2 VERB If you disassociate one group or thing from another, you separate them. □ [V n + from ] …an attempt by the president to disassociate the military from politics.
dis|as|ter ◆◇◇ /d I zɑː stə r , -zæ s-/ (disasters )
1 N‑COUNT A disaster is a very bad accident such as an earthquake or a plane crash, especially one in which a lot of people are killed. □ It was the second air disaster in the region in less than two months.
2 N‑COUNT If you refer to something as a disaster , you are emphasizing that you think it is extremely bad or unacceptable. [EMPHASIS ] □ The whole production was just a disaster!
3 N‑UNCOUNT Disaster is something which has very bad consequences for you. □ The government brought itself to the brink of fiscal disaster.
4 PHRASE If you say that something is a recipe for disaster , you mean that it is very likely to have unpleasant consequences.
dis|a s|ter area (disaster areas )
1 N‑COUNT A disaster area is a part of a country or the world which has been very seriously affected by a disaster such as an earthquake or a flood. □ The region has been declared a disaster area.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you describe a place, person, or situation as a disaster area , you mean that they are in a state of great disorder or failure. [INFORMAL ] □ He's a nice old rascal but a disaster area as a politician.
dis|as|trous /d I zɑː strəs, -zæ s-/
1 ADJ A disastrous event has extremely bad consequences and effects. □ …the recent, disastrous earthquake. ● dis|as|trous|ly ADV [ADV adj/prep, ADV with v] □ The vegetable harvest is disastrously behind schedule.
2 ADJ If you describe something as disastrous , you mean that it was very unsuccessful. □ …their disastrous performance in the general election of 1906. ● dis|as|trous|ly ADV [ADV adj, ADV with v] □ …the company's disastrously timed venture into property development.
dis|avow /d I səvaʊ / (disavows , disavowing , disavowed ) VERB If you disavow something, you say that you are not connected with it or responsible for it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Dr. Samuels immediately disavowed the newspaper story.
dis|avow|al /d I səvaʊ əl/ (disavowals ) N‑COUNT A disavowal of something is a statement that you are not connected with it or responsible for it, or that you no longer agree with or believe in it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a public disavowal of his beliefs.
dis|band /d I sbæ nd/ (disbands , disbanding , disbanded ) VERB If someone disbands a group of people, or if the group disbands , it stops operating as a single unit. □ [be V -ed] All the armed groups will be disbanded. □ [V ] The rebels were to have fully disbanded by June the tenth. [Also V n]
dis|be|lief /d I sb I liː f/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] Disbelief is not believing that something is true or real. □ She looked at him in disbelief.
dis|be|lieve /d I sb I liː v/ (disbelieves , disbelieving , disbelieved ) VERB If you disbelieve someone or disbelieve something that they say, you do not believe that what they say is true. □ [V n] There is no reason to disbelieve him. [Also V that]
dis|burse /d I sbɜː r s/ (disburses , disbursing , disbursed ) VERB To disburse an amount of money means to pay it out, usually from a fund which has been collected for a particular purpose. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] The aid will not be disbursed until next year. □ [V n] The bank has disbursed over $350m for the project.
dis|burse|ment /d I sbɜː r smənt/ (disbursements )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Disbursement is the paying out of a sum of money, especially from a fund. [FORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT A disbursement is a sum of money that is paid out. [FORMAL ]
disc /d I sk/ (discs ) The spelling disk is also used in American English, mainly for meaning 1 . 1 N‑COUNT A disc is a flat, circular shape or object. □ Most shredding machines are based on a revolving disc fitted with replaceable blades.
2 N‑COUNT A disc is one of the thin, circular pieces of cartilage which separates the bones in your back. □ I had slipped a disc and was frozen in a spasm of pain.
3 → see also disk , compact disc , slipped disc
dis|card /d I skɑː r d/ (discards , discarding , discarded ) VERB If you discard something, you get rid of it because you no longer want it or need it. □ [V n] Read the manufacturer's guidelines before discarding the box. □ [V -ed] …discarded cigarette butts.
dis|cern /d I sɜː r n/ (discerns , discerning , discerned )
1 VERB If you can discern something, you are aware of it and know what it is. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] You need a long series of data to be able to discern such a trend. □ [V wh] It was hard to discern why this was happening. [Also V that]
2 VERB If you can discern something, you can just see it, but not clearly. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] Below the bridge we could just discern a narrow, weedy ditch.
dis|cern|ible /d I sɜː r nəb ə l/ ADJ If something is discernible , you can see it or recognize that it exists. [FORMAL ] □ Far away the outline of the island is just discernible.
dis|cern|ing /d I sɜː r n I ŋ/ ADJ If you describe someone as discerning , you mean that they are able to judge which things of a particular kind are good and which are bad. [APPROVAL ] □ …tailor-made holidays to suit the more discerning traveller.