| diarrhea |
an intestinal condition characterized by frequent and watery bowel movements. |
| diary |
a daily record, esp. of a person's experiences, reflections, and private thoughts. [3 definitions] |
| Diaspora |
the scattering of Jews among the Gentiles after the Babylonian exile. [3 definitions] |
| diastase |
an enzyme that changes starch into sugar, found in the seed of grains, malt, and the like; amylase. |
| diastole |
in physiology, the normal rhythmic expansion of the heart chambers, during which the chambers fill with blood. (Cf. systole.) |
| diastrophism |
the process by which the surface of the earth changes in shape and levels because of movements of the earth's crust. [2 definitions] |
| diathermy |
medical treatment of localized tissues by heating with electromagnetic waves. |
| diatom |
any of various tiny single-celled algae having cell walls of silica. |
| diatomic |
of a molecule, composed of two atoms. [2 definitions] |
| diatonic |
in music, being or using a standard major or minor scale of eight notes to the octave, without chromatic tones. |
| diatribe |
a bitter, abusive attack in speech or writing. |
| diatropism |
the tendency of some plant organs to assume a position at a right angle to the direction of an external stimulus. |
| diazepam |
a tranquilizing drug that relaxes the muscles and relieves anxiety and depression. |
| diazine |
any chemical compound in which four carbon atoms and two nitrogen atoms are arranged in a ring. |
| dibasic |
designating an acid having two replaceable hydrogen atoms. [2 definitions] |
| dibble |
a small pointed hand tool used to make holes in the ground for bulbs, seeds, or the like. [2 definitions] |
| dibranchiate |
any of various tentacled mollusks, such as octopus and squid, that have one pair of gills. |
| dibs |
(informal) a right or claim to something. [2 definitions] |
| dice |
small cubes with dots on each side numbering one to six, often used in pairs for board games and games of chance. [4 definitions] |
| dicephalous |
two-headed, as an abnormal fetus. |
| dicey |
(informal) chancy or dangerous; risky. |