Confusing Words Clarified Group D
The day-to-day arena of spoken and written communication has always been a perilous place, fraught with endless possibilities for embarrassing blunders by even the most wary.
People may have a fine grasp of grammar, be proficient with spelling and syntax, and still occasionally find themselves in a quandary about which word to use. These days it seems that those of us who want to be precise are having a harder time than ever because there is so much which is working against us.
For one thing, there is the constant bombardment of sloppy English that we are subjected to from what we hear and read; and not just what's overheard on the bus or read on the walls of buildings.
daffynition, fictionary, lexicomedy
daffynition (daf" uh NISH uhn)
A combination of daffy and definition referring to funny definitions and word play: "At the very minimum, a daffynition is a humorous way to consider the meanings of words."
questionable: what Cain did when he was curious about what his brother Abel was so upset about. outlying: where your prevaricating son is now. laplander: anyone who can't keep his, or her, balance in a crowded subway. gruesome: how they got their fresh vegetables. groan: a fully matured person. aspen: a donkey coral. abdication: giving up on stomach exercises. dictionary: the only place where "divorce" comes before "marriage". gossip: a news source from one person based on a series of contributers. jury: a panel of twelve untrained in law who are asked to render their legal decisions. fictionary (FIK chuhn airy)
A composition of fake, or make-believe, definitions from "fiction" and the last part of "dictionary": "There are those who believe that "daffynition" and "fictionary" are synonymous."
glazing: sleeping with the eyes open, a popular pastime at conferences and early-morning meetings. sarchasm: The gulf between the person being sarcastic and the person who doesn't understand what it means. keystroke: when only one side of the computer keyboard is working. legend (leg-end): the foot or where the foot is located. information (in formation): how military aircraft fly. lexicomedy (lex" i KOM uhdi)
A source of facetious or humorous definitions or a publication that is always changing the subject on every page: "Another source of off-beat definitions can be found in lexicomedy presentations."
diet: a form of wishful shrinking. dieting: corporal downsizing. dieting: life in the fast [fasting] lane. dairy, diary
dairy (DAIR ee)
Milk or a milk-products-producing enterprise; a milk store: "Excuse me, will you direct me to the dairy section of your store because I would like to buy some milk."
diary (DIGH uh ree)
A daily record written about by someone about his/her life: "For her birthday, she received a diary, a book in which she could write about the events of her life."
"She wrote regularly in her diary while she was traveling in Europe."
A diary is the confidant that doesn't talk [but it can be very revealing if it falls into another person's hands].
dam, damn
dam (DAM)
1. A body of water controlled by an obstruction of earth, concrete, etc.: "The dam was built to control the flow of the river, unfortunately it is also endangering many buildings on the nearby land."
2. A female parent which is a reference to a quadruped: "The racing sheet explained that Daisy was the dam of the winning horse, Tulip."
damn (DAM)
1. To condemn to eternal punishment, to doom: "Some people believe that morale misconduct by those who commit such acts will damn them to eternal punishment."
2. Used to express anger, irritation, contempt, or disappointment: "When I hit my finger with the hammer, I shouted, damn! and then I painfully went to get a bandage."
3. To condemn as injurious, illegal, or immoral: "The speaker continued to damn drugs, alcohol, and smoking as destructive to the well-being of society."
Dam is a word that means to "hold back", but it has the opposite meaning if the letter n is added.
dammed, damned
dammed (DAM'd)
Held or kept back; for example, by dirt or concrete banks: "The river was dammed so the water could be kept in place for use by the people."
damned (DAM'd)
Condemned, criticized, or cursed: "The preacher damned evil doers to Hell."
damp, dank
damp (DAMP)
1. Moisture in the air; humidity: "It was hard to dry the laundry because the air was too damp."
2. Somewhat or slightly wet: "As her forehead was damp with perspiration, she urged her son to help her wipe up the mess of broken eggs on the kitchen floor with a damp cloth."
dank (DANGK)
Disagreeably damp, humid, or very moist: "Whenever it is dank, we can be sure that it is a result of a rainy, humid, or foggy condition."
While the woman was cleaning the dank basement, her forehead became very damp with perspiration so she wiped it with a damp cloth.
After a while, the cloth became dank and she had to replace it with another dry cloth.
Dane, deign
Dane (DAYN)
An individual who lives in or is from Denmark, a country in Scandinavia: "Hans Christian Anderson was a famous Dane who wrote fairy tales for children."
deign (DAYN)
To put aside the privileges of rank or position in a very condescending, superior manner; that is, to lower oneself to do something that one considers to be below his or her dignity: "Despite his misgivings, the mayor did deign to speak to the crowd at the tavern."
The mayor who was a Dane by ancestry announced that he would deign the offer to run for another term of office.
dangle, tangle
dangle (DANG guhl)
To hang about in an uncertain manner; to hang something in a manner that allows it to swing freely: "The dog's owner attempted to dangle a bone in front of the dog to make him do tricks."
"She tried to dangle her feet in the water as she sat on the edge of the swimming pool."
tangle (TANG guhl)
1. A confused or bewildering situation: "He was about to tangle himself up in legal problems."
2. A scrambled mess of something: "The string was all in a tangle and could not be undone."
Oh, what a tangle of confusion we create when we try to do too many things at once; like, trying to dangle our feet in the water of our swimming pool while playing with our dog whose leash was in a tangle because he was chasing the bone which we tried to dangle in front of him.
days, daze
days (DAYZ)
The periods of light between sunrises and sunsets: "For some reason, summer days are more desired than winter days."
daze (DAYZ)
A stunned or bewildered condition: "He left the science class in a daze more than he had anticipated."
For some people, too often school days result in school daze.
deadly, deathly
deadly (DED lee)
1. Causing or able to cause death: "Some of the people had a more deadly form of the disease that was spreading throughout the world."
2. Extremely accurate and effective: "He had a deadly aim with his bow and arrow."
3. Extreme or complete: "A deadly silence followed his question to the audience."
deathly (DETH lee)
1. Suggestive of the cessation of life: "Her face had a deathly pallor as the result of having thought she saw a ghost."
2. In a way that is close to death or dying: "He became deathly ill."
My face became a deathly pale when I listened to the reports of the deadly effect of the avalanche on the mountain village.
dear, deer
dear (DEER)
1. Expensive, loved, or precious: "The jewelry which she inherited from her grandmother was very dear to her."
2. With love and respect: "She lost her family, her home; everything that she held dear."
3. Used when writing to address someone; such as, in a letter: "Dear Sir, Dear Jane, etc."
deer (DEER)
A cud-chewing, herbivorous, hoofed quadruped: "The hikers saw a herd of deer in the meadow."
When Santa Claus wanted to remind his flying reindeer to get ready to pull his sleigh and to help him deliver Christmas gifts, he sent a common message to his team starting with "Dear deer".
A beloved buck, or doe, is a dear deer.
dearth, death
dearth (DURTH)
A scarce supply; a lack of, not having enough of something: "The dearth of uncensored, firsthand information about the war is a concern of many leaders."
"There is a dearth of food in many parts of the world."
Go to this page for more details about dearth.
death (DETH)
The act of dying; the termination of life: "His sudden death at such a young age was very disturbing to his parents."
"She worked at the newspaper until her death at the age of 75."
debar, disbar
debar (dee BAHR)
A circumstance that would prevent something from happening: "Being born in a foreign country would debar the candidate from running for President of the U.S."
disbar (dis BAHR)
To remove the status and privileges and obligations of someone who was a legal practitioner: "Not paying his traffic fines served to disbar the lawyer so he could no longer practice law."
"Her unethical practices were sufficient reasons to disbar her."
decadence, decadents
decadence (DEK uh duhns, di KAYD ns)
1. Behavior that shows low morals and an excessive love of worldly pleasure, money, fame, etc.: "The book condemns the decadence of modern society."
2. The characteristic of being artificial or lacking in quality: "The court dandy demonstrated decadence in his dress and manner."
decadents (DEK uh duhns, di KAYD ns)
Those who are described as having low morals and who are only interested in physical or worldly pleasures: "The book condemns some of society's wealthiest members as decadent fools."
In the latest movie about the Revolution, the decadence of the aristocratic decadents was portrayed realistically.
decease, disease
decease (di SEES)
To die, cease living; death: "The newspaper carried an article clarifying the decease of the popular doctor."
disease (di ZEEZ)
A condition that impairs the full and healthy functioning of an animal or plant: "The crops in the field appeared to be dying of a disease which was turning the leaves brown."
deceased, diseased
deceased (di SEES't, di SEEST)
Dead; no longer living: "The minister asked that everyone spend a quiet moment thinking of their deceased friend."
"Is your grandfather alive or deceased?"
diseased (di ZEEZ'd, di ZEEZD)
Ill, sick; a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally: "The doctor determined his patient was diseased based on the spots appearing on his chest."
The doctor reported that the deceased had been diseased for several years before dying.
decent, descent, dissent
decent (DEE suhnt)
Suitable, fit, or proper: "They were on strike for decent wages."
descent (di SENT)
1. The act of going down; a downward drop: "The hikers found that their descent was very treacherous because of the loose rocks and tree limbs on the path."
2. A downward incline or passage; a slope: "The hikers found the descent on the mountain trail very dangerous because of the loose rocks."
dissent (di SENT)
1. As a noun, a disagreement: "The fact they had an occasional dissent, and did not see eye to eye on some subjects, did not spoil their friendship."
2. As a verb, to disagree, to contradict, to differ in opinion or feeling, or to wrangle: "During the debate among candidates, they often would dissent and contradict each other."
"The two members of government would often dissent with each other about legal matters; however, they continued to be friends."
decertification, desertification
decertification (dee SUHR tuh fuh kay" shuhn)
1. A procedure under which (1) employees of a firm can disassociate themselves from a specific union, or (2) a company can withdraw a union's official recognition as the exclusive bargaining representative of the firm's employees: "The automobile company may have to use decertification of unions in order to cut down on operational expenses."
2. A process that causes something to be no longer approved or accepted: "The government had to use decertification of the agency because it was not performing its functions as intended".
desertification (di zur" tuh fi KAY shuhn)
1. A process by which an area changes to, or becomes, a desert: "We must be aware of further desertification of our western land areas."
2. The rapid depletion of plant life and the loss of topsoil at desert boundaries and in semiarid regions; usually, caused by a combination of drought and the overexploitation of grasses and other vegetation by people: "The international organization was praised for its efforts to prevent further desertification in Africa."
decimate, demolish, destroy
decimate (DES uh mayt")
1. To eliminate or to get rid of a large number of (plants, animals, people, etc.): "If we do not get rain soon, it will decimate our crops."
2. To severely damage or destroy a large part of something: "The government's budget cuts will decimate public services in many small towns."
demolish (di MAHL ish)
1. To eliminate credibility: "The gossip in the office threatened to demolish the reputation of the manager."
2. To break up into pieces or to tear down: "The construction company used large equipment to demolish the abandoned building."
"They will demolish the old factory to make way for a new parking lot and a large quantity of explosives were used to demolish it."
destroy (di STROI)
To spoil or ruin the condition of an object: "Flooding in the basement will destroy the furniture that is stored there."
decisive, incisive
decisive (di SIGH siv)
1. Being able to make or formulate solutions or answers to a situation: "Part of his job was to take decisive actions in difficult situations."
2. Causing something to end in a particular way: "The poverty of his childhood played a decisive role in his adult life."
incisive (in SIGH siv)
1. Clear, direct, insightful: "Her incisive comments helped to bring the debate to a close."
2. Able to explain difficult ideas clearly and confidently: "She's known for her incisive mind and quick wit."
decompose, discompose
decompose (dee" kuhm POHZ)
1. To undergo a chemical change resulting in rot or decay: "They put the vegetable trimmings in the garden to decompose and fertilize the soil."
2. To cause something; such as, dead plants and the bodies of dead animals, to be slowly destroyed and broken down by natural processes, chemicals, etc.: "Bacteria and fungi help to decompose organic matter."
discompose (dis" kuhm POHZ)
To make someone lose his or her composure; to agitate or to unsettle and so to put into a state of disorder: "The bad news about her mother could only discompose or upset us."
A visitor observed Beethoven seated at the piano earnestly erasing the notes from a score in front of him. It’s the man approached, Beethoven exclaimed: "Please, don’t interrupt me because I’m decomposing."
decorum, propriety
decorum (di KOHR uhm)
Good taste and behavior in both appearance and personal conduct: "She was the epitome of decorum in all her business undertakings."
propriety (pruh PRIGH i tee)
Doing what is socially acceptable in terms of manners, conduct, and manner of speaking: "His behavior would not offend the propriety of the professional organization to which he hoped to belong."
"When attending a wedding, there are certain social rules that must be observed and so we should act with propriety."
decree, degree
decree (di KREE)
An official order, edict, or decision; as of a church, government, or court: "The government issued a decree to the effect that everyone should conserve water during the summer."
degree (di GREE)
1. Any of successive steps or states in a process or series; relative intensity: "In the television court room drama, the lawyers gave the witness the third degree, asking intense questions."
2. A unit of measure on a scale: "The students could measure the degrees of heat generated during their experiment using the temperature scale."
3. An academic title given to students who complete a prescribed course of study at a college or university, etc.: "She was very proud of her science degree from the famous university.?/div>
deduce, deduct
deduce (di DOOS, di DYOOS)
1. To trace the course of: "The doctor asked his intern, 'How would you deduce the course of the illness?'."
2. To infer by logical reasoning: "The student stated that he would deduce the patient had a cold based on his temperature and fever."
3. To conclude from known facts or general principles: "The police inspector was able to deduce who was responsible for the accident based on his inspection of the actual scene."
deduct (di DUKT)
To subtract or to take away: "His employer will deduct the taxes from his pay check before it is deposited in the bank."
defective, deficient
defective (di FEK tiv)
Missing something essential or critical for typical function: "I had to return my vacuum cleaner to the store where I bought it because it was defective."
deficient (di FISH uhnt)
Not up to typical expectations or standards; lacking in essential elements: "The doctor stated that the tests indicated she was deficient in iron and needed to take a supplement."
defence, defense
defence (di FENS), a British, Canadian, etc. spelling.
1. Making or keeping safe from danger, attack, or harm: "They mounted a good defence against the invaders."
2. The act of speaking or writing in support of someone or something which is being attacked or criticized: "We listened to a passionate defence of the governor's decision."
3. The side of a legal case which argues that a person who is being sued or accused of a crime is innocent: "The defence attorney told the jury that the prosecution had not proven its case."
defense (di FENS), the U.S. spelling.
1. Making or keeping safe from danger, attack, or harm: "They mounted a good defense against the invaders."
2. The act of speaking or writing in support of someone or something which is being attacked or criticized: "We listened to a passionate defense of the governor's decision."
3. The side of a legal case which argues that a person who is being sued or accused of a crime is innocent: "The defense attorney told the jury that the prosecution had not proven its case."
defendant, plaintiff
defendant (di FEN duhnt, di FEN dant")
In a legal situation, the individual who must respond to an application before the courts to resolve a situation: "The defendant answered the lawyer's questions to be best of his abilities."
plaintiff (PLAYN tif)
An individual who starts a legal action to resolve a legal situation involving his or her rights: "The plaintiff hired a lawyer to help to resolve his demand for compensation after the accident."
defensible, defensive
defensible (di FEN suh buhl)
That which can be protected: "Her innocence of the crime was defensible because she had not been present when the murder took place."
defensive (di FEN siv)
Committed to resisting or protecting a situation from defeat or harm: "The football team played a strong defensive game, scoring the last touchdown to win the game."
defer, differ
defer (di FUR)
1. To put off or to choose to do something at a later time: "It is so easy to defer major house cleaning until another day, but it always catches up with just about everyone."
2. To yield to an authority: "The Social Worker agreed to defer to the experience of her supervisor."
differ (DIF ur)
1. To disagree: "As best friends, we would often differ on our interpretations of the books we had read."
"We almost always seem to differ with each other on political issues."
2. To be unlike: "Even though they were twins, they tended to differ from each other in hobbies and sports."
"The parents differ in their approach as to how the children should be disciplined."
deference, difference
deference (DEF ur uhns)
1. A yielding in opinion, judgment or wishes: "The junior lawyer showed deference to his senior partner by agreeing with his request to adjourn."
2. Courteous regard or respect for someone or something: "I was taught to show deference to people who were as old as my grandparents."
difference (DIF ur uhns, DIF ruhns)
Not alike, dissimilar; not the same; the quality that makes one person or thing unlike another one: "The difference between the two objects on the table was difficult to notice at first glance."
"There's a striking difference in the sisters' opinions on the subject."
defile, defile, defile
defile (di FIGHL), verb
1. To make filthy or dirty; to pollute: "The town sewer was known to defile the river with sewage."
2. To take away or to ruin the purity, honor, or goodness of something or someone important: "The vulgar talk of some talk-show hosts defile the normal acceptability of public communication."
This meaning dates back to the 14th century and is derived from the Old French verb defouler, meaning "to trample on" or "to mistreat".
defile (di FIGHL), verb
To march off in a line: "The students were told to defile into the auditorium for a special presentation."
This meaning of defile came into English in the early 18th century. It is also from French, but is derived from the verb defiler which was formed by combining de-, "de down, from, away" + filer, "to move in a column".
defile (di FIGHL), noun
A narrow passage through mountains; a gorge: "The train went through the defile of the mountains as it progressed to our destination."
D嶨iler is also the source of this English noun "defile", which means "narrow passage" or "gorge".
definite, definitive
definite (DEF uh nit)
Clear and unmistakable; precise: "The statement was definite and left no room for misunderstanding."
definitive (di FIN i tiv)
Authoritative and exhaustive: "This definitive life of Keats leaves nothing for future biographers; it is the final word on the subject."
defuse, diffuse
defuse (dee FYOOZ)
1. To remove the fuse from (an explosive device): "The special police had to defuse the bomb before they could enter the building."
2. To make less dangerous, tense, or hostile: "The President made a diplomatic move that could defuse the crisis."
diffuse (di FYOOS; dee FYOOZ)
1. (di FYOOS) Widely spread or scattered; not concentrated: "The forest was filled with a soft, diffuse light."
2. (dee FYOOZ) To spread out and to move freely throughout a large area: "The heat from the radiator seemed to diffuse throughout the room."
defused, diffused
defused (di FYOOZ'd)
To make something or a situation less harmful or tense: "The leaders' speeches to the crowds defused the tense situation."
diffused (di FYOOS'd, di FYOOZ'd)
To cause to spread out or to scatter: "The wind diffused the seeds of the dandelion."
delegate, delicate
delegate
1. As a noun (DEL i git), a person authorized to act as a representative for another person; a deputy or an agent: "He's been chosen as a delegate to the convention to represent our community."
2. As a verb (DEL i gayt"), to give control, responsibility, authority, etc. to someone: "The manager will delegate authority to the best employees of this company so the project can succeed."
delicate (DEL i kit)
1. Pleasing to the senses; especially, in a subtle way: "The delicate color of her dress was very attractive."
2. Easily broken or damaged: "This cup is very delicate and fragile; so please handle it carefully."
3. Easily disturbed or upset: "Many people struggle to maintain the delicate balance between work and family."
delegate, relegate
delegate (DEL i gayt", DEL i git)
An individual acting in behalf of another person; to give authority to another individual: "The president appointed the union leader as a delegate to the convention."
relegate (REL i gayt")
To assign an idea or a concept to a place of insignificance or to put something out of one mind: "After the long argument, I was determined to relegate the conflict out of my mind and to think of other things."
deluded, diluted
deluded (di LOOD'd)
To trick or to mislead the mind: "I was very sad to realize that the patient in hospital was deluded and thought he was the king."
diluted (digh LOOT'd)
To reduce the strength of something or to make thin by adding a substance: "The recipe stated that the sauce should be diluted with cream."
denounce, renounce
denounce (di NOUNS)
To speak or to make threatening remarks against or about an individual or situation: "The mob made angry comments seeking to denounce the landlord for the high rents."
renounce (ri NOUNS)
To give up or to refuse to follow or to cooperate: "The king chose to renounce his throne rather than allow the evil wizard to take over."
dense, dents
dense (DENS)
Concentrated, compact, requiring great concentration: "The poetry was very dense and powerful, requiring the students' careful study."
dents (DENTS)
Small hollows resulting from blows or hits by something harder: "She took her car to the body shop to repair the dents on the hood after the accident."
dependence, dependents
dependence (di PEN duhns)
Reliance, trust: "She showed great dependence on the reports that were given in the newspaper."
dependents (di PEN duhnts)
People who rely on others for support: "The tax forms ask the individual to list all the dependents under the age of 16."
"The insurance provides coverage for workers and their dependents."
deposition, disposal, disposition
deposition (dep" uh ZISH uhn)
The written testimony of a witness made under oath: "The law clerk helped the witness prepare the deposition to submit to the court, telling her side of the story."
disposal (di SPOH zuhl)
1. The authority or inclination to determine the use of something: "As office manager, it is at my disposal whether the visitors may use the telephone and fax machine."
2. An instrument for the orderly and systematic destruction of something: "When they renovated their kitchen, they installed a top-of-the-line disposal system for garbage."
disposition (dis" puh ZISH uhn)
1. To control or to manage: "The last will of the factory owner was careful to make a statement of the disposition of the bank account to the family lawyer."
2. Getting rid of something: "She arranged for the disposition of the old tires by sending them to the recycling center."
3. A typical attitude, temperament, or mood: "She had a sunny disposition which enhanced her teaching skills."
depravation, deprivation
depravation (dep" ruh VAY shuhn)
The corruption of or making something or someone evil: "A consequence of living on the streets was the depravation of character of the youth."
deprivation (dep" ruh VAY shuhn)
Not having basic or perceived basic requirements for living; lacking desired or necessary items or things: "She eventually overcame the deprivation of her childhood."
depraved, deprived
depraved (di PRAYV'd)
Having been made morally bad, corrupted, or perverted; morally debased: "The evil character in the book was morally depraved and violent."
deprived (di PRIGHV'd)
1. Underprivileged: "The film told the story of the deprived youth and how he succeeded."
2. Something taken away: "When I am deprived of chocolate, I feel very cranky."
deprecate, depreciate
deprecate (DEP ri kayt")
To disapprove; usually, with regret: "After the senator left town, I felt badly that I had attempted to deprecate his good works."
depreciate (di PREE shee ayt")
To lessen the price or value of something: "I was informed that the value of my car will depreciate every year."
depression, recession
depression (di PRESH uhn)
1. A state of feeling sad or a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way: "She has been undergoing treatment for severe depression."
2. A period of drastic decline in a national or international economy, characterized by decreasing business activity, falling prices, and unemployment: "After several years of an economic boom, it looks as though we may be heading for a depression."
The term depression commonly refers to a serious, prolonged recession during which the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) declines by more than ten percentage points.
recession (re SESH uhn)
1. The act of moving back or away slowly: "They were happy to see the recession of the floodwaters."
2. A period, shorter than a depression, during which there is a decline in economic trade and prosperity: "Many people lost their jobs during the this recent recession."
One widespread definition of a recession the one used by newspapers is a decline in the gross domestic product for two or more consecutive quarters.
Most economists quibble with these characterizations because they don't take into account the unemployment rate or consumer confidence.
The National Bureau of Economic Research, for example, defines the term recession as a "significant decline" distributed across the economy lasting more than a few months; usually visible in the numbers for GDP, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales.
Understood as a natural part of the business cycle, a recession is the period between when activity has reached its peak and when it reaches its low point or "trough". It seems that economists don't agree on an official dividing line between a depression and a bad recession.
Partly based on information from:
"You Say Depression, I Say Recession; are we talking about the same thing?"
by Juliet Lapidos; Slate Magazine; October 1, 2008.
descendant, descendent
descendant (di SEN duhnt)
Someone who is related to a person or group of people who lived in the past: "He was a descendant of German immigrants."
descendent (di SEN duhnt)
Moving downward; a downward incline or passage; a slope: "The skiers were not aware of the steep descendent hill until it was too late."
desert, desert, deserts, dessert
desert (di ZURT)
To leave, forsake, or abandon, AWOL: "A person can desert from the army during war just once and never have a second chance to do it."
"If their nest is disturbed, birds will often desert it."
desert (DEZ urt)
Dry, barren region (note one "s" as in sand): "A person can go walking out into the desert without water just once (one "s") because he/she probably will not survive to do it again."
deserts (di ZURTS)
That which is deserved or punishment that someone deserves: "They all wanted to see this criminal receive his just deserts."
dessert (di ZURT)
Sweet food served at the end of a meal; sometimes two are desired ("ss"): "We had ice cream and apple pie for our dessert."
While the woman was having her dessert in the restaurant, she was wishing that she could desert her broken down car right there in the desert.
The deserter in the desert who became nauseated after eating too much dessert probably got his just deserts.
desirable, desirous
desirable (di ZIGHR uh b'l)
1. Something which a person wants: "I would find it desirable right now to have a drink of water."
2. Something which is pleasing or valuable: "Diamonds are considered a desirable investment."
desirous (di ZIGHR uhs)
Having, displaying, or marked by desire: "She was desirous of making a good impression during the job interview."
desolate, dissolute
desolate (DES uh lit)
1. Verb: To lay waste, to make uninhabitable: "They were afraid the severe storm would desolate the countryside."
2. Noun: Lonely, solitary; uninhabited, deserted: "The story of the desolate castle in the wilderness intrigued the explorers."
dissolute (DIS uh loot")
1. Immoral, debauched: "Don Giovanni was considered a dissolute but charming individual."
2. A description of someone whose way of living is considered morally wrong: "It's sad to say, but she has led a dissolute life as a prostitute ever since she left home as a teenager."
desperate, disparate, desperado
desperate (DES puhr it)
Extreme loss of hope, frustration, or attempts to escape a situation: "Caught in the undertow of the tide, he made a desperate attempt to swim to the shore."
disparate (DIS puhr it, di SPAR it)
1. Marked by distinct differences or character: "Even though the boys were twins, their personalities were disparate."
2. Different from each other; dissimilar; radically different, different in essential qualities: "The discussion included topics as disparate as the economy and health care."
"The school was composed of students from disparate cultures."
desperado (des" puh RAH doh, des" puh RAY doh)
A bold bandit or criminal, often associated with the "wild west" of the United States: "The desperado was easily recognized by his white horse and silver saddle as he came into town."
"The desperado was described as a desperate character or ruffian."
The desperate desperadoes were disparate as to how they should avoid capture by the pursuing police.
detract, distract
detract (di TRAKT)
To take or to draw away: "The bill boards along the highway only detract your attention from the lovely scenery."
distract (dis TRAKT)
To draw the mind or attention away in another direction; to divert: "The soft music helped to distract her mind from her worries."
device, devise
device (di VIGHS)
Something invented to accomplish a specific purpose: "This device automatically turns on the street lights when it gets dark."
devise (di VIGHZ)
To invent or to contrive: "It must be possible to devise some way to protect the environment from such pollution."
deviser, devisor
deviser (di VIGHZ uhr)
Anyone who forms, invents, or contrives something in the mind: "He was a deviser of a new method for converting sunlight into electricity."
devisor (di VIGH zuhr, dev" i ZOR)
Someone who transmits real estate by means of a will: "She was a devisor of her home to her son."
dew, do, due
dew (DOO, DYOO)
Moisture in small drops: "The early morning sun highlighted the dew on the grass."
do (DOO)
A verb which means "to act" or "to perform": "You need to do your yard work before it gets dark."
due (DOO)
That which is owed; payable: "The statement from the telephone company indicated payment on the bill was due tomorrow."
Due to the dry weather, we do not see any dew on the grass.
"If you had your due," Bill's father said, "You'd get a good whipping True?"
"I guess," said Bill; "but bills aren't always paid when they are due."
diagnosis, prognosis
diagnosis (digh" uhg NOH sis)
The investigation or identification of a problem, illness, etc.: "The doctor will present her diagnosis at the conference tomorrow at the hospital."
prognosis (prag NOH sis)
Prospect of recovery after an illness or difficult situation: "The doctor's prognosis for a full recovery pleased the patient very much."
diagram, diaphragm
diagram (DIGH uh gram")
1. A drawing that illustrates, explains, or shows the parts of something: "The diagram showed us how the clock operates."
2. To show or to explain something: "The coach will diagram the new play on the blackboard for the football team."
diaphragm (DIGH uh fram")
The muscular partition between the chest and the abdomen in mammals; a thin membrane or partition: "The football player complained that his diaphragm hurt after the hard tackle during the game."
diarist, direst
diarist (DIGH uh rist)
An individual who writes a journal or diary: "Samuel Pepys was considered a great diarist of the Seventeenth Century."
direst (DIGHR ist)
Fearful or dreadful: "The pirate captain threatened the direst of punishments to the crew if they disobeyed him."
dice, dies
dice (DIGHS)
1. The plural form of die: "Each player threw one die to determine who would be the first to roll the pair of dice at the table."
2. Small cubes that are made of plastic, wood, etc. which have one to six dots on each side, and that are used usually in pairs in various games: "The guys in the back room were playing dice games to see who could walk away with the most money."
3. To cut food into small cubes: "She will dice the potatoes and add them to the soup and then dice the onions so they can become a part of the soup, too."
dies (DIGHZ)
No longer living or being in existence: "The garden dies if you don't water it regularly."
"The brain dies a little each day as a person gets older and older; especially, if there are no mental challenges."
diced, minced
diced (DIGHS't)
Chopped into small cubicle pieces: "She put the diced vegetables into the soup."
minced (MINS't)
1. To cut up into very small or minute pieces: "The spaghetti sauce was made with minced beef."
2. To speak with an affectation (pretense): "She minced her words in an effort to sound sophisticated."
dictionary, glossary, lexicon, thesaurus
dictionary (DIK shuh ner" ee)
A book containing the alphabetical listing of words used in a language, providing definitions, pronunciations, etc.: "She received a new dictionary when she graduated from high school."
glossary (GLAH suh ree, GLOS uh ree)
A collection of specialized words and their meanings: "There was a glossary at the end of the book to help the reader understand the text."
lexicon (LEK si kahn", LEK si kon")
Another term for dictionary which includes any book typically containing all the morphemes (smallest meaningful parts) of a language: "The scholar sought a lexicon in the library to assist her in writing her thesis on the Gaelic language."
thesaurus (thi SAUR uhs, thi SOR uhs)
A book containing a store of words; especially, of synonyms and antonyms arranged in categories: "We found out that there is more than one kind of thesaurus available for us to find logical structures and word associations."
die, dye
die (DIGH)
1. To cease living: "If you leave the fish out of the water too long, it will surely die."
2. A tool for molding or shaping something: "The workers used a die to make the piece to fix the locomotive."
3. One of a pair of dice: "At the store, she rolled a large die and the number five was on top which gave her that number of free-trial days at the fitness studio."
dye (DIGH)
To change the color of something: "She decided to dye her hair a dark red."
Make this your motto: "Don't die until you are dead. McKensie
differentiate, distinguish
differentiate (dif" uh REN shee ayt")
To mark or identify distinguishing qualities or characteristics of something: "How would you differentiate between a rock and a hard place?"
distinguish (di STING gwish)
To perceive or to mark as different; to divide into classes or categories: "She marked each rock in her collection with a white dot to distinguish her rocks from those belonging to others."
diffident, dissident
diffident (DIF i duhnt, DIF i dent")
Hesitant, lacking in self confidence: "His diffident manner suggested he was shy rather than embarrassed."
dissident (DIS i duhnt, DIS i dent)
Not having the same opinion as other individuals or groups:"Her political activities suggested she was a dissident among her peers."
digest, digest
digest, as a noun (DIGH jest)
A collection of condensed information, a summary, or a synopsis; an abstract, a brief, an epitome: "When she was in the hospital, she found reading a digest of novels was easier than reading the entire book."
digest, as a verb (di JEST)
1. To condense a piece of writing by briefly summarizing or abridging its contents: "As a student assistant, her job was to digest the text of the research article into a summary for publication."
2. To change food; especially, in the mouth, stomach, and intestines with special juices and bacteria into a form which can be absorbed by the body: "After dinner, I like to go for a walk because I find that it helps me to digest my meal."
digress, regress
digress (digh GRES, di GRES)
To side track or to divert attention from the topic at hand: "Her conversation often seemed to digress from the interests of her visitors."
regress (ri GRES)
To move backward, either physically or in one thinking: "When he was ill and in the hospital, his mind seemed to regress, often talking about his childhood."
diminish, minimize
diminish (di MIN ish)
To make less or small; for example, authority or distance: "The small stature of the manager seemed to diminish her authority."
"The trains went quickly across the country, seeming to diminish the size of the territory by their speed."
minimize (MIN uh mighz")
To disparage or to reduce to the smallest possible size: "His radical speech attempted to minimize the importance of the celebration."
dine, dyne
dine (DIGHN)
To eat: "After a busy day at work, they liked to relax and dine by candle light."
dyne (DIGHN)
A unit of force that, acting on a mass of one gram, increases its velocity by one centimeter per second along the direction in which it acts: "The dyne is the basic unit of force in the centimeter-gram-second system."
dinghy, dingy
dinghy (DING ee)
A small rowboat or an inflatable rubber life raft: "The tugboat pulled a small dinghy behind it for emergencies."
dingy (DING jee)
1. Darkened with smoke and grime; dirty or discolored: "The tenement housing which the author described was dingy with age."
2. Shabby, drab, or squalid: "They lived in a dingy room to save money so they could immigrate to a better life."
dire, dyer
dire (DIGHR)
1. Having or warning of terrible consequences; disastrous: "Even the smallest mistake could have dire consequences."
2. Requiring urgent and immediate action or treatment: "The government is in dire need of reform."
dyer (DIGH'r)
A person who uses a soluble substance for staining or coloring materials by soaking in a coloring solution: "She spent the afternoon as a dyer of certain pieces of clothing and then the hair of her mother."
direct, erect
direct (di REKT, digh REKT)
To show or to point out a way to accomplish a task; moving from point to point without changing direction: "The manager's job was to direct the workers as they built the railroads."
"Can you tell me the most direct route to the next town?"
erect (i REKT)
To build or to fix something: "Grandfather helped the children erect a model railroad tract."
disapprove, disprove
disapprove (dis" uh PROOV)
To express an unfavorable opinion of; to condemn; to reject: "The expression on the teacher's face suggested that she would disapprove of the essay on pets."
disprove (dis PROOV)
To prove to be false or to be in error; to refute: "Her research set out to disprove the findings on the topic as presented in the last century."
disaster, holocaust, tragedy
disaster (di ZAS tuhr, di SAS tuhr)
A sudden event causing great damage or loss: "The rise in the river caused a disaster in the farm land."
holocaust (HAHL uh kost", HOH luh kost)
Destruction or sacrifice by fire; when capitalized, refers to the destruction of the European Jewish community in the mid-Twentieth Century: "The eruption of the volcano caused a holocaust of the villages below its slopes."
tragedy (TRAJ i dee)
A very bad event that causes great sadness and often involves someone's death: "The flight that crashed into the ocean was a terrible tragedy for many people including people on the aircraft and their family members."
disburse, disperse
disburse (dis BURS)
To pay out or to expend: "Our cashier will disburse several thousand dollars later today."
"The accounting department is scheduled to disburse your travel expenses next week."
disperse (di SPURS)
To scatter something: "The street department is scheduled to disperse the road salt as soon as some of the snow is removed."
Right after their wages were disbursed, the workers quickly dispersed so they could get home before the thunder storm started.
disclose, divulge
disclose (di SKLOHZ)
To expose or to make known: "She promised that she would not disclose your secret."
divulge (di VULJ)
To reveal or to make known: "The author of mystery novels decided to divulge her real name to her readers."
discomfit, discomfort, disconcert
discomfit (dis KUM fit)
To frustrate the plans or expectation of; to thwart; to make uneasy; to confuse; to disconcert: "She will discomfit her sister when her secret marriage is made known."
discomfort (dis KUHM furt)
Lack of comfort; uneasiness; inconvenience: "I don like the discomfort of living in a tent all summer."
disconcert (dis" kuhn SURT)
1. To upset or to frustrate plans, etc.: "The sudden change in the weather will disconcert our plans to hike up the mountain."
2. To upset the composure or self-possession of; to embarrass; to confuse: "The realization that her slip was showing served to disconcert the pianist just as she was going on stage to perform."
discreet, discrete
discreet (di SKREET)
Displaying wise reserve in one's speech or conduct; being prudent and careful: "The university president was discreet as she spoke to the visitors."
discrete (di SKREET)
Constituting a separate thing; distinct: "There is a discrete difference between the two sisters."
discus, discuss, cuss
discus (DIS kuhs)
The plate of metal or stone thrown in athletic contests: "He won a gold medal in the discus throw at the sports competition."
discuss (dis KUHS)
To talk or to write about: "I would like to discuss this topic with you some more."
cuss (KUHS)
1. Alternative term for the word curse, to swear or to utter a rude comment: "He was so upset by the accident that he started to cuss."
2. The use of an offensive word, or words, when a person speaks; swear words: "She started to yell and to cuss as soon as he came into the room."
disinterested, uninterested
disinterested (dis IN trist id)
Unbiased, impartial, unprejudiced; not personally involved; not influenced by personal feelings, opinions, or concerns: "A disinterested third party mediated the dispute in a disinterested pursuit of the truth."
"We need a disinterested party to settle the argument."
"A judge must be disinterested in the cases he or she tries if a fair outcome is to be achieved."
uninterested (un IN trist id)
Bored, indifferent, lacking interest; not wanting to learn more about something nor to become involved in certain things: "She was obviously uninterested in my discussion of vocabulary."
"He said he likes music but that he is uninterested in doing any art work."
dispassionate, unimpassioned
dispassionate (dis PASH uh nit)
Not influenced by or effected by personal emotion or involvement: "A good news reporter will approach each story with a dispassionate attitude."
unimpassioned (un" im PASH uhnd)
Marked by a reasonable approach totally devoid of emotional influence or appeal: "He answered the court charges with an unimpassioned defense."
displace, misplace, replace
displace (dis PLAYS)
To take from or to remove from the original location of an object or individual: "A refugee is someone who has been displaced from his/her home."
misplace (mis PLAYS)
1. To place or to put in the wrong or untypical location: "I managed to misplace my glasses again!"
"He was upset when he noticed that he misplaced a comma in the sentence."
2. To direct a feeling; such as, trust or confidence toward someone or something that does not deserve it: "She realized that her trust had been misplaced."
replace (ri PLAYS); this should NOT be pronounced as, (ri PLAYZ)
To return an object to its original location: "She was careful to replace the book exactly where she found it."
dissidence, dissidents
dissidence (DIS i duhns)
Disagreement or a contrary opinion on a subject: "There was a sense of dissidence among the students during the lecture."
dissidents (DIS i duhnts)
Individuals who maintain a difference of opinion or disagreement regarding a particular situation: "The student dissidents decided to organize a silent march to protest the university rules."
distinct, distinctive
distinct (di STINGKT)
1. Different in a way that can be seen, heard, smelled, felt, etc.; noticeably different: "The class focused on U.S. English as distinct from British English."
2. Easy to see, hear, smell, feel, etc.: "She spoke with a distinct British accent."
3. Strong and definite: "A flight cancellation is a distinct possibility tomorrow."
4. Remarkable or unmistakable: "Her distinct style of dress caught the eye of the famous clothing designer."
distinctive (di STINGK tiv)
1. Demonstrating unique characteristics or style: "Her accent was distinctive and unforgettable."
2. Appealing or interesting because of an unusual quality or characteristic: "This store sells the most distinctive chocolates."
distracted, distrait, distraught
distracted (di STRAKT id)
To call attention away from the focus of a situation: "The loud shout on the street distracted the attention of the people in the bank."
distrait (di STRAY); distraite (dis TRAYT) [French]
Inattentive or preoccupied, especially because of anxiety: "When she didn't show up for the meeting, her employer was uneasy and distrait."
distraught (di STRAWT)
Confused or stirred up due to mental conflict, anxiety or doubt: "When her son was late coming home from school, the mother was distraught, imagining all sorts of things which might have happened to him."
divers, diverse
divers (DIGH vurz)
1. Various, several: "There were divers students and professors attending the speech."
2. People who jump into the water from special boards, from boats, etc.: "Pearl divers need to be able to swim very well."
diverse (di VURS, digh VURS)
Different, varied, not similar: "It was apparent during the debate that the candidates were very diverse in their recommendations."
divorce, divorcé divorcee
divorce (di VORS, di VOHRS)
1. The legal dissolution of a marriage: "She was so unhappy in her marriage that she decided to apply for a divorce and live by herself."
2. A complete or radical severance of closely connected things: "To ensure a completely neutral decision, there should be a divorce between the church and the courts."
divorcé (di vor SAY, di vor SEE; di VOHR say")
A divorced man: "As a divorcé he was cautious about going on dates again."
divorcee (di vor SEE)
A woman who has officially ended her marriage and who has not married again: "In many old movies, the divorcee always seems to be having a good time."
do, doe, dough
do (DOH)
A syllable that represents the first note in a musical scale when singing solfeggio which represents the note C: "The singer started her practice with do re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti."
There is also the verb do (DOO): To perform or to execute, plus many other meanings; however, the do (DOH) in this section is presented with doe and dough to demonstrate their homonymic relationships.
doe (DOH)
The female of the deer, antelope, rabbit, kangaroo, and certain other animals: "The kangaroo doe carries her young in the pouch on the front of her body."
dough (DOH)
1. A soft mass of moistened flour or meal and other ingredients, mixed for making bread, pastry, etc.: "Mother was mixing dough for fresh loaves of bread."
2. Slang for money: "He said he was running out of enough dough to take care of his family's needs."
"I don't have much dough these days to pay for all of these expenses."
doc, dock
doc (DAHK)
A casual reference for the term "doctor": "Am I going to be all right, doc?"
dock (DAHK)
1. Any of a number of weedy broad leafed plants with a long tap root system: "When it blooms, the dock in the ditch by the roadside is very colorful."
2. To reduce or take away: "If you are late three times in a row, the paymaster will dock your wages."
3. A specially designed platform or area for boats or ships when they are brought close to land: "They hired an architect to design a new dock for their sail boat."
4. A specified location within a court room where the prisoner or accused person remains during a court proceeding: "The Old Bailey Courthouse has a famous dock for criminals."
does, does, doze
does (DUHZ)
The third person, singular, present tense of the verb do: "The passerby shouted, "What does she think she is doing running across the street like that?"
does (DOHZ)
Female deer: "I watched the does in the meadow feeding in the tall grass."
doze (DOHZ)
To sleep lightly: "I couldn't help but doze off as I sat in the chair by the fireplace because it was so comfortable."
If the buck doesn't doze, then he probably does get excited when the does come around.
When does a female deer sleep? Well, we can see those does doze there in the field right now.
done, dun
done (DUN)
Completely finished: "He'll travel many miles in several days before he's done with his trip."
dun (DUN)
1. To make persistent demands to a debtor for payment of debts: "The bailiff will dun the farmer until all the debts to the bank are paid."
2. A grayish brown or reddish brown color: "The dun horse with the black mane pulled the wagon into the barn."
doom, dune
doom (DOOM)
Inevitable destruction or ruin: "I had a sense of doom when I lost my passport."
dune (DOON, DYOON)
A hill or ridge of wind-blown sand: "They climbed the dune at the edge of the desert to scan the vastness of the land before them."
dope, dupe
dope (DOHP)
1. Any drug or narcotic: "The slick looking man on the street corner looked like he was selling dope."
2. Slang for someone who is not considered to be very intelligent: "When I lost the spelling bee, I felt like a complete dope."
dupe (DOOP, DYOOP)
1. To deceive by trickery; to fool or to cheat: "The man in the hotel tried to dupe my friend into paying a high price for a cheap watch."
2. A person who is easily deceived or tricked: "He was an unwitting dupe in the scheme to dupe the woman out of $500."
douse, dowse
douse (DOUS)
1. To wet thoroughly; to drench: "I will douse my hair with warm water before I shampoo it."
2. To put out (a light or fire); to extinguish: "Don't forget to douse your campfire before leaving the camp ground."
dowse (DOUZ)
To use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals: "He used a willow branch to dowse for water on the farmer's land."
dove, dove
dove (DUV)
A small wild bird that is related to pigeons: "There was a dove eating seeds in our back yard."
dove (DOHV)
1. The past tense of dive or having jumped into water with the arms and head having gone in first: "She dove into the swimming pool from the diving board."
2. To go underwater or to go down to a deeper level underwater: "The whale dove down deeper in to the ocean."
3. To suddenly jump toward something that is on or near the ground: "He dove for cover or to a safer more protected place."
After hearing the wild cat creeping up through the dry leaves, the dove dove into the bushes.
down, down, down, down, down
down (DOUN), adverbs
1. From a higher to a lower place or position: "The hill slopes down to the river which made it easier for us to hike down into the village."
2. In a low position or place: "Make sure you keep your head down as we go down into the cellar."
3. On or to the ground: "Our neighbor's house burned down."
down (DOUN), adjectives
In a low place or position; on the ground or floor: "The window shades are down and a pile of dirty clothes are down on the floor, too."
down (DOUN), prepositions
From a higher to a lower part of something: "You could see sweat dropping down her neck as she ran down the hill."
down (DOUN), nouns
1. Fine, soft, fluffy feathers forming the first plumage of a young bird and underlying the contour feathers in certain adult birds: "She still had a pillow filled with goose down."
2. A covering of soft, short hairs, as on some leaves, fruit, insects, and some animal fur: "Ants have down, there are leaves with down, peaches have down, and there are humans with soft down on their faces; as well as some animals which have soft-fur down."
down (DOUN), verbs
To cause something to fall to the ground: "Electrical storms can down aircraft and strong storms also often down power lines."
draft, draught
draft (DRAFT)
1. An earlier type of something; such as, a document, that is made before it is completed in a final version: "She just completed a rough draft of her article which needs a lot of editing and rewriting."
2. Cool air moving in a closed space; such as, in a room: "It would be a good idea if the windows were closed so we can stop the draft."
draught (DRAFT); chiefly a British variant of draft.
1. An act of drinking something or the amount swallowed at one time: "He took a big draught of beer."
2. In Britain, draughts (DRAFTS) is the name for a game of checkers: "He took a draught of beer while he was playing a game of draughts in the pub."
draw, draw
draw (DRAW), as a verb
1. To make a picture, image, etc. by making lines on a surface usually with a pencil, pen, marker, chalk, etc.; but normally not with paint: "The children were trying to draw an illustration of their feelings about the accident which they witnessed."
2. To choose something from a group without knowing which one is being chosen: "She was about to draw the slip from the container indicating what the prize would be for the winner."
3. To cause someone to become involved or interested in something or someone: "A good writer knows how to draw readers in by making them interested in the contents of the material."
draw (DRAW), as a noun
1. Someone or something that causes people to go somewhere and to participate in certain activities: "The festival is always a big draw and that band is the main draw at the celebration."
2. The choice of someone for a prize: "There will be a draw for the winner of the money in a few minutes."
dress, dress
dress, a verb (DRES)
To put clothes on; to clothe oneself or another person: "The children had to dress so they could get to school."
dress, a noun (DRES)
An outer garment for women or girls: "Her daughter wore a beautiful dress to the school prom."
You don't have to see her dress in order to see her dress.
drill, drill
drill, a noun (DRIL)
1. An implement with cutting edges or a pointed end for boring holes in hard materials, usually by a rotating abrasion or repeated blows; a bit: "The carpenter used an electric drill to make holes in the wood so he could insert bolts to hold the structure together."
2. An exercise done to practice military skills or procedures: "During basic training, the military recruits spent hours every day doing one drill after another one as they were led by drill sergeants."
3. A physical or mental activity that is done repeatedly in order to learn something, to become more skillful, etc.: "Her students will do a vocabulary drill every Monday and Wednesday to prepare them for the tests that will be given on the following Fridays."
drill, a verb (DRIL)
1. To make a hole in something with a drill: "He had to drill a hole in the back of the cabinet and place a bolt in it so it wouldn't fall apart."
2. To teach or to train people by repeating a lesson or exercise again and again: "The teachers wanted to drill the children on their multiplication tables at least three times a week."
"The commander gave orders to drill the troops by having them practice the specified military procedures and exercises until they got them right."
We can all benefit by drilling or exercising our minds without drilling holes in our heads.
droop, drupe
droop (DROOP)
To sink or to hang in a downward manner: "You can always tell when he is sad because his shoulders will droop."
drupe (DROOP)
A fruit or nut which has a single seed in the center and is surrounded either by a soft flesh (cherry) or by a hard flesh (almond shell): "When the drupe are ripe on the trees, it is always a contest of whether I will get to pick the cherries or if the birds will get them first."
dual, duel
dual (DOO uhl, DYOO uhl)
Twofold, double: "An umbrella has a dual purpose which is to protect me from the rain or to shade me from the sun."
duel (DOO uhl, DYOO uhl)
A combat between two people; to fight: "In the 19th century, pistols were often used in a duel to settle arguments."
Someone said he just saw a double sword fight, or a dual duel, yesterday in the gymnasium.
ducked, duct
ducked (DUK't)
To lower the head or body quickly; especially, so as to avoid something; to dodge or to evade: "The people ducked so they wouldn't hit their heads on the lower than normal door frames."
duct (DUKT)
1. A tubular passage through which a substance; especially, a fluid, is conveyed: "The roofer installed a new rain duct along the edge of the roof."
2. A bodily passage, particularly one for secretion: "The duct from the kidney was blocked and it was very painful for the patient."
dudgeon, dungeon
dudgeon (DUJ uhn)
A sullen, angry, or indignant humor: "She walked out of the meeting in high dudgeon."
dungeon (DUN juhn)
A dark, often underground chamber or cell used to confine prisoners: "The king threw the rebels into the dungeon located below the castle."
dump, dump
dump (DUMP)
As a verb, to empty (material) out of a container or vehicle: "We were able to dump the trash in a place specified by the city."
dump (DUMP)
As a noun, a place where waste, or trash, is taken and left: "We always take our trash to the town dump every Saturday."
dwarf, elf, gnome
dwarf (DWORF)
An individual of unusually small stature whose features are often out of proportion to the rest of the body: "The dwarf was a fine actor and appeared in many films."
elf (ELF)
A small, lively, often mischievous imaginary creature: "When we were young, we hoped that an elf would come and polish our shoes at night."
gnome (NOHM)
In folklore, a diminutive and often misshapen individual traditionally thought to guard underground hidden treasures: "A gnome looks like a little man and is often shown wearing a pointed hat."
dyeing, dying
dyeing (DIGH ing)
The act of coloring with a special solution: "My sister was dyeing her hair with a new color."
"Some people think women have been dyeing their hair for centuries."
dying (DIGH ing)
About to pass on or the drawing to a close of one's life: "His mother was dying from pneumonia."
"Many people are dying from curable diseases for lack of medical attention."
dynamic, dynamite
dynamic (digh NAM ik)
1. Always active or changing: "We feel that we are living in a dyamic city."
2. Having or showing a lot of energy: "She was a dynamic speaker and so she presented an exciting and dynamic performance."
3. Highlighted by physical force or energy: "His dynamic behavior was reflected in his inability to sit quietly."
dynamite (DIGH nuh might")
1. An explosive device that is composed of nitro-glycerine mixed with porous material, developed by Alfred Nobel in 1866: "To build the railroad, the engineers used dynamite to splast a tunnel through the mountain."
2. Someone or something that may cause arguments or trouble: "The death penalty is still political dynamite."
3. Informal use, exciting and very impressive or pleasing: "His new musical album is dynamite."
"The rock band put on a dynamite performance."
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