dis|mount /d I smaʊ nt/ (dismounts , dismounting , dismounted ) VERB If you dismount from a horse or a bicycle, you get down from it. [FORMAL ] □ [V ] Emma dismounted and took her horse's bridle.
dis|obedi|ence /d I səbiː diəns/ N‑UNCOUNT Disobedience is deliberately not doing what someone tells you to do, or what a rule or law says that you should do.
dis|obedi|ent /d I səbiː diənt/ ADJ If you are disobedient , you deliberately do not do what someone in authority tells you to do, or what a rule or law says that you should do. □ Her tone was that of a parent to a disobedient child.
dis|obey /d I səbe I / (disobeys , disobeying , disobeyed ) VERB When someone disobeys a person or an order, they deliberately do not do what they have been told to do. □ [V n] …a naughty boy who often disobeyed his mother and father. □ [V ] They were threatened with punishment if they disobeyed.
dis|or|der /d I sɔː r də r / (disorders )
1 N‑VAR A disorder is a problem or illness which affects someone's mind or body. □ …a rare nerve disorder that can cause paralysis of the arms.
2 N‑UNCOUNT [oft in N ] Disorder is a state of being untidy, badly prepared, or badly organized. □ The emergency room was in disorder.
3 N‑VAR Disorder is violence or rioting in public. □ He called on the authorities to stop public disorder.
dis|or|dered /d I sɔː r də r d/ ADJ If you describe something as disordered , you mean it is untidy and is not neatly arranged. □ …a disordered heap of mossy branches.
dis|or|der|ly /d I sɔː r də r li/
1 ADJ If you describe something as disorderly , you mean that it is untidy, irregular, or disorganized. [FORMAL ] □ …a large and disorderly room.
2 ADJ If you describe someone as disorderly , you mean that they are behaving in a noisy, rude, or violent way in public. You can also describe a place or event as disorderly if the people there behave in this way. [FORMAL ]
dis|or|gani|za|tion /d I sɔː r gəna I ze I ʃ ə n/ in BRIT, also use disorganisation N‑UNCOUNT If something is in a state of disorganization , it is disorganized.
dis|or|gan|ized /d I sɔː r gəna I zd/ in BRIT, also use disorganised 1 ADJ Something that is disorganized is in a confused state or is badly planned or managed. □ A report by the state prosecutor described the police action as confused and disorganised.
2 ADJ Someone who is disorganized is very bad at organizing things in their life. □ My boss is completely disorganised.
dis|ori|ent /d I sɔː rient/ (disorients , disorienting , disoriented ) in BRIT, also use disorientate VERB If something disorients you, you lose your sense of direction, or you generally feel lost and uncertain, for example because you are in an unfamiliar environment. □ [V n] An overnight stay at a friend's house disorients me. ● dis|ori|ent|ed ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] □ I feel dizzy and disoriented. ● dis|ori|ent|ing ADJ □ An abrupt change of location can be disorienting. ● dis|ori|en|ta|tion /d I sɔː riənte I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ Morris was so stunned by this that he experienced a moment of total disorientation.
dis|ori|en|tate /d I sɔː riənte I t/ (disorientates , disorientating , disorientated ) → see disorient
dis|own /d I soʊ n/ (disowns , disowning , disowned ) VERB If you disown someone or something, you say or show that you no longer want to have any connection with them or any responsibility for them. □ [V n] The man who murdered the girl is no son of mine. I disown him.
dis|par|age /d I spæ r I dʒ/ (disparages , disparaging , disparaged ) VERB If you disparage someone or something, you speak about them in a way which shows that you do not have a good opinion of them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] …Larkin's tendency to disparage literature.
dis|par|age|ment /d I spæ r I dʒmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT Disparagement is the act of speaking about someone or something in a way which shows that you do not have a good opinion of them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Reviewers have been almost unanimous in their disparagement of this book.
dis|par|ag|ing /d I spæ r I dʒ I ŋ/ ADJ If you are disparaging about someone or something, or make disparaging comments about them, you say things which show that you do not have a good opinion of them. □ They would often make disparaging remarks about the other in public. ● dis|par|ag|ing|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Do not talk disparagingly about your company in public.
dis|par|ate /d I spərət/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Disparate things are clearly different from each other in quality or type. [FORMAL ] □ Scientists are trying to pull together disparate ideas in astronomy.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A disparate thing is made up of very different elements. [FORMAL ] □ …a very disparate nation, with enormous regional differences.
dis|par|ity /d I spæ r I ti/ (disparities ) N‑VAR If there is a disparity between two or more things, there is a noticeable difference between them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ between/in ] …disparities in pay between men and women.
dis|pas|sion|ate /d I spæ ʃənət/ ADJ Someone who is dispassionate is calm and reasonable, and not affected by emotions. □ We, as prosecutors, try to be dispassionate about the cases we bring. ● dis|pas|sion|ate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ He sets out the facts coolly and dispassionately.