d ['dē] -n
- the 4th letter of the English alphabet
- a graphic representation of this letter
- a speech counterpart of orthographic d
- five hundred
- the second tone of a C-major scale
- a graphic device for reproducing the letter d
- one designated desp. as the fourth in order or class
- a grade rating a student's work as poor in quality
- one graded or rated with a D
- something shaped like the letter D
- a semicircle on a pool table about 23 inches in diameter for use esp. in snooker
- defense
- defense
- date
- daughter
- day
- dead; deceased
- deci-
- degree
- penny; pence
- depart; departure
- diameter
- differential
- dimensional
- distance
- dorsal
- drive; driving
D -abbr
- Democrat
- derivative
- Dutch
- deuterium
da -abbr
- deka-
DA [,dē-'ā] -n
- ducktail
- days after acceptance
- delayed action
- deposit account
- Dictionary of Americanisms
- district attorney
- documents against acceptance; documents for acceptance
- don't answer
dab ['dab] -n
- a sudden blow or thrust : poke
- a small amount
- a gentle touch or stroke : pat
- daub
- to strike or touch lightly : pat
- dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief
- to apply lightly or irregularly : daub
- to make a dab
- flatfish
- any of several flounders (genus Limanda,esp. L. limanda)
- a skillful person
DAB -abbr
- Dictionary of American Biography
dab·ble ['da-bəl] -vb
- to wet by splashing or by little dips or strokes : spatter
- to paddle, splash, or play in or as if in water
- to reach with the bill to the bottom of shallow water in order to obtain food
- to work or involve oneself superficially or intermittently esp. in a secondary activity or interest
dab·bler [-b(ə-)lər] -n
- : one that dabbles: as
- one not deeply engaged in or concerned with something
- 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
- a superficial or intermittent interest, investigation, or experiment
- his dabbling s in philosophy and art
dab·chick ['dab-,chik] -n
- any of several small grebes
dab hand -n
- expert
da ca·po [dä-'kä-(,)pō, də-] -adv or adj
- from the beginning used as a direction in music to repeat
dace ['dās] -n
- a small freshwater European cyprinid fish ( Leuciscus leuciscus)
- any of various small No. American freshwater cyprinid fishes
da·cha ['dä-chə also 'da-] -n
- a Russian country cottage used esp. in the summer
dachs·hund ['däks-,hu̇nt, -,hu̇nd; 'däk-sənt; esp Brit 'dak-sənd] -n
- 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
- used for a synthetic polyester textile fiber
dac·tyl ['dak-tᵊl, -,til] -n, adj or n
- 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
- finger : toe : digit
dac·ty·lol·o·gy [,dak-tə-'lä-lə-jē] -n
- finger spelling
dad ['dad] -n
- father
Da·da ['dä-(,)dä] -n
- a movement in art and literature based on deliberate irrationality and negation of traditional artistic values
- the art and literature produced by this movement
da·da·ism [-,i-zəm] -n, n or adj, adj
- dada
dad·dy ['da-dē] -n
- father
- granddaddy
dad·dy long·legs [,da-dē-'lȯŋ-,legz, -,lāgz] -n
- crane fly
- 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
- the part of a pedestal of a column above the base
- the lower part of an interior wall when specially decorated or faced
- the decoration adorning this part of a wall
- a rectangular groove cut to make a joint in woodworking
- one cut across the grain
dado -vt
- to provide with a dado
- to set into a groove
- to cut a dado in (as a plank)
DAE -abbr
- Dictionary of American English
dae·dal ['dē-dᵊl] -adj
- skillful, artistic
- intricate
- the computer's daedal circuitry
- 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
- 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)
- 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
daff ['daf] -vt
- to thrust aside
- to put off (as with an excuse)
daf·fo·dil ['da-fə-,dil] -n
- any of various perennial bulbous herbs (genus Narcissus) of the amaryllis family
- one whose flowers have a large corona elongated into a trumpet
daf·fy ['da-fē] -adj, adv
- crazy, foolish
daft ['daft also 'däft] -adj, adv, n
- silly, foolish
- mad, insane
- frivolously merry
dag ['dag] -n
- a hanging end or shred
- matted or manure-coated wool
- dekagram
dag·ger ['da-gər] -n, adj
- a sharp pointed knife for stabbing
- something that resembles a dagger
- a character used as a reference mark or to indicate a death date
dag·ger·board ['da-gər-,bȯrd] -n
- a removable narrow centerboard in some small boats that is raised and lowered by sliding up and down
da·go ['dā-(,)gō] -n
- 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
- an early photograph produced on a silver or a silver-covered copper plate
- the process of producing such photographs
dah ['dä] -n
- dash
DAH -abbr
- Dictionary of American History
dahl·ia ['dal-yə, 'däl-, U.S. also & Brit usu 'dāl-] -n
- 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
- an isoflavone C 15H 10O 4found chiefly in legumes and esp. soybeans
dai·kon ['dī-kən] -n
- a large long hard white radish used esp. in Asian cuisine
- a plant ( Raphanus sativus longipinnatus) whose root is a daikon
dai·li·ness ['dā-lē-nəs, -li-] -n
- daily or routine quality : ordinariness
- the dailiness of family life
dai·ly ['dā-lē] -adj
- occurring, made, or acted upon every day
- issued every day or every weekday
- of or providing for every day
- reckoned by the day
- covering the period of or based on a day
daily -adv
- every day
- every weekday
- a newspaper published every weekday
- a servant who works on a daily basis
- rush
daily double -n
- 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
- a series of physical exercises to be performed daily : workout
- a set of routine duties or tasks
dai·mon ['dī-,mōn] -n, adj
- demon
- demon
dai·myo ['dī-mē-,ō, -(,)myō] -n
- a Japanese feudal baron
dain·ty ['dān-tē] -n
- something delicious to the taste
- something choice or pleasing
- fastidiousness
dainty ['dān-tə-lē] -adj, adv, n
- tasting good : tasty
- attractively prepared and served
- marked by delicate or diminutive beauty, form, or grace
- chary, reluctant
- marked by fastidious discrimination or finicky taste
- showing avoidance of anything rough
dai·qui·ri ['da-kə-rē, 'dī-] -n
- a cocktail made usu. of rum, lime juice, and sugar
dairy ['der-ē] -n
- a room, building, or establishment where milk is kept and butter or cheese is made
- the department of farming or of a farm that is concerned with the production of milk, butter, and cheese
- a farm devoted to such production
- an establishment for the sale or distribution chiefly of milk and milk products
dairy cattle -n pl
- cattle kept for milk production
dairy·ing ['der-ē-iŋ] -n
- the business of operating a dairy
dairy·maid [-,mād] -n
- a woman employed in a dairy
dairy·man [-mən, -,man] -n
- one who operates a dairy farm or works in a dairy
da·is ['dā-əs, ÷'dī-] -n
- a raised platform (as in a hall or large room)
daishiki [də-'shē-kē, dä-, da-] -n
(variant of dashiki)
- a usu. brightly colored loose-fitting pullover garment
dai·sy ['dā-zē] -n
- : 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
- a low European herb ( Bellis perennis) with white or pink ray flowers called also English daisy
- 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
- the flower head of a daisy
- a first-rate person or thing
- a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in kindergarten and first grade
daisychain -vt
- to link (as computer components) together in series
daisy chain -n
- a string of daisies with stems linked to form a chain
- an interlinked series
- a daisy chain of computer peripherals
- a daisy chain of toddlers
daisy ham -n
- a boned and smoked piece of pork from the shoulder
daisy wheel -n
- a disk with spokes bearing type that serves as the printing element of an electric typewriter or printer
- a printer that uses such a disk
Da·ko·ta [də-'kō-tə] -n
- a member of an American Indian people of the northern Mississippi River valley
- the Siouan language of the Dakota people
dal ['däl] -n
- a dried legume (as lentils, beans, or peas)
- an Indian dish made of simmered and usu. pureed and spiced legumes
- dekaliter
Da·lai La·ma [,dä-lī-'lä-mə, ,dä-lā-, ,da-] -n
- the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism
dale ['dāl] -n
- valley, vale
- went riding over hill and dale
dales·man ['dālz-mən] -n
- one living or born in a dale
da·leth ['dä-,leth, -,let also -ləd] -n
- the 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet
dal·li·ance ['da-lē-ən(t)s] -n
- : an act of dallying: as
- play
- amorous play
- frivolous action : trifling
Dal·lis grass ['da-ləs-] -n
- 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
- a large white wild sheep ( Ovis dalli) of Alaska and northern British Columbia called also Dall's sheep dlz-
Dall's por·poise -n
- 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
- to act playfully
- to play amorously
- to deal lightly : toy
- accused him of dally ing with a serious problem
- to waste time
- linger, dawdle
dal·ma·tian [dal-'mā-shən] -n
- 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
- a wide-sleeved overgarment with slit sides worn by a deacon or prelate
- a robe worn by a British sovereign at his or her coronation
dal se·gno [däl-'sā-(,)nyō] -adv
- used as a direction in music to return to the sign that marks the beginning of a repeat
dal·ton ['dȯl-tᵊn] -n
- atomic mass unit used chiefly in biochemistry
dam ['dam] -n
- the female parent of an animal and esp. of a domestic animal
- a body of water confined by a barrier
- a barrier preventing the flow of water or of loose solid materials (as soil or snow)
- a barrier built across a watercourse for impounding water
- a barrier to check the flow of liquid, gas, or air
- to provide or restrain with a dam
- to stop up : block
- damming up their emotions
- dekameter
dam·age ['da-mij] -n
- loss or harm resulting from injury to person, property, or reputation
- compensation in money imposed by law for loss or injury
- expense, cost
- What's the damage? he asked the waiter
damage [,da-mi-jə-'bi-lə-tē] -vt, n
- to cause damage to
- don't damage the furniture
- returning soldiers damaged by war
damage control -n
- 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
- a person considered to be flawed or spoiled in character, efficiency, or worth
dam·ag·ing ['da-mi-jiŋ-lē] -adj, adv
- causing or able to cause damage : injurious
- has a damaging effect on wildlife
dam·ar ['da-mər] -n
- 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
- a native or inhabitant of Damascus
- the characteristic markings of Damascus steel
damascene -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of Damascus or the Damascenes
- of or relating to damask or the art of damascening
- 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
- hard elastic steel ornamented with wavy patterns and used esp. for sword blades
dam·ask ['da-məsk] -n
- 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
- damascus steel
- the characteristic markings of this steel
- a grayish red
damask -adj
- made of or resembling damask
- of the color damask
damask rose -n
- 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
- : a woman of rank, station, or authority: as
- the mistress of a household
- the wife or daughter of a lord
- a female member of an order of knighthood used as a title prefixed to the given name
- an elderly woman
- woman
dame school -n
- a school in which the rudiments of reading and writing were taught by a woman in her own home
dame's rocket -n
- 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
- the dried leaf of a tropical American shrub ( Turnera diffusasyn. T. aphrodisiaca) used esp. formerly as an aphrodisiac and tonic
- a preparation containing damiana
- the plant from which damiana is obtained
damn ['dam] -vb
- to condemn to a punishment or fate
- to condemn to hell
- to condemn vigorously and often irascibly for some real or fancied fault or defect
- damn ed the storm for their delay
- to condemn as a failure by public criticism
- to bring ruin on
- to swear at : curse often used to express annoyance, disgust, or surprise
- damn him, he should have been careful
- curse, swear
- the utterance of the word damnas a curse
- a minimum amount or degree (as of care or consideration) : the least bit
- damned
dam·na·ble ['dam-nə-bəl] -adj, n, adv
- liable to or deserving condemnation
- very bad : detestable
dam·na·tion [dam-'nā-shən] -n
- the act of damning : the state of being damned
dam·na·to·ry ['dam-nə-,tȯr-ē] -adj
- expressing, imposing, or causing condemnation : condemnatory
damned ['dam(d)] -adj
- damnable
- complete, utter often used as an intensive
- extraordinary used in the superlative
- the damned est contraption you ever saw
- extremely, very
damned·est ['dam-dəst] -n
- utmost, best used chiefly in the phrase do one's damnedest
- doing my damnedest to win
dam·ni·fy ['dam-nə-,fī] -vt
- to cause loss or damage to
damn·ing ['da-miŋ] -adj, adv
- bringing damnation
- causing or leading to condemnation or ruin
- presented some damning testimony
Dam·o·cles ['da-mə-,klēz] -n, adj
- 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
- a legendary Sicilian who pledges his life for his condemned friend Pythias
damp ['damp] -n
- a noxious gas
- : moisture:
- humidity, dampness
- fog, mist
- discouragement, check
- depression, dejection
- to affect with or as if with a noxious gas : choke
- to diminish the activity or intensity of
- damp ing down the causes of inflation
- liquid damp s out compass oscillations
- to check the vibration or oscillation of (as a string or voltage)
- dampen
- to diminish progressively in vibration or oscillation
- being confused, bewildered, or shocked : stupefied
- depressed, dull
- slightly or moderately wet : moist
- humid
damp·en ['dam-pən] -vb, n
- to check or diminish the activity or vigor of : deaden
- the heat dampen ed our spirits
- to make damp
- the shower barely dampen ed the ground
- damp
- to become damp
- to become deadened or depressed
damp·er ['dam-pər] -n
- a dulling or deadening influence
- put a damper on the celebration
- : a device that damps: as
- a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft
- a small felted block to stop the vibration of a piano string
- shock absorber
- a simple usu. unleavened bread of a kind made originally in the Australian bush
damp·ingoff [,dam-piŋ-'ȯf] -n
- a diseased condition of seedlings or cuttings caused by fungi and marked by wilting or rotting
dam·sel ['dam-zəl] -n
- : a young woman:
- a young unmarried woman of noble birth
- girl
dam·sel·fish ['dam-zəl-,fish] -n
- any of numerous often brilliantly colored marine fishes (family Pomacentridae) living esp. along coral reefs called also demoiselle
dam·sel·fly [-,flī] -n
- 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
- the small tart fruit of a widely cultivated Asian plum tree ( Prunus insititia)
- this tree
Dan ['dan] -n
- a son of Jacob and the traditional eponymous ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel
- master, sir
- Daniel
- Danish
Dan·ae ['da-nə-,ē] -n
- 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
- 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
- to engage in or perform a dance
- to move or seem to move up and down or about in a quick or lively manner
- to perform or take part in as a dancer
- to cause to dance
- to bring into a specified condition by dancing
- an act or instance of dancing
- a series of rhythmic and patterned bodily movements usu. performed to music
- a social gathering for dancing
- a piece of music by which dancing may be guided
- the art of dancing
dance card -n
- a card listing partners for scheduled dances
- a calendar of engagements
dan·de·li·on ['dan-də-,lī-ən, -dē-] -n
- any of a genus ( Taraxacum) of yellow-flowered composite herbs with milky sap
- one ( T. officinale) sometimes grown as a potherb and nearly cosmopolitan as a weed
dan·der ['dan-dər] -n
- dandruff
- minute scales from hair, feathers, or skin that may be allergenic
- anger, temper
- now don't get your dander up
dan·di·a·cal [dan-'dī-ə-kəl] -adj
- of, relating to, or suggestive of a dandy
Dan·die Din·mont terrier ['dan-dē-'din-,mänt-] -n
- 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
- to cause to resemble a dandy
dan·dle ['dan-dᵊl] -vt
- to move (as a baby) up and down in one's arms or on one's knee in affectionate play
- pamper, pet
dan·druff ['dan-drəf] -n, adj
- scaly white or grayish flakes of dead skin cells esp. of the scalp
- the condition marked by excessive shedding of such flakes and usu. accompanied by itching
dan·dy ['dan-dē] -n, adj, adv
- a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance
- something excellent in its class
dandy -adj
- of, relating to, or suggestive of a dandy : foppish
- very good : first-rate
dan·dy·ism ['dan-dē-,i-zəm] -n
- the style or conduct of a dandy
- a literary and artistic style of the latter part of the 19th century marked by artificiality and excessive refinement
Dane ['dān] -n
- a native or inhabitant of Denmark
- a person of Danish descent
- great dane
dane·geld ['dān-,geld] -n
- 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
- the law in force in the part of England held by the Danes before the Norman Conquest
- the part of England under the Danelaw
dang ['daŋ] -vt
- damn
- damned
dan·ger ['dān-jər] -n
- jurisdiction
- reach, range
- harm, damage
- exposure or liability to injury, pain, harm, or loss
- a place where children could play without danger
- a case or cause of danger
danger -vt
- endanger
dan·ger·ous ['dān-jə-rəs; 'dān-jərs, -zhrəs] -adj, adv, n
- exposing to or involving danger
- able or likely to inflict injury or harm
dan·gle ['daŋ-gəl] -vb, n
- to hang loosely and usu. so as to be able to swing freely
- to be a hanger-on or a dependent
- 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)
- to cause to dangle : swing
- dangled her feet in the water
- to keep hanging uncertainly
- to hold out as an inducement
dangle -n
- the action of dangling
- something that dangles
Dan·iel ['dan-yəl also 'da-nᵊl] -n
- 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
- a book of narratives, visions, and prophecies in canonical Jewish and Christian Scripture
da·nio ['dā-nē-,ō] -n
- any of various small brightly colored Asian cyprinid fishes (genera Danioand Brachydanio)
Dan·ish ['dā-nish] -adj
- of, relating to, or characteristic of Denmark, the Danes, or the Danish language
Danish -n
- the Germanic language of the Danes
- a piece of Danish pastry
Danish pastry -n
- a pastry made of a rich raised dough
dank ['daŋk] -adj, adv, n
- unpleasantly moist or wet
dan·seur [däⁿ-'sər, dän-] -n
- a male ballet dancer
dan·seuse [däⁿ-sœ̄z; däⁿ-'sə(r)z, dän-'süz] -n
- a female ballet dancer
Dan·te·an ['dan-tē-ən, 'dän-] -adj
- of, relating to, or suggestive of Dante or his writings
- having a hellish or bizarre quality
- refugees lived a Dantean existence -- A. E. Cowdrey
daph·ne ['daf-nē] -n
- 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
- a nymph in Greek mythology who is transformed into a laurel tree to escape the pursuing Apollo
daph·nia ['daf-nē-ə] -n
- any of a genus ( Daphnia) of minute freshwater branchiopod crustaceans with biramous antennae used as locomotor organs
Daph·nis ['daf-nəs] -n
- a Sicilian shepherd renowned in Greek mythology as the inventor of pastoral poetry
dap·per ['da-pər] -adj, adv, n
- neat and trim in appearance
- very spruce and stylish
- alert and lively in movement and manners
dap·ple ['da-pəl] -n
- any of numerous usu. cloudy and rounded spots or patches of a color or shade different from their background
- the quality or state of being dappled
- a dappled animal
dapple [-p(ə-)liŋ] -vb
- to mark with dapples
- to produce a dappled pattern
- sun dappling through trees
dap·pled -adj
- marked with small spots or patches contrasting with the background
dap·sone ['dap-,sōn] -n
- an antimicrobial agent C 12H 12N 2O 2S used esp. to treat leprosy and a chronic form of dermatitis
DAR -abbr
- Daughters of the American Revolution
Dar·by and Joan [,där-bē-ən-'jōn] -n
- a happily married usu. elderly couple
Dard ['därd] -n
- dardic
Dar·dan ['där-dᵊn] -adj or n
- trojan
Dar·da·ni·an [där-'dā-nē-ən] -adj
- trojan
Dar·dic ['där-dik] -n
- a complex of Indo-Aryan languages spoken in the upper valley of the Indus
dare ['der] -vb, n
- to be sufficiently courageous to
- she dare not let herself love -- G. B. Shaw
- to have sufficient courage
- to challenge to perform an action esp. as a proof of courage
- to confront boldly : defy
- dared the anger of his family
- to have the courage to contend against, venture, or try
- the actress dared a new interpretation of this classic role
- an act or instance of daring : challenge
- imaginative or vivacious boldness : daring
DARE -abbr
- Dictionary of American Regional English
dare·dev·il ['der-,de-vᵊl] -adj
- recklessly and often ostentatiously daring
daredevil [-vᵊl-rē] -n
- a recklessly bold person
dareful -adj
- daring
daren't ['der-ənt]
- dare not : dared not
dare·say [,der-'sā] -vt
- venture to say : think probable used in pres. 1st sing.
- agree, suppose used in pres. 1st sing.
dar·ing [-iŋ-lē] -adj, adv, n
- venturesomely bold in action or thought
daring -n
- venturesome boldness
Dar·jee·ling [där-'jē-liŋ] -n
- a tea of high quality grown esp. in the mountainous districts of northern India
dark ['därk] -adj, adv, n
- devoid or partially devoid of light : not receiving, reflecting, transmitting, or radiating light
- transmitting only a portion of light
- wholly or partially black
- of low or very low lightness
- being less light in color than other substances of the same kind
- arising from or showing evil traits or desires : evil
- the dark powers that lead to war
- dismal, gloomy
- had a dark view of the future
- lacking knowledge or culture : unenlightened
- relating to grim or depressing circumstances
- not clear to the understanding
- not known or explored because of remoteness
- the dark est reaches of the continent
- not fair in complexion : swarthy
- secret
- possessing depth and richness
- closed to the public
- the theater is dark in the summer
- a place or time of little or no light : night, nightfall
- absence of light : darkness
- a dark or deep color
- to grow dark
- to make dark
dark adaptation [,därk-ə-'dap-təd] -n, adj
- 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
- : a time during which a civilization undergoes a decline: as
- the European historical period from about a.d.476 to about 1000
- middle ages
- the Greek historical period of three to four centuries from about 1100 b.c.
- the primitive period in the development of something
- in the dark ages of medicine
- a state of stagnation or decline
dark continent -n
- the continent of Africa
- something unknown or unexplored
dark·en ['där-kən] -vb, n
- to grow dark : become obscured
- the skies were darken ing
- to become gloomy
- to make dark
- to make less clear : obscure
- the financial crisis darken ed the future of the company
- taint, tarnish
- to cast a gloom over
- to make of darker color
dark energy -n
- 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
- a common No. American junco ( Junco hyemalis)
dark field -n
- the dark area that serves as the background for objects viewed in an ultramicroscope
darkfield microscope -n
- ultramicroscope
dark horse -n
- a usu. little known contender (as a racehorse) that makes an unexpectedly good showing
- an entrant in a contest that is judged unlikely to succeed
- a political candidate unexpectedly nominated usu. as a compromise between factions
dark lantern -n
- a lantern that can be closed to conceal the light
dar·kle ['där-kəl] -vi
- to become clouded or gloomy
- to grow dark
- to become concealed in the dark
dark·ling ['där-kliŋ] -adv
- in the dark
- dark
- done or taking place in the dark
darkling beetle -n
- 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
- nonluminous matter not yet directly detected by astronomers that is hypothesized to exist to account for various observed gravitational effects
dark reaction -n
- 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
- calvin cycle
dark·room ['därk-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n
- a room with no light or with a safelight for developing light-sensitive photographic materials
dark·some ['därk-səm] -adj
- gloomily somber : dark
darky ['där-kē] -n
- a black person
dar·ling ['där-liŋ] -n
- a dearly loved person
- favorite
- a director who is the darling of the critics
darling [-liŋ-lē] -adj, adv, n
- dearly loved : favorite
- very pleasing : charming
darm·stadt·i·um [,därm-'sta-tē-əm] -n
- a short-lived radioactive element produced artificially
darn ['därn] -vb, n
- to mend with interlacing stitches
- to embroider by filling in with long running or interlacing stitches
- to do darning
- a place that has been darned
- damned
- damn
- damn
dar·nel ['där-nᵊl] -n
- any of several usu. weedy ryegrasses (genus Lolium)
darning needle -n
- a long needle with a large eye for use in darning
- dragonfly, damselfly
DARPA -abbr
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
dart ['därt] -n
- a light spear
- a small missile usu. with a pointed shaft at one end and feathers at the other
- a game in which darts are thrown at a target
- something projected with sudden speed
- a sharp glance
- something causing sudden pain or distress
- something with a slender pointed shaft or outline
- a stitched tapering fold in a garment
- a quick movement
- to throw with a sudden movement
- to thrust or move with sudden speed
- to shoot with a dart containing a usu. tranquilizing drug
- to move suddenly or rapidly
- dart ed across the street
dart·board ['därt-,bȯrd] -n
- a usu. circular board (as of compressed bristles) used as a target in the game of darts
dart·er ['där-tər] -n
- anhinga
- 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
- of or relating to Charles Darwin, his theories esp. of evolution, or his followers
- 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
- 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
- a theory that inherent dynamic forces allow only the fittest persons or organizations to prosper in a competitive environment or situation
Dar·win's finches [,där-wənz-] -n pl
- finches of a subfamily (Geospizinae) having great variation in bill shape and confined mostly to the Galapagos Islands
Dar·win tulip [,där-wən-] -n
- a tall late-flowering tulip with the flowers single and of one color
dash ['dash] -vb
- to break by striking or knocking
- to knock, hurl, or thrust violently
- splash, spatter
- ruin, destroy
- the news dash ed his hopes
- depress, sadden
- to make ashamed
- to affect by mixing in something different
- his delight was dash ed with bitterness
- to complete, execute, or finish off hastily used with down or off
- damn
- to move with sudden speed
- smash
- blow
- a sudden burst or splash
- the sound produced by such a burst
- a stroke of a pen
- a punctuation mark - that is used esp. to indicate a break in the thought or structure of a sentence
- a small usu. distinctive addition
- flashy display
- animation in style and action
- a sudden onset, rush, or attempt
- a short fast race
- a long click or buzz forming a letter or part of a letter (as in Morse code)
- dashboard
dash·board ['dash-,bȯrd] -n
- a screen on the front of a usu. horse-drawn vehicle to intercept water, mud, or snow
- a panel extending across the interior of a vehicle (as an automobile) below the windshield and usu. containing instruments and controls
dashed ['dasht] -adj
- made up of a series of dashes
da·sheen [da-'shēn, də-] -n
- taro
dash·er ['da-shər] -n
- a dashing person
- one that dashes
- a device having blades for agitating a liquid or semisolid
dashi ['dä-(,)shē] -n
- a fish broth made from dried bonito
da·shi·ki [də-'shē-kē, dä-, da-] -n
- a usu. brightly colored loose-fitting pullover garment
dash·ing [-iŋ-lē] -adj, adv
- marked by vigorous action : spirited
- marked by smartness esp. in dress and manners
dash·pot ['dash-,pät] -n
- a device for cushioning or damping a movement (as of a mechanical part) to avoid shock
das·sie ['da-sē] -n
- hyrax
das·tard ['das-tərd] -n
- coward
- a person who acts treacherously or underhandedly
das·tard·ly [-lē] -adj, n
- cowardly
- characterized by underhandedness or treachery
dat -abbr
- dative
DAT -abbr
- differential aptitude test
- digital audiotape
da·ta ['dā-tə, 'da- also 'dä-] -n pl but sing or pl in constr
- 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
- information output by a sensing device or organ that includes both useful and irrelevant or redundant information and must be processed to be meaningful
- information in numerical form that can be digitally transmitted or processed
data bank -n
- database
da·ta·base ['dā-tə-,bās, 'da- also 'dä-] -n, vt
- a usu. large collection of data organized esp. for rapid search and retrieval (as by a computer)
data mining -n
- the practice of searching through large amounts of computerized data to find useful patterns or trends
data processing -n
- 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
- any of various methods or formats (as an array, file, or record) for organizing data in a computer
date ['dāt] -n
- the oblong edible fruit of a palm ( Phoenix dactylifera)
- the tall palm with pinnate leaves that yields the date
- the time at which an event occurs
- a statement of the time of execution or making
- duration
- the period of time to which something belongs
- an appointment to meet at a specified time
- a social engagement between two persons that often has a romantic character
- a person with whom one has a usu. romantic date
- an engagement for a professional performance (as of a dance band)
- to determine the date of
- to record the date of : mark with the date
- to mark with characteristics typical of a particular period
- to show up plainly the age of
- to make or have a date with
- to reckon chronologically
- originate
- a friendship dating from college days
- to become dated
- to go out on usu. romantic dates
dat·ed -adj, adv, n
- provided with a date
- outmoded, old-fashioned
date·less ['dāt-ləs] -adj
- endless
- having no date
- too ancient to be dated
- timeless
- the play's dateless theme
date·line ['dāt-,līn] -n, vt
- a line in a written document or a printed publication giving the date and place of composition or issue
- international date line
daterape -vt, n
- to commit date rape on
date rape -n
- rape committed by the victim's date
- acquaintance rape
date rape drug -n
- 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
- 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
- a dative case or form
dative bond -n
- coordinate bond
da·tum ['dā-təm, 'da-, 'dä-] -n
- something given or admitted esp. as a basis for reasoning or inference
- something used as a basis for calculating or measuring
da·tu·ra [də-'t(y)u̇r-ə] -n
- 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
- daughter
daub ['dȯb, 'däb] -vb, n
- to cover or coat with soft adhesive matter : plaster
- to coat with a dirty substance
- to apply coloring material crudely to
- to apply (as paint) crudely
- to put on a false exterior
- to apply colors crudely
- material used to daub walls
- an act or instance of daubing
- something daubed on : smear
- a crude picture
daube ['dōb] -n
- a stew of braised meat, vegetables, herbs, and spices
daugh·ter ['dȯ-tər, 'dä-] -n, adj
- a female offspring esp. of human parents
- a female adopted child
- a human female descendant
- something considered as a daughter
- the United States is a daughter of Great Britain
- an atomic species that is the product of the radioactive decay of a given element
daughter -adj
- having the characteristics or relationship of a daughter
- belonging to the first generation of offspring, organelles, or molecules produced by reproduction, division, or replication
daugh·terinlaw ['dȯ-tər-in-,lȯ, 'dȯ-tərn-] -n
- the wife of one's son
dau·no·my·cin [,dȯ-nə-'mī-sᵊn, ,dau̇-] -n
- daunorubicin
dau·no·ru·bi·cin [-'rü-bə-sᵊn] -n
- an antibiotic C 27H 29NO 10that is a nitrogenous glycoside and is used esp. in the treatment of leukemia
daunt ['dȯnt, 'dänt] -vt
- to lessen the courage of : cow, subdue
daunt·ing ['dȯn-tiŋ] -adj, adv
- tending to overwhelm or intimidate
daunt·less [-ləs] -adj, adv, n
- fearless, undaunted
dau·phin ['dȯ-fən, 'dō-; ,dō-'faⁿ] -n
- the eldest son of a king of France
dau·phine [dȯ-'fēn, dō-] -n
- the wife of the dauphin
DAV -abbr
- Disabled American Veterans
da·ven ['dä-vən, 'dȯ-] -vi
- to recite the prescribed prayers in a Jewish liturgy
dav·en·port ['da-vᵊn-,pȯrt, 'da-vᵊm-] -n
- a small compact writing desk
- a large upholstered sofa often convertible into a bed
Da·vid ['dā-vəd] -n, adj
- a Hebrew shepherd who became the second king of Israel in succession to Saul according to biblical accounts
- underdog
da·vit ['dā-vət, 'da-] -n
- 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
- the bottom of the sea personified
Da·vy Jones's locker [,dā-vē-,jōnz(-əz)-] -n
- the bottom of the ocean
daw ['dȯ, 'dä] -vi
- dawn
- jackdaw
daw·dle ['dȯ-dᵊl] -vb, n
- to spend time idly
- to move lackadaisically
- to spend fruitlessly or lackadaisically
dawn ['dȯn, 'dän] -vi
- to begin to grow light as the sun rises
- to begin to appear or develop
- to begin to be perceived or understood
- the truth finally dawn ed on us
- the first appearance of light in the morning followed by sunrise
- beginning
- the dawn of the space age
dawn horse -n
- eohippus
dawn redwood -n
- a metasequoia ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides) of China resembling the coast redwood but having deciduous foliage
day ['dā] -n
- the time of light between one night and the next
- daylight
- daytime
- the period of rotation of a planet (as earth) or a moon on its axis
- the mean solar day of 24 hours beginning at mean midnight
- a specified day or date
- a specified time or period : age often used in pl.
- the day s of sailing ships
- the conflict or contention of the day
- played hard and won the day
- the time established by usage or law for work, school, or business
Day·ak ['dī-,ak] -n
- a member of any of several Indonesian peoples of the interior of Borneo
day·bed ['dā-,bed] -n
- a chaise longue of a type made 16801780
- a couch that can be converted into a bed
day·book [-,bu̇k] -n
- diary, journal
day·break [-,brāk] -n
- dawn
day care -n
- supervision of and care for children or disabled adults that is provided during the day by a person or organization
- a program, facility, or organization offering day care
day·dream ['dā-,drēm] -n, adj
- a pleasant visionary usu. wishful creation of the imagination
daydream -vi, n
- to have a daydream
day·flow·er ['dā-,flau̇(-ə)r] -n
- any of a genus ( Commelina) of herbs of the spiderwort family having one petal smaller than the other two
- 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
- used for fluorescent materials or colors
day·glow ['dā-,glō] -n
- airglow seen during the day
day job -n
- one's regular employment as contrasted with an occasional, secondary, or coveted job
day laborer -n
- one who works for daily wages esp. as an unskilled laborer
day letter -n
- a telegram sent during the day that has a lower priority than a regular telegram
day·light ['dā-,līt] -n
- the light of day
- daytime
- dawn
- knowledge or understanding of something that has been obscure
- began to see daylight on the problem
- the quality or state of being open : openness
- consciousness
- mental soundness or stability : wits
- scared the daylight s out of him
- a perceptible space, gap, or difference
- denied there was any daylight between the two governments' positions
day·light·ing ['dā-,lī-tiŋ] -n
- illumination of indoor spaces by natural light
daylight saving time -n
- 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
- 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
- lasting all day
day·mare ['dā-,mer] -n
- a nightmarish fantasy experienced while awake
dayneutral -adj
- developing and maturing regardless of relative length of alternating exposures to light and dark periods used esp. of a plant
day nursery -n
- a public center for the care and training of young children
- nursery school
Day of Atonement
- yom kippur
day one -n
- the first day or very beginning of something
day·room ['dā-,rüm, -,ru̇m] -n
- a room (as in a hospital) equipped for relaxation and recreation
days ['dāz] -adv
- in the daytime repeatedly : on any day
day school -n
- an elementary or secondary school held on weekdays
- a private school without boarding facilities
day·side ['dā-,sīd] -n
- the side of a planet in sunlight
day·star ['dā-,stär] -n
- morning star
- sun
day student -n
- a student who attends regular classes at a college or preparatory school but does not live at the institution
day·time ['dā-,tīm] -n
- the time during which there is daylight
day·times ['dā-,tīmz] -adv
- days
- has a housekeeper daytimes
daytoday ['dā-tə-,dā] -adj
- taking place, made, or done in the course of days
- in charge of daytoday operations
- everyday
- 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
- 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
- one who takes a trip that does not last overnight
daze ['dāz] -vt, n, adv
- to stupefy esp. by a blow : stun
- to dazzle with light
daz·zle ['da-zəl] -vb, n, adv
- to lose clear vision esp. from looking at bright light
- to shine brilliantly
- to arouse admiration by an impressive display
- to overpower with light
- to impress deeply, overpower, or confound with brilliance