2 ADV [ADV before v] If something has been definitely decided, the decision will not be changed. □ He told them that no venue had yet been definitely decided. SYNONYMS definitely ADV 1
certainly: The public is certainly getting tired of hearing about it.
clearly: Clearly, the police cannot break the law in order to enforce it.
unquestionably: He is unquestionably a star.
undeniably: Bringing up a baby is undeniably hard work.
defi|ni|tion ◆◇◇ /de f I n I ʃ ə n/ (definitions )
1 N‑COUNT A definition is a statement giving the meaning of a word or expression, especially in a dictionary. □ [+ of ] There is no general agreement on a standard definition of intelligence. ● PHRASE If you say that something has a particular quality by definition , you mean that it has this quality simply because of what it is. □ Human perception is highly imperfect and by definition subjective.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Definition is the quality of being clear and distinct. □ The speakers criticised his new programme for lack of definition. SYNONYMS definition NOUN 2
clarity: This remarkable technology provides far greater clarity than conventional x-rays.
sharpness: The telescope shows us our Universe with wonderful sharpness and clarity.
de|fini|tive /d I f I n I t I v/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is definitive provides a firm conclusion that cannot be questioned. □ No one has come up with a definitive answer as to why this should be so. ● de|fini|tive|ly ADV □ The Constitution did not definitively rule out divorce.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A definitive book or performance is thought to be the best of its kind that has ever been done or that will ever be done. □ His 'An Orkney Tapestry' is still the definitive book on the islands.
de|flate /d I fle I t/ (deflates , deflating , deflated )
1 VERB If you deflate someone or something, you take away their confidence or make them seem less important. □ [V n] Britain's other hopes of medals were deflated earlier in the day. ● de|flat|ed ADJ □ When she refused I felt deflated.
2 VERB When something such as a tyre or balloon deflates , or when you deflate it, all the air comes out of it. □ [V ] When it returns to shore, the life-jacket will deflate and revert to a harness. □ [V n] We deflate the tyres to make it easier to cross the desert.
de|fla|tion /diː fle I ʃ ə n, d I f-/ N‑UNCOUNT Deflation is a reduction in economic activity that leads to lower levels of industrial output, employment, investment, trade, profits, and prices. [BUSINESS ]
de|fla|tion|ary /diː fle I ʃənri, [AM ] -neri/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A deflationary economic policy or measure is one that is intended to or likely to cause deflation. [BUSINESS ]
de|flect /d I fle kt/ (deflects , deflecting , deflected )
1 VERB If you deflect something such as criticism or attention, you act in a way that prevents it from being directed towards you or affecting you. □ [V n] Cage changed his name to deflect accusations of nepotism. □ [V n + from ] It's a maneuver to deflect the attention of the people from what is really happening.
2 VERB To deflect someone from a course of action means to make them decide not to continue with it by putting pressure on them or by offering them something desirable. □ [V n + from ] The war did not deflect him from the path he had long ago taken. □ [V n] Never let a little problem deflect you.
3 VERB If you deflect something that is moving, you make it go in a slightly different direction, for example by hitting or blocking it. □ [V n] My forearm deflected most of the first punch.
de|flec|tion /d I fle kʃ ə n/ (deflections )
1 N‑VAR The deflection of something means making it change direction. [TECHNICAL ] □ …the deflection of light as it passes through the slits in the grating.
2 N‑COUNT In sport, the deflection of a ball, kick, or shot is when the ball hits an object and then travels in a different direction.
de|flow|er /diː flaʊ ə r / (deflowers , deflowering , deflowered ) VERB When a woman is deflowered , she has sexual intercourse with a man for the first time. [LITERARY ] □ [be V -ed] Nora was deflowered by a man who worked in a soda-water factory. [Also V n]
de|fo|li|ant /diː foʊ liənt/ (defoliants ) N‑VAR A defoliant is a chemical used on trees and plants to make all their leaves fall off. Defoliants are especially used in war to remove protection from an enemy.
de|fo|li|ate /diː foʊ lie I t/ (defoliates , defoliating , defoliated ) VERB To defoliate an area or the plants in it means to cause the leaves on the plants to fall off or be destroyed. This is done especially in war to remove protection from an enemy. □ [V n] Large areas of jungle were defoliated by a chemical. ● de|fo|lia|tion /diː foʊ lie I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …preventing defoliation of trees by caterpillars.
de|for|est /diː fɒ r I st, [AM ] -fɔː r-/ (deforests , deforesting , deforested ) VERB [usu passive] If an area is deforested , all the trees there are cut down or destroyed. □ [be V -ed] The area had largely been deforested by the middle of the 19th century. ● de|for|esta|tion /diː fɒ r I ste I ʃ ə n, [AM ] -fɔː r-/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the ecological crisis of deforestation.
de|form /d I fɔː r m/ (deforms , deforming , deformed ) VERB If something deforms a person's body or something else, it causes it to have an unnatural shape. In technical English, you can also say that the second thing deforms . □ [V n] Bad rheumatoid arthritis deforms limbs. □ [V ] …the ability of a metal to deform to a new shape without cracking. ● de|formed ADJ □ He was born with a deformed right leg. ● de|for|ma|tion /diː fɔː r me I ʃ ə n/ (deformations ) N‑VAR □ Changing stresses bring about more cracking and rock deformation.
de|form|ity /d I fɔː r m I ti/ (deformities )
1 N‑COUNT A deformity is a part of someone's body which is not the normal shape because of injury or illness, or because they were born this way. □ …facial deformities in babies.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Deformity is the condition of having a deformity. □ The bones begin to grind against each other, leading to pain and deformity.
de|fraud /d I frɔː d/ (defrauds , defrauding , defrauded ) VERB If someone defrauds you, they take something away from you or stop you from getting what belongs to you by means of tricks and lies. □ [V n] He pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud the government. □ [V n + of/out of ] …allegations that he defrauded taxpayers of thousands of dollars.
de|fray /d I fre I / (defrays , defraying , defrayed ) VERB If you defray someone's costs or expenses, you give them money which represents the amount that they have spent, for example while they have been doing something for you or acting on your behalf. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The government has committed billions toward defraying the costs of the war.
de|frock /diːfrɒ k/ (defrocked ) V-PASSIVE If a priest is defrocked , he is forced to stop being a priest because of bad behaviour. □ [be V -ed] Mellors was preaching heresy and had to be immediately defrocked. □ [V -ed] …a defrocked priest.
de|frost /diː frɒ st, [AM ] -frɔː st/ (defrosts , defrosting , defrosted )
1 VERB When you defrost frozen food or when it defrosts , you allow or cause it to become unfrozen so that you can eat it or cook it. □ [V n] She has a microwave, but uses it mainly for defrosting bread. □ [V ] Once the turkey has defrosted, remove the giblets.
2 VERB When you defrost a fridge or freezer, you switch it off or press a special switch so that the ice inside it can melt. You can also say that a fridge or freezer is defrosting . □ [V n] Defrost the fridge regularly so that it works at maximum efficiency. [Also V ]
deft /de ft/ (defter , deftest ) ADJ A deft action is skilful and often quick. [WRITTEN ] □ With a deft flick of his foot, Mr Worth tripped one of the raiders up. ● deft|ly ADV □ One of the waiting servants deftly caught him as he fell. ● deft|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …Dr Holly's surgical deftness and experience.
de|funct /d I fʌ ŋkt/ ADJ If something is defunct , it no longer exists or has stopped functioning or operating. □ …the leader of the now defunct Social Democratic Party.
de|fuse /diː fjuː z/ (defuses , defusing , defused )
1 VERB If you defuse a dangerous or tense situation, you calm it. □ [V n] The organization helped defuse potentially violent situations.
2 VERB If someone defuses a bomb, they remove the fuse so that it cannot explode. □ [V n] Police have defused a bomb found in a building in London.
defy /d I fa I / (defies , defying , defied )
1 VERB If you defy someone or something that is trying to make you behave in a particular way, you refuse to obey them and behave in that way. □ [V n] This was the first (and last) time that I dared to defy my mother.
2 VERB If you defy someone to do something, you challenge them to do it when you think that they will be unable to do it or too frightened to do it. □ [V n to-inf] I defy you to read this book and not feel motivated to change.
3 VERB [no passive, no cont] If something defies description or understanding, it is so strange, extreme, or surprising that it is almost impossible to understand or explain. □ [V n] It's a devastating and barbaric act that defies all comprehension.
de|gen|era|cy /d I dʒe nərəsi/ N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to the behaviour of a group of people as degeneracy , you mean that you think it is shocking, immoral, or disgusting. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …the moral degeneracy of society.
de|gen|er|ate (degenerates , degenerating , degenerated ) The verb is pronounced /d I dʒe nəre I t/. The adjective and noun are pronounced /d I dʒe nərət/. 1 VERB If you say that someone or something degenerates , you mean that they become worse in some way, for example weaker, lower in quality, or more dangerous. □ [V ] Inactivity can make your joints stiff, and the bones may begin to degenerate. □ [V + into ] …a very serious humanitarian crisis which could degenerate into a catastrophe. ● de|gen|era|tion /d I dʒe nəre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …various forms of physical and mental degeneration.
2 ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as degenerate , you disapprove of them because you think they have low standards of behaviour or morality. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a group of degenerate computer hackers.
3 N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as a degenerate , you disapprove of them because you think they have low standards of behaviour or morality. [DISAPPROVAL ]
de|gen|era|tive /d I dʒe nərət I v/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A degenerative disease or condition is one that gets worse as time progresses. □ …degenerative diseases of the brain, like Alzheimer's.
deg|ra|da|tion /de grəde I ʃ ə n/ (degradations )
1 N‑VAR You use degradation to refer to a situation, condition, or experience which you consider shameful and disgusting, especially one which involves poverty or immorality. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ They were sickened by the scenes of misery and degradation they found.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Degradation is the process of something becoming worse or weaker, or being made worse or weaker. □ I feel this signals the degradation of American culture.
3 N‑UNCOUNT The degradation of land or of the environment is the process of its becoming damaged and poorer, for example because of the effects of pollution, industry, and modern agricultural methods. [TECHNICAL ]
de|grade /d I gre I d/ (degrades , degrading , degraded )
1 VERB Something that degrades someone causes people to have less respect for them. □ [V n] …the notion that pornography degrades women. □ [V pron-refl] When I asked him if he had ever taken bribes he said he wouldn't degrade himself like that. ● de|grad|ing ADJ □ Mr Porter was subjected to a degrading strip-search.
2 VERB To degrade something means to cause it to get worse. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …the ability to meet human needs indefinitely without degrading the environment.
3 VERB In science, if a substance degrades or if something degrades it, it changes chemically and decays or separates into different substances. [TECHNICAL ] □ [V ] This substance degrades rapidly in the soil. □ [V n] …the ability of these enzymes to degrade cellulose.
de|gree ◆◆◇ /d I griː / (degrees )
1 N‑COUNT You use degree to indicate the extent to which something happens or is the case, or the amount which something is felt. □ [+ of ] These man-made barriers will ensure a very high degree of protection. □ [+ of ] Politicians have used television with varying degrees of success. ● PHRASE If something has a degree of a particular quality, it has a small but significant amount of that quality. □ Their wages do, however, allow them a degree of independence.
2 N‑COUNT A degree is a unit of measurement that is used to measure temperatures. It is often written as °, for example 23°. □ It's over 80 degrees outside.
3 N‑COUNT A degree is a unit of measurement that is used to measure angles, and also longitude and latitude. It is often written as °, for example 23°. □ It was pointing outward at an angle of 45 degrees.
4 N‑COUNT A degree at a university or college is a course of study that you take there, or the qualification that you get when you have passed the course. □ He took a master's degree in economics at Yale. □ …the first year of a degree course.
5 → see also first-degree , second-degree , third-degree
6 PHRASE If something happens by degrees , it happens slowly and gradually. □ The crowd in Robinson's Coffee-House was thinning, but only by degrees.
7 PHRASE You use expressions such as to some degree , to a large degree , or to a certain degree in order to indicate that something is partly true, but not entirely true. [VAGUENESS ] □ These statements are, to some degree, all correct.
8 PHRASE You use expressions such as to what degree and to the degree that when you are discussing how true a statement is, or in what ways it is true. [VAGUENESS ] □ To what degree would you say you had control over things that went on? COLLOCATIONS degree NOUN
1
adjective + degree : great, high, large; certain, considerable, fair, reasonable; various, varying
5
adjective + degree : postgraduate, undergraduate; honorary; first-class, second-class
verb + degree : gain, obtain, receive SYNONYMS degree NOUN 1
extent: Growing up with him soon made me realise the extent of his determination.
amount: I still do a certain amount of work for them.
level: The exercises are marked according to their level of difficulty.
proportion: A large proportion of the dolphins in that area will eventually die.
de|hu|man|ize /diː hjuː məna I z/ (dehumanizes , dehumanizing , dehumanized ) in BRIT, also use dehumanise VERB If you say that something dehumanizes people, you mean it takes away from them good human qualities such as kindness, generosity, and independence. □ [V n] The years of civil war have dehumanized all of us.
de|hu|midi|fi|er /diːhjuːm I d I fa I ə r / (dehumidifiers ) N‑COUNT A dehumidifier is a machine that is used to reduce the amount of moisture in the air.
de|hy|drate /diː ha I dre I t, -ha I dre I t/ (dehydrates , dehydrating , dehydrated )
1 VERB [usu passive] When something such as food is dehydrated , all the water is removed from it, often in order to preserve it. □ [be V -ed] Normally specimens have to be dehydrated. ● de|hy|drat|ed ADJ □ Dehydrated meals, soups and sauces contain a lot of salt.
2 VERB If you dehydrate or if something dehydrates you, you lose too much water from your body so that you feel weak or ill. □ [V ] People can dehydrate in weather like this. □ [V n] Alcohol quickly dehydrates your body. ● de|hy|dra|tion /diː ha I dre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …a child who's got diarrhoea and is suffering from dehydration.
dei|fi|ca|tion /de I I f I ke I ʃ ə n, [AM ] diː -/ N‑UNCOUNT If you talk about the deification of someone or something, you mean that they are regarded with very great respect and are not criticized at all. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the deification of science in the 1940s.
dei|fy /de I I fa I , [AM ] diː -/ (deifies , deifying , deified ) VERB [usu passive] If someone is deified , they are considered to be a god or are regarded with very great respect. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] Valentino was virtually deified by legions of female fans.
deign /de I n/ (deigns , deigning , deigned ) VERB If you say that someone deigned to do something, you are expressing your disapproval of the fact that they did it unwillingly, because they thought they were too important to do it. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V to-inf] At last, Harper deigned to speak.
de|ism /de I I zəm, [AM ] diː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Deism is the belief that there is a God who made the world but does not influence human lives.
de|ity /de I I t I , [AM ] diː -/ (deities ) N‑COUNT A deity is a god or goddess. [FORMAL ]
déjà vu /de I ʒɑː vuː / N‑UNCOUNT Déjà vu is the feeling that you have already experienced the things that are happening to you now. □ The sense of déjà vu was overwhelming.
de|ject|ed /d I dʒe kt I d/ ADJ If you are dejected , you feel miserable or unhappy, especially because you have just been disappointed by something. □ Everyone has days when they feel dejected or down. ● de|ject|ed|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Passengers queued dejectedly for the increasingly dirty toilets.
de|jec|tion /d I dʒe kʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Dejection is a feeling of sadness that you get, for example, when you have just been disappointed by something. □ There was a slight air of dejection about her.
de jure /de I dʒʊə re I , [AM ] diː dʒʊ ri/ ADJ [ADJ n] De jure is used to indicate that something legally exists or is a particular thing. [LEGAL ] □ …politicians and kings, de jure leaders of men. ● ADV De jure is also an adverb. □ The Synod's declarations prevailed de jure but not de facto in the Roman Catholic Church down to the Reformation era.
de|lay ◆◆◇ /d I le I / (delays , delaying , delayed )
1 VERB If you delay doing something, you do not do it immediately or at the planned or expected time, but you leave it until later. □ [V n] For sentimental reasons I wanted to delay my departure until June. □ [V ] So don't delay, write in now for your chance of a free gift.
2 VERB To delay someone or something means to make them late or to slow them down. □ [V n] Can you delay him in some way? □ [V n] The passengers were delayed for an hour.
3 VERB If you delay , you deliberately take longer than necessary to do something. □ [V ] If he delayed any longer, the sun would be up.
4 N‑VAR If there is a delay , something does not happen until later than planned or expected. □ Although the tests have caused some delay, flights should be back to normal this morning.
5 N‑UNCOUNT Delay is a failure to do something immediately or in the required or usual time. □ We'll send you a quote without delay.
de|la yed a c|tion ADJ [ADJ n] A delayed action mechanism causes a delay on the device it is fitted to, so that it does not work as soon as you switch it on or operate it. □ …a type of delayed action parachute.
de|lay|er|ing /diːle I ər I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Delayering is the process of simplifying the administrative structure of a large organization in order to make it more efficient. [BUSINESS ]
de|la y|ing ta c|tic (delaying tactics ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] Delaying tactics are things that someone does in order to deliberately delay the start or progress of something. □ Ministers are using delaying tactics to postpone the report yet again.
de|lec|table /d I le ktəb ə l/ ADJ If you describe something, especially food or drink, as delectable , you mean that it is very pleasant. □ …delectable desserts, cakes and puddings.
de|lec|ta|tion /diː lekte I ʃ ə n/ PHRASE If you do something for someone's delectation , you do it to give them enjoyment or pleasure. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] She makes scones and cakes for the delectation of visitors.
del|egate ◆◇◇ (delegates , delegating , delegated ) The noun is pronounced /de l I gət/. The verb is pronounced /de l I ge I t/. 1 N‑COUNT A delegate is a person who is chosen to vote or make decisions on behalf of a group of other people, especially at a conference or a meeting.
2 VERB If you delegate duties, responsibilities, or power to someone, you give them those duties, those responsibilities, or that power so that they can act on your behalf. □ [V n + to ] He plans to delegate more authority to his deputies. □ [V ] Many employers find it hard to delegate. [Also V n] ● del|ega|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ A key factor in running a business is the delegation of responsibility.
3 VERB [usu passive] If you are delegated to do something, you are given the duty of acting on someone else's behalf by making decisions, voting, or doing some particular work. □ [be V -ed to-inf] Officials have now been delegated to start work on a draft settlement.
del|ega|tion ◆◇◇ /de l I ge I ʃ ə n/ (delegations )
1 N‑COUNT A delegation is a group of people who have been sent somewhere to have talks with other people on behalf of a larger group of people. □ He was sent to New York as part of the Dutch delegation to the United Nations.
2 → see also delegate
de|lete /d I liː t/ (deletes , deleting , deleted ) VERB If you delete something that has been written down or stored in a computer, you cross it out or remove it. □ [V n] He also deleted files from the computer system. ● de|letion /d I liː ʃ ə n/ (deletions ) N‑VAR □ [+ of ] This involved the deletion of a great deal of irrelevant material.
del|eteri|ous /de l I t I ə riəs/ ADJ Something that has a deleterious effect on something has a harmful effect on it. [FORMAL ] □ Petty crime is having a deleterious effect on community life.
deli /de li/ (delis ) N‑COUNT A deli is a shop or part of a shop that sells food such as cheese and cold meat. Deli is an abbreviation for 'delicatessen'.
de|lib|er|ate ◆◇◇ (deliberates , deliberating , deliberated ) The adjective is pronounced /d I l I bərət/. The verb is pronounced /d I l I bəre I t/. 1 ADJ If you do something that is deliberate , you planned or decided to do it beforehand, and so it happens on purpose rather than by chance. □ Witnesses say the firing was deliberate and sustained. ● de|lib|er|ate|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ It looks as if the blaze was started deliberately. □ Mr Christopher's answer was deliberately vague.
2 ADJ If a movement or action is deliberate , it is done slowly and carefully. □ …stepping with deliberate slowness up the steep paths. ● de|lib|er|ate|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ The Japanese have acted calmly and deliberately.
3 VERB If you deliberate , you think about something carefully, especially before making a very important decision. □ [V + over/about ] She deliberated over the decision for a long time before she made up her mind. □ [V n] The Court of Criminal Appeals has been deliberating his case for almost two weeks.
de|lib|era|tion /d I l I bəre I ʃ ə n/ (deliberations )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Deliberation is the long and careful consideration of a subject. □ After much deliberation, a decision was reached.
2 N‑PLURAL Deliberations are formal discussions where an issue is considered carefully. □ Their deliberations were rather inconclusive.
3 N‑UNCOUNT [usu with N ] If you say or do something with deliberation , you do it slowly and carefully. □ Fred spoke with deliberation. □ My mother folded her coat across the back of the chair with careful deliberation.
de|lib|era|tive /d I l I bərət I v/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A deliberative institution or procedure has the power or the right to make important decisions. [FORMAL ] □ …a deliberative chamber like the House of Commons.
deli|ca|cy /de l I kəsi/ (delicacies )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Delicacy is the quality of being easy to break or harm, and refers especially to people or things that are attractive or graceful. □ [+ of ] …the delicacy of a rose.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that a situation or problem is of some delicacy , you mean that it is difficult to handle and needs careful and sensitive treatment. □ There is a matter of some delicacy which I would like to discuss.
3 N‑UNCOUNT [oft with N ] If someone handles a difficult situation with delicacy , they handle it very carefully, making sure that nobody is offended. □ Both countries are behaving with rare delicacy.
4 N‑COUNT A delicacy is a rare or expensive food that is considered especially nice to eat. □ Smoked salmon was considered an expensive delicacy.
deli|cate /de l I kət/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is delicate is small and beautifully shaped. □ He had delicate hands. ● deli|cate|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ She was a shy, delicately pretty girl with enormous blue eyes.
2 ADJ Something that is delicate has a colour, taste, or smell which is pleasant and not strong or intense. □ Young haricot beans have a tender texture and a delicate, subtle flavour. ● deli|cate|ly ADV [ADV -ed/adj] □ …a soup delicately flavoured with nutmeg.
3 ADJ If something is delicate , it is easy to harm, damage, or break, and needs to be handled or treated carefully. □ Although the coral looks hard, it is very delicate.
4 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone who is delicate is not healthy and strong, and becomes ill easily. □ She was physically delicate and psychologically unstable.
5 ADJ You use delicate to describe a situation, problem, matter, or discussion that needs to be dealt with carefully and sensitively in order to avoid upsetting things or offending people. □ The members are afraid of upsetting the delicate balance of political interests. ● deli|cate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ …a delicately-worded memo.
6 ADJ A delicate task, movement, action, or product needs or shows great skill and attention to detail. □ …a long and delicate operation carried out at a hospital in Florence. ● deli|cate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ …the delicately embroidered sheets.
deli|ca|tes|sen /de l I kəte s ə n/ (delicatessens ) N‑COUNT A delicatessen is a shop that sells high quality foods such as cheeses and cold meats that have been imported from other countries.
de|li|cious /d I l I ʃəs/
1 ADJ Food that is delicious has a very pleasant taste. □ There's always a wide selection of delicious meals to choose from. ● de|li|cious|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ This yoghurt has a deliciously creamy flavour.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as delicious , you mean that it is very pleasant. □ …that delicious feeling of surprise. ● de|li|cious|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ It leaves your hair smelling deliciously fresh and fragrant.
de|light ◆◇◇ /d I la I t/ (delights , delighting , delighted )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Delight is a feeling of very great pleasure. □ Throughout the house, the views are a constant source of surprise and delight. □ Andrew roared with delight when he heard Rachel's nickname for the baby. □ To my great delight, it worked perfectly.
2 PHRASE If someone takes delight or takes a delight in something, they get a lot of pleasure from it. □ Haig took obvious delight in proving his critics wrong.
3 N‑COUNT [oft N to-inf] You can refer to someone or something that gives you great pleasure or enjoyment as a delight . [APPROVAL ] □ Sampling the local cuisine is one of the delights of a holiday abroad.
4 VERB If something delights you, it gives you a lot of pleasure. □ [V n] She has created a style of music that has delighted audiences all over the world.
5 VERB If you delight in something, you get a lot of pleasure from it. □ [V + in ] Generations of adults and children have delighted in the story. □ [V + in ] He delighted in sharing his love of birds with children. SYNONYMS delight NOUN 1
joy: Salter shouted with joy.
happiness: I think mostly she was looking for happiness.
ecstasy: …a state of almost religious ecstasy.
bliss: It was a scene of such domestic bliss.
rapture: His speech was received with rapture by his supporters.
de|light|ed ◆◇◇ /d I la I t I d/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ , oft ADJ to-inf] If you are delighted , you are extremely pleased and excited about something. □ I know Frank will be delighted to see you. □ [+ with ] He said that he was delighted with the public response. ● de|light|ed|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ 'There!' Jackson exclaimed delightedly.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ , oft ADJ to-inf] If someone invites or asks you to do something, you can say that you would be delighted to do it, as a way of showing that you are very willing to do it. [FEELINGS ] □ 'You must come to Tinsley's graduation party.'—'I'd be delighted.' SYNONYMS delighted ADJ 1
thrilled: He's thrilled to bits at the news.
ecstatic: They were greeted by the cheers of an ecstatic crowd.
jubilant: …the jubilant crowds of Paris.
elated: I was elated that my second heart bypass had been successful.
over the moon: She was over the moon when she heard the news.
de|light|ful /d I la I tfʊl/ ADJ If you describe something or someone as delightful , you mean they are very pleasant. □ It was the most delightful garden I had ever seen. ● de|light|ful|ly ADV [ADV adj/-ed] □ …a delightfully refreshing cologne.
de|lim|it /d I l I m I t/ (delimits , delimiting , delimited ) VERB If you delimit something, you fix or establish its limits. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] This is not meant to delimit what approaches social researchers can adopt.
de|lin|eate /d I l I nie I t/ (delineates , delineating , delineated )
1 VERB If you delineate something such as an idea or situation, you describe it or define it, often in a lot of detail. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Biography must to some extent delineate characters.
2 VERB If you delineate a border, you say exactly where it is going to be. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …an agreement to delineate the border.
de|lin|quen|cy /d I l I ŋkwənsi/ (delinquencies )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Delinquency is criminal behaviour, especially that of young people. □ He had no history of delinquency.
2 → see also juvenile delinquency
de|lin|quent /d I l I ŋkwənt/ (delinquents )
1 ADJ Someone, usually a young person, who is delinquent repeatedly commits minor crimes. □ …remand homes for delinquent children. ● N‑COUNT Delinquent is also a noun. □ …a nine-year-old delinquent.
2 → see also juvenile delinquent
de|liri|ous /d I l I ə riəs/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone who is delirious is unable to think or speak in a sensible and reasonable way, usually because they are very ill and have a fever. □ I was delirious and blacked out several times.
2 ADJ Someone who is delirious is extremely excited and happy. □ I was delirious with joy. ● de|liri|ous|ly ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV after v] □ Dora returned from her honeymoon deliriously happy.
de|lir|ium /d I l I ə riəm/ N‑UNCOUNT If someone is suffering from delirium , they are not able to think or speak in a sensible and reasonable way because they are very ill and have a fever. □ In her delirium, she had fallen to the floor several times.
de|list /diː l I st/ (delists , delisting , delisted ) VERB If a company delists or if its shares are delisted , its shares are removed from the official list of shares that can be traded on the stock market. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] The group asked the Stock Exchange to delist the shares of four of its companies. □ [be V -ed + from ] The shares dived and were delisted from the London market. [Also V ]
de|liv|er ◆◆◇ /d I l I və r / (delivers , delivering , delivered )
1 VERB If you deliver something somewhere, you take it there. □ [V n + to ] The Canadians plan to deliver more food to southern Somalia. □ [V n] The spy returned to deliver a second batch of classified documents. [Also V ]
2 VERB If you deliver something that you have promised to do, make, or produce, you do, make, or produce it. □ [V n] They have yet to show that they can really deliver working technologies. □ [V ] We don't promise what we can't deliver.
3 VERB If you deliver a person or thing into someone's care, you give them responsibility for that person or thing. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + into/to ] Mrs Montgomery was delivered into Mr Hinchcliffe's care. □ [V n + into/to ] David delivered Holly gratefully into the woman's outstretched arms.
4 VERB If you deliver a lecture or speech, you give it in public. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The president will deliver a speech about schools.
5 VERB When someone delivers a baby, they help the woman who is giving birth to the baby. □ [V n] Her husband had to deliver the baby himself.
6 VERB If someone delivers a blow to someone else, they hit them. [WRITTEN ] □ [be V -ed] Those blows to the head could have been delivered by a woman. [Also V n]
de|liv|er|ance /d I l I vərəns/ N‑UNCOUNT Deliverance is rescue from imprisonment, danger, or evil. [LITERARY ] □ [+ from ] The opening scene shows them celebrating their sudden deliverance from war.
de|liv|ery ◆◇◇ /d I l I vəri/ (deliveries )
1 N‑VAR Delivery or a delivery is the bringing of letters, parcels, or other goods to someone's house or to another place where they want them. □ It is available at £108, including VAT and delivery. □ …the delivery of goods and resources.
2 N‑COUNT A delivery of something is the goods that are delivered. □ I got a delivery of fresh eggs this morning.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] A delivery person or service delivers things to a place. □ …a pizza delivery man.
4 N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] You talk about someone's delivery when you are referring to the way in which they give a speech or lecture. □ His speeches were magnificently written but his delivery was hopeless.
5 N‑VAR Delivery is the process of giving birth to a baby. □ In the end, it was an easy delivery: a fine baby boy.
de|li v|ery room (delivery rooms ) N‑COUNT In a hospital, the delivery room is the room where women give birth to their babies.
dell /de l/ (dells ) N‑COUNT A dell is a small valley which has trees growing in it. [LITERARY ]
del|phin|ium /delf I niəm/ (delphiniums ) N‑COUNT A delphinium is a garden plant which has a tall stem with blue flowers growing up it.
del|ta /de ltə/ (deltas ) N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A delta is an area of low, flat land shaped like a triangle, where a river splits and spreads out into several branches before entering the sea. □ …the Mississippi delta.
de|lude /d I luː d/ (deludes , deluding , deluded )
1 VERB If you delude yourself , you let yourself believe that something is true, even though it is not true. □ [V pron-refl] The President was deluding himself if he thought he was safe from such action. □ [V pron-refl that] We delude ourselves that we are in control. □ [V pron-refl + into ] I had deluded myself into believing that it would all come right in the end.
2 VERB To delude someone into thinking something means to make them believe what is not true. □ [V n + into ] Television deludes you into thinking you have experienced reality, when you haven't. □ [be V -ed] He had been unwittingly deluded by their mystical nonsense. [Also V n]
de|lud|ed /d I luː d I d/ ADJ Someone who is deluded believes something that is not true. □ …deluded fanatics.
del|uge /de ljuːdʒ/ (deluges , deluging , deluged )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A deluge of things is a large number of them which arrive or happen at the same time. □ [+ of ] A deluge of manuscripts began to arrive in the post. □ [+ of ] This has brought a deluge of criticism.
2 VERB [usu passive] If a place or person is deluged with things, a large number of them arrive or happen at the same time. □ [be V -ed + with/by ] During 1933, Papen's office was deluged with complaints.
3 N‑COUNT A deluge is a sudden, very heavy fall of rain. □ About a dozen homes were damaged in the deluge.
de|lu|sion /d I luː ʒ ə n/ (delusions )
1 N‑COUNT A delusion is a false idea. □ I was under the delusion that he intended to marry me.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Delusion is the state of believing things that are not true. □ This was not optimism, it was delusion.
3 PHRASE If someone has delusions of grandeur , they think and behave as if they are much more important or powerful than they really are. [DISAPPROVAL ]
deluxe /d I lʌ ks/ in BRIT, also use de luxe ADJ [ADJ n, n ADJ ] Deluxe goods or services are better in quality and more expensive than ordinary ones. □ …a rare, highly prized deluxe wine.
delve /de lv/ (delves , delving , delved )
1 VERB If you delve into something, you try to discover new information about it. □ [V + into ] Tormented by her ignorance, Jenny delves into her mother's past. □ [V adv] If you're interested in a subject, use the Internet to delve deeper.
2 VERB If you delve into something such as a cupboard or a bag, you search inside it. [WRITTEN ] □ [V prep/adv] She delved into her rucksack and pulled out a folder.
dema|gog|ic /de məgɒ dʒ I k/ ADJ If you say that someone such as a politician is demagogic , you are criticizing them because you think they try to win people's support by appealing to their emotions rather than using reasonable arguments. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
dema|gogue /de məgɒg, [AM ] -gɔːg/ (demagogues ) in AM, also use demagog N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] If you say that someone such as a politician is a demagogue you are criticizing them because you think they try to win people's support by appealing to their emotions rather than using reasonable arguments. [DISAPPROVAL ]
dema|gogy /de məgɒdʒi/ or demagoguery N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to a method of political rule as demagogy if you disapprove of it because you think it involves appealing to people's emotions rather than using reasonable arguments. [DISAPPROVAL ]
de|mand ◆◆◆ /d I mɑː nd, -mæ nd/ (demands , demanding , demanded )
1 VERB If you demand something such as information or action, you ask for it in a very forceful way. □ [V n + from ] Mr Byers last night demanded an immediate explanation from the Education Secretary. □ [V that] Russia demanded that Unita send a delegation to the peace talks. □ [V to-inf] The hijackers are demanding to speak to representatives of both governments. □ [V with quote] 'What did you expect me to do about it?' she demanded.
2 VERB If one thing demands another, the first needs the second in order to happen or be dealt with successfully. □ [V n] He said the task of reconstruction would demand much patience, hard work and sacrifice.
3 N‑COUNT A demand is a firm request for something. □ [+ for ] There have been demands for services from tenants up there.
4 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to demand , or to the demand for something, you are referring to how many people want to have it, do it, or buy it. □ Another flight would be arranged on Saturday if sufficient demand arose. □ Demand for coal is down and so are prices.
5 N‑PLURAL The demands of something or its demands on you are the things which it needs or the things which you have to do for it. □ [+ of ] …the demands and challenges of a new job. [Also + on ]
6 PHRASE If someone or something is in demand or in great demand , they are very popular and a lot of people want them. □ He was much in demand as a lecturer in the U.S.
7 PHRASE If someone or something makes demands on you, they require you to do things which need a lot of time, energy, or money. □ I had no right to make demands on his time.
8 PHRASE If something is available or happens on demand , you can have it or it happens whenever you want it or ask for it. □ There was free tea and coffee on demand. SYNONYMS demand VERB 1
request: Mr Dennis said he had requested access to a telephone.
ask for: I decided to go to the next house and ask for food.
order: The President has ordered a full investigation.
insist on: She insisted on being present at all the interviews. USAGE demand
When demand
is a verb, don’t use ‘for’ after it. Don’t say, for example, ‘
They are demanding for higher wages.
’ Say ‘They are demanding
higher wages’.
COLLOCATIONS
demand
VERB
1
demand + noun : answer, apology, explanation; compensation, money, payment, ransom; action NOUN 4
noun + demand : consumer
adjective + demand : growing, increasing, rising, strong; falling, reduced, slowing, weak; domestic, global
verb + demand : meet, satisfy; boost, increase, stimulate; create; reduce, weaken
de|mand|ing /d I mɑː nd I ŋ, -mæ nd-/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A demanding job or task requires a lot of your time, energy, or attention. □ He found he could no longer cope with his demanding job.
2 ADJ People who are demanding are not easily satisfied or pleased. □ Ricky was a very demanding child.
de|mar|cate /diː mɑː r ke I t, [AM ] d I mɑː rk-/ (demarcates , demarcating , demarcated ) VERB If you demarcate something, you establish its boundaries or limits. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] A special U.N. commission was formed to demarcate the border.
de|mar|ca|tion /diː mɑː r ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Demarcation is the establishment of boundaries or limits separating two areas, groups, or things. [FORMAL ] □ Talks were continuing about the demarcation of the border between the two countries.
de|mean /d I miː n/ (demeans , demeaning , demeaned )
1 VERB If you demean yourself , you do something which makes people have less respect for you. □ [V pron-refl] He plays a struggling immigrant who is forced to demean himself with a series of bread line jobs.
2 VERB To demean someone or something means to make people have less respect for them. □ [V n] Some groups say that pornography demeans women.
de|mean|ing /d I miː n I ŋ/ ADJ Something that is demeaning makes people have less respect for the person who is treated in that way, or who does that thing. □ …demeaning sexist comments. [Also + to ]
de|mean|our /d I miː nə r / in AM, use demeanor N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] Your demeanour is the way you behave, which gives people an impression of your character and feelings. [FORMAL ] □ …her calm and cheerful demeanour.
de|ment|ed /d I me nt I d/
1 ADJ Someone who is demented has a severe mental illness, especially Alzheimer's disease. [MEDICAL , OLD-FASHIONED ]
2 ADJ If you describe someone as demented , you think that their actions are strange, foolish, or uncontrolled. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Sid broke into demented laughter.
de|men|tia /d I me nʃə/ (dementias ) N‑VAR Dementia is a serious illness of the mind. [MEDICAL ]
dem|erara sug|ar /de məreərə ʃʊ gə r / N‑UNCOUNT Demerara sugar is a type of brown sugar. It is made from sugar cane that is grown in the West Indies. [BRIT ]
de|merge /diː mɜː r dʒ/ (demerges , demerging , demerged ) VERB If a large company is demerged or demerges , it is broken down into several smaller companies. [BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ [V n] His ultimate aim is to demerge the group. □ [V ] Many companies merge and few demerge. [Also V n from n]
de|merg|er /diː mɜː r dʒə r / (demergers ) N‑COUNT A demerger is the separation of a large company into several smaller companies. [BRIT , BUSINESS ]
de|mer|it /diː me r I t/ (demerits ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, usu with poss] The demerits of something or someone are their faults or disadvantages. [FORMAL ] □ …articles debating the merits and demerits of the three candidates.
demi- /de mi-/ PREFIX Demi- is used at the beginning of some words to refer to something equivalent to half of the object or amount indicated by the rest of the word.
demi|god /de migɒd/ (demigods )
1 N‑COUNT In mythology, a demigod is a less important god, especially one who is half god and half human.
2 N‑COUNT If you describe a famous or important person such as a politician, writer, or musician as a demigod , you mean that you disapprove of the way in which people admire them and treat them like a god. [DISAPPROVAL ]
de|mili|ta|rize /diː m I l I təra I z/ (demilitarizes , demilitarizing , demilitarized ) in BRIT, also use demilitarise VERB To demilitarize an area means to ensure that all military forces are removed from it. □ [V n] He said the U.N. had made remarkable progress in demilitarizing the region. ● de|mili|ta|ri|za|tion /diː m I l I təra I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Demilitarization of the country was out of the question.
de|mise /d I ma I z/ N‑SING [usu with poss] The demise of something or someone is their end or death. [FORMAL ] □ …the demise of the reform movement.
demo /de moʊ/ (demos , demoing , demoed )
1 N‑COUNT A demo is a demonstration by a group of people to show their opposition to something or their support for something. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …an anti-racist demo.
2 N‑COUNT A demo is a demonstration in which someone shows you how to do something or how it works. [INFORMAL ] □ 'Simply lift your left foot over your right and back again,' he said, giving me a quick demo. □ You can watch product demos on their website.
3 VERB If you demo something, you demonstrate how to do it or how it works. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] She will demo recipes on stage.
4 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A demo is a CD or tape with a sample of someone's music recorded on it. [INFORMAL ] □ He listened to one of my demo tapes.
de|mob /diː mɒb/ N‑UNCOUNT Someone's demob is their release from the armed forces. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ I didn't get back to Brussels until after my demob.
de|mobbed /diːmɒ bd/ V-PASSIVE When soldiers are demobbed , they are released from the armed forces. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] I'm still in the air force, though I'll be demobbed in a couple of months. □ [V -ed] …housing and retraining demobbed soldiers.
de|mo|bi|lize /diː moʊ b I la I z/ (demobilizes , demobilizing , demobilized ) in BRIT, also use demobilise VERB If a country or armed force demobilizes its troops, or if its troops demobilize , its troops are released from service and allowed to go home. □ [V n] Both sides have agreed to demobilize 70% of their armies. □ [V ] It is unlikely that the rebels will agree to demobilise. ● de|mo|bi|li|za|tion /diː moʊ b I la I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the demobilisation of a 100,000 strong army.
de|moc|ra|cy ◆◆◇ /d I mɒ krəsi/ (democracies )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Democracy is a system of government in which people choose their rulers by voting for them in elections. □ …the spread of democracy in Eastern Europe. □ …the pro-democracy movement.
2 N‑COUNT A democracy is a country in which the people choose their government by voting for it. □ The new democracies face tough challenges.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Democracy is a system of running organizations, businesses, and groups in which each member is entitled to vote and take part in decisions. □ …the union's emphasis on industrial democracy.
demo|crat ◆◆◇ /de məkræt/ (democrats )
1 N‑COUNT A Democrat is a member or supporter of a particular political party which has the word 'democrat' or 'democratic' in its title, for example the Democratic Party in the United States. □ …a senior Christian Democrat. □ The Congressman is a Democrat from New York.
2 N‑COUNT A democrat is a person who believes in the ideals of democracy, personal freedom, and equality. □ This is the time for democrats and not dictators.
demo|crat|ic ◆◆◇ /de məkræ t I k/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A democratic country, government, or political system is governed by representatives who are elected by the people. □ The country returned to democratic rule after a series of military governments. ● demo|crati|cal|ly /de məkræ t I kli/ ADV [ADV adj] □ That June, Yeltsin became Russia's first democratically elected President.
2 ADJ Something that is democratic is based on the idea that everyone should have equal rights and should be involved in making important decisions. □ Education is the basis of a democratic society. ● demo|crati|cal|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ This committee will enable decisions to be made democratically.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Democratic is used in the titles of some political parties. □ …the Social Democratic Party.
de|moc|ra|tize /d I mɒ krəta I z/ (democratizes , democratizing , democratized ) in BRIT, also use democratise VERB If a country or a system is democratized , it is made democratic. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] …a further need to democratize the life of society as a whole. ● de|moc|ra|ti|za|tion /d I mɒ krəta I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the democratisation of Eastern Europe.
de|mo|graph|ic /de məgræ f I k/ (demographics )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Demographic means relating to or concerning demography.
2 N‑PLURAL The demographics of a place or society are the statistics relating to the people who live there. □ [+ of ] …the changing demographics of the United States.
3 N‑SING In business, a demographic is a group of people in a society, especially people in a particular age group. [BUSINESS ] □ Most of our listeners are in the 25–39 demographic.
de|mog|ra|phy /d I mɒ grəfi/ N‑UNCOUNT Demography is the study of the changes in numbers of births, deaths, marriages, and cases of disease in a community over a period of time. ● de|mog|ra|pher (demographers ) N‑COUNT □ …a politically astute economist and demographer.
de|mol|ish /d I mɒ l I ʃ/ (demolishes , demolishing , demolished )
1 VERB To demolish something such as a building means to destroy it completely. □ [V n] A storm moved directly over the island, demolishing buildings and flooding streets.
2 VERB If you demolish someone's ideas or arguments, you prove that they are completely wrong or unreasonable. □ [V n] Our intention was to demolish the rumours that have surrounded him.
demo|li|tion /de məl I ʃ ə n/ (demolitions ) N‑VAR The demolition of a building is the act of deliberately destroying it, often in order to build something else in its place. □ The project required the total demolition of the old bridge.
de|mon /diː mən/ (demons )
1 N‑COUNT A demon is an evil spirit. □ …a woman possessed by demons.
2 N‑COUNT If you approve of someone because they are very skilled at what they do or because they do it energetically, you can say that they do it like a demon . [APPROVAL ] □ He played like a demon.
de|mon|ic /d I mɒ n I k/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Demonic means coming from or belonging to a demon or being like a demon. □ …demonic forces. □ …a demonic grin.
de|mon|ize /diː məna I z/ (demonizes , demonizing , demonized ) in BRIT, also use demonise VERB If people demonize someone, they convince themselves that that person is evil. □ [V n] Each side began to demonize the other.
de|mon|ol|ogy /diː mənɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Demonology is a set of beliefs which says that a particular situation or group of people is evil or unacceptable. □ …the usual deranged Right-wing stereotype of fascist Left demonology.
de|mon|strable /d I mɒ nstrəb ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A demonstrable fact or quality can be shown to be true or to exist. [FORMAL ] □ The road safety programme is having a demonstrable effect on road users. ● de|mon|strably /d I mɒ nstrəbli/ ADV □ …demonstrably false statements.
dem|on|strate ◆◇◇ /de mənstre I t/ (demonstrates , demonstrating , demonstrated )
1 VERB To demonstrate a fact means to make it clear to people. □ [V n] The study also demonstrated a direct link between obesity and mortality. □ [V that] You have to demonstrate that you are reliable. □ [V + to ] They are anxious to demonstrate to the voters that they have practical policies. □ [V wh] He's demonstrated how a campaign based on domestic issues can move votes.
2 VERB If you demonstrate a particular skill, quality, or feeling, you show by your actions that you have it. □ [V n] Have they, for example, demonstrated a commitment to democracy?
3 VERB When people demonstrate , they march or gather somewhere to show their opposition to something or their support for something. □ [V + against ] 30,000 angry farmers demonstrated against possible cuts in subsidies. □ [V + for ] In the cities vast crowds have been demonstrating for change. □ [V ] Thousands of people demonstrated outside the parliament building.
4 VERB If you demonstrate something, you show people how it works or how to do it. □ [V n] The company demonstrated an app for surgeons that showed X-rays on the screen. □ [V how] A style consultant will demonstrate how to dress to impress. SYNONYMS demonstrate VERB
1
prove: …trying to prove how groups of animals have evolved.
show: Research shows that a high-fibre diet may protect you from bowel cancer.
establish: Medical tests established that she was not their own child.
indicate: This indicates whether remedies are suitable for children.
3
march: The demonstrators marched through the capital chanting slogans and demanding free elections.
protest: The students were protesting at overcrowding in the university hostels.
picket: 100 union members and supporters picketed outside.
dem|on|stra|tion ◆◇◇ /de mənstre I ʃ ə n/ (demonstrations )
1 N‑COUNT A demonstration is a march or gathering which people take part in to show their opposition to something or their support for something. □ Riot police broke up a demonstration by students.
2 N‑COUNT A demonstration of something is a talk by someone who shows you how to do it or how it works. □ …a cookery demonstration.
3 N‑COUNT A demonstration of a fact or situation is a clear proof of it. □ [+ of ] This is a clear demonstration of how technology has changed.
4 N‑COUNT A demonstration of a quality or feeling is an expression of it. □ [+ of ] There's been no public demonstration of opposition to the President. SYNONYMS demonstration NOUN
1
march: Organisers expect up to 300,000 protesters to join the march.
protest: …a protest march.
rally: Supporters of the policy are reported to be gathering in Delhi for a mass rally.
demo: …an anti-racist demo.
4
display: Normally, such an outward display of affection is reserved for his mother.
show: She said goodbye to Hilda with a convincing show of affection.
de|mon|stra|tive /d I mɒ nstrət I v/ (demonstratives )
1 ADJ Someone who is demonstrative shows affection freely and openly. □ We came from the English tradition of not being demonstrative. ● de|mon|stra|tive|ly ADV □ Some children respond more demonstratively than others.
2 N‑COUNT In grammar, the words 'this', 'that', 'these', and 'those' are sometimes called demonstratives .
de|mon|stra|tor ◆◇◇ /de mənstre I tə r / (demonstrators )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Demonstrators are people who are marching or gathering somewhere to show their opposition to something or their support for something. □ I saw the police using tear gas to try and break up a crowd of demonstrators.
2 N‑COUNT A demonstrator is a person who shows people how something works or how to do something.
de|mor|al|ize /d I mɒ rəla I z, [AM ] -mɔː r-/ (demoralizes , demoralizing , demoralized ) in BRIT, also use demoralise VERB If something demoralizes someone, it makes them lose so much confidence in what they are doing that they want to give up. □ [V n] Clearly, one of the objectives is to demoralize the enemy troops in any way they can. ● de|mor|al|ized ADJ □ The ship's crew were now exhausted and utterly demoralized.
de|mor|al|iz|ing /d I mɒ rəla I z I ŋ, [AM ] -mɔː r-/ in BRIT, also use demoralising ADJ If something is demoralizing , it makes you lose so much confidence in what you are doing that you want to give up. □ Redundancy can be a demoralising prospect.
de|mote /d I moʊ t/ (demotes , demoting , demoted )
1 VERB If someone demotes you, they give you a lower rank or a less important position than you already have, often as a punishment. □ [V n] It's very difficult to demote somebody who has been standing in during maternity leave. ● de|mo|tion /d I moʊ ʃ ə n/ (demotions ) N‑VAR □ He is seeking redress for what he alleges was an unfair demotion.
2 VERB [usu passive] If a team in a sports league is demoted , that team has to compete in the next competition in a lower division, because it was one of the least successful teams in the higher division. [BRIT ] □ [be V -ed] The club was demoted at the end of last season. ● de|mo|tion N‑VAR □ The team now almost certainly faces demotion.
de|mot|ic /d I mɒ t I k/
1 ADJ Demotic language is the type of informal language used by ordinary people. [FORMAL ] □ …television's demotic style of language.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Demotic is used to describe something or someone that is typical of ordinary people. [FORMAL ] □ …demotic entertainments such as TV soap operas.
de|mur /d I mɜː r / (demurs , demurring , demurred )
1 VERB If you demur , you say that you do not agree with something or will not do something that you have been asked to do. [FORMAL ] □ [V ] The doctor demurred, but Piercey was insistent.
2 PHRASE If you do something without demur , you do it immediately and without making any protest. [FORMAL ] □ His plan was accepted without demur.
de|mure /d I mjʊə r /
1 ADJ If you describe someone, usually a young woman, as demure , you mean they are quiet and rather shy, usually in a way that you like and find appealing, and behave very correctly. [APPROVAL ] □ She's very demure and sweet. ● de|mure|ly ADV [usu ADV with v] □ She smiled demurely.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Demure clothes do not reveal your body and they give the impression that you are shy and behave correctly. [WRITTEN ] □ …a demure high-necked white blouse. ● de|mure|ly ADV [ADV -ed, ADV after v] □ She was demurely dressed in a black woollen suit.
de|mu|tu|alize /diː mjuː tʃuəla I z/ (demutualizes , demutualizing , demutualized ) in BRIT, also use demutualise VERB If a building society or insurance company demutualizes , it abandons its mutual status and becomes a limited company. [BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ [V ] 97 per cent of the group's members support its plans to demutualize. [Also V n] ● de|mu|tu|ali|za|tion /diː mjuːtʃuəla I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Policyholders voted for demutualisation.
de|mys|ti|fy /diː m I st I fa I / (demystifies , demystifying , demystified ) VERB If you demystify something, you make it easier to understand by giving a clear explanation of it. □ [V n] This book aims to demystify medical treatments.
den /de n/ (dens )
1 N‑COUNT A den is the home of certain types of wild animals such as lions or foxes.
2 N‑COUNT Your den is a quiet room in your house where you can go to study, work, or carry on a hobby without being disturbed. [AM ]
3 N‑COUNT A den is a secret place where people meet, usually for a dishonest purpose. □ I could provide you with the addresses of at least three illegal drinking dens.
4 N‑COUNT If you describe a place as a den of a particular type of bad or illegal behaviour, you mean that a lot of that type of behaviour goes on there. □ [+ of ] …the one-bedroomed flat that was to become his den of savage debauchery.
de|na|tion|al|ize /diː næ ʃənəla I z/ (denationalizes , denationalizing , denationalized ) in BRIT, also use denationalise VERB To denationalize an industry or business means to transfer it into private ownership so that it is no longer owned and controlled by the state. [OLD-FASHIONED , BUSINESS ] □ [V n] The government started to denationalize financial institutions. ● de|na|tion|ali|za|tion /diː næ ʃənəla I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the denationalisation of industry.
de|ni|al /d I na I əl/ (denials )
1 N‑VAR A denial of something is a statement that it is not true, does not exist, or did not happen. □ Despite official denials, the rumours still persist. □ [+ of ] Denial of the Mafia's existence is nothing new.
2 N‑UNCOUNT The denial of something to someone is the act of refusing to let them have it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the denial of visas to international relief workers.
3 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] In psychology, denial is when a person cannot or will not accept an unpleasant truth. □ …an addict who is in denial about his addiction.
den|ier /de niə r / N‑UNCOUNT [num N ] Denier is used when indicating the thickness of stockings and tights. □ …fifteen-denier stockings.
deni|grate /de n I gre I t/ (denigrates , denigrating , denigrated ) VERB If you denigrate someone or something, you criticize them unfairly or insult them. □ [V n] They denigrated his work, questioning whether it did anything to confront the problems. ● deni|gra|tion /de n I gre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] …the denigration of minorities in this country.
den|im /de n I m/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Denim is a thick cotton cloth, usually blue, which is used to make clothes. Jeans are made from denim. □ …a light blue denim jacket.
den|ims /de n I mz/ N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Denims are casual trousers made of denim. □ She was dressed in blue denims.
deni|zen /de n I z ə n/ (denizens ) N‑COUNT A denizen of a particular place is a person, animal, or plant that lives or grows in this place. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Gannets are denizens of the open ocean.
de|nomi|na|tion /d I nɒ m I ne I ʃ ə n/ (denominations )
1 N‑COUNT A particular denomination is a particular religious group which has slightly different beliefs from other groups within the same faith. □ Acceptance of women preachers varies greatly from denomination to denomination.
2 N‑COUNT The denomination of a banknote or coin is its official value. □ …a pile of bank notes, mostly in small denominations.
de|nomi|na|tion|al /d I nɒ m I ne I ʃən ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Denominational means relating to or organized by a particular religious denomination. □ …a growth in the number of denominational schools.
de|nomi|na|tor /d I nɒ m I ne I tə r / (denominators )
1 N‑COUNT In mathematics, the denominator is the number which appears under the line in a fraction.
2 → see also common denominator , lowest common denominator
de|note /d I noʊ t/ (denotes , denoting , denoted )
1 VERB If one thing denotes another, it is a sign or indication of it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Red eyes denote strain and fatigue. □ [V that] There was a message waiting, denoting that someone had been here ahead of her.
2 VERB What a symbol denotes is what it represents. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] In figure 24 'D' denotes quantity demanded and 'S' denotes quantity supplied.
de|noue|ment /de I nuː mɒn/ (denouements ) also dénouement N‑COUNT [usu sing] In a book, play, or series of events, the denouement is the sequence of events at the end, when things come to a conclusion. □ …an unexpected denouement.
de|nounce /d I naʊ ns/ (denounces , denouncing , denounced )
1 VERB If you denounce a person or an action, you criticize them severely and publicly because you feel strongly that they are wrong or evil. □ [V n] German leaders denounced the attacks and pleaded for tolerance. □ [V n + as ] Some 25,000 demonstrators denounced him as a traitor.
2 VERB If you denounce someone who has broken a rule or law, you report them to the authorities. □ [V n] …informers who might denounce you at any moment. [Also V n + to ]
dense /de ns/ (denser , densest )
1 ADJ Something that is dense contains a lot of things or people in a small area. □ Where Bucharest now stands, there once was a large, dense forest. □ They thrust their way through the dense crowd. ● dense|ly ADV [usu ADV -ed] □ Java is a densely populated island.
2 ADJ Dense fog or smoke is difficult to see through because it is very heavy and dark. □ A dense column of smoke rose several miles into the air.
3 ADJ In science, a dense substance is very heavy in relation to its volume. [TECHNICAL ] □ …a small dense star.
4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone is dense , you mean that you think they are stupid and that they take a long time to understand simple things. [INFORMAL ] □ He's not a bad man, just a bit dense.
den|sity /de ns I ti/ (densities )
1 N‑VAR Density is the extent to which something is filled or covered with people or things. □ [+ of ] …a law which restricts the density of housing. □ The region has a very high population density.
2 N‑VAR [oft with poss] In science, the density of a substance or object is the relation of its mass or weight to its volume. [TECHNICAL ]
dent /de nt/ (dents , denting , dented )
1 VERB If you dent the surface of something, you make a hollow area in it by hitting or pressing it. □ [V n] Its brass feet dented the carpet's thick pile. ● dent|ed ADJ □ Watch out for bargains, but never buy dented cans.
2 N‑COUNT A dent is a hollow in the surface of something which has been caused by hitting or pressing it. □ [+ in ] There was a dent in the car which hadn't been there before.
3 VERB If something dents your ideas or your pride, it makes you realize that your ideas are wrong, or that you are not as good or successful as you thought. □ [V n] This has not dented the City's enthusiasm for the company.
den|tal /de nt ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Dental is used to describe things that relate to teeth or to the care and treatment of teeth. □ You can get free dental treatment. □ …the dental profession.
de n|tal floss
1 N‑UNCOUNT Dental floss is a type of thread that is used to clean the gaps between your teeth.
2 → see also floss
den|tist /de nt I st/ (dentists ) N‑COUNT A dentist is a person who is qualified to examine and treat people's teeth. □ Visit your dentist twice a year for a check-up. ● N‑SING The dentist or the dentist's is used to refer to the surgery or clinic where a dentist works. □ It's worse than being at the dentist's.
den|tis|try /de nt I stri/ N‑UNCOUNT Dentistry is the work done by a dentist.
den|tures /de ntʃə r z/ The form denture is used as a modifier. N‑PLURAL Dentures are artificial teeth worn by people who no longer have all their own teeth.
de|nude /d I njuː d, [AM ] -nuː d/ (denudes , denuding , denuded )
1 VERB To denude an area means to destroy the plants in it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Mining would pollute the lake and denude the forest. [Also V n of n]
2 VERB To denude someone or something of a particular thing means to take it away from them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + of ] The Embassy is now denuded of all foreign and local staff.
de|nun|cia|tion /d I nʌ nsie I ʃ ə n/ (denunciations )
1 N‑VAR Denunciation of someone or something is severe public criticism of them. □ [+ of ] On September 24, he wrote a stinging denunciation of his critics.
2 N‑VAR Denunciation is the act of reporting someone who has broken a rule or law to the authorities. □ [+ of ] …the denunciation of Jews to the Nazis during the Second World War.
Den|ver boot /de nvə r buː t/ (Denver boots ) N‑COUNT A Denver boot is a large metal device which is fitted to the wheel of an illegally parked car or other vehicle in order to prevent it from being driven away. The driver has to pay to have the device removed. [AM ] in BRIT, use clamp , wheel clamp
deny ◆◆◇ /d I na I / (denies , denying , denied )
1 VERB When you deny something, you state that it is not true. □ [V n] She denied both accusations. □ [V that] The government has denied that there was a plot to assassinate the president. □ [V v-ing] They all denied ever having seen her.
2 VERB If you deny someone something that they need or want, you refuse to let them have it. □ [V n n] If he is unlucky, he may find that his ex-partner denies him access to his children. □ [V pron-refl n] Don't deny yourself pleasure. COLLOCATIONS deny VERB 1
deny + noun : allegation, claim, report, rumour, suggestion; accusation, charge; involvement, knowledge; assault, conspiracy, murder
deny + adverb : categorically, emphatically, firmly, strenuously, strongly; consistently, repeatedly; angrily, hotly, vehemently
de|odor|ant /dioʊ dərənt/ (deodorants ) N‑VAR Deodorant is a substance that you can use on your body to hide or prevent the smell of sweat.
de|odor|ize /dioʊ dəra I z/ (deodorizes , deodorizing , deodorized ) in BRIT, also use deodorise VERB If you deodorize something, you remove unpleasant smells from it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The product cleans and deodorises carpets in one action. □ [V -ing] …a deodorising foot spray.
de|part /d I pɑː r t/ (departs , departing , departed )
1 VERB When something or someone departs from a place, they leave it and start a journey to another place. □ [V + from ] Our tour departs from Heathrow Airport on 31 March and returns 16 April. □ [V + for ] In the morning Mr McDonald departed for Sydney. □ [V n] The coach departs Potsdam in the morning. [Also V ]
2 VERB If you depart from a traditional, accepted, or agreed way of doing something, you do it in a different or unexpected way. □ [V + from ] Why is it in this country that we have departed from good educational sense?
3 VERB If someone departs from a job, they resign from it or leave it. In American English, you can say that someone departs a job. □ [V + from ] Lipton is planning to depart from the company he founded. □ [V ] It is not unusual for staff to depart at this time of year. □ [V n] He departed baseball in the '60s.
de|part|ed /d I pɑː r t I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Departed friends or relatives are people who have died. [FORMAL ] □ …departed friends. ● N‑PLURAL The departed are people who have died. □ We held services for the departed.
de|part|ment ◆◆◆ /d I pɑː r tmənt/ (departments )
1 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A department is one of the sections in an organization such as a government, business, or university. A department is also one of the sections in a large shop. □ [+ of ] …the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. □ He moved to the sales department. □ …the jewelry department.
2 PHRASE If you say that a task or area of knowledge is not your department , you mean that you are not responsible for it or do not know much about it. □ 'I'm afraid the name means nothing to me,' he said. 'That's not my department.' SYNONYMS department NOUN 1
office: …Downing Street's press office.
division: …the sales division.
de|part|men|tal /diː pɑː r tme nt ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Departmental is used to describe the activities, responsibilities, or possessions of a department in a government, company, or other organization. □ …the departmental budget.
de|pa rt|ment store (department stores ) N‑COUNT A department store is a large shop which sells many different kinds of goods.
de|par|ture ◆◇◇ /d I pɑː r tʃə r / (departures )
1 N‑VAR [oft with poss] Departure or a departure is the act of going away from somewhere. □ [+ for ] …the President's departure for Helsinki. □ [+ of ] They hoped this would lead to the departure of all foreign forces from the country. □ [+ from ] The airline has more than 90 scheduled departures from here every day.
2 N‑VAR [with poss] The departure of a person from a job, or a member from an organization, is their act of leaving it or being forced to leave it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ from ] This would inevitably involve his departure from the post of Prime Minister.
3 N‑COUNT If someone does something different or unusual, you can refer to their action as a departure . □ [+ from ] In a departure from tradition, some union leaders condemned the strikes. COLLOCATIONS departure NOUN
1
adjective + departure : early; scheduled
verb + departure : announce; delay
2
adjective + departure : abrupt, hasty, shock, sudden; imminent, impending; acrimonious
verb + departure : hasten
3
adjective + departure : major, new, significant; dramatic, radical
de|pa r|ture lounge (departure lounges ) N‑COUNT In an airport, the departure lounge is the place where passengers wait before they get onto their plane.
de|pa r|ture tax (departure taxes ) N‑VAR Departure tax is a tax that airline passengers have to pay in order to use an airport. □ Many countries charge departure tax in U.S. dollars rather than local currency.
de|pend ◆◆◇ /d I pe nd/ (depends , depending , depended )
1 VERB If you say that one thing depends on another, you mean that the first thing will be affected or determined by the second. □ [V + on/upon ] The cooking time needed depends on the size of the potato. □ [V + on/upon ] How much it costs depends upon how much you buy.
2 VERB If you depend on someone or something, you need them in order to be able to survive physically, financially, or emotionally. □ [V + on/upon ] He depended on his writing for his income. □ [V + on/upon ] Choosing the right account depends on working out your likely average balance.
3 VERB If you can depend on a person, organization, or law, you know that they will support you or help you when you need them. □ [V + on/upon ] 'You can depend on me,' Cross assured him.
4 VERB You use depend in expressions such as it depends to indicate that you cannot give a clear answer to a question because the answer will be affected or determined by other factors. □ [V ] 'But how long can you stay in the house?'—'I don't know. It depends.'. □ [V + on ] It all depends on your definition of punk, doesn't it?
5 PHRASE You use depending on when you are saying that something varies according to the circumstances mentioned. □ I tend to have a different answer, depending on the family. USAGE depend
Depend
is never an adjective. Don’t say, for example, that someone or something ‘
is depend on
’ another person or thing. You say that they are dependent
on that person or thing. □
The local economy is dependent on
oil and gas extraction.
de|pend|able /d I pe ndəb ə l/ ADJ If you say that someone or something is dependable , you approve of them because you feel that you can be sure that they will always act consistently or sensibly, or do what you need them to do. [APPROVAL ] □ He was a good friend, a dependable companion.
de|pend|ant /d I pe ndənt/ (dependants ) also dependent N‑COUNT Your dependants are the people you support financially, such as your children. [FORMAL ] □ The British Legion raises funds to help ex-service personnel and their dependants.
de|pend|ence /d I pe ndəns/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Your dependence on something or someone is your need for them in order to succeed or be able to survive. □ [+ on ] …the city's traditional dependence on tourism.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [usu n N ] If you talk about drug dependence or alcohol dependence , you are referring to a situation where someone is addicted to drugs or is an alcoholic.
3 N‑UNCOUNT You talk about the dependence of one thing on another when the first thing will be affected or determined by the second. □ …the dependence of circulation on production.
de|pend|en|cy /d I pe ndənsi/ (dependencies )
1 N‑COUNT A dependency is a country which is controlled by another country.
2 N‑UNCOUNT You talk about someone's dependency when they have a deep emotional, physical, or financial need for a particular person or thing, especially one that you consider excessive or undesirable. □ [+ on ] We worried about his dependency on his mother.
3 N‑VAR [usu n N ] If you talk about alcohol dependency or chemical dependency , you are referring to a situation where someone is an alcoholic or is addicted to drugs. [mainly AM ] □ The medicine may also create chemical dependency.
de|pend|ent /d I pe ndənt/
1 ADJ To be dependent on something or someone means to need them in order to succeed or be able to survive. □ [+ on/upon ] The local economy is overwhelmingly dependent on oil and gas extraction.
2 ADJ If one thing is dependent on another, the first thing will be affected or determined by the second. □ [+ on/upon ] The treatment of infertility is largely dependent on the ability of couples to pay.
3 → see also dependant
de|per|son|al|ize /diː pɜː r sənəla I z/ (depersonalizes , depersonalizing , depersonalized ) in BRIT, also use depersonalise 1 VERB To depersonalize a system or a situation means to treat it as if it did not really involve people, or to treat it as if the people involved were not really important. □ [V n] It is true that modern weaponry depersonalised war.
2 VERB To depersonalize someone means to treat them as if they do not matter because their individual feelings and thoughts are not important. □ [V n] She does not feel that the book depersonalises women.
de|pict /d I p I kt/ (depicts , depicting , depicted )
1 VERB To depict someone or something means to show or represent them in a work of art such as a drawing or painting. □ [V n] …a gallery of pictures depicting Nelson's most famous battles.
2 VERB To depict someone or something means to describe them or give an impression of them in writing. □ [V n] Margaret Atwood's novel depicts a gloomy, futuristic America. □ [V n + as ] Children's books often depict farmyard animals as gentle, lovable creatures.
de|pic|tion /d I p I kʃ ə n/ (depictions ) N‑VAR A depiction of something is a picture or a written description of it.
de|pila|tory /d I p I lətəri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ (depilatories )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Depilatory substances and processes remove unwanted hair from your body. □ …a depilatory cream.
2 N‑COUNT A depilatory is a depilatory substance.
de|plete /d I pliː t/ (depletes , depleting , depleted ) VERB To deplete a stock or amount of something means to reduce it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …substances that deplete the ozone layer. ● de|plet|ed ADJ □ …Robert E. Lee's worn and depleted army. ● de|ple|tion /d I pliː ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the depletion of underground water supplies.
de|ple t|ed ura |nium N‑UNCOUNT Depleted uranium is a type of uranium that is used in some bombs.
de|plor|able /d I plɔː rəb ə l/ ADJ If you say that something is deplorable , you think that it is very bad and unacceptable. [FORMAL ] □ Many of them live under deplorable conditions. ● de|plor|ably ADV [ADV after v, ADV adj] □ The reporters behaved deplorably.
de|plore /d I plɔː r / (deplores , deploring , deplored ) VERB If you say that you deplore something, you think it is very wrong or immoral. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He deplored the fact that the Foreign Secretary was driven into resignation.
de|ploy /d I plɔ I / (deploys , deploying , deployed )
1 VERB To deploy troops, weapons, or resources means to means to make them ready to be used. □ [V n] The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.
2 VERB If you deploy something or if it deploys , you use it effectively or it works effectively. □ [V ] Airbags deploy with such force they could easily injure a small child. [Also V n]
de|ploy|ment /d I plɔ I mənt/ (deployments ) N‑VAR The deployment of troops, resources, or equipment is the organization and positioning of them so that they are ready for quick action. □ [+ of ] …the deployment of troops into townships.
de|popu|late /diː pɒ pjʊle I t/ (depopulates , depopulating , depopulated ) VERB To depopulate an area means to greatly reduce the number of people living there. □ [V n] The famine threatened to depopulate the continent. ● de|popu|lat|ed ADJ □ …a small, rural, and depopulated part of the south-west. ● de|popu|la|tion /diː pɒ pjʊle I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …rural depopulation.
de|port /d I pɔː r t/ (deports , deporting , deported ) VERB If a government deports someone, usually someone who is not a citizen of that country, it sends them out of the country because they have committed a crime or because it believes they do not have the right to be there. □ [V n] …a government decision earlier this month to deport all illegal immigrants. [Also V n from/to n] ● de|por|ta|tion /diː pɔː r te I ʃ ə n/ (deportations ) N‑VAR □ …thousands of migrants facing deportation.
de|por|tee /diː pɔː r tiː / (deportees ) N‑COUNT A deportee is someone who is being deported.
de|port|ment /d I pɔː r tmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Your deportment is the way you behave, especially the way you walk and move. [FORMAL ]
de|pose /d I poʊ z/ (deposes , deposing , deposed ) VERB [usu passive] If a ruler or political leader is deposed , they are forced to give up their position. □ [be V -ed] Mr Ben Bella was deposed in a coup in 1965.
de|pos|it ◆◇◇ /d I pɒ z I t/ (deposits , depositing , deposited )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A deposit is a sum of money which is part of the full price of something, and which you pay when you agree to buy it. □ A £50 deposit is required when ordering, and the balance is due upon delivery.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A deposit is a sum of money which you pay when you start renting something. The money is returned to you if you do not damage what you have rented. □ It is common to ask for the equivalent of a month's rent as a deposit.
3 N‑COUNT A deposit is a sum of money which is in a bank account or savings account, especially a sum which will be left there for some time.
4 N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] A deposit is a sum of money which you have to pay if you want to be a candidate in a parliamentary or European election. The money is returned to you if you receive more than a certain percentage of the votes. [BRIT ] □ The Tory candidate lost his deposit.
5 N‑COUNT A deposit is an amount of a substance that has been left somewhere as a result of a chemical or geological process. □ …underground deposits of gold and diamonds.
6 VERB To deposit someone or something somewhere means to put them or leave them there. □ [V n] Someone was seen depositing a packet. □ [V n prep/adv] Fritz deposited a glass and two bottles of beer in front of Wolfe.
7 VERB If you deposit something somewhere, you put it where it will be safe until it is needed again. □ [V n prep/adv] You are advised to deposit valuables in the hotel safe.
8 VERB If you deposit a sum of money, you pay it into a bank account or savings account. □ [V n] The customer has to deposit a minimum of £100 monthly.
9 VERB [usu passive] If a substance is deposited somewhere, it is left there as a result of a chemical or geological process. □ [be V -ed] The phosphate was deposited by the decay of marine microorganisms. COLLOCATIONS deposit NOUN
1
adjective + deposit : hefty, minimum; non-refundable, refundable
verb + deposit : pay; forfeit, lose; refund
5
noun + deposit : coal, gold, iron, mineral; calcium
adjective + deposit : glacial, sedimentary; rich; fatty VERB 8
deposit + noun : cash, cheque, money SYNONYMS deposit VERB 6
place: Chairs were hastily placed in rows for the parents.
put: Leaphorn put the photograph on the desk.
lay: Lay a sheet of newspaper on the floor.
drop: Drop the noodles into the water.
de|po s|it ac|count (deposit accounts ) N‑COUNT A deposit account is a type of bank account where the money in it earns interest. [BRIT ] in AM, use savings account
depo|si|tion /de pəz I ʃ ə n/ (depositions ) N‑COUNT A deposition is a formal written statement, made for example by a witness to a crime, which can be used in a court of law if the witness cannot be present. □ The jury heard 200 pages of depositions.
de|posi|tor /d I pɒ z I tə r / (depositors ) N‑COUNT A bank's depositors are the people who have accounts with that bank.
de|posi|tory /d I pɒ z I təri/ (depositories ) N‑COUNT A depository is a place where objects can be stored safely.
de|pot /de poʊ, [AM ] diː -/ (depots )
1 N‑COUNT A depot is a place where large amounts of raw materials, equipment, arms, or other supplies are kept until they are needed. □ …food depots. □ …a government arms depot.
2 N‑COUNT A depot is a large building or open area where buses or railway engines are kept when they are not being used. [mainly BRIT ]
3 N‑COUNT A depot is a bus station or railway station. [AM ] □ …a bus depot in Ozark, Alabama.
de|prave /d I pre I v/ (depraves , depraving , depraved ) VERB Something that depraves someone makes them morally bad or evil. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …material likely to deprave or corrupt those who see it.
de|praved /d I pre I vd/ ADJ Depraved actions, things, or people are morally bad or evil. □ …a disturbing and depraved film.
de|prav|ity /d I præ v I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Depravity is very dishonest or immoral behaviour. [FORMAL ] □ …the absolute depravity that can exist in war.
dep|re|cate /de pr I ke I t/ (deprecates , deprecating , deprecated ) VERB If you deprecate something, you criticize it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He deprecated the low quality of entrants to the profession.
dep|re|cat|ing /de pr I ke I t I ŋ/ ADJ A deprecating attitude, gesture, or remark shows that you think that something is not very good, especially something associated with yourself. [WRITTEN ] □ Erica made a little deprecating shrug. ● dep|re|cat|ing|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ He speaks deprecatingly of his father as a lonely man.
de|pre|ci|ate /d I priː ʃie I t/ (depreciates , depreciating , depreciated ) VERB If something such as a currency depreciates or if something depreciates it, it loses some of its original value. □ [V ] Inflation is rising rapidly; the yuan is depreciating. □ [V n] The demand for foreign currency depreciates the real value of local currencies. □ [V + by ] During those five years, the pound depreciated by a quarter. ● de|pre|cia|tion /d I priː ʃie I ʃ ə n/ (depreciations ) N‑VAR □ …miscellaneous costs, including machinery depreciation and wages.
dep|re|da|tion /de pr I de I ʃ ə n/ (depredations ) N‑VAR The depredations of a person, animal, or force are their harmful actions, which usually involve taking or damaging something. [FORMAL ] □ Much of the region's environmental depredation is a result of poor planning.
de|press /d I pre s/ (depresses , depressing , depressed )
1 VERB If someone or something depresses you, they make you feel sad and disappointed. □ [V n] I must admit the state of the country depresses me.
2 VERB If something depresses prices, wages, or figures, it causes them to become less. □ [V n] The stronger U.S. dollar depressed sales.
de|pressed /d I pre st/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are depressed , you are sad and feel that you cannot enjoy anything, because your situation is so difficult and unpleasant. □ She's been very depressed and upset about this whole situation.
2 ADJ A depressed place or industry does not have enough business or employment to be successful. □ …legislation to encourage investment in depressed areas.
de|press|ing /d I pre s I ŋ/ ADJ Something that is depressing makes you feel sad and disappointed. □ Yesterday's unemployment figures were depressing. ● de|press|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ It all sounded depressingly familiar to Janet.
de|pres|sion ◆◇◇ /d I pre ʃ ə n/ (depressions )
1 N‑VAR Depression is a mental state in which you are sad and feel that you cannot enjoy anything, because your situation is so difficult and unpleasant. □ Mr Thomas was suffering from depression.
2 N‑COUNT A depression is a time when there is very little economic activity, which causes a lot of unemployment and poverty. □ [+ of ] He never forgot the hardships he witnessed during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
3 N‑COUNT A depression in a surface is an area which is lower than the parts surrounding it. □ …an area pockmarked by rain-filled depressions.
4 N‑COUNT A depression is a mass of air that has a low pressure and that often causes rain. SYNONYMS depression NOUN
1
sadness: It is with a mixture of sadness and joy that I say farewell.
sorrow: It was a time of great sorrow.
unhappiness: There was a lot of unhappiness in my adolescence.
misery: All that money brought nothing but sadness and misery and tragedy.
despondency: There's a mood of gloom and despondency in the country.
2
recession: The recession caused sales to drop off.
slump: …the slump of the early 1980s.
credit crunch: The most common argument for cutting interest rates is to prevent a global credit crunch.
stagnation: …the stagnation of the steel industry.
de|pres|sive /d I pre s I v/ (depressives )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Depressive means relating to depression or to being depressed. □ He's no longer a depressive character. □ …a severe depressive disorder.
2 N‑COUNT A depressive is someone who suffers from depression.
3 → see also manic-depressive
dep|ri|va|tion /de pr I ve I ʃ ə n/ (deprivations ) N‑VAR If you suffer deprivation , you do not have or are prevented from having something that you want or need. □ Millions more suffer from serious sleep deprivation caused by long work hours.
de|prive /d I pra I v/ (deprives , depriving , deprived ) VERB If you deprive someone of something that they want or need, you take it away from them, or you prevent them from having it. □ [V n + of ] They've been deprived of the fuel necessary to heat their homes.
de|prived /d I pra I vd/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Deprived people or people from deprived areas do not have the things that people consider to be essential in life, for example acceptable living conditions or education. □ …probably the most severely deprived children in the country.
dept (depts ) in AM, use dept. Dept is used as a written abbreviation for department , usually in the name of a particular department. □ …the Internal Affairs Dept.
depth ◆◇◇ /de pθ/ (depths )
1 N‑VAR [with poss] The depth of something such as a river or hole is the distance downwards from its top surface, or between its upper and lower surfaces. □ The smaller lake ranges from five to fourteen feet in depth. □ The depth of the shaft is 520 yards. □ They were detected at depths of more than a kilometre in the sea.
2 N‑VAR [with poss] The depth of something such as a cupboard or drawer is the distance between its front surface and its back.
3 N‑VAR If an emotion is very strongly or intensely felt, you can talk about its depth . □ [+ of ] I am well aware of the depth of feeling that exists in Londonderry.
4 N‑UNCOUNT The depth of a situation is its extent and seriousness. □ [+ of ] The country's leadership had underestimated the depth of the crisis.
5 N‑UNCOUNT The depth of someone's knowledge is the great amount that they know. □ [+ of ] We felt at home with her and were impressed with the depth of her knowledge.
6 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone or something has depth , you mean that they have serious and interesting qualities which are not immediately obvious and which you have to think about carefully before you can fully understand them. □ His music lacks depth.
7 N‑PLURAL The depths are places that are a long way below the surface of the sea or earth. [LITERARY ] □ The ship vanished into the depths.
8 N‑PLURAL If you talk about the depths of an area, you mean the parts of it which are very far from the edge. □ [+ of ] …the depths of the countryside.
9 N‑PLURAL If you are in the depths of an unpleasant emotion, you feel that emotion very strongly. □ [+ of ] I was in the depths of despair when the baby was sick.
10 N‑PLURAL If something happens in the depths of a difficult or unpleasant period of time, it happens in the middle and most severe or intense part of it. □ [+ of ] The country is in the depths of a recession.
11 PHRASE If you deal with a subject in depth , you deal with it very thoroughly and consider all the aspects of it. □ We will discuss these three areas in depth.
12 PHRASE If you say that someone is out of their depth , you mean that they are in a situation that is much too difficult for them to be able to cope with it. □ Mr Gibson is clearly intellectually out of his depth.
13 PHRASE If you are out of your depth , you are in water that is deeper than you are tall, with the result that you cannot stand up with your head above water.
14 to plumb new depths → see plumb
15 to plumb the depths → see plumb
de pth charge (depth charges ) N‑COUNT A depth charge is a type of bomb which explodes under water and which is used especially to destroy enemy submarines.
depu|ta|tion /de pjʊte I ʃ ə n/ (deputations ) N‑COUNT A deputation is a small group of people who have been asked to speak to someone on behalf of a larger group of people, especially in order to make a complaint. □ [+ of ] A deputation of elders from the village arrived headed by its chief.
de|pute /d I pjuː t/ (deputes , deputing , deputed ) VERB [usu passive] If you are deputed to do something, someone tells or allows you to do it on their behalf. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed to-inf] A sub-committee was deputed to investigate the claims.
depu|tize /de pjʊta I z/ (deputizes , deputizing , deputized ) in BRIT, also use deputise VERB If you deputize for someone, you do something on their behalf, for example attend a meeting. □ [V + for ] I sometimes had to deputise for him in the kitchen. □ [V ] Mr Schulmann cannot be here to welcome you and has asked me to deputize.
depu|ty ◆◆◇ /de pjʊti/ (deputies )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A deputy is the second most important person in an organization such as a business or government department. Someone's deputy often acts on their behalf when they are not there. □ …France's minister for culture and his deputy.
2 N‑COUNT In some parliaments or law-making bodies, the elected members are called deputies .
de|rail /diː re I l/ (derails , derailing , derailed )
1 VERB To derail something such as a plan or a series of negotiations means to prevent it from continuing as planned. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] The present wave of political killings is the work of people trying to derail peace talks.
2 VERB If a train is derailed or if it derails , it comes off the track on which it is running. □ [be V -ed] Several people were injured today when a train was derailed. □ [V ] No-one knows why the train derailed. [Also V n]
de|rail|ment /diː re I lmənt/ (derailments ) N‑VAR A derailment is an accident in which a train comes off the track on which it is running.
de|ranged /d I re I ndʒd/ ADJ Someone who is deranged behaves in a wild and uncontrolled way, often as a result of mental illness. □ A deranged man shot and killed 14 people.
de|range|ment /d I re I ndʒmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Derangement is the state of being mentally ill and unable to think or act in a controlled way. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
der|by /dɑː r bi, [AM ] dɜː rbi/ (derbies )
1 N‑COUNT A derby is a sporting event involving teams from the same area or city. [BRIT ] □ …a North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham.
2 N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A derby is a sports competition or race where there are no restrictions or limits on who can enter. [AM ]
de|regu|late /diː re gjʊle I t/ (deregulates , deregulating , deregulated ) VERB To deregulate something means to remove controls and regulations from it. □ [V n] …the need to deregulate the U.S. airline industry.
de|regu|la|tion /diː re gjʊle I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Deregulation is the removal of controls and restrictions in a particular area of business or trade. [BUSINESS ] □ Since deregulation, banks are permitted to set their own interest rates.
der|elict /de r I l I kt/ ADJ A place or building that is derelict is empty and in a bad state of repair because it has not been used or lived in for a long time. □ Her body was found dumped in a derelict warehouse less than a mile from her home.
der|elic|tion /de r I l I kʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT If a building or a piece of land is in a state of dereliction , it is deserted or abandoned. □ The previous owners had rescued the building from dereliction.
de r|elic|tion of du ty N‑UNCOUNT Dereliction of duty is deliberate or accidental failure to do what you should do as part of your job. [FORMAL ] □ He pleaded guilty to wilful dereliction of duty.
de|ride /d I ra I d/ (derides , deriding , derided ) VERB If you deride someone or something, you say that they are stupid or have no value. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Opposition MPs derided the Government's response to the crisis.
de ri|gueur /də r I gɜː r / ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that a possession or habit is de rigueur , you mean that it is fashionable and therefore necessary for anyone who wants to avoid being considered unfashionable. □ T-shirts now seem almost de rigueur in the West End.
de|ri|sion /d I r I ʒ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT If you treat someone or something with derision , you express contempt for them. □ He tried to calm them, but was greeted with shouts of derision.
de|ri|sive /d I ra I s I v/ ADJ A derisive noise, expression, or remark expresses contempt. □ There was a short, derisive laugh. ● de|ri|sive|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Phil's tormentor snorted derisively.
de|ri|sory /d I ra I zəri/
1 ADJ If you describe something such as an amount of money as derisory , you are emphasizing that it is so small or inadequate that it seems silly or not worth considering. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ She was being paid what I considered a derisory amount of money.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Derisory means the same as derisive . □ …derisory remarks about the police.
deri|va|tion /de r I ve I ʃ ə n/ (derivations ) N‑VAR The derivation of something, especially a word, is its origin or source. □ [+ of ] The derivation of its name is obscure.
de|riva|tive /d I r I vət I v/ (derivatives )
1 N‑COUNT A derivative is something which has been developed or obtained from something else. □ …a poppy-seed derivative similar to heroin.
2 ADJ If you say that something is derivative , you are criticizing it because it is not new or original but has been developed from something else. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …their dull, derivative debut album.
de|rive /d I ra I v/ (derives , deriving , derived )
1 VERB If you derive something such as pleasure or benefit from a person or from something, you get it from them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + from ] Mr Ying is one of those happy people who derive pleasure from helping others.
2 VERB If you say that something such as a word or feeling derives or is derived from something else, you mean that it comes from that thing. □ [be V -ed + from ] Anna's strength is derived from her parents and her sisters. □ [V + from ] The word Easter derives from Eostre, the pagan goddess of spring. [Also V n from n]
der|ma|ti|tis /dɜː r məta I t I s/ N‑UNCOUNT Dermatitis is a medical condition which makes your skin red and painful.
der|ma|tolo|gist /dɜː r mətɔ lədʒ I st/ (dermatologists ) N‑COUNT A dermatologist is a doctor who specializes in the study of skin and the treatment of skin diseases. ● der|ma|tol|ogy N‑UNCOUNT □ …drugs used in dermatology.
de|roga|tory /d I rɒ gətri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you make a derogatory remark or comment about someone or something, you express your low opinion of them. □ He refused to withdraw derogatory remarks made about his boss.
der|rick /de r I k/ (derricks )
1 N‑COUNT A derrick is a machine that is used to move cargo on a ship by lifting it in the air.
2 N‑COUNT A derrick is a tower built over an oil well which is used to raise and lower the drill.
derring-do /de r I ŋ duː / N‑UNCOUNT Derring-do is the quality of being bold, often in a rather showy or foolish way. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
der|vish /dɜː r v I ʃ/ (dervishes )
1 N‑COUNT A dervish is a member of a Muslim religious group which has a very active and lively dance as part of its worship.
2 PHRASE If you say that someone is like a dervish , you mean that they are turning round and round, waving their arms about, or working very quickly. □ Brian was whirling like a dervish, slapping at the mosquitoes and moaning.
de|sali|na|tion /diː sæl I ne I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Desalination is the process of removing salt from sea water so that it can be used for drinking, or for watering crops.
des|cant /de skænt/ (descants ) N‑COUNT A descant is a tune which is played or sung above the main tune in a piece of music.
de|scend /d I se nd/ (descends , descending , descended )
1 VERB If you descend or if you descend a staircase, you move downwards from a higher to a lower level. [FORMAL ] □ [V prep] Things are cooler and more damp as we descend to the cellar. □ [V n] She descended one flight of stairs. [Also V ]
2 VERB When a mood or atmosphere descends on a place or on the people there, it affects them by spreading among them. [LITERARY ] □ [V + on/upon/over ] An uneasy calm descended on the area. [Also V ]
3 VERB If a large group of people arrive to see you, especially if their visit is unexpected or causes you a lot of work, you can say that they have descended on you. □ [V + on/upon ] 3,000 city officials descended on Capitol Hill to lobby for more money.
4 VERB When night, dusk, or darkness descends , it starts to get dark. [LITERARY ] □ [V ] Darkness has now descended and the moon and stars shine hazily in the clear sky.
5 VERB If you say that someone descends to behaviour which you consider unacceptable, you are expressing your disapproval of the fact that they do it. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V + to ] We're not going to descend to such methods.
6 VERB When you want to emphasize that the situation that someone is entering is very bad, you can say that they are descending into that situation. [EMPHASIS ] □ [V + into ] He was ultimately overthrown and the country descended into chaos.
de|scend|ant /d I se ndənt/ (descendants )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl, usu with poss] Someone's descendants are the people in later generations who are related to them. □ [+ of ] They are descendants of the original English and Scottish settlers.
2 N‑COUNT Something modern which developed from an older thing can be called a descendant of it. □ [+ of ] His design was a descendant of a 1956 device.
de|scend|ed /d I se nd I d/
1 ADJ A person who is descended from someone who lived a long time ago is directly related to them. □ [+ from ] She told us she was descended from some Scottish Lord.
2 ADJ An animal that is descended from another sort of animal has developed from the original sort.
de|scend|ing /d I se nd I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] When a group of things is listed or arranged in descending order , each thing is smaller or less important than the thing before it. □ All the other ingredients, including water, have to be listed in descending order by weight.
de|scent /d I se nt/ (descents )
1 N‑VAR A descent is a movement from a higher to a lower level or position. □ [+ into ] …the crash of an Airbus A300 on its descent into Kathmandu airport.
2 N‑COUNT A descent is a surface that slopes downwards, for example the side of a steep hill. □ On the descents, cyclists spin past cars, freewheeling downhill at tremendous speed.
3 N‑SING When you want to emphasize that a situation becomes very bad, you can talk about someone's or something's descent into that situation. [EMPHASIS ] □ [+ from/to ] …his swift descent from respected academic to struggling small businessman.
4 N‑UNCOUNT [usu of adj N ] You use descent to talk about a person's family background, for example their nationality or social status. [FORMAL ] □ All the contributors were of African descent.
de|scribe ◆◆◆ /d I skra I b/ (describes , describing , described )
1 VERB If you describe a person, object, event, or situation, you say what they are like or what happened. □ [V wh] We asked her to describe what kind of things she did in her spare time. □ [V n] She read a poem by Carver which describes their life together. □ [V v-ing] Just before his death he described seeing their son in a beautiful garden.
2 VERB If a person describes someone or something as a particular thing, he or she believes that they are that thing and says so. □ [V n + as ] He described it as an extraordinarily tangled and complicated tale. □ Even his closest allies describe him as forceful, aggressive and determined. □ [V n + as ] He described the meeting as marking a new stage in the peace process. SYNONYMS describe VERB 1
relate: She related her tale of living rough.
report: I reported the theft to the police.
explain: I explained that each person has different ideas of what freedom is.
define: He was asked to define his concept of cool.
detail: The report detailed the human rights abuses committed during the war.
de|scrip|tion ◆◇◇ /d I skr I pʃ ə n/ (descriptions )
1 N‑VAR A description of someone or something is an account which explains what they are or what they look like. □ [+ of ] Police have issued a description of the man who was aged between fifty and sixty. □ He has a real gift for vivid description.
2 N‑SING If something is of a particular description , it belongs to the general class of items that are mentioned. □ Events of this description occurred daily.
3 N‑UNCOUNT You can say that something is beyond description , or that it defies description , to emphasize that it is very unusual, impressive, terrible, or extreme. [EMPHASIS ] □ His face is weary beyond description. SYNONYMS description NOUN 1
account: He gave a detailed account of what happened on the fateful night.
report: She came back to give us a progress report on how the project is going.
explanation: There was a hint of schoolboy shyness in his explanation.
profile: A newspaper published profiles of the candidates' wives.
sketch: I had a basic sketch of a plan.
de|scrip|tive /d I skr I pt I v/ ADJ Descriptive language or writing indicates what someone or something is like. □ …his descriptive way of writing.
des|ecrate /de s I kre I t/ (desecrates , desecrating , desecrated ) VERB If someone desecrates something which is considered to be holy or very special, they deliberately damage or insult it. □ [V n] She shouldn't have desecrated the picture of a religious leader. ● des|ecra|tion /de s I kre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] The whole area has been shocked by the desecration of the cemetery.
de|seed /diː siː d/ (deseeds , deseeding , deseeded ) also de-seed VERB To deseed a fruit or vegetable means to remove all the seeds from it. [BRIT ] □ [V n] Halve and deseed the peppers.
de|seg|re|gate /diː se gr I ge I t/ (desegregates , desegregating , desegregated ) VERB To desegregate something such as a place, institution, or service means to officially stop keeping the people who use it in separate groups, especially groups that are defined by race. □ [V n] …efforts to desegregate sport. □ [V -ed] The school system itself is not totally desegregated. ● de|seg|re|ga|tion /diː se grəge I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Desegregation may be harder to enforce in rural areas.
de|sen|si|tize /diː se ns I ta I z/ (desensitizes , desensitizing , desensitized ) in BRIT, also use desensitise VERB To desensitize someone to things such as pain, anxiety, or other people's suffering, means to cause them to react less strongly to them. □ [V n + to ] …the language that is used to desensitize us to the terrible reality of war. [Also V n]
des|ert ◆◇◇ (deserts , deserting , deserted ) The noun is pronounced /de zə r t/. The verb is pronounced /d I zɜː r t/ and is hyphenated de|sert. 1 N‑VAR [oft in names] A desert is a large area of land, usually in a hot region, where there is almost no water, rain, trees, or plants. □ …the Sahara Desert. □ …the burning desert sun.
2 VERB If people or animals desert a place, they leave it and it becomes empty. □ [V n] Farmers are deserting their fields and coming here looking for jobs. ● de|sert|ed ADJ □ She led them into a deserted sidestreet.
3 VERB If someone deserts you, they go away and leave you, and no longer help or support you. □ [V n] Mrs Roding's husband deserted her years ago. ● de|ser|tion /d I zɜː r ʃ ə n/ (desertions ) N‑VAR □ …her father's desertion.
4 VERB If you desert something that you support, use, or are involved with, you stop supporting it, using it, or being involved with it. □ [V ] The paper's price rise will encourage readers to desert in even greater numbers. □ [V n] He was pained to see many youngsters deserting kibbutz life. □ [V n + for ] Discerning shoppers are deserting supermarkets for artisan bakers. ● de|ser|tion N‑VAR □ [+ of ] …a mass desertion of the Party by the electorate.
5 VERB If a quality or skill that you normally have deserts you, you suddenly find that you do not have it when you need it or want it. □ [V n] Even when he appeared to be depressed, a dry sense of humour never deserted him. □ [V n] She lost the next five games, and the set, as her confidence abruptly deserted her.
6 VERB If someone deserts , or deserts a job, especially a job in the armed forces, they leave that job without permission. □ [V ] He was a second-lieutenant in the army until he deserted. □ [V + from ] He deserted from army intelligence last month. ● de|ser|tion N‑VAR □ The high rate of desertion has added to the army's woes.
7 PHRASE If you say that someone has got their just deserts , you mean that they deserved the unpleasant things that have happened to them, because they did something bad. [FEELINGS ] □ At the end of the book, the bad guys get their just deserts.
de|sert|er /d I zɜː r tə r / (deserters ) N‑COUNT A deserter is someone who leaves their job in the armed forces without permission.
des|er|ti|fi|ca|tion /d I zɜː r t I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Desertification is the process by which a piece of land becomes dry, empty, and unsuitable for growing trees or crops on. □ A third of Africa is under threat of desertification.
des|ert is|land /de zə r t a I lənd/ (desert islands ) N‑COUNT A desert island is a small tropical island, where nobody lives.
de|serve ◆◇◇ /d I zɜː r v/ (deserves , deserving , deserved )
1 VERB If you say that a person or thing deserves something, you mean that they should have it or receive it because of their actions or qualities. □ [V n] Government officials clearly deserve some of the blame as well. □ [V to-inf] These people deserve to make more than the minimum wage. □ [V n] I felt I deserved better than that. □ [V -ed] The Park Hotel has a well-deserved reputation.
2 PHRASE If you say that someone got what they deserved , you mean that they deserved the bad thing that happened to them, and you have no sympathy for them. [FEELINGS ] □ One of them said the two dead joy riders got what they deserved.
de|serv|ed|ly /d I zɜː r v I dli/ ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj/adv] You use deservedly to indicate that someone deserved what happened to them, especially when it was something good. □ He deservedly won the Player of the Year award.
de|serv|ing /d I zɜː r v I ŋ/
1 ADJ If you describe a person, organization, or cause as deserving , you mean that you think they should be helped. □ The money saved could be used for more deserving causes.
2 ADJ If someone is deserving of something, they have qualities or achievements which make it right that they should receive it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …artists deserving of public subsidy.
des|ic|ca|ted /de s I ke I t I d/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Desiccated things have lost all the moisture that was in them. [FORMAL ] □ …desiccated flowers and leaves.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Desiccated food has been dried in order to preserve it. □ …desiccated coconut.
des|ic|ca|tion /de s I ke I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Desiccation is the process of becoming completely dried out. [FORMAL ] □ …the disastrous consequences of the desiccation of the wetland.
de|sign ◆◆◆ /d I za I n/ (designs , designing , designed )
1 VERB When someone designs a garment, building, machine, or other object, they plan it and make a detailed drawing of it from which it can be built or made. □ [V n] They wanted to design a machine that was both attractive and practical. □ [V -ed] …men wearing specially designed boots.
2 VERB When someone designs a survey, policy, or system, they plan and prepare it, and decide on all the details of it. □ [V n] We may be able to design a course to suit your particular needs. □ [V -ed] A number of very well designed studies have been undertaken.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Design is the process and art of planning and making detailed drawings of something. □ He was a born mechanic with a flair for design.
4 N‑UNCOUNT The design of something is the way in which it has been planned and made. □ …a new design of clock. □ BMW is recalling 8,000 cars because of a design fault.
5 N‑COUNT A design is a drawing which someone produces to show how they would like something to be built or made. □ [+ for ] They drew up the design for the house in a week.
6 N‑COUNT A design is a pattern of lines, flowers, or shapes which is used to decorate something. □ Many pictures have been based on simple geometric designs.
7 N‑COUNT A design is a general plan or intention that someone has in their mind when they are doing something. □ Is there some design in having him in the middle?
8 V-PASSIVE If something is designed for a particular purpose, it is intended for that purpose. □ [be V -ed to-inf] This project is designed to help landless people. □ [be V -ed + for ] It's not designed for anyone under age eighteen.
9 PHRASE If something happens or is done by design , someone does it deliberately, rather than by accident. □ The pair met often–at first by chance but later by design.
10 PHRASE If someone has designs on something, they want it and are planning to get it, often in a dishonest way. □ He didn't even notice she had designs on him. COLLOCATIONS design NOUN
3
noun + design : costume, fashion, product; garden, set, web
adjective + design : industrial, urban
4
adjective + design : contemporary, elegant, good; innovative, intelligent, modern, original
verb + design : adapt, improve, modify
5
verb + design : create, draw up
6
adjective + design : floral, geometric, simple, stylish VERB 1
design + noun : building, garden, house, product SYNONYMS design VERB 1
plan: We are planning a new kitchen.
create: It is really great for a radio producer to create a show like this.
produce: The company produces parts for the car industry.
invent: He invented the first electric clock. NOUN 6
pattern: …a golden robe embroidered with purple thread stitched into a pattern of flames.
motif: …a rose motif.
shape: …sofas and chairs of contrasting shapes and colours.
des|ig|nate (designates , designating , designated ) The verb is pronounced /de z I gne I t/. The adjective is pronounced /de z I gnət/. 1 VERB When you designate someone or something as a particular thing, you formally give them that description or name. □ [V n + as ] …a man interviewed in one of our studies whom we shall designate as E. □ [V n n] There are efforts under way to designate the bridge a historic landmark. □ [V -ed] I live in Exmoor, which is designated as a national park.
2 VERB [usu passive] If something is designated for a particular purpose, it is set aside for that purpose. □ [be V -ed + as/for ] Some of the rooms were designated as offices. □ [V -ed] …scholarships designated for minorities.
3 VERB When you designate someone as something, you formally choose them to do that particular job. □ [V n + as ] Designate someone as the spokesperson.
4 ADJ [n ADJ ] Designate is used to describe someone who has been formally chosen to do a particular job, but has not yet started doing it. □ Japan's Prime Minister-designate is completing his Cabinet today.
de s|ig|nat|ed dri v|er (designated drivers ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The designated driver in a group of people travelling together is the one who has agreed to drive, or who is insured to drive.
des|ig|na|tion /de z I gne I ʃ ə n/ (designations ) N‑VAR A designation is a description, name, or title that is given to someone or something. Designation is the fact of giving that description, name, or title. [FORMAL ] □ …the designation of land as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
de|sign|er ◆◇◇ /d I za I nə r / (designers )
1 N‑COUNT A designer is a person whose job is to design things by making drawings of them. □ Carolyne is a fashion designer.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Designer clothes or designer labels are expensive, fashionable clothes made by a famous designer, rather than being made in large quantities in a factory. □ He wears designer clothes and drives an antique car.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use designer to describe things that are worn or bought because they are fashionable. [INFORMAL ] □ Designer beers and trendy wines have replaced the good old British pint.
de|sign|er ba by (designer babies ) also designer child N‑COUNT People sometimes refer to a baby that has developed from an embryo with certain desired characteristics as a designer baby . [mainly JOURNALISM ]
de|sir|able /d I za I ə rəb ə l/
1 ADJ Something that is desirable is worth having or doing because it is useful, necessary, or popular. □ Prolonged negotiation was not desirable. ● de|sir|abil|ity /d I za I ə rəb I l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the desirability of democratic reform.
2 ADJ Someone who is desirable is considered to be sexually attractive. □ …the young women whom his classmates thought most desirable. ● de|sir|abil|ity N‑UNCOUNT [usu poss N ] □ …Veronica's desirability.
de|sire ◆◆◇ /d I za I ə r / (desires , desiring , desired )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N to-inf] A desire is a strong wish to do or have something. □ I had a strong desire to help and care for people. □ [+ for ] They seem to have lost their desire for life.
2 VERB [no cont] If you desire something, you want it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] She had remarried and desired a child with her new husband. □ [V to-inf] But Fred was bored and desired to go home. ● de|sired ADJ [ADJ n] □ You may find that just threatening this course of action will produce the desired effect.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Desire for someone is a strong feeling of wanting to have sex with them. □ Teenage sex, for instance, may come not out of genuine desire but from a need to get love.
4 PHRASE If you say that something leaves a lot to be desired , you mean that it is not as good as it should be. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ The selection of programmes leaves a lot to be desired.
de|sir|ous /d I za I ə rəs/ ADJ If you are desirous of doing something or desirous of something, you want to do it very much or want it very much. [FORMAL ] □ The enemy is so desirous of peace that he will agree to any terms.
de|sist /d I z I st/ (desists , desisting , desisted ) VERB If you desist from doing something, you stop doing it. [FORMAL ] □ [V + from ] Ford never desisted from trying to persuade him to return to America.
desk ◆◆◇ /de sk/ (desks )
1 N‑COUNT A desk is a table, often with drawers, which you sit at to write or work.
2 N‑SING [oft n N ] The place in a hotel, hospital, airport, or other building where you check in or obtain information is referred to as a particular desk . □ I spoke to the girl on the reception desk.
3 N‑SING [oft n N ] A particular department of a broadcasting company, or of a newspaper or magazine company, can be referred to as a particular desk . □ Over now to Simon Ingram at the sports desk.
de sk clerk (desk clerks ) N‑COUNT A desk clerk is someone who works at the main desk in a hotel. [AM ] in BRIT, use receptionist
de|skill /diːsk I l/ (deskills , deskilling , deskilled ) VERB [oft passive] If workers are deskilled , they no longer need special skills to do their work, especially because of modern methods of production. □ [be V -ed] Administrative staff may be deskilled through increased automation and efficiency.
desk|top /de sktɒp/ (desktops ) also desk-top
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Desktop computers are a convenient size for using on a desk or table, but are not designed to be portable. □ You can watch it on your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.
2 N‑COUNT A desktop is a desktop computer.
3 N‑COUNT The desktop of a computer is the display of icons that you see on the screen when the computer is ready to use.
de sk|top pu b|lish|ing N‑UNCOUNT Desktop publishing is the production of printed materials such as newspapers and magazines using a desktop computer and a laser printer, rather than using conventional printing methods. The abbreviation DTP is also used.
deso|late /de sələt/
1 ADJ A desolate place is empty of people and lacking in comfort. □ …a desolate landscape of flat green fields broken by marsh.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone is desolate , they feel very sad, alone, and without hope. [LITERARY ] □ He was desolate without her.
deso|la|tion /de səle I ʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Desolation is a feeling of great unhappiness and hopelessness. □ The sense of loss and desolation we feel at her death is beyond description.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to desolation in a place, you mean that it is empty and frightening, for example because it has been destroyed by a violent force or army. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ We looked out upon a scene of desolation and ruin.
des|pair /d I speə r / (despairs , despairing , despaired )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] Despair is the feeling that everything is wrong and that nothing will improve. □ I looked at my wife in despair. □ …feelings of despair or inadequacy.
2 VERB If you despair , you feel that everything is wrong and that nothing will improve. □ [V ] 'Oh, I despair sometimes,' he says in mock sorrow. □ [V + at ] He does despair at much of the press criticism.
3 VERB If you despair of something, you feel that there is no hope that it will happen or improve. If you despair of someone, you feel that there is no hope that they will improve. □ [V + of ] He wished to earn a living through writing but despaired of doing so.
des|patch /d I spæ tʃ/ → see dispatch
des|pe|ra|do /de spərɑː doʊ/ (desperadoes or desperados ) N‑COUNT A desperado is someone who does illegal, violent things without worrying about the danger. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
des|per|ate ◆◇◇ /de spərət/
1 ADJ If you are desperate , you are in such a bad situation that you are willing to try anything to change it. □ Troops are needed to help get food to the people in desperate need. □ He made a desperate attempt to hijack a plane. ● des|per|ate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Thousands are desperately trying to leave their battered homes.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ , usu ADJ to-inf] If you are desperate for something or desperate to do something, you want or need it very much indeed. □ They'd been married nearly four years and June was desperate to start a family. □ [+ for ] People are desperate for him to do something. ● des|per|ate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He was a boy who desperately needed affection.
3 ADJ A desperate situation is very difficult, serious, or dangerous. □ India's United Nations ambassador said the situation is desperate.
des|pera|tion /de spəre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Desperation is the feeling that you have when you are in such a bad situation that you will try anything to change it. □ This feeling of desperation and helplessness was common to most of the refugees.
des|pic|able /d I sp I kəb ə l, [AM ] de sp I k-/ ADJ If you say that a person or action is despicable , you are emphasizing that they are extremely nasty, cruel, or evil. [EMPHASIS ] □ The Minister said the bombing was a despicable crime.
des|pise /d I spa I z/ (despises , despising , despised ) VERB If you despise something or someone, you dislike them and have a very low opinion of them. □ [V n] I can never, ever forgive him. I despise him.
de|spite ◆◆◇ /d I spa I t/
1 PREP You use despite to introduce a fact which makes the other part of the sentence surprising. □ It is possible to lead happy and productive lives despite their loss.
2 PREP If you do something despite yourself you do it although you did not really intend or expect to. □ Despite myself, Harry's remarks had caused me to stop and reflect.
de|spoil /d I spɔ I l/ (despoils , despoiling , despoiled ) VERB To despoil a place means to make it less attractive, valuable, or important by taking things away from it or by destroying it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …people who despoil the countryside.
de|spond|en|cy /d I spɒ ndənsi/ N‑UNCOUNT Despondency is a strong feeling of unhappiness caused by difficulties which you feel you cannot overcome. □ There's a mood of gloom and despondency in the country.
de|spond|ent /d I spɒ ndənt/ ADJ If you are despondent , you are very unhappy because you have been experiencing difficulties that you think you will not be able to overcome. □ I feel despondent when my work is rejected. ● de|spond|ent|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Despondently, I went back and told Bill the news.
des|pot /de spɒt, [AM ] -pət/ (despots ) N‑COUNT A despot is a ruler or other person who has a lot of power and who uses it unfairly or cruelly.
des|pot|ic /d I spɒ t I k/ ADJ If you say that someone is despotic , you are emphasizing that they use their power over other people in a very unfair or cruel way. [EMPHASIS ] □ The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.
des|pot|ism /de spət I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Despotism is cruel and unfair government by a ruler or rulers who have a lot of power.
des|sert /d I zɜː r t/ (desserts ) N‑VAR Dessert is something sweet, such as fruit or a pudding, that you eat at the end of a meal. □ She had homemade ice cream for dessert.
dessert|spoon /d I zɜː r tspuːn/ (dessertspoons ) also dessert spoon
1 N‑COUNT A dessertspoon is a spoon which is midway between the size of a teaspoon and a tablespoon. You use it to eat desserts.
2 N‑COUNT You can refer to an amount of food resting on a dessertspoon as a dessertspoon of food. [BRIT ] □ [+ of ] …a rounded dessertspoon of flour.
dessert|spoon|ful /d I zɜː r tspuːnfʊl/ (dessertspoonfuls or dessertspoonsful ) N‑COUNT You can refer to an amount of food resting on a dessertspoon as a dessertspoonful of food. [BRIT ] □ [+ of ] …a dessertspoonful of olive oil.
des|se rt wi ne (dessert wines ) N‑VAR A dessert wine is a sweet wine, usually a white wine, that is served with dessert.
de|sta|bi|lize /diːste I bəla I z/ (destabilizes , destabilizing , destabilized ) in BRIT, also use destabilise VERB To destabilize something such as a country or government means to create a situation which reduces its power or influence. □ [V n] Their sole aim is to destabilize the Indian government. ● de|sta|bi|li|za|tion /diːste I b ə la I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ …the destabilization of the country.
des|ti|na|tion /de st I ne I ʃ ə n/ (destinations ) N‑COUNT The destination of someone or something is the place to which they are going or being sent. □ Spain is still our most popular holiday destination. □ Only half of the emergency supplies have reached their destination.
des|tined /de st I nd/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ , ADJ to-inf] If something is destined to happen or if someone is destined to behave in a particular way, that thing seems certain to happen or be done. □ London seems destined to lose more than 2,000 hospital beds. □ Everyone knew that Muriel was destined for great things.
2 ADJ If someone is destined for a particular place, or if goods are destined for a particular place, they are travelling towards that place or will be sent to that place. □ [+ for ] …products destined for Saudi Arabia.
des|ti|ny /de st I ni/ (destinies )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing, usu with poss] A person's destiny is everything that happens to them during their life, including what will happen in the future, especially when it is considered to be controlled by someone or something else. □ We are masters of our own destiny.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Destiny is the force which some people believe controls the things that happen to you in your life. □ Is it destiny that brings people together, or is it accident?
des|ti|tute /de st I tjuːt, [AM ] -tuːt/ ADJ Someone who is destitute has no money or possessions. [FORMAL ] □ …destitute children who live on the streets.
des|ti|tu|tion /de st I tjuː ʃ ə n, [AM ] -tuː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Destitution is the state of having no money or possessions. [FORMAL ]
de -stre ss also destress (de-stresses , de-stressing , de-stressed ) VERB If you de-stress or if something de-stresses you, you do something that helps you to relax. □ [V ] I make sure I make time for fishing because it's how I de-stress. □ [V n] All of these help relax and de-stress you from the rigors of daily life.
de|stroy ◆◆◇ /d I strɔ I / (destroys , destroying , destroyed )
1 VERB To destroy something means to cause so much damage to it that it is completely ruined or does not exist any more. □ [V n] That's a sure recipe for destroying the economy and creating chaos.
2 VERB To destroy someone means to ruin their life or to make their situation impossible to bear. □ [V n] If I was younger or more naive, the criticism would have destroyed me.
3 VERB [usu passive] If an animal is destroyed , it is killed, either because it is ill or because it is dangerous. □ [be V -ed] Lindsay was unhurt but the horse had to be destroyed.
4 → see also soul-destroying
de|stroy|er /d I strɔ I ə r / (destroyers ) N‑COUNT A destroyer is a small, heavily armed warship.
de|struc|tion ◆◇◇ /d I strʌ kʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Destruction is the act of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed. □ …an international agreement aimed at halting the destruction of the ozone layer.
de|struc|tive /d I strʌ kt I v/ ADJ Something that is destructive causes or is capable of causing great damage, harm, or injury. □ …the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons. ● de|struc|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …the size of armies and the destructiveness of their weapons. ● de|struc|tive|ly ADV □ Power can be used creatively or destructively.
des|ul|tory /de səltri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ Something that is desultory is done in an unplanned and disorganized way, and without enthusiasm. [FORMAL ] □ The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn.
de|tach /d I tæ tʃ/ (detaches , detaching , detached )
1 VERB If you detach one thing from another that it is fixed to, you remove it. If one thing detaches from another, it becomes separated from it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Detach the white part of the application form and keep it. □ [V n + from ] It is easy to detach the currants from the stems. □ [V + from ] There was an accident when the towrope detached from the car. [Also V ]
2 VERB If you detach yourself from something, you become less involved in it or less concerned about it than you used to be. □ [V pron-refl + from ] It helps them detach themselves from their problems and become more objective.
de|tach|able /d I tæ tʃəb ə l/ ADJ If a part of an object is detachable , it has been made so that it can be removed from the object. □ …a cake tin with a detachable base.
de|tached /d I tæ tʃt/
1 ADJ Someone who is detached is not personally involved in something or has no emotional interest in it. □ He tries to remain emotionally detached from the prisoners, but fails.
2 ADJ A detached house is one that is not joined to any other house. [mainly BRIT ]
de|tach|ment /d I tæ tʃmənt/ (detachments )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Detachment is the feeling that you have of not being personally involved in something or of having no emotional interest in it. □ …a doctor's professional detachment.
2 N‑COUNT A detachment is a group of soldiers who are sent away from the main group to do a special job.
de|tail ◆◆◇ /diː te I l/ (details , detailing , detailed ) The pronunciation /d I te I l/ is also used in American English. 1 N‑COUNT The details of something are its individual features or elements. □ [+ of ] The details of the plan are still being worked out. □ I recall every detail of the party.
2 N‑PLURAL [adj N ] Details about someone or something are facts or pieces of information about them. □ [+ of ] See the bottom of this page for details of how to apply for this exciting offer.
3 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] A detail is a minor point or aspect of something, as opposed to the central ones. □ Only minor details now remain to be settled.
4 N‑UNCOUNT You can refer to the small features of something which are often not noticed as detail . □ We like his attention to detail and his enthusiasm.
5 N‑COUNT A detail of a picture is a part of it that is printed separately and perhaps made bigger, so that smaller features can be clearly seen.
6 VERB If you detail things, you list them or give information about them. □ [V n] The report detailed the human rights abuses committed during the war. [Also V how]
7 PHRASE If someone does not go into details about a subject, or does not go into the detail , they mention it without explaining it fully or properly. □ He said he had been in various parts of Britain but did not go into details.
8 PHRASE If you examine or discuss something in detail , you do it thoroughly and carefully. □ We examine the wording in detail before deciding on the final text. COLLOCATIONS detail NOUN
1
noun + detail : account, bank, credit card; contact
adjective + detail : intimate, personal; financial, technical
2
adjective + detail : exact, full, further
detail + be + adjective : available
verb + detail : announce, give, provide, publish; disclose, leak, release, reveal SYNONYMS detail NOUN 1
feature: The most unusual feature in the room is an extraordinary pair of candles.
point: Many of the points in the report are correct.
particular: You will find all the particulars in Chapter 9.
aspect: He was interested in all aspects of the work here.
de|tailed ◆◇◇ /diː te I ld, [AM ] d I te I ld/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A detailed report or plan contains a lot of details. □ Yesterday's letter contains a detailed account of the decisions.
de|tain /d I te I n/ (detains , detaining , detained )
1 VERB When people such as the police detain someone, they keep them in a place under their control. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The act allows police to detain a suspect for up to 48 hours.
2 VERB To detain someone means to delay them, for example by talking to them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Thank you. We won't detain you any further.
de|tainee /diː te I niː / (detainees ) N‑COUNT A detainee is someone who is held prisoner by a government because of his or her political views or activities.
de|tect /d I te kt/ (detects , detecting , detected )
1 VERB To detect something means to find it or discover that it is present somewhere by using equipment or making an investigation. □ [V n] …a sensitive piece of equipment used to detect radiation. □ [V wh] …a device which can detect who is more at risk of a heart attack.
2 VERB If you detect something, you notice it or sense it, even though it is not very obvious. □ [V n] Arnold could detect a certain sadness in the old man's face.
de|tect|able /d I te ktəb ə l/ ADJ Something that is detectable can be noticed or discovered. □ Doctors say the disease is probably inherited but not detectable at birth.
de|tec|tion /d I te kʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Detection is the act of noticing or sensing something. □ [+ of ] …the early detection of breast cancer.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Detection is the discovery of something which is supposed to be hidden. □ They are cheating but are sophisticated enough to avoid detection. [Also + of ]
3 N‑UNCOUNT Detection is the work of investigating a crime in order to find out what has happened and who committed it. □ The detection rate for motor vehicle theft that year was just 11.7 per cent.
de|tec|tive ◆◇◇ /d I te kt I v/ (detectives )
1 N‑COUNT A detective is someone whose job is to discover what has happened in a crime or other situation and to find the people involved. Some detectives work in the police force and others work privately. □ Detectives are appealing for witnesses who may have seen anything suspicious. □ She hired a private detective in an attempt to find her daughter.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A detective novel or story is one in which a detective tries to solve a crime.
de|tec|tor /d I te ktə r / (detectors ) N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A detector is an instrument which is used to discover that something is present somewhere, or to measure how much of something there is. □ …a metal detector. □ …fire alarms and smoke detectors.
de|tente /de I tɒ nt/ also détente N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] Detente is a state of friendly relations between two countries when previously there had been problems between them. [FORMAL ] □ …their desire to pursue a policy of detente.
de|ten|tion /d I te nʃ ə n/ (detentions )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Detention is when someone is arrested or put into prison, especially for political reasons. □ …the detention without trial of government critics.
2 N‑VAR Detention is a punishment for naughty schoolchildren, who are made to stay at school after the other children have gone home. □ The teacher kept the boys in detention after school.
de|te n|tion cen|tre (detention centres ) in AM, use detention center N‑COUNT A detention centre is a sort of prison, for example a place where people who have entered a country illegally are kept while a decision is made about what to do with them.
de|ter /d I tɜː r / (deters , deterring , deterred ) VERB To deter someone from doing something means to make them not want to do it or continue doing it. □ [V n + from ] Supporters of the death penalty argue that it would deter criminals from carrying guns. □ [V n] Arrests and jail sentences have done nothing to deter the protesters.
de|ter|gent /d I tɜː r dʒ ə nt/ (detergents ) N‑VAR Detergent is a chemical substance, usually in the form of a powder or liquid, which is used for washing things such as clothes or dishes.
de|terio|rate /d I t I ə riəre I t/ (deteriorates , deteriorating , deteriorated ) VERB If something deteriorates , it becomes worse in some way. □ [V ] There are fears that the situation might deteriorate into full-scale war. ● de|terio|ra|tion /d I t I ə riəre I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ in ] …concern about the rapid deterioration in relations between the two countries.
de|ter|mi|nant /d I tɜː r m I nənt/ (determinants ) N‑COUNT A determinant of something causes it to be of a particular kind or to happen in a particular way. [FORMAL ]
de|ter|mi|nate /d I tɜː r m I nət/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Determinate means fixed and definite. [FORMAL ] □ …a contract for the exclusive possession of land for some determinate period.
de|ter|mi|na|tion /d I tɜː r m I ne I ʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N to-inf] Determination is the quality that you show when you have decided to do something and you will not let anything stop you. □ Everyone concerned acted with great courage and determination.
2 → see also determine
de|ter|mine ◆◆◇ /d I tɜː r m I n/ (determines , determining , determined )
1 VERB If a particular factor determines the nature of a thing or event, it causes it to be of a particular kind. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The size of the chicken pieces will determine the cooking time. □ [V wh] What determines whether you are a career success or a failure? ● de|ter|mi|na|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ …the gene which is responsible for male sex determination.
2 VERB To determine a fact means to discover it as a result of investigation. [FORMAL ] □ [V wh] The investigation will determine what really happened. □ [V n] Testing needs to be done to determine the long-term effects on humans. □ [V that] Science has determined that the risk is very small.
3 VERB If you determine something, you decide it or settle it. □ [V n] The Baltic people have a right to determine their own future. □ [V wh] My aim was first of all to determine what I should do next. [Also V that, V wh-to-inf] ● de|ter|mi|na|tion (determinations ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] □ [+ of ] We must take into our own hands the determination of our future.
4 VERB If you determine to do something, you make a firm decision to do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] He determined to rescue his two countrymen. □ [V that] I determined that I would ask him outright.
de|ter|mined ◆◇◇ /d I tɜː r m I nd/ ADJ [oft ADJ to-inf] If you are determined to do something, you have made a firm decision to do it and will not let anything stop you. □ His enemies are determined to ruin him. □ He made determined efforts to overcome the scandal. ● de|ter|mined|ly ADV □ She shook her head, determinedly.
de|ter|min|er /d I tɜː r m I nə r / (determiners ) N‑COUNT In grammar, a determiner is a word which is used at the beginning of a noun group to indicate, for example, which thing you are referring to or whether you are referring to one thing or several. Common English determiners are 'a', 'the', 'some', 'this', and 'each'.
de|ter|min|ism /d I tɜː r m I n I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft adj N ] Determinism is the belief that all actions and events result from other actions, events, or situations, so people cannot in fact choose what to do. [FORMAL ] □ I don't believe in historical determinism.
de|ter|min|ist /d I tɜː r m I n I st/ (determinists )
1 N‑COUNT A determinist is someone who believes in determinism. [FORMAL ]
2 ADJ Determinist ideas are based on determinism. [FORMAL ] □ The determinist doctrines in question maintained that certain people were born to be slaves.
de|ter|min|is|tic /d I tɜː r m I n I st I k/
1 ADJ Deterministic ideas or explanations are based on determinism. [FORMAL ] □ …a deterministic view of human progress.
2 ADJ Deterministic forces and factors cause things to happen in a way that cannot be changed. [FORMAL ] □ Genetics is probabilistic, not deterministic.
de|ter|rence /d I te rəns, [AM ] -tɜː r-/ N‑UNCOUNT Deterrence is the prevention of something, especially war or crime, by having something such as weapons or punishment to use as a threat. □ …policies of nuclear deterrence.
de|ter|rent /d I te rənt, [AM ] -tɜː r-/ (deterrents )
1 N‑COUNT A deterrent is something that prevents people from doing something by making them afraid of what will happen to them if they do it. □ They seriously believe that capital punishment is a deterrent.
2 N‑COUNT A deterrent is a weapon or set of weapons designed to prevent enemies from attacking by making them afraid to do so. □ …a nuclear deterrent.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] If something has a deterrent effect, it has the effect of preventing people from doing certain things. □ …his belief in the deterrent value of capital punishment.
de|test /d I te st/ (detests , detesting , detested ) VERB If you detest someone or something, you dislike them very much. □ [V n] My mother detested him. □ [V v-ing] Jean detested being photographed.
de|test|able /d I te stəb ə l/ ADJ If you say that someone or something is detestable , you mean you dislike them very much. [FORMAL ] □ I find their views detestable.
de|throne /diː θroʊ n/ (dethrones , dethroning , dethroned ) VERB [usu passive] If a king, queen, or other powerful person is dethroned , they are removed from their position of power. □ [be V -ed] He was dethroned and went into exile.
deto|nate /de təne I t/ (detonates , detonating , detonated ) VERB If someone detonates a device such as a bomb, or if it detonates , it explodes. □ [V n] France is expected to detonate its first nuclear device in the next few days. □ [V ] An explosive device detonated on the roof of the building.
deto|na|tion /de təne I ʃ ə n/ (detonations )
1 N‑COUNT A detonation is a large or powerful explosion. [FORMAL ]
2 N‑UNCOUNT Detonation is the action of causing a device such as a bomb to explode. [FORMAL ] □ …accidental detonation of nuclear weapons.
deto|na|tor /de təne I tə r / (detonators ) N‑COUNT A detonator is a small amount of explosive or a piece of electrical or electronic equipment which is used to explode a bomb or other explosive device.
de|tour /diː tʊə r / (detours )
1 N‑COUNT If you make a detour on a journey, you go by a route which is not the shortest way, because you want to avoid something such as a traffic jam, or because there is something you want to do on the way. □ He did not take the direct route home, but made a detour around the outskirts of the city.
2 N‑COUNT A detour is a special route for traffic to follow when the normal route is blocked, for example because it is being repaired. [AM ] in BRIT, use diversion
de|tox /diː tɒ ks/ (detoxes , detoxing , detoxed )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Detox is treatment given to people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol in order to stop them from being addicted. □ A patient going through acute detox will have an assigned nurse nearby. □ …a detox therapist.
2 N‑COUNT [oft N n] A detox is a treatment that is intended to remove poisonous or harmful substances from your body. □ Overhaul your body with a cleansing detox. □ Give yourself a healthy glow on our detox diet.
3 VERB If someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol detoxes , or if another person detoxes them, they undergo treatment which stops them from being addicted. □ [V n] …mums trying to detox their kids. □ [V ] …drugs binges and failed attempts to detox.
4 VERB If you detox , or if something detoxes your body, you do something to remove poisonous or harmful substances from your body. □ [V ] It might be an idea to detox after the indulgences of Christmas. □ [V n] Honey can help to detox the body.
de|toxi|fi|ca|tion /diːtɒ ks I f I ke I ʃ ə n/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Detoxification is treatment given to people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol in order to stop them from being addicted.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Detoxification is treatment that is intended to remove poisonous or harmful substances from your body. □ Drink at least 2 litres of still mineral water throughout the day to aid detoxification.
de|toxi|fy /diːtɒ ks I fa I / (detoxifies , detoxifying , detoxified )
1 VERB If someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol detoxifies , or if they are detoxified , they undergo treatment which stops them from being addicted. □ [V n] …drugs which block the affects of heroin use and rapidly detoxify addicts. □ [V ] With the controversial new treatment, addicts will be able to detoxify rapidly.
2 VERB If you detoxify , or if something detoxifies your body, you do something to remove poisonous or harmful substances from your body. □ [V ] Many people have made it a rule to detoxify once a year. □ [V n] Seaweed baths can help to detoxify the body.
3 VERB To detoxify a poisonous substance means to change it chemically so that it is no longer poisonous. □ [V n] Vitamin C helps to detoxify pollutants in the body.
de|tract /d I træ kt/ (detracts , detracting , detracted ) VERB If one thing detracts from another, it makes it seem less good or impressive. □ [V + from ] The publicity could detract from our election campaign. [Also V n + from ]
de|trac|tor /d I træ ktə r / (detractors ) N‑COUNT [usu pl, usu with poss] The detractors of a person or thing are people who criticize that person or thing. [JOURNALISM ] □ This performance will silence many of his detractors.
det|ri|ment /de tr I mənt/
1 PHRASE If something happens to the detriment of something or to a person's detriment , it causes harm or damage to them. [FORMAL ] □ Children spend too much time on schoolwork, to the detriment of other activities.
2 PHRASE If something happens without detriment to a person or thing, it does not harm or damage them. [FORMAL ]
det|ri|men|tal /de tr I me nt ə l/ ADJ Something that is detrimental to something else has a harmful or damaging effect on it. □ [+ to ] …foods suspected of being detrimental to health.
de|tri|tus /d I tra I təs/ N‑UNCOUNT Detritus is the small pieces of rubbish that remain after an event has finished or when something has been used. [FORMAL ] □ …the detritus of war.
deuce /djuː s, [AM ] duː s/ (deuces ) N‑UNCOUNT Deuce is the score in a game of tennis when both players have forty points. One player has to win two points one after the other to win the game.
de|value /diː væ ljuː/ (devalues , devaluing , devalued )
1 VERB To devalue something means to cause it to be thought less impressive or less deserving of respect. □ [V n] They spread tales about her in an attempt to devalue her work. ● de|valued ADJ □ Police officers feel devalued and let down.
2 VERB To devalue the currency of a country means to reduce its value in relation to other currencies. □ [V n + by ] The yuan was devalued by about 4 per cent. [Also V n] ● de|valua|tion /diː væ ljue I ʃ ə n/ (devaluations ) N‑VAR □ It will lead to devaluation of a number of European currencies.
dev|as|tate /de vəste I t/ (devastates , devastating , devastated ) VERB If something devastates an area or a place, it damages it very badly or destroys it totally. □ [V n] A few days before, a fire had devastated large parts of Windsor Castle.
dev|as|tat|ed /de vəste I t I d/ ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are devastated by something, you are very shocked and upset by it. □ Teresa was devastated, her dreams shattered.
dev|as|tat|ing /de vəste I t I ŋ/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as devastating , you are emphasizing that it is very harmful or damaging. [EMPHASIS ] □ Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.
2 ADJ You can use devastating to emphasize that something is very shocking, upsetting, or terrible. [EMPHASIS ] □ The diagnosis was devastating. She had cancer.
3 ADJ You can use devastating to emphasize that something or someone is very impressive. [EMPHASIS ] □ …a devastating display of galloping and jumping. ● dev|as|tat|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV adj/-ed] □ Its advertising is devastatingly successful.
dev|as|ta|tion /de vəste I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Devastation is severe and widespread destruction or damage. □ A huge bomb blast brought chaos and devastation to the city yesterday.
de|vel|op ◆◆◆ /d I ve ləp/ (develops , developing , developed )
1 VERB When something develops , it grows or changes over a period of time and usually becomes more advanced, complete, or severe. □ [V ] It's hard to say at this stage how the market will develop. □ [V + into ] These clashes could develop into open warfare. □ [V -ing] Society begins to have an impact on the developing child. ● de|vel|oped ADJ □ Their bodies were well-developed and super fit.
2 VERB If a problem or difficulty develops , it begins to occur. □ [V ] A huge row has developed about the pollution emanating from a chemical plant. □ [V + from/out of ] …blood clots in his lungs, a problem which developed from a leg injury.
3 VERB If you say that a country develops , you mean that it changes from being a poor agricultural country to being a rich industrial country. □ [V ] All countries, it was predicted, would develop and develop fast.
4 → see also developed , developing
5 VERB If you develop a business or industry, or if it develops , it becomes bigger and more successful. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] She won a grant to develop her own business. □ [V ] Over the last few years tourism here has developed considerably. ● de|vel|oped ADJ □ Housing finance is less developed in continental Europe.
6 VERB To develop land or property means to make it more profitable, by building houses or factories or by improving the existing buildings. □ [V n] Entrepreneurs developed fashionable restaurants and bars in the area. [Also V ] ● de|vel|oped ADJ □ Developed land was to grow from 5.3% to 6.9%.
7 VERB If you develop a habit, reputation, or belief, you start to have it and it then becomes stronger or more noticeable. □ [V n] Mr Robinson has developed the reputation of a ruthless cost-cutter.
8 VERB If you develop a skill, quality, or relationship, or if it develops , it becomes better or stronger. □ [V n] Now you have an opportunity to develop a greater understanding of each other. □ [V ] Their friendship developed through their shared interest in the Arts. ● de|vel|oped ADJ □ …a highly developed instinct for self-preservation.
9 VERB If you develop an illness, or if it develops , you become affected by it. □ [V n] The test should identify which smokers are most prone to develop lung cancer. □ [V ] A sharp ache developed in her back muscles.
10 VERB If a piece of equipment develops a fault, it starts to have the fault. □ [V n] The aircraft made an unscheduled landing after developing an electrical fault.
11 VERB If someone develops a new product, they design it and produce it. □ [V n] He claims that several countries have developed nuclear weapons secretly.
12 VERB If you develop an idea, theory, story, or theme, or if it develops , it gradually becomes more detailed, advanced, or complex. □ [V n] I would like to thank them for allowing me to develop their original idea. □ [V ] The idea of weather forecasting developed incredibly quickly.
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