defer

give in respectfully; submit; delay till later; exempt temporarily; N. deferment; CF. show respect, comply with, courteous

deference

courteous regard for another’s wish; courteous yielding to another’s wish or opinion (showing respect); ADJ. deferential; OP. effrontery

defiance

refusal to yield; resistance; V. defy; ADJ. defiant

defile

pollute; make filthy or dirty; corrupt morally; profane; desecrate; N: narrow passage or gorge through mountains

definitive

most reliable; authorative and complete; that cannot be improved; conclusive; decisive; definite; Ex. definitive decision by the supreme court

deflect

turn aside; turn away from a straight course

defoliate

destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant

defray

provide for the payment of; undertake the payment of; pay

defrock

strip a priest or minister of church authority; unfrock

deft

neat; skillful

defunct

dead; no longer in use or existence

degenerate

become worse in quality; deteriorate; ADJ: having become worse; Ex. a degenerate species; N: depraved or corrupt person

degradation

humiliation; debasement; degeneration; V. degrade: debase; disgrace; degenerate; reduce (something) in worth; demote (someone); reduce in rank

dehydrate

remove water from; dry out

deify

turn into a god; make a god of; idolize; Ex. Kings were deified; CF. deity

deign

condescend; stoop

delete

erase; strike out

deleterious

harmful

deliberate

consider; ponder; ADJ: done on purpose; slow

delineate

portray; depict; sketch; describe; N. delineation

delirium

mental disorder marked by confusion; uncontrolled excitement; ADJ. delirious

delta

flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river

delude

deceive

deluge

flood; rush; V.

delusion

false belief; hallucination; deluding; Ex. delusions of grandeur; Ex. under the delusion that

delusive

deceptive; likely to delude; misleading; raising vain hopes; Ex. delusive promises

delve

dig; search deeply; investigate

demagogue

person who appeals to people’s prejudice; false leader of people; CF. demagoguery

demean

disgrace; humiliate; debase in dignity; behave