3 N‑COUNT A dynasty is a family which has members from two or more generations who are important in a particular field of activity, for example in business or politics. □ …the Kennedy dynasty.
d'you /djuː, dʒuː/ D'you is a shortened form of 'do you' or 'did you', used in spoken English. □ What d'you say?
dys|en|tery /d I s ə ntri, [AM ] -teri/ N‑UNCOUNT Dysentery is an infection in a person's intestines that causes them to pass a lot of waste, in which blood and mucus are mixed with the person's faeces.
dys|func|tion /d I sfʌ ŋkʃən/ (dysfunctions )
1 N‑COUNT If you refer to a dysfunction in something such as a relationship or someone's behaviour, you mean that it is different from what is considered to be normal. [FORMAL ] □ …his severe emotional dysfunction was very clearly apparent.
2 N‑VAR If someone has a physical dysfunction , part of their body is not working properly. [MEDICAL ] □ …kidney and liver dysfunction.
dys|func|tion|al /d I sfʌ ŋkʃənəl/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Dysfunctional is used to describe relationships or behaviour which are different from what is considered to be normal. [FORMAL ] □ …the characteristics that typically occur in a dysfunctional family.
dys|lexia /d I sle ksiə/ N‑UNCOUNT If someone suffers from dyslexia , they have difficulty with reading because of a slight disorder of their brain. [TECHNICAL ]
dys|lex|ic /d I sle ks I k/ ADJ If someone is dyslexic , they have difficulty with reading because of a slight disorder of their brain. [TECHNICAL ]
dys|pep|sia /d I spe psiə, [AM ] -ʃə/ N‑UNCOUNT Dyspepsia is the same as indigestion . [MEDICAL ]
dys|tro|phy /d I strəfi/ → see muscular dystrophy
Ee
E , e /iː / (E's, e's )
1 N‑VAR E is the fifth letter of the English alphabet.
2 N‑VAR E is the drug ecstasy, or a tablet of ecstasy. [INFORMAL ]
PREFIX e-
is used to form words that indicate that something happens on or uses the internet. e- is an abbreviation for 'electronic'. For example, an e-book is an electronic book that you can read on a mobile device such as a tablet.
each ◆◆◆ /iː tʃ/
1 DET If you refer to each thing or each person in a group, you are referring to every member of the group and considering them as individuals. □ Each book is beautifully illustrated. □ Each year, hundreds of animals are killed in this way. □ Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. ● PRON Each is also a pronoun. □ …two bedrooms, each with three beds. □ She began to consult doctors, and each had a different diagnosis. ● PRON Each is also an emphasizing pronoun. □ We each have different needs and interests. ● ADV Each is also an adverb. □ The children were given one each, handed to them or placed on their plates. □ They were selling tickets at six pounds each. ● QUANT Each is also a quantifier. □ He handed each of them a page of photos. □ Each of these exercises takes one or two minutes to do. □ There are three main types of cloud, each of which has many variations.
2 QUANT If you refer to each one of the members of a group, you are emphasizing that something applies to every one of them. [EMPHASIS ] □ He picked up forty of these publications and read each one of them.
3 PHRASE You can refer to each and every member of a group to emphasize that you mean all the members of that group. [EMPHASIS ] □ Each and every person responsible for his murder will be brought to justice. □ They can't destroy truth without destroying each and every one of us.
4 PRON You use each other when you are saying that each member of a group does something to the others or has a particular connection with the others. □ We looked at each other in silence. □ Both sides are willing to make allowances for each other's political sensitivities. □ Uncle Paul and I hardly know each other.
ea ch wa y
1 ADV [ADV after v] If you bet money each way on the result of a horse race or a dog race, you will win some money if the animal you bet on comes first, second, third, or sometimes fourth. [BRIT ] □ In the last race I put £20 each way on two outsiders. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Each way is also an adjective □ …a $10,000 each way bet on Minnehoma at 33-1.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you say that something is a good each way bet, you mean that you think it is a good thing to support or invest in because it is unlikely to fail. [BRIT ] □ Large overseas-based trusts are an excellent each way bet. □ …a good each way investment.
eager ◆◇◇ /iː gə r /
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ , ADJ to-inf] If you are eager to do or have something, you want to do or have it very much. □ Robert was eager to talk about life in the Army. □ [+ for ] When my own son was five years old, I became eager for another baby. □ The low prices still pull in crowds of eager buyers. ● eager|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …an eagerness to learn.
2 ADJ If you look or sound eager , you look or sound as if you expect something interesting or enjoyable to happen. □ Arty sneered at the crowd of eager faces around him. □ Her voice was girlish and eager. ● eager|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ 'So what do you think will happen?' he asked eagerly. ● eager|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ …a woman speaking with breathless eagerness. SYNONYMS eager ADJ 1
anxious: He is anxious that there should be no delay.
keen: She's still keen to keep in touch.