| debouch | v. | to march out or come forth from a narrow or confined space into an open area | ||
| decalcomania | n. | transferring decals onto surfaces | ||
| decerebrate | v. | to remove the cerebrum | ||
| deciduous | adj. | shedding leaves annually; impermanent, transitory | ||
| deciduous tooth | n. | mammalian tooth later replaced by a permanent tooth, milk tooth | ||
| decimate | v. | to reduce by a tenth | ||
| declension | n. | inflection of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives through various cases and numbers | ||
| decollate | v. | to decapitate | ||
| decompensate | v. | to lose grip upon one’s own mental health, i.e., to go crazy | ||
| decrepitate | v. | (of minerals) to crackle when heated | ||
| decrescent | adj. | waning; decreasing | ||
| decussate | v. | to cross at right angles, to intersect | ||
| dedecorate | v. | to dishonor; to stain, to disfigure | ||
| defalcation | n. | misappropriation (as of funds), embezzlement; shortfall, loss | ||
| defecate | adj. | made pure, clarified; spiritually or morally purified | obsolete | |
| defervesce | v. | to experience abatement of fever | ||
| defilade | n. | protection in a military position from observation or direct gunfire | ||
| definiens | n. | words which define (a dictionary entry) | ||
| defray | v. | to pay costs or expenses | ||
| deglutition | n. | the act of swallowing | ||
| dehiscence | n. | bursting of a surgical closure; opening of seed-pod or fruits | ||
| deixis | n. | use of context-dependent words, referring to something by use of such words | ||
| dekko | n. | (slang) glance, look | British | |
| delectation | n. | pleasure, delight | ||
| delf | n. | pit, quarry, mine | ||
| delft | n. | tin-glazed pottery typically having white opaque glaze with decoration in blue, usu. Dutch or English | ||
| delope | v. | to purposely shoot off target during a duel | ||
| deltiology | n. | the collection and study of postcards | ||
| delusively | adv. | in the manner of one who is misled or deceived | ||
| demarche | n. | diplomatic or political maneuver; official notice of a country’s position vis-à-vis some situation | ||
| demesne | n. | lands adjoining a manor worked solely for the owner; estate; domain, dominion; possession of land or property in one’s own right | ||
| demihour | n. | half hour | ||
| demilune | n. | crescent; half-moon shape; triangular-shaped outwork open at rear, ravelin | ||
| demimondaine | n. | promiscuous woman, woman belonging to the demimonde; prostitute, courtesan | ||
| demirep | n. | demimondaine, woman of doubtful chastity | ||
| demotic | adj. | of or related to common people; of or related to common language, vernacular; of or related to the simplified form of Egyptian cursive writing originating about the 7th Century BCE | ||
| demurrage | n. | remaining in port beyond the agreed upon time; payment for such delay | ||
| dene hole | n. | shaft dug into chalk hills, typically leading to chamber or caves, of unknown but ancient origin in parts of England, notably Kent and Essex | ||
| Deo volente | adv. | god willing (abbr. D.V.) | Latin | |
| deodand | n. | item or animal that caused a human death and that was then forfeited to the Crown for pious use; sum of money in lieu of such item or animal | ||
| deontology | n. | study of duty or moral obligation | ||
| depilate | v. | to remove hair from, “to make bare of hair” [OED] | ||
| deponent | n. | verb appearing only in passive form, but with active meaning; one who deposes, person making a deposition | ||
| deprecate | v. | to express disapproval of; to belittle; to cease support for | ||
| depreciate | v. | to lose value; to belittle | ||
| deracinate | v. | uproot | ||
| derogate | v. | to lessen in authority or esteem; to partially repeal or abrogate | ||
| derp | int. | expressing notice of foolish act | slang | |
| descant | v. | to comment or enlarge upon | ||
| descry | v. | to discern, to see, usu. from a distance; to discover |
