13-15 Flashcards
decimate
kill
declivity
downward slope
decorum
propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners
decrepitude
state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age
decry
express strong disapproval of; condemn openly
default
failure to act; failure to perform a task or be present
defection
desertion
defer
give in respectfully; delay till later
deference
courteous regard for another’s wish
defoliate
destroy leaves
defray
provide for the payment of
defrock
strip a priest/minister of church authority
deft
neat; skillful
deify
turn into a god; idolize
deign
condescend; stoop
deleterious
harmful
delineate
portray; depict
demagogue
person who appeals to people’s prejudice
demeanor
behavior; bearing
demotic
of or pertaining to the people
demur
raise an objection; hesitate
denigrate
blacken; defame
denizen
inhabitant or resident
denounce
condemn; criticize
depose
dethrone
deposition
testimony under oath
depravity
extreme corruption; wickedness
deprecate
express disapproval of
derelict
negligent; neglectful of duty
deride
ridicule; treat with contempt
derivative
unoriginal; obtained from another source
descry
catch sight of
dessicate
dry up
desperado
reckless, desperate outlaw
despoil
plunder
despot
tyrant; authoritarian
desultory
aimless; haphazard
detraction
slandering; aspersion
devolve
deputize; pass or be passed to others
diadem
crown
dichotomy
division into two opposite parts
dictum
authoritative and weighty statement; maxim
didactic
intended to teach a moral lesson
diffidence
shyness; timidity
digression
wandering away from the subject
dilatory
delaying; tending to delay
dilettante
aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge
din
continued loud noise
dingy
dirty and dull
dint
means; effort
dirge
funeral song
disabuse
correct a false impression
disaffected
disloyal
disburse
pay out
disclaim
disown; renounce claim to
discombobulated
discomposed; confused
discomfit
frustrate; put to rout; defeat
disconcert
confuse; ubset
disconsolate
hopelessly sad
discredit
defame; disgrace
discursive
digressing; rambling
disenfranchise
deprive of a civil right
disgorge
surrender something; eject; vomit
disgruntle
make discontented
disingenuous
not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.
disinter
dig up; unearth
disparage
belittle
disparate
basically different; unrelated
disparity
difference
dispel
scatter; drive away
disport
amuse
disquietude
uneasiness; anxiety
disquisition
long formal speech or report
dissemble
disguise; hide the real nature of
disseminate
distribute; spread; scatter
dissident
dissenting; rebellious
dissimulate
pretend; conceal by feigning
dissipate
squander; waste foolishly
dissuade
persuade not to do; discourage
distend
expand; swell out
distrait
absentminded; distracted
diurnal
daily; occuring during the daytime
divest
strip; deprive (right); dispossess
docket
a calendar or list of cases for trial or people having cases pending
doctrinaire
unable to compromise about points of doctrine
indoctrinate
cause to accept a doctrine without questioning
doddering
shaky; inform from old age
doff
take off
dogged
determined; stubbornly perservering
doggerel
poor verse
dogmatic
opinionated; holding stubbornly to one’s opnion
doldrums
blues; listlessness
dolt
slow-thinking stupid person
domineer
rule over tyrannically
don
put on
dormer
window projecting upright from roof
dotage
senility; feeblemindedness of old age
dote
be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline
dour
sullen; gloomy
downcast
disheartened; dejected
draconian
extremely severe
dregs
sediment in a liquid; worthless residue
drivel
nonsense; foolishness
dross
waste matter; worthless impurities
drudgery
hard unpleasant work
dulcet
sweet sounding; pleasing to the ear
dumbfound
astonish
