D2 Mneomonics Flashcards
dilatory
(adjective): tending to procrastinate “DILL a tor ee”
Think: delay later
The dilatory gator liked to delay things until later
dilettante
(noun): a dabbler; one with superficial knowledge of an area. “DILL uh taunt”
Think: diluted
The dilettante’s knowledge of the subject was, understandably, diluted
dint
(noun): force; power. “DINT”
Think: Hulk’s dent
The incredible Hulk made a dent in the car by dint of his enormous strength
dire
(adjective): desparate
“DAHYER (rhymes with “fire”_”
Think: die
If you are afraid that you might die, then the situation is dire
discomfit
(verb) : to embarrass or confuse. “dis KUM fit”
think: discomfort
Realizing one’s suit had be replaced with a too-tight Speedo would discomfort and discomfit anyone
disconcert
(verb): to confuse or frustrate. “dis KUN sirt”
Think: diss the concert
To liven up recitals, I disconcert the musicians by dissing the concert
discreet
(adjective): having or showing self-restraint and good judgment “dis KREET”
Think: this secrET
I’m pregnant-but please, be discreET and keep this secrET- if my parents find out, they’ll kill me
discrepancy
(noun): a difference, divergence, or disagreement. “dis KREP in see”
Think: this crepe vs. Nancy’s
There seems to be a large discrepancy between the size this crepe of mine and that of Nancy’s …I wonder whether she took a bite of mine while I wasn’t looking
discrete
(adjective): individually distinct; separate “dis KREET”
Think: Crete
The Greek island of Crete is discrete because it doesn’t touch any other land
disgruntled
(adjective): displeased. “dis GRUNT ulled”
Think: grunted
The fat warthog grunted to show he was disgruntled with his small dinner
dismantle
(verb): to take apart or destroy. “Dis MAN till”
Think: Mickey Mantle
A 16-time baseball All-star, Mickey Mantle often dismantled opposing teams with his brilliant hitting
dismissive
(adjective): showing rejection and contempt for “dis MISS ive”
Think: dismiss
When she sings “Call Me Maybe”, Carly Rae Jepsen is dismissive because she dismissed all the other boys who tried to chase her
disparage
(verb): to insult or to put down “dis PARRIAGE (rhymes with “marriage”)
Think: despair and rage
he felt despair and rage because the rapper liked to diss and disparage him
disparate
(adjective): distinct; different “DISS per it”
Think: this parrot vs. that pirate
This parrot is disparate (different) from that pirate on whose shoulder it is sitting. They are disparate species, after all.. even if they do look a bit alike
dispassionate
(adjective): not passionate/ interested “diss PASH in it”
Think: not passionate
Dis=not, so dispassionate=not passionate (not interested)
dispatch
(noun): speed; efficiency. “DIS patch”
Think: dispatcher
If you want a job as a dispatcher- using the radio to direct police- you’d better dispatch`
displacing
(verb): removing from the usual place “Dis place”
Think: dis place to dat place
Don’t think of your demotion as me displacing you- I’m just moving your desk from dis place to dat place
disputatious
(adjective): inclined to argue “dis pyoo TAY shus”
Think: dispute
After being pulled over, the disputatious lawyer unwisely disputed the accuracy of the cop’s radar gun
dissemble
(verb): to mislead, hide or conceal. “dis EM bull”
Think: disassemble gun
The terrorist tried to dissemble his plan by disassembling his gun before trying to smuggle it through airport security
disseminated
(verb): spread out. “dis EM in nate id”
Think: diss ‘em, Nate
His dad advised to “diss ‘em, Nate”, so Nate disseminated flyers all over the school that criticized his opponents in the election
distension
(noun): swelling. “dis TEN shun”
Think: dis-tension
A belly showing distension after a huge meal might be because the person has weak abs with no muscle tension
dither
(verb): to stress out from indecision. “DITH ur”
Think: ditz do either
You’re such a ditz- you’d do either and it’s making you dither
diurnal
(adjective): daily, of the daytime. “die URN ul
Think: the urinal
My use of the urinal is diurnal- I pee every day
divergent
(adjective): moving in different directions. “duh VERIE int”
Think: two roads diverged
“two road diverged in a yellow wood,” begins the famous Robert Frost Poem, “the Road not Taken”
divisive
(adjective) : creating disunity. “di VIE sive”
think: divide
Yoko ono had a divisive effect on The Beatles, dividing the group into two parts
doctile
(adjective): calm, even-tempered.
“DOSS ill”
Think: doctor
The docile doctor remained calm even though his patient was clinging to life by a thread
doctrinaire
(noun): rigid and dogmatic “DOCK trih NAIR (rhymes with “hair”)”
Think: doctorate in air
I once met an academic with a Doctorate (Ph.D) in Air, and I asked him whether oxygen molecules always travel in pair. “Yes, they do,” he said, “…with zero exceptions”
doggedness
(noun): stubborn determination “DOG ed ness”
Think: dog-ness
The fligher’s doggedness, even after he was knocked down, was like that of a fearless Bulldog
doggerel
(noun): poorly written verse. “DOG ur ul”
Think: dog verse
Most valentine’s Day card poems are such doggerel that it seems as though dogs wrote the verse
dogmatic
(adjective): stubborn; inflexible. “dog MATICK”
Think: dog bath
My dog automatically becomes dogmatic if you try to give him a bath, since he hates water
dolorous
(adjective): sad; mournful “DOLL ur us”
Think: Dolores’s doldrums
I’d be dolorous and in the doldrums too if my name were Dolores
dormant
(adjective) temporarily inactive. “DOOR munt”
Think: doorman
If you work as a doorman, you know that most of the time you’re just standing there, dormant
dour
(adjective): gloomy; stern. “DOUR”
Think: sour
The teachers dour expression made her pupils feel sour
draconian
(adjective): cruelly strict. “druh KONY en”
Think: Draco Malfoy
If Draco Malfoy had taught the Gryffindor students, I’m sure he would have been a draconian instructor
droll
(adjective): funny. “DROLL”
Think: roll (with laughter)
Droll humor makes me roll with laughter
dubious
(adjective): doubtful. “DOO bee us”
Think: dubious doob
That is a dubious doob, my friend- it looks like oregano if you ask me
dudgeon
(noun) : a tantrum caused by being offended. “DUDGE in”
Think: dungeon grudge
I was in high dudgeon after they threw me in the dungeon for jaywalking, and I held a grudge
dupe
(verb): to trick “DOOP”
Think: dope
A dope is easy to dupe
duplicitous
(adjective): deceptive. “due PLISS it us”
Think: duplicate-ness
Politicians try to make everyone like them, but their two faced duplicate-ness is duplicitous
dwindle
(verb): to gradually become smaller. “DWIN dull”
Think: candle
Our excitement at exploring the cave quickly turned to fear when we saw that our candle had burned low, dwindling into a stub that wouldn’t last for long
dyspeptic
(adjective): grumpy. “diss PEP tick”
Think: Pepto-Bismol
This Pepto-Bismol will prevent indigestion and the resulting dyspeptic mood
