Dashboard
(noun)
a panel
extending across the interior of a vehicle as an automobile below the
windshield and usually containing dials and controls.
In
a demonstration at an imaginary dashboard, Michael greeted the computer
("Good morning, Sally"), told it he was catching a flight from John
F. Kennedy International Airport and received a map and spoken directions,
estimated travel time, the state of the
traffic
ahead, the weather, the flight's status, country music on the radio and
directions to an Italian restaurant en route.
a usually
large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval as
by a computer.
Our
editors make daily updates to our proprietary database of company information, which
can be found on our Web site, Hoover's
Online.
Dazzlingly
(adverb)
manner of
arousing admiration by an impressive display
The
long cylinders of ancient ice that they retrieve provide a dazzlingly detailed
record of what was happening in the world over the past several ice ages.
Deadliest
(adjective)
extremely
destructive or harmful
. At
least 80 and perhaps hundreds of people were killed in the deadliest historical eruption
to occur in what is now the United
States.
Deal
with (verb)
to be
occupied or concerned.
Politeness
strategies are developed for the main purpose of dealing with face threatening
acts.
Dearth
(noun)
an inadequate
supply
The
model offers no way to explain the moon's confounding dearth of iron.
Debris
(noun)
an
accumulation of fragments of rock.
Landslides,
mud flows and debris avalanches frequently accompany other natural disasters such as
floods and earthquakes.
Decay
(verb)
to become or
cause to become rotten or unsound; to decompose.
Because
of the high humidity, abundant insects, and scavenger-eating animals and birds,
an animal carcass can decay in Mississippi
in just a few days.
Decipher
(verb)
to make
understandable.
Few
historians today have the capability of deciphering scrolls written in ancient Egyptian.
Decode
(verb)
to convert a
coded message into intelligible form; to discover the underlying meaning of It
seems that the structure of the language you learn as a child affects how the
structure.
of
your brain develops to decode speech. Native English speakers, for example, find
it extraordinarily difficult to learn Mandarin.
Decorated
(verb)
to furnish
with emblems of honor worn on one’s clothing, or displayed on objects.
Quincy
Jones is one of the most decorated musicians of all time.
Decry
(verb)
to consider
or treat as small or unimportant.
There
are those who decry marriage as a sexist and patriarchal institution that should be
avoided at all costs.
Deem
(verb)
to have an
opinion.
Any
human caused blazes are to be suppressed immediately as well as any natural
fires deemed dangerous.
Default
(noun)
a failure to
pay financial debts.
The
trend has been to raise rates because of the increasing number of defaults among consumers.
Deferential
(adjective)
showing or
expressing respect and esteem due a superior or an elder.
The
Justice Department properly withheld the names and other details about hundreds
of foreigners detained in the months after the Sept. 11 attacks, a federal
appeals court ruled Tuesday. The powerful decision was deferential to the Bush
administration's
arguments
over continued threats to America
from terrorists.
Definitive
(adjective)
serving the
function of deciding or settling with finality.
Two recent books are the definitive books in the area of cold reading: King of the Cold Readers (KCR) by Bascom Jones and Red Hot Cold Reading (RHCR) by Thomas Saville, Ph.D. and Herb Dewey.
Two recent books are the definitive books in the area of cold reading: King of the Cold Readers (KCR) by Bascom Jones and Red Hot Cold Reading (RHCR) by Thomas Saville, Ph.D. and Herb Dewey.
Deflect
(verb)
to turn aside
especially from a straight course or fixed direction.
If
the interior is weak, for example, an attempt to deflect it with a
nuclear warhead (an option under consideration) may simply break up the asteroid
into many smaller and uncontrolled pieces.
Defuse
(verb)
to remove the
fuse from a mine or bomb; to make less harmful, potent, or tense.
You
can tend to your loved one and to yourself by focusing on the rewards of caring
for someone with Alzheimer's disease and by learning to recognize and defuse stress.
Degradation
(noun)
the act or an
instance of demoting.
Don
Quixote shows how not distinguishing between the two leads to the moral degradation of his hero
and, consequently, of his public.
Degraded
(adjective)
reduced far
below ordinary standards of civilized life and conduct; characterized by degeneration
of structure or function
Protecting
existing habitat and restoring degraded habitat can help the grizzly to recover.
Delectable
(adjective)
highly pleasing,
especially to the sense of taste.
The
ape inserts a twig into a hole in a termite’s nest, after which it pull outs
the twig covered with delectable insects.
Delegate
(noun)
one who
stands in for another; one who is given authority to represent another.
In
1776, John Adams was a Massachusetts delegate to the
Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
Deleterious
(adjective)
harmful often
in a subtle or unexpected way.
There
is increasing evidence that some beached whales may have been stranded as a result
of loud sounds made by mid-range navy sonar. This has produced a great deal of concern
about the possible deleterious effects of noise pollution on marine mammals.
Delineation
(noun)
a line
marking and shaping the outer form of an object.
Bialystok asserts that
the delineation begins at the
age of twenty, at which point begins a decline in the ability to learn a
language.
Delta
(noun)
the alluvial
deposit at the mouth of a river.
The
delta extends
outward fifty miles on both sides of the Mississippi River in the area of Mississippi and Louisiana
and experiences floods during the spring.
Demise
(noun)
a cessation
of existence or activity.
Columbia's demise on Feb. 1,
2003, not only cost the lives of seven astronauts, but also leaves a gaping
hole in the busy shuttle manifest, which is now focused on building and supplying
the International Space Station.
Demographic
(adjective)
relating to
the dynamic balance of a population.
These
demographic peculiarities
reveal a pattern of upward marriage or hypergamy which is quite different from
endogamy and reflects an acknowledged status difference between communities.
Denouncing
(verb)
to find fault
with; to make an accusation against.
A
pamphlet entitled A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law and town instructions
denouncing the Stamp Act
(1765) marked him as a vigorous, patriotic penman, and, holding various local
offices, he soon became a leader among Massachusetts
radicals.
Densely
(adverb)
with all
parts or elements in extremely close proximity.
Particles
within the cloud's center (core) became so densely packed that they often collided
and stuck (fused) together.
Dependent
(noun)
a person who
relies on another for support.
It
is one of the more remarkable feats of American literature, how a young man who
never graduated from high school, never received a college degree, living in a
small town in the poorest state in the nation, all the while balancing a
growing family of dependents and impending financial ruin, could during the Great Depression
write a
series
of novels all set in the same small Southern county that would one day be recognized
as among the greatest novels ever written by an American.
Depict
(verb)
to present a
lifelike image of.
St.
Francis is depicted wearing a brown habit worn by Franciscan Monks and by the stigmata
over the heart.
Deposit
(noun)
matter that
settles on a bottom or collects on a surface by a natural process.
Several
tools have been developed to help land users identify unstable slopes. Slope
maps, geology maps, and landslide deposit maps are available for public
inspection at the Santa Cruz County Planning Department.
Derive
(verb)
to obtain
from another source.
Like
German, English is derived from some common original Germanic or Teutonic parent speech,
although this original language is no longer in existence.
Derange
(verb)
to disturb
the health or physiological functioning of.
The
writer became deranged due to his heavy consumption of alcohol and drugs.
Derogatory
(adjective)
tending or
intending to belittle.
Derogatory language is
not permitted in the workplace.
Descend
(verb)
to become
lower in quality, character, or condition.
The
absolute finest colorless stone carries a D rating, descending through each
letter of the alphabet to Z, designating a diamond of light yellow, brown, or
gray.
Desegregate
(verb)
to open to
all people regardless of race.
Montgomery buses were desegregated in December,
1956, after the United States Supreme Court declared Alabama's segregation laws unconstitutional.
Designate
(verb)
to make known
or identify, as by signs.
The
absolute finest colorless stone carries a D rating, descending through each
letter of the alphabet to Z, designating a diamond of light yellow,
brown, or gray.
Desolate
(adjective)
devoid of
inhabitants and visitors; deserted.
The
Sinai Peninsula is a desolate desert region in northeast Egypt. Its terrain includes a sandy
coastal plain, a high limestone plateau, and mountains.
Destabilize
(verb)
to take out
of balance so as to make it unstable.
A
landslide or slope failure occurs when steep slopes are destabilized by excess
water accumulation in the soil, the addition of excess weight to the top of a
slope, the removal of support from the bottom of a slope, or a combination of
the above.
Detect
(verb)
to perceive,
to discover.
Scientists
detected Chernobyl radioactivity
in snow at the South Pole, a graphic reminder of how small our planet is.
Detergent
(noun)
a cleansing
agent such as soap.
Waste
water often containing detergents encourage the growth of algae.
Deteriorate
(verb)
to become in
a less than perfect or whole condition in quality, functioning,
or condition.
The
heartbreak of watching your loved one slowly deteriorate, coupled with
that person's growing need for supervision and personal care, often causes
caregivers to feel overwhelming stress.
Determinate
(adjective)
having
defined limits.
In
a sharp contrast to monkeys, human children pick up thousands of words spontaneously,
combine them in structured sequences in which every word has a determinate role, respect
the word order of the adult language, and use sentences for a variety of
purposes such as commenting on interesting objects.
Detrimental
(adjective)
causing harm
or injury.
Continuing
to stretch by bouncing one’s body is detrimental in the long run as the body will
start to adapt against it and one may find it difficult to stretch properly at
all.
Devastate
(verb)
to destroy
completely while conquering or occupying.
As
the tsunami's speed diminishes as it travels into shallower water, its height
grows, consequently making its effects devastating to a coastal community.
Deviance
(noun)
the condition
of being abnormal.
The
labeling theory explains deviance as a social process by which some people who commit
deviant acts come to be known as deviants and others do not.
Devise
(verb)
to form a
strategy for; to use ingenuity in making, developing, or achieving.
Considerable
effort is devoted to devising innovative applications to important practical problems, e.g.,
human computer interaction, decision aiding, and medical training.
Devoid
(adjective)
lacking a
desirable element; containing nothing.
Studies
of lunar samples revealed that the interior of the Moon is essentially devoid of water, so
no underground supplies could be used by lunar inhabitants.
Devote
(verb)
to give over
by or as if by vow to a higher purpose.
Researchers
from all over the world are devoting considerable time and energy into finding the
answer to this critical question.
Diagnostic
(adjective)
relating to
investigation or analysis of the cause or nature of a condition, situation, or problem.
For
those unfamiliar with the term, cold reading is the description of the
personality, characteristics, and features, past experiences and sometimes the
future of a person without the use of standard psychological or other formal diagnostic procedures.
Diarrhea
(noun)
abnormally
frequent intestinal evacuations with more or less fluid stools.
Bulimia
nervosa is when a person consumes large amounts of food, but then induces vomiting
or diarrhea in an attempt
to avoid weight gain.
Diaspora
(noun)
people
settled far from their ancestral homelands.
The
African Voices Hall presents the richness and diversity of cultures throughout
the African continent, as well as traditions sustained and reinterpreted by the
African diasporas in Asia,
Europe, and the Americas.
Dictate
(verb)
to set forth
expressly and authoritatively.
The
value of a diamond is determined by its exact quality as defined by the 4C's: Cut, Color, Clarity and
Carat Weight. The cut of a diamond refers to its proportions. Of the 4C's, the cut is the aspect most
directly influenced by man. The other three are dictated by nature.
Differential
(adjective)
making a
distinction among individuals or classes.
The
theory is called differential association. It denotes a person's associations
that differ from those of other persons
Digestion
(noun)
the process
of making food absorbable by breaking it down into smaller, simpler chemical compounds.
Sucrose
is hydrolyzed during digestion according to the following equation: Sucrose + H2O v Glucose +
Fructose.
Dilute
(verb)
lower than
its normal strength or concentration due to a mixture
Gasoline,
if diluted with water,
will cause an automobile engine to malfunction.
Dimensional
(adjective)
relating to
the amount of space occupied by something.
Our
vocal tracts have a sharp right angle bend that creates two independently
modifiable resonant cavities (the mouth and the pharynx or throat) that defines
a large two dimensional range of vowel sounds.
Disavow
(verb)
to deny
responsibility for; disclaim, repudiate.
The
Israeli Prime Minister has decided to disavow talks with the Palestinians.
Discard
(verb)
to let go or
get rid of as being no longer of use, value, etc.
Scientific
knowledge is not absolute, but cumulative. New facts are constantly being added
while old facts are discarded.
Discernable
(adjective)
so as to
perceive, to recognize as being different.
Many
inclusions are not discernable to the naked eye and require magnification to become
apparent.
Discharge
(verb)
to release
from military duty.
After
being discharged from the
military, Elvis Presley went back to singing and starring in movies.
Disconnecting
(verb)
to separate
one thing from another thing.
Dissociation
Identity Disorder is the phenomena of completely disconnecting oneself from a
memory (or memories) and the emotions around the memory (or memories), creating
a separate identity to hold memories and emotions.
Discredit
(verb)
causing
disbelief in the accuracy or authority of.
Canup
and Asphaug were able to re-test the discredited mid-1980s hypothesis of impact
by a Mars size object thanks to greater computing power.
Discrepancy
(noun)
a marked lack
of correspondence or agreement.
The
tiny differences between the observed and predicted values were a minor but nagging
problem for many decades. It was thought that another planet (sometimes called
Vulcan) might exist in an orbit near Mercury's to account for the discrepancy.
Disdain
(noun)
the quality
of being overly convinced of one’s own superiority and importance.
Due
to the complete disdain the co-worker showed to others, he was fired.
Disenchant
(verb)
disappoint;
dissatisfy
Democratic
presidential hopeful Howard Dean sought to redefine and broaden his liberal,
anti war campaign in formally announcing his candidacy Monday, telling disenchanted American
voters, ''You have the power!'' to oust President Bush and rid Washington of
special interests.
Disintegration
(noun)
severe damage
or decay rendering something useless or worthless
Many
founding fathers of the United
States spoke out repeatedly against mob
violence and other signs of social disintegration.
Dismantle
(verb)
to take to
pieces; to destroy the integrity or functioning of
Bush
said the "true test" would be if the Palestinian militant groups
would give up their arms and their ability to disrupt the peace process, Hamas
must be dismantled.
Dismay
(noun)
to deprive of
courage or the power to act as a result of fear, anxiety, or disgust.
In
1782 the now popular Mozart married Constance Weber from Germany, much
to his father's dismay.
Disorder
(noun)
a disturbance
of the health or physiological functioning of.
A
new term, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) was created in 1994 to replace Multiple
Personality Disorder.
Dispense
(verb)
to prepare
and distribute as in medication.
But
four states now allow pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception pills, and the
Federal Drug Administration (FDA) is considering a request to make Plan B
available over the counter.
Disperse (verb)
to cause to
separate and go in various directions.
Diamonds
allow light to be reflected and dispersed as a rainbow of color.
Displace
(verb)
to move
something from a position occupied.
Tsunamis
can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying
water.
Disposition
(noun)
the
combination of emotional, intellectual, and moral qualities that distinguishes
an individual.
A
crow looks mean and evil and some people say it has a disposition to match its
looks.
Disrepute
(noun)
loss of or
damage to one’s reputation.
Multiple
Personalities disorder was being thrown into disrepute because many
people were giving phony demonstrations of alter switching during television
talk shows.
Disruptive
(adjective)
troubling to
the mind or emotions.
Driven
by dizzying mutations in medical costs, program directors and staff ponder the disruptive dynamism of
these new healthcare reforms.
Disseminate (verb)
to pass
something out; to spread out.
Many
plants depend upon the wind to disseminate their pollen.
Dissertation
(noun)
a formal,
lengthy exposition on a topic.
Graduation
requirements include an empirical research project, a general preliminary examination,
and a dissertation project.
Dissipate
(verb)
to disappear
by or as if by dispersal of particles.
Helping
to dissipate heat, the
large neck of the giraffe serves as a cooling tower.
Dissociate
(verb)
to break the
ties of connection between; to separate from.
A
child may dissociate, and create an alternative personality to handle severe sexual or physical
abuse.
Distinctly
(adverb)
so as to be
easily perceived and understood.
Language
is a form of speech distinctly different from others, adding for good measure not, or only
partially, intelligible to others without special study.
Distinguishable
(adjective)
making
noticeable or different from something else.
Brown
diamond shaped markings are found along the middle of the rattlesnake’s back.
These
distinguishable markings stand
out against their lighter body color.
Distort
(verb)
to twist out
of a natural, normal, or original shape or condition; to cause to be perceived unnaturally.
The
agency is trying to find a way to modify the machines with an electronic fig
leaf programming that fuzzes out sensitive body parts or distorts the body so it
is unrecognizable.
Divergent
(adjective)
departing
from the normal; not like another in nature, quality, amount, or form.
While
healthcare strategies abound from diverse viewpoints and divergent professional groups,
no one strategy has all the answers to reform the medical healthcare enterprise.
Diversity
(noun)
the quality
of being made of many different elements, forms, kinds, or individuals.
Colleges seek an equal diversity in its applicants by looking at background, experience, and previous scholastic achievement.
Colleges seek an equal diversity in its applicants by looking at background, experience, and previous scholastic achievement.
Diurnal
(adjective)
opening
during the day and closing at night.
In
rural areas, businesses are mostly diurnal because there is not a large enough population
base to sustain extended hours operation.
Division
(noun)
one of the
parts into which something is divided.
William
Tecupseh Sherman, division commander, was quoted saying to reporters, "Take your
regiment to Ohio.
No enemy is nearer than Corinth."
Dizzying (adjective)
vastly
exceeding the normal limit, as in cost.
Driven
by dizzying mutations in
medical costs, program directors and staff ponder the disruptive dynamism of
these new reforms.
Doctorate
(adjective)
any degree at
the highest level awarded by universities.
A
student intending to teach and conduct sociological research will most likely
need a master’s or a doctorate degree.
Document
(verb)
anything
serving as proof.
Although
explosive eruptions at Kilauea are infrequent, deposits of ash discovered by United
States Geological Survey and other scientists document that they actually occur about
as often as explosive eruptions from volcanoes in the Cascade Range of the
Pacific Northwest, which includes Mount
St. Helens, Washington.
Doggedly
(adverb)
with firm
perseverance; with irrational determination of fixity of purpose.
The
attack pushed most Union divisions back to reform elsewhere. Others fought doggedly to hold their
line.
Domesticate
(verb)
to train to
live with and be of use to man.
The
single-humped Arabian camel has been domesticated for more than 5,000 years.
Dominant
(adjective)
most
important, influential, or significant.
The
abuse memories contained within alters are not typically accessible to the dominant personality.
Dormant
(adjective)
in a state of
temporary inactivity.
Farther
north of Stovepipe Wells is more salt pan and a dormant volcanic area
which includes Ubehebe Crater.
Downdraft
(noun)
a downward
air current.
The
strength of intense downdrafts that emerge from Rocky
Mountain storms can stir up
severe weather downstream.
Downpour
(noun)
a heavy rain.
The
scientists found that one downpour leads to another. In effect, they were able to pinpoint
the culprit of these torrential rains in the Midwest.
Downsizing
(noun)
the act of
reducing in size.
I
managed to survive two rounds of corporate downsizing, but the third
round was a 20 percent reduction in the workforce, which included me."
Down
slope (noun)
moving from
place of higher elevation to a place of lower elevation.
In
spring, the built up snow melts and runs down slope into brooks. These brooks flow down
and join a river.
Downstream
(noun)
in the
direction of the flow of water running along the surface of the earth; in the
direction of the flow of something.
The
strength of intense downdrafts that emerge from the mountain storms can stir up
severe weather downstream.
Drainage
(noun)
the act, the
process, or method for carrying off waster matter.
Human
activities which act to further destabilizing slopes are logging, woodland conversion,
road building, housing construction, and any activity which alters normal drainage patterns.
Dramatic
(adjective)
filled with
action, emotion, or exciting qualities.
Gases
trapped in ice cores show the dramatic impact that human activities have had
on the planet since the Industrial Revolution.
Drilling
(verb)
to do or
perform repeatedly so as to master.
At
the Union camp at Shiloh, the Federal troops
spent a day drilling and merry making.
Driven
(verb)
to fix an
idea in someone’s mind by emphasis and repetition.
Driven by an intense
need to characterize the traditions of the South, the writer sometimes depicts
his characters as vulnerable, ill-informed, and racist.
Drought
(noun)
a prolonged
or chronic shortage or lack of something, especially water.
A
serious Midwestern drought during the 1930's devastated many farmers’ crops.
Drunkenness
(noun)
given to
habitual excessive use of alcohol of, relating to, or characterized by
intoxication.
The
immediate physical effects of drinking alcohol range from mild mood changes to complete
loss of coordination, vision, balance, and speech any of which can be signals
of the temporary systemic poisoning known as acute alcohol intoxication, or drunkenness.
Dusk
(noun)
the period
between afternoon and nighttime.
It
is recommended that a driver turn his lights on at the first signs of dusk.
Dwarf
(verb)
to make
extremely small.
Given
that is has snowed 35
inches in less than two days, this blizzard dwarfs any other storm
that we have ever seen in our state.
Dwellings
(noun)
a building or
shelter where one lives.
Many
ancient Native American dwellings were built within the cliffs of the Grand Canyon
in Northern Arizona.
Dye
(noun)
something
that gives color.
Ancient
peoples used fermentation to make beer and used plants to produce dyes and medicines.
Dynamism (noun)
the quality
of being energetic, vigorous.
Driven
by dizzying mutations in medical costs, program directors and staff ponder the disruptive
dynamism of these new
reforms.
Dysfunction
(noun)
abnormal,
impaired, or incomplete functioning, as of a body organ or part.
Victims
may have a predisposition to mood disorders which can be heightened by dysfunctions in family
life.
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