dam - n. a wall built across a river to hold back flowing water
damage - v. to cause injury or destruction; n. harm; hurt or injury, usually to things
dance - v. to move the body and feet to music; n. a series of steps, usually to music
danger - n. a strong chance of suffering injury, damage or loss
dark - ad. having little or no light ('The room was dark.')
date - n. an expression of time; a day, month and year
daughter - n. a person's female child
day - n. twenty-four hours; the hours of sunlight
dead - ad. not living
deaf - ad. not able to hear
deal - v. to have to do with ('The talks will deal with the problem of pollution.'); to buy or sell ('Her company deals in plastic.')
debate - v. to argue for or against something; n. a public discussion or argument
debt - n. something that is owed; the condition of owing
decide - v. to choose; to settle; to judge
declare - v. to say; to make a statement
decrease - v. to make less in size or amount
deep - ad. going far down; a long way from top to bottom
defeat - v. to cause to lose in a battle or struggle; n. a loss; the condition of having lost
defend - v. to guard or fight against attack; to protect
deficit - n. a shortage that results when spending is greater than earnings, or imports are greater than exports
define - v. to give the meaning of; to explain
degree - n. a measure of temperature
delay - v. to decide to do something at a later time; to postpone; to cause to be late
delegate - n. one sent to act for another; one who represents another
demand - v. to ask by ordering; to ask with force
democracy - n. the system of government in which citizens vote to choose leaders or to make other important decisions
demonstrate - v. to make a public show of opinions or feelings ('The crowd demonstrated in support of human rights.'); to explain by using examples ('The teacher demonstrated the idea with an experiment.')
denounce - v. to accuse of being wrong or evil; to criticize severely
deny - v. to declare that something is not true; to refuse a request
depend - v. to need help and support
deplore - v. to regret strongly; to express sadness
deploy - v. to move forces or weapons into positions for action
depression - n. severe unhappiness; a period of reduced business and economic activity during which many people lose their jobs
describe - v. to give a word picture of something; to give details of something
desert - n. a dry area of land
design - v. to plan or create plans for
desire - v. to want very much; to wish for
destroy - v. to break into pieces; to end the existence of
detail - n. a small part of something; a small piece of information
detain - v. to keep or hold ('The police detained several suspects for questioning.')
develop - v. to grow; to create; to experience progress
device - n. a piece of equipment made for a special purpose
dictator - n. a ruler with complete power
die - v. to become dead; to stop living; to end
diet - n. usual daily food and drink
different - ad. not the same
difficult - ad. not easy; hard to do, make or carry out
dig - v. to make a hole in the ground
dinner - n. the main amount of food eaten at a usual time ('The family had its dinner at noon.'); a special event that includes food ('The official dinner took place at the White House.')
diplomat - n. a person who represents his or her government in dealing with another government
direct - v. to lead; to aim or show the way ('He directed me to the theater.'); ad. straight to something; not through some other person or thing ('The path is direct.')
direction - n. the way (east, west, north, south); where someone or something came from or went to
dirt - n. earth or soil
disappear - v. to become unseen; to no longer exist
disarm - v. to take away weapons; to no longer keep weapons; to make a bomb harmless by removing its exploding device
disaster - n. an event causing widespread destruction or loss of life, such as an earthquake or plane crash
discover - v. to find or learn something
discrimination - n. unfair treatment or consideration based on opinions about a whole group instead of on the qualities of an individual. ('He was accused of discrimination against people from other countries.')
discuss - v. to talk about; to exchange ideas
disease - n. a sickness in living things, often caused by viruses, germs or bacteria
dismiss - v. to send away; to refuse to consider
dispute - v. to oppose strongly by argument; n. an angry debate
dissident - n. a person who strongly disagrees with his or her government
distance - n. the amount of space between two places or objects ('The distance from my house to your house is two kilometers.')
dive - v. to jump into water head first
divide - v. to separate into two or more parts
do - v. to act; to make an effort
doctor - n. a person trained in medicine to treat sick people
document - n. an official piece of paper with facts written on it, used as proof or support of something
dog - n. a small animal that often lives with humans
dollar - n. United States money, one hundred cents
donate - v. to present something as a gift to an organization, country or cause. ('She donated money to the Red Cross to help survivors of the earthquake.')
door - n. an opening for entering or leaving a building or room
double - v. to increase two times as much in size, strength or number
down - ad. from higher to lower; in a low place
dream - v. to have a picture or story in the mind during sleep; n. a picture or story in the mind during sleep; a happy idea about the future
drink - v. to take liquid into the body through the mouth
drive - v. to control a moving vehicle
drop - v. to fall or let fall; to go lower
drown - v. to die under water
drug - n. anything used as a medicine or in making medicine; a chemical substance used to ease pain or to affect the mind
dry - ad. not wet; without rain
during - ad. through the whole time; while (something is happening)
dust - n. pieces of matter so small that they can float in the air
duty - n. one's job or responsibility; what one must do because it is right and just
