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