turn away from (a principle, norm); move away from an accepted standard; swerve; depart; diverge; N. deviation; Ex. deviation of the path of light by a prism
devious
roundabout; erratic; deviating from the straight course; not straightforward; not completely honest; Ex. devious route
devise
think up; invent; plan; bequeath; N: bequest
devoid
empty; lacking
devolve
deputize; pass or be passed to others (power, work, or property); Ex. devolve on/upon/to
devotee
enthusiastic follower; enthusiast; Ex. devotee of Bach
devout
pious; deeply religious; sincere; earnest; Ex. my devout hope
dexterous
skillful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity
diabolical
diabolic; devilish; fiendish
diadem
crown
dialectical
relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; Ex. dialectical situation; N. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments
diaphanous
sheer; transparent
diatribe
bitter scolding or denunciation; invective; abuse
dichotomy
division into two opposite parts; split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)
dictum
authoritative and weighty statement (made by a judge in court); saying; maxim; CF. obiter dictum: incidental, nonbinding remark (something said in passing)
didactic
(of speech or writing) intended to teach a moral lesson; teaching; instructional; N. didacticism
die
metal block used for shaping metal or plastic; device for stamping or impressing; mold; CF. dice
diffidence
shyness; lack of self-confidence; timidity; ADJ. diffident
diffuse
wordy; verbose; rambling; spread out (like a gas); V: spread out in all directions; disperse; N. diffusion; CF. suffuse
dignitary
person of high rank or position
digression
wandering away from the subject; V. digress
dilapidated
falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined because of neglect; Ex. dilapidated old car/castle; N. dilapidation
dilate
expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject)
dilatory
delaying; tending to delay
dilemma
situation that requires a choice between equally unfavorable options; problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives
dilettante
aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge (not taking it seriously); amateur; dabbler; CF. delight
diligence
steadiness of effort; persistent hard work
dilute
make (a liquid) less concentrated; reduce in strength; Ex. dilute the influence of the president
diminution
lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish
din
continued loud noise; V: make a din; instill by wearying repetition
dinghy
small boat (often ship's boat)
dingy
(of things and place) dirty and dull; Ex. dingy street/curtain
dint
means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work
diorama
life-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history; three-dimensional scene with modeled figures against a painted background
dire
warning of disaster; disastrous; (of needs and dangers) very great; urgent; Ex. dire prediction/need of food
dirge
funeral song; slow mournful piece of music (sung over a dead person)
disabuse
correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief
disaffected
disloyal; lacking loyality; V. disaffect: cause to lose affection or loyalty
disapprobation
disapproval; condemnation
disarray
state of disorder; a disorderly or untidy state; Ex. with her clothes in disarray
disavowal
denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim
disband
dissolve; disperse; (of a group) break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded.
disbar
make (a lawyer) leave the bar or the legal profession
disburse
pay out (as from a fund); N. disbursement; CF. purse
not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous
disinter
dig up; unearth; OP. inter
disinterested
unprejudiced; free from bias and self-interest; objective
disjointed
disconnected; lacking coherence; V. disjoint: disconnect; disjoin
disjunction
act or state of separation; disunity; CF. disjunctive: expressing a choice between two ideas; CF. conjunction; CF. conjunctive
dislodge
remove (forcibly); force out of a position; Ex. dislodge the food caught in his throat; CF. lodge
dismantle
take apart; disassemble
dismember
cut into small parts; cut (a body) apart limb from limb
dismiss
eliminate from consideration; no longer consider; put out of court without further hearing; reject; discharge from employment; direct to leave; ADJ. dismissive; N. dismissal
disparage
belittle
disparate
basically different; impossible to compare; unrelated
disparity
difference; condition of inequality; OP. parity
dispassionate
calm; impartial; not influenced by personal feelings
dispatch
speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed; V: send to a specified destination; finish promptly; kill
dispel
scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
dispense
distribute; prepare and give out (medicines); N. dispensation: dispensing; religious system; official exemption from an obligation or a rule
disperse
scatter; Ex. disperse the cloud/crowd
dispirited
lacking in spirit
disport
amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert
disproportion
lack of proportion (between the parts); ADJ. disproportionate
5th Grade Science
