Archive for the ‘D’ Category

Debunk

August 25, 2008

de·bunk play_w2(“D0064600″) (d-bngk)

tr.v. de·bunked, de·bunk·ing, de·bunks

To expose or ridicule the falseness, sham, or exaggerated claims of: debunk a supposed miracle drug.

Discretionary

July 30, 2008

dis·cre·tion·ar·y play_w2(“D0262200″) (d-skrsh-nr)

adj.

1. Left to or regulated by one’s own discretion or judgment.
2. Available for use as needed or desired: a discretionary fund.

dis·cretion·ari·ly (-nâr-l) adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj. 1. discretionary – having or using the ability to act or decide according to your own discretion or judgment; “The commission has discretionary power to award extra funds”

Diabolic

July 29, 2008

di·a·bol·i·cal play_w2(“D0192300″) (d-bl-kl) also di·a·bol·ic (-k)

adj.

1. Of, concerning, or characteristic of the devil; satanic.
2. Appropriate to a devil, especially in degree of wickedness or cruelty.

[From Middle English deabolik, from Old French diabolique, from Late Latin diabolicus, from Latin diabolus, devil; see devil.]

dia·boli·cal·ly adv.
dia·boli·cal·ness n.

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


diabolical

Adjective
Informal
1. unpleasant or annoying: the weather was diabolical
2. extreme: diabolical cheek
3. same as diabolic
diabolically adv

Dogma

June 16, 2008

dog·ma play_w2(“D0323500″) (dôgm, dg-)

n. pl. dog·mas or dog·ma·ta (-m-t)

1. A doctrine or a corpus of doctrines relating to matters such as morality and faith, set forth in an authoritative manner by a church.
2. An authoritative principle, belief, or statement of ideas or opinion, especially one considered to be absolutely true. See Synonyms at doctrine.
3. A principle or belief or a group of them: “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present” Abraham Lincoln.

Arduous

June 2, 2008

ar·du·ous play_w2(“A0413600″) (ärj-s)

adj.

1. Demanding great effort or labor; difficult: “the arduous work of preparing a Dictionary of the English Language” Thomas Macaulay.
2. Testing severely the powers of endurance; strenuous: a long, arduous, and exhausting war.
3. Hard to traverse, climb, or surmount. See Synonyms at burdensome, hard.

Devour

May 27, 2008

de·vour play_w2(“D0183500″) (d-vour)

tr.v. de·voured, de·vour·ing, de·vours

1. To eat up greedily. See Synonyms at eat.
2. To destroy, consume, or waste: Flames devoured the structure in minutes.
3. To take in eagerly: devour a novel.
4. To prey upon voraciously: was devoured by jealousy.

Dismay

April 26, 2008

dis·may play_w(“D0276600″) (ds-m)

tr.v. dis·mayed, dis·may·ing, dis·mays

1. To destroy the courage or resolution of by exciting dread or apprehension.
2. To cause to lose enthusiasm; disillusion: was dismayed to learn that her favorite dancer used drugs.
3. To upset or alarm.

Derriere

April 9, 2008

der·ri·ère also der·ri·ere play_w(“D0154400″) (dr-âr)

n.

The buttocks; the rear.

Detrimental

April 8, 2008

det·ri·men·tal play_w(“D0173800″) (dtr-mntl)

adj.

Causing damage or harm; injurious.

Daze

April 4, 2008

daze play_w(“D0048800″)

 (dz)

tr.v. dazed, daz·ing, daz·es

1. To stun, as with a heavy blow or shock; stupefy.
2. To dazzle, as with strong light.
n.

A stunned or bewildered condition.