English dictionary — definitions & meanings

DSP

abbreviation

Digital signal processing: the mathematical manipulation of signals such as sound, images or radio waves after they have been converted into numbers, used for filtering, compression and noise reduction.

DTB

noun

Don't trust bitches: an internet and tattoo slang initialism expressing distrust of women, or more loosely of people in general after a betrayal.

DTC

abbreviation

Direct-to-consumer: describing a business that sells its own products straight to shoppers, usually online, without going through wholesalers or retail shops.

DTF

adjective

Willing to have casual sex, with no expectation of a relationship. Most often stated in dating app profiles and messages.

DTM

abbreviation

Doing too much: used to say that someone is overreacting, showing off or putting far more effort into something than it deserves.

DTR

abbreviation

Define the relationship: a conversation in which two people who have been dating agree on what they actually are to each other and whether they are exclusive.

Du

name

A Chinese surname.

duad

noun

A pair or couple.

dual

adj

Made up of two parts, or relating to two of something.

dualistic

adj

Of or relating to dualism.

duality

noun

The state of having two parts, often ones that seem opposed to each other.

duan

noun

A section of a long poem, especially in Scottish or Irish poetry; also, a poem or song in general.

Duane

noun

A male given name, from an Irish surname.

Duarte

noun

A surname of Spanish or Portuguese origin.

dub

verb

To give something a name or nickname.

Dubai

noun

A city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates, known for its skyscrapers and luxury developments.

dubash

noun

An Indian translator or interpreter, particularly in their role as a household steward for British colonizers.

dubbed

adj

Given a nickname or title.

dubbing

noun

The process of replacing a film's original spoken audio with a translated or re-recorded track.

dubiety

noun

Doubtfulness.

dubious

adj

Causing doubt or suspicion; of questionable quality or honesty.

dubiousness

noun

The state of being dubious or suspicious.

Dublin

noun

The capital city of Ireland.

Dubois

noun

A surname of French origin.

Dubrovnik

noun

A historic walled port city on Croatia's Adriatic coast.

dubya

name

A nickname for and abbreviation of George W. Bush.

duc

noun

A French duke.

ducal

adj

Of or pertaining to a duke, a duchess, or the duchy or dukedom they hold.

duce

noun

An authoritarian leader, especially as a title used by Benito Mussolini.

Duchamp

name

A French surname, notably borne by the artist Marcel Duchamp.

duchess

noun

The wife or widow of a duke, or a woman who rules a duchy in her own right.

duchesse

noun

A French duchess.

duchy

noun

A territory or state ruled by a duke or duchess.

duck

noun

A web-footed water bird, often kept domestically or hunted.

Duckburg

name

The fictional home city of Donald Duck and friends in Disney comics and cartoons.

ducking

noun

An instance of dropping down quickly to avoid something, or of dodging responsibility.

duckish

adj

Characteristically resembling a duck; somewhat ducklike

duckling

noun

A young duck.

Duckman

noun

A person who raises ducks, especially for meat or eggs.

ducks

noun

Plural of duck; also, an informal term for two of something, especially in scoring.

Duckworth

noun

A surname of English origin.

ducky

noun

An affectionate word for a duck, especially a toy rubber duck.

duct

noun

A tube, pipe, or channel that carries a gas, liquid, or cable from one place to another.

ductile

adj

Capable of being pulled or stretched into thin wire by mechanical force without breaking.

ductility

noun

Ability of a material to be drawn out longitudinally to a reduced section without fracture under the action of a tensile force.

ductus

noun

The number of strokes that make up a written letter, and the direction, sequence and speed in which they are written (Compare graph; see also aspect.)

dud

noun

Something, especially a bomb or device, that fails to work as intended.

dude

noun

(informal) A man, especially a young man.

dudelet

noun

An effeminate young man who strives to be fashionable; a dandy.

dudgeon

noun

A feeling of anger or resentment, especially haughty indignation.

Dudley

name

A market town and borough in the West Midlands of England.

duds

noun

Clothes, especially plain, worn, or work clothing.

due

adj

Owed, or expected to arrive or happen at a particular time.

due diligence

noun

The careful investigation and checking a sensible person carries out before committing to something important, such as verifying facts, records and risks before a purchase or agreement.

due process

noun

The requirement that the state treat a person fairly and follow established legal procedures before depriving them of life, liberty or property, including fair notice of the charges and a chance to be heard.

due to the fact

phrase

Used with 'that' to introduce the reason or cause for something; it means the same as 'because'.

duel

noun

A prearranged fight between two people, historically to settle a matter of honor.

dueling

noun

The practice or act of fighting a duel.

dues

noun

Regular payments required to belong to a club, union, or organization.

duet

noun

A piece of music performed by two singers or instrumentalists.

duff

noun

A stiff, boiled or steamed pudding, often made with dried fruit.

duffel

noun

A thick, coarse woolen cloth with a heavy nap, or a bag made from sturdy material for carrying gear.

duffer

noun

An unskilled, clumsy, or incompetent person, especially at a sport.

Duffy

name

An Irish surname, also found in Scotland; also a suburb of Canberra, Australia.

dug

noun

The udder, teat, or nipple of a female mammal.

Dugan

name

An Irish surname.

Duggan

name

An Irish surname, a variant of Dugan.

dugout

noun

A canoe made by hollowing out a single log.

duh

intj

Used to point out, often sarcastically, that something is obvious.

duke

noun

A male ruler of a duchy, or a nobleman holding the highest rank below a prince.

dukedom

noun

A region ruled by a duke or duchess.

dukes

noun

(slang) Fists, especially when raised to fight.

dulaney

name

A surname from Irish.

dulce

adj

Sweet (used especially in Spanish-influenced English, as in dessert names).

dulcify

verb

To sweeten the taste of.

dulcinea

noun

A sweetheart or beloved woman, especially an idealized one.

dulcorate

verb

To sweeten (literal or figurative).

dull

adj

Boring; lacking interest or excitement.

dulled

adj

Made less sharp, bright, or intense.

dullen

verb

To make dull or duller; to dull.

dullness

noun

The quality of being slow of understanding things.

dullwittedness

noun

The quality of being dull-witted.

Duluth

name

A city and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, on Lake Superior.

duly

adv

In the proper, expected, or correct manner.

duly noted

phrase

Used to confirm that a comment, request or objection has been heard and properly recorded.

dum

adj

Cooked slowly by trapping steam inside a sealed pot, as in South Asian cuisine.

duma

noun

A Russian legislative assembly, especially the lower house of Russia's national parliament.

Dumas

name

A French surname, notably borne by the novelist Alexandre Dumas; also a city in Texas.

dumb

adj

Stupid or unintelligent; showing poor judgment.

dumbass

noun

(vulgar slang) A stupid or foolish person.

dumbbell

noun

A short handheld weight used for strength training, with a load on each end.

dumbfound

verb

To confuse and bewilder; to leave speechless.

dumbfounded

adj

So surprised or shocked that one is unable to speak or react.

dumble

noun

A shady valley, a dingle; especially one with steep wooded sides and a stream running through it.

dumbledore

noun

An old dialect word for a bumblebee.

dumbling

noun

One who is unintelligent, dumb, or stupid; a dummy; idiot.

dumbly

adv

In a silent way.

dumbness

noun

The state of being mute: that is, of not communicating vocally, whether from selective mutism (refusal to speak) or from an inability to speak.

dumbo

noun

(informal, mildly insulting) A stupid or foolish person.

dumminess

noun

The quality of being silly or foolish.

dummkopf

noun

A stupid person; a dolt, dimwit, or blockhead.

dummy

noun

A model or replica of a person or object, used as a stand-in.

Dumont

name

A French surname, and a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey.

dump

noun

A site where waste or garbage is disposed of.

dumpcart

noun

A cart, often two-wheeled, that can be tilted to empty its contents.

dumper

noun

A small vehicle often used to carry loads and material around, often on building sites; a dumpcart.

dumping

noun

The act of discarding or disposing of something, especially carelessly or illegally.

dumpling

noun

A small piece of dough, often filled, that is boiled, steamed, or added to a stew.

dumpster

noun

A large metal container for trash, designed to be emptied by a garbage truck.

dumpy

adj

Short and stout in build; stocky.

dun

adj

A dull greyish-brown colour.

Dunbar

name

A Scottish surname, and a town in East Lothian, Scotland.

Duncan

name

A male given name and surname of Scottish Gaelic origin, borne by two early kings of Scotland; also the name of numerous towns worldwide.

dunce

noun

Someone regarded as slow-witted or foolish, especially at learning.

duncedom

noun

The realm or domain of dunces; dunces collectively.

duncehood

noun

The quality, condition, or character of a dunce; mental opacity.

duncical

adj

Like a dunce; stupid or silly.

Dundee

name

A city in Scotland, and the name of numerous other places worldwide.

dunder

noun

The residue left over from fermenting sugarcane juice, used to flavour rum during distillation.

dunderhead

noun

A stupid person; a dunce.

dune

noun

A mound or ridge of loose sand shaped by wind or water.

dung

noun

The solid waste matter of an animal; manure.

dungaree

noun

Heavy denim fabric, often blue; blue jean material.

dungarees

noun

Heavy denim pants or trousers, usually with bib and braces, worn especially as work clothing.

dungeon

noun

A dark, often underground prison cell, typically found beneath an old castle.

Dunham

name

A surname of Old English origin.

dunk

verb

To dip something briefly into a liquid.

dunker

noun

Someone who dunks.

Dunkin

name

A surname, also used as a shortened, phonetic form of "Dunkin'" in the coffee chain Dunkin' Donuts.

dunking

noun

The act of briefly submerging something, or someone, in a liquid.

Dunkirk

name

A port town in northern France, the site of a major Allied evacuation in 1940.

Dunlap

name

A surname, and the name of several towns in the United States.

Dunlop

noun

A rubber tyre made by the Dunlop company, or loosely, any pneumatic tyre.

Dunn

name

An Irish surname, and a city in Harnett County, North Carolina.

Dunne

name

An Irish surname, a variant spelling of Dunn.

dunnekin

noun

An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.

dunning

noun

The act of repeatedly pressing someone to pay a debt they owe.

dunno

noun

An informal, run-together way of saying "I don't know," used mainly in speech and casual writing.

dunnock

noun

A small European and Asian passerine bird, Prunella modularis; the hedge sparrow or hedge warbler.

dunny

adj

Somewhat dun, dusky brownish.

Dunphy

name

A surname, often of Irish origin.

Dunston

name

A surname, and the name of several villages in England.

duo

noun

Two people, especially performers or partners, doing something together.

duodecimal

adj

Of a number, expressed in base twelve.

duodecimate

noun

Synonym of duodecimvirate: a group of twelve.

duomo

noun

A cathedral, or a cathedral-like building, especially one in Italy.

dupe

verb

To trick or deceive someone, usually to gain something from them.

duper

noun

Someone who deceives or tricks others.

dupery

noun

The act or practice of duping; the condition of being deceived.

duplet

noun

A group of two things.