2 ADJ If someone is destined for a particular place, or if goods are destined for a particular place, they are travelling towards that place or will be sent to that place. □ [+ for ] …products destined for Saudi Arabia.
des|ti|ny /de st I ni/ (destinies )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing, usu with poss] A person's destiny is everything that happens to them during their life, including what will happen in the future, especially when it is considered to be controlled by someone or something else. □ We are masters of our own destiny.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Destiny is the force which some people believe controls the things that happen to you in your life. □ Is it destiny that brings people together, or is it accident?
des|ti|tute /de st I tjuːt, [AM ] -tuːt/ ADJ Someone who is destitute has no money or possessions. [FORMAL ] □ …destitute children who live on the streets.
des|ti|tu|tion /de st I tjuː ʃ ə n, [AM ] -tuː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Destitution is the state of having no money or possessions. [FORMAL ]
de -stre ss also destress (de-stresses , de-stressing , de-stressed ) VERB If you de-stress or if something de-stresses you, you do something that helps you to relax. □ [V ] I make sure I make time for fishing because it's how I de-stress. □ [V n] All of these help relax and de-stress you from the rigors of daily life.
de|stroy ◆◆◇ /d I strɔ I / (destroys , destroying , destroyed )
1 VERB To destroy something means to cause so much damage to it that it is completely ruined or does not exist any more. □ [V n] That's a sure recipe for destroying the economy and creating chaos.
2 VERB To destroy someone means to ruin their life or to make their situation impossible to bear. □ [V n] If I was younger or more naive, the criticism would have destroyed me.
3 VERB [usu passive] If an animal is destroyed , it is killed, either because it is ill or because it is dangerous. □ [be V -ed] Lindsay was unhurt but the horse had to be destroyed.
4 → see also soul-destroying
de|stroy|er /d I strɔ I ə r / (destroyers ) N‑COUNT A destroyer is a small, heavily armed warship.
de|struc|tion ◆◇◇ /d I strʌ kʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Destruction is the act of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed. □ …an international agreement aimed at halting the destruction of the ozone layer.
de|struc|tive /d I strʌ kt I v/ ADJ Something that is destructive causes or is capable of causing great damage, harm, or injury. □ …the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons. ● de|struc|tive|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …the size of armies and the destructiveness of their weapons. ● de|struc|tive|ly ADV □ Power can be used creatively or destructively.
des|ul|tory /de səltri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ Something that is desultory is done in an unplanned and disorganized way, and without enthusiasm. [FORMAL ] □ The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn.
de|tach /d I tæ tʃ/ (detaches , detaching , detached )
1 VERB If you detach one thing from another that it is fixed to, you remove it. If one thing detaches from another, it becomes separated from it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Detach the white part of the application form and keep it. □ [V n + from ] It is easy to detach the currants from the stems. □ [V + from ] There was an accident when the towrope detached from the car. [Also V ]
2 VERB If you detach yourself from something, you become less involved in it or less concerned about it than you used to be. □ [V pron-refl + from ] It helps them detach themselves from their problems and become more objective.
de|tach|able /d I tæ tʃəb ə l/ ADJ If a part of an object is detachable , it has been made so that it can be removed from the object. □ …a cake tin with a detachable base.
de|tached /d I tæ tʃt/
1 ADJ Someone who is detached is not personally involved in something or has no emotional interest in it. □ He tries to remain emotionally detached from the prisoners, but fails.
2 ADJ A detached house is one that is not joined to any other house. [mainly BRIT ]
de|tach|ment /d I tæ tʃmənt/ (detachments )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Detachment is the feeling that you have of not being personally involved in something or of having no emotional interest in it. □ …a doctor's professional detachment.
2 N‑COUNT A detachment is a group of soldiers who are sent away from the main group to do a special job.
de|tail ◆◆◇ /diː te I l/ (details , detailing , detailed ) The pronunciation /d I te I l/ is also used in American English. 1 N‑COUNT The details of something are its individual features or elements. □ [+ of ] The details of the plan are still being worked out. □ I recall every detail of the party.
2 N‑PLURAL [adj N ] Details about someone or something are facts or pieces of information about them. □ [+ of ] See the bottom of this page for details of how to apply for this exciting offer.
3 N‑COUNT [oft adj N ] A detail is a minor point or aspect of something, as opposed to the central ones. □ Only minor details now remain to be settled.