definition definitions
NOUN a statement explaining the meaning of a word or an idea
deflate deflates, deflating, deflated
VERB If you deflate something, such as a tyre or balloon, you let all the air or gas out of it.
ANTONYMS: inflate, blow up
deforestation
NOUN the cutting down or the destruction of all the trees in an area
deformed
ADJECTIVE disfigured or abnormally shaped
defrost defrosts, defrosting, defrosted
VERB 1 If you defrost frozen food, you let it thaw out.
2 If you defrost a freezer or refrigerator, you remove the ice from it.
defuse defuses, defusing, defused
VERB 1 If someone defuses a bomb, they remove its fuse or detonator so that it cannot explode.
defuse defuses, defusing, defused
VERB 1 If someone defuses a bomb, they remove its fuse or detonator so that it cannot explode.
2 If you defuse a dangerous or tense situation, you make it less dangerous or tense.
defy defies, defying, defied
VERB If you defy a person or a law, you openly refuse to obey.
degree degrees
NOUN 1 a unit of measurement for temperatures, angles, and longitude and latitude, written as ° after a number The temperature was 20 °C. A right angle is a ninety-degree angle.
2 an amount of a feeling or quality As captain you have a high degree of responsibility.
3 a university qualification gained after completing a course of study there
dehydrated
ADJECTIVE If someone is dehydrated, they are weak or ill because they have lost too much water from their body.
deity deities
NOUN a god or goddess
dejected
ADJECTIVE If you are dejected, you are sad and gloomy.
dejection NOUN
delay delays, delaying, delayed
VERB 1 If you delay doing something, you put it off until later.
SYNONYM: postpone
2 If something delays you, it makes you late or slows you down.
NOUN 3 If there is a delay, something does not happen until later than planned or expected.
delete deletes, deleting, deleted
VERB If you delete something written, you cross it out or remove it.
deliberate
ADJECTIVE 1 done on purpose or planned in advance
2 slow and careful in speech and action deliberate movements
deliberately ADVERB
delicate
ADJECTIVE 1 light and attractive a delicate perfume
2 fragile and needing to be handled carefully a delicate china cup
3 precise or sensitive delicate instruments
delicately ADVERB
delicatessen delicatessens
NOUN a shop selling unusual or imported foods
delicious
ADJECTIVE Delicious food or drink has an extremely pleasant taste.
SYNONYMS: delectable, scrumptious
delight delights, delighting, delighted
NOUN 1 great pleasure or joy
VERB 2 If something delights you, or if you are delighted by it, it gives you a lot of pleasure.
delighted ADJECTIVE
delinquent delinquents
NOUN a young person who commits minor crimes
delinquency NOUN
delirious
ADJECTIVE 1 unable to speak or act in a rational way because of illness or fever
2 wildly excited and happy
deliriously ADVERB
deliver delivers, delivering, delivered
VERB 1 If you deliver something to someone, you take it and give it to them.
2 If someone delivers a baby, they help the woman who is giving birth.
delta deltas
NOUN a triangular piece of land at the mouth of a river where it divides into separate streams
deluge deluges
NOUN a sudden, heavy downpour of rain
demand demands, demanding, demanded
VERB 1 If you demand something, you ask for it forcefully.
NOUN 2 If there is demand for something, a lot of people want to buy it or have it.
democracy democracies
NOUN a system of government in which the people choose their leaders by voting for them in elections
democratic ADJECTIVE
demolish demolishes, demolishing, demolished
VERB If someone demolishes a building, they knock it down.
demolition NOUN
demon demons
NOUN a devil or an evil spirit
demonstrate demonstrates, demonstrating, demonstrated
VERB 1 If you demonstrate something to somebody, you show them how to do it or how it works.
2 If people demonstrate, they march or gather together to show that they oppose or support something.
demonstration demonstrations
NOUN 1 If someone gives a demonstration, they show how to do something or how something works.
2 a march or a gathering of people to show publicly what they think about something
den dens
NOUN 1 a home or hiding place of a wild animal
2 a special place where you can do what you want without being disturbed
denial denials
NOUN 1 A denial of something is a statement that it is untrue.
2 The denial of a request is the refusal to grant it.
denim denims
NOUN strong, cotton cloth used for making clothes, especially jeans
[from French serge de Nîmes, meaning serge (a type of cloth) from Nîmes]
denominator denominators
NOUN In mathematics, the denominator is the bottom number of a fraction.
dense denser, densest
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is dense contains a lot of things or people in a small area. We cut our way through the dense forest.
2 difficult to see through The dense fog prevented us from enjoying the view over the hills.
densely ADVERB
density densities
NOUN 1 thickness
2 the proportion of mass to volume
dent dents, denting, dented
VERB 1 If you dent something, you damage its surface by hitting it.
NOUN 2 a hollow in the surface of something
dental
ADJECTIVE to do with teeth
dentist dentists
NOUN a person who is qualified to treat peoples teeth
dentures
PLURAL NOUN false teeth
deny denies, denying, denied
VERB 1 If you deny something, you say that it is not true.
2 If you are denied something, you are refused it.
deodorant deodorants
NOUN a substance used to hide or prevent the smell of sweat on your body
depart departs, departing, departed
VERB When you depart, you leave.
departure NOUN
department departments
NOUN one of the sections into which a large shop or an organization is divided
department store department stores
NOUN a very large shop divided into departments, each selling different types of goods
depend depends, depending, depended
VERB 1 If one thing depends on another, it is influenced by it. The cooking time depends on the size of the potato.
2 If you depend on someone or something, you trust them and rely on them.
dependable
ADJECTIVE If someone is dependable, you can trust them to be helpful, sensible and reliable.
depict depicts, depicting, depicted
VERB If you depict someone or something, you paint, draw or describe them.
deport deports, deporting, deported
VERB If someone is deported from a country they are sent out of it, either because they have no right to be there, because they have done something wrong or because they did not ask permission to be there.
deposit deposits, depositing, deposited
VERB 1 If you deposit something, you put it down or leave it somewhere.
NOUN 2 a sum of money given in part payment for goods or services
depot depots
NOUN 1 a place where supplies of food or equipment are stored until they are needed
2 A bus depot is a bus station.
depressed
ADJECTIVE sad and gloomy
depression depressions
NOUN 1 a state of mind in which someone feels unhappy and has no energy or enthusiasm for anything
2 a hollow in the ground or on any other surface
3 a time when there is a lot of unemployment and poverty
deprive deprives, depriving, deprived
VERB If you deprive someone of something, you take it away from them or prevent them from having it.
depth depths
NOUN 1 the measurement or distance between the top and bottom of something, or the back and front of something The depth of the swimming pool at the deep end is 1.5 m.
PHRASE 2 In depth means thoroughly. We studied the poem in depth.
deputy deputies
NOUN a person who helps someone in their job and acts on their behalf when they are away
derail derails, derailed, derailing
VERB If a train is derailed, it comes off the railway tracks.
derivation derivations
NOUN The derivation of something is where it has come from.
derive derives, deriving, derived
VERB 1 FORMAL If you derive something from someone or something, you get it from them. He derives great pleasure from music.
2 If something is derived from something else, it comes from that thing. His name is derived from a Greek word.
descant descants
NOUN 1 The descant to a tune is another tune played at the same time but at a higher pitch.
ADJECTIVE 2 A descant musical instrument plays the highest notes in a range of instruments. a descant recorder
descend descends, descending, descended
VERB If someone or something descends, they move downwards. We descended to the basement in the lift.
ANTONYM: ascend
descendant descendants
NOUN A persons descendants are all the people in later generations who are related to them.
describe describes, describing, described
VERB If you describe someone or something, you say what they are like.
desert deserts, deserting, deserted
Said dez-ert NOUN 1 an area of land, usually in a hot region, that has almost no water, rain, trees or plants the Sahara Desert
Said de-zert VERB 2 If someone deserts you, they leave you and no longer help or support you.
deserted
ADJECTIVE A deserted building or place is one that people have left and never come back to.
deserve deserves, deserving, deserved
VERB If you deserve something, you earn it or have a right to it.
design designs, designing, designed
VERB 1 If you design something new, you plan what it should be like.
NOUN 2 a drawing from which something can be built or made
3 a decorative pattern of lines or shapes
desire desires, desiring, desired
VERB 1 If you desire something, you want it.
NOUN 2 a strong feeling of wanting something
SYNONYMS: longing, want, wish
desk desks
NOUN a piece of furniture with a flat or sloping top, which you sit at to write, read or work
desktop
ADJECTIVE small enough to be used at a desk a desktop computer
desolate
ADJECTIVE 1 deserted and bleak a desolate mountain top
2 lonely, very sad, and without hope
desolation NOUN
despair despairs, despairing, despaired
NOUN 1 a total loss of hope
VERB 2 If you despair, you lose hope.
desperate
ADJECTIVE 1 If you are desperate, you are in such a bad situation that you will try anything to change it.
2 A desperate situation is extremely dangerous or serious.
despicable
ADJECTIVE Something that is despicable is nasty, cruel or evil.
despise despises, despising, despised
VERB If you despise someone or something, you have a very low opinion of them.