-lē] -adj, adv
- that depresses
- causing emotional depression
de·pres·sion [di-'pre-shən, dē-] -n
- the angular distance of a celestial object below the horizon
- the size of an angle of depression
- : an act of depressing or a state of being depressed: as
- a pressing down : lowering
- a state of feeling sad : dejection
- a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked esp. by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies
- a reduction in activity, amount, quality, or force
- a lowering of vitality or functional activity
- a depressed place or part : hollow
- low
- a period of low general economic activity marked esp. by rising levels of unemployment
Depression glass -n
- tinted glassware machine-produced during the 1930s
de·pres·sive [di-'pre-siv, dē-] -adj, adv
- tending to depress
- of, relating to, marked by, or affected by psychological depression
depressive -n
- one who is affected with or prone to psychological depression
de·pres·sor [di-'pre-sər, dē-] -n
- : one that depresses: as
- a muscle that draws down a part
- a device for pressing down or aside
- a nerve or nerve fiber that decreases the activity or the tone of the organ or the part it innervates
de·pres·sur·ize [(,)dē-'pre-shə-,rīz] -vt, n
- to release pressure from
dep·ri·va·tion [,de-prə-'vā-shən also ,dē-,prī-] -n
- the state of being deprived : privation
- removal from an office, dignity, or benefice
- an act or instance of depriving : loss
de·prive [di-'prīv] -vt
- remove
- to take something away from
- deprived him of his professorship -- J. M. Phalen
- to remove from office
- to withhold something from
- deprived a citizen of her rights
de·prived -adj
- marked by deprivation esp. of the necessities of life or of healthful environmental influences
- culturally deprived children
de·pro·gram [(,)dē-'prō-,gram, -grəm] -vt, n
- to dissuade or try to dissuade from strongly held convictions (as religious beliefs) or a firmly established or innate behavior
- the necessity of countering propaganda and deprogramming the indoctrinated -- Toni Cade Bambara
dept -abbr
- department
depth ['depth] -n, adj
- a deep place in a body of water
- fish living at great depth s
- a part that is far from the outside or surface
- abyss
- a profound or intense state (as of thought or feeling)
- a reprehensibly low condition
- hadn't realized that standards had fallen to such depth s
- the middle of a time (as winter)
- the worst part
- the perpendicular measurement downward from a surface
- the direct linear measurement from front to back
- the quality of being deep
- the degree of intensity
- the quality of being profound (as in insight) or full (as of knowledge)
- the quality or state of being complete or thorough
- a study will be made in depth
- a large number of good players
depth charge -n
- an antisubmarine weapon that consists essentially of a drum filled with explosives which is dropped near a target and descends to a predetermined depth where it explodes called also depth bomb
depth of field
- the range of distances of the object in front of an image-forming device (as a camera lens) measured along the axis of the device throughout which the image has acceptable sharpness
depth perception -n
- the ability to judge the distance of objects and the spatial relationship of objects at different distances
depth psychology -n
- psychoanalysis
- psychology concerned esp. with the unconscious mind
dep·u·ta·tion [,de-pyə-'tā-shən] -n
- the act of appointing a deputy
- a group of people appointed to represent others
de·pute [di-'pyüt] -vt
- delegate
dep·u·tize ['de-pyə-,tīz] -vb, n
- to appoint as deputy
- to act as deputy
dep·u·ty ['de-pyə-tē] -n
- a person appointed as a substitute with power to act
- a second in command or assistant who usu. takes charge when his or her superior is absent
- a member of the lower house of some legislative assemblies
der -abbr
- derivation; derivative
de·rac·i·nate [(,)dē-'ra-sə-,nāt] -vt, n
- uproot
- to remove or separate from a native environment or culture
- to remove the racial or ethnic characteristics or influences from
de·rail [di-'rāl, dē-] -vb, n
- to cause to run off the rails
- to obstruct the progress of : frustrate
- security problems derail ed the tour
- to upset the stability or composure of
- divorce...can seriously derail an employee -- Joanne Gordon
- to leave the rails
de·rail·leur [di-'rā-lər] -n
- a mechanism for shifting gears on a bicycle that operates by moving the chain from one set of exposed gears to another
de·range [di-'rānj] -vt, n
- to disturb the operation or functions of
- disarrange
- hatless, with tie deranged -- G. W. Stonier
- to make insane
de·rate [(,)dē-'rāt] -vt
- to lower the rated capability of (as electrical or mechanical apparatus) because of deterioration or inadequacy
der·by ['dər-bē, esp Brit 'där-] -n
- any of several horse races held annually and usu. restricted to three-year-olds
- a race or contest open to all comers or to a specified category of contestants
- a man's stiff felt hat with dome-shaped crown and narrow brim
Derbys -abbr
- Derbyshire
de·re·al·i·za·tion [(,)dē-,rē-ə-lə-'zā-shən] -n
- a feeling of altered reality (as that occurring in schizophrenia or in some drug reactions) in which one's surroundings appear unreal or unfamiliar
de·reg·u·la·tion [(,)dē-,re-gyə-'lā-shən] -n, vt
- the act or process of removing restrictions and regulations
der·e·lict ['der-ə-,likt, 'de-rə-] -adj
- abandoned esp. by the owner or occupant
- run-down
- lacking a sense of duty : negligent
derelict -n
- something voluntarily abandoned
- a ship abandoned on the high seas
- a tract of land left dry by receding water
- a destitute homeless social misfit : vagrant, bum
der·e·lic·tion [,der-ə-'lik-shən, ,de-rə-] -n
- an intentional abandonment
- the state of being abandoned
- a recession of water leaving permanently dry land
- intentional or conscious neglect : delinquency
- fault, shortcoming
de·re·press [,dē-ri-'pres] -vt, n
- to activate (a gene or enzyme) by releasing from a blocked state
de·ride [di-'rīd, dē-] -vt, n, adv
- to laugh at contemptuously
- to subject to usu. bitter or contemptuous ridicule
de ri·gueur [də-(,)rē-'gər] -adj
- prescribed or required by fashion, etiquette, or custom : proper
de·ri·sion [di-'ri-zhən] -n
- the use of ridicule or scorn to show contempt
- a state of being derided
- an object of ridicule or scorn
de·ri·sive [di-'rī-siv, -ziv; -'ri-ziv, -'ri-siv] -adj, adv, n
- expressing or causing derision
de·ri·so·ry [di-'rī-sə-rē, -zə-] -adj
- expressing derision : derisive
- worthy of derision
- laughably small
- land could be bought for a derisory sum
de·riv·able [di-'rī-və-bəl] -adj
- capable of being derived
der·i·vate ['der-ə-,vāt, 'de-rə-] -n
- derivative
der·i·va·tion [,der-ə-'vā-shən, ,de-rə-] -n, adj
- the formation of a word from another word or base (as by the addition of a usu. noninflectional affix)
- an act of ascertaining or stating the derivation of a word
- etymology
- the relation of a word to its base
- source, origin
- descent, origination
- something derived : derivative
- an act or process of deriving
- a sequence of statements (as in logic or mathematics) showing that a result is a necessary consequence of previously accepted statements
de·riv·a·tive [di-'ri-və-tiv] -n
- a word formed by derivation
- something derived
- the limit of the ratio of the change in a function to the corresponding change in its independent variable as the latter change approaches zero
- a chemical substance related structurally to another substance and theoretically derivable from it
- a substance that can be made from another substance
- a contract or security that derives its value from that of an underlying asset (as another security) or from the value of a rate (as of interest or currency exchange) or index of asset value (as a stock index)
derivative -adj, adv, n
- formed by derivation
- made up of or marked by derived elements
- lacking originality : banal
de·riv·a·ti·za·tion [də-,ri-və-tə-'zā-shən] -n, vt
- the conversion of a chemical compound into a derivative (as for identification)
de·rive [di-'rīv, dē-] -vb, n
- to take, receive, or obtain esp. from a specified source
- to obtain (a chemical substance) actually or theoretically from a parent substance
- infer, deduce
- bring
- to trace the derivation of
- to have or take origin : come as a derivative
derived -adj
- being, possessing, or marked by a character (as the large brain in humans) not present in the ancestral form
derm -abbr
- dermatologist; dermatology
derm- -comb form
- skin
derm·abra·sion [,dər-mə-'brā-zhən] -n
- surgical removal of skin blemishes or imperfections (as scars or tattoos) by abrasion (as with sandpaper or wire brushes)
der·mal ['dər-məl] -adj
- of or relating to skin and esp. to the dermis : cutaneous
- epidermal
dermat- -comb form
- skin
der·ma·ti·tis [,dər-mə-'tī-təs] -n
- inflammation of the skin
der·ma·to·glyph·ics [,dər-mə-tə-'gli-fiks] -n pl but sing or pl in constr, adj
- skin patterns
- patterns of the specialized skin of the inferior surfaces of the hands and feet
- the science of the study of skin patterns
der·ma·tol·o·gy [,dər-mə-'tä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- a branch of medicine dealing with the skin, its structure, functions, and diseases
der·ma·tome ['dər-mə-,tōm] -n, adj
- the lateral wall of a somite from which the dermis is produced
der·ma·to·my·o·si·tis [,dər-mə-tō-,mī-ə-'sī-təs, (,)dər-,ma-] -n
- an inflammatory disease of skin and muscle marked esp. by muscular weakness and skin rash
der·ma·to·phyte [(,)dər-'ma-tə-,fīt, 'dər-mə-] -n
- a fungus parasitic on the skin or skin derivatives (as hair or nails)
der·ma·to·sis [,dər-mə-'tō-səs] -n
- a disease of the skin
der·mes·tid [(,)dər-'mes-təd] -n, adj
- any of a family (Dermestidae) of beetles with clubbed antennae that are very destructive to organic material of animal origin (as dried meat, wool, or museum specimens)
der·mis ['dər-məs] -n
- the sensitive vascular inner mesodermic layer of the skin called also corium cutis
der·moid cyst ['dər-,mȯid-] -n
- a cystic tumor often of the ovary that contains skin and skin derivatives (as hair or teeth) called also dermoid
der·nier cri [,dern-,yā-'krē] -n
- the newest fashion
der·o·gate ['der-ə-,gāt, 'de-rə-] -vb, n, adj
- to cause to seem inferior : disparage
- to take away a part so as to impair : detract
- to act beneath one's position or character
de·rog·a·to·ry [di-'rä-gə-,tȯr-ē] -adj, adv
- detracting from the character or standing of something often used with to, towards, or of
- expressive of a low opinion : disparaging
der·rick ['der-ik, 'de-rik] -n
- a hoisting apparatus employing a tackle rigged at the end of a beam
- a framework or tower over a deep drill hole (as of an oil well) for supporting boring tackle or for hoisting and lowering
der·ri·ere [,der-ē-'er, ,de-rē-] -n
- buttocks
der·ringdo [,der-iŋ-'dü, ,de-riŋ-] -n
- daring action : daring
der·rin·ger ['der-ən-jər, 'de-rən-] -n
- a short-barreled pocket pistol
der·ris ['der-əs, 'de-rəs] -n
- a preparation chiefly of ground derris roots used as an insecticide
- any of a large genus ( Derris) of tropical Eurasian shrubs and woody vines of the legume family including sources of poisons and esp. commercial sources of rotenone
der·vish ['dər-vish] -n
- a member of a Muslim religious order noted for devotional exercises (as bodily movements leading to a trance)
- one that whirls or dances with or as if with the abandonment of a dervish
des- -prefix
- de- esp. before vowels
DES [,dē-(,)ē-'es] -n
- diethylstilbestrol
de·sa·cral·ize [(,)dē-'sā-krə-,līz, -'sa-] -vt, n
- to divest of sacred qualities or status
de·sa·li·nate [(,)dē-'sa-lə-,nāt also -'sā-] -vt, n
- desalt
de·sa·li·nize [(,)dē-'sa-lə-,nīz also -'sā-] -vt, n
- desalt
de·salt [(,)dē-'sȯlt] -vt, n
- to remove salt from
de·sanc·ti·fy [(,)dē-'saŋ(k)-tə-,fī] -vt, n
- desacralize
des·cant ['des-,kant] -n
- a melody or counterpoint sung above the plainsong of the tenor
- the art of composing or improvising contrapuntal part music
- the music so composed or improvised
- soprano, treble
- a superimposed counterpoint to a simple melody sung typically by some or all of the sopranos
- discourse or comment on a theme
- to sing or play a descant
- sing
- comment, discourse
de·scend [di-'send, dē-] -vb, adj
- to pass from a higher place or level to a lower one
- descend ed from the platform
- to pass in discussion from what is logically prior or more comprehensive
- to originate or come from an ancestral stock or source : derive
- descend s from an old merchant family
- to pass by inheritance
- a desk that has descend ed in the family
- to pass by transmission
- songs descend ed from old ballads
- to incline, lead, or extend downward
- the road descend s to the river
- to swoop or pounce down (as in a sudden attack)
- to appear suddenly and often disconcertingly as if from above
- reporters descend ed on the candidate
- to proceed in a sequence or gradation from higher to lower or from more remote to nearer or more recent
- to lower oneself in status or dignity : stoop
- to worsen and sink in condition or estimation
- to pass, move, or climb down or down along
- to extend down along
de·scen·dant [di-'sen-dənt] -adj
- moving or directed downward
- proceeding from an ancestor or source
descendant -n
- one descended from another or from a common stock
- one deriving directly from a precursor or prototype
de·scend·er [di-'sen-dər, 'dē-,] -n
- the part of a lowercase letter (as p) that descends below the main body of the letter
- a letter that has such a part
de·scen·sion [di-'sen-chən] -n
- descent
de·scent [di-'sent] -n
- derivation from an ancestor : birth, lineage
- transmission or devolution of an estate by inheritance usu. in the descending line
- the fact or process of originating from an ancestral stock
- the shaping or development in nature and character by transmission from a source : derivation
- the act or process of descending
- a step downward in a scale of gradation
- one generation in an ancestral line or genealogical scale
- an inclination downward : slope
- a descending way (as a downgrade or stairway)
- the lowest part
- attack, invasion
- a sudden disconcerting appearance (as for a visit)
- a downward step (as in station or value) : decline
- descent of the family to actual poverty
de·scram·ble [(,)dē-'skram-bəl] -vt, n
- unscramble
de·scribe [di-'skrīb] -vt, adj, n
- to represent or give an account of in words
- to represent by a figure, model, or picture : delineate
- distribute
- to trace or traverse the outline of
- observe, perceive
de·scrip·tion [di-'skrip-shən] -n
- an act of describing
- discourse intended to give a mental image of something experienced
- a descriptive statement or account
- kind or character esp. as determined by salient features
- opposed to any tax of so radical a description
de·scrip·tive [di-'skrip-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- serving to describe
- referring to, constituting, or grounded in matters of observation or experience
- the descriptive basis of science
- factually grounded or informative rather than normative, prescriptive, or emotive
- descriptive cultural studies
- expressing the quality, kind, or condition of what is denoted by the modified term
- hot in hot water is a descriptive adjective
- nonrestrictive
- of, relating to, or dealing with the structure of a language at a particular time usu. with exclusion of historical and comparative data
de·scrip·tor [di-'skrip-tər] -n
- something (as a word or characteristic feature) that serves to describe or identify
- a word or phrase (as an index term) used to identify an item (as a subject or document) in an information retrieval system
de·scry [di-'skrī] -vt
- to catch sight of
- I descried a sail -- Jonathan Swift
- find out, discover
- to make known : reveal
descry -n
- discovery or view from afar
Des·de·mo·na [,dez-də-'mō-nə] -n
- the wife of Othello in Shakespeare's Othello
des·e·crate ['de-si-,krāt] -vt, n
- to violate the sanctity of : profane
- to treat disrespectfully, irreverently, or outrageously
- the kind of shore development...that has desecrated so many waterfronts -- John Fischer
des·e·cra·tion [,de-si-'krā-shən] -n
- an act or instance of desecrating : the state of being desecrated
de·seg·re·gate [(,)dē-'se-gri-,gāt] -vt
- to eliminate segregation in
- to free of any law, provision, or practice requiring isolation of the members of a particular race in separate units
- to become desegregated
de·seg·re·ga·tion [(,)dē-,se-gri-'gā-shən] -n
- the action or an instance of desegregating
- the state of being desegregated
de·se·lect [,dē-sə-'lekt] -vt
- dismiss, reject
de·sen·si·tize [(,)dē-'sen(t)-sə-,tīz] -vt, n
- to make (a sensitized or hypersensitive individual) insensitive or nonreactive to a sensitizing agent
- to make emotionally insensitive or callous
- to extinguish an emotional response (as of fear, anxiety, or guilt) to stimuli that formerly induced it
des·ert ['de-zərt] -n, adj
- arid land with usu. sparse vegetation
- such land having a very warm climate and receiving less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of sporadic rainfall annually
- an area of water apparently devoid of life
- a wild uninhabited and uncultivated tract
- a desolate or forbidding area
- lost in a desert of doubt
- desolate and sparsely occupied or unoccupied
- of or relating to a desert
- forsaken
de·sert [di-'zərt] -n
- the quality or fact of deserving reward or punishment
- deserved reward or punishment usu. used in plural
- excellence, worth
- to withdraw from or leave usu. without intent to return
- to leave in the lurch
- desert a friend in trouble
- to abandon (military service) without leave
- to quit one's post, allegiance, or service without leave or justification
- to abandon military duty without leave and without intent to return
de·sert·i·fi·ca·tion [di-,zər-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n, vt
- the process of becoming desert (as from land mismanagement or climate change)
de·ser·tion [di-'zər-shən] -n
- an act of deserting
- the abandonment without consent or legal justification of a person, post, or relationship and the associated duties and obligations
- sued for divorce on grounds of desertion
- a state of being deserted or forsaken
desert locust -n
- a destructive migratory locust ( Schistocerca gregaria) of southwestern Asia and parts of northern Africa
desert soil -n
- a soil that develops under sparse shrub vegetation in warm to cool arid climates with a light-colored surface soil usu. underlain by calcareous material and a hardpan layer
desert tortoise -n
- a large burrowing land tortoise ( Gopherus agassizii) of arid regions of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent Mexico
desert varnish -n
- a dark coating which is found on rocks after long exposure in desert regions and whose color is due to iron and manganese oxides
de·serve [di-'zərv] -vb, n
- to be worthy of : merit
- to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital
- have become recognized as they deserve -- T. S. Eliot
de·served [-'zərvd] -adj, adv, n
- of, relating to, or being that which one deserves
de·serv·ing [-'zər-viŋ] -n
- desert, merit
- reward the proud according to their deserving s -- Charles Kingsley
deserving -adj
- meritorious, worthy
- meriting financial aid
- scholarships for deserving students
de·sex [(,)dē-'seks] -vt
- castrate, spay
- to eliminate perceived sexism from
- desex the language of church Bible study programs -- R. M. Harley
- desexualize
de·sex·u·al·ize [(,)dē-'sek-sh(ə-)wə-,līz, -'sek-shə-,līz, -'sek-shü-ə-] -vt, n
- to deprive of sexual characters or power
- to divest of sexual quality
deshabille [,dis-ə-'bēl, -'bil] -n
(variant of dishabille)
- negligee
- the state of being dressed in a casual or careless style
- a deliberately careless or casual manner
des·ic·cant ['de-si-kənt] -n
- a drying agent (as calcium chloride)
des·ic·cate ['de-si-,kāt] -vb, n, adj
- to dry up
- to preserve (a food) by drying : dehydrate
- to drain of emotional or intellectual vitality
- to become dried up
de·sid·er·ate [di-'si-də-,rāt, -'zi-] -vt, n, adj
- to entertain or express a wish to have or attain
de·sid·er·a·tum [di-,si-də-'rä-təm, -,zi-, -'rā-] -n
- something desired as essential
de·sign [di-'zīn] -vb, adv
- to create, fashion, execute, or construct according to plan : devise, contrive
- to conceive and plan out in the mind
- he design ed the perfect crime
- to have as a purpose : intend
- she design ed to excel in her studies
- to devise for a specific function or end
- a book design ed primarily as a college textbook
- to indicate with a distinctive mark, sign, or name
- to make a drawing, pattern, or sketch of
- to draw the plans for
- to conceive or execute a plan
- to draw, lay out, or prepare a design
design -n
- a particular purpose held in view by an individual or group
- he has ambitious design s for his son
- deliberate purposive planning
- more by accident than design
- a mental project or scheme in which means to an end are laid down
- a deliberate undercover project or scheme : plot
- aggressive or evil intent used with on or against
- he has design s on the money
- a preliminary sketch or outline showing the main features of something to be executed
- the design for the new stadium
- an underlying scheme that governs functioning, developing, or unfolding : pattern, motif
- the general design of the epic
- a plan or protocol for carrying out or accomplishing something (as a scientific experiment)
- the process of preparing this
- the arrangement of elements or details in a product or work of art
- a decorative pattern
- the creative art of executing aesthetic or functional designs
des·ig·nate ['de-zig-,nāt, -nət] -adj
- chosen but not yet installed
- to indicate and set apart for a specific purpose, office, or duty
- designate a group to prepare a plan
- to point out the location of
- a marker designating the battle
- to distinguish as to class
- the area we designate as that of spiritual values -- J. B. Conant
- specify, stipulate
- to be sent by a designated shipper
- denote
- associate names with the people they designate
- to call by a distinctive title, term, or expression
- a particle designated the neutron
designated driver -n
- a person chosen to abstain from intoxicants (as alcohol) so as to transport others safely who are not abstaining
designated hitter -n
- a baseball player designated at the start of the game to bat in place of the pitcher without causing the pitcher to be removed from the game
- representative, substitute
des·ig·na·tion [,de-zig-'nā-shən] -n
- the act of indicating or identifying
- appointment to or selection for an office, post, or service
- a distinguishing name, sign, or title
- the relation between a sign and the thing signified
des·ig·nee [,de-zig-'nē] -n
- one that is designated
de·sign·er [di-'zī-nər] -n
- : one that designs: as
- one who creates and often executes plans for a project or structure
- one that creates and manufactures a new product style or design
- one who designs and manufactures high-fashion clothing
- the designer 's new fall line
designer -adj
- of, relating to, or produced by a designer
- wearing a designer original
- displaying the name, signature, or logo of a designer or manufacturer
- intended to reflect the latest in sophisticated taste or fashion
- modified artificially (as by genetic engineering) to fulfill individual specifications or meet a need
designer drug -n
- a synthetic version of a controlled substance (as heroin) that is produced with a slightly altered molecular structure to avoid having it classified as an illicit drug
de·sign·ing [di-'zī-niŋ] -adj
- practicing forethought
- crafty, scheming
- falling into the snares of a designing enemy -- Charles Dickens
de·sign·ment [di-'zīn-mənt] -n
- plan, purpose
de·sip·ra·mine [də-'zi-prə-,mēn] -n
- a tricyclic antidepressant C 18H 22N 2
de·sir·abil·i·ty [di-,zī-rə-'bi-lə-tē] -n
- desirable conditions
- had understood and studied certain desirabilities -- D. D. Eisenhower
- the quality, fact, or degree of being desirable
de·sir·able [di-'zī-rə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- having pleasing qualities or properties : attractive
- worth seeking or doing as advantageous, beneficial, or wise : advisable
desirable -n
- one that is desirable
de·sire [di-'zī(-ə)r, dē-] -vb
- to long or hope for : exhibit or feel desire for
- to express a wish for : request
- they desire an immediate answer
- to express a wish to : ask
- invite
- to feel the loss of
- to have or feel desire
desire -n
- conscious impulse toward something that promises enjoyment or satisfaction in its attainment
- longing, craving
- sexual urge or appetite
- a usu. formal request or petition for some action
- something desired
de·sir·ous [di-'zī(-ə)r-əs] -adj, adv, n
- impelled or governed by desire
de·sist [di-'sist, -'zist, dē-] -vi, n
- to cease to proceed or act
desk ['desk] -n
- a table, frame, or case with a sloping or horizontal surface esp. for writing and reading and often with drawers, compartments, and pigeonholes
- a reading table or lectern from which a liturgical service is read
- a table, counter, stand, or booth at which a person works
- a division of an organization specializing in a particular phase of activity
- the Russian desk in the Department of State
- a seating position according to rank in an orchestra
desk·bound ['desk-,bau̇nd] -adj
- restricted to work at a desk
deskill [,dē-'skil] -vt
- to reduce the level of skill needed for (a job)
- to reduce the level of skill needed for a job by (a worker)
desk jockey -n
- a person whose job involves working at a desk
desk·man ['desk-,man, -mən] -n
- a person who works at a desk
- a newspaperman who processes news and prepares copy
desk·top ['desk-,täp] -n
- the top of a desk
- an area or window on a computer screen in which icons are arranged in a manner analogous to objects on top of a desk
- a desktop computer
desktop -adj
- of a size that can be conveniently used on a desk or table
desktop publishing -n
- the production of printed matter by means of a desktop computer having a layout program that integrates text and graphics
desm- -comb form
- bond : ligament
des·mid ['dez-məd] -n
- any of numerous unicellular or colonial green algae (order Zygnematales, esp. family Desmidiaceae)
des·mo·some ['dez-mə-,sōm] -n, adj
- a specialized structure of the cell membrane esp. of an epithelial cell that serves as a zone of adhesion to anchor contiguous cells together
des·o·late ['de-sə-lət, 'de-zə-] -adj, adv, n
- devoid of inhabitants and visitors : deserted
- joyless, disconsolate, and sorrowful through or as if through separation from a loved one
- showing the effects of abandonment and neglect : dilapidated
- barren, lifeless
- devoid of warmth, comfort, or hope : gloomy
- : to make desolate:
- to deprive of inhabitants
- to lay waste
- forsake
- to make wretched
des·o·la·tion [,de-sə-'lā-shən, ,de-zə-] -n
- the action of desolating
- grief, sadness
- loneliness
- devastation, ruin
- a scene of utter desolation
- barren wasteland
de·sorb [(,)dē-'sȯrb, -'zȯrb] -vt
- to remove (a sorbed substance) by the reverse of adsorption or absorption
de·sorp·tion [-'sȯrp-shən, -'zȯrp-] -n
- the process of desorbing
des·oxy·ri·bo·nu·cle·ic acid [de-,zäk-sē-'rī-bō-n(y)u̇-,klē-ik-, -,klā-] -n
- dna
de·spair [di-'sper] -vb, n
- to lose all hope or confidence
- to lose hope for
despair -n
- utter loss of hope
- a cause of hopelessness
- an incorrigible child is the despair of his parents
de·spair·ing [-iŋ-lē] -adj, adv
- given to, arising from, or marked by despair : devoid of hope
des·patch [di-'spach] -vb, n
(variant of dispatch)
- to send off or away with promptness or speed
- to send off on official business
- to kill with quick efficiency
- deprive
- to dispose of (as a task) rapidly or efficiently
- defeat
- to make haste : hurry
- a message sent with speed
- an important official message sent by a diplomatic, military, or naval officer
- a news item filed by a correspondent
- : the act of dispatching: as
- dismissal
- the act of killing
- prompt settlement (as of an item of business)
- quick riddance
- a sending off : shipment
- promptness and efficiency in performance or transmission
des·per·a·do [,des-pə-'rä-(,)dō, -'rā-] -n
- a bold or violent criminal
- a bandit of the western U.S. in the 19th century
des·per·ate ['des-p(ə-)rət, -pərt] -adj, n
- having lost hope
- a desperate spirit crying for relief
- giving no ground for hope
- the outlook was desperate
- moved by despair
- victims made desperate by abuse
- involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape defeat or frustration
- made a desperate leap for the rope
- suffering extreme need or anxiety
- involving extreme danger or possible disaster
- of extreme intensity
- shocking, outrageous
des·per·ate·ly ['des-p(ə-)rət-lē, -pərt-] -adv
- in a desperate manner
- extremely, terribly
des·per·a·tion [,des-pə-'rā-shən] -n
- loss of hope and surrender to despair
- a state of hopelessness leading to rashness
de·spi·ca·ble [di-'spi-kə-bəl, 'des-(,)pi-] -adj, n, adv
- deserving to be despised : so worthless or obnoxious as to rouse moral indignation
de·spir·i·tu·al·ize [(,)dē-'spi-ri-ch(ə-)wə-,līz, -chə-,līz, -chü-ə-] -vt
- to deprive of spiritual character or influence
de·spise [di-'spīz] -vt, n
- to look down on with contempt or aversion
- to regard as negligible, worthless, or distasteful
de·spite [di-'spīt] -n
- the feeling or attitude of despising : contempt
- malice, spite
- an act showing contempt or defiance
- detriment, disadvantage
- I know of no government which stands to its obligations, even in its own despite, more solidly -- Sir Winston Churchill
despite -vt
- to treat with contempt
- to provoke to anger : vex
- in spite of
de·spite·ful [di-'spīt-fəl] -adj, adv, n
- expressing malice or hate
de·spit·eous [di-'spi-tē-əs] -adj, adv
- feeling or showing despite : malicious
de·spoil [di-'spȯi(-ə)l] -vt, n
- to strip of belongings, possessions, or value : pillage
de·spo·li·a·tion [di-,spō-lē-'ā-shən] -n
- the action or process of despoiling : spoliation
de·spond [di-'spänd] -vi
- to become despondent
despond -n
- despondency
de·spon·dence [di-'spän-dən(t)s] -n
- despondency
de·spon·den·cy [-dən-sē] -n
- the state of being despondent : dejection, hopelessness
de·spon·dent [-dənt] -adj, adv
- feeling or showing extreme discouragement, dejection, or depression
- despondent about his health
des·pot ['des-pət, -,pät] -n
- a Byzantine emperor or prince
- a bishop or patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church
- an Italian hereditary prince or military leader during the Renaissance
- a ruler with absolute power and authority
- a person exercising power tyrannically
des·pot·ic [des-'pä-tik, dis-] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or characteristic of a despot
des·po·tism ['des-pə-,ti-zəm] -n
- rule by a despot
- despotic exercise of power
- a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power : absolutism
- a despotic state
des·qua·mate ['des-kwə-,māt] -vi, n
- to peel off in scales
des·sert [di-'zərt] -n
- a usu. sweet course or dish (as of pastry or ice cream) usu. served at the end of a meal
- a fresh fruit served after a sweet course
des·sert·spoon [-,spün] -n
- a spoon intermediate in size between a teaspoon and a tablespoon for use in eating dessert
- dessertspoonful
des·sert·spoon·ful [di-'zərt-,spün-,fu̇l] -n
- as much as a dessertspoon will hold
- a unit of measure equal to about 2 fluid drams
dessert wine -n
- a usu. sweet wine typically served with dessert or afterward
de·sta·bi·lize [(,)dē-'stā-bə-,līz] -vt, n
- to make unstable
- to cause (as a government) to be incapable of functioning or surviving
de·stain [(,)dē-'stān] -vt
- to selectively remove stain from (a specimen for microscopic study)
deSta·lin·i·za·tion [(,)dē-,stä-lə-nə-'zā-shən, -,sta-] -n
- the discrediting of Stalin and his policies
de·stig·ma·tize [(,)dē-'stig-mə-,tīz] -vt
- to remove associations of shame or disgrace from
- destigmatize mental illness
de Stijl [də-'stī(-ə)l, -'stāl] -n
- a school of art founded in Holland in 1917 typically using rectangular forms and the primary colors plus black and white and asymmetric balance
des·ti·na·tion [,des-tə-'nā-shən] -n
- the purpose for which something is destined
- an act of appointing, setting aside for a purpose, or predetermining
- a place to which one is journeying or to which something is sent
- kept their destination secret
- a place worthy of travel or an extended visit often used attributively
des·tine ['des-tən] -vt
- to decree beforehand : predetermine
- to designate, assign, or dedicate in advance
- the younger son was destined for the priesthood
- a trait that destine s them to failure
- to direct, devise, or set apart for a specific purpose or place
- freight destined for European ports
des·ti·ny ['des-tə-nē] -n
- something to which a person or thing is destined : fortune
- wants to control his own destiny
- a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency
des·ti·tute ['des-tə-,tüt, -,t(y)üt] -adj, n
- lacking something needed or desirable
- lacking possessions and resources
- suffering extreme poverty
des·ti·tu·tion [,des-tə-'tü-shən, -'tyü-] -n
- the state of being destitute
- such extreme want as threatens life unless relieved
destress ['dē-'stres] -vi
- to release bodily or mental tension : unwind
des·trier ['des-trē-ər, də-'strir] -n
- warhorse
- a charger used esp. in medieval tournaments
de·stroy [di-'strȯi, dē-] -vb
- to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of
- to ruin as if by tearing to shreds
- their reputation was destroy ed
- to put out of existence : kill
- neutralize
- the moon destroy s the light of the stars
- annihilate, vanquish
- armies had been crippled but not destroy ed -- W. L. Shirer
- to cause destruction
de·stroy·er [di-'strȯi(-ə)r, dē-] -n
- one that destroys
- a small fast warship used esp. to support larger vessels and usu. armed with guns, depth charges, torpedoes, and often guided missiles
destroyer escort -n
- a warship similar to but smaller than a destroyer
destroying angel -n
- any of several very poisonous pure white amanita mushrooms (as Amanita vernaor A. virosa) : death cap
de·struc·ti·ble [di-'strək-tə-bəl] -adj, n
- capable of being destroyed
de·struc·tion [di-'strək-shən] -n
- the state or fact of being destroyed : ruin
- the action or process of destroying something
- a destroying agency
de·struc·tion·ist [-sh(ə-)nəst] -n
- one who delights in or advocates destruction
de·struc·tive [di-'strək-tiv] -adj, adv, n
- causing destruction : ruinous
- designed or tending to hurt or destroy
destructive distillation -n
- decomposition of a substance (as wood, coal, or oil) by heat in a closed container and collection of the volatile products produced
de·struc·tiv·i·ty [di-,strək-'ti-və-tē, ,dē-] -n
- capacity for destruction
de·sue·tude ['de-swi-,tüd, -,tyüd, di-'sü-ə-, -'syü-] -n
- discontinuance from use or exercise : disuse
de·sul·fur·i·za·tion [(,)dē-,səl-fər-ə-'zā-shən] -n, vt
- the removal of sulfur or sulfur compounds (as from coal or flue gas)
des·ul·to·ry ['de-səl-,tȯr-ē also -zəl-] -adj, adv, n
- marked by lack of definite plan, regularity, or purpose
- a dragged-out ordeal of...desultory shopping -- Herman Wouk
- not connected with the main subject
- disappointing in progress, performance, or quality
- a desultory fifth place finish
det -abbr
- detached; detachment
- detail
- determine
de·tach [di-'tach, dē-] -vt, n, adj, adv
- to separate esp. from a larger mass and usu. without violence or damage
- disengage, withdraw
de·tached [di-'tacht, dē-] -adj, adv, n
- standing by itself : separate, unconnected
- not sharing any wall with another building
- exhibiting an aloof objectivity usu. free from prejudice or self-interest
detached service -n
- military service away from one's assigned organization
de·tach·ment [di-'tach-mənt, dē-] -n
- the action or process of detaching : separation
- the dispatch of a body of troops or part of a fleet from the main body for a special mission or service
- the part so dispatched
- a permanently organized separate unit usu. smaller than a platoon and of special composition
- indifference to worldly concerns : aloofness
- freedom from bias or prejudice
de·tail [di-'tāl, 'dē-,tāl] -n
- extended treatment of or attention to particular items
- : a part of a whole: as
- a small and subordinate part : particular
- a reproduction of such a part of a work of art
- a part considered or requiring to be considered separately from the whole
- the small elements that collectively constitute a work of art
- the small elements of a photographic image corresponding to those of the subject
- selection of a person or group for a particular task (as in military service)
- the person or group selected
- the task to be performed
detail -vt, n
- to report minutely and distinctly : specify
- detail ed their grievances
- to assign to a particular task
- to furnish with the smaller elements of design and finish
- trimmings that detail slips and petticoats
- to make detail drawings
de·tailed [di-'tāld, 'dē-,tāld] -adj, adv, n
- marked by abundant detail or by thoroughness in treating small items or parts
- the detailed study of history
de·tail·ing ['dē-,tāl-iŋ] -n
- the act or process of meticulously cleaning and refurbishing an automobile
detail man -n
- a sales representative of a drug manufacturer who introduces new drugs esp. to physicians and pharmacists
de·tain [di-'tān, dē-] -vt, n
- to hold or keep in or as if in custody
- detain ed by the police for questioning
- to keep back (as something due) : withhold
- to restrain esp. from proceeding
- was detain ed by a flat tire
de·tain·ee [di-,tā-'nē, ,dē-] -n
- a person held in custody esp. for political reasons
de·tain·er [di-'tā-nər] -n
- the act of keeping something in one's possession
- the withholding from the rightful owner of something that has lawfully come into the possession of the holder
- detention in custody
- a writ authorizing the keeper of a prison to continue to hold a person in custody
detd -abbr
- determined
de·tect [di-'tekt, dē-] -vb, n, adj
- to discover the true character of
- to discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
- detect alcohol in the blood
- demodulate
- to work as a detective
de·tec·tion [di-'tek-shən] -n
- the act of detecting : the state or fact of being detected
- the process of demodulating
de·tec·tive [di-'tek-tiv] -adj
- fitted for or used in detecting something
- had perfected his detective sensibilities
- of or relating to detectives or their work
detective -n
- one employed or engaged in detecting lawbreakers or in getting information that is not readily or publicly accessible
de·tec·tor [di-'tek-tər] -n
- : one that detects: as
- a device for detecting the presence of electromagnetic waves or of radioactivity
- a rectifier of high-frequency current used esp. for extracting the intelligence from a radio signal
de·tent ['dē-,tent, di-'] -n
- a device (as a catch, dog, or spring-operated ball) for positioning and holding one mechanical part in relation to another in a manner such that the device can be released by force applied to one of the parts
de·tente [dā-'tänt] -n
- the relaxation of strained relations or tensions (as between nations)
- a policy promoting this
- a period of detente
de·ten·tion [di-'ten-chən] -n
- the act or fact of detaining or holding back
- a holding in custody
- the state of being detained
- a period of temporary custody prior to disposition by a court
detention home -n
- a house of detention for juvenile delinquents usu. under the supervision of a juvenile court
de·ter [di-'tər, dē-] -vt, n, adj
- to turn aside, discourage, or prevent from acting
- she would not be deterred by threats
- inhibit
de·terge [di-'tərj] -vt, n
- to wash off : cleanse
de·ter·gen·cy [di-'tər-jən(t)-sē] -n
- cleansing quality or power
de·ter·gent [-jənt] -adj
- that cleanses : cleansing
detergent -n
- : a cleansing agent: as
- soap
- any of numerous synthetic water-soluble or liquid organic preparations that are chemically different from soaps but are able to emulsify oils, hold dirt in suspension, and act as wetting agents
- an oil-soluble substance that holds insoluble foreign matter in suspension and is used in lubricating oils and dry-cleaning solvents
de·te·ri·o·rate [di-'tir-ē-ə-,rāt, dē-] -vb, adj
- to make inferior in quality or value : impair
- disintegrate
- to become impaired in quality, functioning, or condition : degenerate
- allowed a tradition of academic excellence to deteriorate
de·te·ri·o·ra·tion [di-,tir-ē-ə-'rā-shən, dē-] -n
- the action or process of deteriorating : the state of having deteriorated
de·ter·min·able [-'tər-mə-nə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- capable of being determined, definitely ascertained, or decided upon
- liable to be terminated : terminable
de·ter·mi·na·cy [di-'tər-mə-nə-sē] -n
- the quality or state of being determinate
- the state of being definitely and unequivocally characterized : exactness
- the state of being determined or necessitated
de·ter·mi·nant [di-'tər-mə-nənt] -n, adj
- an element that identifies or determines the nature of something or that fixes or conditions an outcome
- a square array of numbers bordered on the left and right by a vertical line and having a value equal to the algebraic sum of all possible products where the number of factors in each product is the same as the number of rows or columns, each factor in a given product is taken from a different row and column, and the sign of a product is positive or negative depending upon whether the number of permutations necessary to place the indices representing each factor's position in its row or column in the order of the natural numbers is odd or even
- gene
- epitope
de·ter·mi·nate [di-'tər-mə-nət] -adj, adv, n
- having defined limits
- a determinate period of time
- definitely settled
- a determinate order of precedence
- conclusively determined : definitive
- characterized by sequential flowering from the central or uppermost bud to the lateral or basal buds
- characterized by growth in which the main stem ends in an inflorescence and stops growing with only branches from the main stem having further and similarly restricted growth
- determinate tomato plants
- relating to, being, or undergoing egg cleavage in which each division irreversibly separates portions of the zygote with specific potencies for further development
de·ter·mi·na·tion [di-,tər-mə-'nā-shən] -n
- a judicial decision settling and ending a controversy
- the resolving of a question by argument or reasoning
- termination
- the act of deciding definitely and firmly
- the result of such an act of decision
- firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end
- a woman of great courage and determination
- : a fixing or finding of the position, magnitude, value, or character of something: as
- the act, process, or result of an accurate measurement
- an identification of the taxonomic position of a plant or animal
- the definition of a concept in logic by its essential constituents
- the addition of a differentia to a concept to limit its denotation
- direction or tendency to a certain end : impulsion
- the fixation of the destiny of undifferentiated embryonic tissue
de·ter·mi·na·tive [-'tər-mə-,nā-tiv, -'tər-mə-nə-] -adj, n
- having power or tendency to determine : tending to fix, settle, or define something
- regard experiments as determinative of the principles from which deductions could be made -- S. F. Mason
de·ter·mi·na·tor [di-'tər-mə-,nā-tər] -n
- determiner
de·ter·mine [di-'tər-mən, dē-] -vb
- to fix conclusively or authoritatively
- determine national policy
- to decide by judicial sentence
- to settle or decide by choice of alternatives or possibilities
- trying to determine the best time to go
- resolve
- she determined to do better
- to fix the form, position, or character of beforehand : ordain
- two points determine a straight line
- to bring about as a result : regulate
- demand determine s the price
- to fix the boundaries of
- to limit in extent or scope
- to put or set an end to : terminate
- to find out or come to a decision about by investigation, reasoning, or calculation
- determine the answer to the problem
- determine a position at sea
- to bring about the determination of
- determine the fate of a cell
- to come to a decision
- to come to an end or become void
de·ter·mined [-'tər-mənd] -adj, adv, n
- having reached a decision : firmly resolved
- showing determination
- characterized by determination
- will deter all but the most determined thief -- Security World
de·ter·min·er [-'tər-mə-nər] -n
- : one that determines: as
- gene
- a word (as an article, possessive, demonstrative, or quantifier) that makes specific the denotation of a noun phrase
de·ter·min·ism [di-'tər-mə-,ni-zəm, dē-] -n, n or adj, adj, adv
- a theory or doctrine that acts of the will, occurrences in nature, or social or psychological phenomena are causally determined by preceding events or natural laws
- a belief in predestination
- the quality or state of being determined
de·ter·rence [di-'tər-ən(t)s, -'ter-; -'tə-rən(t)s, -'te-; dē-] -n
- : the act or process of deterring: as
- the inhibition of criminal behavior by fear esp. of punishment
- the maintenance of military power for the purpose of discouraging attack
de·ter·rent [-ənt, -rənt] -adj, n, adv
- serving to deter
- relating to deterrence
- a deterrent view of punishment
de·ter·sive [di-'tər-siv, -ziv] -adj, n
- detergent
de·test [di-'test, dē-] -vt, n
- to feel intense and often violent antipathy toward : loathe
- curse, denounce
de·test·able [di-'tes-tə-bəl, dē-] -adj, n, adv
- arousing or meriting intense dislike : abominable
de·tes·ta·tion [,dē-,tes-'tā-shən, di-] -n
- extreme hatred or dislike : abhorrence, loathing
- an object of hatred or contempt
de·throne [di-'thrōn, dē-] -vt, n
- to remove from a throne or place of power or prominence
- trying to dethrone the champion
de·tick [(,)dē-'tik] -vt, n
- to remove ticks from
det·i·nue ['de-tᵊn-,(y)ü] -n
- a common-law action for the recovery of a personal chattel wrongfully detained or of its value
- detention of something due
- the unlawful detention of a personal chattel from another
detn -abbr
- detention
- determination
det·o·na·ble ['de-tᵊn-ə-bəl, -tə-nə-] -adj, n
- capable of being detonated
det·o·nate ['de-tᵊn-,āt, 'de-tə-,nāt] -vb, adj
- to explode with sudden violence
- to cause to detonate
- to set off in a burst of activity : spark
- programs that detonated controversies
det·o·na·tion [,de-tᵊn-'ā-shən, ,de-tə-'nā-] -n
- the action or process of detonating
- rapid combustion in an internal combustion engine that results in knocking
det·o·na·tor ['de-tᵊn-,ā-tər, -tə-,nā-] -n
- a device or small quantity of explosive used for detonating a high explosive
de·tour ['dē-,tu̇r also di-'tu̇r] -n
- a deviation from a direct course or the usual procedure
- a roundabout way temporarily replacing part of a route
detour -vi
- to proceed by a detour
- detour around road construction
- to send by a circuitous route
- detour traffic around an accident
- to avoid by going around : bypass
de·tox ['dē-,täks, di-'täks] -n, vb
- detoxification from an intoxicating or addictive substance
- a detox program or facility
de·tox·i·cate [(,)dē-'täk-sə-,kāt] -vt, n
- detoxify
- detoxify
de·tox·i·fy [(,)dē-'täk-sə-,fī] -vt, n
- to remove a harmful substance (as a poison or toxin) or the effect of such from
- to render (a harmful substance) harmless
- to free (as a drug user or an alcoholic) from an intoxicating or an addictive substance in the body or from dependence on or addiction to such a substance
- neutralize
de·tract [di-'trakt, dē-] -vb, n
- to speak ill of
- to take away
- divert
- to diminish the importance, value, or effectiveness of something often used with from
- small errors that do not seriously detract from the book
de·trac·tion [di-'trak-shən, dē-] -n, adj, adv
- a lessening of reputation or esteem esp. by envious, malicious, or petty criticism : belittling, disparagement
- a taking away
- it is no detraction from its dignity or prestige -- J. F. Golay
de·train [(,)dē-'trān] -vi, n
- to get off a railroad train
- to remove from a railroad train
de·trib·al·ize [(,)dē-'trī-bə-,līz] -vt, n
- to cause to lose tribal identity : acculturate
det·ri·ment ['de-trə-mənt] -n
- injury, damage
- did hard work without detriment to his health
- a cause of injury or damage
det·ri·men·tal [,de-trə-'men-tᵊl] -adj, adv
- obviously harmful : damaging
- the detrimental effects of pollution
detrimental -n
- an undesirable or harmful person or thing
de·tri·tion [di-'tri-shən] -n
- a wearing off or away
de·tri·ti·vore [di-'trī-tə-,vȯr] -n
- an organism (as an earthworm or a fungus) that feeds on dead and decomposing organic matter
de·tri·tus [di-'trī-təs] -n, adj
- loose material (as rock fragments or organic particles) that results directly from disintegration
- a product of disintegration, destruction, or wearing away : debris
- miscellaneous remnants : odds and ends
- sifting through the detritus of his childhood -- Michael Tomasky
de trop [də-'trō] -adj
- too much or too many : superfluous, excessive
de·tu·mes·cence [,dē-t(y)ü-'me-sᵊn(t)s] -n, adj
- subsidence or diminution of swelling or erection
Deu·ca·lion [d(y)ü-'kāl-yən] -n
- a survivor with his wife Pyrrha of a great flood by which Zeus destroys the rest of the human race
deuce ['düs also 'dyüs] -n
- the face of a die that bears two spots
- a playing card bearing an index number two
- a throw of the dice yielding two points
- a tie in tennis after each side has scored 40 requiring two consecutive points by one side to win
- devil, dickens used chiefly as a mild oath
- what the deuce is he up to now
- something notable of its kind
- to bring the score of (a tennis game or set) to deuce
deuc·ed ['dü-səd also 'dyü-] -adj, adv
- damned, confounded
deuces wild -n
- a card game (as poker) in which each deuce may represent any card designated by its holder
de·us ex ma·chi·na ['dā-əs-,eks-'mä-ki-nə, -'ma-, -,nä; -mə-'shē-nə] -n
- a god introduced by means of a crane in ancient Greek and Roman drama to decide the final outcome
- a person or thing (as in fiction or drama) that appears or is introduced suddenly and unexpectedly and provides a contrived solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty
Deut -abbr
- Deuteronomy
deuter- -comb form
- second : secondary
deu·ter·ag·o·nist [,dü-tə-'ra-gə-nist also ,dyü-] -n
- the actor taking the part of second importance in a classical Greek drama
- a person who serves as a foil to another
deu·ter·anom·a·lous [,dü-tə-rə-'nä-mə-ləs also ,dyü-] -adj, n
- exhibiting partial loss of green color vision so that an increased intensity of green is required in a mixture of red and green to match a given yellow
deu·ter·an·ope ['dü-tə-rə-,nōp also 'dyü-] -n
- an individual affected with deuteranopia
deu·ter·an·opia [,dü-tə-rə-'nō-pē-ə also ,dyü-] -n, adj
- color blindness marked by usu. complete loss of ability to distinguish colors
deu·ter·ate ['dü-tə-,rāt also 'dyü-] -vt, n
- to introduce deuterium into (a compound)
deu·te·ri·um [dü-'tir-ē-əm also dyü-] -n
- an isotope of hydrogen that has one proton and one neutron in its nucleus and that has twice the mass of ordinary hydrogen symbol D called also heavy hydrogen
deuterium oxide -n
- heavy water
deu·tero·ca·non·i·cal [,dü-tə-rō-kə-'nä-ni-kəl also ,dyü-] -adj
- of, relating to, or constituting the books of Scripture contained in the Septuagint but not in the Hebrew canon
deu·ter·on ['dü-tə-,rän also 'dyü-] -n
- a deuterium nucleus
Deu·ter·o·nom·ic [,dü-tə-rə-'nä-mik also ,dyü-] -adj
- of or relating to the book of Deuteronomy, its style, or its contents
Deu·ter·on·o·mist [,dü-tə-'rä-nə-mist also ,dyü-] -n, adj
- any of the writers or editors of a Deuteronomic body of source material often distinguished in the earlier books of the Old Testament
Deu·ter·on·o·my [,dü-tə-'rä-nə-mē also ,dyü-] -n
- the fifth book of canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture containing narrative and Mosaic laws
deu·tero·stome ['dü-tə-rō-,stōm also 'dyü-] -n
- any of a major division (Deuterostomia) of the animal kingdom that includes the bilaterally symmetrical animals (as the chordates) with indeterminate cleavage and a mouth that does not arise from the blastopore
deut·sche mark ['dȯich-,märk, 'doi-chə-,] -n
- the basic monetary unit of West Germany from 1948 to 1990 and of reunited Germany from 1990 to 2001
deut·zia ['düt-sē-ə also 'dyüt-] -n
- any of a genus ( Deutzia) of the saxifrage family of ornamental shrubs with usu. white or pink flowers
dev -abbr
- deviation
de·val·u·ate [(,)dē-'val-yə-,wāt, -yü-,āt] -vb
- devalue
de·val·u·a·tion [(,)dē-,val-yə-'wā-shən, -yü-'ā-] -n
- an official reduction in the exchange value of a currency by a lowering of its gold equivalency or its value relative to another currency
- a lessening esp. of status or stature : decline
de·val·ue [(,)dē-'val-(,)yü] -vt
- to institute the devaluation of (money)
- to lessen the value of
- to institute devaluation
De·va·na·ga·ri [,dā-və-'nä-gə-rē] -n
- an alphabet usu. employed for Sanskrit and also used as a literary hand for various modern languages of India
dev·as·tate ['de-və-,stāt] -vt, adv, n, adj
- to bring to ruin or desolation by violent action
- a country devastated by war
- to reduce to chaos, disorder, or helplessness : overwhelm
- her wisecrack devastated the class
de·vein [(,)dē-'vān] -vt
- to remove the dark dorsal vein from (shrimp)
de·vel·op [di-'vel-əp, dē-] -vb, adj
- to set forth or make clear by degrees or in detail : expound
- to make visible or manifest
- to treat (as in dyeing) with an agent to cause the appearance of color
- to subject (exposed photograph material) esp. to chemicals in order to produce a visible image
- to make visible by such a method
- to elaborate (a musical idea) by the working out of rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme
- to work out the possibilities of
- to create or produce esp. by deliberate effort over time
- develop new ways of doing business
- to make active or promote the growth of
- to make available or usable
- develop natural resources
- to make suitable for commercial or residential purposes
- to move (as a chess piece) from the original position to one providing more opportunity for effective use
- to cause to unfold gradually
- to expand by a process of growth
- working to develop the company further
- to cause to grow and differentiate along lines natural to its kind
- rain and sun develop the grain
- to become infected or affected by
- to acquire gradually
- develop an appreciation for ballet
- to go through a process of natural growth, differentiation, or evolution by successive changes
- a blossom develop s from a bud
- to acquire secondary sex characteristics
- to become gradually manifest
- to come into being gradually
- the situation develop ing in eastern Europe
- turn out
- it develop ed that no one had paid the bill
de·vel·oped [di-'ve-ləpt] -adj
- having a relatively high level of industrialization and standard of living
de·vel·op·er [-lə-pər] -n
- : one that develops: as
- a chemical used to develop exposed photographic materials
- a person who develops real estate
- a person or company that develops computer software
de·vel·op·ing [-lə-piŋ] -adj
- underdeveloped
de·vel·op·ment [di-'ve-ləp-mənt, dē-] -n
- the act, process, or result of developing
- an interesting development
- the state of being developed
- a developed tract of land
- one with houses built on it
de·vel·op·men·tal [dē-,ve-ləp-'men-tᵊl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or being development
- experimental
- serving economic development
- designed to assist growth or bring about improvement (as of a skill)
developmentally disabled -adj
- having a physical or mental disability that becomes apparent in childhood and prevents, impedes, or limits normal development
de·verb·al [(,)dē-'vər-bəl] -adj
- deverbative
de·verb·a·tive [(,)dē-'vər-bə-tiv] -adj, n
- derived from a verb
- the deverbative noun developer is derived from develop
- used in derivation from a verb
- the deverbative suffix -er in developer
de·vest [di-'vest] -vt
- divest
de·vi·ance ['dē-vē-ən(t)s] -n
- deviant quality, state, or behavior
de·vi·an·cy [-ən-sē] -n
- deviance
de·vi·ant [-ənt] -adj, n
- deviating esp. from an accepted norm
de·vi·ate ['dē-vē-,āt] -vb, n, adj
- to stray esp. from a standard, principle, or topic
- to depart from an established course or norm
- a flight forced by weather to deviate south
- to cause to turn out of a previous course
- one that deviates from a norm
- a person who differs markedly from a group norm
- a statistical variable that gives the deviation of another variable from a fixed value (as the mean)
- departing significantly from the behavioral norms of a particular society
de·vi·a·tion [,dē-vē-'ā-shən] -n, n or adj
- : an act or instance of deviating: as
- deflection of the needle of a compass caused by local magnetic influences (as in a ship)
- the difference between a value in a frequency distribution and a fixed number (as the mean)
- departure from an established ideology or party line
- noticeable or marked departure from accepted norms of behavior
de·vice [di-'vīs] -n
- : something devised or contrived: as
- plan, procedure, technique
- a scheme to deceive : stratagem, trick
- something fanciful, elaborate, or intricate in design
- something (as a figure of speech) in a literary work designed to achieve a particular artistic effect
- masque, spectacle
- a conventional stage practice or means (as a stage whisper) used to achieve a particular dramatic effect
- a piece of equipment or a mechanism designed to serve a special purpose or perform a special function
- desire, inclination
- an emblematic design used esp. as a heraldic bearing
dev·il ['de-vᵊl dial 'di-] -n
- the personal supreme spirit of evil often represented in Jewish and Christian belief as the tempter of humankind, the leader of all apostate angels, and the ruler of hell usu. used with the often used as an interjection, an intensive, or a generalized term of abuse
- an evil spirit : demon
- an extremely wicked person : fiend
- a great evil
- a person of notable energy, recklessness, and dashing spirit
- one who is mischievous
- those kids are little devil s today
- fellow usu. used in the phrases poor devil, lucky devil
- something very trying or provoking
- having a devil of a time with this problem
- severe criticism or rebuke : hell used with the
- I'll probably catch the devil for this
- the difficult, deceptive, or problematic part of something
- the devil is in the details
- dust devil
- the opposite of Truth : a belief in sin, sickness, and death : evil, error
devil ['de-və-liŋ, 'dev-liŋ] -vt
- to season highly
- tease, annoy
dev·il·fish ['de-vᵊl-,fish] -n
- manta ray
- octopus
- any large cephalopod
dev·il·ish ['de-vᵊl-ish, 'dev-lish] -adj, adv, n
- : resembling or befitting a devil: as
- evil, sinister
- mischievous, roguish
- extreme
dev·ilmaycare [,de-vᵊl-(,)mā-'ker] -adj
- easygoing, carefree
dev·il·ment ['de-vᵊl-mənt, -,ment] -n
- mischief
dev·il·ry ['de-vᵊl-rē] -n
- action performed with the help of the devil : witchcraft
- wickedness
- mischief
- an act of devilry
devil's advocate -n
- a Roman Catholic official whose duty is to examine critically the evidence on which a demand for beatification or canonization rests
- a person who champions the less accepted cause for the sake of argument
devil's claw -n
- any of several herbs (genus Proboscideasyn. Martyniaof the family Martyniaceae) of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico that have edible pods yielding a black sewing material used in basket making
devil's club -n
- a spiny western No. American shrub ( Oplopanax horridus) of the ginseng family having large lobed leaves and stems covered with dense sharp prickles
devil's darning needle -n
- dragonfly
- damselfly
devil's food cake -n
- a rich chocolate cake
devil's paintbrush -n
- orange hawkweed
- any of various hawkweeds that are naturalized weeds in the eastern U.S.
devil theory -n
- a theory of history: political and social crises arise from the deliberate actions of evil or misguided leaders rather than as a natural result of conditions
dev·il·wood ['de-vᵊl-,wu̇d] -n
- a small tree ( Osmanthus americanus) of the olive family that is native to the southern U.S.
de·vi·ous ['dē-vē-əs, -vyəs] -adj, adv, n
- wandering, roundabout
- moving without a fixed course : errant
- out-of-the-way, remote
- deviating from a right, accepted, or common course
- not straightforward : cunning
- deceptive
de·vise [di-'vīz] -vt, adj, n
- to form in the mind by new combinations or applications of ideas or principles : invent
- conceive, imagine
- to plan to obtain or bring about : plot
- to give (real estate) by will
devise -n
- the act of giving or disposing of real property by will
- a will or clause of a will disposing of real property
- property devised by will
de·vi·see [,de-və-'zē, di-,vī-'zē] -n
- one to whom a devise of property is made
de·vi·sor [,de-və-'zȯr; di-'vī-zər, -,vī-'zȯr] -n
- one who devises property in a will
de·vi·tal·ize [(,)dē-'vī-tə-,līz] -vt, n
- to deprive of life, vigor, or effectiveness
de·vit·ri·fy [(,)dē-'vi-trə-,fī] -vt, n
- to deprive of glassy luster and transparency
- to change (as a glass) from a vitreous to a crystalline condition
de·vo·cal·ize [(,)dē-'vō-kə-,līz] -vt
- devoice
de·voice [(,)dē-'vȯis] -vt
- to pronounce (as a sometimes or formerly voiced sound) without vibration of the vocal cords
de·void [di-'vȯid] -adj
- being without a usual, typical, or expected attribute or accompaniment used with of
- an argument devoid of sense
- a landscape devoid of life
de·voir [də-'vwär, 'de-,] -n
- duty, responsibility
- a usu. formal act of civility or respect
de·vo·lu·tion [,de-və-'lü-shən also ,dē-və-] -n, adj
- transference (as of rights, powers, property, or responsibility) to another
- the surrender of powers to local authorities by a central government
- retrograde evolution : degeneration
de·volve [di-'välv, -'vȯlv, dē-] -vb
- to pass on (as responsibility, rights, or powers) from one person or entity to another
- devolving to western Europe full responsibility for its own defense -- Christopher Lane
- to pass by transmission or succession
- the estate devolved on a distant cousin
- to fall or be passed usu. as a responsibility or obligation
- the responsibility for breadwinning has devolved increasingly upon women -- Barbara Ehrenreich
- to come by or as if by flowing down
- his allegedly subversive campaigns...devolve from his belief in basic American rights -- Frank Deford
- to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution
- where order devolve s into chaos -- Johns Hopkins Mag.
dev·on ['de-vən] -n
- any of an English breed of vigorous red cattle used for meat and milk
Devon -abbr
- Devonshire
De·vo·ni·an [di-'vō-nē-ən] -adj, n
- of or relating to Devonshire, England
- of, relating to, or being the period of the Paleozoic era between the Silurian and the Mississippian or the corresponding system of rocks
Devon rex -n
- any of a breed of large-eared cats having a very short wavy or curly coat with sparse guard hairs
Dev·on·shire cream [,de-vən-,shir-, -shər-] -n
- clotted cream
de·vote [di-'vōt, dē-] -vt, n
- to commit by a solemn act
- devoted herself to serving God
- to give over or direct (as time, money, or effort) to a cause, enterprise, or activity
devoted -adj, adv, n
- characterized by loyalty and devotion
dev·o·tee [,de-,vō-'tē, ,dē-, ,dā-, də-, -'tā] -n
- an ardent follower, supporter, or enthusiast (as of a religion, art form, or sport)
de·vo·tion [di-'vō-shən, dē-] -n
- religious fervor : piety
- an act of prayer or private worship usu. used in pl.
- a religious exercise or practice other than the regular corporate worship of a congregation
- the act of devoting
- devotion of time and energy
- the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal
- her devotion to the cause
- the object of one's devotion
de·vo·tion·al [-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl] -adj, adv
- of, relating to, or characterized by devotion
devotional -n
- a short worship service
de·vour [di-'vau̇(-ə)r, dē-] -vt, n
- to eat up greedily or ravenously
- to use up or destroy as if by eating
- we are devour ing the world's resources
- to prey upon
- to enjoy avidly
de·vout [di-'vau̇t] -adj, adv, n
- devoted to religion or to religious duties or exercises
- expressing devotion or piety
- devoted to a pursuit, belief, or mode of behavior : serious, earnest
- born a devout coward -- G. B. Shaw
- warmly sincere
dew ['dü also 'dyü] -n, vt, adj
- moisture condensed upon the surfaces of cool bodies esp. at night
- something resembling dew in purity, freshness, or power to refresh
- : moisture esp. when appearing in minute droplets: as
- tears
- sweat
- droplets of water produced by a plant in transpiration
DEW -abbr
- distant early warning
dew·ar ['dü-ər also 'dyü-] -n
- a glass or metal container made like a vacuum bottle that is used esp. for storing liquefied gases called also Dewar flask
de·wa·ter [(,)dē-'wȯt-ər, -'wät-] -vt, n
- to remove water from
dew·ber·ry ['dü-,ber-ē also 'dyü-] -n
- any of several sweet edible berries related to and resembling blackberries
- a trailing or decumbent bramble (genus Rubus) that bears dewberries
dew·claw ['dü-,klȯ also 'dyü-] -n
- a vestigial digit not reaching to the ground on the foot of a mammal
- a claw or hoof terminating such a digit
dew·drop ['dü-,dräp also 'dyü-] -n
- a drop of dew
Dew·ey decimal classification ['dü-ē- also 'dyü-] -n
- a system of classifying books and other publications whereby main classes are designated by a 3-digit number and subdivisions are shown by numbers after a decimal point called also Dewey decimal system
dew·fall ['dü-,fȯl also 'dyü-] -n
- formation of dew
- the time when dew begins to deposit
dew·lap ['dü-,lap also 'dyü-] -n, adj
- loose skin hanging under the neck of an animal
- loose flesh on the human throat
de·worm [(,)dē-'wərm] -vt, n
- to rid (as a dog) of worms : worm
dew point -n
- the temperature at which a vapor (as water) begins or would begin to condense
dew worm -n
- night crawler
dewy ['dü-ē also 'dyü-] -adj, adv, n
- moist with, affected by, or suggestive of dew
- innocent, unsophisticated
- from a dewy bride to an ill-mannered, murderous courtesan -- Melvin Gussow
dewyeyed ['dü-ē-,īd also 'dyü-] -adj
- naively innocent and trusting
dex ['deks] -n
- the sulfate of dextroamphetamine
DEXA -abbr
- dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
dexa·meth·a·sone [,dek-sə-'me-thə-,sōn, -,zōn] -n
- a synthetic glucocorticoid C 22H 29FO 5used esp. as an anti-inflammatory agent
Dex·e·drine ['dek-sə-,drēn, -drən] -trademark
- used for a preparation of the sulfate of dextroamphetamine
dex·fen·flur·a·mine [,deks-'fen-flu̇r-ə-,mēn] -n
- the dextrorotatory form of fenfluramine formerly used to treat obesity but withdrawn due to its association with heart valve disease
dex·ies ['dek-sēz] -n pl
- tablets or capsules of the sulfate of dextroamphetamine
dex·ter ['dek-stər] -adj, adv
- relating to or situated on the right
- being or relating to the side of a heraldic shield at the right of the person bearing it
dex·ter·i·ty [dek-'ster-ə-tē, -'ste-rə-] -n
- mental skill or quickness : adroitness
- readiness and grace in physical activity
- skill and ease in using the hands
dex·ter·ous ['dek-st(ə-)rəs] -adj, adv, n
- mentally adroit and skillful : clever
- her dexterous handling of the crisis
- done with dexterity : artful
- skillful and competent with the hands
dextr- -comb form
- right : on or toward the right
- dextrorotatory
dex·tral ['dek-strəl] -adj
- : of or relating to the right : inclined to the right: as
- right-handed
- having the whorls coiling clockwise down the spire when viewed with the apex toward the observer and having the aperture situated on the right of the axis when held with the spire uppermost and with the aperture opening toward the observer
dex·tran ['dek-stran, -strən] -n
- any of numerous glucose biopolymers of variable molecular weight that are produced esp. by the fermentation of sucrose by bacteria (as genus Leuconostoc), are found in dental plaque, and are used esp. in blood plasma substitutes
dex·tran·ase [-strə-,nās, -,nāz] -n
- a hydrolase that prevents tooth decay by breaking down dextran and eliminating dental plaque
dex·trin ['dek-strən] -n
- any of various water-soluble gummy polysaccharides (C 6H 10O 5) n obtained from starch by the action of heat, acids, or enzymes and used as adhesives, as sizes for paper and textiles, as thickening agents (as in syrups), and in beer
dex·tro ['dek-(,)strō] -adj
- dextrorotatory
dex·tro·am·phet·amine ['dek-(,)strō-am-'fe-tə-,mēn, -mən] -n
- the dextrorotatory sulfate of amphetamine
dex·tro·me·thor·phan [,dek-strō-mi-'thȯr-,fan] -n
- a nonaddictive cough suppressant C 18H 25NO that is widely used esp. in the form of a hydrated hydrogen bromide complex
dex·tro·ro·ta·to·ry [-'rō-tə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- turning clockwise or toward the right
- rotating the plane of polarization of light toward the right
dex·trose ['dek-,strōs, -,strōz] -n
- dextrorotatory glucose
dey ['dā] -n
- a ruling official of the Ottoman Empire in northern Africa