COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (Collins Cobuild)

3 N‑COUNT A baby's dummy is a rubber or plastic object that you give the baby to suck so that he or she feels comforted. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use pacifier

du m|my ru n (dummy runs ) N‑COUNT A dummy run is a trial or test procedure which is carried out in order to see if a plan or process works properly. [BRIT ] □ Before we started we did a dummy run.

dump ◆◇◇ /dʌ mp/ (dumps , dumping , dumped )

1 VERB If you dump something somewhere, you put it or unload it there quickly and carelessly. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n prep/adv] We dumped our bags at the nearby Grand Hotel and hurried towards the market.

2 VERB If something is dumped somewhere, it is put or left there because it is no longer wanted or needed. [INFORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The getaway car was dumped near a motorway tunnel. □ [V n] The government declared that it did not dump radioactive waste at sea. ● dump|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ German law forbids the dumping of hazardous waste on German soil.

3 N‑COUNT A dump is a place where rubbish is left, for example on open ground outside a town. □ …companies that bring their rubbish straight to the dump.

4 N‑COUNT If you say that a place is a dump , you think it is ugly and unpleasant to live in or visit. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]

5 VERB To dump something such as an idea, policy, or practice means to stop supporting or using it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] Ministers believed it was vital to dump the poll tax before the election.

6 VERB If a firm or company dumps goods, it sells large quantities of them at prices far below their real value, usually in another country, in order to gain a bigger market share or to keep prices high in the home market. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] It produces more than it needs, then dumps its surplus onto the world market.

7 VERB If you dump someone, you end your relationship with them. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] I thought he was going to dump me for another girl.

8 VERB To dump computer data or memory means to copy it from one storage system onto another, such as from disk to magnetic tape. [COMPUTING ] □ [V n + into ] All the data is then dumped into the main computer.

9 N‑COUNT A dump is a list of the data that is stored in a computer's memory at a particular time. Dumps are often used by computer programmers to find out what is causing a problem with a program. [COMPUTING ] □ …a screen dump.

du mp|er truck (dumper trucks ) N‑COUNT A dumper truck is the same as a dump truck . [BRIT ]

du mp|ing ground (dumping grounds ) N‑COUNT If you say that a place is a dumping ground for something, usually something unwanted, you mean that people leave or send large quantities of that thing there. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ for ] …a dumping-ground for radioactive residues.

dump|ling /dʌ mpl I ŋ/ (dumplings ) N‑VAR Dumplings are small lumps of dough that are cooked and eaten, either with meat and vegetables or as part of a sweet pudding.

Dump|ster /dʌ mpstə ^r / (Dumpsters ) N‑COUNT A Dumpster is a large metal container for holding rubbish. [AM , TRADEMARK ] in BRIT, usually use skip

du mp truck (dump trucks ) N‑COUNT A dump truck is a truck whose carrying part can be tipped backwards so that the load falls out.

dumpy /dʌ mpi/ (dumpier , dumpiest ) ADJ If you describe someone as dumpy , you mean they are short and fat, and are usually implying they are unattractive. [DISAPPROVAL ]

dun /dʌ n/ COLOUR Something that is dun is a dull grey-brown colour. □ …her dun mare.

dunce /dʌ ns/ (dunces ) N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a dunce , you think they are rather stupid because they find it difficult or impossible to learn what someone is trying to teach them. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Michael may have been a dunce at mathematics, but he was gifted at languages.

dune /djuː n, [AM ] duː n/ (dunes ) N‑COUNT A dune is a hill of sand near the sea or in a desert.

dung /dʌ ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Dung is faeces from animals, especially from large animals such as cattle and horses.

dun|ga|rees /dʌ ŋgəriː z/ N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Dungarees are a one-piece garment consisting of trousers, a piece of cloth which covers your chest, and straps which go over your shoulders. In American English, dungarees can also refer to jeans.

dun|geon /dʌ ndʒ ^ə n/ (dungeons ) N‑COUNT A dungeon is a dark underground prison in a castle.

dunk /dʌ ŋk/ (dunks , dunking , dunked ) VERB If you dunk something in a liquid, you put it in the liquid, especially for a particular purpose and for a short time. □ [V n + in ] Dunk new plants in a bucket of water for an hour or so before planting.

dun|no /dənoʊ / Dunno is sometimes used in written English to represent an informal way of saying 'don't know'. □ 'How on earth did she get it?'—'I dunno.'

duo /djuː oʊ, [AM ] duː -/ (duos )

1 N‑COUNT A duo is two musicians, singers, or other performers who perform together as a pair. □ …a famous dancing and singing duo.

2 N‑COUNT You can refer to two people together as a duo , especially when they have something in common. [mainly JOURNALISM ] □ …Britain's former golden duo of Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell.

duo|de|nal /djuː oʊdiː n ^ə l, [AM ] duː -/ ADJ [ADJ n] Duodenal means relating to or contained in the duodenum. [MEDICAL ] □ …duodenal ulcers.

duo|denum /djuː oʊdiː nəm, [AM ] duː -/ (duodenums ) N‑COUNT Your duodenum is the part of your small intestine that is just below your stomach. [MEDICAL ]

duo|po|ly /djuːɒ pəli/ (duopolies )

1 N‑VAR If two companies or people have a duopoly on something such as an industry, they share complete control over it and it is impossible for others to become involved in it. [BUSINESS ] □ They are no longer part of a duopoly on overseas routes.

2 N‑COUNT A duopoly is a group of two companies which are the only ones which provide a particular product or service, and which therefore have complete control over an industry. [BUSINESS ] □ Their smaller rival is battling to end their duopoly.

dupe /djuː p, [AM ] duː p/ (dupes , duping , duped )

1 VERB If a person dupes you, they trick you into doing something or into believing something which is not true. □ [V n + into ] …a plot to dupe stamp collectors into buying fake rarities. □ [V n] We know some sex offenders dupe the psychologists who assess them.

2 N‑COUNT A dupe is someone who is tricked by someone else. □ He becomes an innocent dupe in a political scandal.

du|plex /djuː pleks, [AM ] duː -/ (duplexes )

1 N‑COUNT A duplex is a house which has been divided into two separate units for two different families or groups of people. [AM ]

2 N‑COUNT A duplex or a duplex apartment is a flat or apartment which has rooms on two floors. [AM ]

du|pli|cate (duplicates , duplicating , duplicated ) The verb is pronounced /djuː pl I ke I t, [AM ] duː -/. The noun and adjective are pronounced /djuː pl I kət, [AM ] duː -/. 1 VERB If you duplicate something that has already been done, you repeat or copy it. □ [V n] His task will be to duplicate his success overseas here at home. ● N‑COUNT Duplicate is also a noun. □ Charles scored again, with an exact duplicate of his first goal.

2 VERB To duplicate something which has been written, drawn, or recorded onto tape means to make exact copies of it. □ [V n] …a business which duplicates video and cinema tapes for the movie makers. ● N‑COUNT [oft in N ] Duplicate is also a noun. □ I'm on my way to Switzerland, but I've lost my card. I've got to get a duplicate.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] Duplicate is used to describe things that have been made as an exact copy of other things, usually in order to serve the same purpose. □ He let himself in with a duplicate key.

4 → see also duplication

du|pli|ca|tion /djuː pl I ke I ʃ ^ə n, [AM ] duː -/ N‑UNCOUNT If you say that there has been duplication of something, you mean that someone has done a task unnecessarily because it has already been done before. □ …unnecessary duplication of resources.

du|plic|it|ous /djuːpl I s I təs, [AM ] duː-/ ADJ Someone who is duplicitous is deceitful. □ He is a possessive, duplicitous and unreasonable man.

du|plic|ity /djuːpl I s I ti, [AM ] duː-/ N‑UNCOUNT If you accuse someone of duplicity , you mean that they are deceitful. [FORMAL ] □ Malcolm believed he was guilty of duplicity in his private dealings.

du|rable /djʊə rəb ^ə l, [AM ] dʊ r-/ ADJ Something that is durable is strong and lasts a long time without breaking or becoming weaker. □ Bone china is strong and durable. ● du|rabil|ity /djʊə rəb I l I ti, [AM ] dʊ r-/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Airlines recommend hard-sided cases for durability.

du |rable goo ds or durables N‑PLURAL Durable goods or durables are goods such as televisions or cars which are expected to last a long time, and are bought infrequently. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, usually use consumer durables

du|ra|tion /djʊre I ʃ ^ə n, [AM ] dʊr-/

1 N‑UNCOUNT The duration of an event or state is the time during which it happens or exists. □ He was given the task of protecting her for the duration of the trial. □ Courses are of two years' duration.

2 PHRASE If you say that something will happen for the duration , you mean that it will happen for as long as a particular situation continues. □ His wounds knocked him out of combat for the duration.

du|ress /djʊəre s, [AM ] dʊr-/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu under N ] To do something under duress means to do it because someone forces you to do it or threatens you. [FORMAL ] □ He thought her confession had been made under duress.

Du|rex /djʊə reks, [AM ] dʊ reks/ (Durex ) N‑COUNT A Durex is a condom. [TRADEMARK ]

dur|ing ◆◆◆ /djʊə r I ŋ, [AM ] dʊ r I ŋ/

1 PREP If something happens during a period of time or an event, it happens continuously, or happens several times between the beginning and end of that period or event. □ Sandstorms are common during the Saudi Arabian winter.

2 PREP If something develops during a period of time, it develops gradually from the beginning to the end of that period. □ Wages have fallen by more than twenty percent during the past two months.

3 PREP An event that happens during a period of time happens at some point or moment in that period. □ During his visit, the Pope will also bless the new hospital. USAGE during

Don’t use during to say how long something lasts. Don’t say, for example, ‘ I went to Wales during two weeks ’. Say ‘I went to Wales for two weeks’. □ Mr Tyrie left Hong Kong in June.

dusk /dʌ sk/ N‑UNCOUNT Dusk is the time just before night when the daylight has almost gone but when it is not completely dark. □ We arrived home at dusk.

dusky /dʌ ski/ (duskier , duskiest )

1 ADJ Dusky means rather dark. [LITERARY ] □ He was walking down the road one dusky Friday evening.

2 ADJ A dusky colour is soft rather than bright. [LITERARY ] □ …dusky pink carpet.

dust ◆◇◇ /dʌ st/ (dusts , dusting , dusted )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Dust is very small dry particles of earth or sand. □ Tanks raise huge trails of dust when they move.

2 N‑UNCOUNT Dust is the very small pieces of dirt which you find inside buildings, for example on furniture, floors, or lights. □ I could see a thick layer of dust on the stairs.

3 N‑UNCOUNT [oft n N ] Dust is a fine powder which consists of very small particles of a substance such as gold, wood, or coal. □ The air is so black with diesel fumes and coal dust, I can barely see.

4 VERB When you dust something such as furniture, you remove dust from it, usually using a cloth. □ [V n] I vacuumed and dusted the living room. □ [V ] She dusted, she cleaned, and she did the washing-up. ● dust|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ I'm very fortunate in that I don't have to do the washing-up or the dusting.

5 VERB If you dust something with a fine substance such as powder or if you dust a fine substance onto something, you cover it lightly with that substance. □ [V n prep/adv] Lightly dust the fish with flour. □ [V adv/prep] Dry your feet well and then dust between the toes with baby powder.

6 PHRASE If you say that something has bitten the dust , you are emphasizing that it no longer exists or that it has failed. [HUMOROUS , INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ In the last 30 years many cherished values have bitten the dust.

7 PHRASE If you say that something will happen when the dust settles , you mean that a situation will be clearer after it has calmed down. If you let the dust settle before doing something, you let a situation calm down before you try to do anything else. [INFORMAL ] □ Once the dust had settled Beck defended his decision.

8 PHRASE If you say that something is gathering dust , you mean that it has been left somewhere and nobody is using it or doing anything with it. □ Many of the machines are gathering dust in basements.

▸ dust off in BRIT, also use dust down 1 PHRASAL VERB If you say that someone dusts something off or dusts it down , you mean they are using an old idea or method, rather than trying something new. □ [V P n] Critics dusted down the superlatives they had applied to the first three films. [Also V n P ]

2 PHRASAL VERB If you say that someone has dusted himself or herself off or dusted himself or herself down , you mean that they have managed to recover from a severe problem which has affected their life. □ [V pron-refl P ] She dusted herself down and left to build her own career.

dust|bin /dʌ stb I n/ (dustbins ) N‑COUNT A dustbin is a large container with a lid which people put their rubbish in and which is usually kept outside their house. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use garbage can

dust|cart /dʌ stkɑː ^r t/ (dustcarts ) N‑COUNT A dustcart is a truck which collects the rubbish from the dustbins outside people's houses. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use garbage truck

dust|er /dʌ stə ^r / (dusters )

1 N‑COUNT A duster is a cloth which you use for removing dust from furniture, ornaments, or other objects.

2 → see also feather duster

du st jack|et (dust jackets ) also dust-jacket N‑COUNT A dust jacket is a loose paper cover which is put on a book to protect it. It often contains information about the book and its author.

dust|man /dʌ stmən/ (dustmen ) N‑COUNT A dustman is a person whose job is to empty the rubbish from people's dustbins and take it away to be disposed of. [BRIT ] in AM, use garbage man

du st mite (dust mites ) N‑COUNT Dust mites are very small creatures that cause allergies. □ It’s not easy to remove the dust mites from soft toys.

dust|pan /dʌ stpæn/ (dustpans ) N‑COUNT A dustpan is a small flat container made of metal or plastic. You hold it flat on the floor and put dirt and dust into it using a brush.

du st sheet (dust sheets ) also dustsheet N‑COUNT A dust sheet is a large cloth which is used to cover objects such as furniture in order to protect them from dust.

du st storm (dust storms ) N‑COUNT A dust storm is a storm in which strong winds carry a lot of dust.

du st-up (dust-ups ) N‑COUNT A dust-up is a quarrel that often involves some fighting. [INFORMAL ] □ He's now facing suspension after a dust-up with the referee.

dusty /dʌ sti/ (dustier , dustiest )

1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If places, roads, or other things outside are dusty , they are covered with tiny bits of earth or sand, usually because it has not rained for a long time. □ They started strolling down the dusty road in the moonlight.

2 ADJ If a room, house, or object is dusty , it is covered with very small pieces of dirt. □ …a dusty attic.

Dutch /dʌ tʃ/

1 ADJ Dutch means relating to or belonging to the Netherlands, or to its people, language, or culture.

2 N‑PLURAL The Dutch are the people of the Netherlands.

3 N‑UNCOUNT Dutch is the language spoken in the Netherlands.

Du tch cou r|age N‑UNCOUNT Dutch courage is the courage that you get by drinking alcoholic drinks. [INFORMAL ]

Dutch|man /dʌ tʃmən/ (Dutchmen ) N‑COUNT A Dutchman is a man who is a native of the Netherlands.

du|ti|ful /djuː t I fʊl, [AM ] duː -/ ADJ If you say that someone is dutiful , you mean that they do everything that they are expected to do. □ The days of the dutiful wife, who sacrifices her career for her husband, are over. ● du|ti|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ The inspector dutifully recorded the date in a large red book.

duty ◆◆◇ /djuː ti, [AM ] duː ti/ (duties )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Duty is work that you have to do for your job. □ Staff must report for duty at their normal place of work. □ My duty is to look after the animals.

2 N‑PLURAL Your duties are tasks which you have to do because they are part of your job. □ I carried out my duties conscientiously.

3 N‑SING [oft with poss] If you say that something is your duty , you believe that you ought to do it because it is your responsibility. □ I consider it my duty to write to you and thank you.

4 N‑VAR Duties are taxes which you pay to the government on goods that you buy. □ Import duties still average 30%. □ …customs duties.

5 PHRASE If someone such as a police officer or a nurse is off duty , they are not working. If someone is on duty , they are working. □ I'm off duty. □ Extra staff had been put on duty. COLLOCATIONS duty NOUN

2

adjective + duty : heavy, light, onerous; day-to-day, normal

verb + duty : carry out, discharge, perform

4

noun + duty : customs, excise, import

verb + duty : owe, pay

du ty-bou nd also duty bound ADJ If you say you are duty-bound to do something, you are emphasizing that you feel it is your duty to do it. [FORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ I felt duty bound to help.

du ty-free ADJ Duty-free goods are sold at airports or on planes or ships at a cheaper price than usual because you do not have to pay import tax on them. □ …duty-free perfume.

du ty-free shop (duty-free shops ) N‑COUNT A duty-free shop is a shop, for example at an airport, where you can buy goods at a cheaper price than usual, because no tax is paid on them.

du|vet /duː ve I , [AM ] duːve I / (duvets ) N‑COUNT A duvet is a large cover filled with feathers or similar material which you put over yourself in bed instead of a sheet and blankets. [BRIT ] in AM, use comforter

DVD /diː viː diː / (DVDs ) N‑COUNT A DVD is a disc on which a film or music is recorded. DVD discs are similar to compact discs but hold a lot more information. DVD is an abbreviation for 'digital video disc' or 'digital versatile disc'. □ …a DVD player.

D VD burn|er (DVD burners ) N‑COUNT A DVD burner is a piece of computer equipment that you use for copying data from a computer onto a DVD. [COMPUTING ]

DVD-R /diː viː diː ɑː ^r / (DVD-Rs ) N‑COUNT A DVD-R is a DVD which is capable of recording sound and images, for example from another DVD or from the internet. DVD-R is an abbreviation for 'digital video disc recordable' or 'digital versatile disc recordable'.

DVD-RW /diː viː diː ɑː ^r dʌ b ^ə ljuː/ (DVD-RWs ) N‑COUNT A DVD-RW is a DVD which is capable of recording sound and images, for example from another DVD or from the internet. DVD-RW is an abbreviation for 'digital video disc rewritable' or 'digital versatile disc rewritable'.

D VD writ|er (DVD writers ) N‑COUNT A DVD writer is the same as a DVD burner . [COMPUTING ]

DVT /diː viː tiː / (DVTs ) N‑VAR DVT is a serious medical condition caused by blood clots in the legs moving up to the lungs. DVT is an abbreviation for 'deep vein thrombosis'. [MEDICAL ]

dwarf /dwɔː ^r f/ (dwarfs or dwarves , dwarfs , dwarfing , dwarfed )

1 VERB If one person or thing is dwarfed by another, the second is so much bigger than the first that it makes them look very small. □ [be V -ed] His figure is dwarfed by the huge red McDonald's sign. □ [V n] The U.S. air travel market dwarfs that of Britain.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] Dwarf is used to describe varieties or species of plants and animals which are much smaller than the usual size for their kind. □ …dwarf shrubs.

3 N‑COUNT In children's stories, a dwarf is an imaginary creature that is like a small man. Dwarfs often have magical powers.

4 N‑COUNT In former times, people who were much smaller than normal were called dwarfs . [OFFENSIVE , OLD-FASHIONED ]

dwa rf pla n|et (dwarf planets ) N‑COUNT A dwarf planet is an object in space that is like a small planet but does not completely fit the technical description of a planet. □ Pluto, Eris and the largest asteroid, Ceres, are all dwarf planets.

dweeb /dwiː b/ (dweebs ) N‑COUNT If you call someone, especially a man or a boy, a dweeb , you are saying in a rather unkind way that you think they are stupid and weak. [AM , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]

dwell /dwe l/ (dwells , dwelling , dwelt or dwelled )

1 VERB If you dwell on something, especially something unpleasant, you think, speak, or write about it a lot or for quite a long time. □ [V + on/upon ] I'd rather not dwell on the past.

2 VERB If you dwell somewhere, you live there. [FORMAL ] □ [V prep/adv] They are concerned for the fate of the forest and the Indians who dwell in it.

3 → see also dwelling

dwell|er /dwe lə ^r / (dwellers ) N‑COUNT A city dweller or slum dweller , for example, is a person who lives in the kind of place or house indicated. □ The number of city dwellers is growing.

dwell|ing /dwe l I ŋ/ (dwellings ) N‑COUNT A dwelling or a dwelling place is a place where someone lives. [FORMAL ] □ Some 3,500 new dwellings are planned for the area.

dwelt /dwe lt/ Dwelt is the past tense and past participle of dwell .

dwin|dle /dw I nd ^ə l/ (dwindles , dwindling , dwindled ) VERB If something dwindles , it becomes smaller, weaker, or less in number. □ [V ] The factory's workforce has dwindled from over 4,000 to a few hundred. □ [V -ing] He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority.

dye /da I / (dyes , dyeing , dyed )

1 VERB If you dye something such as hair or cloth, you change its colour by soaking it in a special liquid. □ [V n] The women prepared, spun and dyed the wool.

2 N‑VAR Dye is a substance made from plants or chemicals which is mixed into a liquid and used to change the colour of something such as cloth or hair. □ …bottles of hair dye.

dy ed-in-the-woo l ADJ [ADJ n] If you use dyed-in-the-wool to describe someone or their beliefs, you are saying that they have very strong opinions about something, which they refuse to change. □ …a dyed-in-the-wool conservative.

dy|ing /da I I ŋ/

1 Dying is the present participle of die .

2 ADJ [ADJ n] A dying person or animal is very ill and likely to die soon. □ …a dying man. ● N‑PLURAL The dying are people who are dying. □ The dead and the dying were everywhere.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] You use dying to describe something which happens at the time when someone dies, or is connected with that time. □ It'll stay in my mind till my dying day.

4 ADJ [ADJ n] The dying days or dying minutes of a state of affairs or an activity are its last days or minutes. □ The islands were seized by the Soviet army in the dying days of the second world war.

5 ADJ [ADJ n] A dying tradition or industry is becoming less important and is likely to disappear completely. □ Shipbuilding is a dying business.

dyke /da I k/ (dykes ) The spelling dike is also used, especially for meaning 1 . 1 N‑COUNT A dyke is a thick wall that is built to stop water flooding onto very low-lying land from a river or from the sea.

2 N‑COUNT A dyke is a lesbian. [INFORMAL , OFFENSIVE ]

dy|nam|ic /da I næ m I k/ (dynamics )

1 ADJ If you describe someone as dynamic , you approve of them because they are full of energy or full of new and exciting ideas. [APPROVAL ] □ He seemed a dynamic and energetic leader. ● dy|nami|cal|ly /da I næ m I kli/ ADV [ADV adj/-ed, ADV after v] □ He's one of the most dynamically imaginative jazz pianists still functioning.

2 ADJ If you describe something as dynamic , you approve of it because it is very active and energetic. [APPROVAL ] □ South Asia continues to be the most dynamic economic region in the world.

3 ADJ A dynamic process is one that constantly changes and progresses. □ …a dynamic, evolving worldwide epidemic. ● dy|nami|cal|ly ADV [usu ADV adj/-ed] □ Germany has a dynamically growing market at home.

4 N‑COUNT The dynamic of a system or process is the force that causes it to change or progress. □ The dynamic of the market demands constant change and adjustment.

5 N‑PLURAL The dynamics of a situation or group of people are the opposing forces within it that cause it to change. □ …the dynamics of the social system.

6 N‑UNCOUNT Dynamics are forces which produce power or movement. [TECHNICAL ]

7 N‑UNCOUNT Dynamics is the scientific study of motion, energy, and forces.

dy|na|mism /da I nəm I zəm/

1 N‑UNCOUNT If you say that someone or something has dynamism , you are expressing approval of the fact that they are full of energy or full of new and exciting ideas. [APPROVAL ] □ …a situation that calls for dynamism and new thinking.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you refer to the dynamism of a situation or system, you are referring to the fact that it is changing in an exciting and dramatic way. [APPROVAL ] □ Such changes are indicators of economic dynamism.

dy|na|mite /da I nəma I t/

1 N‑UNCOUNT Dynamite is a type of explosive that contains nitroglycerin. □ Fifty yards of track was blown up with dynamite.

2 N‑UNCOUNT If you describe a piece of information as dynamite , you think that people will react strongly to it. [INFORMAL ] □ Her diaries are political dynamite.

3 N‑UNCOUNT If you describe someone or something as dynamite , you think that they are exciting. [INFORMAL , APPROVAL ] □ The first kiss is dynamite.

dy|na|mo /da I nəmoʊ/ (dynamos ) N‑COUNT A dynamo is a device that uses the movement of a machine or vehicle to produce electricity.

dy|nas|tic /d I næ st I k, [AM ] dain-/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Dynastic means typical of or relating to a dynasty. □ …dynastic rule.

dyn|as|ty /d I nəsti, [AM ] da I n-/ (dynasties )

1 N‑COUNT A dynasty is a series of rulers of a country who all belong to the same family. □ The Seljuk dynasty of Syria was founded in 1094.

2 N‑COUNT A dynasty is a period of time during which a country is ruled by members of the same family. □ …carvings dating back to the Ming dynasty.

3 N‑COUNT A dynasty is a family which has members from two or more generations who are important in a particular field of activity, for example in business or politics. □ …the Kennedy dynasty.

d'you /djuː, dʒuː/ D'you is a shortened form of 'do you' or 'did you', used in spoken English. □ What d'you say?

dys|en|tery /d I s ^ə ntri, [AM ] -teri/ N‑UNCOUNT Dysentery is an infection in a person's intestines that causes them to pass a lot of waste, in which blood and mucus are mixed with the person's faeces.

dys|func|tion /d I sfʌ ŋkʃən/ (dysfunctions )

1 N‑COUNT If you refer to a dysfunction in something such as a relationship or someone's behaviour, you mean that it is different from what is considered to be normal. [FORMAL ] □ …his severe emotional dysfunction was very clearly apparent.

2 N‑VAR If someone has a physical dysfunction , part of their body is not working properly. [MEDICAL ] □ …kidney and liver dysfunction.

dys|func|tion|al /d I sfʌ ŋkʃənəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Dysfunctional is used to describe relationships or behaviour which are different from what is considered to be normal. [FORMAL ] □ …the characteristics that typically occur in a dysfunctional family.

dys|lexia /d I sle ksiə/ N‑UNCOUNT If someone suffers from dyslexia , they have difficulty with reading because of a slight disorder of their brain. [TECHNICAL ]

dys|lex|ic /d I sle ks I k/ ADJ If someone is dyslexic , they have difficulty with reading because of a slight disorder of their brain. [TECHNICAL ]

dys|pep|sia /d I spe psiə, [AM ] -ʃə/ N‑UNCOUNT Dyspepsia is the same as indigestion . [MEDICAL ]

dys|tro|phy /d I strəfi/ → see muscular dystrophy