Vocab List 4 Flashcards
Debonair
adj
having gentle or courteous bearing or manner
Despite being accidentally stepped on numerous times, Jim’s debonair personality prevented him from becoming angry with the girl he was dancing with.
Dearth
noun
A scarcity or lack of something
The low test scores revealed to the teacher that there was a dearth of understanding of the topic across the whole class.
Deciduous
Adj
Falling off at maturity as petals after flowering, fruit when ripe, etc.
Deciduous trees lose their leaves in a seasonal pattern after which they go dormant.
Deleterious
adj
hurtful, morally or physically.
often we do not realize how deleterious our words are to others until we experience it ourselves.
Demagogue
noun
An unprincipled politician.
Adolf Hitler was a demagogue who used his passionate oratory skills to fool the masses and gain power.
Denizen
noun
inhabitant; occupant
The denizens of the classroom became silent when the principal walked in.
Derelict
adj
neglectful of obligation
The man was derelict in his job of answering phones at the office and was fired.
Derision
noun
Ridicule; scorn.
The proposal to build a waste treatment plant within 10 miles of where people were living was held in derision by the members of the board.
Diatribe
noun
a bitter or malicious criticism
The food critic posted a diatribe review of the restaurant on his website because he was not offered the table he requested to sit at.
Dilapidated
adj
fallen into decay or ruin
My uncle insists on driving the same dilapidated car that he has had for over a decade because he is too emotionally attached to it to sell it.
Disavow
verb
to disclaim responsibility for
The driver of the vehicle that hit a child continued to disavow his involvement in the accident because he argued that the child was crossing a red light.
Disseminate
verb
To sow or scatter abroad, as seed is sown.
The internet enables us to disseminate information faster than by word of mouth.
Dissipate
verb
to disperse or disappear
The crowd that had gathered to listen to the band performing in the park dissipated quickly once they stopped playing.
Dissuade
verb
To change the purpose or alter the plans of by persuasion, counsel, or pleading.
My mother frequently attempts to dissuade me from applying to college outside of the state so that I won’t have to leave home.
Divest
verb
To strip, specifically of clothes, ornaments or accouterments or disinvestment.
It is always a sad moment when we have to divest the Christmas tree after we spent hours decorating and preparing to celebrate.
