Putnam's Word Book - Part 59
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Part 59

deteriorate, v. decline, degenerate, retrograde; corrupt, vitiate, debase, degrade.

deterioration, n. decline, degeneration, retrogression; vitiation, corruption, debas.e.m.e.nt.

detest, v. loathe, despise, abominate, abhor, hate, execrate.

detestable, a. abominable, loathsome, execrable, abhorrent.

detestation, n. abomination, execration, loathing, abhorrence, antipathy.

deuced, a. (Low) devilish, excessive, extreme.

devastate, v. desolate, sack, despoil, ravage, plunder.

devastation, n. desolation, sacking, despoliation, ravage, havoc.

develop, v. mature, evolve; unfold, disentangle, unravel. Antonyms: atrophy, blast, blight.

development, n. unfoldment, progression, evolution; hypertrophy (excessive development). Antonyms: atrophy, undevelopment, abortion, embryo.

deviate, v. swerve, deflect, digress, stray, wander, diverge.

Antonym: continue.

deviation, n. swerving, deflection, digression, divergence.

device, n. contrivance, invention, expedient, wile, maneuver, artifice, trickery; symbol, motto, legend, cognizance.

devil, n. Satan, Lucifer, Apollyon, Belial, Beelzebub, deuce, d.i.c.kens, Mephistopheles, Asmodeus, Abaddon; demon, fiend. a.s.sociated words: diabolology, Satanic, demoniac, exorcise, exorcism, diabolism, Izedi, Izedism, demonology.

devilish, a. demoniac, diabolical, fiendish, infernal; atrocious, reprobate.

devil-may-care, a. reckless, defiant.

deviltry, n. devilry, diablerie, devilment, fiendishness.

devious, a. wandering, circuitous, mazy, winding, tortuous, roundabout; erring, sinful.

devise, v. contrive, invent, scheme, concoct, excogitate; bequeath.

devoted person. devotee, zealot.

devotion, n. consecration, dedication; zeal, allegiance, attachment, love; worship, adoration; religion, holiness, devoutness; fetishism, infatuation.

devotional, a. reverential, devout.

devour, v. consume.

devout, a. pious, reverent, devotional, G.o.dly, holy, religious.

Antonyms: irreverent, irreligious, impious, unholy.

dexterity, n. expertness, skill, adroitness, apt.i.tude, readiness.

dexterous, a. expert, adroit, skillful.

dialing, n. gnomonics.

dialogue, n. colloquy, duologue, interlocutory, interlocution, collocution. a.s.sociated Words: interlocutor, interlocutory, collocutor.

diarrhea, n. flux; lientery; (of cattle) scour.

diatribe, n. philippic, tirade, invective, screed.

dice, n. die, cube. a.s.sociated Word: cleromancy.

d.i.c.ker, v. trade, barter, negotiate, exchange.--n. barter, trade, exchange, chaffering.

dictate, n. command, admonition, prescription, impulse.

dictator, n. despot, autocrat.

dictatorial, a. imperious, dogmatical, overbearing.

diction, n. language, phraseology.

dictionary, n. lexicon, vocabulary, wordbook, glossary; gazetteer, gradus, onomasticon, idioticon, thesaurus. a.s.sociated Words: lexicography, lexicographer, lexicographic.

dido, n. trick, antic, caper, prank.

die, v. expire, perish, decease; wither, fade, vanish, recede, wane, subside, languish.

die, n. dice; stamp.

differ, v. be unlike; disagree. Antonyms: agree, concur.

difference, n. dissimilarity, unlikeness, distinction, variation, contrast, discrepancy, discrimination, disparity, diversity, dissimilitude, incompatibility, inequality, heterogeneity, variety; dissension, variance. See disagreement. Antonyms: uniformity, similarity, agreement consonance, correspondence, indiscrimination, promiscuity, ident.i.ty.

different, a. dissimilar, unlike, contrary, opposite, contrasted, variant, diversified, manifold, various, diverse, sundry, incompatible, heterogeneous, nondescript, miscellaneous uncla.s.sifiable, unique.

Antonyms: similar, like, same.

differentiate, v. discriminate.

differentiation, n. discrimination.

difficult, a. arduous, onerous, complicated, intricate, hard; uncompliant, intractable, perverse, fastidious, exacting. Antonyms: facile, light, easy.

difficulty, n. obstacle, impediment, obstruction; arduousness, hardness; controversy, disagreement, objection, cavil; predicament, quandary, dilemma. Antonyms: ease, facility, extrication, release.

diffidence, n. timidity, bashfulness.