d ['dē] -n

  1. the 4th letter of the English alphabet
  2. a graphic representation of this letter
  3. a speech counterpart of orthographic d
  4. five hundred
  5. the second tone of a C-major scale
  6. a graphic device for reproducing the letter d
  7. one designated desp. as the fourth in order or class
  8. a grade rating a student's work as poor in quality
  9. one graded or rated with a D
  10. something shaped like the letter D
  11. a semicircle on a pool table about 23 inches in diameter for use esp. in snooker
  12. defense
    • play tough D
  13. defense
  14. date
  15. daughter
  16. day
  17. dead; deceased
  18. deci-
  19. degree
  20. penny; pence
  21. depart; departure
  22. diameter
  23. differential
  24. dimensional
  25. distance
  26. dorsal
  27. drive; driving

D -abbr

  1. Democrat
  2. derivative
  3. Dutch
  4. deuterium

da -abbr

  1. deka-

DA [,dē-'ā] -n

  1. ducktail
  2. days after acceptance
  3. delayed action
  4. deposit account
  5. Dictionary of Americanisms
  6. district attorney
  7. documents against acceptance; documents for acceptance
  8. don't answer

dab ['dab] -n

  1. a sudden blow or thrust : poke
  2. a small amount
  3. a gentle touch or stroke : pat
  4. daub
  5. to strike or touch lightly : pat
    • dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief
  6. to apply lightly or irregularly : daub
    • dab paint
  7. to make a dab
  8. flatfish
  9. any of several flounders (genus Limanda,esp. L. limanda)
  10. a skillful person

DAB -abbr

  1. Dictionary of American Biography

dab·ble ['da-bəl] -vb

  1. to wet by splashing or by little dips or strokes : spatter
  2. to paddle, splash, or play in or as if in water
  3. to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water in order to obtain food
  4. to work or involve oneself superficially or intermittently esp. in a secondary activity or interest
    • dabble s in art

dab·bler [-b(ə-)lər] -n

  1. : one that dabbles: as
  2. one not deeply engaged in or concerned with something
  3. a duck (as a mallard or shoveler) that feeds by dabbling called also dabbling duck puddle duck river duck

dab·bling [-b(ə-)liŋ] -n

  1. a superficial or intermittent interest, investigation, or experiment
    • his dabbling s in philosophy and art

dab·chick ['dab-,chik] -n

  1. any of several small grebes

dab hand -n

  1. expert

da ca·po [dä-'kä-(,)pō, də-] -adv or adj

  1. from the beginning used as a direction in music to repeat

dace ['dās] -n

  1. a small freshwater European cyprinid fish ( Leuciscus leuciscus)
  2. any of various small No. American freshwater cyprinid fishes

da·cha ['dä-chə also 'da-] -n

  1. a Russian country cottage used esp. in the summer

dachs·hund ['däks-,hu̇nt, -,hu̇nd; 'däk-sənt; esp Brit 'dak-sənd] -n

  1. any of a breed of long-bodied, short-legged dogs of German origin that occur in short-haired, long-haired, and wirehaired varieties

Da·cron ['dā-,krän, 'da-] -trademark

  1. used for a synthetic polyester textile fiber

dac·tyl ['dak-tᵊl, -,til] -n, adj or n

  1. a metrical foot consisting of one long and two short syllables or of one stressed and two unstressed syllables (as in tenderly)

dactyl- -comb form

  1. finger : toe : digit
    • dactylo logy

dac·ty·lol·o·gy [,dak-tə-'lä-lə-jē] -n

  1. finger spelling

dad ['dad] -n

  1. father

Da·da ['dä-(,)dä] -n

  1. a movement in art and literature based on deliberate irrationality and negation of traditional artistic values
  2. the art and literature produced by this movement

da·da·ism [-,i-zəm] -n, n or adj, adj

  1. dada

dad·dy ['da-dē] -n

  1. father
  2. granddaddy

dad·dy long·legs [,da-dē-'lȯŋ-,legz, -,lāgz] -n

  1. crane fly
  2. any of an order (Opiliones) of arachnids that have slender usu. long legs and that resemble spiders but have an oval body lacking a constriction called also harvestman

da·do ['dā-(,)dō] -n

  1. the part of a pedestal of a column above the base
  2. the lower part of an interior wall when specially decorated or faced
  3. the decoration adorning this part of a wall
  4. a rectangular groove cut to make a joint in woodworking
  5. one cut across the grain

dado -vt

  1. to provide with a dado
  2. to set into a groove
  3. to cut a dado in (as a plank)

DAE -abbr

  1. Dictionary of American English

dae·dal ['dē-dᵊl] -adj

  1. skillful, artistic
  2. intricate
    • the computer's daedal circuitry
  3. adorned with many things
    • visions of cloud and light and daedal earth are the airman's daily scene -- Laurence Binyon

Dae·da·lus ['de-də-ləs, 'dē-] -n, adj

  1. the legendary builder of the Cretan labyrinth who makes wings to enable himself and his son Icarus to escape imprisonment

daemon ['dē-mən] -n, adj, vt

(variant of demon)

  1. an evil spirit
  2. a source or agent of evil, harm, distress, or ruin
  3. an attendant power or spirit : genius
  4. a supernatural being of Greek mythology intermediate between gods and men
  5. one that has exceptional enthusiasm, drive, or effectiveness
    • a demon for work

daff ['daf] -vt

  1. to thrust aside
  2. to put off (as with an excuse)

daf·fo·dil ['da-fə-,dil] -n

  1. any of various perennial bulbous herbs (genus Narcissus) of the amaryllis family
  2. one whose flowers have a large corona elongated into a trumpet

daf·fy ['da-fē] -adj, adv

  1. crazy, foolish

daft ['daft also 'däft] -adj, adv, n

  1. silly, foolish
  2. mad, insane
  3. frivolously merry

dag ['dag] -n

  1. a hanging end or shred
  2. matted or manure-coated wool
  3. dekagram

dag·ger ['da-gər] -n, adj

  1. a sharp pointed knife for stabbing
  2. something that resembles a dagger
  3. a character used as a reference mark or to indicate a death date

dag·ger·board ['da-gər-,bȯrd] -n

  1. a removable narrow centerboard in some small boats that is raised and lowered by sliding up and down

da·go ['dā-(,)gō] -n

  1. a person of Italian or Spanish birth or descent

da·guerre·o·type [də-'ge-rō-,tīp, -rə-; -'ger-ō-, -ə- also də-'ge-rē-ō-,tīp, -'ger-ē-] -n, vt

  1. an early photograph produced on a silver or a silver-covered copper plate
  2. the process of producing such photographs

dah ['dä] -n

  1. dash

DAH -abbr

  1. Dictionary of American History

dahl·ia ['dal-yə, 'däl-, U.S. also & Brit usu 'dāl-] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Dahlia) of American tuberous-rooted composite herbs having opposite pinnate leaves and rayed flower heads and including many that are cultivated as ornamentals

daid·zein ['dād-,zīn, -,zēn] -n

  1. an isoflavone C 15H 10O 4found chiefly in legumes and esp. soybeans

dai·kon ['dī-kən] -n

  1. a large long hard white radish used esp. in Asian cuisine
  2. a plant ( Raphanus sativus longipinnatus) whose root is a daikon

dai·li·ness ['dā-lē-nəs, -li-] -n

  1. daily or routine quality : ordinariness
    • the dailiness of family life

dai·ly ['dā-lē] -adj

  1. occurring, made, or acted upon every day
    • daily needs
  2. issued every day or every weekday
    • a daily newspaper
  3. of or providing for every day
    • a daily schedule
  4. reckoned by the day
    • average daily wage
  5. covering the period of or based on a day
    • daily statistics

daily -adv

  1. every day
  2. every weekday
  3. a newspaper published every weekday
  4. a servant who works on a daily basis
  5. rush

daily double -n

  1. a system of betting (as on horse races) in which the bettor must pick the winners of two stipulated races in order to win

daily dozen -n

  1. a series of physical exercises to be performed daily : workout
  2. a set of routine duties or tasks

dai·mon ['dī-,mōn] -n, adj

  1. demon
  2. demon

dai·myo ['dī-mē-,ō, -(,)myō] -n

  1. a Japanese feudal baron

dain·ty ['dān-tē] -n

  1. something delicious to the taste
  2. something choice or pleasing
  3. fastidiousness

dainty ['dān-tə-lē] -adj, adv, n

  1. tasting good : tasty
  2. attractively prepared and served
  3. marked by delicate or diminutive beauty, form, or grace
    • dainty teacups
  4. chary, reluctant
  5. marked by fastidious discrimination or finicky taste
  6. showing avoidance of anything rough

dai·qui·ri ['da-kə-rē, 'dī-] -n

  1. a cocktail made usu. of rum, lime juice, and sugar

dairy ['der-ē] -n

  1. a room, building, or establishment where milk is kept and butter or cheese is made
  2. the department of farming or of a farm that is concerned with the production of milk, butter, and cheese
  3. a farm devoted to such production
  4. an establishment for the sale or distribution chiefly of milk and milk products

dairy cattle -n pl

  1. cattle kept for milk production

dairy·ing ['der-ē-iŋ] -n

  1. the business of operating a dairy

dairy·maid [-,mād] -n

  1. a woman employed in a dairy

dairy·man [-mən, -,man] -n

  1. one who operates a dairy farm or works in a dairy

da·is ['dā-əs, ÷'dī-] -n

  1. a raised platform (as in a hall or large room)

daishiki [də-'shē-kē, dä-, da-] -n

(variant of dashiki)

  1. a usu. brightly colored loose-fitting pullover garment

dai·sy ['dā-zē] -n

  1. : a composite plant (as of the genera Bellisor Chrysanthemum) having a flower head with well-developed ray flowers usu. arranged in one or a few whorls: as
  2. a low European herb ( Bellis perennis) with white or pink ray flowers called also English daisy
  3. a leafy-stemmed perennial herb ( Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) with long white ray flowers and a yellow disk that was introduced into the U.S. from Europe called also oxeye daisy
  4. the flower head of a daisy
  5. a first-rate person or thing
  6. a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in kindergarten and first grade

daisychain -vt

  1. to link (as computer components) together in series

daisy chain -n

  1. a string of daisies with stems linked to form a chain
  2. an interlinked series
    • a daisy chain of computer peripherals
    • a daisy chain of toddlers

daisy ham -n

  1. a boned and smoked piece of pork from the shoulder

daisy wheel -n

  1. a disk with spokes bearing type that serves as the printing element of an electric typewriter or printer
  2. a printer that uses such a disk

Da·ko·ta [də-'kō-tə] -n

  1. a member of an American Indian people of the northern Mississippi River valley
  2. the Siouan language of the Dakota people

dal ['däl] -n

  1. a dried legume (as lentils, beans, or peas)
  2. an Indian dish made of simmered and usu. pureed and spiced legumes
  3. dekaliter

Da·lai La·ma [,dä-lī-'lä-mə, ,dä-lā-, ,da-] -n

  1. the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism

dale ['dāl] -n

  1. valley, vale
    • went riding over hill and dale

dales·man ['dālz-mən] -n

  1. one living or born in a dale

da·leth ['dä-,leth, -,let also -ləd] -n

  1. the 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet

dal·li·ance ['da-lē-ən(t)s] -n

  1. : an act of dallying: as
  2. play
  3. amorous play
  4. frivolous action : trifling

Dal·lis grass ['da-ləs-] -n

  1. a tall tufted tropical So. American perennial grass ( Paspalum dilatatum) introduced as a pasture and forage grass in the southern U.S.

Dall sheep ['dȯl-] -n

  1. a large white wild sheep ( Ovis dalli) of Alaska and northern British Columbia called also Dall's sheep dlz-

Dall's por·poise -n

  1. a black-and-white porpoise ( Phocoenoides dalli) of temperate and arctic waters of the rim of the No. Pacific Ocean called also Dall porpoise

dal·ly ['da-lē] -vi, n

  1. to act playfully
  2. to play amorously
  3. to deal lightly : toy
    • accused him of dally ing with a serious problem
  4. to waste time
  5. linger, dawdle

dal·ma·tian [dal-'mā-shən] -n

  1. any of a breed of medium-sized dogs having a white short-haired coat with many black or brown spots

dal·mat·ic [dal-'ma-tik] -n

  1. a wide-sleeved overgarment with slit sides worn by a deacon or prelate
  2. a robe worn by a British sovereign at his or her coronation

dal se·gno [däl-'sā-(,)nyō] -adv

  1. used as a direction in music to return to the sign that marks the beginning of a repeat

dal·ton ['dȯl-tᵊn] -n

  1. atomic mass unit used chiefly in biochemistry

dam ['dam] -n

  1. the female parent of an animal and esp. of a domestic animal
  2. a body of water confined by a barrier
  3. a barrier preventing the flow of water or of loose solid materials (as soil or snow)
  4. a barrier built across a watercourse for impounding water
  5. a barrier to check the flow of liquid, gas, or air
  6. to provide or restrain with a dam
    • dam a river
  7. to stop up : block
    • damming up their emotions
  8. dekameter

dam·age ['da-mij] -n

  1. loss or harm resulting from injury to person, property, or reputation
  2. compensation in money imposed by law for loss or injury
  3. expense, cost
    • What's the damage? he asked the waiter

damage [,da-mi-jə-'bi-lə-tē] -vt, n

  1. to cause damage to
    • don't damage the furniture
    • returning soldiers damaged by war

damage control -n

  1. measures taken to offset or minimize damage to reputation, credibility, or public image caused by a controversial act, remark, or revelation

damaged goods -n pl

  1. a person considered to be flawed or spoiled in character, efficiency, or worth

dam·ag·ing ['da-mi-jiŋ-lē] -adj, adv

  1. causing or able to cause damage : injurious
    • has a damaging effect on wildlife

dam·ar ['da-mər] -n

  1. any of various resins used in varnishes and inks and obtained chiefly in Malaya and Indonesia from several timber trees (families Dipterocarpaceae and Burseraceae)

dam·a·scene ['da-mə-,sēn, ,da-mə-'] -n

  1. a native or inhabitant of Damascus
  2. the characteristic markings of Damascus steel

damascene -adj

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Damascus or the Damascenes
  2. of or relating to damask or the art of damascening
  3. to ornament (as iron or steel) with wavy patterns like those of watered silk or with inlaid work of precious metals

Da·mas·cus steel [də-'mas-kəs-] -n

  1. hard elastic steel ornamented with wavy patterns and used esp. for sword blades

dam·ask ['da-məsk] -n

  1. a firm lustrous fabric (as of linen, cotton, silk, or rayon) made with flat patterns in a satin weave on a plain-woven ground on jacquard looms
  2. damascus steel
  3. the characteristic markings of this steel
  4. a grayish red

damask -adj

  1. made of or resembling damask
  2. of the color damask

damask rose -n

  1. a hardy rose ( Rosa damascena) widely introduced from Asia Minor and having large fragrant pink or white flowers that are the major source of attar of roses

dame ['dām] -n

  1. : a woman of rank, station, or authority: as
  2. the mistress of a household
  3. the wife or daughter of a lord
  4. a female member of an order of knighthood used as a title prefixed to the given name
  5. an elderly woman
  6. woman

dame school -n

  1. a school in which the rudiments of reading and writing were taught by a woman in her own home

dame's rocket -n

  1. a Eurasian perennial plant ( Hesperis matronalis) of the mustard family cultivated for its spikes of showy fragrant white or purplish flowers called also dame's violet rocket

dam·i·ana [,da-mē-'a-nə] -n

  1. the dried leaf of a tropical American shrub ( Turnera diffusasyn. T. aphrodisiaca) used esp. formerly as an aphrodisiac and tonic
  2. a preparation containing damiana
  3. the plant from which damiana is obtained

damn ['dam] -vb

  1. to condemn to a punishment or fate
  2. to condemn to hell
  3. to condemn vigorously and often irascibly for some real or fancied fault or defect
    • damn ed the storm for their delay
  4. to condemn as a failure by public criticism
  5. to bring ruin on
  6. to swear at : curse often used to express annoyance, disgust, or surprise
    • damn him, he should have been careful
    • I'll be damn ed
  7. curse, swear
  8. the utterance of the word damnas a curse
  9. a minimum amount or degree (as of care or consideration) : the least bit
    • don't give a damn
  10. damned
    • a damn nuisance
    • ran damn fast

dam·na·ble ['dam-nə-bəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. liable to or deserving condemnation
  2. very bad : detestable
    • damnable weather

dam·na·tion [dam-'nā-shən] -n

  1. the act of damning : the state of being damned

dam·na·to·ry ['dam-nə-,tȯr-ē] -adj

  1. expressing, imposing, or causing condemnation : condemnatory

damned ['dam(d)] -adj

  1. damnable
    • this damned smog
  2. complete, utter often used as an intensive
    • a damned shame
  3. extraordinary used in the superlative
    • the damned est contraption you ever saw
  4. extremely, very
    • a damned good job

damned·est ['dam-dəst] -n

  1. utmost, best used chiefly in the phrase do one's damnedest
    • doing my damnedest to win

dam·ni·fy ['dam-nə-,fī] -vt

  1. to cause loss or damage to

damn·ing ['da-miŋ] -adj, adv

  1. bringing damnation
    • a damning sin
  2. causing or leading to condemnation or ruin
    • presented some damning testimony

Dam·o·cles ['da-mə-,klēz] -n, adj

  1. a courtier of ancient Syracuse held to have been seated at a banquet beneath a sword hung by a single hair

Da·mon ['dā-mən] -n

  1. a legendary Sicilian who pledges his life for his condemned friend Pythias

damp ['damp] -n

  1. a noxious gas
  2. : moisture:
  3. humidity, dampness
  4. fog, mist
  5. discouragement, check
  6. depression, dejection
  7. to affect with or as if with a noxious gas : choke
  8. to diminish the activity or intensity of
    • damp ing down the causes of inflation
    • liquid damp s out compass oscillations
  9. to check the vibration or oscillation of (as a string or voltage)
  10. dampen
  11. to diminish progressively in vibration or oscillation
  12. being confused, bewildered, or shocked : stupefied
  13. depressed, dull
  14. slightly or moderately wet : moist
    • a damp towel
  15. humid
    • damp weather

damp·en ['dam-pən] -vb, n

  1. to check or diminish the activity or vigor of : deaden
    • the heat dampen ed our spirits
  2. to make damp
    • the shower barely dampen ed the ground
  3. damp
  4. to become damp
  5. to become deadened or depressed

damp·er ['dam-pər] -n

  1. a dulling or deadening influence
    • put a damper on the celebration
  2. : a device that damps: as
  3. a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft
  4. a small felted block to stop the vibration of a piano string
  5. shock absorber
  6. a simple usu. unleavened bread of a kind made originally in the Australian bush

damp·ingoff [,dam-piŋ-'ȯf] -n

  1. a diseased condition of seedlings or cuttings caused by fungi and marked by wilting or rotting

dam·sel ['dam-zəl] -n

  1. : a young woman:
  2. a young unmarried woman of noble birth
  3. girl

dam·sel·fish ['dam-zəl-,fish] -n

  1. any of numerous often brilliantly colored marine fishes (family Pomacentridae) living esp. along coral reefs called also demoiselle

dam·sel·fly [-,flī] -n

  1. any of numerous odonate insects (suborder Zygoptera) distinguished from dragonflies by laterally projecting eyes and usu. stalked wings folded above the body when at rest

dam·son ['dam-zən] -n

  1. the small tart fruit of a widely cultivated Asian plum tree ( Prunus insititia)
  2. this tree

Dan ['dan] -n

  1. a son of Jacob and the traditional eponymous ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel
  2. master, sir
  3. Daniel
  4. Danish

Dan·ae ['da-nə-,ē] -n

  1. a princess of Argos visited by Zeus in the form of a shower of gold and by him the mother of Perseus

da·na·zol ['dä-nə-,zōl, 'da-, -,zȯl] -n

  1. a synthetic androgen C 22H 27NO 2that inhibits the release of gonadotropins by the pituitary gland and is used esp. to treat endometriosis

dance ['dan(t)s, 'dän(t)s] -vb, adj, n

  1. to engage in or perform a dance
  2. to move or seem to move up and down or about in a quick or lively manner
  3. to perform or take part in as a dancer
  4. to cause to dance
  5. to bring into a specified condition by dancing
  6. an act or instance of dancing
  7. a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usu. performed to music
  8. a social gathering for dancing
  9. a piece of music by which dancing may be guided
  10. the art of dancing

dance card -n

  1. a card listing partners for scheduled dances
  2. a calendar of engagements

dan·de·li·on ['dan-də-,lī-ən, -dē-] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Taraxacum) of yellow-flowered composite herbs with milky sap
  2. one ( T. officinale) sometimes grown as a potherb and nearly cosmopolitan as a weed

dan·der ['dan-dər] -n

  1. dandruff
  2. minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin that may be allergenic
  3. anger, temper
    • now don't get your dander up

dan·di·a·cal [dan-'dī-ə-kəl] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or suggestive of a dandy

Dan·die Din·mont terrier ['dan-dē-'din-,mänt-] -n

  1. any of a breed of terriers characterized by short legs, a long body, pendulous ears, a rough coat, and a full silky topknot

dan·di·fy ['dan-di-,fī] -vt, n

  1. to cause to resemble a dandy

dan·dle ['dan-dᵊl] -vt

  1. to move (as a baby) up and down in one's arms or on one's knee in affectionate play
  2. pamper, pet

dan·druff ['dan-drəf] -n, adj

  1. scaly white or grayish flakes of dead skin cells esp. of the scalp
  2. the condition marked by excessive shedding of such flakes and usu. accompanied by itching

dan·dy ['dan-dē] -n, adj, adv

  1. a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance
  2. something excellent in its class

dandy -adj

  1. of, relating to, or suggestive of a dandy : foppish
  2. very good : first-rate
    • a dandy place to stay

dan·dy·ism ['dan-dē-,i-zəm] -n

  1. the style or conduct of a dandy
  2. a literary and artistic style of the latter part of the 19th century marked by artificiality and excessive refinement

Dane ['dān] -n

  1. a native or inhabitant of Denmark
  2. a person of Danish descent
  3. great dane

dane·geld ['dān-,geld] -n

  1. an annual tax believed to have been imposed orig. to buy off Danish invaders in England or to maintain forces to oppose them but continued as a land tax

Dane·law ['dān-,lȯ] -n

  1. the law in force in the part of England held by the Danes before the Norman Conquest
  2. the part of England under the Danelaw

dang ['daŋ] -vt

  1. damn
  2. damned

dan·ger ['dān-jər] -n

  1. jurisdiction
  2. reach, range
  3. harm, damage
  4. exposure or liability to injury, pain, harm, or loss
    • a place where children could play without danger
  5. a case or cause of danger
    • the danger s of mining

danger -vt

  1. endanger

dan·ger·ous ['dān-jə-rəs; 'dān-jərs, -zhrəs] -adj, adv, n

  1. exposing to or involving danger
    • a dangerous job
  2. able or likely to inflict injury or harm
    • a dangerous man

dan·gle ['daŋ-gəl] -vb, n

  1. to hang loosely and usu. so as to be able to swing freely
  2. to be a hanger-on or a dependent
  3. to occur in a sentence without having a normally expected syntactic relation to the rest of the sentence (as climbingin Climbing the mountain the cabin came into view)
    • a dangling participle
    • a dangling modifier
  4. to cause to dangle : swing
    • dangled her feet in the water
  5. to keep hanging uncertainly
  6. to hold out as an inducement

dangle -n

  1. the action of dangling
  2. something that dangles

Dan·iel ['dan-yəl also 'da-nᵊl] -n

  1. the Jewish hero of the Book of Daniel who as an exile in Babylon interprets dreams, gives accounts of apocalyptic visions, and is divinely delivered from a den of lions
  2. a book of narratives, visions, and prophecies in canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture

da·nio ['dā-nē-,ō] -n

  1. any of various small brightly colored Asian cyprinid fishes (genera Danioand Brachydanio)

Dan·ish ['dā-nish] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Denmark, the Danes, or the Danish language

Danish -n

  1. the Germanic language of the Danes
  2. a piece of Danish pastry

Danish pastry -n

  1. a pastry made of a rich raised dough

dank ['daŋk] -adj, adv, n

  1. unpleasantly moist or wet
    • a dank basement

dan·seur [däⁿ-'sər, dän-] -n

  1. a male ballet dancer

dan·seuse [däⁿ-sœ̄z; däⁿ-'sə(r)z, dän-'süz] -n

  1. a female ballet dancer

Dan·te·an ['dan-tē-ən, 'dän-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or suggestive of Dante or his writings
  2. having a hellish or bizarre quality
    • refugees lived a Dantean existence -- A. E. Cowdrey

daph·ne ['daf-nē] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Daphne) of Eurasian shrubs of the mezereon family with apetalous flowers whose colored calyx resembles a corolla

Daph·ne ['daf-nē] -n

  1. a nymph in Greek mythology who is transformed into a laurel tree to escape the pursuing Apollo

daph·nia ['daf-nē-ə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Daphnia) of minute freshwater branchiopod crustaceans with biramous antennae used as locomotor organs

Daph·nis ['daf-nəs] -n

  1. a Sicilian shepherd renowned in Greek mythology as the inventor of pastoral poetry

dap·per ['da-pər] -adj, adv, n

  1. neat and trim in appearance
  2. very spruce and stylish
  3. alert and lively in movement and manners

dap·ple ['da-pəl] -n

  1. any of numerous usu. cloudy and rounded spots or patches of a color or shade different from their background
  2. the quality or state of being dappled
  3. a dappled animal

dapple [-p(ə-)liŋ] -vb

  1. to mark with dapples
  2. to produce a dappled pattern
    • sun dappling through trees

dap·pled -adj

  1. marked with small spots or patches contrasting with the background
    • a dappled fawn

dap·sone ['dap-,sōn] -n

  1. an antimicrobial agent C 12H 12N 2O 2S used esp. to treat leprosy and a chronic form of dermatitis

DAR -abbr

  1. Daughters of the American Revolution

Dar·by and Joan [,där-bē-ən-'jōn] -n

  1. a happily married usu. elderly couple

Dard ['därd] -n

  1. dardic

Dar·dan ['där-dᵊn] -adj or n

  1. trojan

Dar·da·ni·an [där-'dā-nē-ən] -adj

  1. trojan

Dar·dic ['där-dik] -n

  1. a complex of Indo-Aryan languages spoken in the upper valley of the Indus

dare ['der] -vb, n

  1. to be sufficiently courageous to
    • no one dared say a word
    • she dare not let herself love -- G. B. Shaw
  2. to have sufficient courage
    • try it if you dare
  3. to challenge to perform an action esp. as a proof of courage
    • dared him to jump
  4. to confront boldly : defy
    • dared the anger of his family
  5. to have the courage to contend against, venture, or try
    • the actress dared a new interpretation of this classic role
  6. an act or instance of daring : challenge
    • foolishly took a dare
  7. imaginative or vivacious boldness : daring

DARE -abbr

  1. Dictionary of American Regional English

dare·dev·il ['der-,de-vᵊl] -adj

  1. recklessly and often ostentatiously daring

daredevil [-vᵊl-rē] -n

  1. a recklessly bold person

dareful -adj

  1. daring

daren't ['der-ənt]

  1. dare not : dared not

dare·say [,der-'sā] -vt

  1. venture to say : think probable used in pres. 1st sing.
  2. agree, suppose used in pres. 1st sing.

dar·ing [-iŋ-lē] -adj, adv, n

  1. venturesomely bold in action or thought

daring -n

  1. venturesome boldness

Dar·jee·ling [där-'jē-liŋ] -n

  1. a tea of high quality grown esp. in the mountainous districts of northern India

dark ['därk] -adj, adv, n

  1. devoid or partially devoid of light : not receiving, reflecting, transmitting, or radiating light
    • a dark room
  2. transmitting only a portion of light
    • dark glasses
  3. wholly or partially black
    • dark clothing
  4. of low or very low lightness
  5. being less light in color than other substances of the same kind
    • dark rum
  6. arising from or showing evil traits or desires : evil
    • the dark powers that lead to war
  7. dismal, gloomy
    • had a dark view of the future
  8. lacking knowledge or culture : unenlightened
    • a dark period in history
  9. relating to grim or depressing circumstances
    • dark humor
  10. not clear to the understanding
  11. not known or explored because of remoteness
    • the dark est reaches of the continent
  12. not fair in complexion : swarthy
  13. secret
    • kept his plans dark
  14. possessing depth and richness
    • a dark voice
  15. closed to the public
    • the theater is dark in the summer
  16. a place or time of little or no light : night, nightfall
  17. absence of light : darkness
  18. a dark or deep color
  19. to grow dark
  20. to make dark

dark adaptation [,därk-ə-'dap-təd] -n, adj

  1. the process including dilation of the pupil, increase in sensitivity of the retinal rods, and regeneration of rhodopsin by which the eye adapts to conditions of reduced illumination

dark age -n

  1. : a time during which a civilization undergoes a decline: as
  2. the European historical period from about a.d.476 to about 1000
  3. middle ages
  4. the Greek historical period of three to four centuries from about 1100 b.c.
  5. the primitive period in the development of something
    • in the dark ages of medicine
  6. a state of stagnation or decline

dark continent -n

  1. the continent of Africa
  2. something unknown or unexplored

dark·en ['där-kən] -vb, n

  1. to grow dark : become obscured
    • the skies were darken ing
  2. to become gloomy
    • his mood darken ed
  3. to make dark
  4. to make less clear : obscure
    • the financial crisis darken ed the future of the company
  5. taint, tarnish
    • darken ed his reputation
  6. to cast a gloom over
  7. to make of darker color

dark energy -n

  1. a hypothetical form of energy that produces a force that opposes gravity and is thought to be the cause of the accelerating expansion of the universe

darkeyed junco -n

  1. a common No. American junco ( Junco hyemalis)

dark field -n

  1. the dark area that serves as the background for objects viewed in an ultramicroscope

darkfield microscope -n

  1. ultramicroscope

dark horse -n

  1. a usu. little known contender (as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing
  2. an entrant in a contest that is judged unlikely to succeed
  3. a political candidate unexpectedly nominated usu. as a compromise between factions

dark lantern -n

  1. a lantern that can be closed to conceal the light

dar·kle ['där-kəl] -vi

  1. to become clouded or gloomy
  2. to grow dark
  3. to become concealed in the dark

dark·ling ['där-kliŋ] -adv

  1. in the dark
  2. dark
  3. done or taking place in the dark

darkling beetle -n

  1. any of a family (Tenebrionidae) of firm-bodied mostly dark-colored vegetable-feeding nocturnal beetles which often have vestigial and functionless wings and whose larvae are usu. hard cylindrical worms (as a mealworm) called also tenebrionid

dark matter -n

  1. nonluminous matter not yet directly detected by astronomers that is hypothesized to exist to account for various observed gravitational effects

dark reaction -n

  1. any of a series of chemical reactions in photosynthesis not requiring the presence of light and involving the reduction of carbon dioxide to form carbohydrate
  2. calvin cycle

dark·room ['därk-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n

  1. a room with no light or with a safelight for developing light-sensitive photographic materials

dark·some ['därk-səm] -adj

  1. gloomily somber : dark

darky ['där-kē] -n

  1. a black person

dar·ling ['där-liŋ] -n

  1. a dearly loved person
  2. favorite
    • a director who is the darling of the critics

darling [-liŋ-lē] -adj, adv, n

  1. dearly loved : favorite
  2. very pleasing : charming

darm·stadt·i·um [,därm-'sta-tē-əm] -n

  1. a short-lived radioactive element produced artificially

darn ['därn] -vb, n

  1. to mend with interlacing stitches
  2. to embroider by filling in with long running or interlacing stitches
  3. to do darning
  4. a place that has been darned
    • a sweater full of darn s
  5. damned
  6. damn
  7. damn

dar·nel ['där-nᵊl] -n

  1. any of several usu. weedy ryegrasses (genus Lolium)

darning needle -n

  1. a long needle with a large eye for use in darning
  2. dragonfly, damselfly

DARPA -abbr

  1. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

dart ['därt] -n

  1. a light spear
  2. a small missile usu. with a pointed shaft at one end and feathers at the other
  3. a game in which darts are thrown at a target
  4. something projected with sudden speed
  5. a sharp glance
  6. something causing sudden pain or distress
    • dart s of sarcasm
  7. something with a slender pointed shaft or outline
  8. a stitched tapering fold in a garment
  9. a quick movement
    • made a dart for the door
  10. to throw with a sudden movement
  11. to thrust or move with sudden speed
  12. to shoot with a dart containing a usu. tranquilizing drug
  13. to move suddenly or rapidly
    • dart ed across the street

dart·board ['därt-,bȯrd] -n

  1. a usu. circular board (as of compressed bristles) used as a target in the game of darts

dart·er ['där-tər] -n

  1. anhinga
  2. any of numerous small No. American freshwater bony fishes (esp. genera Ammocrypta, Etheostoma,and Percinaof the family Percidae)

Dar·win·i·an [där-'wi-nē-ən] -adj, n

  1. of or relating to Charles Darwin, his theories esp. of evolution, or his followers
  2. of, relating to, or being a competitive environment or situation in which only the fittest persons or organizations prosper

Dar·win·ism ['där-wə-,ni-zəm] -n, n or adj

  1. a theory of the origin and perpetuation of new species of animals and plants that offspring of a given organism vary, that natural selection favors the survival of some of these variations over others, that new species have arisen and may continue to arise by these processes, and that widely divergent groups of plants and animals have arisen from the same ancestors
  2. a theory that inherent dynamic forces allow only the fittest persons or organizations to prosper in a competitive environment or situation
    • economic Darwinism

Dar·win's finches [,där-wənz-] -n pl

  1. finches of a subfamily (Geospizinae) having great variation in bill shape and confined mostly to the Galapagos Islands

Dar·win tulip [,där-wən-] -n

  1. a tall late-flowering tulip with the flowers single and of one color

dash ['dash] -vb

  1. to break by striking or knocking
  2. to knock, hurl, or thrust violently
  3. splash, spatter
  4. ruin, destroy
    • the news dash ed his hopes
  5. depress, sadden
  6. to make ashamed
  7. to affect by mixing in something different
    • his delight was dash ed with bitterness
  8. to complete, execute, or finish off hastily used with down or off
    • dash ed down a drink
    • dash off a letter
  9. damn
  10. to move with sudden speed
  11. smash
  12. blow
  13. a sudden burst or splash
  14. the sound produced by such a burst
  15. a stroke of a pen
  16. a punctuation mark - that is used esp. to indicate a break in the thought or structure of a sentence
  17. a small usu. distinctive addition
    • a dash of salt
    • a dash of humor
  18. flashy display
  19. animation in style and action
  20. a sudden onset, rush, or attempt
  21. a short fast race
  22. a long click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in Morse code)
  23. dashboard

dash·board ['dash-,bȯrd] -n

  1. a screen on the front of a usu. horse-drawn vehicle to intercept water, mud, or snow
  2. a panel extending across the interior of a vehicle (as an automobile) below the windshield and usu. containing instruments and controls

dashed ['dasht] -adj

  1. made up of a series of dashes

da·sheen [da-'shēn, də-] -n

  1. taro

dash·er ['da-shər] -n

  1. a dashing person
  2. one that dashes
  3. a device having blades for agitating a liquid or semisolid

dashi ['dä-(,)shē] -n

  1. a fish broth made from dried bonito

da·shi·ki [də-'shē-kē, dä-, da-] -n

  1. a usu. brightly colored loose-fitting pullover garment

dash·ing [-iŋ-lē] -adj, adv

  1. marked by vigorous action : spirited
    • a dashing young horse
  2. marked by smartness esp. in dress and manners

dash·pot ['dash-,pät] -n

  1. a device for cushioning or damping a movement (as of a mechanical part) to avoid shock

das·sie ['da-sē] -n

  1. hyrax

das·tard ['das-tərd] -n

  1. coward
  2. a person who acts treacherously or underhandedly

das·tard·ly [-lē] -adj, n

  1. cowardly
  2. characterized by underhandedness or treachery
    • a dastardly attack
    • a dastardly villain

dat -abbr

  1. dative

DAT -abbr

  1. differential aptitude test
  2. digital audiotape

da·ta ['dā-tə, 'da- also 'dä-] -n pl but sing or pl in constr

  1. factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation
    • the data is plentiful and easily available -- H. A. Gleason, Jr.
    • comprehensive data on economic growth have been published -- N. H. Jacoby
  2. information output by a sensing device or organ that includes both useful and irrelevant or redundant information and must be processed to be meaningful
  3. information in numerical form that can be digitally transmitted or processed

data bank -n

  1. database

da·ta·base ['dā-tə-,bās, 'da- also 'dä-] -n, vt

  1. a usu. large collection of data organized esp. for rapid search and retrieval (as by a computer)

data mining -n

  1. the practice of searching through large amounts of computerized data to find useful patterns or trends

data processing -n

  1. the converting of raw data to machine-readable form and its subsequent processing (as storing, updating, rearranging, or printing out) by a computer

data structure -n

  1. any of various methods or formats (as an array, file, or record) for organizing data in a computer

date ['dāt] -n

  1. the oblong edible fruit of a palm ( Phoenix dactylifera)
  2. the tall palm with pinnate leaves that yields the date
  3. the time at which an event occurs
    • the date of his birth
  4. a statement of the time of execution or making
    • the date on the letter
  5. duration
  6. the period of time to which something belongs
  7. an appointment to meet at a specified time
  8. a social engagement between two persons that often has a romantic character
  9. a person with whom one has a usu. romantic date
  10. an engagement for a professional performance (as of a dance band)
  11. to determine the date of
    • date an antique
  12. to record the date of : mark with the date
  13. to mark with characteristics typical of a particular period
  14. to show up plainly the age of
  15. to make or have a date with
  16. to reckon chronologically
  17. originate
    • a friendship dating from college days
  18. to become dated
  19. to go out on usu. romantic dates

dat·ed -adj, adv, n

  1. provided with a date
    • a dated document
  2. outmoded, old-fashioned
    • dated formalities

date·less ['dāt-ləs] -adj

  1. endless
  2. having no date
  3. too ancient to be dated
  4. timeless
    • the play's dateless theme

date·line ['dāt-,līn] -n, vt

  1. a line in a written document or a printed publication giving the date and place of composition or issue
  2. international date line

daterape -vt, n

  1. to commit date rape on

date rape -n

  1. rape committed by the victim's date
  2. acquaintance rape

date rape drug -n

  1. a drug (as GHB) administered surreptitiously (as in a drink) to induce an unconscious or sedated state in a potential date rape victim

da·tive ['dā-tiv] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or being the grammatical case that marks typically the indirect object of a verb, the object of some prepositions, or a possessor

dative -n

  1. a dative case or form

dative bond -n

  1. coordinate bond

da·tum ['dā-təm, 'da-, 'dä-] -n

  1. something given or admitted esp. as a basis for reasoning or inference
  2. something used as a basis for calculating or measuring

da·tu·ra [də-'t(y)u̇r-ə] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Datura) of widely distributed strong-scented herbs, shrubs, or trees of the nightshade family including some used as sources of medicinal alkaloids (as stramonium) or in folk rites or illicitly for their poisonous, narcotic, or hallucinogenic properties

dau -abbr

  1. daughter

daub ['dȯb, 'däb] -vb, n

  1. to cover or coat with soft adhesive matter : plaster
  2. to coat with a dirty substance
  3. to apply coloring material crudely to
  4. to apply (as paint) crudely
  5. to put on a false exterior
  6. to apply colors crudely
  7. material used to daub walls
  8. an act or instance of daubing
  9. something daubed on : smear
  10. a crude picture

daube ['dōb] -n

  1. a stew of braised meat, vegetables, herbs, and spices

daugh·ter ['dȯ-tər, 'dä-] -n, adj

  1. a female offspring esp. of human parents
  2. a female adopted child
  3. a human female descendant
  4. something considered as a daughter
    • the United States is a daughter of Great Britain
  5. an atomic species that is the product of the radioactive decay of a given element

daughter -adj

  1. having the characteristics or relationship of a daughter
  2. belonging to the first generation of offspring, organelles, or molecules produced by reproduction, division, or replication
    • daughter cell
    • daughter DNA molecules

daugh·terinlaw ['dȯ-tər-in-,lȯ, 'dȯ-tərn-] -n

  1. the wife of one's son

dau·no·my·cin [,dȯ-nə-'mī-sᵊn, ,dau̇-] -n

  1. daunorubicin

dau·no·ru·bi·cin [-'rü-bə-sᵊn] -n

  1. an antibiotic C 27H 29NO 10that is a nitrogenous glycoside and is used esp. in the treatment of leukemia

daunt ['dȯnt, 'dänt] -vt

  1. to lessen the courage of : cow, subdue

daunt·ing ['dȯn-tiŋ] -adj, adv

  1. tending to overwhelm or intimidate
    • a daunting task

daunt·less [-ləs] -adj, adv, n

  1. fearless, undaunted
    • a dauntless hero

dau·phin ['dȯ-fən, 'dō-; ,dō-'faⁿ] -n

  1. the eldest son of a king of France

dau·phine [dȯ-'fēn, dō-] -n

  1. the wife of the dauphin

DAV -abbr

  1. Disabled American Veterans

da·ven ['dä-vən, 'dȯ-] -vi

  1. to recite the prescribed prayers in a Jewish liturgy

dav·en·port ['da-vᵊn-,pȯrt, 'da-vᵊm-] -n

  1. a small compact writing desk
  2. a large upholstered sofa often convertible into a bed

Da·vid ['dā-vəd] -n, adj

  1. a Hebrew shepherd who became the second king of Israel in succession to Saul according to biblical accounts
  2. underdog

da·vit ['dā-vət, 'da-] -n

  1. a crane that projects over the side of a ship or a hatchway and is used esp. for boats, anchors, or cargo

Da·vy Jones [,dā-vē-'jōnz] -n

  1. the bottom of the sea personified

Da·vy Jones's locker [,dā-vē-,jōnz(-əz)-] -n

  1. the bottom of the ocean

daw ['dȯ, 'dä] -vi

  1. dawn
  2. jackdaw

daw·dle ['dȯ-dᵊl] -vb, n

  1. to spend time idly
  2. to move lackadaisically
  3. to spend fruitlessly or lackadaisically
    • dawdled the day away

dawn ['dȯn, 'dän] -vi

  1. to begin to grow light as the sun rises
  2. to begin to appear or develop
  3. to begin to be perceived or understood
    • the truth finally dawn ed on us
  4. the first appearance of light in the morning followed by sunrise
  5. beginning
    • the dawn of the space age

dawn horse -n

  1. eohippus

dawn redwood -n

  1. a metasequoia ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides) of China resembling the coast redwood but having deciduous foliage

day ['dā] -n

  1. the time of light between one night and the next
  2. daylight
  3. daytime
  4. the period of rotation of a planet (as earth) or a moon on its axis
  5. the mean solar day of 24 hours beginning at mean midnight
  6. a specified day or date
  7. a specified time or period : age
    • in grandfather's day
    often used in pl.
    • the old day s
    • the day s of sailing ships
  8. the conflict or contention of the day
    • played hard and won the day
  9. the time established by usage or law for work, school, or business

Day·ak ['dī-,ak] -n

  1. a member of any of several Indonesian peoples of the interior of Borneo

day·bed ['dā-,bed] -n

  1. a chaise longue of a type made 16801780
  2. a couch that can be converted into a bed

day·book [-,bu̇k] -n

  1. diary, journal

day·break [-,brāk] -n

  1. dawn

day care -n

  1. supervision of and care for children or disabled adults that is provided during the day by a person or organization
  2. a program, facility, or organization offering day care

day·dream ['dā-,drēm] -n, adj

  1. a pleasant visionary usu. wishful creation of the imagination

daydream -vi, n

  1. to have a daydream

day·flow·er ['dā-,flau̇(-ə)r] -n

  1. any of a genus ( Commelina) of herbs of the spiderwort family having one petal smaller than the other two
  2. a blue-flowered Asian herb ( C. communis) with the smaller petal white that has become naturalized as a weed in the U.S.

DayGlo ['dā-,glō] -trademark

  1. used for fluorescent materials or colors

day·glow ['dā-,glō] -n

  1. airglow seen during the day

day job -n

  1. one's regular employment as contrasted with an occasional, secondary, or coveted job

day laborer -n

  1. one who works for daily wages esp. as an unskilled laborer

day letter -n

  1. a telegram sent during the day that has a lower priority than a regular telegram

day·light ['dā-,līt] -n

  1. the light of day
  2. daytime
  3. dawn
  4. knowledge or understanding of something that has been obscure
    • began to see daylight on the problem
  5. the quality or state of being open : openness
  6. consciousness
  7. mental soundness or stability : wits
    • scared the daylight s out of him
  8. a perceptible space, gap, or difference
    • denied there was any daylight between the two governments' positions

day·light·ing ['dā-,lī-tiŋ] -n

  1. illumination of indoor spaces by natural light

daylight saving time -n

  1. time usu. one hour ahead of standard time called also daylight saving daylight savings daylight savings time daylight time

day·lily ['dā-,li-lē] -n

  1. any of various Eurasian perennial herbs (genus Hemerocallis) of the lily family that have short-lived flowers resembling lilies and are widespread in cultivation and as escapes

day·long ['dā-,lȯŋ] -adj

  1. lasting all day
    • a daylong tour

day·mare ['dā-,mer] -n

  1. a nightmarish fantasy experienced while awake

dayneutral -adj

  1. developing and maturing regardless of relative length of alternating exposures to light and dark periods used esp. of a plant

day nursery -n

  1. a public center for the care and training of young children
  2. nursery school

Day of Atonement

  1. yom kippur

day one -n

  1. the first day or very beginning of something

day·room ['dā-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n

  1. a room (as in a hospital) equipped for relaxation and recreation

days ['dāz] -adv

  1. in the daytime repeatedly : on any day

day school -n

  1. an elementary or secondary school held on weekdays
  2. a private school without boarding facilities

day·side ['dā-,sīd] -n

  1. the side of a planet in sunlight

day·star ['dā-,stär] -n

  1. morning star
  2. sun

day student -n

  1. a student who attends regular classes at a college or preparatory school but does not live at the institution

day·time ['dā-,tīm] -n

  1. the time during which there is daylight

day·times ['dā-,tīmz] -adv

  1. days
    • has a housekeeper daytimes

daytoday ['dā-tə-,dā] -adj

  1. taking place, made, or done in the course of days
    • in charge of daytoday operations
  2. everyday
    • daytoday life
  3. providing for a day at a time with little thought for the future
    • an aimless daytoday existence

day trader ['dā-,trād] -n, n or vb

  1. a speculator who seeks profit from the intraday fluctuation in the price of a security or commodity by completing double trades of buying and selling or selling and covering during a single session of the market

daytrip·per ['dā-,tri-pər] -n

  1. one who takes a trip that does not last overnight

daze ['dāz] -vt, n, adv

  1. to stupefy esp. by a blow : stun
  2. to dazzle with light

daz·zle ['da-zəl] -vb, n, adv

  1. to lose clear vision esp. from looking at bright light
  2. to shine brilliantly
  3. to arouse admiration by an impressive display
  4. to overpower with light
  5. to impress deeply, overpower, or confound with brilliance
    • dazzled us with her wit