D
daunt
To make someone feel slightly frightened or worried about their ability to achieve something
dauntless
Showing determination and no fear
In spite of the scale of the famine, the relief workers struggled on with dauntless optimism.
debase
To reduce the quality or value of something
Some argue that money has debased football.
debilitate
To make someone or something physically weak
Chemotherapy exhausted and debilitated him.
debonair
Attractive, confident, and carefully dressed:
a debonair young man
defile
To spoil the goodness or beauty of something
Cans, paper bags, and other trash defiled the landscape.
deleterious
harmful
These drugs have a proven deleterious effect on the nervous system.
deluge
A very large amount of rain or water
This little stream can become a deluge when it rains heavily.
demise
The end of the operation or existence of something
Huge corporate farms have led to the demise of many small, family-owned farms.
denizen
An animal, plant, or person that lives in or is often in a particular place
Deer and squirrels are among the denizens of the forest.
derisive
Showing derision
Derisive laughter
derogate
To talk about or treat someone or something in a way that shows you do not respect him, her, or it
an abstruse philosophical essay
desiccate
Dried, with the moisture removed
100 g of desiccated coconut
detriment
Harm or damage
Are you sure that I can follow this diet without detriment to my health?
detritus
Waste material or rubbish, especially left after a particular event
The stadium was littered with the detritus of yesterday's concert.
devout
Believing strongly in a religion and obeying all its rules or principles
a devout Buddhist/Christian/churchgoer
diabolical
Extremely bad or shocking
Conditions in the prison were diabolical.
diadem
A small crown (= circular decoration for the head) with jewels in it
diaphanous
A diaphanous substance, especially cloth, is so delicate and thin that you can see through it
a diaphanous silk veil
dichotomy
A difference between two completely opposite ideas or things
There is often a dichotomy between what politicians say and what they do.
didactic
Intended to teach, or to improve morals by teaching
Children’s books possess a practical, didactic purpose – to instill a love for reading.
dilate
To (cause a part of the body to) become wider or further open
The pupils of the eyes dilate as darkness increases.
dire
Very serious or extreme
These people are in dire need of help.
discern
To see, recognize, or understand something that is not clear
I could just discern a figure in the darkness.
discharge
To allow someone to leave
Allen was discharged from the hospital yesterday.
disconcert
To make someone feel suddenly uncertain and worried
The whole experience had disconcerted him.
disconsolate
Extremely sad and disappointed:
The players were disconsolate after losing what should have been an easy game.
discreet
Careful not to cause embarrassment or attract a lot of attention
There was a discreet knock on the door.
disparate
Different in every way
The two cultures were so utterly disparate that she found it hard to adapt from one to the other.
dissident
A person who publicly disagrees with and criticizes their government
political dissidents.
distend
(usually of the stomach or other part of the body) to swell and become large (as if) by pressure from inside
divulge
To make something secret known
Journalists do not divulge their sources.
dolorous
Sad, or causing sadness or emotional suffering
drivel
Nonsense or boring and unnecessary information
You're talking drivel as usual!
droll
Humorous, especially in an unusual way
a droll remark/expression/person
