Book7 Flashcards
diffuse
wordy; verbose; rambling; spread out (like a gas); V: spread out in all directions; disperse; N. diffusion; CF. suffuse
digression
wandering away from the subject; V. digress
dilapidated
falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined because of neglect; Ex. dilapidated old car/castle; N. dilapidation
dilate
expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject)
dilatory
delaying; tending to delay
dilemma
situation that requires a choice between equally unfavorable options; problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
dilettante
aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge (not taking it seriously); amateur; dabbler; CF. delight
diligence
steadiness of effort; persistent hard work
dilute
make (a liquid) less concentrated; reduce in strength; Ex. dilute the influence of the president
diminution
lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish
din
continued loud noise; V: make a din; instill by wearying repetition
weary
tired after long work; V.
dinghy
small boat (often ship’s boat)
maroon
leave helpless on a deserted island or coast; ADJ. red brown
dingy
(of things and place) dirty and dull; Ex. dingy street/curtain
dull
(of colors or surfaces) not bright; cloudy; overcast; boring; (of edge or sound) not sharp; not rapid; sluggish; slow in thinking and understanding; stupid; V.
dint
means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work
diorama
life-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history; three-dimensional scene with modeled figures against a painted background
dire
warning of disaster; disastrous; (of needs and dangers) very great; urgent; Ex. dire prediction/need of food
dirge
funeral song; slow mournful piece of music (sung over a dead person)
disabuse
correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief
disaffected
disloyal; lacking loyality; V. disaffect: cause to lose affection or loyalty
disapprobation
disapproval; condemnation
disarray
state of disorder; a disorderly or untidy state; Ex. with her clothes in disarray
disavowal
denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim
disband
dissolve; disperse; (of a group) break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded.
disburse
pay out (as from a fund); N. disbursement; CF. purse
discernible
distinguishable; perceivable; Ex. discernible improvement
discerning
mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive
disclaim
disown; renounce claim to; deny; CF. disclaimer
disclose
reveal; N. disclosure
discombobulated
discomposed; confused
discompose
disturb the composure of; confuse
discomfit
frustrate; put to rout; defeat; disconcert; embarrass; perturb
disconcert
confuse; upset; embarrass; perturb
disconsolate
hopelessly sad (at the loss of something)
discord
conflict; lack of harmony; dissonance (when musical notes are played)
discordant
not harmonious; conflicting
discount
disregard; regard (a story or news) as unimportant; deduct from a cost
discourse
serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion (either written or spoken); conversation; V.
discredit
defame; disgrace; destroy confidence in; disbelieve; N. CF. discreditable: causing discredit; shameful
discrepancy
lack of consistency or agreement as between facts; difference; Ex. discrepancy between two descriptions
discrete
separate; unconnected
discretion
prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances; freedom of action or judgment; ADJ. discreet; CF. discretionary
discriminating
able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; N. discrimination
discriminate
distinguish; make distinctions on the basis of preference
brisk
quick and active; marked by liveliness and vigor
discursive
(of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan)
disdain
treat with scorn or contempt
disembark
debark; go ashore (from a ship); unload cargo from a ship; CF. embark
disenfranchise
disfranchise; deprive of a civil right; OP. enfranchise
disengage
uncouple; separate; disconnect; stop fighting; OP. engage
disfigure
mar the appearance of; spoil
disgorge
surrender something (stolen); eject; vomit; OP. gorge
disgruntle
make discontented
dishearten
discourage
disheveled
untidy (of hair or clothing); V. dishevel
disinclination
unwillingness
disingenuous
not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous
disinter
dig up; unearth; OP. inter
disinterested
unprejudiced; free from bias and self-interest; objective
disjointed
disconnected; lacking coherence; V. disjoint: disconnect; disjoin
disjunction
act or state of separation; disunity; CF. disjunctive: expressing a choice between two ideas; CF. conjunction; CF. conjunctive
dislodge
remove (forcibly); force out of a position; Ex. dislodge the food caught in his throat; CF. lodge
dismantle
take apart; disassemble
mantle
loose sleeveless outer garment; cloak; something that covers or envelops; the layer of the earth between the crust and the core
crust
hard outer covering (as of earth or snow)
dismember
cut into small parts; cut (a body) apart limb from limb
dismiss
eliminate from consideration; no longer consider; put out of court without further hearing; reject; discharge from employment; direct to leave; ADJ. dismissive; N. dismissal
disparage
belittle
maneuver(manoeuver)
strategic military or naval movement (done for training purposes); carefully planned process; stratagem; V: carry out a military maneuver; use maneuvers in gaining an end
disparate
basically different; impossible to compare; unrelated
disparity
difference; condition of inequality; OP. parity
dispassionate
calm; impartial; not influenced by personal feelings
dispatch
speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed; V: send to a specified destination; finish promptly; kill
dispel
scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
dispense
distribute; prepare and give out (medicines); N. dispensation: dispensing; religious system; official exemption from an obligation or a rule
disperse
scatter; Ex. disperse the cloud/crowd
dispirited
lacking in spirit
disport
amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert