Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary

Dd

dabble dabbles, dabbling, dabbled

VERB If you dabble in something, you work or play at it without being seriously involved in it.

dad or daddy dads or daddies

NOUN INFORMAL Your dad or your daddy is your father.

daffodil daffodils

NOUN a plant with yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers that blooms in spring

daft dafter, daftest

ADJECTIVE silly and not very sensible

dagger daggers

NOUN a weapon like a short knife

daily

ADJECTIVE occurring every day

dainty daintier, daintiest

ADJECTIVE very delicate and pretty

dairy dairies

NOUN 1 a shop or company that supplies milk and milk products

2 In New Zealand, a dairy is a small shop selling groceries.

ADJECTIVE 3 Dairy products are foods made from milk, such as butter, cheese, cream and yogurt.

daisy daisies

NOUN a small, wild flower with a yellow centre and small, white petals

[from Old English deagesege meaning day’s eye, because the daisy opens in the daytime and closes at night]

Dalmatian Dalmatians

NOUN a large, smooth-haired white dog with black or brown spots

dam dams

NOUN a barrier built across a river to hold back water

damage damages, damaging, damaged

VERB If you damage something, you harm or spoil it.

damp damper, dampest

ADJECTIVE slightly wet

dampness NOUN

damson damsons

NOUN 1 a small, blue-black plum

2 the tree that damsons grow on

dance dances, dancing, danced

VERB 1 When you dance, you move around in time to music.

NOUN 2 a series of rhythmic movements that you do in time to music

3 a social event where people dance with each other

dandelion dandelions

NOUN a wild plant with yellow flowers that form a ball of fluffy seeds

[from Old French dent de lion meaning lion’s tooth, referring to the shape of the leaves]

dandruff

NOUN small, loose scales of dead skin in someone’s hair

danger dangers

NOUN the possibility that someone may be harmed or killed

SYNONYMS: peril, risk

dangerous

ADJECTIVE If something is dangerous, it is likely to cause hurt or harm. • It is dangerous to walk close to the edge of the cliff.

SYNONYMS: unsafe, hazardous

dangerously ADVERB

dangle dangles, dangling, dangled

VERB When something dangles, or when you dangle it, it swings or hangs loosely. • We sat by the pool and dangled our legs in the water.

dappled

ADJECTIVE marked with patches of a different or darker shade • The lawn was dappled with the shadows of the leafy trees.

dare dares, daring, dared

VERB 1 If you dare to do something, you have the courage to do it.

2 If you dare someone to do something, you challenge them to do it. • I dare you to ask him his name.

[from Old English durran meaning to venture or to be bold]

daredevil daredevils

NOUN a person who enjoys doing dangerous things

daring

ADJECTIVE 1 bold and willing to take risks

NOUN 2 the courage required to do things that are dangerous

daringly ADVERB

dark darker, darkest

ADJECTIVE 1 If it is dark, there is not enough light to see properly.

2 Dark colours have a lot of black, grey or brown tones in them.

dark NOUN

darken darkens, darkening, darkened

VERB If something darkens, it becomes darker than it was before. • The sky darkened as the storm approached.

darkness

NOUN being dark

darling darlings

NOUN You call someone darling if you love them or like them very much.

darn darns, darning, darned

VERB 1 When you darn a hole in a garment, you mend it with crossing stitches.

NOUN 2 A darn is the part of a garment that has been darned.

dart darts, darting, darted

NOUN 1 a small, pointed arrow

2 Darts is a game in which the players throw darts at a round board divided into numbered sections.

VERB 3 If you dart somewhere, you move there quickly and suddenly.

dash dashes, dashing, dashed

VERB 1 If you dash somewhere, you rush there.

NOUN 2 the punctuation mark (–) which may be used instead of brackets

dashboard dashboards

NOUN the instrument panel in a car

data

NOUN information, usually in the form of facts or statistics

database databases

NOUN a collection of information stored in a computer

date dates

NOUN 1 a particular day or year that can be named • What is your date of birth?

2 If you have a date, you have an appointment to meet someone.

3 a small, brown, sticky fruit with a stone inside. Dates grow on palm trees.

daughter daughters

NOUN Someone’s daughter is their female child.

dawdle dawdles, dawdling, dawdled

VERB If you dawdle, you are slow about doing something or going somewhere. • Don’t dawdle, we have to be there in ten minutes.

dawn dawns

NOUN the time in the morning when light first appears in the sky

day days

NOUN 1 the time taken between one midnight and the next. There are 24 hours in one day.

2 the period of light between sunrise and sunset

daydream daydreams, daydreaming, daydreamed

NOUN 1 pleasant thoughts about things that you would like to happen

VERB 2 When you daydream, you drift off into a daydream.

daylight

NOUN the part of the day when it is light

daytime

NOUN the part of the day when it is light

daze

PHRASE If you are in a daze, you are confused and bewildered.

dazzle dazzles, dazzling, dazzled

VERB If a bright light dazzles you, it blinds you for a moment.

dazzling ADJECTIVE

de-

PREFIX added to some words to mean removal or reversal of something • She debugged the computer program. • We had to defrost the windscreen before leaving.

dead

ADJECTIVE 1 no longer living

2 no longer functioning • The phone went dead.

ADVERB 3 precisely or exactly • We arrived dead on eight o’clock.

deadly deadlier, deadliest

ADJECTIVE 1 likely or able to cause death • a deadly disease

ADVERB OR ADJECTIVE 2 used to emphasize how serious or unpleasant something is • deadly dangerous • deadly serious

deaf deafer, deafest

ADJECTIVE Deaf people are unable to hear anything or unable to hear well.

deafening

ADJECTIVE A deafening sound is so loud that you cannot hear anything else.

deal deals, dealing, dealt

NOUN 1 an agreement or arrangement, especially in business

VERB 2 If you deal with something, you do what is necessary to sort it out.

3 When you deal cards, you give them out to the players.

PHRASE 4 A good deal or a great deal of something is a lot of it.

dear dearer, dearest

NOUN 1 You call someone dear as a sign of affection.

ADJECTIVE 2 Something that is dear is very expensive.

3 You use dear at the beginning of a letter, with the name of the person you are writing to. • Dear Sunita.

death deaths

NOUN the end of the life of a human being or other animal or plant

debate debates, debating, debated

NOUN 1 argument or discussion

2 a formal discussion in which opposing views are expressed

VERB 3 When people debate something, they discuss it in a formal way.

debit card debit cards

NOUN a plastic card that allows someone to buy goods using the money in their bank account

debris

NOUN fragments or rubble left after something has been destroyed • After the eruption, volcanic debris was found scattered for miles.

debt debts

NOUN a sum of money that someone owes

debut debuts

NOUN a performer’s first public appearance

decade decades

NOUN a period of ten years

decaffeinated

ADJECTIVE Decaffeinated coffee or tea has had most of the caffeine removed.

decathlon decathlons

NOUN an athletic competition in which competitors take part in ten different events

decay decays, decaying, decayed

VERB When things decay, they rot or go bad.

deceased

ADJECTIVE FORMAL A deceased person is someone who has recently died.

deceit

NOUN behaviour that makes people believe something to be true that is not true

deceive deceives, deceiving, deceived

VERB If you deceive someone, you make them believe something that is not true.

December

NOUN the twelfth month of the year. December has 31 days.

decent

ADJECTIVE honest and respectable

deception deceptions

NOUN 1 something that is intended to trick or deceive someone

2 the act of deceiving someone

deceptive

ADJECTIVE likely to make people believe that something is true when it is not

decide decides, deciding, decided

VERB If you decide to do something, you choose to do it, usually after thinking about it carefully.

SYNONYM: make up one’s mind

decision NOUN

deciduous

ADJECTIVE Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the autumn every year.

decimal decimals

ADJECTIVE 1 A decimal system involves counting in units of ten.

NOUN 2 A decimal, or decimal fraction, is a fraction in which a dot, called a decimal point, separates the whole numbers on the left from tenths, hundredths and thousandths on the right. For example, 0.5 represents 5⁄10 (or ½); 0.05 represents 5⁄100 (or 1⁄20).

decision decisions

NOUN a choice or judgement that is made about something

decisive

ADJECTIVE 1 A decisive person is able to make decisions quickly.

2 having an important influence on the result of something • The first goal was a decisive moment in the match.

deck decks

NOUN a downstairs or upstairs area on a bus or ship

declare declares, declaring, declared

VERB 1 If you declare something, you say it firmly and forcefully.

SYNONYMS: announce, proclaim, state

2 FORMAL If something is declared, it is announced publicly. • War was declared in 1939.

decline declines, declining, declipned

VERB 1 If something declines, it becomes smaller or weaker. • The number of students has declined this year.

2 If you decline something, you politely refuse to accept it or do it.

decode decodes, decoding, decoded

VERB If you decode a coded message, you convert it into ordinary language.

decompose decomposes, decomposing, decomposed

VERB If something decomposes, it rots after it dies.

decorate decorates, decorating, decorated

VERB 1 If you decorate something, you make it more attractive by adding things to it.

2 If you decorate a room or building, you paint or wallpaper it.

decoy decoys

NOUN something used to lead a person or animal into a trap

decrease decreases, decreasing, decreased

VERB If something decreases, or if you decrease it, it becomes less. • The number of children in the class decreased rapidly.

decree decrees, decreeing, decreed

NOUN 1 an official order by the government, church or the rulers of a country

VERB 2 If someone decrees something, they announce formally that it will happen.

dedicate dedicates, dedicating, dedicated

VERB 1 If you dedicate yourself to something, you give your time and energy to it.

2 If you dedicate a book or piece of music to someone, you say that it is written for them.

deduct deducts, deducting, deducted

VERB If you deduct an amount from a total, you take it away.

deed deeds

NOUN 1 something that is done • a good deed

2 an important piece of paper or document that an agreement is written on

deep deeper, deepest

ADJECTIVE 1 going a long way down from the surface • a deep hole

2 great or intense • deep affection

3 a low sound • a deep voice

deer

NOUN a large, fast-running, graceful mammal with hooves, that lives wild in parts of Britain and other countries. Male deer have antlers.

deface defaces, defacing, defaced

VERB If you deface something, you damage its appearance in some way. • The gang defaced the walls with spray paint.

defeat defeats, defeating, defeated

VERB 1 If you defeat someone or something, you win a victory over them, or cause them to fail.

NOUN 2 the state of being beaten or of failing • The team was downhearted after its defeat.

defect defects, defecting, defected

NOUN 1 a fault or flaw in something

VERB 2 If someone defects, they leave their own country or organization and join an opposing one.

defection NOUN defector NOUN

defective

ADJECTIVE Something that is defective is not perfect or has something wrong with it.

defence defences

NOUN 1 something that protects you against attack • She carried an alarm as a defence against muggers.

2 A country’s defences are its armed forces and its weapons.

defend defends, defending, defended

VERB 1 If you defend someone or something, you protect them from harm or danger.

2 If you defend a person or their ideas, you argue in support of them.

defendant defendants

NOUN a person in a court of law who is accused of a crime

defer defers, deferring, deferred

VERB If you defer something, you put off doing it until later.

defiant

ADJECTIVE If you are defiant, you behave in a way that shows you are not willing to obey someone.

defiance NOUN defiantly ADVERB

deficient

ADJECTIVE lacking in something

deficiency NOUN

define defines, defining, defined

VERB If you define something, you say what it is or what it means.

definite

ADJECTIVE 1 clear and unlikely to be changed • We must arrange a definite date for the party.

2 true rather than being someone’s guess or opinion

definitely

ADVERB OR EXCLAMATION certainly; without doubt • I am definitely going on holiday next week.

definition definitions

NOUN a statement explaining the meaning of a word or an idea

deflate deflates, deflating, deflated

VERB If you deflate something, such as a tyre or balloon, you let all the air or gas out of it.

ANTONYMS: inflate, blow up

deforestation

NOUN the cutting down or the destruction of all the trees in an area

deformed

ADJECTIVE disfigured or abnormally shaped

defrost defrosts, defrosting, defrosted

VERB 1 If you defrost frozen food, you let it thaw out.

2 If you defrost a freezer or refrigerator, you remove the ice from it.

defuse defuses, defusing, defused

VERB 1 If someone defuses a bomb, they remove its fuse or detonator so that it cannot explode.

2 If you defuse a dangerous or tense situation, you make it less dangerous or tense.

defy defies, defying, defied

VERB If you defy a person or a law, you openly refuse to obey.

degree degrees

NOUN 1 a unit of measurement for temperatures, angles, and longitude and latitude, written as ° after a number • The temperature was 20 °C. • A right angle is a ninety-degree angle.

2 an amount of a feeling or quality • As captain you have a high degree of responsibility.

3 a university qualification gained after completing a course of study there

dehydrated

ADJECTIVE If someone is dehydrated, they are weak or ill because they have lost too much water from their body.

deity deities

NOUN a god or goddess

dejected

ADJECTIVE If you are dejected, you are sad and gloomy.

dejection NOUN

delay delays, delaying, delayed

VERB 1 If you delay doing something, you put it off until later.

SYNONYM: postpone

2 If something delays you, it makes you late or slows you down.

NOUN 3 If there is a delay, something does not happen until later than planned or expected.

delete deletes, deleting, deleted

VERB If you delete something written, you cross it out or remove it.

deliberate

ADJECTIVE 1 done on purpose or planned in advance

2 slow and careful in speech and action • deliberate movements

deliberately ADVERB

delicate

ADJECTIVE 1 light and attractive • a delicate perfume

2 fragile and needing to be handled carefully • a delicate china cup

3 precise or sensitive • delicate instruments

delicately ADVERB

delicatessen delicatessens

NOUN a shop selling unusual or imported foods

delicious

ADJECTIVE Delicious food or drink has an extremely pleasant taste.

SYNONYMS: delectable, scrumptious

delight delights, delighting, delighted

NOUN 1 great pleasure or joy

VERB 2 If something delights you, or if you are delighted by it, it gives you a lot of pleasure.

delighted ADJECTIVE

delinquent delinquents

NOUN a young person who commits minor crimes

delinquency NOUN

delirious

ADJECTIVE 1 unable to speak or act in a rational way because of illness or fever

2 wildly excited and happy

deliriously ADVERB

deliver delivers, delivering, delivered

VERB 1 If you deliver something to someone, you take it and give it to them.

2 If someone delivers a baby, they help the woman who is giving birth.

delta deltas

NOUN a triangular piece of land at the mouth of a river where it divides into separate streams

deluge deluges

NOUN a sudden, heavy downpour of rain

demand demands, demanding, demanded

VERB 1 If you demand something, you ask for it forcefully.

NOUN 2 If there is demand for something, a lot of people want to buy it or have it.

democracy democracies

NOUN a system of government in which the people choose their leaders by voting for them in elections

democratic ADJECTIVE

demolish demolishes, demolishing, demolished

VERB If someone demolishes a building, they knock it down.

demolition NOUN

demon demons

NOUN a devil or an evil spirit

demonstrate demonstrates, demonstrating, demonstrated

VERB 1 If you demonstrate something to somebody, you show them how to do it or how it works.

2 If people demonstrate, they march or gather together to show that they oppose or support something.

demonstration demonstrations

NOUN 1 If someone gives a demonstration, they show how to do something or how something works.

2 a march or a gathering of people to show publicly what they think about something

den dens

NOUN 1 a home or hiding place of a wild animal

2 a special place where you can do what you want without being disturbed

denial denials

NOUN 1 A denial of something is a statement that it is untrue.

2 The denial of a request is the refusal to grant it.

denim denims

NOUN strong, cotton cloth used for making clothes, especially jeans

[from French serge de Nîmes, meaning serge (a type of cloth) from Nîmes]

denominator denominators

NOUN In mathematics, the denominator is the bottom number of a fraction.

dense denser, densest

ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is dense contains a lot of things or people in a small area. • We cut our way through the dense forest.

2 difficult to see through • The dense fog prevented us from enjoying the view over the hills.

densely ADVERB

density densities

NOUN 1 thickness

2 the proportion of mass to volume

dent dents, denting, dented

VERB 1 If you dent something, you damage its surface by hitting it.

NOUN 2 a hollow in the surface of something

dental

ADJECTIVE to do with teeth

dentist dentists

NOUN a person who is qualified to treat people’s teeth

dentures

PLURAL NOUN false teeth

deny denies, denying, denied

VERB 1 If you deny something, you say that it is not true.

2 If you are denied something, you are refused it.

deodorant deodorants

NOUN a substance used to hide or prevent the smell of sweat on your body

depart departs, departing, departed

VERB When you depart, you leave.

departure NOUN

department departments

NOUN one of the sections into which a large shop or an organization is divided

department store department stores

NOUN a very large shop divided into departments, each selling different types of goods

depend depends, depending, depended

VERB 1 If one thing depends on another, it is influenced by it. • The cooking time depends on the size of the potato.

2 If you depend on someone or something, you trust them and rely on them.

dependable

ADJECTIVE If someone is dependable, you can trust them to be helpful, sensible and reliable.

depict depicts, depicting, depicted

VERB If you depict someone or something, you paint, draw or describe them.

deport deports, deporting, deported

VERB If someone is deported from a country they are sent out of it, either because they have no right to be there, because they have done something wrong or because they did not ask permission to be there.

deposit deposits, depositing, deposited

VERB 1 If you deposit something, you put it down or leave it somewhere.

NOUN 2 a sum of money given in part payment for goods or services

depot depots

NOUN 1 a place where supplies of food or equipment are stored until they are needed

2 A bus depot is a bus station.

depressed

ADJECTIVE sad and gloomy

depression depressions

NOUN 1 a state of mind in which someone feels unhappy and has no energy or enthusiasm for anything