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English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

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da
noun
An informal or dialect word for "father."
Daan
name
A district in both Taipei and Taichung, Taiwan.
dab
verb
To touch something lightly and repeatedly with a soft object, without rubbing.
dabble
verb
To try an activity casually or occasionally, without serious commitment.
dabbled
adj
Marked with small spots or patches of colour, especially describing an animal's coat.
dabbling
noun
The act of trying something casually, without serious commitment.
Dabney
name
A surname of Norman origin, also the name of several small communities in the United States.
dacha
noun
A Russian country house or cottage, often used as a holiday retreat.
Dachau
name
A town in Bavaria, Germany, and the site of the first Nazi concentration camp, built there in 1933.
dachshund
noun
A breed of dog with a long body and very short legs, originally bred to hunt burrowing animals.
dacoit
noun
A member of an armed gang of robbers, especially historically in India and neighbouring regions.
dad
noun
A father; an informal, affectionate word for one's male parent.
dada
noun
An early childhood word for father.
daddy
noun
A father, especially as used by young children or in affectionate address.
Dade
name
A surname and male given name of Irish origin.
dado
noun
The lower part of an interior wall when it is decorated or finished differently from the wall above.
Daedalus
name
A skilled craftsman in Greek mythology, father of Icarus, who built the wings they used to escape Crete.
daemon
noun
In computing, a background program that runs without direct user control, handling ongoing tasks.
daffodil
noun
A bulb plant with a trumpet-shaped yellow flower, blooming in early spring.
daffy
adj
Silly or eccentric in a mild, harmless way.
daft
adj
Foolish, silly, or lacking good sense.
dag
noun
A ragged, pointed strip hanging from the edge of a piece of clothing, or a clump of matted wool and dirt on a sheep.
dagger
noun
A short weapon with a pointed, double-edged blade, used for stabbing.
dagmar
noun
A bullet-shaped chrome bumper ornament seen on American cars, especially Cadillacs, in the 1950s.
dago
noun
(offensive slang, dated) A derogatory term for a person of Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese descent.
Dagwood
noun
An enormous multi-layered sandwich stuffed with many different fillings.
dah
noun
The spoken sound representing a dash in Morse code, as opposed to a "dit" for a dot.
Dahl
name
A surname of Scandinavian origin.
dahlia
noun
A garden plant with large, colourful, tuberous flowers, native to Mexico.
Dahmer
name
A surname of German origin.
dai
noun
A traditional birth attendant or midwife, especially in South Asia.
dailies
noun
Raw, unedited footage from a day of filming, reviewed by the cast and crew the next day.
daily
adj
Happening or done every day.
daimon
noun
A guardian spirit or divine influence believed in ancient Greek thought to guide a person's fate or conscience; a scholarly spelling used to distinguish this idea from the later, more sinister sense of "demon."
daimyo
noun
A powerful feudal lord in pre-modern Japan who controlled large areas of land.
dainty
adjective
Delicate, small, and pretty in an elegant way.
daiquiri
noun
A cocktail made from rum, lime or lemon juice, and sugar, sometimes blended with fruit.
dairy
noun
Milk and foods made from it, such as cheese, butter, and yogurt.
dais
noun
A raised platform, as at the front of a hall, used for a speaker, head table, or seat of honour.
Daisuke
name
A male given name of Japanese origin.
daisy
noun
A small flowering plant with a yellow centre and white petals, or any of several related flowering plants.
Dakar
name
The capital city of Senegal.
Dake
name
A surname.
Dakin
name
A surname transferred from a medieval given name, also a small locality in Alberta, Canada.
Dakota
name
A Native American people, part of the Sioux, and the Siouan language they speak.
dal
noun
Split lentils, peas, or beans used in South Asian cooking, or a spiced dish made from them.
dalal
noun
A broker or go-between who arranges deals for a fee.
dale
noun
A valley, especially a broad, gentle one.
Dalek
noun
One of the robotic mutant villains from the British television series Doctor Who, known for their metallic casings, grating voices, and single-minded drive to "exterminate."
Dales
name
A surname, and an informal name for the Yorkshire Dales, an upland area in Northern England.
Daley
noun
(British, informal) A supporter of Rochdale Association Football Club.
dali
name
A city and surrounding prefecture in Yunnan province, China.
Dalia
name
A surname with several possible origins, including Italian, Arabic, and Bengali.
Dallas
name
A large city in Texas, also a surname, given name, and the name of a small village in Scotland from which the surname originates.
dalliance
noun
A brief, playful romance or flirtation, not meant to be serious.
dally
verb
To waste time or delay unnecessarily.
Dalmatian
noun
A breed of dog with short white fur covered in dark spots.
Dalrymple
name
A habitational surname from Scottish Gaelic, taken from a village in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Dalton
noun
A unit of atomic mass, roughly equal to the mass of a hydrogen atom, used to measure the mass of molecules and proteins.
Daly
name
A surname of Irish origin, also the name of a river in Australia.
dam
noun
A barrier built across a river or stream to hold back or control the flow of water.
damage
noun
Harm or injury that reduces the value, soundness, or usefulness of something.
damaged
adjective
Harmed, broken, or no longer in perfect condition.
damages
noun
Money awarded by a court to compensate someone for a loss or injury they suffered.
damaging
adjective
Causing harm, injury, or a loss in value.
Damascus
noun
The capital city of Syria, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
dame
noun
A title given to a woman who holds a high honour, equivalent to "Sir" for a man.
Damian
noun
A male given name of Greek origin.
Damien
noun
A male given name, the French form of Damian.
Damini
name
A female given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "lightning."
damme
intj
A dated exclamation of anger, frustration, or emphasis.
dammit
intj
An exclamation of anger, frustration, or disappointment.
damn
interjection
Used to express anger, frustration, or surprise.
damnable
adjective
Extremely bad or deserving strong condemnation.
damnation
noun
Eternal punishment, especially in a religious sense; the state of being condemned.
damned
adv
Used to add emphasis, especially to complaints or strong statements — a milder stand-in for the swear word it comes from.
damnedest
noun
The greatest effort someone is capable of making.
damning
adj
Strongly suggesting guilt or wrongdoing; hard to explain away.
damnit
intj
An exclamation of anger or frustration; an alternative spelling of "dammit."
Damocles
name
A courtier at the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, famed for the legend of the sword suspended above his head.
Damon
name
A male given name of Ancient Greek origin, and an English and Scottish surname.
damp
adj
Slightly wet; not dry but not soaking either.
dampen
verb
To make something slightly wet.
dampening
noun
The process of making something damp, or of reducing its intensity.
damper
noun
Something that spoils an otherwise good mood or occasion.
damsel
noun
An old-fashioned or literary word for a young, unmarried woman, especially one in a story who needs rescuing.
dan
noun
A ranking level of black belt awarded in martial arts such as judo or karate, or a person holding that rank.
Dana
name
A unisex given name, used for both men and women in English-speaking countries.
Danbury
name
A city in Connecticut, and a village in Essex, England, among several other places sharing the name.
Danby
name
A surname, and a village in North Yorkshire, England, among other places sharing the name.
dance
verb
To move the body in a rhythmic way, usually in time with music.
dancer
noun
A person who dances, whether as a job, hobby, or profession.
dancing
noun
The activity of moving to music as a dance.
dandelion
noun
A common weed with bright yellow flowers and jagged leaves that turns into a white puffball of seeds.
dander
noun
Tiny flakes of skin shed by animals, a common trigger for allergies.
Dandridge
name
A surname of Old English origin, also a city in Tennessee.
dandruff
noun
Small white flakes of dead skin that shed from the scalp.
dandy
noun
A man who is unusually preoccupied with his clothes, grooming, and refined manners.
Dane
noun
A person from Denmark, or a member of the Scandinavian ethnic group native to it.
Danes
name
A surname of varied origin.
Danforth
name
A surname.
dang
intj
A mild substitute for "damn," used to express surprise or frustration without swearing.
danger
noun
The possibility of harm, injury, or death.
dangerous
adj
Likely to cause harm, injury, or death.
dangerously
adv
In a way that creates or involves danger.
dangle
verb
To hang loosely, swinging freely.
dangling
adj
Hanging loosely, especially so as to swing freely.
Dani
name
A diminutive of the female given name Danielle, or a rare spelling of Danny; also a surname of Gujarati origin.
Danica
name
A female given name from the Slavic languages, referring to the morning star.
Daniel
name
A male given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "God is my judge," borne by the prophet in the Old Testament book of the same name.
Daniela
name
A female given name of Hebrew origin, the feminine form of Daniel.
Daniele
name
A surname of Italian origin.
Daniella
name
A female given name of Hebrew origin, a variant of Daniela and Danielle.
Danielle
name
A female given name of French origin, the feminine form of Daniel.
Danish
adj
Relating to Denmark, its people, language, or culture.
dank
adj
Unpleasantly damp, cold, and musty, especially of an enclosed space.
Danko
name
A surname of Slovak origin.
Danner
name
A surname.
Danno
name
A nickname for the given name Daniel.
Danny
name
A unisex given name, a diminutive of Daniel or of Danielle and its variants.
Dans
name
A surname.
Danson
name
A surname.
Dante
name
A male given name, popularized in tribute to the medieval Italian poet Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine Comedy.
Danton
verb
Archaic: to intimidate or overpower someone into submission; to cow.
Danube
name
A major river in Europe that runs about 2,850 kilometres from Germany through Central and Eastern Europe to the Black Sea.
Danvers
name
A surname and male given name, also the name of a town in Massachusetts and other places in the United States and Canada.
Danville
name
The name of numerous cities and towns across the United States and Canada, most notably an independent city in Virginia.
Danzig
name
A historical German name for the city of Gdańsk, Poland, used especially in reference to its time under Prussian or German rule.
Danziger
noun
A native or resident of Danzig, the historic name for the city now known as Gdańsk, Poland.
dao
noun
A traditional Chinese single-edged sword with a curved blade, used mainly for slashing and chopping.
Daph
name
A diminutive of the female given name Daphne.
Daphne
name
A female given name, from the Greek myth of a nymph who was transformed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo.
dapper
adj
Neat and stylish in dress and appearance, especially of a man.
dar
pron
A nonstandard or dialectal spelling representing "there" in some varieties of English, including African-American Vernacular English.
Dara
name
A unisex given name used in Irish, Persian, and Slavic naming traditions.
darby
noun
A long-handled tool used to smooth and level a freshly poured concrete surface before it sets.
Darcy
name
A surname of Norman French origin, also used as a given name for both men and women.
dare
verb
To have the courage or nerve to do something.
daredevil
noun
A person who takes reckless risks, often for excitement or attention.
Daren
name
A male given name, a variant of Darren.
daresay
verb
Used chiefly in the phrase "I daresay" to mean one supposes or thinks something is probably true.
Darfur
name
A region in western Sudan, home to the Fur people and the site of a major humanitarian crisis in the early 2000s.
Daria
name
A female given name of Old Persian origin, the feminine form of Darius.
Darian
name
A modern unisex given name, likely coined from names such as Darius or Dorian.
Darin
name
A male given name transferred from the surname, a variant of Darren.
daring
adj
Willing to take risks; bold and adventurous.
Dario
name
A male given name and surname, common in Italy and Spain.
Darius
name
The name of several ancient Persian kings of the Achaemenid dynasty, and a male given name derived from it.
Darjeeling
name
A hill town and district in West Bengal, India, famous for the tea grown there.
dark
adj
Having little or no light.
darken
verb
To make or become darker in light or color.
darkened
adj
Made darker, either by blocking out light or by fading or dirtying over time.
darkening
noun
The process of becoming darker.
Darker
adj
Comparative form of "dark": having less light, or a deeper, less light shade of colour.
darkly
adv
In a way that suggests something sinister, ominous, or troubling.
darkness
noun
The absence of light.
Darko
name
A male given name from the Slavic languages.
darkroom
noun
A room kept dark so that photographic film can be developed without being exposed to light.
darl
noun
Informal term of address meaning "darling" or "dear", used affectionately, especially in Australian and British English.
Darla
name
A female given name of English origin, a back-formation from Darlene.
Darlene
name
A female given name of English origin, a 20th-century coinage combining "darling" with names like Charlene.
darling
noun
A term of affection for someone very dear to the speaker.
Darlington
name
A market town and borough in County Durham, England, also a surname and the name of several places in the United States and Australia.
darn
verb
To mend a hole or worn patch in fabric by weaving thread back and forth across it.
darned
adj
A softened version of "damned," used to express irritation or emphasis.
Darnell
name
A male given name and surname of English origin.
Darnley
name
A suburban area in south-west Glasgow, Scotland.
Darrah
name
A surname of Irish origin, a variant of Darragh.
Darrell
name
A surname of Old French origin, and a male given name transferred from it.
Darren
noun
Internet slang for a middle-aged man, typically white, who acts with an exaggerated sense of entitlement or throws his weight around over trivial complaints.
Darrin
name
A male given name transferred from the surname, a variant of Darren.
Darrow
name
A surname.
Darryl
name
A male given name transferred from the surname, a variant of Darrell.
dart
noun
A small, pointed missile with a weighted tip and flights, thrown at a target, especially in the pub game of darts.
Darth
noun
A title placed before the name of a villainous or menacing figure, echoing the Star Wars practice of calling Sith Lords "Darth."
darting
adj
Moving with quick, sudden bursts of motion.
Dartmoor
noun
A hardy, compact breed of pony native to the moorland of Devon, England.
Dartmouth
name
A port town in Devon, England, at the mouth of the River Dart; also the name of Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and towns in Nova Scotia, Massachusetts, and Australia.
darts
noun
A game in which players throw small pointed missiles at a circular target to score points.
darwin
noun
A unit used in evolutionary biology to measure the rate of change in a trait over time.
Darwinian
adj
Relating to Charles Darwin's theory that species evolve through natural selection.
Daryl
name
A unisex given name transferred from the surname, a variant of Darrell.
Das
name
A surname of Bengali origin.
dash
verb
To run or move quickly, usually for a short distance.
dasha
noun
In Hindu astrology, any of the planetary time-periods believed to shape a person’s fortune depending on which planet rules that period and how it is placed.
dashboard
noun
The panel in front of the driver in a car, holding gauges and controls.
dashed
adj
Made of a series of short lines with gaps between them.
dasher
noun
Someone or something that dashes, especially a fast runner.
dashing
adj
Stylish and attractive in a bold, confident way.
Dashwood
name
An English surname.
dass
verb
An archaic or dialectal word meaning to dare.
dastardly
adj
Cowardly and treacherous, especially in a sneaky or underhanded way.
Data
noun
Facts, figures, or other information, especially when collected for analysis or used by a computer.
database
noun
An organised collection of data stored and accessed electronically.
date
noun
A specific point in time, usually given as a day, month, and year.
dated
adj
No longer fashionable or up to date; feeling old-fashioned.
dateline
noun
The line at the start of a news story or document that gives the place and date it was written or filed.
dating
noun
Going out with someone to see if you might be romantically compatible, before committing to a relationship.
Dato
name
A surname of Italian and Spanish origin, most commonly found today in the Philippines.
daughter
noun
A person's female child.
daunting
adj
Making someone feel intimidated or discouraged because a task looks so difficult or big.
dauntless
adj
Not afraid of anything; bold and unshakeable in the face of danger or difficulty.
dauphin
noun
Historically, the title given to the eldest son and heir of the King of France.
Dave
noun
A common short form of the male given name David.
Davenport
noun
A large, comfortable sofa, especially one meant for a formal sitting room.
Davey
name
A masculine given name and surname, a diminutive form of David.
David
name
The second king of Israel and Judah in the Hebrew Bible, remembered for defeating Goliath and for his descendant Solomon.
Davidson
name
A surname meaning "son of David."
Davie
name
A masculine given name, a diminutive form of David, common in Scotland.
Davies
name
A Welsh surname meaning "son of David."
Davina
name
A feminine given name, a variant of Davina derived from David.
Davison
name
A surname meaning "son of David."
Davos
noun
The annual World Economic Forum meeting of business leaders, politicians, and economists, named after the Swiss town where it takes place.
Davy
noun
Short for Davy lamp, a miner’s safety lamp designed to burn without igniting flammable gases underground.
dawdle
verb
To move slowly or take much longer than necessary, often because of a lack of urgency.
Dawes
name
An English surname derived from the given name Daw, a medieval short form of David.
Dawkins
name
An English surname, a patronymic meaning "son of Daw" (a form of David).
dawn
noun
The time of day when light first appears in the sky before the sun rises.
dawning
noun
The very beginning or first signs of something starting to happen or be understood.
Dax
name
A masculine given name of French origin, also the name of a spa town in southwestern France.
day
noun
The 24-hour period during which the Earth completes one rotation, from one midnight to the next.
Daya
name
A unisex given name of Sanskrit origin, meaning "compassion" or "kindness."
Dayal
name
An Indian given name and surname of Sanskrit origin, meaning "kind" or "merciful."
daybreak
noun
The moment in the morning when daylight first appears.
daycare
noun
Supervised care for children (or sometimes pets) during working hours, provided by someone other than a parent.
daydream
noun
A pleasant chain of thoughts or fantasies that drift through your mind while you're awake, disconnected from what's actually happening around you.
daydreaming
noun
The act or habit of drifting into daydreams instead of focusing on the present.
daylight
noun
The natural light present during the day, mostly coming from the sun.
Dayna
name
A feminine given name, a variant spelling of Dana.
days
noun
A particular, somewhat loosely defined period of time, often used to refer to an era or phase of life.
daytime
noun
The hours between sunrise and sunset, as opposed to nighttime.
Dayton
name
A city in the U.S. state of Ohio, and also used as a masculine given name and surname.
daze
verb
To leave someone feeling stunned, confused, or unable to think clearly, often from a shock, blow, or bright light.
dazed
adj
Stunned, confused, or unable to think clearly, often after a shock or blow.
dazzle
verb
To temporarily blind or confuse someone's vision with an intense light.
dazzled
adj
Overwhelmed by a bright light or by something impressively brilliant.
dazzling
adj
So bright that it temporarily blinds or overwhelms the eyes.
DDT
noun
A professional-wrestling move where an attacker locks an opponent's head under their arm and falls backward, slamming the opponent's head into the mat.
de
preposition
Used in French (and some other European) surnames and titles of nobility, meaning "of" or "from."
DEA
noun
Diethanolamine, a chemical compound used in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, and some cosmetics.
deacon
noun
A church officer ranking below a priest, who assists with pastoral and administrative duties (the exact role varies by denomination).
deactivate
verb
To turn something off or make it no longer work.
dead
adj
No longer alive.
deadbeat
noun
A person who avoids responsibility, especially someone who fails to pay debts or support their family.
deader
noun
Slang for a dead person, or someone about to die.
deadliest
adj
Causing the most deaths, or most likely to cause death, of all being compared.
deadline
noun
The latest date or time by which something must be finished.
deadlock
noun
A complete standstill caused by two equally matched sides refusing to give way.
deadly
adj
Capable of causing death.
deadwood
noun
Dead branches or wood still attached to a living tree, or fallen wood debris.
deaf
adj
Unable, or only partly able, to hear.
deafening
adj
So loud it seems to overwhelm the ability to hear anything else.
deafness
noun
The condition of being unable, or only partly able, to hear.
Deakins
name
An English surname, a patronymic form of Deakin, itself a variant of the occupational name Deacon.
deal
noun
An agreement or arrangement between parties, especially a business one.
dealer
noun
A person or business that buys and sells a particular kind of goods.
dealership
noun
A business that sells a particular product, especially cars, often as an authorised outlet for one brand.
dealing
noun
A business transaction or piece of trade.
dealings
noun
Relations or interactions someone has had with a person or organisation, especially in business.
dean
noun
A senior official at a university or college, often heading a faculty or overseeing student affairs.
DeAndre
name
A modern male first name, especially common among African-American families.
Deane
name
A surname, originally a variant spelling of Dean.
Deanna
name
A female first name that became popular in the twentieth century as a variant of Diana.
Deano
name
A casual short form of the name Dean.
dear
adj
Regarded with deep affection or love.
Dearborn
noun
A light, four-wheeled horse-drawn wagon once common in North America.
dearest
noun
A term of affection for someone very much loved.
dearie
noun
An affectionate, often slightly old-fashioned term of address for someone dear, like "sweetie".
Dearing
name
An English surname.
dearly
adv
Very much; deeply.
dearth
noun
A serious shortage or scarcity of something.
deary
noun
A term of endearment; a variant spelling of dearie.
death
noun
The end of life; the permanent cessation of all vital functions in a living thing.
deathbed
noun
The bed a person is lying on when they die, or the final hours of their life.
deathly
adj
Resembling death, or so extreme it suggests death.
deathtrap
noun
A building, vehicle, or structure so unsafe that it could easily kill someone.
Deauville
name
A seaside town in Normandy, France, known for its beach, casino, and film festival.
deb
noun
Informal short form of "debutante" — a young woman making her first formal appearance in society.
debacle
noun
A sudden, humiliating failure or collapse.
debatable
adj
Not clearly settled — open to argument or doubt.
debate
verb
To argue a topic formally, usually presenting opposing sides.
debated
adj
Argued over; still not settled.
debating
noun
The activity of taking part in formal debates.
debauched
adj
Given over to excessive pleasure-seeking — heavy drinking, drugs, or sex — in a way seen as morally corrupt.
debauchery
noun
Excessive, unrestrained indulgence in pleasure — heavy drinking, sex, or drug use seen as scandalous.
Debbie
name
A common short form of the female name Deborah.
Debby
name
An alternate spelling of the nickname Debbie, short for Deborah.
debilitating
adj
Draining someone's strength or energy so severely that it seriously limits them.
debit
noun
Money taken out of an account, or the record of that withdrawal.
debonair
adj
Charming, confident, and elegantly dressed, especially of a man.
Deborah
name
A female first name of Hebrew origin, especially popular from the 1940s through the 1970s.
Debra
name
A female first name popular in the 1950s and 1960s, a spelling variant of Deborah.
debrief
verb
To question someone right after an event or mission to gather information about what happened.
debriefing
noun
A session in which someone is questioned about a mission, project, or experience shortly after it ends.
debris
noun
Scattered pieces of wreckage, rubble, or litter left after something is destroyed or broken apart.
debs
noun
A debutante ball, especially in Irish English.
debt
noun
Money that one person or organisation owes to another.
debtor
noun
A person or organisation that owes money to someone else.
Debussy
name
A French surname, most famously borne by the composer Claude Debussy.
debut
noun
A first public performance or appearance.