Word List 15 Flashcards
Disputatious (adj)
argumentative; fond of arguing
Convinced he knew more than his lawyers, Tony was a disputatious client, ready to argue about the best way to conduct the case
Disquietude (n)
uneasiness; anxiety
When Holmes had been gone for a day, Watson felt only a slight sense of disquietude
Disquisition (n)
a formal systematic inquiry
In his disquisition, he outlined the steps he had taken in reaching his conclusions
Dissident (adj)
dissenting; rebellious
Dissimulate (v)
pretend; conceal by feigning
Although the governor tried to dissimulate his feelings about the opposing candidate, we all knew he despised his rival
Dissonance (n)
discord; opposite of harmony
Composer Charles Ives often used dissonance - clashing or unresolved chords - for special effects in his musical works
(dissonant adj)
Distend (v)
expand; swell out
I can tell when he is under stress in the way the veins on his forehead distend
Diurnal (adj)
daily
A farmer cannot neglect his diurnal tasks at any time; cows, for example, must be milked regularly
Divulge (v)
reveal
No lover of gossip, Charlotte would never divulge anything that a friend told her in confidence
Doctrinaire (adj)
unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement might bring about change in China, but the repressive response of the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy
Doctrinaire (adj)
unable to compromise about points of doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding
Weng had hoped that the student-led democracy movement might bring about change in China, but the repressive response of the doctrinaire hard-liners crushed his dreams of democracy
Dogmatic (adj)
opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal
We tried to discourage Doug from being so dogmatic; but never could convince him that his opinions might be wrong
Doleful (adj)
mournful; causing sadness
Eyesore, the lugubrious donkey immortalised by A.A Milne, looked at his cheerful friend Tigger and sighed out a doleful sigh
Domicile (n)
home
Although his legal domicile was in NYC, his work kept him away from home for many years
Domineer (v)
rule over tyrannically
Students prefer teachers who guide, not ones who domineer
Dossier (n)
file of documents on a subject
Ordered by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate the senator, the FBI compiled a complete dossier on him
Dotage (n)
senility
In his dotage, the old man bored us with long tales of events in his childhood
Dote (v)
be excessively fond of, show signs of mental decline
Not only grandmothers bore you with stories about their brilliant grandchildren; grandfathers dote on the little rascals too
Dour (adj)
sullen; severe; gloomy
The Protestant missionaries who settled on Tahiti in the early nineteenth century were followers of a dour and cheerless creed, who routinely dressed in black and never let themselves forget for a moment the awful burden of the sins of the world
Dowdy (adj)
slovenly; untidy
She tired to change he dowdy image by buying a fashionable new wardrobe
Drab (adj)
dull; lacking colour; cheerless
The Dutch woman’s drab winter coat contrasted with the distinctive, colourful native costume she wrote beneath it
Draconian (adj)
extremely severe
Dregs (n)
sediment; worthless residue
David poured the wine carefully to avoid stirring up the dregs
Drivel (n)
nonsense; foolishness
Why do i have to spend my time listening to such idiotic drivel?
Droll (adj)
queer and amusing
He was a popular guest because his droll anecdotes were always entertaining
Drone (n)
talk dully; idle person, buzz or murmur like a bee
Drudgery (n)
menial work
Cinderella’s fairy godmother rescued her from a life of drudgery
