Lesson 15   -   edHelper.com

Word List desecration desert desist despise despoil despondent destitute detach detain deter deteriorate detest detract detrimental devastate deviate devious devour dialogue diatribe diction dictum didactic diffuse dignitary

Definitions

1.

desecration (ds-krt) verb    to violate the sacredness of; treat sacrilegiously.

2.

desert (dzrt) noun    a. a region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation or no vegetation at all b. any area in which few forms of life can exist because of lack of water, permanent frost, or absence of soil. c. an area of the ocean in which it is believed no marine life exists.

3.

desist (d-sst) verb    to stop acting in a certain way.

4.

despise (d-spz) verb    to hate or feel contempt for.

5.

despoil (d-spoil) verb    to forcefully take belongings or goods from; plunder.

6.

despondent (d-spndnt) adjective    low in spirits; unhappy, depressed, or dejected.

7.

destitute (dst-tt) adjective    a. without means of subsistence; lacking food, clothing, and shelter. b. deprived of, devoid of, or lacking (often fol. by of ) c. to leave destitute.

8.

detach (d-tch) verb    a. to separate from some whole. b. to send (a group of soldiers or the like) on a specific mission.

9.

detain (d-tn) verb    a. to prevent from going on; stop or delay. b. to hold in confinement.

10.

deter (d-tû) verb    a. to stop or discourage from some action by arousing doubt or fear. b. to prevent; inhibit.

11.

deteriorate (d-tî) verb    a. to make or become inferior in value or quality; debase. b. to erode; wear away.

12.

detest (d-tst) verb    to hate; loathe.

13.

detract (d-trkt) verb    a. to take away a part, as from quality, value, or reputation (usually fol. by from). b. to draw away or divert; distract

14.

detrimental (dtr-mntl) adjective    a. causing detriment; damaging; harmful. b. a detrimental person or thing.

15.

devastate (dv-stt) verb    a. to ravage or lay waste, as by war or natural disaster. b. to upset greatly; have an overwhelming effect on.

16.

deviate (dv-t) verb    a. to turn aside, as from a route, way, course, etc. b. to depart or swerve, as from a procedure, course of action, or acceptable norm. c. to digress, as from a line of thought or reasoning.

17.

devious (dv-s) adjective    a. departing from the most direct way; circuitous; indirect b. without definite course; vagrant c. departing from the proper or accepted way; roundabout

18.

devour (d-vour) verb    a. to swallow or eat up hungrily, voraciously, or ravenously. b. to consume destructively, recklessly, or wantonly c. to engulf or swallow up.

19.

dialogue (d-lô) noun    a. conversation between two or more persons. b. the conversation between characters in a novel, drama, etc. c. an exchange of ideas or opinions on a particular issue, esp. a political or religious issue, with a view to reaching an amicable agreement or settlement.

20.

diatribe (d-trb) noun    a bitter, abusive attack in speech or writing.

21.

diction (dkshn) noun    a. word choice and arrangement in speech or writing, esp. as a reflection of forcefulness or effectiveness. b. way of pronouncing words; enunciation.

22.

dictum (dktm) noun    a. an authoritative pronouncement; judicial assertion. b. a saying; maxim. c. See"obiter dictum."

23.

didactic (d-dktk) adjective    a. intended for instruction; instructive b. inclined to teach or lecture others too much c. teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson.

24.

diffuse (d-fyz) verb    a. to pour out and spread, as a fluid. b. to spread or scatter widely or thinly; disseminate. c. Physics. to spread by diffusion.

25.

dignitary (dgn-tr) noun    one who holds a high office or rank.