4 VERB When your breathing deepens , or you deepen it, you take more air into your lungs when you breathe. □ [V ] He heard her breathing deepen. □ [V n] When you are ready to finish the exercise, gradually deepen your breathing.
5 VERB If people deepen something, they increase its depth by digging out its lower surface. □ [V n] …a major project to deepen the channel.
6 VERB Something such as a river or a sea deepens where the bottom begins to slope downwards. □ [V ] As we drew nearer to it the water gradually deepened.
dee p free ze (deep freezes ) also deep-freeze N‑COUNT A deep freeze is the same as a freezer .
dee p-fry (deep-fries , deep-frying , deep-fried ) VERB If you deep-fry food, you fry it in a large amount of fat or oil. □ [V n] Heat the oil and deep-fry the fish fillets.
dee p-roo ted ADJ [usu ADJ n] Deep-rooted means the same as deep-seated . □ …long-term solutions to a deep-rooted problem.
dee p-sea ADJ [ADJ n] Deep-sea activities take place in the areas of the sea that are a long way from the coast. □ …deep-sea diving. □ …a deep-sea fisherman.
dee p-sea ted ADJ [usu ADJ n] A deep-seated problem, feeling, or belief is difficult to change because its causes have been there for a long time. □ The country is still suffering from deep-seated economic problems.
dee p-set ADJ [usu ADJ n] Deep-set eyes seem to be further back in the face than most people's eyes. [WRITTEN ] □ He had deep-set brown eyes.
dee p-si x (deep-sixes , deep-sixing , deep-sixed ) VERB To deep-six something means to get rid of it or destroy it. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] I'd simply like to deep-six this whole project.
Dee p Sou th N‑SING The Deep South consists of the states that are furthest south in the United States.
deep vein throm|bo |sis (deep vein thromboses ) N‑VAR Deep vein thrombosis is a serious medical condition caused by blood clots in the legs moving up to the lungs. The abbreviation DVT is also used. [MEDICAL ] □ He could have died after developing deep vein thrombosis during a flight to Sydney.
deer /d I ə r / (deer ) N‑COUNT A deer is a large wild animal that eats grass and leaves. A male deer usually has large, branching horns.
deer|stalker /d I ə r stɔːkə r / (deerstalkers ) N‑COUNT A deerstalker is an old-fashioned hat with parts at the sides which can be folded down to cover the ears. Deerstalkers are usually worn by men.
de|face /d I fe I s/ (defaces , defacing , defaced ) VERB If someone defaces something such as a wall or a notice, they spoil it by writing or drawing things on it. □ [V n] It's illegal to deface banknotes.
de fac|to /de I fæ ktoʊ/ ADJ [ADJ n] De facto is used to indicate that something is a particular thing, even though it was not planned or intended to be that thing. [FORMAL ] □ This might be interpreted as a de facto recognition of the republic's independence. ● ADV De facto is also an adverb. □ They will be de facto in a state of war.
defa|ma|tion /de fəme I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Defamation is the damaging of someone's good reputation by saying something bad and untrue about them. [FORMAL ] □ He sued for defamation.
de|fama|tory /d I fæ mətri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ Speech or writing that is defamatory is likely to damage someone's good reputation by saying something bad and untrue about them. [FORMAL ] □ The article was highly defamatory.
de|fame /d I fe I m/ (defames , defaming , defamed ) VERB If someone defames another person or thing, they say bad and untrue things about them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Sgt Norwood complained that the article defamed him.
de|fault /d I fɔː lt/ (defaults , defaulting , defaulted ) Pronounced /diː fɔːlt/ for meanings 2 and 3 . 1 VERB If a person, company, or country defaults on something that they have legally agreed to do, such as paying some money or doing a piece of work before a particular time, they fail to do it. [LEGAL ] □ [V + on ] The credit card business is down, and more borrowers are defaulting on loans. ● N‑UNCOUNT [in N ] Default is also a noun. □ The corporation may be charged with default on its contract with the government.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A default situation is what exists or happens unless someone or something changes it. □ …default passwords installed on commercial machines.
3 N‑UNCOUNT In computing, the default is a particular set of instructions which the computer always uses unless the person using the computer gives other instructions. [COMPUTING ] □ The default is usually the setting that most users would probably choose. □ …default settings.
4 PHRASE If something happens by default , it happens only because something else which might have prevented it or changed it has not happened. [FORMAL ] □ Premium-rate numbers are often barred by mobile phone networks by default.
de|fault|er /d I fɔː ltə r / (defaulters ) N‑COUNT A defaulter is someone who does not do something that they are legally supposed to do, such as make a payment at a particular time, or appear in a court of law.
de|feat ◆◆◇ /d I fiː t/ (defeats , defeating , defeated )
1 VERB If you defeat someone, you win a victory over them in a battle, game, or contest. □ [V n] His guerrillas defeated the colonial army in 1954.
2 VERB [usu passive] If a proposal or motion in a debate is defeated , more people vote against it than for it. □ [be V -ed] The proposal was defeated by just one vote.