4 N‑UNCOUNT The dazzle of a light is its brightness, which makes it impossible for you to see properly for a short time. □ The sun's dazzle on the water hurts my eyes.
5 → see also razzle-dazzle
dazz|ling /dæ zl I ŋ/
1 ADJ Something that is dazzling is very impressive or beautiful. □ He gave Alberg a dazzling smile. ● dazz|ling|ly ADV □ The view was dazzlingly beautiful.
2 ADJ A dazzling light is very bright and makes you unable to see properly for a short time. □ He shielded his eyes against the dazzling declining sun. ● dazz|ling|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ The loading bay seemed dazzlingly bright.
DC /diː siː / N‑UNCOUNT DC is used to refer to an electric current that always flows in the same direction. DC is an abbreviation for 'direct current'.
D -day N‑UNCOUNT You can use D-day to refer to the day that is chosen for the beginning of an important activity. □ D-day for my departure was set for 29th June.
DDT /diː diː tiː / N‑UNCOUNT DDT is a poisonous substance which is used for killing insects.
PREFIX de-
is added to some verbs to make verbs that mean the opposite. For example, if something degenerates , it becomes weaker.
dea|con /diː kən/ (deacons ) N‑COUNT A deacon is a member of the clergy, for example in the Church of England, who is lower in rank than a priest.
de|ac|tiv|ate /diæ kt I ve I t/ (deactivates , deactivating , deactivated ) VERB If someone deactivates an explosive device or an alarm, they make it harmless or impossible to operate. □ [V n] Russia is deactivating some of its deadliest missiles.
dead ◆◆◇ /de d/
1 ADJ A person, animal, or plant that is dead is no longer living. □ Her husband's been dead a year now. □ The group had shot dead another hostage. □ …old newspapers and dead flowers. ● N‑PLURAL The dead are people who are dead. □ The dead included six people attending a religious ceremony.
2 ADJ If you describe a place or a period of time as dead , you do not like it because there is very little activity taking place in it. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …some dead little town where the liveliest thing is the flies.
3 ADJ Something that is dead is no longer being used or is finished. □ The dead cigarette was still between his fingers.
4 ADJ If you say that an idea, plan, or subject is dead , you mean that people are no longer interested in it or willing to develop it any further. □ It's a dead issue, Baxter.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A dead language is no longer spoken or written as a means of communication, although it may still be studied. □ We used to grumble that we were wasting time learning a dead language.
6 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] A telephone or piece of electrical equipment that is dead is no longer functioning, for example because it no longer has any electrical power. □ On another occasion I answered the phone and the line went dead.
7 ADJ In sport, when a ball is dead , it has gone outside the playing area, or a situation has occurred in which the game has to be temporarily stopped, and none of the players can score points or gain an advantage. [JOURNALISM ]
8 ADJ [ADJ n] Dead is used to mean 'complete' or 'absolute', especially before the words 'centre', 'silence', and 'stop'. [EMPHASIS ] □ They hurried about in dead silence, with anxious faces. □ Lila's boat came to a dead stop.
9 ADV Dead means 'precisely' or 'exactly'. [EMPHASIS ] □ Mars was visible, dead in the centre of the telescope. □ Their arrows are dead on target.
10 ADV Dead is sometimes used to mean 'very'. [BRIT , INFORMAL , SPOKEN , EMPHASIS ] □ I am dead against the legalisation of drugs.
11 CONVENTION If you reply ' Over my dead body ' when a plan or action has been suggested, you are emphasizing that you dislike it, and will do everything you can to prevent it. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ 'Let's invite her to dinner.'—'Over my dead body!'
12 PHRASE If you say that something such as an idea or situation is dead and buried , you are emphasizing that you think that it is completely finished or past, and cannot happen or exist again in the future. [EMPHASIS ] □ I thought the whole business was dead and buried.
13 PHRASE If you say that a person or animal dropped dead or dropped down dead , you mean that they died very suddenly and unexpectedly. □ He dropped dead on the quayside.
14 PHRASE If you say that you feel dead or are half dead , you mean that you feel very tired or ill and very weak. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ You looked half dead after that journey.
15 PHRASE If something happens in the dead of night , at dead of night , or in the dead of winter , it happens in the middle part of the night or the winter, when it is darkest or coldest. [LITERARY ] □ We buried it in the garden at dead of night.
16 PHRASE If you say that you wouldn't be seen dead or be caught dead in particular clothes, places, or situations, you are expressing strong dislike or disapproval of them. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ I wouldn't be seen dead in a straw hat.
17 PHRASE To stop dead means to suddenly stop happening or moving. To stop someone or something dead means to cause them to suddenly stop happening or moving. □ We all stopped dead and looked at it.
18 PHRASE If you say that someone or something is dead in the water , you are emphasizing that they have failed, and that there is little hope of them being successful in the future. [EMPHASIS ] □ A 'no' vote would have left the treaty dead in the water.
19 to flog a dead horse → see flog