D

Question 1

Decree

Answer 1

v. to declare formally and with authority

The president decreed that Halloween would henceforth be a national holiday.

Question 2

Deference

Answer 2

n. respect; regard

Her deference to the elderly makes her the perfect candidate for an internship at the retirement center.

Question 3

Deficient

Answer 3

adj. not enough in degree or amount

I feel as though the sources for my paper are deficient.

Question 4

Demonstrate

Answer 4

v. to do as an example
v. gives evidence for

Could you demonstrate the dance move for me?
This book’s use of words such as “grim” and “bleak” demonstrates the author’s mournful tone.

Question 5

Demur

Answer 5

v. to object to

She demurred at my request to transfer to a different department.

Question 6

Deplete

Answer 6

v. to (over)use over time (usu. resources)

The lost campers quickly depleted their supply of food.

Question 7

Desolate

Answer 7

adj. bare, barren, empty

The moon is one giant, desolate landscape.

Question 8

Devise

Answer 8

v. to come up with (a plan)

Lana devised a plan to make herself famous.

Question 9

Dilemma

Answer 9

n. a problem, usually requiring a choice between two options

The main dilemma is whether to pay for a commercial or not.

Question 10

Diligence

Answer 10

n. conscientiousness; the quality of being committed to a task

Diligence and confidence will get you far in life.

Question 11

Diminish

Answer 11

v. to become smaller in scope or degree

The itchiness of mosquito bites usually starts to diminish after a few days.

Question 12

Dire

Answer 12

adj. hopeless and dangerous or fearful

When the police didn’t explain what was happening right away, Jane knew that the situation must be dire.

Question 13

Discord

Answer 13

n. disagreement

Disputes over money caused intense discord in the family.

Question 14

Disdain

Answer 14

n. a lack of respect and strong dislike (toward something or someone)

He looked at me with such disdain that I immediately knew the job wouldn’t work out.

Question 15

Dismay

Answer 15

n. hopelessness, stress, or consternation
v. to fill with woe or apprehension

To Nick’s dismay, he got an F on the test.
Many were dismayed by the town’s implementation of metered parking.

Question 16

Disparage

Answer 16

v. to belittle or speak down to

A good boss is stern but never disparages his or her employees.

Question 17

Dispatch

Answer 17

v. to send off a message or messenger

The mother dispatched her daughter to their neighbor’s house.

Question 18

Diversification

Answer 18

n. the act of becoming diverse

Lately, there’s been noticeable diversification of students at higher institutions.

Question 19

Doctrine

Answer 19

n. a principle, theory, or position, usu. advocated by a religion or gov’t

Devoutly religious people often live their lives according to their doctrines.

Question 20

Dominion

Answer 20

n. power and authority (usu. over a territory)
n. a legal territory

The country claimed to have dominion over parts of Russia.
Puerto Rico is a dominion of the US.

Question 21

Dreary

Answer 21

adj. sad, gloomy, dull

The gray clouds in the sky made the day feel dreary.

Question 22

Dubious

Answer 22

adj. doubtful, questionable

The man’s claims to the throne were dubious since nobody knew where he’d come from.M,

Question 23

Dessicate

Answer 23

desiccate

verb
remove the moisture from (something); cause to become completely dry.
“both the older growth and the new vegetation were desiccated by months of relentless sun”

Question 24

Debilitate

Answer 24

debilitate

verb
verb: debilitate; 3rd person present: debilitates; past tense: debilitated; past participle: debilitated; gerund or present participle: debilitating

make (someone) very weak and infirm.
“he was severely debilitated by a stomach upset”

hinder, delay, or weaken.
“hard drugs destroy families and debilitate communities”

Question 25

Deterrence

Answer 25

deterrence
/dɪˈtɛr(ə)ns/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: deterrence; plural noun: deterrences
the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.
“nuclear missiles remain the main deterrence against possible aggression”

Question 26

Dissemination

Answer 26

dissemination
/dɪˌsɛmɪˈneɪʃn/
Learn to pronounce
noun
the action or fact of spreading something, especially information, widely.
“the dissemination of public information”

Question 27

Dissemination

Answer 27

dissemination

noun
the action or fact of spreading something, especially information, widely.
“the dissemination of public information”

Question 28

Disenchantment

Answer 28

disenchantment

noun
a feeling of disappointment about someone or something you previously respected or admired; disillusionment.
“their growing disenchantment with the leadership”

Question 29

Deduce

Answer 29

deduce
/dɪˈdjuːs/
Learn to pronounce
verb
verb: deduce; 3rd person present: deduces; past tense: deduced; past participle: deduced; gerund or present participle: deducing

1.arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a logical conclusion.
“little can be safely deduced from these figures”

2.trace the course or derivation of.
“he cannot deduce his descent wholly by heirs male”

Question 30

Dispensation

Answer 30

dispensation

noun
noun: dispensation; plural noun: dispensations

1.exemption from a rule or usual requirement.
“although she was too young, she was given special dispensation to play before her birthday”

2.a political, religious, or social system prevailing at a particular time.
“scholarship is conveyed to a wider audience than under the old dispensation”

3.the action of distributing or supplying something.
“regulations controlling dispensation of medications”

Question 31

Debunking

Answer 31

debunk
verb: debunk; 3rd person present: debunks; past tense: debunked; past participle: debunked; gerund or present participle: debunking

expose the falseness or hollowness of (an idea or belief).
“she debunks all the usual rubbish about acting”

reduce the inflated reputation of (someone).
“comedy takes delight in debunking heroes”

Question 32

Defers

Answer 32

defer1

verb
3rd person present: defers
put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone.
"they deferred the decision until February"

Question 33

Deflect

Answer 33

deflect

verb: deflect; 3rd person present: deflects; past tense: deflected; past participle: deflected; gerund or present participle: deflecting

cause (something) to change direction; turn aside from a straight course.
“the bullet was deflected harmlessly into the ceiling”

cause (someone) to deviate from an intended purpose.
“she refused to be deflected from anything she had set her mind on”

cause (something) to change orientation.
“the compass needle is deflected from magnetic north by metal in the aircraft”

Question 34

Dissociate

Answer 34

verb
1.(especially in abstract contexts) disconnect or separate.
“the word ‘spiritual’ has become for many dissociated from religion”

CHEMISTRY
(with reference to a molecule) split into separate smaller atoms, ions, or molecules, especially reversibly.
“these compounds are dissociated by solar radiation to yield atoms of chlorine”

Question 35

Deject

Answer 35

verb: deject; 3rd person present: dejects; past tense: dejected; past participle: dejected; gerund or present participle: dejecting

make sad or dispirited; depress.
“nothing dejects a trader like the interruption of his profits”

Question 36

Despotism

Answer 36

noun: despotism
the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way.
“the ideology of enlightened despotism”

a country or political system where the ruler holds absolute power.
plural noun: despotisms
“some nations are democracies, others are despotisms”

Question 37

Denotation

Answer 37

noun: denotation; plural noun: denotations

the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.
“beyond their immediate denotation, the words have a connotative power”

the action of indicating or referring to something by means of a word, symbol, etc.

Question 38

Denote

Answer 38

verb: denote; 3rd person present: denotes; past tense: denoted; past participle: denoted; gerund or present participle: denoting

be a sign of; indicate.
“this mark denotes purity and quality”

stand as a name or symbol for.
“the level of output per firm is denoted by X”