VOCABULARY on D

  1. dally
    waste time
  2. dally
    waste time
    Too long already had the young General dallied, wasting time.Wingfield, Lewis
  3. dapper
    marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
    Favoring elegant, tailored suits, he was once named one of the best dressed men in America by People magazine for his “diplomatically dapper” style.Reuters (Mar 20, 2011)
  4. dauntless
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
    He had dauntless courage, unwearied energy, engaging manners, boundless ambition, unsurpassed powers of debate, and strong personal magnetism.Herndon, William H.
  5. dawdle
    take one’s time; proceed slowly
    Being alone, she ate slowly, and deliberately dawdled over the meal, to kill time.Allyn, Jack
  6. dearth
    an insufficient quantity or number
    In those arid deserts, they suffered from thirst as well as from dearth of provisions.Dawson, Æneas MacDonell
  7. debacle
    a sudden and violent collapse
    Meanwhile, for now, Mr. Obama has no major scandals or foreign policydebacles.New York Times (Feb 4, 2012)
  8. debilitate
    make weak
    Necropsy reports told of horses that had been running with debilitating ailments: stomach ulcers, degenerative joint diseases, pneumonia, metal screws from previous broken bones.New York Times (Mar 27, 2012)
  9. debunk
    expose while ridiculing
    Many examples show that what physicians once accepted as truth has been totally debunked.Scientific American (Mar 25, 2011)
  10. deduce
    conclude by reasoning
    These cases, extreme as they are, do not justify, in my judgment, the conclusion deduced from them.Kelly, Edmond
  11. defame
    charge falsely or with malicious intent
    Doesn’t King know he is going to be smeared and defamed for these hearings no matter what?Salon (Jan 26, 2011)
  12. defiance
    an act boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
    At least 10 people were escorted by security out of the building after a systematic protest in defiance of the board’s actions.Chicago Tribune (Dec 14, 2011)
  13. defunct
    no longer in force or use; inactive
    Gold’s has found that its express gyms fit well in spaces vacated by defunct or shrinking retailers.Wall Street Journal (Sep 7, 2011)
  14. dejected
    affected or marked by low spirits
    Around the table, the group of men—pallid, gloomy, dejected, disheartened.Colles, Julia Keese
  15. deleterious
    harmful to living things
    A number of the species are edible, while others have been recorded asdeleterious, poisonous, etc.Taylor, Thomas
  16. delicacy
    something considered choice to eat
    The lady soon prepared supper, consisting of broiled chicken, and otherdelicacies.Aughey, John H.
  17. deluge
    the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto land
    Dykes and bridges were washed away in places and roads submerged by the muddy deluge.Reuters (Sep 30, 2011)
  18. demeanor
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    Hollande projects a unifying, jovial persona and leadership method that clashes with Sarkozy’s dominating, impetuous, controversial, and at times grating demeanor.Time (Feb 3, 2012)
  19. demographic
    a statistic characterizing human populations
    In my country, about 70 percent of the citizens are 30 years old or younger, and there are similar demographics in many other developing countries.New York Times (Apr 3, 2012)
  20. denounce
    to accuse or condemn openly as disgraceful
    Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the courthouse, chanting slogans denouncing the perpetrators and demanding justice for victims.New York Times (Apr 5, 2012)
  21. depict
    show in, or as in, a picture
    The life-size bronze statue depicts Shannon Stone and his young son wearing baseball caps.Seattle Times (Apr 6, 2012)
  22. deplete
    use up, as resources or materials
    Eighty-four percent of the world’s fish stocks are fully exploited, overexploited or depleted, according to the U.N.Scientific American (Apr 3, 2012)
  23. derivation
    the source or origin from which something comes
    The derivation of the words courteous and courtesy from court is obvious.Milton, John
  24. descendant
    a person considered as coming from some ancestor or race
    The families that founded the two groups are closely related to each other through marriages between their descendants.New York Times (Nov 23, 2011)
  25. descry
    catch sight of
    Looking off seaward, I could descry no sails.Drake, Samuel Adams
  26. desolate
    providing no shelter or sustenance
    The surroundings were barren rocks, gloomy deep valleys, and desolate gullies, the only redeeming feature being a glimpse of the ocean on one hand.Whymper, Frederick
  27. destitute
    poor enough to need help from others
    They wandered over muir and fell, in poverty and sorrow, being destitute, afflicted, tormented.Turnbull, Robert
  28. deter
    turn away from by persuasion
    Let no sportsman or amateur naturalist be deterred from visiting Patagonia by the discouraging words of Darwin.Spears, John R.
  29. detrimental
    causing harm or injury
    The damage it’s done is just so detrimental to the country.The Guardian (Jan 9, 2011)
  30. devout
    deeply religious
    Devout peasants always kneel as the blessed infant passes.Hare, Augustus J. C.
  31. dexterity
    adroitness in using the hands
    “It’s not as good as an actual hand, obviously, but it gives you moredexterity because the fingers move independently.”Seattle Times (Dec 1, 2010)
  32. diabolical
    showing cunning or ingenuity or wickedness
    He is ever hankering after forbidden arts, and many have fallen the innocent victims to his diabolical intrigues.Roby, John
  33. diaphanous
    so thin as to transmit light
    Watercolour, being transparent but visible, is made for the insubstantial: for painting water, reflection, vapour, sky, the hazy, diaphanous and remote.The Guardian (Feb 20, 2011)
  34. diatribe
    thunderous verbal attack
    The grotesquely violent diatribes that the characters sometimes hurl at each other parody the vicious language Lear heaps on his ungrateful daughters, for instance.New York Times (Jan 15, 2010)
  35. dichotomy
    being twofold
    The stark dichotomy between their own lives and the projections on the televisions in their living rooms becomes more pronounced.New York Times (Jan 2, 2012)
  36. didactic
    instructive, especially excessively
    Min is nothing if not didactic, lecturing to the point of hectoring the reader.Seattle Times (Apr 8, 2010)
  37. diffident
    lacking self-confidence
    He had exceedingly good parts, but was somewhat diffident and bashful.Rameur, E.
  38. dilettante
    an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
    For the rest, in practice I am an idler, a dilettante, and a good deal else that is pleasant and utterly useless.Griffith, George Chetwynd
  39. dire
    fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless
    In Florida, the demand for foster homes was so dire that children were sleeping in child welfare offices as recently as a few years ago.Washington Post (Dec 31, 2011)
  40. disconcerting
    causing an emotional disturbance
    There was no drooping of fringed lids, no disconcerting silences; she chatted with ease and piquancy.Rives, Hallie Erminie
  41. discord
    lack of agreement or harmony
    For all the alleged discord in this country, there’s an amazing amount of real agreement on what “a better America” would look like.Time (Apr 3, 2012)
  42. discreet
    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint
    Sarkozy has attempted to tone down his image, becoming more discreet about his private life.BusinessWeek (Feb 9, 2012)
  43. discrepancy
    a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
    The historical discrepancies are sufficiently glaring to make the story more than questionable.Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
  44. disenfranchise
    deprive of voting rights
    European Union observers said the vote was “marred by avoidable and logistical failures, which led to an unacceptable number of Ugandan citizens being disenfranchised.”BusinessWeek (Feb 20, 2011)
  45. disfigure
    mar or spoil the appearance of
    A darker scowl changed and disfigured his brow, as he lost hope of gaining me.Weyman, Stanley John
  46. disgruntled
    in a state of sulky dissatisfaction
    PA Parenteau breakaway goal less than two minutes later stretched New York’s lead and caused a cascade of boos from disgruntled Maple Leafs fans.Seattle Times (Mar 21, 2012)
  47. disheveled
    in disarray; extremely disorderly
    The fierce winds blew some walls off some rooms, leaving disheveled beds and misplaced furniture but miraculously no injuries.Chicago Tribune (Mar 1, 2012)
  48. disingenuous
    not straightforward or candid
    It feels both flattering and insulting, comforting and unsettling, honest anddisingenuous.New York Times (Sep 13, 2011)
  49. disinter
    dig up for reburial or for medical investigation
    In the Northern Islands the entire remains are disinterred, carefully cleaned, wrapped up once more, and reburied; here, the skull and jawbone only are retained.Kloss, C. Boden
  50. disjointed
    lacking orderly continuity
    His thoughts lost their continuity and became scrappy, disjointed, hazy.Reynolds, Mrs. Baillie
  51. dismal
    causing dejection
    Brownsville is a neighborhood so distinguished by negatives that even on a cloudless day, a dismal, enervating tension can take hold.New York Times (Jan 14, 2012)
  52. dismantle
    take apart into its constituent pieces
    The Tunny machines, like the Colossus computers they worked alongside, were dismantled and recycled for spare parts after World War II.BBC (May 27, 2011)
  53. dismay
    the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
    She looked at him with dismay, as though lamenting, making him responsible for her misfortune.Blasco Ib??ez, Vicente
  54. disparage
    express a negative opinion of
    In pitching for more contracts, AMR publicly tries to avoid disparaging fire departments, even as it criticizes the public business model.Reuters (Apr 15, 2011)
  55. disparity
    inequality or difference in some respect
    Nationwide, women’s groups point out the glaring gender disparity in public life, noting that there are only 6 female governors and 17 female senators.New York Times (Mar 26, 2012)
  56. dispassionate
    unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
    His words recall to us a windy afternoon on Fifth Avenue, in the days when our Uncle Sam was dispassionate and neutral.Bone, David W. (David William)
  57. dispatch
    the act of sending off something
    Messengers were immediately dispatched in every direction, sending the glad tidings on.Headley, Joel Tyler
  58. dispel
    force to go away
    The idea that sufferers from heart disease should avoid physical exertion has been dispelled by a noted physiologist who has successfully employed regulated exercise.McCarty, Louis Philippe
  59. dispense
    grant an exemption
    Lumber being scarce in that vicinity, floors, doors, as well as sash and glass, were dispensed with.Gray, William Henry
  60. disperse
    cause to separate
    They were dispersed by riot police officers but returned a few hours later before being chased away again.New York Times (Feb 13, 2012)
  61. displace
    cause to move, usually with force or pressure
    “There is a desperate need for food, for shelter and assistance,” Johnson said after visiting the affected area and meeting displaced people.Reuters (Jan 7, 2012)
  62. disposable
    designed to be thrown away after use
    Sadly, it’s also normal to see these disposable cups spewing out of bins and knocking about on pavements.The Guardian (Jan 30, 2011)
  63. disposition
    your usual mood
    At this time, he moved in the best society, where his courtly manners and genial disposition made him a general favorite.Stark, James H.
  64. disseminate
    cause to become widely known
    Few will be surprised if more details are disseminated before the big reveal at Detroit’s Cobo Hall.New York Times (Dec 30, 2011)
  65. dissertation
    a treatise advancing a point of view resulting from research
    He attended Duke University, won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford and earned a Ph.D., writing a dissertation on humanitarian movements and relief work.New York Times (May 8, 2011)
  66. dissident
    a person who objects to some established policy
    Just as political dissidents fought the Soviet regime, so, too, did others oppose the educational system.New York Times (Sep 15, 2011)
  67. dissimilar
    not alike
    How do two cities so dissimilar in location, size, and environment end up on the same end of the cost-of-living scale?BusinessWeek (Jun 29, 2010)
  68. dissimulate
    hide feelings from other people
    He was simply more cautious than is usual in men, and so exceedingly honest that it was impossible for him to dissimulate.Swiggett, Samuel A.
  69. dissipate
    cause to separate and go in different directions
    The leaked gas — mainly methane — was dissipating in the atmosphere very quickly, Total said.New York Times (Apr 2, 2012)
  70. dissipated
    preoccupied with the pursuit of pleasure
    The Prince of Wales also still pursued the most dissipated rounds of pleasure, making his very name hateful to every virtuous ear.Hamilton, Lady Anne
  71. dissipation
    dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure
    But some men mean by college spirit something finer than lawlessness,dissipation, and rowdyism.Addams, Jane
  72. dissolute
    unrestrained by convention or morality
    Extravagance, debauchery, and dissolute habits were sure to work out in time the attendant ills of wretchedness, destitution, and penury.Carroll, Mitchell
  73. dissolution
    the termination or disintegration of a relationship
    A loosening and final dissolution of old unions, which no longer satisfy all conditions, cannot be recommended until new constellations are within reach.Various
  74. dissolve
    cause to fade away
    And then the glittering mass begins to dissolve and fade away.Rameur, E.
  75. dissonance
    the auditory experience of sound that lacks musical quality
    On that album Wilco opened up its music, letting noise, dissonance and other disruptions transmogrify what had been solid, straightforward roots-rock.New York Times (Sep 26, 2011)
  76. dissonant
    lacking in harmony
    He thinks it’s a practical joke, because the music is fragmentary, halting,dissonant and weird.The Guardian (Oct 15, 2010)
  77. dissuade
    turn away from by persuasion
    Several old miners tried, with the best of intentions, to dissuade Gabe from going to those diggings, saying he would only meet with failure.Webster, Frank V.
  78. distant
    located far away spatially
    I counted eight peaks, and then, on coming nearer, others, that at first had blended with those higher and more distant ones, detached themselves.Drake, Samuel Adams
  79. distend
    swell from or as if from internal pressure
    Some kids said LaNiyah’s distended abdomen looked like she was carrying a baby.Seattle Times (Apr 7, 2011)
  80. distill
    remove impurities from and increase the concentration of
    He has made his mark by simplifying and distilling his ideas, using as few elements as the conventions of showing art will allow.New York Times (Jun 24, 2011)
  81. distillation
    purifying a liquid by boiling it and condensing its vapors
    This process of heating an organic compound in a closed vessel without access of air and collecting the products, is called destructive distillation.Meldola, Raphael
  82. distort
    twist and press out of shape
    It was dark and distorted, swollen a great deal, and one of his eyes was closed.Micheaux, Oscar
  83. distract
    draw someone’s attention away from something
    During the evening he had kept his sorrow at bay as well as he could,distracting his thoughts with passing objects.Weyman, Stanley John
  84. distraught
    deeply agitated especially from emotion
    He is plainly distraught, utterly unbalanced by the sad experience he has had.Flotow, Friedrich von
  85. distress
    cause mental pain to
    Prissy alone was genuinely distressed, and so affected was she that two big tears of woe trickled down her cheeks.Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)
  86. diverse
    many and different
    This remains a diverse country, and there are distinct regional differences even within a political party.Washington Post (Mar 7, 2012)
  87. divest
    cease to hold, as an investment
    The practice was known as “tobashi,” and was used to mean “hiding bad loans” or “selling or divesting in unwanted stocks.”Wall Street Journal (Nov 8, 2011)
  88. docile
    willing to be taught or led or supervised or directed
    The Puma is, however, easily tamed and becomes very docile under kindly treatment.Various
  89. dogmatic
    relating to or involving a religious doctrine
    Expect neither theological controversy nor dogmatic discussion of any kind from me.R?ville, Albert
  90. doleful
    filled with or evoking sadness
    He never held forth dark threats, nor adopted, like many preachers about him, the doleful tones of grief when he talked about religion.Ballou, Maturin Murray
  91. domestic
    produced in a particular country
    At the same time, domestic oil production is actually increasing after decades of decline, meaning we have to import less than before.New York Times (Mar 21, 2012)
  92. dominant
    exercising influence or control
    He looked strangely determined and forceful; almost, as she thought of it,dominant.Bindloss, Harold
  93. dormant
    inactive but capable of becoming active
    In addition, this past winter was warmer than usual, so normally dormant ticks are active.Scientific American (Mar 23, 2012)
  94. dreary
    causing dejection
    Looking out of my window the landscape is cold and dreary.Vay, P?ter
  95. drudgery
    hard monotonous routine work
    My worthy employer, however, evidently intends holding on forever, and the sordid, monotonous drudgery has been getting insupportable lately.Bindloss, Harold
  96. dubious
    fraught with uncertainty or doubt
    Through online forums, blogs and Twitter, a cottage industry has grown up around instant criticism of dodgy scientific claims and dubious findings.Nature (Dec 7, 2011)
  97. duplicity
    acting in bad faith
    Whatever they touched was blighted; whatever they said or preached breathed treachery; wherever they went, vice, crime, and duplicity marked their track.Hogan, William
  98. durable
    capable of withstanding wear and tear and decay
    The department said orders for durable goods, manufactured products expected to last three years or more, fell 0.5 percent, a smaller decline than initially estimated.Reuters (Dec 5, 2011)
  99. dwell
    inhabit or live in
    They did not dwell in fixed abodes, but wandered hither and thither as inclination and duty led.Ogg, Frederic Austin
  100. dwindle
    become smaller or lose substance
    As decades pass, maximum heart rate slows, aerobic capacity wanes, muscle mass tends to dwindle.New York Times (Apr 2, 2012)
  101. dystopian
Bidyasagar Classes
Pradeep Mahapatra Pradeep has a account An educationist and academician and strategist who help people build their career and actualize their potential and work to make students successful in their career through Bidyasagar Classes