agreement: It looks as though a compromise agreement has now been reached.
understanding: We had not set a date for marriage but there was an understanding between us.
contract: The company won a prestigious contract for work on Europe's tallest building.
pact: Last month he signed a new non-aggression pact with Germany.
deal|break|er /diː lbre I kə r / (dealbreakers ) N‑COUNT A dealbreaker is an issue that prevents people from reaching an agreement. □ Their refusal to change location was a dealbreaker.
deal|er ◆◇◇ /diː lə r / (dealers )
1 N‑COUNT A dealer is a person whose business involves buying and selling things. □ …an antique dealer. □ …dealers in commodities and financial securities.
2 → see also wheeler-dealer
3 N‑COUNT A dealer is someone who buys and sells illegal drugs. □ They aim to clear every dealer from the street. SYNONYMS dealer NOUN 1
trader: Market traders display an exotic selection of the island's produce.
merchant: Any knowledgeable wine merchant would be able to advise you.
supplier: …Hillsdown Holdings, one of the U.K.'s biggest food suppliers.
tradesman: There was a meeting of the local tradesmen.
deal|er|ship /diː lə r ʃ I p/ (dealerships ) N‑COUNT A dealership is a company that sells cars, usually for one car company. □ …a car dealership.
dea l|ing room (dealing rooms ) N‑COUNT A dealing room is a place where shares, currencies, or commodities are bought and sold. [BUSINESS ]
deal|ings /diː l I ŋz/ N‑PLURAL Someone's dealings with a person or organization are the relations that they have with them or the business that they do with them. □ [+ with ] He has learnt little in his dealings with the international community.
dea l-maker (deal-makers ) also dealmaker N‑COUNT A deal-maker is someone in business or politics who makes deals. ● deal-making N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] □ …a chairman with a reputation for deal-making. □ …Britain's deal-making culture.
dealt /de lt/ Dealt is the past tense and past participle of deal .
dean /diː n/ (deans )
1 N‑COUNT A dean is an important official at a university or college. □ [+ of ] She was Dean of the Science faculty at Sophia University.
2 N‑COUNT A dean is a priest who is the main administrator of a large church. □ [+ of ] …Alan Webster, former Dean of St Paul's.
dear ◆◇◇ /d I ə r / (dearer , dearest , dears )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use dear to describe someone or something that you feel affection for. □ Mrs Cavendish is a dear friend of mine.
2 ADJ If something is dear to you or dear to your heart , you care deeply about it. □ This is a subject very dear to the hearts of academics up and down the country.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] You use dear in expressions such as ' my dear fellow ', ' dear girl ', or ' my dear Richard ' when you are addressing someone whom you know and are fond of. You can also use expressions like this in a rude way to indicate that you think you are superior to the person you are addressing. [BRIT , FEELINGS ] □ Of course, Toby, my dear fellow, of course.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] Dear is written at the beginning of a letter, followed by the name or title of the person you are writing to. □ Dear Peter, I have been thinking about you so much during the past few days.
5 CONVENTION In British English, you begin formal letters with ' Dear Sir ' or ' Dear Madam '. In American English, you begin them with 'Sir' or 'Madam'. [WRITTEN ] □ 'Dear sir,' she began.
6 N‑COUNT You can call someone dear as a sign of affection. [FEELINGS ] □ You're a lot like me, dear.
7 EXCLAM You can use dear in expressions such as ' oh dear ', ' dear me ', and ' dear, dear ' when you are sad, disappointed, or surprised about something. [FEELINGS ] □ 'Oh dear, oh dear.' McKinnon sighed. 'You, too.'
8 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that something is dear , you mean that it costs a lot of money, usually more than you can afford or more than you think it should cost. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ Clothes here are much dearer than in the States.
9 PHRASE If something that someone does costs them dear , they suffer a lot as a result of it. □ Such complacency is costing the company dear.
dear|est /d I ə r I st/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] When you are writing to someone you are very fond of, you can use dearest at the beginning of the letter before the person's name. □ Dearest Maria, Aren't I terrible, not coming back like I promised?
2 nearest and dearest → see near
dearie /d I ə ri/ N‑COUNT Some people use dearie as a friendly way of addressing someone, or as a way of showing that they think they are superior. [BRIT , INFORMAL , FEELINGS ]
dear|ly /d I ə r li/
1 ADV [ADV with v] If you love someone dearly , you love them very much. [FORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ She loved her father dearly.
2 ADV [ADV before v] If you would dearly like to do or have something, you would very much like to do it or have it. [FORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ I would dearly love to marry.