dabble v.#work at in a non-serious fashion; splash around. The amateur painter dabbled at art, but seldom produced a finished piece. The children dabbled their hands in the bird bath, splashing one another gleefully.#dais n.#raised platform for guests of honor. When he approached the dais, he was greeted by cheers from the people who had come to honor him.#dank adj.#damp. The walls of the dungeon were dank and slimy.#dapper adj.#neat and trim. In "The Odd Couple" TV show, Tony Randall played Felix Unger, an excessively dapper soul who could not stand to have a hair out of place.#dappled adj.#spotted. The sunlight filtering through the screens created a dappled effect on the wall.#daub v.#smear (as with paint). From the way he daubed his paint on the canvas, I could tell he knew nothing of oils. also n.#daunt v.#intimidate; frighten. "Boast all you like of your prowess. Mere words cannot daunt me," the hero answered the villain.#dauntless adj.#bold. Despite the dangerous nature of the undertaking, the dauntless soldier volunteered for the assignment.#dawdle v.#loiter; waste time. We have to meet a deadline so don't dawdle; just get down to work.#deadlock n.#standstill; stalemate. Because negotiations had reached a deadlock, some of the delegates had begun to mutter about breaking off the talks. also v.#deadpan adj.#wooden; impersonal. We wanted to see how long he could maintain his deadpan expression.#dearth n.#scarcity. The dearth of skilled labor compelled the employers to open trade schools.#debacle n.#sudden downfall; complete disaster. In the Airplane movies, every flight turns into a debacle, with passengers and crew members collapsing, engines falling apart, and carry-on baggage popping out of the overhead bins.#debase v.#reduce in quality or value; lower in esteem; degrade. In The King and I, Anna refuses to kneel down and prostrate herself before the king, for she feels that to do so would debase her position, and she will not submit to such debasement.#debauch v.#corrupt; seduce from virtue. Did Socrates' teachings lead the young men of Athens to be virtuous citizens, or did they debauch the young men, causing them to question the customs of their fathers? Clearly, Socrates' philosophical talks were nothing like the wild debauchery of the toga parties in Animal House.#debilitate v.# weaken; enfeeble. Michael's severe bout of the flu debilitated him so much that he was too tired to go to work for a week.#debonair adj.#friendly; aiming to please. The debonair youth was liked by all who met him, because of his cheerful and obliging manner.#debris n.#rubble. A full year after the earthquake in Mexico City, they were still carting away the debris.#debunk v.# expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc; ridicule. Pointing out that he consistently had voted against strengthening anti-pollution legislation, reporters debunked the candidate's claim that he was a fervent environmentalist.#debutante n.#young woman making formal entrance into society. As a debutante, she was often mentioned in the society columns of the newspapers.#decadence n.#decay. The moral decadence of the people was reflected in the lewd literature of the period.#decapitate v.#behead. They did not hang Lady Jane Grey; they decapitated her. "Off with her head!" cried the Duchess, eager to decapitate poor Alice.#decelerate v.#slow down. Seeing the emergency blinkers in the road ahead, he decelerated quickly.#deciduous adj.#falling off as of leaves. The oak is a deciduous tree; in winter it looks quite bare.#decimate v.#kill, usually one out of ten. We do more to decimate our population in automobile accidents than we do in war.#decipher v.#interpret secret code. Lacking his code book, the spy was unable to decipher the scrambled message sent to him from the KGB.#declivity n.#downward slope. The children loved to ski down the declivity.#decollete adj.#having a low-necked dress. Current fashion decrees that evening gowns be decollete this season; bare shoulders are again the vogue.#decomposition n.#decay. Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police were able to identify the murdered man.#decorum n.# propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners. Even the best-mannered students have trouble behaving with decorum on the last day of school. decorous, adj. #decoy n.#Lure or bait. The wild ducks were not fooled by the decoy. also v.#decrepit adj.#worn out by age. The decrepit car blocked traffic on the highway.#decrepitude n.#state of collapse caused by illness or old age. I was unprepared for the state of decrepitude in which I had found my old friend; he seemed to have aged twenty years in six months.#decry v.#express strong disapproval of; disparage. The founder of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman, strongly decries the lack of financial and moral support for children in America today.#deducible adj.#derived by reasoning. If we accept your premise, your conclusions are easily deducible.#deface v.#mar; disfigure. If you deface a library book, you will have to pay a hefty fine.#defame v.#harm someone's reputation; malign; slander. If you try to defame my good name, my lawyers will see you in court. If rival candidates persist in defaming one another, the voters may conclude that all politicians are crooks. defamation, n.#default n.#failure to act. When the visiting team failed to show up for the big game, they lost the game by default. When Jack failed to make the payments on his Jaguar, the dealership took back the car because he had defaulted on his debt.#defeatist adj.#attitude of one who is ready to accept defeat as a natural outcome. If you maintain your defeatist attitude, you will never succeed. also n.#defection n.#desertion. The children, who had made him an idol, were hurt most by his defection from our cause.#defer v.#delay till later; exempt temporarily. In wartime, some young men immediately volunteer to serve; others defer making plans until they hear from their draft boards. During the Vietnam War, many young men, hoping to be deferred, requested student deferments.#defer v.#give in respectfully; submit. When it comes to making decisions about purchasing software, we must defer to Michael, our computer guru; he gets the final word. Michael, however, can defer these questions to no one; only he can decide.#deference n.# courteous regard for another's wish. In deference to the minister's request, please do not take photographs during the wedding service.#defiance n.#refusal to yield; resistance. When John reached the "terrible two's," he responded to every parental request with howls of defiance. defy, v.#defile v.#pollute; profane. The hoodlums defiled the church with their scurrilous writing.#definitive adj.#final; complete. Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln may be regarded as the definitive work on the life of the Great Emancipator.#deflect v.#turn aside. His life was saved when his cigarette case deflected the bullet.#defoliate v.#destroy leaves. In Vietnam the army made extensive use of chemical agents to defoliate the woodlands.#defray v.#pay the costs of. Her employer offered to defray the costs of her postgraduate education.#deft adj.#neat; skillful. The deft waiter uncorked the champagne without spilling a drop.#defunct adj.#dead; no longer in use or existence. The lawyers sought to examine the books of the defunct corporation.#defuse v.#remove the fuse of a bomb; reduce or eliminate a threat. Police negotiators are trained to defuse dangerous situations by avoiding confrontational language and behavior.#degenerate v.#become worse; deteriorate. As the fight dragged on, the champion's style degenerated until he could barely keep on his feet.#degradation n.# humiliation; debasement; degeneration. Some secretaries object to fetching the boss a cup of coffee because they resent the degradation of being made to do such lowly tasks. degrade, v.#dehydrate v.# remove water from; dry out. Running under a hot sun quickly dehydrates the body; joggers soon learn to carry water bottles and to drink from them frequently.#deify v.#turn into a god; idolize. Admire Elvis Presley all you want; just don't deify him. #deign v.#condescend; stoop. The celebrated fashion designer would not deign to speak to a mere seamstress; his overburdened assistant had to convey the master's wishes to the lowly workers assembling his great designs.#delectable adj.#delightful; delicious. We thanked our host for a most delectable meal.#delete v.#erase; strike out. Less is more: if you delete this paragraph, your whole essay will have greater appeal.#deleterious adj.# harmful. If you believe that smoking is deleterious to your health (and the Surgeon General certainly does), then quit!#deliberate v.#consider; ponder. Offered the new job, she asked for time to deliberate before she told them her decision.#delineate v.# portray; depict; sketch. Using only a few descriptive phrases, Austen delineates the character of Mr. Collins so well that we can predict his every move. delineation, n.#delirium n.#mental disorder marked by confusion. In his delirium, the drunkard saw pink panthers and talking pigs. Perhaps he wasn't delirious: he might just have wandered into a movie.#delude v.#deceive. His mistress may have deluded herself into believing that he would leave his wife and marry her.#deluge n.#flood; rush. When we advertised the position, we received a deluge of applications.#delusion n.#false belief; hallucination. Don suffers from delusions of grandeur: he thinks he's a world-famous author when he's published just one paperback book. #delve v.#dig; investigate. Delving into old books and manuscripts is part of a researcher's job.#demagogue n.#person who appeals to people's prejudice; false leader of people. He was accused of being a demagogue because he made promises that aroused futile hopes in his listeners.#demean v.#degrade; humiliate. Standing on his dignity, he refused to demean himself by replying to the offensive letter. If you truly believed in the dignity of labor, you would not think it would demean you to work as a janitor.#demeanor n.#behavior; bearing. His sober demeanor quieted the noisy revelers.#demented adj.#insane. Doctor Demento was a lunatic radio personality who liked to act as if he were truly demented. If you're demented, your mental state is out of whack; in other words, you're wacky.#demise n.#death. Upon the demise of the dictator, a bitter dispute about succession to power developed.#demolition n.#destruction. One of the major aims of the air force was the complete demolition of all means of transportation by bombing of rail lines and terminals. demolish, v.#demoniac adj.#fiendish. The Spanish Inquisition devised many demoniac means of torture. demon, n.#demur v.#object (because of doubts, scruples); hesitate. When offered a post on the board of directors, David demurred: he had scruples about taking on the job because he was unsure he could handle it in addition to his other responsibilities.#demure adj.#grave; serious; coy. She was demure and reserved, a nice modest girl whom any young man would be proud to take home to his mother.#demystify v.#clarify; free from mystery or obscurity. Helpful doctors demystify medical procedures by describing them in everyday language, explaining that a myringotomy, for example, is an operation involving making a small hole in one's eardrum.#denigrate v.#blacken. All attempts to denigrate the character of our late president have failed; the people still love him and cherish his memory.#denizen n.#inhabitant or resident; regular visitor. In The Untouchables, Eliot Ness fights Al Capone and the other denizens of Chicago's underworld. Ness's fight against corruption was the talk of all the denizens of the local bars.#denotation n.#meaning; distinguishing by name. A dictionary will always give us the denotation of a word; frequently, it will also give us the connotations. denote, v.#denouement n.#outcome; final development of the plot of a play. The play was childishly written; the denouement was obvious to sophisticated theatergoers as early as the middle of the first act.#denounce v.# condemn; criticize. The reform candidate denounced the corrupt city officers for having betrayed the public's trust. denunciation, n.#depict v.#portray. In this sensational expose, the author depicts Beatle John Lennon as a drug-crazed neurotic. Do you question the accuracy of this depiction of Lennon?#deplete v.#reduce; exhaust. We must wait until we deplete our present inventory before we order replacements.#deplore v.# regret; disapprove of. Although I deplore the vulgarity of your language, I defend your right to express yourself freely.#deploy v.#spread out [troops#depose v.# dethrone; remove from office. The army attempted to depose the king and set up a military government.#deposition n.#testimony under oath. He made his deposition in the judge's chamber.#depravity n.# extreme corruption; wickedness. The depravity of Caligula's behavior came to sicken even those who had willingly participated in his earlier, comparatively innocent orgies.#deprecate v.# express disapproval of; protest against; belittle. A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss Post deprecated the modern tendency to address new acquaintances by their first names. deprecatory, adj. #depreciate v.#Lessen in value. If you neglect this property, it will depreciate.#depredation n.#plundering. After the depredations of the invaders, the people were penniless.#derange v.#make insane; disarrange. Hamlet's cruel rejection deranged poor Ophelia; in her madness, she drowned herself.#derelict adj.#abandoned; negligent. The derelict craft was a menace to navigation. Whoever abandoned it in the middle of the harbor was derelict in living up to his responsibilities as a boat owner. also n.#deride v.# ridicule; make fun of. The critics derided his pretentious dialogue and refused to consider his play seriously. derision, n.#derivative adj.# unoriginal; derived from another source. Although her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the critics thought she had promise and eventually would find her own voice.#dermatologist n.#one who studies the skin and its diseases. I advise you to consult a dermatologist about your acne.#derogatory adj.#expressing a low opinion. I resent your derogatory remarks.#descant v.#discuss fully. He was willing to descant upon any topic of conversation, even when he knew very little about the subject under discussion. also n.#descry v.#catch sight of. In the distance, we could barely descry the enemy vessels.#desecrate v.#profane; violate the sanctity of. Shattering the altar and trampling the holy objects underfoot, the invaders desecrated the sanctuary.#desiccate v.# dry up. A tour of this smokehouse will give you an idea of how the pioneers used to desiccate food in order to preserve it.#desolate adj.#unpopulated. After six months in the crowded, bustling metropolis, David was so sick of people that he was ready to head for the most desolate patch of wilderness he could find.#desolate v.#rob of joy; lay waste to; forsake. The bandits desolated the countryside, burning farms and carrying off the harvest.#despise v.#look on with scorn; regard as worthless or distasteful. Mr. Bond, I despise spies; I look down on them as mean, despicable, honorless men, whom I would wipe from the face of the earth with as little concern as I would scrape dog droppings from the bottom of my shoe.#despoil v.#strip of valuables; rob. Seeking plunder, the raiders despoiled the village, carrying off any valuables they found.#despondent adj.# depressed; gloomy. To the dismay of his parents, William became seriously despondent after he broke up with Jan; they despaired of finding a cure for his gloom. despondency, n. #despot n.#tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler. How could a benevolent king turn overnight into a despot?#destitute adj.#extremely poor. Because they had no health insurance, the father's costly illness left the family destitute.#desultory adj.#aimless; haphazard; digressing at random. In prison Malcolm X set himself the task of reading straight through the dictionary; to him, reading was purposeful, not desultory. #detached adj.# emotionally removed; calm and objective; physically unconnected. A psychoanalyst must maintain a detached point of view and stay uninvolved with his or her patients' personal lives. To a child growing up in an apartment or a row house, to live in a detached house was an unattainable dream.#detergent n.#cleansing agent. Many new detergents have replaced soap.#determination n.#resolve; measurement or calculation; decision. Nothing could shake his determination that his children would get the best education that money could buy. Thanks to my pocket calculator, my determination of the answer to the problem took only seconds of my time.#deterrent n.# something that discourages; hindrance. Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to potential killers? deter, v.#detonation n.#explosion. The detonation of the bomb could be heard miles away.#detraction n.#slandering; aspersion. He is offended by your frequent detractions of his ability as a leader.#detrimental adj.# harmful; damaging. The candidate's acceptance of major financial contributions from a well-known racist ultimately proved detrimental to his campaign, for he lost the backing of many of his early grassroots supporters. detriment, n.#deviate v.#turn away from (a principle, norm); depart; diverge. Richard never deviated from his daily routine: every day he set off for work at eight o'clock, had his sack lunch (peanut butter on whole wheat) at 12:15, and headed home at the stroke of five. #devious adj.# roundabout; erratic; not straightforward. The Joker's plan was so devious that it was only with great difficulty we could follow its shifts and dodges.#devise v.# think up; invent; plan. How clever he must be to have devised such a devious plan! What ingenious inventions might he have devised if he had turned his mind to science and not to crime.#devoid adj.#lacking. You may think her mind is a total void, but she's actually not devoid of intelligence. She just sounds like an airhead.#devotee n.#enthusiastic follower. A devotee of the opera, he bought season tickets every year. #devout adj.#pious. The devout man prayed daily.#dexterous adj.#skillful. The magician was so dexterous that we could not follow him as he performed his tricks.#diabolical adj.#devilish. "What a fiend I am, to devise such a diabolical scheme to destroy Gotham City," chortled the Joker gleefully.#diagnosis n.#art of identifying a disease; analysis of a condition. In medical school Margaret developed her skill at diagnosis, learning how to read volumes from a rapid pulse or a hacking cough. diagnose, v.; diagnostic, adj. #dialectical adj.#relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal. The debate coach's students grew to develop great forensic and dialectical skill. Teaching, however, is inherently a dialectical situation: the coach learned at least as much from her students as they learned from her. dialectics, n.#diaphanous adj.#sheer; transparent. Through the diaphanous curtains, the burglar could clearly see the large jewelry box on the dressing table.#diatribe n.#bitter scolding; invective. During the lengthy diatribe delivered by his opponent he remained calm and self-controlled.#dichotomy n.#split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones). Willie didn't know how to resolve the dichotomy between his ambition to go to college and his childhood longing to run away and join the circus. Then he heard about Ringling Brothers Circus College, and he knew he'd found the perfect school.#dictum n.#authoritative and weighty statement; saying; maxim. University administrations still follow the old dictum of "Publish or perish." They don't care how good a teacher you are; if you don't publish enough papers, you're out of a job.#didactic adj.#teaching; instructional. Pope's lengthy poem An Essay on Man is too didactic for my taste: I dislike it when poets turn preachy and moralize.#differentiate v.#distinguish; perceive a difference between. Tweedledum and Tweedledee were like two peas in a pod; not even Mother Tweedle could differentiate the one from the other.#diffidence n.# shyness. You must overcome your diffidence if you intend to become a salesperson.#diffuse adj.# wordy; rambling; spread out (like a gas). If you pay authors by the word, you tempt them to produce diffuse manuscripts rather than brief ones. diffusion, n.#digression n.# wandering away from the subject. Nobody minded when Professor Renoir's lectures wandered away from their official theme; his digressions were always more fascinating than the topic of the day. digress, v.#dilapidated adj.#ruined because of neglect. The dilapidated old building needed far more work than just a new coat of paint. dilapidation, n.#dilate v.#expand. In the dark, the pupils of your eyes dilate.#dilatory adj.# delaying. If you are dilatory in paying bills, your credit rating may suffer.#dilemma n.#problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives. In this dilemma, he knew no one to whom he could turn for advice.#dilettante n.#aimless follower of the arts; amateur; dabbler. He was not serious in his painting; he was rather a dilettante.#diligence n.# steadiness of effort; persistent hard work. Her employers were greatly impressed by her diligence and offered her a partnership in the firm. diligent, adj. #dilute v.#make less concentrated; reduce in strength. She preferred to dilute her coffee with milk.#diminution n.# lessening; reduction in size. Old Jack was as sharp at eighty as he had been at fifty; increasing age led to no diminution of his mental acuity.#din n.#continued loud noise. The din of the jackhammers outside the classroom window drowned out the lecturer's voice. also v.#dinghy n.#small ship's boat. In the film Lifeboat, an ill-assorted group of passengers from a sunken ocean liner are marooned at sea in a dinghy.#dingy adj.#dull; not fresh; cheerless. Refusing to be depressed by her dingy studio apartment, Bea spent the weekend polishing the floors and windows and hanging bright posters on the walls.#dint n.#means; effort. By dint of much hard work, the volunteers were able to place the raging forest fire under control.#diorama n.#life-size three-dimensional scene from nature or history. Because they dramatically pose actual stuffed animals against realistic painted landscapes, the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History particularly impress high school biology students.#dire adj.#disastrous. People ignored her dire predictions of an approaching depression.#dirge n.#lament with music. The funeral dirge stirred us to tears.#disabuse v.#correct a false impression; undeceive. I will attempt to disabuse you of your impression of my client's guilt; I know he is innocent.#disaffected adj.#disloyal. Once the most loyal of Gorbachev's supporters, Sheverdnaze found himself becoming increasingly disaffected.#disapprobation n.#disapproval; condemnation. The conservative father viewed his daughter's radical boyfriend with disapprobation.#disarray n.#a disorderly or untidy state. After the New Year's party, the once orderly house was in total disarray.#disavowal n.#denial; disclaiming. His disavowal of his part in the conspiracy was not believed by the jury. disavow, v.#disband v.#dissolve; disperse. The chess club disbanded after its disastrous initial season.#disburse v.#pay out. When you disburse money on the company's behalf, be sure to get a receipt.#discernible adj.#distinguishable; perceivable. The ships in the harbor were not discernible in the fog. discern, v.#discerning adj.# mentally quick and observant; having insight. Though no genius, the star was sufficiently discerning to tell her true friends from the countless phonies who flattered her.#disclaim v.#disown; renounce claim to. If I grant you this privilege, will you disclaim all other rights?#disclose v.# reveal. Although competitors offered him bribes, he refused to disclose any information about his company's forthcoming product. disclosure, n.#discombobulated adj.#confused; discomposed. The novice square dancer became so discombobulated that he wandered into the wrong set.#discomfit v.#put to rout; defeat; disconcert. This ruse will discomfit the enemy. discomfiture, n. discomfited, adj. #discomposure n.#agitation; loss of poise. Perpetually poised, Agent 007 never exhibited a moment's discomposure.#disconcert v.#confuse; upset; embarrass. The lawyer was disconcerted by the evidence produced by her adversary.#disconsolate adj.#sad. The death of his wife left him disconsolate.#discord n.#conflict; lack of harmony. Watching Tweedledum battle Tweedledee, Alice wondered what had caused this pointless discord.#discordant adj.# not harmonious; conflicting. Nothing is quite so discordant as the sound of a junior high school orchestra tuning up.#discount v.# disregard; dismiss. Be prepared to discount what he has to say about his ex-wife.#discourse n.# formal discussion; conversation. The young Plato was drawn to the Agora to hear the philosophical discourse of Socrates and his followers. also v.#discredit v.#defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve. The campaign was highly negative in tone; each candidate tried to discredit the other.#discrepancy n.# lack of consistency; difference. The police noticed some discrepancies in his description of the crime and did not believe him.#discrete adj.#separate; unconnected. The universe is composed of discrete bodies.#discretion n.#prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances. Use your discretion in this matter and do not discuss it with anyone. discreet, adj. #discriminating adj.# able to see differences; prejudiced. A superb interpreter of Picasso, she was sufficiently discriminating to judge the most complex works of modern art. (secondary meaning) discrimination, n.#discursive adj.#digressing; rambling. As the lecturer wandered from topic to topic, we wondered what if any point there was to his discursive remarks.#disdain v.# view with scorn or contempt. In the film Funny Face, the bookish heroine disdained fashion models for their lack of intellectual interests. also n.#disembark v.#go ashore; unload cargo from a ship. Before the passengers could disembark, they had to pick up their passports from the ship's purser.#disenfranchise v.#deprive of a civil right. The imposition of the poll tax effectively disenfranchised poor Southern blacks, who lost their right to vote.#disengage v.#uncouple; separate; disconnect. A standard movie routine involves the hero's desperate attempt to disengage a railroad car from a moving train.#disfigure v.#mar in beauty; spoil. An ugly frown disfigured his normally pleasant face.#disgorge v.#surrender something; eject; vomit. Unwilling to disgorge the cash he had stolen from the pension fund, the embezzler tried to run away.#disgruntle v.#make discontented. The passengers were disgruntled by the numerous delays.#dishearten v.#discourage; cause to lose courage or hope. His failure to pass the bar exam disheartened him.#disheveled adj.#untidy. Your disheveled appearance will hurt your chances in this interview.#disinclination n.# unwillingness. Some mornings I feel a great disinclination to get out of bed.#disingenuous adj.#lacking genuine candor; insincere. Now that we know the mayor and his wife are engaged in a bitter divorce fight, we find their earlier remarks regretting their lack of time together remarkably disingenuous.#disinter v.#dig up; unearth. They disinterred the body and held an autopsy.#disinterested adj.#unprejudiced. Given the judge's political ambitions and the lawyers' financial interest in the case, the only disinterested person in the courtroom may have been the court reporter.#disjointed adj.#disconnected. His remarks were so disjointed that we could not follow his reasoning.#dislodge v.#remove (forcibly). Thrusting her fist up under the choking man's lower ribs, Margaret used the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the food caught in his throat.#dismantle v.#take apart. When the show closed, they dismantled the scenery before storing it.#dismay v.#discourage; frighten. The huge amount of work she had left to do dismayed her. also n.#dismember v.#cut into small parts. When the Austrian Empire was dismembered, several new countries were established.#dismiss v.# put away from consideration; reject. Believing in John's love for her, she dismissed the notion that he might be unfaithful. (secondary meaning)#disparage v.# belittle. A doting mother, Emma was more likely to praise her son's crude attempts at art than to disparage them.#disparate adj.#basically different; unrelated. Unfortunately, Tony and Tina have disparate notions of marriage: Tony sees it as a carefree extended love affair, while Tina sees it as a solemn commitment to build a family and a home.#disparity n.# difference; condition of inequality. Their disparity in rank made no difference at all to the prince and Cinderella.#dispassionate adj.#calm; impartial. Known in the company for his cool judgment, Bill could impartially examine the causes of a problem, giving a dispassionate analysis of what had gone wrong, and go on to suggest how to correct the mess.#dispatch n.#speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed. Young Napoleon defeated the enemy with all possible dispatch; he then sent a dispatch to headquarters informing his commander of the great victory. also v.#dispel v.#scatter; drive away; cause to vanish. The bright sunlight eventually dispelled the morning mist.#disperse v.# scatter. The police fired tear gas into the crowd to disperse the protesters. dispersion, n.#dispirited adj.#Lacking in spirit. The coach used all the tricks at his command to buoy up the enthusiasm of his team, which had become dispirited at the loss of the star player.#disputatious adj.# argumentative; fond of arguing. Convinced he knew more than his lawyers, Alan was a disputatious client, ready to argue about the best way to conduct the case. disputant, n.#disquiet v.#make uneasy or anxious. Holmes's absence for a day, slightly disquieted Watson; after a week with no word, however, Watson's uneasiness about his missing friend had grown into a deep fear for his safety. disquietude, n.#dissection n.#analysis; cutting apart in order to examine. The dissection of frogs in the laboratory is particularly unpleasant to some students.#dissemble v.#disguise; pretend. Even though John tried to dissemble his motive for taking modern dance, we all knew he was there not to dance but to meet girls.#disseminate v.# distribute; spread; scatter (like seeds). By their use of the Internet, propagandists have been able to disseminate their pet doctrines to new audiences around the globe.#dissent v.# disagree. In the recent Supreme Court decision, Justice O'Connor dissented from the majority opinion. also n.#dissertation n.#formal essay. In order to earn a graduate degree from many of our universities, a candidate is frequently required to prepare a dissertation on some scholarly subject.#dissident adj.#dissenting; rebellious. In the purge that followed the student demonstrations at Tiananmen Square, the government hunted down the dissident students and their supporters. also n.#dissimulate v.#pretend; conceal by feigning. Although the governor tried to dissimulate his feelings about the opposing candidate, we all knew he despised his rival.#dissipate v.#squander; waste; scatter. He is a fine artist, but I fear he may dissipate his gifts if he keeps wasting his time playing games.#dissolute adj.#Loose in morals. The dissolute life led by the ancient Romans is indeed shocking.#dissolution n.#breaking of a union; decay; termination. Which caused King Lear more suffering: the dissolution of his kingdom into warring factions, or the dissolution of his aged, failing body?#dissonance n.#discord. Composer Charles Ives often used dissonance-clashing or unresolved chords-for special effects in his musical works.#dissuade v.#persuade not to do; discourage. Since Tom could not dissuade Huck from running away from home, he decided to run away with him. dissuasion, n.#distant adj.#reserved or aloof; cold in manner. His distant greeting made me feel unwelcome from the start. (secondary meaning)#distend v.# expand; swell out. I can tell when he is under stress by the way the veins distend on his forehead.#distill v.#extract the essence; purify; refine. A moonshiner distills mash into whiskey; an epigrammatist distills thoughts into quips.#distinction n.#honor; contrast; discrimination. A holder of the Medal of Honor, George served with great distinction in World War II. He made a distinction, however, between World War II and Vietnam, which he considered an immoral conflict.#distort v.#twist out of shape. It is difficult to believe the newspaper accounts of the riots because of the way some reporters distort and exaggerate the actual events. distortion, n.#distraught adj.#upset; distracted by anxiety. The distraught parents frantically searched the ravine for their lost child.#diurnal adj.#daily. A farmer cannot neglect his diurnal tasks at any time; cows, for example, must be milked regularly.#diva n.#operatic singer; prima donna. Although world famous as a diva, she did not indulge in fits of temperament.#diverge v.#vary; go in different directions from the same point. The spokes of the wheel diverge from the hub.#divergent adj.# differing; deviating. Since graduating from medical school, the two doctors have taken divergent paths, one going on to become a nationally prominent surgeon, the other dedicating himself to a small family practice in his home town. divergence, n.#diverse adj.#differing in some characteristics; various. The professor suggested diverse ways of approaching the assignment and recommended that we choose one of them. diversity, n.#diversion n.#act of turning aside; pastime. After studying for several hours, he needed a diversion from work. divert, v.#diversity n.#variety; dissimilitude. The diversity of colleges in this country indicates that many levels of ability are being cared for.#divest v.#strip; deprive. He was divested of his power to act and could no longer govern. divestiture, n.#divine v.#perceive intuitively; foresee the future. Nothing infuriated Tom more than Aunt Polly's ability to divine when he was telling the truth. #divulge v.#reveal. No lover of gossip, Charlotte would never divulge anything that a friend told her in confidence. #docile adj.#obedient; easily managed. As docile as he seems today, that old lion was once a ferocious, snarling beast. docility, n.#doctrinaire adj.#unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding. Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement might bring about change in China, but the repressive response of the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy.#doctrine n.# teachings, in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught. He was so committed to the doctrines of his faith that he was unable to evaluate them impartially.#document v.# provide written evidence. She kept all the receipts from her business trip in order to document her expenses for the firm. also n.#doff v.#take off. A gentleman used to doff his hat to a lady.#dogged adj.#determined; stubborn. Les Miserables tells of Inspector Javert's long, dogged pursuit of the criminal Jean Valjean.#doggerel n.#poor verse. Although we find occasional snatches of genuine poetry in her work, most of her writing is mere doggerel.#dogmatic adj.# opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal. We tried to discourage Doug from being so dogmatic, but never could convince him that his opinions might be wrong.#doldrums n.#blues; listlessness; slack period. Once the excitement of meeting her deadline was over, she found herself in the doldrums.#doleful adj.#sorrowful. He found the doleful lamentations of the bereaved family emotionally disturbing and he left as quickly as he could.#dolt n.#stupid person. The heroes of Dumb and Dumber are, as the title suggests, a classic pair of dolts.#domicile n.#home. Although his legal domicile was in New York City, his work kept him away from his residence for many years. also v.#domineer v.#rule over tyrannically. Students prefer teachers who guide, not ones who domineer.#don v.#put on. When Clark Kent has to don his Superman outfit, he changes clothes in a convenient phone booth.#doodle v.#scribble or draw aimlessly; waste time. Art's teachers scolded him when he doodled all over the margins of his papers.#dormant adj.#sleeping; lethargic; latent. At fifty her long-dormant ambition to write flared up once more; within a year she had completed the first of her great historical novels.#dormer n.#window projecting from roof. In remodeling the attic into a bedroom, we decided that we needed to put in dormers to provide sufficient ventilation for the new room.#dossier n.#file of documents on a subject. Ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the senator, the FBI compiled a complete dossier on him.#dote v.#be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline. Not only grandmothers bore you with stories about their brilliant grandchildren; grandfathers dote on the little rascals, too. Poor old Alf clearly doted: the senile old dotard was past it; in fact, he was in his dotage.#douse v.#plunge into water; drench; extinguish. They doused each other with hoses and water balloons.#dowdy adj.#slovenly; untidy. She tried to change her dowdy image by buying a new fashionable wardrobe.#downcast adj.#disheartened; sad. Cheerful and optimistic by nature, Beth was never downcast despite the difficulties she faced.#drab adj.#dull; lacking color; cheerless. The Dutch woman's drab winter coat contrasted with the distinctive, colorful native costume she wore beneath it.#draconian adj.#extremely severe. When the principal canceled the senior prom because some seniors had been late to school that week, we thought the draconian punishment was far too harsh for such a minor violation of the rules.#dregs n.#sediment; worthless residue. David poured the wine carefully to avoid stirring up the dregs.#drivel n.#nonsense; foolishness. Why do I have to spend my days listening to such idiotic drivel? Drivel is related to dribble: think of a dribbling, driveling idiot.#droll adj.#queer and amusing. He was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes were always entertaining.#drone n.#idle person; male bee. Content to let his wife support him, the would-be writer was in reality nothing but a drone.#drone v.#talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee. On a gorgeous day, who wants to be stuck in a classroom listening to the teacher drone?#dross n.#waste matter; worthless impurities. Many methods have been devised to separate the valuable metal from the dross.#drudgery n.#menial work. Cinderella's fairy godmother rescued her from a life of drudgery.#dubious adj.# questionable; filled with doubt. Many critics of the SAT contend the test is of dubious worth. Jay claimed he could get a perfect 2400 on the new SAT, but Ellen was dubious: she knew he hadn't cracked a book in three years.#ductile adj.#malleable; flexible; pliable. Copper is an extremely ductile material: you can stretch it into the thinnest of wires, bend it, even wind it into loops.#dulcet adj.#sweet sounding. The dulcet sounds of the birds at dawn were soon drowned out by the roar of traffic passing our motel.#dumbfound v.#astonish. Egbert's perfect 2400 on his SAT exam dumbfounded his classmates, who had always found him to be perfectly dumb.#dupe n.# someone easily fooled. While the gullible Watson often was made a dupe by unscrupulous parties, Sherlock Holmes was far more difficult to fool. also v.#duplicity n.# double-dealing; hypocrisy. When Tanya learned that Mark had been two-timing her, she was furious at his duplicity.#duration n.#length of time something lasts. Because she wanted the children to make a good impression on the dinner guests, Mother promised them a treat if they'd behave for the duration of the meal.#duress n.#forcible restraint, especially unlawfully. The hostages were held under duress until the prisoners' demands were met.#dutiful adj.#respectful; obedient. When Mother told Billy to kiss Great-Aunt Hattie, the boy obediently gave the old woman a dutiful peck on her cheek.#dwarf v.#cause to seem small. The giant redwoods and high cliffs dwarfed the elegant Ahwahnee Hotel, making it appear a modest lodge rather than an imposing hostelry.#dwindle v.#shrink; reduce. The food in the life boat gradually dwindled away to nothing; in the end, they ate the ship's cook. #dynamic adj.#energetic; vigorously active. The dynamic aerobics instructor kept her students on the run; she was a little dynamo.#