13
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- deviate
- turn away from ; move away from an accepted standard; swerve; depart; diverge; N. deviation; Ex. deviation of the path of light by a prism
- dingy
- dirty and dull; Ex. dingy street/curtain
- digression
- wandering away from the subject; V. digress
- disconsolate
- hopelessly sad
- devout
- pious; deeply religious; sincere; earnest; Ex. my devout hope
- discount
- disregard; regard as unimportant; deduct from a cost
- derogatory
- expressing a low opinion; disparaging; V. derogate: detract; disparage
- diligence
- steadiness of effort; persistent hard work
- din
- continued loud noise; V: make a din; instill by wearying repetition
- diminution
- lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish
- disdain
- treat with scorn or contempt
- desperado
- reckless, desperate outlaw
- dirge
- funeral song; slow mournful piece of music
- disapprobation
- disapproval; condemnation
- didactic
- intended to teach a moral lesson; teaching; instructional; N. didacticism
- diorama
- life-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history; three-dimensional scene with modeled figures against a painted background
- despot
- tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler; CF. despotism
- disburse
- pay out ; N. disbursement; CF. purse
- dexterous
- skillful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity
- dialectical
- relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; Ex. dialectical situation; N. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments
- disarray
- state of disorder; a disorderly or untidy state; Ex. with her clothes in disarray
- disclaim
- disown; renounce claim to; deny; CF. disclaimer
- discombobulated
- discomposed; confused
- dilemma
- situation that requires a choice between equally unfavorable options; problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
- detraction
- slandering; aspersion; detracting; CF. detractor
- dictum
- authoritative and weighty statement ; saying; maxim; CF. obiter dictum: incidental, nonbinding remark
- dire
- warning of disaster; disastrous; very great; urgent; Ex. dire prediction/need of food
- descry
- catch sight of
- dilate
- expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on
- disembark
- debark; go ashore ; unload cargo from a ship; CF. embark
- dilute
- make less concentrated; reduce in strength; Ex. dilute the influence of the president
- desultory
- aimless; haphazard; digressing at random
- discourse
- serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion ; conversation; V.
- disavowal
- denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim
- desolate
- deserted; unpopulated; lonely; forlorn; joyless
- determination
- resolve; firmness of purpose; measurement or calculation; decision
- diadem
- crown
- devoid
- empty; lacking
- disband
- dissolve; disperse; break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded.
- discordant
- not harmonious; conflicting
- die
- metal block used for shaping metal or plastic; device for stamping or impressing; mold; CF. dice
- disfigure
- mar the appearance of; spoil
- dinghy
- small boat
- disaffected
- disloyal; lacking loyalty; V. disaffect: cause to lose affection or loyalty
- detached
- emotionally removed; free from emotional involvement; calm and objective; physically separate; N. detachment; CF. attachment
- desecrate
- profane; violate the sanctity of
- disenfranchise
- disfranchise; deprive of a civil right; OP. enfranchise
- diaphanous
- sheer; transparent
- deterrent
- something that discourages or deters
- disgorge
- surrender something ; eject; vomit; OP. gorge
- discrepancy
- lack of consistency or agreement as between facts; difference; Ex. discrepancy between two descriptions
- diatribe
- bitter scolding or denunciation; invective; abuse
- despoil
- plunder; sack; Ex. despoil the village
- detonation
- explosion
- disgruntle
- make discontented
- disengage
- uncouple; separate; disconnect; stop fighting; OP. engage
- diabolical
- diabolic; devilish; fiendish
- devolve
- deputize; pass or be passed to others ; Ex. devolve on/upon/to
- dint
- means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work
- disconcert
- confuse; upset; embarrass; perturb
- discomfit
- frustrate; put to rout; defeat; disconcert; embarrass; perturb
- discord
- conflict; lack of harmony; dissonance
- dichotomy
- division into two opposite parts; split; branching into two parts
- discerning
- mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive
- devise
- think up; invent; plan; bequeath; N: bequest
- destitute
- extremely poor; lacking means of subsistence; utterly lacking; devoid; Ex. destitute of any experience
- despondent
- without hope and courage; depressed; gloomy; N. despondency: loss of hope with gloom; dejection
- discredit
- defame; disgrace; destroy confidence in; disbelieve; N. CF. discreditable: causing discredit; shameful
- desiccate
- dry up
- diffuse
- wordy; verbose; rambling; spread out ; V: spread out in all directions; disperse; N. diffusion; CF. suffuse
- devious
- roundabout; erratic; deviating from the straight course; not straightforward; not completely honest; Ex. devious route
- disabuse
- correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief
- discursive
- digressing; rambling
- despise
- look on with scorn; regard as worthless or distasteful; ADJ. despicable: contemptible
- discrete
- separate; unconnected
- dilapidated
- falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined because of neglect; Ex. dilapidated old car/castle; N. dilapidation
- discernible
- distinguishable; perceivable; Ex. discernible improvement
- dilatory
- delaying; tending to delay
- desolate
- make desolate; forsake; abandon and desert
- diffidence
- shyness; lack of self-confidence; timidity; ADJ. diffident
- devotee
- enthusiastic follower; enthusiast; Ex. devotee of Bach
- discriminating
- able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; N. discrimination
- disclose
- reveal; N. disclosure
- determinate
- having a fixed order of procedure; precisely defined; invariable; fixed; conclusive; final
- dilettante
- aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge ; amateur; dabbler; CF. delight
- discretion
- prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances; freedom of action or judgment; ADJ. discreet; CF. discretionary
- detrimental
- harmful; damaging; N. detriment