English dictionary — definitions & meanings

donk

noun

A sub-genre of Scouse house music containing distinctive percussion sounds, or a sound typical of this genre.

donkey

noun

A domesticated animal related to the horse, with long ears and a braying call, used for riding and carrying loads.

Donkeys

noun

An informal nickname for the Brisbane Broncos rugby league club.

donkin

name

A surname transferred from the given name.

donna

noun

A title of respect for a lady, especially in Italy, roughly equivalent to "madam."

Donne

name

An English surname, notably held by the poet John Donne.

Donnelly

name

An Irish surname, and a place name found in Canada and the United States.

donner

verb

Slang for to beat up or thrash someone.

Donnie

name

A diminutive of the male given names Don, Donald, or Donovan.

Donny

name

A familiar, shortened form of the given names Donald, Don, or Donovan.

dono

noun

Informal shorthand for a donation, especially a small one made to a streamer or online creator.

donor

noun

A person or organization that gives something, especially money, blood, or an organ.

Donovan

noun

British slang for a potato.

Dons

name

A nickname for several English football clubs, including Aberdeen FC and AFC Wimbledon.

donzel

noun

A young squire or the attendant to a knight; a page

doo

noun

A dog's feces (usually said as "doo-doo").

doober

noun

A thingamajig; a whatchamacallit.

doobie

noun

Slang for a rolled marijuana cigarette, a joint.

dood

noun

A riding camel or dromedary.

doodad

noun

Used to refer to something whose name one cannot recall: an unspecified device, gadget, part, or thing.

doodle

verb

To draw or scribble absent-mindedly, usually while thinking about something else.

doodlebug

noun

The V-1 flying bomb.

doodling

noun

The act of sketching aimlessly, or a careless drawing produced that way.

doody

noun

Childish word for feces, poop.

doof

intj

Imitating an electronic drum sound.

doofer

noun

An object whose name the speaker or writer cannot remember or does not know.

doofoid

noun

An idiot; a simpleton; a fool.

doofus

noun

A foolish, clumsy, or silly person.

doog

name

A diminutive of the male given name Douglas, variant of Doug

Doogie

name

A diminutive of the male given name Douglas, a variant of Dougie.

doohickey

noun

A thing (used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one does not know or cannot recall)

doohickus

noun

An unspecified or nameless thing; doohickey.

doohinkey

noun

An unspecified or nameless thing; doohickey.

doohinkus

noun

An unspecified or nameless thing; doohickey.

dookie

noun

Informal American slang for feces.

doolally

adj

Eccentric; insane, mad.

Dooley

name

An Irish surname.

Doolittle

name

An English surname, and the name of small towns in Missouri and Texas.

doom

noun

A terrible fate that seems certain and impossible to avoid, especially death or destruction.

doomed

adj

Certain to end in failure, disaster, or death.

doomsday

noun

The imagined day of final judgment or the end of the world.

doomsman

noun

One who renders judgement (e.g. a judge, magistrate, or arbiter); an umpire.

doon

adverb

A Scots dialect form of "down."

door

noun

A hinged or sliding panel used to open and close an entrance to a room, building, or vehicle.

doorbell

noun

A button or device by an entrance that rings or chimes to alert people inside that someone is at the door.

doorkeeper

noun

The person in charge of an entryway, sometimes responsible for security in the immediate area around the entryway.

doorknob

noun

The rounded handle you turn to open a door.

doorknocker

noun

A knocker mounted on a door.

doorman

noun

An employee stationed at the entrance of a building, especially a hotel or apartment block, who greets visitors, opens the door, and often helps with deliveries or taxis.

doormat

noun

A mat placed at an entrance for wiping shoes before going inside.

doornail

noun

A large-headed nail traditionally used to build and decorate wooden doors.

doorpost

noun

Either of the upright posts on either side of a door, which together support a lintel; a doorjamb.

doorsill

noun

The horizontal piece of material at the threshold of a doorway; a doorstep.

doorstep

noun

The step just outside the entrance to a house.

doorstop

noun

Any device or object used to halt the motion of a door, as a large or heavy object, a wedge, or some piece of hardware fixed to the floor, door or wall.

doorway

noun

The opening where a door is set; the entrance to a room or building.

doos

noun

Uncommon spelling of dos; plural of do.

doot

verb

A Scots dialect word meaning to doubt or suspect.

doovalacky

noun

Something that one does not readily recall the name of; a whatchamacallit.

doozy

noun

(informal) Something remarkable, often because it's especially difficult, surprising, or impressive.

dopamine

noun

A chemical made in the brain that acts as a neurotransmitter, playing a key role in feelings of pleasure, motivation, and reward.

dope

noun

(informal) An illegal drug, especially marijuana or heroin.

doped

adj

Under the influence of drugs, especially a sedative.

dopey

adj

Silly, slow-witted, or groggy, as if drugged or half asleep.

doping

noun

The use of banned drugs to improve performance in sports.

doppelganger

noun

Someone who looks strikingly like another person, or a ghostly double of a living person.

Doppler

verb

(informal) To pass by while emitting a sound whose pitch changes due to the Doppler effect.

dor

noun

A large European dung beetle known for the droning hum it makes while flying.

Dora

name

A female given name, often short for Dorothy or Theodora.

Dorado

noun

A large, brightly colored ocean fish, also called mahi-mahi or dolphinfish, prized for its iridescent skin and as food.

Doran

name

An Irish surname.

Dorcas

noun

A member of a charitable sewing group that makes and gives clothing to the poor.

Dorchester

name

A town in Dorset, England, and the county town of the region; also the name of several places in the United States and Canada.

Doreen

name

A feminine given name, and a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

Doren

name

A German surname.

Dorfman

name

A surname of German or Jewish origin.

Dorian

adj

Relating to the Dorians, an ancient Greek people, or to their dialect and culture.

Dorinda

name

A feminine given name of Ancient Greek origin.

Doris

name

A female given name, popular in Britain and the US in the early 20th century, from the Greek name of a sea-nymph.

dork

noun

A socially awkward or uncool person, often with unfashionable interests — usually said affectionately rather than as a real insult.

dorky

adj

Awkward or uncool in a slightly endearing way.

dorm

verb

To live in a dormitory.

dormancy

noun

The state or characteristic of being dormant; quiet, inactive restfulness.

dormant

adj

Temporarily inactive, as if asleep, but capable of becoming active again.

dormition

noun

The process of falling asleep.

dormitive

noun

A medicine to promote sleep; a soporific or opiate.

dormitory

noun

A large room or building with many beds, used for communal sleeping, especially by students.

Dorn

name

A surname, often of German origin.

Dorotea

name

A town and municipality in Västerbotten County, northern Sweden.

Dorothea

name

A feminine given name of Ancient Greek origin, a Latinate variant of Dorothy.

Dorothy

name

A feminine given name of Ancient Greek origin, meaning "gift of god".

dorris

name

A city in Siskiyou County, California, United States.

dorsal

adj

Located on or relating to the upper or back side of an animal, fish, or body part — the side where the backbone runs.

Dorset

name

A county in south-west England, on the English Channel coast.

Dorsey

name

A surname of Norman origin, and the name of several small communities in the United States.

dorsum

noun

The back or dorsal region on the surface of an animal.

dorter

noun

A bedroom or dormitory, especially in a monastery.

dory

noun

A small, narrow boat with a flat bottom and pointed ends, traditionally used for fishing.

DoS

noun

A denial-of-service attack, in which a system is flooded with traffic to make it unavailable.

dosa

noun

A thin, crispy South Indian pancake made from a fermented batter of rice and lentils.

dosage

noun

The size and frequency of doses of a medicine given to a patient.

dose

noun

A measured amount of medicine taken at one time.

dosh

noun

Money, especially in casual British speech.

doss

verb

To sleep somewhere makeshift or temporary, especially not in one's own bed.

dosser

noun

Someone who dosses, someone known for avoiding work.

dossier

noun

A collection of documents gathered together on a particular person, case, or subject.

Dost

name

A German surname.

Dostoevsky

name

An English spelling of the Russian surname of the novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky, author of "Crime and Punishment" and "The Brothers Karamazov."

Dostoyevsky

name

An alternate English spelling of the Russian surname of the novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Dot

noun

A small, round mark or spot.

dotage

noun

Decline in judgment and other cognitive functions, associated with aging; senility.

dote

verb

To show excessive love or fondness for someone, often overlooking their faults.

doting

adj

Showing excessive, often uncritical, love and affection.

dots

noun

Plural of dot; also used for the punctuation mark of three dots (an ellipsis) showing an unfinished thought or omitted text.

dotted

adj

Marked or covered with dots, or made up of a line of dots.

dotterel

noun

A gullible fool, especially an elderly person with impaired faculties.

Dottie

name

A diminutive of the female given name Dorothy, also spelled Dotty.

dottle

noun

A plug or tap of a vessel.

dotty

adj

Mildly eccentric or confused, especially due to old age.

double

adj

Twice the usual size, amount, or number, or consisting of two matching parts.

double check

verb

To check something a second time to be sure it is right or safe, especially when a mistake would matter.

double down

phrasal verb

To commit even more firmly to a position, strategy or claim, especially after it has been criticised or has started to go wrong.

doublehearted

adj

deceitful; treacherous; double-crossing.

doubles

noun

A match or game played between two teams of two players each, especially in tennis or badminton.

doublespeak

noun

Any language deliberately constructed to disguise or distort its actual meaning, often by employing euphemism or ambiguity.

doublet

noun

A pair of two similar or equal things; couple.

doubling

noun

The act or process of making or becoming twice as large.

doubly

adv

To an even greater degree; in two respects at once.

doubt

verb

To feel uncertain about something, or to believe it is unlikely to be true.

doubted

adj

Regarded with suspicion or uncertainty; not fully trusted.

doubter

noun

A person who has doubts or is skeptical about something.

doubtful

adjective

Not certain to happen or be true; uncertain.

doubtfully

adv

In a doubtful manner, in context of doubt or ambiguity, questionably.

doubtfulness

noun

The state or quality of being doubtful; doubt; uncertainty.

doubting

adjective

Feeling or expressing uncertainty about something.

doubtless

adverb

Almost certainly; very probably.

doubtlessly

adv

Without question; indubitably.

douceur

noun

Sweetness of manner: agreeableness, gentleness.

douche

noun

A jet of water directed onto or into the body, especially for cleansing.

douchebag

noun

An obnoxious, arrogant, or unpleasant person (slang).

doucheburger

noun

A rude, obnoxious, or contemptible person.

douchecanoe

noun

A rude, obnoxious, or contemptible person.

douchewad

noun

A rude, obnoxious, or annoying person.

douchewagon

noun

A rude, obnoxious, or contemptible person.

Doug

name

A diminutive of the male given name Douglas.

Dougal

name

A male given name and surname of Scottish Gaelic origin.

dough

noun

A thick, soft mixture of flour and liquid used for baking bread, pastry, or similar foods.

doughboy

noun

An American infantry soldier, especially one who served in World War I.

doughnut

noun

A small, sweet, deep-fried piece of dough, usually ring-shaped or filled with jam or cream.

doughty

adj

Bold; brave, courageous.