dry ski slo pe (dry ski slopes ) or dry slope N‑COUNT A dry ski slope is a slope made of an artificial substance on which you can practise skiing.
dry -stone wa ll (dry-stone walls ) in AM, use dry wall N‑COUNT A dry-stone wall is a wall that has been built by fitting stones together without using any cement.
DTP /diː tiː piː / DTP is an abbreviation for desktop publishing .
DT's /diː tiː z/ N‑PLURAL When alcoholics have the DT's , the alcohol causes their bodies to shake and makes them unable to think clearly.
dual /djuː əl, [AM ] duː -/ ADJ [ADJ n] Dual means having two parts, functions, or aspects. □ …his dual role as head of the party and head of state. □ Rob may be entitled to dual nationality.
du al ca rriage|way (dual carriageways ) also dual-carriageway N‑VAR A dual carriageway is a road which has two lanes of traffic travelling in each direction with a strip of grass or concrete down the middle to separate the two lots of traffic. [BRIT ] in AM, use divided highway
dual|ism /djuː əl I zəm, [AM ] duː -/ N‑UNCOUNT Dualism is the state of having two main parts or aspects, or the belief that something has two main parts or aspects. [FORMAL ] □ …the Gnostic dualism of good and evil struggling for supremacy.
dual|ity /djuːæ l I ti, [AM ] duː-/ (dualities ) N‑VAR A duality is a situation in which two opposite ideas or feelings exist at the same time. [FORMAL ]
dub /dʌ b/ (dubs , dubbing , dubbed )
1 VERB If someone or something is dubbed a particular thing, they are given that description or name. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n + as ] …the man whom the Labour opposition dubbed as the 'no change Prime Minister'. □ [V n n] At the height of her career, Orson Welles dubbed her 'the most exciting woman in the world'.
2 VERB [usu passive] If a film or soundtrack in a foreign language is dubbed , a new soundtrack is added with actors giving a translation. □ [be V -ed + into ] It was dubbed into Spanish for Mexican audiences. [Also be V -ed]
du|bi|ous /djuː biəs, [AM ] duː -/
1 ADJ If you describe something as dubious , you mean that you do not consider it to be completely honest, safe, or reliable. □ This claim seems to us to be rather dubious. ● du|bi|ous|ly ADV [ADV after v, ADV adj/-ed] □ Carter was dubiously convicted of shooting three white men in a bar.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are dubious about something, you are not completely sure about it and have not yet made up your mind about it. □ [+ about ] My parents were dubious about it at first but we soon convinced them. ● du|bi|ous|ly ADV □ He eyed Coyne dubiously.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] If you say that someone has the dubious honour or the dubious pleasure of doing something, you are indicating that what they are doing is not an honour or pleasure at all, but is, in fact, unpleasant or bad. □ Nagy has the dubious honour of being the first athlete to be banned in this way.
dub|step /dʌ bste p/ N‑UNCOUNT Dubstep is a type of electronic dance music with a strong bass line.
du|cal /djuː k ə l, [AM ] duː -/ ADJ [ADJ n] Ducal places or things belong to or are connected with a duke. [FORMAL ]
duch|ess /dʌ tʃ I s/ (duchesses ) N‑COUNT A duchess is a woman who has the same rank as a duke, or who is a duke's wife or widow. □ …the Duchess of Kent.
duchy /dʌ tʃi/ (duchies ) N‑COUNT A duchy is an area of land that is owned or ruled by a duke. □ …the Duchy of Cornwall.
duck /dʌ k/ (ducks , ducking , ducked )
1 N‑VAR A duck is a very common water bird with short legs, a short neck, and a large flat beak. ● N‑UNCOUNT Duck is the flesh of this bird when it is eaten as food. □ …honey roasted duck.
2 VERB If you duck , you move your head or the top half of your body quickly downwards to avoid something that might hit you, or to avoid being seen. □ [V ] He ducked in time to save his head from a blow from the poker. □ [V n] He ducked his head to hide his admiration. □ [V adv/prep] I wanted to duck down and slip past but they saw me.
3 VERB If you duck something such as a blow, you avoid it by moving your head or body quickly downwards. □ [V n] Hans deftly ducked their blows.
4 VERB You say that someone ducks a duty or responsibility when you disapprove of the fact that they avoid it. [INFORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V n] The Opposition reckons the Health Secretary has ducked all the difficult decisions.
5 → see also dead duck , lame duck , sitting duck
6 PHRASE You say that criticism is like water off a duck's back or water off a duck's back to emphasize that it is not having any effect on the person being criticized. [EMPHASIS ]
7 PHRASE If you take to something like a duck to water , you discover that you are naturally good at it or that you find it very easy to do. □ She took to mothering like a duck to water.
▸ duck out PHRASAL VERB If you duck out of something that you are supposed to do, you avoid doing it. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P + of ] George ducked out of his forced marriage to a cousin. □ [V P ] You can't duck out once you've taken on a responsibility.
duck|ling /dʌ kl I ŋ/ (ducklings )
1 N‑COUNT A duckling is a young duck.
2 → see also ugly duckling
duct /dʌ kt/ (ducts )
1 N‑COUNT A duct is a pipe, tube, or channel which carries a liquid or gas. □ …a big air duct in the ceiling.