📖 D — The English dictionary

da — Everyday, meaning 1: (slang) «Da» is a playful spelling of «the», as in «da best»; it copies how some people say «the».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (Ireland, Scotland, Northern England, informal) «Da» means dad: «me da».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (Russian) «Da» means «yes» in Russian; written Ukrainian has «tak» for «yes»; everyday spoken Ukrainian accepts «da» as well.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (Italian, Portuguese) «Da» means «from» or «by».↗ e.g. Leonardo da Vinci means «Leonardo from Vinci».↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (Mandarin, pinyin) «Dà» means «big».↗ To an English ear it sounds like «dah».↗ Everyday, meaning 6: (a name) Da can also be part of a surname from Scotland or Ireland, such as Mac an Da’v.↗ Example: «Me da's picking me up after school», said Aoife.↗ · Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.↗ · «Da» means «yes» in Russian.↗ · In written Ukrainian, «yes» is «tak»; in everyday speech «da» is fine too.↗ · In Mandarin, «dà» means «big».↗ · The poster said «Da Best Burgers in Town».↗ · Grandad calls his own father «Da».↗ · Mac an Da’v turned to him.↗ · "'Das luenfte Element ist also nicht aus der fuenfren mathematischen Figur geworden, da dasselbe als Urgrund ganz formlos ist.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · '"Die Weltkugel besteht aus fuenf Koerpern: dies sind innerhalb der Kugel Feuer, Wasser, Erde, Luft und ausserdem fuenftens das Gehaeuse der Kugel selbst."↗ (Nestle, Die For- sokratiker.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · Deswegen spricht auch Stobaeus von bios vier Elementen, . . . weil das Juenfte Element als reiner Urgrund noch keine Zahl und daher im Kosmos nicht voshanden ist."↗ (S. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

dab — Everyday, meaning 1: (verb) To touch something lightly and quickly several times, often with a cloth or sponge: «dab your eyes».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (verb) To put on a small amount of something with light touches: «dab paint on the paper».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun) A small amount of something: «a dab of glue».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (noun) A light, quick touch.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (noun, informal) A dance move where you drop your head into the bent arm while the other arm points out.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: (UK informal) «a dab hand at» — very good at something.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: (noun) A small flat sea fish.↗ Everyday, meaning 8: Dabs (UK slang, old) fingerprints.↗ Example: Dab the cut gently with a clean tissue.↗ · She dabbed her eyes with a hanky at the end of the film.↗ · Dab blue paint on with a sponge to make the sky.↗ · Put a dab of glue on each corner.↗ · Add a dab of butter to the hot potatoes.↗ · The footballer did a dab to celebrate his goal.↗ · Grandma is a dab hand at knitting.↗ · We caught a little dab off the pier.↗ · Very funny the palace must have looked each morning, with the dabs of different colour on the white marble as the princes were climbing up the walls.↗

dabble — Everyday, meaning 1: To try an activity a little, as a hobby, without being very serious about it, as in «dabble in painting».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To move your hands or feet gently in water, splashing a bit.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of ducks) To feed by tipping forward to reach food in shallow water.↗ Example: My dad dabbles in photography at weekends.↗ · We dabbled our toes in the cool stream.↗ · Mallards are dabbling ducks that tip upside down to feed.↗ · She dabbled with the guitar before choosing the drums.↗ · The wizard had dabbled in magic he did not understand.↗ · I only dabble in cooking, but I can make pancakes.↗ · Then, going a little farther, Ceres would, perhaps, come to a fountain, gushing out of a pebbly hollow in the earth, and would dabble with her hand in the water.↗

dabchick — Everyday, meaning 1: A small water bird, also called the little grebe, which dives under water to catch small fish and insects and often swims with only its head showing.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Old name used for some other small grebes.↗ Example: A dabchick bobbed up near the reeds and dived again.↗ · The little grebe is often called a dabchick.↗ · Dabchicks build floating nests of weed.↗ · We watched a dabchick diving for tiny fish.↗ · The dabchick vanished under the water in a flash.↗ · Two dabchicks trilled loudly on the pond.↗

dachshund — Everyday, meaning 1: A dachshund is a small dog with a very long body, short legs and long ears, first bred in Germany to hunt badgers.↗ Example: Our neighbour has a dachshund called Frankie.↗ · The dachshund's tummy nearly touched the ground.↗ · Dachshunds were bred to dig into badger holes.↗ · People call a dachshund a sausage dog because of its shape.↗ · The miniature dachshund barked at the postman.↗ · A dachshund must be careful with stairs because of its long back.↗ · At the dog show, the dachshund wore a little jumper.↗

dad — Everyday, meaning 1: Dad is a word for father.↗ It is written with a capital letter when used as a name: «Thanks, Dad!».↗ Example: Her dad gave her 10 dollars.↗ · Dad picked 24 strawberries.↗ · Jill and her dad picked 30 in all.↗ · Her dad's strawberries weighed 12 pounds.↗ · My dad takes me to football on Saturdays.↗ · Thanks, Dad, for the lift!↗ · Dad is 6 years older than Mum.↗ · Ask your mum or dad before you go to a friend's house.↗ · "Dad, dad!" she cried, "look, look! the ox has brought us a bear.↗

daddy — Everyday, meaning 1: (informal) Daddy is what young children call their father.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (slang) «The daddy of them all» means the biggest or best one.↗ Example: Daddy, can you read me a story?↗ · The baby giraffe walked next to its daddy.↗ · «Daddy's home!» shouted my little sister.↗ · This storm is the daddy of them all.↗ · Daddy Bear had the biggest bowl.↗ · My daddy works nights.↗

daffodil — Everyday, meaning 1: A daffodil is a yellow spring flower with a trumpet-shaped centre that grows from a bulb.↗ Example: Daffodils come up in early spring.↗ · We planted daffodil bulbs in the autumn.↗ · The daffodil has a yellow trumpet in the middle.↗ · Mum bought a bunch of daffodils.↗ · The daffodil is a symbol of Wales.↗ · Count the petals on the daffodil.↗ · A host of golden daffodils danced in the breeze.↗

daft — Everyday, meaning 1: (informal, UK) Daft means silly or foolish.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal, UK) Daft about something means very keen on it.↗ e.g. "She's daft about horses."↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal, UK) A daft idea is one that does not make sense.↗ Example: Don't be daft, of course you can come!↗ · That was a daft thing to do.↗ · He's daft about football.↗ · It's a daft idea to swim in a storm.↗ · My dog is as daft as a brush.↗ · "Did you think I was angry?" "↗ Don't be daft!"↗ · We laughed at the daft jokes in the comic.↗

dagger — Everyday, meaning 1: A dagger is a short knife with a pointed blade, made as a weapon for stabbing.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (printing) A dagger (†) is a small mark used in books to point to a note, or next to a name to show the person has died.↗ Example: The Roman soldier carried a short dagger.↗ · The pirate hid a dagger in his boot.↗ · My sister looked daggers at me when I told Mum.↗ · It was a cloak-and-dagger plan to hide the birthday cake.↗ · The museum has a Viking dagger with a carved handle.↗ · Carrying a knife or dagger in public is against the law.↗ · Peter felt for his dagger till his hand gripped it.↗

dah — Everyday, meaning 1: Dah is the long sound or long signal in Morse code, written as a dash (−); the short one is «dit».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) «Dah» is a sound people say, as in «ta-dah!», when showing something proudly; it can also be a spelling of «duh» meaning «that's obvious».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (a name) Dah is not an English word in other uses; it may be a part of a name or a word in another language.↗ Example: In Morse code, the letter A is dit-dah.↗ · SOS is three dits, three dahs and three dits.↗ · Ta-dah! said the magician, pulling out a rabbit.↗ · Hold the button longer for a dah than for a dit.↗ · «Is water wet?»↗ «Dah, of course!»↗ · We tapped out dahs and dits on the desk.↗ · Deswegen spricht auch Stobaeus von bios vier Elementen, . . . weil das Juenfte Element als reiner Urgrund noch keine Zahl und daher im Kosmos nicht voshanden ist."↗ (S. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

dahl — Everyday, meaning 1: Dahl (also dal or dhal) is a South Asian dish of split lentils, peas or beans cooked with spices into a thick stew, or the dried split pulses themselves.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (a name) Roald Dahl is a famous children's author who wrote «Charlie and the Chocolate Factory», «Matilda» and «The BFG».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (a name) Dahl can also refer to Vladimir Dahl, a 19th-century Russian scholar who collected Russian words and sayings in a famous dictionary.↗ Example: We had dahl and rice for dinner.↗ · Red lentil dahl is quick to cook.↗ · Dahl is full of protein and fibre.↗ · Roald Dahl wrote «Matilda».↗ · Our class read a Roald Dahl book every term.↗ · Grandma adds cumin and garlic to her dahl.↗ · Dahl compares it with the Russian tyurma, a prison, and the German Thurm.↗

daily — Everyday, meaning 1: Happening or done every day.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Of or for one day: «the daily amount».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (adverb) Every day: «we feed the fish daily».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (noun) A newspaper printed every day.↗ Example: I brush my teeth twice daily.↗ · Reading is part of my daily routine.↗ · Feed the goldfish daily, but just a pinch.↗ · Daily exercise keeps your body healthy.↗ · She saves $2 daily, so in a week she saves $14.↗ · The medicine says «one tablet daily» — only an adult should give it.↗ · Grandpa reads the daily paper at breakfast.↗ · Matte and Maie grew fat on this fine living, and daily became richer.↗ · And the taskmasters were urgent, saying: 'Fulfil your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.'↗ (Torah EXO.5.13, JPS 1917)↗ · And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were set on mischief, when they said: 'Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily task.'↗ (Torah EXO.5.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And it shall come to pass on the sixth day that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.'↗ (Torah EXO.16.5, JPS 1917)↗ · So will I sing praise unto Thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.↗ (Writings PSA.61.9, JPS 1917)↗ · Then I was by Him, as a nursling; and I was daily all delight, playing always before Him, (Writings PRO.8.30, JPS 1917)↗ · Happy is the man that hearkeneth to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.↗ (Writings PRO.8.34, JPS 1917)↗

daintily — Everyday, meaning 1: In a neat, delicate and careful way, especially when eating or moving.↗ Example: The monkey took the food daintily.↗ · She picked up the cup daintily with two fingers.↗ · The cat stepped daintily over the wet grass.↗

dainty — Everyday, meaning 1: Small, neat, pretty and delicate: dainty feet, a dainty silver crown.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (of food) small and tasty, a little bite; a «dainty» is a small tasty treat.↗ Example: Here is a dainty bite for my breakfast.↗ · She had dainty hands and tiny feet.↗ · The fairy wore a dainty silver crown.↗ · Mum served little dainties on a plate.↗ · As for Asher, his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.↗ (Torah GEN.49.20, JPS 1917)↗ · Be not desirous of his dainties; seeing they are deceitful food.↗ (Writings PRO.23.3, JPS 1917)↗ · 'Stay ye me with dainties, refresh me with apples; for I am love-sick.'↗ (Writings SNG.2.5, JPS 1917)↗ · So that his life maketh him to abhor bread, and his soul dainty food.↗ (Writings JOB.33.20, JPS 1917)↗

dairy — Everyday, meaning 1: Food made from milk, such as cheese, butter, yoghurt and cream.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A place where milk is kept and made into butter or cheese.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A company that sells milk.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (NZ) A small corner shop.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (adjective) Related to milk (dairy farm, dairy cows).↗ Example: Cheese and yoghurt are dairy foods.↗ · My brother can't eat dairy.↗ · We visited a dairy farm and milked a cow.↗ · Dairy foods give us calcium.↗ · This ice cream is dairy-free.↗ · I bought a lolly at the dairy.↗ (NZ)↗ · Then the monkey got up and went to the dairy, and drank all the milk he could find.↗

dais — Everyday, meaning 1: A raised platform at one end of a hall, where a king, a speaker or a top table sits so that everyone can see.↗ Example: The king sat on the raised dais.↗ · The speaker stood on the dais to give his talk.↗ · The top table was set up on a dais above the crowd.↗

daisy — Everyday, meaning 1: A daisy is a small flower with white petals around a yellow middle.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Other flowers shaped like it, of many colours, are also called daisies.↗ Example: She picked 12 daisies.↗ · Each daisy has 20 petals.↗ · There are 5 rows of daisies with 8 in each row.↗ · He gave 3 daisies to his mom.↗ · We made a daisy chain in the park.↗ · Daisies close their petals at night.↗ · The lawn is full of daisies.↗ · She felt as fresh as a daisy.↗ · It is a simple daisy, just bursting out of the bud.↗

dakota — Everyday, meaning 1: North Dakota and South Dakota: two states in the middle north of the USA; together «the Dakotas».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The Dakota: a Native American people of the Great Plains, part of the Sioux nation; also their language.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (a name) Dakota is used as a first name.↗ Example: Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota.↗ · North Dakota has very cold winters.↗ · The Dakota people are part of the Sioux nation.↗ · The state is named after the Dakota people.↗ · The word Dakota is often said to mean «friends» or «allies».↗ · My cousin Dakota lives in Texas.↗ (a name)↗ · Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave.↗