D1 Mneomonics Flashcards
daunt
(verb): to intimidate or discourage. “DAUNT”
Think: don’t!
My mean old aunt Mildred would often daunt me when I was younger by screaming, “don’t!” whenever I got too loud
dearth
(noun): lack. “DEARTH”
Think: dead earth
Due to the dead earth of our farmland, there will be a dearth of food this winter
debacle
(noun): a complete disaster. “duh BAHK ul”
Think: da bottle
I’m an alcoholic, so when I hit da bottle, the night usually becomes a debacle
debased
(adjective): lowered in value or reputation. “dee BASED”
Think: de-based
Milk chocolate is a crime against the cacao bean. Confectioners start of with a base of pure dark chocolate, but then they debase it by adding milk powder and tons of sugar
debauchery
(noun): extreme indulgence in pleasure “duh BOTCh er ee”
Think: the bachelor party
During the bachelor party, the wolf pack in The Hangover particpated in some serious debuchery
debilitate
(verb): to weaken. “duh BILL it ate’
Think: decrease ability
Cancer will often debilitate its victims and can decrease their ability to be active
decadent
(adjective): decaying: self indulgent. “DEK uh dent”
Think: decayed
In WALL-E, the decadent passengers of the spaceship have decayed into overweight, lazy, passive lumps
decimate
(verb): to destroy a large part of “DESS uh mate”
Think: decimate remains
At the start of our campaign, all of our soldiers were healthy, but attacks and disease have decimated the ranks so that only a decimal remains alive
declaimed
(verb): spoke loudly and self-importantly. “dee CLAIMED”
Think: “I delcare!”
“Well, I declare!” The Southern belle declaimed
decorous
(adjective): well-behaved. “DECK or us”
Think: the chorus
Kids in the chorus are usually not rebels- they’re often decorous
decrepit
(adjective): worn-out; run-down. “duh CREP it”
Think: scrap it
Your decrepit old car looks like crap; you should scrap it
decried
(verb): expressed strong disapproval about “duh CRIED”
Think: cried
After my boss decried my work in front of everyone, I went home and cried
defamatory
(adjective): something that hurts someone’s reputation “duh Fam ih tory”
Think: de-fame
The defamatory Enquirer story will “de-fame” that actor; he’ll lose his fame
defenestrate
(verb): to quickly throw out. “duh FEN eh strate”
Think: defense demonstrate
If you defenestrate a burglar through a plate-glass window, your home defense is demonstrated
defunct
(adjective): no longer existing. “duh FUNKED”
Think: de-function
When I can fly in my dreams, the law of gravity seems t be defunct, like it has been “de-functioned”
degenerate
(verb, adjective) verb: to move backward or decay, adjective; decay. “duh JENN er it”
Think: jenner ate my dust
1976 Olympic decathlon champion Caitlyn Jenner ate my dust when I challenged her to a footrace; I guess that her speed has degenerated with age
delectable
(adjective): delightful; delicious. “duh LECT uh bull”
Think: delicious electable
Ryan Gosling should run for president since most women think he’s delectable and delicous enough to be electable
deleterious
(adjective): harmful. “duh luh TEER ee us”
Think: deletes
Using that old computer could be deleterious to your grade because it randomly deletes files
delimit
(verb) : to determine the limit, boundary or extent of something. “dee LIM it”
think: determine limit
Partying until 3am with your friends is a great way to determine your limits, but the next-morning hangover may lead you delmit your alcohol intake the next time you go out
delineate
(verb): to outline; to describe in detail “Dee LIN ee ate”
Think: the line
The strip of masking tape I put down is the line that clearly delineates the two halves of the dorm room- keep your stuff on your side!
demagogue
(noun) : a leader who gains power by trickery. “dem a GOG”
think: demigod
The cult was led by a demagogue; he manipulated followers into thinking he was a demigod
demarcate
(verb): to define: to set apart., “de MARK ate”
Think: mark it
If you want to demarcate your side of the dorm room, mark it with a long piece of masking tape
demean
(verb): to lower in character, status, or reputation. “dee MEAN”
Think: mean
Thanks to the jocks’ demeaning comments to him, the new kid went home after his first day at our school and told his mom that we’re all mean
demeanor
(noun): one’s appearance and behavior “duh ME ner”
Think: meaner personality
Not only has my ambition diminished with age, but so has my demeanor: I used to have a meaner personality
demotic
(adjective): popular; common. “duh MOTT ick”
Think: democratic
Obama uses demotic language in his speeches to seem more democratic
demur
(verb) : to object. “duh MURE”
think: murmur
Though no one has spoken up yet, the murmur from the class suggests they demur to my idea that they do more homework
denigrate
(verb): to attack the reputation of or to put down. “DEN ih grate”
Think: deny I’m great
If you deny I’m great, you denigrate me
denizen
(noun): inhabitant; one who is often at a place “DEN uh zen”
Think: den citizen
One of the denizens of the caves in my woods is a black bear- he’s a bear den citizen
denuded
(verb): stripped bare. “duh NOOD id”
Think: nude
Loggers denuded the forested rise, felling trees and trampling undergrowth until it was just an nude hill of earth
depiction
(noun) : a representive. “DEE PICK shun”
think: the picture
The picture I drew of myself in kindergarten was acrude depiction of a human being: my self- portrait had no torso
deplore
(verb) to hate
“duh PLORE (rhymes with “floor”)
Think: deep love
I deplore (hate) when my uncle likes to tell that campfire ghost story like it’s part of some deep lore that goes back generations: the truth is that he’s just repeating the plot of his favorite horror movie
depredate
(verb): to take by force: to ravage; to ruin. “DEH pruh date”
Think: predator
The predators in the forest will depredate your village’s livestock if you dont build a really good fence and get guard dogs
deride
(verb): to make fun of. “duh RIDEE”
Think: Dee’s ride
We all deride Dee’s ride- its a brown 1987 Buick with ghetto rims
derivative
(adjective): lacking originality “duh RIH vuh tiv”
Think: derivative relatives
My father likes to claim that his recipes are unique, but the truth is that he learned everything he knows about cooking from Aunt Jean. In other words, his recipes are derivatives of his relative
descry
(verb): to catch sight of; to discover. “dih SCRY”
Think: describe
Ok, no that I descry the iceberg that we’re sailing towards, I ca ndescribe it to you
desecrate
(verb): to violate something sacred. “DEH suh krate”
Think: de-sacred
If you peed on an altar, you would desecrate it, or “de sacred” it - it would no longer be sacred
desiccated
(adjective) : dried out. “DEH si kate id”
think: desert sick
The desert made me sick because the dry heat desiccated my body
despoiled
(verb): stripped of value. “duh SPOILED”
Think: spoiled
Desperate for oil, the US drilled in Alaska and despoiled the land, and act which spoiled it for future generations
despot
(noun): an all- powerful ruler. “DES put”
Think: despicable
History has shown us that despots- like Kim Jong II- are often despicable human beings
desuetude
(noun):disuse. “DES wuh tude”
Think: disuse attitude
The unnecessary security guard at the knitting store had an air of lazy desuetude about him- kind of a disuse attitude
devoid
(adjective): completely lacking “duh VOID”
Think: the void
The void of deep space is devoid of air, warmth, or life
devolve
(verb): to become less advanced over time “duh VAHLV”
Think: the Volvo
When I bought the Volvo in 1988, it was state- of-the-art, but since then it has slowly devolved into a hunk of junk
devout
(adjective): deeply religous or loyal “duh VOUT (rhymes with “out”)”
Think: devote
I’d say I’m devout- I have devoted my entire life to studying the bible
dexterity
(adjective): skill; good coordination. “dex TERR it ee”
Think: Dexter
The fictional serial killer Dexter has a grisly dexterity about the way he kills people
diaphanous
(adjective): so flimsy as to bee see-through “die APH in us”
Think: Diana’s fan
Princess Diana’s delicate rice-paper fan was diaphanous
diatribe
(noun): an angry speech. “DIE a tribe”
Think: die tribe
I didnt understand the words of his diatribe, but i guessed the native said I’d die from his tribe killing me
dichotomy
(noun): two-part, polarity, contrast “die KOTT uh me”
Think: thy cot, oh my
Thy cot. oh my- it’s so comfortable when I’m sleeping in i, but my back hurts so much when I get up
didactic
(adjective): designed to teach. “die DAKT ick”
Think: dictionary tactic
The definitions in a dictionary use the tactic of explaining words clearly in order to be didactic
diffident
(adjective): timid. “DIFF uh dent”
Think: difficult dentures
I’m diffident when in public because I’m self-conscious about how weird my difficult dentures look
digression
(noun) : a departure from the main topic. “duh GRESH in”
think: dig russians
“Have I ever mentioned to you that i dig White Russians?” said Lebowski, trying to change the subject when confronted about Bunny’s failed rescue
