de|crep|it /d I kre p I t/ ADJ Something that is decrepit is old and in bad condition. Someone who is decrepit is old and weak. □ The film had been shot in a decrepit old police station.
de|crepi|tude /d I kre p I tjuːd, [AM ] -tuːd/ N‑UNCOUNT Decrepitude is the state of being very old and in poor condition. [FORMAL ] □ The building had a general air of decrepitude and neglect.
de|crimi|nal|ize /diː kr I m I nəla I z/ (decriminalizes , decriminalizing , decriminalized ) in BRIT, also use decriminalise VERB When a criminal offence is decriminalized , the law changes so that it is no longer a criminal offence. □ [be V -ed] …the question of whether prostitution should be decriminalized. [Also V n] ● de|crimi|nali|za|tion /diː kr I m I nəla I ze I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] We urged the Government to consider decriminalisation of personal drug possession.
de|cry /d I kra I / (decries , decrying , decried ) VERB If someone decries an idea or action, they criticize it strongly. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He is impatient with those who decry the scheme. □ [V n + as ] People decried the campaign as a waste of money.
dedi|cate /de d I ke I t/ (dedicates , dedicating , dedicated )
1 VERB If you say that someone has dedicated themselves to something, you approve of the fact that they have decided to give a lot of time and effort to it because they think that it is important. [APPROVAL ] □ [V pron-refl + to ] Back on the island, he dedicated himself to politics. □ [V n + to ] Bessie has dedicated her life to caring for others. ● dedi|cat|ed ADJ □ [+ to ] He's quite dedicated to his students. ● dedi|ca|tion N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ to ] We admire her dedication to the cause of humanity.
2 VERB If someone dedicates something such as a book, play, or piece of music to you, they mention your name, for example in the front of a book or when a piece of music is performed, as a way of showing affection or respect for you. □ [V n + to ] She dedicated her first album to Woody Allen.
dedi|cat|ed /de d I ke I t I d/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You use dedicated to describe someone who enjoys a particular activity very much and spends a lot of time doing it. □ Her great-grandfather had clearly been a dedicated and stoical traveller.
2 ADJ You use dedicated to describe something that is made, built, or designed for one particular purpose or thing. □ Such areas should also be served by dedicated cycle routes. □ [+ to ] …the world's first museum dedicated to ecology.
3 → see also dedicate
dedi|ca|tion /de d I ke I ʃ ə n/ (dedications )
1 N‑COUNT A dedication is a message which is written at the beginning of a book, or a short announcement which is sometimes made before a play or piece of music is performed, as a sign of affection or respect for someone.
2 → see also dedicate
de|duce /d I djuː s, [AM ] -duː s/ (deduces , deducing , deduced ) VERB If you deduce something or deduce that something is true, you reach that conclusion because of other things that you know to be true. □ [V that] Alison had cleverly deduced that I was the author of the letter. □ [be V -ed + from ] The date of the document can be deduced from references to the Civil War. □ [V n] She hoped he hadn't deduced the reason for her visit. [Also V n from n, V with quote]
de|duct /d I dʌ kt/ (deducts , deducting , deducted ) VERB When you deduct an amount from a total, you subtract it from the total. □ [V n + from ] The company deducted this payment from his compensation. [Also V n]
de|duc|tion /d I dʌ kʃ ə n/ (deductions )
1 N‑COUNT A deduction is a conclusion that you have reached about something because of other things that you know to be true. □ [+ about ] It was a pretty astute deduction.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Deduction is the process of reaching a conclusion about something because of other things that you know to be true. □ …a case that tested his powers of deduction.
3 N‑COUNT A deduction is an amount that has been subtracted from a total. □ …your gross income (before tax and National Insurance deductions).
4 N‑UNCOUNT Deduction is the act or process of subtracting an amount of money from a total amount. □ After the deduction of tax at 20 per cent, the interest rate will be 6.2 per cent.
de|duc|tive /d I dʌ kt I v/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Deductive reasoning involves drawing conclusions logically from other things that are already known. [FORMAL ]
deed /diː d/ (deeds )
1 N‑COUNT A deed is something that is done, especially something that is very good or very bad. [LITERARY ] □ …the warm feeling one gets from doing a good deed.
2 N‑COUNT A deed is a document containing the terms of an agreement, especially an agreement concerning the ownership of land or a building. [LEGAL ] □ He asked if I had the deeds to his father's property.
dee d poll PHRASE In Britain, if you change your name by deed poll , you change it officially and legally.
deem /diː m/ (deems , deeming , deemed ) VERB If something is deemed to have a particular quality or to do a particular thing, it is considered to have that quality or do that thing. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed adj/n] French and German were deemed essential. □ [V n adj/n] He says he would support the use of force if the U.N. deemed it necessary. □ [be V -ed to-inf] I was deemed to be a competent shorthand typist. [Also V n to-inf]