deputies
NOUN a person who helps someone in their job and acts on their behalf when they are away
derail derails, derailed, derailing
VERB If a train is derailed, it comes off the railway tracks.
derivation derivations
NOUN The derivation of something is where it has come from.
derive derives, deriving, derived
VERB 1 FORMAL If you derive something from someone or something, you get it from them. • He derives great pleasure from music.
2 If something is derived from something else, it comes from that thing. • His name is derived from a Greek word.
descant descants
NOUN 1 The descant to a tune is another tune played at the same time but at a higher pitch.
ADJECTIVE 2 A descant musical instrument plays the highest notes in a range of instruments. • a descant recorder
descend descends, descending, descended
VERB If someone or something descends, they move downwards. • We descended to the basement in the lift.
ANTONYM: ascend
descendant descendants
NOUN A person’s descendants are all the people in later generations who are related to them.
describe describes, describing, described
VERB If you describe someone or something, you say what they are like.
desert deserts, deserting, deserted
Said “dez-ert” NOUN 1 an area of land, usually in a hot region, that has almost no water, rain, trees or plants • the Sahara Desert
Said “de-zert” VERB 2 If someone deserts you, they leave you and no longer help or support you.
deserted
ADJECTIVE A deserted building or place is one that people have left and never come back to.
deserve deserves, deserving, deserved
VERB If you deserve something, you earn it or have a right to it.
design designs, designing, designed
VERB 1 If you design something new, you plan what it should be like.
NOUN 2 a drawing from which something can be built or made
3 a decorative pattern of lines or shapes
desire desires, desiring, desired
VERB 1 If you desire something, you want it.
NOUN 2 a strong feeling of wanting something
SYNONYMS: longing, want, wish
desk desks
NOUN a piece of furniture with a flat or sloping top, which you sit at to write, read or work
desktop
ADJECTIVE small enough to be used at a desk • a desktop computer
desolate
ADJECTIVE 1 deserted and bleak • a desolate mountain top
2 lonely, very sad, and without hope
desolation NOUN
despair despairs, despairing, despaired
NOUN 1 a total loss of hope
VERB 2 If you despair, you lose hope.
desperate
ADJECTIVE 1 If you are desperate, you are in such a bad situation that you will try anything to change it.
2 A desperate situation is extremely dangerous or serious.
despicable
ADJECTIVE Something that is despicable is nasty, cruel or evil.
despise despises, despising, despised
VERB If you despise someone or something, you have a very low opinion of them.
despite
PREPOSITION If you do something despite some difficulty, you manage to do it anyway.
dessert desserts
NOUN a sweet food that you eat at the end of a meal
destination destinations
NOUN the place you are going to
destined
ADJECTIVE meant to happen • They were destined to meet.
destiny destinies
NOUN Your destiny is your fate: the things that will happen to you in the future.
destitute
ADJECTIVE without money or possessions, and therefore in great need
destitution NOUN
destroy destroys, destroying, destroyed
VERB If you destroy something, you damage it so much that it is completely ruined.
SYNONYMS: demolish, ruin, wreck
destruction NOUN
destructive
ADJECTIVE Something that is destructive can cause great damage, harm or injury.
SYNONYM: damaging
detach detaches, detaching, detached
VERB If you detach something, you remove or unfasten it.
detachable ADJECTIVE
detached
ADJECTIVE separate or standing apart • It was a detached house, standing alone at the top of the hill.
detail details
NOUN 1 an individual fact or feature of something • I remember every detail of that film.
PLURAL NOUN 2 Details about something are information about it. For example, your details might be your name and address.
detain detains, detaining, detained
VERB If
