| D.D.S. |
abbreviation of "Doctor of Dental Surgery." |
| DDT |
a powerful pesticide, insoluble in water, currently restricted in the United States because of adverse effects on the environment; dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. |
| DE |
abbreviation of "Delaware," an eastern U.S. state between Maryland and New Jersey. |
| de- |
away from; from; off. [4 definitions] |
| deacon |
in certain Christian churches, a clergyman just below a priest in rank. [3 definitions] |
| deaconess |
in certain Protestant churches, a woman selected to assist the ministry, esp. in social services. |
| deactivate |
to make inactive or inoperative. [2 definitions] |
| dead |
lacking normal life functions; not alive. [16 definitions] |
| dead as a doornail |
definitely dead, or beyond hope of revitalizing. |
| deadbeat |
(informal) one who avoids paying debts or expenses. |
| dead center |
the exact center. [2 definitions] |
| dead duck |
(informal) a person or thing that is too deteriorated or ruined to be helped or saved, or that is sure to suffer ruin or failure. |
| deaden |
to make the nerves insensitive to. [3 definitions] |
| dead end |
a street, alley, or conduit that is closed at one end, offering no through passage. [2 definitions] |
| dead-end |
having one end or outlet closed. [2 definitions] |
| deadening |
material used to dull or deaden, esp. to muffle sound. [2 definitions] |
| deadeye |
one of a pair of hardwood disks with holes and concave rims through and around which certain rigging ropes are passed, used esp. to tighten the stays and shrouds of sailing vessels. [2 definitions] |
| deadfall |
a trap in which a heavy weight is set to drop on an animal and either stun or kill it. [2 definitions] |
| deadhead |
(informal) a person who uses a free ticket for transportation, admission, or the like; nonpaying customer. [5 definitions] |
| dead heat |
a race that ends in a tie between two or more contestants. |
| dead letter |
a letter that the post office is unable to deliver or return, usu. because of an incorrect address or the lack of a return address. [2 definitions] |