English words starting with D

(present participle) having a wish or feeling a strong want for something.

having or characterized by desire; wanting something very much

To stop doing something; to cease.

a piece of furniture like a table, usually with drawers in it, that you sit at to write and work

The top surface of a desk.

The top surface of a desk.

(of a place) empty of people and lacking comfort or attractiveness; deserted and bleak.

A state of complete emptiness or destruction.

The process in which an adsorbed substance is released from a surface.

the feeling that there is no hope and that you can do nothing to improve a difficult or troubling situation

Showing or feeling the complete loss of hope

in a manner showing complete loss of hope

to send someone or something somewhere for a particular purpose

a desperate or reckless person, especially a criminal

Feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.

in a way that shows you are in a state of despair; very seriously or extremely

a state of despair, typically one that results in rash or extreme behaviour.

Deserving to be despised; contemptible.

to dislike and have no respect for someone or something

regarded with strong dislike, contempt, or scorn.

without being affected by; in spite of

to steal valuable things from a place, especially in a violent way and during a war.

A person or thing that steals or violently removes valuable or beautiful things from a place.

The act of despoiling; the action of plundering or stripping of valuables.

a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage; dejection.

In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.

In a manner showing a loss of hope or courage; dejectedly.

a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive way.

relating to or typical of a ruler with total power, who uses that power in a cruel and unfair way

rule by a despot; absolute power or control.

The sweet course eaten at the end of a meal.

The process of making something unstable, especially a government or political situation.

to make something, especially a government or political situation, less stable or secure.

to make something such as a government, economy, or system become less successful or powerful, or less able to control events

making something less stable or secure, especially a government or political situation.

The place to which someone or something is going or being sent.

to set apart, appoint, or decree something beforehand for a specific purpose or end.

certain to happen or to do something

the things that will happen in the future, especially those that cannot be changed or controlled

without money, food, a home, or possessions

The state of being extremely poor and lacking the means to provide for oneself.

To damage something so badly that it no longer exists or cannot be used or repaired.

Completely ruined or devastated.

A person or thing that destroys something

To cause deliberate, severe damage to something, often as part of a military or scientific operation.

Able to be destroyed or ruined.

The act or process of destroying something, or the state of being destroyed

Causing great and irreparable damage or harm.

In a way that causes great and irreparable damage or harm.

the quality or tendency of causing great damage or harm

a person or thing that destroys something.

a state of disuse or inactivity.

in a manner that lacks a definite plan, purpose, or enthusiasm; in a disconnected or random way.

Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm; moving from one thing to another in a random way.

To separate something from something else that it is attached to.

Designed to be removed or separated from the main part.

not feeling involved with someone or something in an emotional way; separate or disconnected.

The state of not being involved in or influenced by emotional or personal concerns; aloofness.

An individual feature, fact, or item.

Paying great attention to details; thorough and careful.

Including many small facts or aspects; thorough and specific.

The act of describing or dealing with something item by item; the process of giving a detailed account or list.

to keep someone in an official place, such as a police station, a prison, or a hospital, and stop them from leaving

Past tense and past participle of detain. To officially prevent someone from leaving a place; to hold in custody.

a person who is officially kept in prison, especially for political reasons or while waiting for trial.

the state of being detained; confinement or compulsory delay.

to discover or notice something, especially something that is not easy to see, hear, etc.

The quality or state of being able to be detected or discovered.

able to be discovered or identified

Having been discovered or identified.

(gerund or present participle) Discovering or identifying the presence, existence, or fact of something, especially something hidden, subtle, or not easily noticed.

the act or process of discovering or noticing something, especially something that is not easy to see, hear, etc.

A person, especially a police officer, whose job is to investigate crimes and catch criminals.

A device or instrument designed to discover the presence of something, such as metal, radiation, or smoke.

A catch in a machine which prevents motion until released, especially one acting by means of a spring-loaded part engaging in a notch.

a situation in which countries that have been unfriendly or aggressive towards each other become friendlier and reduce tension.

the state of being kept in a place, especially a prison, and prevented from leaving, usually because you have been accused of a crime.

To make someone decide not to do something, especially by making them realize the difficulties or unpleasant consequences involved.

a liquid or powder used for washing things, especially clothes or dishes, that helps to remove dirt and grease.

To become progressively worse in quality, condition, or value.

to become worse in quality or condition

Becoming progressively worse in quality, condition, or value.

The process of becoming progressively worse.

able to be decided, fixed, or found out

the quality of being fixed, definite, or unchangeable.

a factor which decisively affects the nature or outcome of something.

having exact and definable limits or fixed conditions

The quality that makes you continue trying to do something even when this is difficult.

Having the power or quality of deciding something conclusively.

to officially decide or settle something

Having made a firm decision and being resolved not to change it.

in a way that shows you have made a firm decision and will not change your mind

A word (such as 'a', 'the', 'some', 'this', or 'my') that comes before a noun to show how the noun is being used.

Having the quality of settling or deciding something conclusively.

The philosophical doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will.

A person who believes that all events, including human actions, are completely determined by causes external to the will.

relating to the philosophical doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes regarded as external to the will.

the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.

a thing that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something

To dislike someone or something very strongly.

deserving intense dislike; abhorrent.

A feeling of intense dislike or hatred; abhorrence.

past tense and past participle of detest; to dislike intensely; to hate.

to remove a king, queen, or other powerful person from a position of authority or power.

Removed from a position of power or authority, especially from a throne.

To explode or cause something to explode with a sudden loud noise.

(present participle) To explode or cause to explode violently and loudly.

A large and violent explosion, especially one caused by a bomb.

A device or small amount of explosive used to trigger a larger explosion.

a longer or less direct route taken to avoid something or to visit somewhere.

a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances

The process of removing toxic substances or qualities from something.

A substance or agent that removes toxic substances from the body or a system.

to remove harmful or poisonous substances from something

removing toxic substances or the effects of toxins from something.

To make something seem less good, valuable, or important

The act of taking away from a person's reputation or merit; disparagement.

a person who criticizes something or someone, often unfairly.

A thing that causes damage or harm.

Causing harm or damage.