D Flashcards
daunting
intimidating, causing one to lose courage
dearth
a lack, scarcity
debacle
a disastrous failure, disruption
debase
to lower the quality or esteem of something
debauch
to corrupt by means of sensual pleasures
debunk
to expose the falseness of something
decorous
socially proper, appropriate
decry
to criticize openly
defer
to postpone something; to yield to another’s wisdom
deferential
showing respect for another’s authority
defile
to make unclean, impure
deft
skillful, capable
defunct
no longer used or existing
deleterious
harmful
delineate
to describe, outline, shed light on
demagogue
a leader who appeals to a people’s prejudices
demarcation
the marking of boundaries or categories
demean
to lower the status or stature of something
demure
quiet, modest, reserved
denigrate
to belittle, diminish the opinion of
denounce
to criticize publicly
deplore
to feel or express sorrow, disapproval
depravity
wickidness
deprecate
to belittle, depreciate
derelict
abandoned, run-down
deride
to laugh at mockingly, scorn
derivative
taken directly from a source, unoriginal
disaffected
rebellious, resentful of authority
desiccated
dried up, dehydrated
discomfit
to thwart, baffle
deter
to discourage, prevent from doing
diaphanous
light, airy, transparent
diffident
shy, quiet, modest
desecrate
to violate the sacredness of a thing or place
diffuse
to scatter, thin out, break up
dilatory
tending to delay, causing delay
diligent
showing great care in one’s work
destitute
impoverished, utterly lacking
dirge
a mournful song, especially for a funeral
disavow
to deny knowledge of or responsibility for
disparate
sharply differing, containing sharply contrasting elements
discrepancy
difference, failure of things to correspond
desolate
deserted, dreary, lifeless
discretion
the quality of being reserved in speech or action; good judgment
disdain
to scorn, hold in low esteem
discursive
rambling, lacking order
discern
to perceive, detect
dispatch
to send off to accomplish a duty
dissent
to disagree
disparage
to criticize or speak ill of
disgruntled
upset, not content
disheartedned
feeling a loss of spirit or morale
dispel
to drive away, scatter
despot
one who has total power and rules brutally
disrepute
a state of being held in low regard
dissemble
to conceal, fake
disseminate
to spread widely
dissipate
to disappear, cause to disappear
dither
to be indecisive
dissonance
lack of harmony or consistency
duress
hardship, threat
dour
stern, joyless
dissuade
to persuade someone not to do something
distend
to swell out
divulge
to reveal something secret
dogmatic
aggressively and arrogantly certain about unproved principles
