D Flashcards
daunt, v.
to discourage; intimidate; dishearten
dearth, n.
scarcity
debauchery, n.
corruption
decorum, n.
proper behavior
defame, v.
to malign; harm someone’s reputation
default, v.
to fail to act
deference, n.
respect; regard for another’s wish
defunct, adj.
no longer existing
delineate, v.
to represent or depict
demographic, adj.
related to population balance
demotic, adj.
pertaining to people
demur, v.
to express doubt
denigrate, v.
to slur someone’s reputation
denizen, n.
an inhabitant; a regular visitor
denouement, n.
outcome; unraveling of the plot of a play or work of literature
deride, v.
to mock
derivative, n.
something derived; unoriginal
desiccate, v.
to dry completely
desuetude, n.
state of disuse
desultory, adj.
random; disconnected; rambling
deterrent, n.
something that discourages or hinders
detraction, n.
the act of taking away; derogatory comment on a person’s character
diaphanous, adj.
transparent; fine-textured; insubstantial; vague
diatribe, n.
bitter verbal attack
dichotomy, n.
division into two usually contradictory parts
diffidence, n.
shyness; lack of confidence
diffuse, v.
to spread out
digression, n.
act of straying from the main point
dirge, n.
funeral hymn
disabuse, v.
to free from a misconception
discerning, adj.
perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgment
discomfit, v.
to make uneasy; disconcert
discordant, adj.
not in tune
discredit, v.
to dishonor; disgrace; cause to be doubted
discrepancy, n.
difference between
discrete, adj.
constituting a separate thing; distinct
discretion, n.
quality of showing self-restraint in speech or actions; circumspection; freedom to act on one’s own
disingenuous, adj.
not candid; crafty
disinterested, adj.
unprejudiced; objective
disjointed, adj.
lacking order or coherence; dislocated
dismiss, v.
to put away from consideration; reject
disparage, v.
to belittle
disparate, adj.
dissimilar
dissemble, v.
to pretend; disguise one’s motives
disseminate, v.
to spread; scatter; disperse
dissident, n.
person who disagrees about beliefs, etc.
dissolution, n.
disintegration; debauchery
dissonance, n.
discord; lack of harmony
distend, v.
to expand; swell out
distill, v.
extract the essential elements
distrait, adj.
inattentive; preoccupied
diverge, v.
to vary; go in different directions from the same point
divest, v.
to strip; deprive; rid
divulge, v.
to make known something that is secret
doctrinaire, adj.
relating to a person who cannot compromise about points of a theory or doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
document, v.
to provide with written evidence to support
doggerel, n.
poor verse
dogmatic, adj.
stating opinions without proof
dormant, adj.
inactive
dross, n.
waste; worthless matter; trivial matter
dupe, v.
to deceive; trick
