Voice of America Broadcast Dictionary - D
This Special English Dictionary contains about 1,500 words and makes an excellent vocabulary goal for intermediate level learners.
N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Parts of Speech Key
n. (noun) - a name word
v. (verb) - an action word
ad. (adjective/adverb) - a describing word
prep. (preposition) - a word used to show a relation
pro. (pronoun) - a word used in place of a noun
conj. (conjunction) - a joining word
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dam - 
n. a wall built across a river to hold back flowing water
damage - v. to cause injury or destruction; n. harm; hurt or injury, usually to things
dance - v. to move the body and feet to music; n. a series of steps, usually to music
danger - n. a strong chance of suffering injury, damage or loss
dark - ad. having little or no light ("The room was dark.")
date - n. an expression of time; a day, month and year
daughter - n. a person's female child
day - n. twenty-four hours; the hours of sunlight
dead - ad. not living
deaf - ad. not able to hear
deal - v. to have to do with ("The talks will deal with the problem of pollution."); to buy or sell ("Her company deals in plastic.")
debate - v. to argue for or against something; n. a public discussion or argument
debt - n. something that is owed; the condition of owing
decide - v. to choose; to settle; to judge
declare - v. to say; to make a statement
decrease - v. to make less in size or amount
deep - ad. going far down; a long way from top to bottom
defeat - v. to cause to lose in a battle or struggle; n. a loss; the condition of having lost
defend - v. to guard or fight against attack; to protect
deficit - n. a shortage that results when spending is greater than earnings, or imports are greater than exports
define - v. to give the meaning of; to explain
degree - n. a measure of temperature
delay - v. to decide to do something at a later time; to postpone; to cause to be late
delegate - n. one sent to act for another; one who represents another
demand - v. to ask by ordering; to ask with force
democracy - n. the system of government in which citizens vote to choose leaders or to make other important decisions
demonstrate - v. to make a public show of opinions or feelings ("The crowd demonstrated in support of human rights."); to explain by using examples ("The teacher demonstrated the idea with an experiment.")
denounce - v. to accuse of being wrong or evil; to criticize severely
deny - v. to declare that something is not true; to refuse a request
depend - v. to need help and support
deplore - v. to regret strongly; to express sadness
deploy - v. to move forces or weapons into positions for action
depression - n. severe unhappiness; a period of reduced business and economic activity during which many people lose their jobs
describe - v. to give a word picture of something; to give details of something
desert - n. a dry area of land
design - v. to plan or create plans for
desire - v. to want very much; to wish for
destroy - v. to break into pieces; to end the existence of
detail - n. a small part of something; a small piece of information
develop - v. to grow; to create; to experience progress
device - n. a piece of equipment made for a special purpose
dictator - n. a ruler with complete power
die - v. to become dead; to stop living; to end
diet - n. usual daily food and drink
different - ad. not the same
difficult - ad. not easy; hard to do, make or carry out
dig - v. to make a hole in the ground
dinner - n. the main amount of food eaten at a usual time ("The family had its dinner at noon."); a special event that includes food ("The official dinner took place at the White House.")
diplomat - n. a person who represents his or her government in dealing with another government
direct - v. to lead; to aim or show the way ("He directed me to the theater."); ad. straight to something; not through some other person or thing ("The path is direct.")
direction - n. the way (east, west, north, south); where someone or something came from or went to
dirt - n. earth or soil
disappear - v. to become unseen; to no longer exist
disarm - v. to take away weapons; to no longer keep weapons; to make a bomb harmless by removing its exploding device
discover - v. to find or learn something
discuss - v. to talk about; to exchange ideas
disease - n. a sickness in living things, often caused by viruses, germs or bacteria
dismiss - v. to send away; to refuse to consider
dispute - v. to oppose strongly by argument; n. an angry debate
dissident - n. a person who strongly disagrees with his or her government
distance - n. the amount of space between two places or objects ("The distance from my house to your house is two kilometers.")
dive - v. to jump into water head first
divide - v. to separate into two or more parts
do - v. to act; to make an effort
doctor - n. a person trained in medicine to treat sick people
document - n. an official piece of paper with facts written on it, used as proof or support of something
dog - n. a small animal that often lives with humans
dollar - n. United States money, one hundred cents
door - n. an opening for entering or leaving a building or room
down - ad. from higher to lower; in a low place
dream - v. to have a picture or story in the mind during sleep; n. a picture or story in the mind during sleep; a happy idea about the future
drink - v. to take liquid into the body through the mouth
drive - v. to control a moving vehicle
drop - v. to fall or let fall; to go lower
drown - v. to die under water
drug - n. anything used as a medicine or in making medicine; a chemical substance used to ease pain or to affect the mind
dry - ad. not wet; without rain
during - ad. through the whole time; while (something is happening)
dust - n. pieces of matter so small that they can float in the air
duty - n. one's job or responsibility; what one must do because it is right and just
This dictionary was created by the VOA (Voice of English) Special English and Voice of America. It makes an excellent starting vocabulary selection for intermediate level learners. This dictionary is used as the basis on which listening selections vocabulary is chosen and can help you understand VOA broadcasts which can be found at the Voice of America Special English site.
