dis|able|ment /d I se I b ə lmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Disablement is the state of being disabled or the experience of becoming disabled. [FORMAL ] □ …permanent total disablement resulting in inability to work.
dis|abuse /d I səbjuː z/ (disabuses , disabusing , disabused ) VERB If you disabuse someone of something, you tell them or persuade them that what they believe is in fact untrue. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + of ] They thought country people liked to please strangers. I did not disabuse them of this notion.
dis|ad|vant|age /d I sədvɑː nt I dʒ, -væ n-/ (disadvantages )
1 N‑COUNT A disadvantage is a factor which makes someone or something less useful, acceptable, or successful than other people or things. □ [+ of ] His two main rivals suffer the disadvantage of having been long-term political exiles. □ [+ of ] …the advantages and disadvantages of allowing priests to marry.
2 PHRASE If you are at a disadvantage , you have a problem or difficulty that many other people do not have, which makes it harder for you to be successful. □ The children from poor families were at a distinct disadvantage.
3 PHRASE If something is to your disadvantage or works to your disadvantage , it creates difficulties for you. □ A snap election would be to their disadvantage.
dis|ad|van|taged /d I sədvɑː nt I dʒd, -væ n-/ ADJ People who are disadvantaged or live in disadvantaged areas live in bad conditions and tend not to get a good education or have a reasonable standard of living. □ …the educational problems of disadvantaged children. ● N‑PLURAL The disadvantaged are people who are disadvantaged.
dis|ad|van|ta|geous /d I sæ dvənte I dʒəs/ ADJ Something that is disadvantageous to you puts you in a worse position than other people. □ [+ to/for ] One proposed change may be advantageous for parents and disadvantageous for couples without children, or vice versa.
dis|af|fect|ed /d I səfe kt I d/ ADJ Disaffected people no longer fully support something such as an organization or political ideal which they previously supported. □ He attracts disaffected voters.
dis|af|fec|tion /d I səfe kʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Disaffection is the attitude that people have when they stop supporting something such as an organization or political ideal. □ [+ with ] …people's disaffection with their country and its leaders.
dis|agree /d I səgriː / (disagrees , disagreeing , disagreed )
1 VERB If you disagree with someone or disagree with what they say, you do not accept that what they say is true or correct. You can also say that two people disagree . □ [V + with ] You must continue to see them no matter how much you may disagree with them. □ [V ] They can communicate even when they strongly disagree. □ [V ] 'I think it is inappropriate.'—'I disagree.'. □ The two men had disagreed about reincarnation.
2 VERB If you disagree with a particular action or proposal, you disapprove of it and believe that it is wrong. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V + with ] I respect the president but I disagree with his decision.
dis|agree|able /d I səgriː əb ə l/
1 ADJ Something that is disagreeable is rather unpleasant. □ …a disagreeable odour. ● dis|agree|ably /d I səgriː əbli/ ADV [usu ADV adj, oft ADV with v] □ The taste is bitter and disagreeably pungent.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Someone who is disagreeable is unfriendly or unhelpful. □ He's a shallow, disagreeable man.
dis|agree|ment /d I səgriː mənt/ (disagreements )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Disagreement means objecting to something such as a proposal. □ Britain and France have expressed some disagreement with the proposal.
2 N‑VAR [oft in N ] When there is disagreement about something, people disagree or argue about what should be done. □ My instructor and I had a brief disagreement.
dis|al|low /d I səlaʊ / (disallows , disallowing , disallowed ) VERB If something is disallowed , it is not allowed or accepted officially, because it has not been done correctly. □ [be V -ed] England scored again, but the whistle had gone and the goal was disallowed. □ [V n] The Internal Revenue Service sought to disallow the payments.
dis|ap|pear ◆◇◇ /d I səp I ə r / (disappears , disappearing , disappeared )
1 VERB If you say that someone or something disappears , you mean that you can no longer see them, usually because you or they have changed position. □ [V ] The black car drove away from them and disappeared. □ [V prep] Clive disappeared into a room by himself.
2 VERB If someone or something disappears , they go away or are taken away somewhere where nobody can find them. □ [V ] …a Japanese woman who disappeared thirteen years ago.
3 VERB If something disappears , it stops existing or happening. □ [V ] The immediate security threat has disappeared. USAGE disappear
Don’t use disappeared
as an adjective. If you can’t find something because it is not in its usual place, don’t say that it ‘
dis|ap|pear|ance /d I səp I ə rəns/ (disappearances )