do|ings /duː I ŋz/ N‑PLURAL [usu with poss] Someone's doings are their activities at a particular time. □ The film chronicles the everyday doings of a group of London schoolchildren.
do -it-yourse lf N‑UNCOUNT Do-it-yourself is the same as DIY .
Dol|by /dɒ lbi/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Dolby is a system which reduces the background noise on electronic cassette players. [TRADEMARK ] □ …a cassette deck equipped with Dolby noise reduction.
dol|drums /dɒ ldrəmz/ PHRASE If an activity or situation is in the doldrums , it is very quiet and nothing new or exciting is happening. □ The economy is in the doldrums.
dole /doʊ l/
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft the N ] The dole or dole is money that is given regularly by the government to people who are unemployed. [BRIT ] in AM, usually use welfare
2 PHRASE Someone who is on the dole is registered as unemployed and receives money from the government. [mainly BRIT ] □ It's not easy living on the dole. in AM, usually use on welfare
▸ dole out PHRASAL VERB If you dole something out , you give a certain amount of it to each member of a group. □ [V P n] I got out my wallet and began to dole out the money. [Also V n P ]
dole|ful /doʊ lfʊl/ ADJ A doleful expression, manner, or voice is depressing and miserable. □ He gave me a long, doleful look. ● dole|ful|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ 'I don't know why they left,' he said dolefully.
do le queue (dole queues ) N‑COUNT When people talk about the dole queue , they are talking about the state of being unemployed, especially when saying how many people are unemployed. [BRIT ] □ Another 29,100 people have joined the dole queue. in AM, usually use unemployment line
doll /dɒ l/ (dolls , dolling , dolled ) N‑COUNT A doll is a child's toy which looks like a small person or baby.
▸ doll up PHRASAL VERB If a woman dolls herself up , she puts on smart or fashionable clothes in order to try and look attractive for a particular occasion. [INFORMAL ] □ [V pron-refl P ] We used to doll ourselves up and go into town. ● dolled up ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] □ She was dolled up for the occasion.
dol|lar ◆◆◆ /dɒ lə r / (dollars )
1 N‑COUNT The dollar is the unit of money used in the USA, Canada, Australia, and some other countries. It is represented by the symbol $. A dollar is divided into one hundred smaller units called cents. □ She gets paid seven dollars an hour. □ The government is spending billions of dollars on new urban rail projects. ● N‑SING The dollar is also used to refer to the American currency system. □ In early trading in Tokyo, the dollar fell sharply against the yen.
2 PHRASE If you pay top dollar for something, you pay a lot of money for it. [INFORMAL ] □ People will pay top dollar for anything, as long as they think it's a rare treat.
dol|lop /dɒ ləp/ (dollops ) N‑COUNT A dollop of soft or sticky food is a large spoonful of it. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …a dollop of cream.
do ll's house (doll's houses ) in AM, use dollhouse N‑COUNT A doll's house is a toy in the form of a small house, which contains tiny dolls and furniture for children to play with.
dol|ly /dɒ li/ (dollies ) N‑COUNT A dolly is a child's word for a doll.
dol|phin /dɒ lf I n/ (dolphins ) N‑COUNT A dolphin is a mammal which lives in the sea and looks like a large fish with a pointed mouth.
dolt /doʊ lt/ (dolts ) N‑COUNT If you call someone a dolt , you think they are stupid, or have done something stupid. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ]
do|main /doʊme I n/ (domains )
1 N‑COUNT A domain is a particular field of thought, activity, or interest, especially one over which someone has control, influence, or rights. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] …the great experimenters in the domain of art.
2 N‑COUNT On the internet, a domain is a set of addresses that shows, for example, the category or geographical area that an internet address belongs to. [COMPUTING ]
do|mai n name (domain names ) N‑COUNT A domain name is the name of a person's or organization's website on the internet, for example 'collins.co.uk'. [COMPUTING ] □ Is the domain name already registered or still available?
dome /doʊ m/ (domes )
1 N‑COUNT A dome is a round roof. □ …the dome of St Paul's cathedral.
2 N‑COUNT A dome is any object that has a similar shape to a dome. □ …the dome of the hill.
domed /doʊ md/ ADJ Something that is domed is in the shape of a dome. □ …the great hall with its domed ceiling.
do|mes|tic ◆◆◇ /dəme st I k/ (domestics )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Domestic political activities, events, and situations happen or exist within one particular country. □ …over 100 domestic flights a day to 15 U.K. destinations. □ …sales in the domestic market. ● do|mes|ti|cal|ly /dəme st I kli/ ADV [ADV after v, ADV -ed/adj] □ Opportunities will improve as the company expands domestically and internationally.
2 → see also gross domestic product
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Domestic duties and activities are concerned with the running of a home and family. □ …a plan for sharing domestic chores.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] Domestic items and services are intended to be used in people's homes rather than in factories or offices. □ …domestic appliances.
5 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A domestic situation or atmosphere is one which involves a family and their home. □ It was a scene of such domestic bliss.