Term
deprecate
Ex. A firm believer in old-fashioned courtesy, Miss Post deprecated the modern tendency to address new acquaintances by their first names. |
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Definition
| express disapproval of; protest against; belittle |
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deride
Ex. The critics derided his pretentious dialogue and refused to consider his play seriously. |
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derivative
Ex. Although her early poetry was clearly derivative in nature, the critics felt she had promise and eventually would find her own voice. |
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Definition
| unoriginal; derived from another source |
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despondent
Ex. To the concern of his parents, William became seriously despondent after he broke up with Jan. |
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despot
Ex. How could a benevolent king turn overnight into a despot? |
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Definition
| tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler |
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Term
detached
Ex. A psychoanalyst must maintain a detached point of view and stay uninvolved with her patients' person lives. |
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Definition
| emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent |
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Term
deterrent
Ex. Does the threat of capital punishment serve as a deterrent to potential killers? |
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Definition
| something that discourages; hindrance |
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detrimental
Ex. The candidate's acceptance of major financial contributions from a well-known racist ultimately proved detrimental to his campaign, for he lost the backing of many of his early grassroots supporters. |
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devious
Ex. His plan wa so devious that it was only with great difficulty we could follow its shifts and dodges. |
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Definition
| roundabout; erratic; not straightforward |
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Term
devise
Ex. How clever he must be to have devised such a devious plan! What ingenious inventions might he have deviased if he had turned his mind to science and not to crime! |
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