dictum
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C2 noun /ˈdɪktəm/

dictum

dicton
Meaning
A formal pronouncement, authoritative statement, or maxim.
Example
The judge’s dictum clarified the principle of equality before the law.
Le dictum du juge a clarifié le principe de l'égalité devant la loi.
C2 noun /dɪˌlɪniˈeɪʃən/

delineation

délimitation
Meaning
the precise description, drawing, or outlining of something
Example
The artist’s delineation of the landscape was remarkably accurate.
La délimitation du paysage par l'artiste était remarquablement précise.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪ.jʊˈret.ɪk/

diuretic

diurétique
Meaning
A substance that promotes the production of urine.
Example
Coffee has a mild diuretic effect.
Le café a un léger effet diurétique.
C2 verb /diːˈnæʃənəlaɪz/

denationalize

dénationaliser
Meaning
to transfer ownership from the government to private individuals or companies
Example
The government decided to denationalize the bank to encourage private investment.
Le gouvernement a décidé de dénationaliser la banque pour encourager les investissements privés.
C2 noun /ˈdoʊtɪdʒ/

dotage

vieillesse
Meaning
The period of old age, especially when one is weak or senile.
Example
He spent his dotage reminiscing about his youth.
Il a passé sa vieillesse à se remémorer sa jeunesse.
C2 noun /ˈdɛθsˌhɛd/

deaths-head

crâne
Meaning
A representation of a human skull, often used as a symbol of death.
Example
The pirate flag was marked with a grim deaths-head.
Le drapeau pirate était marqué d'un sinistre crâne.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsɪnˈhɛrɪt/

disinherit

désinformer
Meaning
to deprive someone, especially a child, of inheritance or right to property
Example
The father threatened to disinherit his son for his reckless actions.
Le père a menacé de désinformer son fils à cause de ses actions imprudentes.
C2 noun /dɪˈtraɪtəs/

detritus

détritus
Meaning
Waste or debris of any kind; fragments left from destruction or decay.
Example
The riverbank was covered with detritus after the flood.
Le rivage était couvert de débris après l'inondation.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsəˈbjuːz/

disabuse

désabuser
Meaning
To free someone from a false belief or misconception.
Example
The teacher tried to disabuse the students of their misunderstanding.
Le professeur a essayé de désabuser les étudiants de leur malentendu.
C2 noun /dəˈkɔɪt/

Dacoit

bandit
Meaning
a member of an armed gang of robbers; a bandit, especially in India and Myanmar
Example
The village was terrorized by a gang of dacoits who robbed travelers.
Le village a été terrorisé par un gang de bandits qui ont volé les voyageurs.
C2 adjective /dɪˈklæməˌtɔri/

declamatory

style déclamatoire
Meaning
speaking in a loud, rhetorical, or dramatic way
Example
The politician’s declamatory style impressed some but irritated others.
Le style déclamatoire du politicien a impressionné certains, mais irrité d'autres.
C2 noun /dɛnˈdrɒlədʒi/

dendrology

dendrologie
Meaning
the scientific study of trees and woody plants
Example
He is studying dendrology at the university.
Il étudie la dendrologie à l'université.
C2 noun /djuːˈɛnə/

duenna

gouvernante
Meaning
an older woman acting as a governess or chaperone, especially in Spanish families
Example
The young lady was accompanied by a duenna during the festival.
La jeune fille était accompagnée par une duéna pendant le festival.
C2 noun /ˈdɔːrmər/

dormer

fenêtre mansardée
Meaning
A window that projects vertically from a sloping roof.
Example
The old house had a dormer overlooking the garden.
La vieille maison avait une fenêtre mansardée donnant sur le jardin.
C2 verb /diːˈlɪmɪt/

delimit

délimiter
Meaning
to fix the boundaries or limits of something
Example
The treaty was signed to delimit the borders of the two countries.
Le traité a été signé pour délimiter les frontières des deux pays.
C2 adjective /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/

decrepit

délabré
Meaning
worn out or weakened by age or neglect
Example
The decrepit old house was on the verge of collapse.
La vieille maison délabrée était sur le point de s'effondrer.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt/

disrepute

mépris
Meaning
the state of being held in low esteem or having a bad reputation
Example
The scandal brought the politician into disrepute.
Le scandale a mis le politicien dans le mépris.
C2 verb /dɪˈlæpɪdeɪt/

dilapidate

détériorer
Meaning
To cause something, especially a building, to fall into ruin or disrepair.
Example
The abandoned house began to dilapidate over the years.
La maison abandonnée a commencé à se détériorer au fil des ans.
C2 noun /ˈdɔɪən/

doyen

personne respectée
Meaning
The most respected or prominent person in a particular field.
Example
He is regarded as the doyen of modern literature in the country.
Il est considéré comme le doyen de la littérature moderne dans le pays.
C2 verb /djuːp/

dupe

tromper
Meaning
To deceive or trick someone into believing or doing something.
Example
He was duped into buying a fake watch.
Il a été dupé en achetant une montre contrefaite.
C2 adjective /ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/

diabolic

diabolique
Meaning
Extremely evil or cruel; characteristic of the devil.
Example
The villain devised a diabolic scheme.
Le méchant a imaginé un plan diabolique.
C2 verb /ˈdɒdə/

dodder

trembler en marchant
Meaning
To move in a weak and unsteady way, especially due to old age.
Example
The old man doddered across the street with a cane.
Le vieil homme marchait en tremblant dans la rue avec une canne.
C2 verb /dɪˈkæmp/

decamp

fuir
Meaning
To depart suddenly or secretly, often to avoid trouble or escape.
Example
The thief decamped before the police arrived.
Le voleur s'est échappé avant que la police n'arrive.
C2 adjective /ˌdaɪəˈtɒmɪk/

diatomic

diatomique
Meaning
Consisting of two atoms.
Example
Oxygen is a diatomic molecule.
L'oxygène est une molécule diatomique.
C2 verb /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/

debilitate

affaiblir
Meaning
to weaken or make someone or something infirm
Example
The long illness debilitated his strength.
La longue maladie a affaibli sa force.
C2 verb /dɪˈskraɪ/

descry

apercevoir au loin
Meaning
to catch sight of something, especially something distant or obscure
Example
From the hilltop, they descried a small village in the distance.
Depuis le sommet de la colline, ils ont aperçu un petit village au loin.
C2 adjective /dɪˈkɔːrəs/

decourous

décent
Meaning
characterized by propriety, good taste, and proper manners
Example
She maintained a decourous silence during the ceremony.
Elle a maintenu un silence décent pendant la cérémonie.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsæprəˈbeɪʃən/

disapprobation

désapprobation
Meaning
strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds
Example
The policy was met with widespread disapprobation.
La politique a été accueillie par une désapprobation généralisée.
C2 noun /dɪˈstɛnʃən/

distention

distension
Meaning
The state of being swollen due to internal pressure.
Example
The patient complained of abdominal pain and distention.
Le patient s'est plaint de douleurs abdominales et de distension.
C2 verb /ˈdɔːd(ə)l/

dawdle

traîner
Meaning
to waste time by being slow or idle
Example
Stop dawdling and finish your homework.
Arrête de traîner et finis tes devoirs.
C2 noun /dɪˈpləʊmətɪst/

diplomatist

diplomate
Meaning
A person skilled in diplomacy; another word for diplomat.
Example
The diplomatist handled the negotiations with great tact.
Le diplomate a géré les négociations avec grande tact.
C2 noun /ˈdeɪ.mæn/

day-man

travailleur journalier
Meaning
a worker employed by the day; a day laborer
Example
The farmer hired a day-man to help with the harvest.
Le fermier a embauché un travailleur journalier pour aider à la récolte.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsəˈreɪndʒ/

disarrange

désorganiser
Meaning
to disturb the order or arrangement of something
Example
The wind disarranged her hair.
Le vent a désordonné ses cheveux.
C2 verb /dɪˈkænt/

decant

décanter
Meaning
To pour liquid gently from one container into another, especially without disturbing the sediment.
Example
She carefully decanted the wine into a clean glass.
Elle a soigneusement versé le vin dans un verre propre.
C2 verb /ˌdɪspəˈzɛs/

dispossess

déposséder
Meaning
to deprive someone of land, property, or other possessions
Example
The new law threatened to dispossess many farmers of their land.
La nouvelle loi menaçait de déposséder de nombreux agriculteurs de leurs terres.
C2 adjective /ˈdɛsəlˌtɔːri/

desultory

désordonné
Meaning
lacking a clear plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
Example
His desultory conversation bored the audience.
Sa conversation désordonnée ennuyait le public.
C2 verb /dɪˈfreɪ/

defray

financer
Meaning
to provide money to pay the costs of something
Example
The grant will help defray the cost of education.
La bourse aidera à financer le coût de l'éducation.
C2 noun /dæmˈneɪ.ʃən/

Damnation

damnation éternelle; destruction
Meaning
condemnation to eternal punishment in hell; something that causes ruin or failure
Example
The preacher spoke about salvation and damnation in his sermon.
Le prédicateur a parlé du salut et de la damnation dans son sermon.
C2 noun /drʌdʒ/

drudge

travailleur assidu
Meaning
A person made to do hard, menial, or dull work.
Example
He felt like a drudge, stuck in repetitive tasks all day.
Il se sentait comme un travailleur assidu, coincé dans des tâches répétitives toute la journée.
C2 adjective /dɪˈtɜːrmɪnət/

determinate

déterminé
Meaning
having exact and definite limits or form
Example
The contract is for a determinate period of two years.
Le contrat est pour une période déterminée de deux ans.
C2 noun /dɪˌlæpɪˈdeɪʃən/

dilapidation

dilapidation
Meaning
The state of disrepair or ruin as a result of neglect.
Example
The old temple was in a state of dilapidation.
Le vieux temple était dans un état de dilapidation.
C2 adjective /dɪˈmɒtɪk/

demotic

relatif au langage populaire
Meaning
relating to ordinary people or everyday language
Example
The poet used demotic language to connect with common readers.
Le poète a utilisé un langage relatif au langage populaire pour se connecter avec les lecteurs ordinaires.
C2 noun /ˈdaɪɡræf/

digraph

digraphe
Meaning
A pair of letters representing a single sound, such as 'sh' in 'ship'.
Example
In the word 'phone', the letters 'ph' form a digraph.
Dans le mot 'téléphone', les lettres 'ph' forment un digraphe.
C2 adjective /ˈdɛsɪkeɪtɪd/

desiccated

desséché
Meaning
completely dried, having had all moisture removed
Example
The museum displayed desiccated specimens of plants.
Le musée a exposé des spécimens desséchés de plantes.
C2 verb /dɪsˈkaʊntənəns/

discountenance

désapprouver
Meaning
To disapprove of or discourage something.
Example
The teacher strongly discountenanced cheating in exams.
Le professeur a fermement désapprouvé la triche lors des examens.
C2 adjective /dɪˈlɛktəbl̩/

delectable

délicieux
Meaning
delicious or highly enjoyable
Example
The restaurant served a delectable meal.
Le restaurant a servi un repas délicieux.
C2 verb /ˌdɪskəˈmoʊd/

discommode

déranger
Meaning
To cause inconvenience or trouble to someone.
Example
I hope my request does not discommode you.
J'espère que ma demande ne vous dérangera pas.
C2 noun /ˌdɪləˈtænt/

dilettante

amateur
Meaning
A person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, especially in a superficial way.
Example
He was dismissed as a dilettante in the art world because he lacked formal training.
Il a été rejeté comme un amateur dans le monde de l'art car il manquait de formation formelle.
C2 noun /ˈdɛswɪˌtuːd/

desuetude

désuétude
Meaning
a state of disuse or inactivity
Example
The old law has fallen into desuetude.
La vieille loi est tombée en désuétude.
C2 noun /daɪn/

dyne

unité de force (système cgs)
Meaning
A unit of force in the centimeter-gram-second (cgs) system equal to 10⁻⁵ newtons.
Example
The physicist measured the force in dynes.
Le physicien a mesuré la force en dynes.
C2 adjective /dɪˈluːsəri/

delusory

illusoires
Meaning
Based on illusion; not real.
Example
He was filled with delusory hopes of becoming famous overnight.
Il était rempli de faux espoirs de devenir célèbre du jour au lendemain.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsɪnˈfræntʃaɪz/

disenfranchise

priver des droits
Meaning
To deprive someone of the right to vote or other rights.
Example
The new law could disenfranchise thousands of voters.
La nouvelle loi pourrait priver des milliers d'électeurs de leurs droits.
C2 adjective /dɪˈsɛnʃəs/

dissentious

diviseur
Meaning
Causing or likely to cause disagreement and conflict.
Example
His dissentious remarks divided the group further.
Ses remarques divisives ont encore plus divisé le groupe.
C2 noun /doʊlt/

dolt

imbécile
Meaning
A stupid or slow-witted person.
Example
Only a dolt would believe such a story.
Seul un imbécile croirait à une telle histoire.
C2 verb /dɪˈtruːd/

detrude

pousser vers le bas ou vers l'extérieur
Meaning
To thrust or force something downward or outward.
Example
The violent waves detruded rocks from the cliff.
Les vagues violentes ont poussé les roches de la falaise.
C2 noun /ˌdɛd ˈhiːt/

dead-heat

égalité parfaite
Meaning
a race or contest in which two or more competitors finish exactly equal
Example
The race ended in a dead-heat between the two runners.
La course s'est terminée par une égalité parfaite entre les deux coureurs.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛbəˈnɛr/

debonair

charmant
Meaning
confident, stylish, and charming, typically referring to a man
Example
He looked debonair in his tuxedo at the gala.
Il avait l'air charmant dans son smoking à la soirée.
C2 noun /ˌdɛkləˈmeɪʃən/

declamation

déclamation
Meaning
a formal speech delivered with rhetorical or dramatic effect
Example
Her declamation captivated the audience at the competition.
Sa déclamation a captivé le public lors de la compétition.
C2 adjective /ˈdəʊl.səm/

dolesome

triste
Meaning
Filled with grief or sadness; mournful.
Example
The dolesome ballad brought tears to their eyes.
La ballade triste a apporté des larmes à leurs yeux.
C2 verb /dɪsˈbɑːr/

disbar

révoquer un avocat de la profession légale
Meaning
to officially remove a lawyer from the legal profession
Example
The corrupt lawyer was disbarred for unethical conduct.
L'avocat corrompu a été disbarred pour conduite non éthique.
C2 verb /dɪˈspɒnd/

despond

se laisser abattre
Meaning
to lose confidence or hope; to become dejected
Example
After repeated failures, he began to despond.
Après des échecs répétés, il a commencé à se laisser abattre.
C2 noun /ˌdɪsɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/

disinclination

désintérêt
Meaning
a lack of willingness or desire to do something
Example
She showed a clear disinclination to join the meeting.
Elle a montré un désintérêt évident à rejoindre la réunion.
C2 noun /ˈdɛkəˌlɔːɡ/

decalogue

Décalogue
Meaning
The Ten Commandments in the Bible; a set of fundamental rules or principles.
Example
The priest gave a sermon on the importance of the Decalogue.
Le prêtre a donné un sermon sur l'importance du Décalogue.
C2 adjective /dɪˈmjʊər/

demure

réservé
Meaning
reserved, modest, and shy
Example
She gave him a demure smile.
Elle lui donna un sourire réservé.
C2 verb /ˈdʌv.teɪl/

dovetail

s'harmoniser parfaitement
Meaning
to fit or combine perfectly together
Example
Her plans dovetail perfectly with our goals.
Ses plans s'accordent parfaitement avec nos objectifs.
C2 verb /dɪˈbɔːtʃ/

debauch

corrompre
Meaning
to corrupt morally; to lead into excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures
Example
The novel shows how wealth can debauch a person's character.
Le roman montre comment la richesse peut débaucher le caractère d'une personne.
C2 noun /dɪsˈkwaɪɪtjuːd/

disquietude

inquiétude
Meaning
A state of uneasiness, anxiety, or restlessness.
Example
His constant pacing showed his inner disquietude.
Ses pas incessants montraient son inquiétude intérieure.
C2 noun /draɪ ˈmæŋgoʊ ˈpaʊdər/

Dry Mango Powder

amchur
Meaning
a tangy powder made from dried raw mangoes, used as a spice in Indian cuisine
Example
The chef sprinkled dry mango powder over the chaat for extra tanginess.
Le chef a saupoudré de la poudre de mangue sèche sur le chaat pour ajouter de l'acidité.
C2 noun /dɪnt/

dint

effort, marque d'un coup
Meaning
an impression or hollow made by a blow; force or power
Example
By dint of hard work, he achieved success.
Par dint de travail acharné, il a atteint le succès.
C2 noun /dəˈɡerəˌtaɪp/

daguerreotype

photographie ancienne
Meaning
An early type of photograph produced on a silver or silver-covered copper plate.
Example
The museum displayed a rare daguerreotype of Abraham Lincoln.
Le musée a exposé un daguérotype rare d'Abraham Lincoln.
C2 noun /ˈdeɪ.ɪs/

Dais

estrade
Meaning
a raised platform, typically at one end of a room or hall, for speakers or honored guests
Example
The principal stood on the dais to address the entire school assembly.
Le directeur s'est tenu sur l'estrade pour s'adresser à toute l'assemblée scolaire.
C2 noun /ˈdʌlərd/

dullard

personne stupide
Meaning
a slow or stupid person
Example
He was considered a dullard by his classmates.
Il était considéré comme un idiot par ses camarades de classe.
C2 adjective /ˌdɪskəmˈbɑːbjuleɪtɪd/

discombobulated

désorienté
Meaning
confused and disoriented; feeling unsettled
Example
She looked discombobulated after hearing the unexpected news.
Elle avait l'air désorientée après avoir entendu la nouvelle inattendue.
C2 prefix /dɪs-/

dys-

préfixe signifiant anormal, mauvais, difficile ou défectueux
Meaning
A prefix meaning abnormal, bad, difficult, or impaired.
Example
Words like 'dysfunction' and 'dyslexia' use the prefix dys- to indicate difficulty or impairment.
Des mots comme 'dysfonction' et 'dyslexie' utilisent le préfixe dis- pour indiquer une difficulté ou un handicap.
C2 verb /dɪˈdʒɛkt/

deject

dégrader
Meaning
to make someone feel sad, depressed, or dispirited
Example
The news of his failure seemed to deject him deeply.
Les nouvelles de son échec semblaient le déprimer profondément.
C2 verb /ˈdɒɡmətaɪz/

dogmatize

dogmatiser
Meaning
To state opinions or beliefs as if they were absolute truths.
Example
The professor tended to dogmatize on political issues.
Le professeur avait tendance à dogmatiser sur les questions politiques.
C2 noun /dɪˈtrækʃən/

detraction

détournement
Meaning
The act of belittling or taking away from the value of something.
Example
Her constant detraction of others made her unpopular.
Sa constante dévalorisation des autres l'a rendue impopulaire.
C2 noun /dɪˈsɪstəns/

desistance

désistance
Meaning
The act of stopping or ceasing from some action or behavior.
Example
The court urged his desistance from further unlawful activities.
Le tribunal l'a encouragé à cesser toute activité illégale supplémentaire.
C2 verb /daʊz/

dowse

chercher de l'eau ou des minéraux avec une baguette divinatoire; ou tremper ou éteindre avec un liquide.
Meaning
To search for underground water or minerals using a divining rod; also to drench or extinguish with liquid.
Example
The farmer tried to dowse for water in the dry field.
Le fermier a essayé de chercher de l'eau dans le champ sec.
C2 adjective /droʊl/

droll

drôle
Meaning
curious or unusual in a way that provokes dry amusement
Example
He had a droll sense of humor that made everyone laugh.
Il avait un sens de l'humour drôle qui faisait rire tout le monde.
C2 noun /ˈdoʊneɪtər/

donator

donateur
Meaning
A person who gives something, especially money or goods, as a donation.
Example
The donator wished to remain anonymous after contributing a large sum.
Le donateur souhaitait rester anonyme après avoir contribué une grande somme.
C2 verb /dɔːb/

daub

badigeonner
Meaning
to spread a thick or sticky substance carelessly on a surface
Example
The children daubed paint all over the walls.
Les enfants ont badigeonné la peinture partout sur les murs.
C2 noun /ˈdɛrɪk/

derrick

tour de forage
Meaning
A framework or tower used for supporting a crane, especially for oil drilling or lifting heavy loads.
Example
The workers assembled a derrick at the oil drilling site.
Les ouvriers ont assemblé une tour de forage sur le site de forage de pétrole.
C2 noun /ˈdɒɡərəl/

doggerel

vers ridicule
Meaning
Comic or irregular verse, often poorly constructed and lacking in artistic quality.
Example
The poet’s work was dismissed as mere doggerel by the critics.
Le travail du poète a été rejeté comme simple vers ridicule par les critiques.
C2 adjective /dɪˈspjuːtəbl/

Disputable

discutable; douteux
Meaning
open to debate or argument; questionable
Example
The facts in the case are disputable and need further investigation.
Les faits dans l'affaire sont discutables et nécessitent une enquête plus approfondie.
C2 noun /ˈdɪfθɒŋ/

diphthong

diphtongue
Meaning
A complex vowel sound that begins with one vowel and glides into another within the same syllable.
Example
The word 'coin' contains a diphthong.
Le mot 'coin' contient un diphtongue.
C2 noun /dɪsˈjuːnjən/

disunion

désunion
Meaning
the state of being separated or not united
Example
Civil wars often result from national disunion.
Les guerres civiles résultent souvent de la désunion nationale.
C2 adjective /ˈdæpəld/

dappled

tacheté
Meaning
Marked with spots or patches of light and shade or different colors.
Example
The forest floor was dappled with sunlight.
Le sol de la forêt était tacheté de lumière solaire.
C2 adjective /ˈdɪsənənt/

dissonant

dissonant
Meaning
Harsh and lacking harmony; conflicting.
Example
The orchestra produced a dissonant sound during rehearsal.
L'orchestre a produit un son dissonant pendant la répétition.
C2 adjective /dɪˈsɛnʃənt/

dissentient

dissident
Meaning
Expressing or holding opinions that are opposed to the majority or official view.
Example
Only a few dissentient voices were heard during the debate.
Seules quelques voix dissidentes ont été entendues lors du débat.
C2 adjective /dɪsˈkʌmfɪtɪŋ/

discomfiting

gênant
Meaning
Causing unease, embarrassment, or discomfort.
Example
His discomfiting questions made everyone shift uncomfortably in their seats.
Ses questions gênantes ont fait en sorte que tout le monde se déplace mal à l'aise dans leurs sièges.
C2 verb /dɪˈfoʊlieɪt/

defoliate

dépouiller
Meaning
to strip leaves from a tree, plant, or area, often using chemicals
Example
The farmers defoliated the fields before harvest.
Les agriculteurs ont dépouillé les champs avant la récolte.
C2 verb /dɪˈkleɪm/

declaim

déclamer
Meaning
to speak aloud in a formal, passionate, or theatrical way
Example
The actor declaimed his lines with great intensity.
L'acteur déclama ses répliques avec une grande intensité.
C2 verb /dɪˈpreɪv/

deprave

pervertir
Meaning
to corrupt morally; to make someone immoral or wicked
Example
The novel was criticized for attempting to deprave the minds of young readers.
Le roman a été critiqué pour avoir tenté de pervertir l'esprit des jeunes lecteurs.
C2 verb /ˈdɛpɪleɪt/

depilate

épiler
Meaning
to remove hair from the skin, especially by mechanical or chemical means
Example
She decided to depilate her legs before the event.
Elle a décidé de se dépiler les jambes avant l'événement.
C2 noun /ˈdɪti/

ditty

petite chanson
Meaning
a short, simple song or poem
Example
She sang a cheerful little ditty while cooking.
Elle chanta une petite chanson joyeuse en cuisinant.
C2 adjective /dɪˈstɛnsəbl̩/

distensible

distensible
Meaning
Capable of being stretched or expanded.
Example
The stomach is a distensible organ that can expand after eating.
L'estomac est un organe distensible qui peut se dilater après avoir mangé.
C2 noun /dɪˌsɪdəˈreɪtəm/

desideratum

bien nécessaire
Meaning
something that is desired or considered necessary
Example
For many students, financial aid is a desideratum.
Pour de nombreux étudiants, l'aide financière est un bien nécessaire.
C2 noun /ˌdɪʃəˈbiːl/

dishabille

déshabillé
Meaning
The state of being only partly or loosely dressed; casual or careless attire.
Example
She answered the door in a state of dishabille, wearing just a robe.
Elle a répondu à la porte dans un état de déshabillé, portant seulement un peignoir.
C2 noun /ˌdiːnəʊˈteɪʃən/

denotation

dénotation
Meaning
The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.
Example
The denotation of the word 'rose' is a type of flower.
La dénotation du mot 'rose' est un type de fleur.
C2 verb /dɪsˈpɔːrt/

disport

se divertir
Meaning
To amuse oneself in a lively or playful way.
Example
The children disported themselves in the garden.
Les enfants se sont amusés dans le jardin.
C2 adjective /dɪˈstreɪ/

distrait

distrait
Meaning
deeply distracted or absent-minded, often due to worry or grief
Example
He looked distrait after hearing the sad news.
Il avait l'air distrait après avoir entendu les mauvaises nouvelles.
C2 noun /ˈdɛvɪltrɪ/

deviltry

mauvais tours
Meaning
Cruel or malicious behavior; mischief with an evil aspect.
Example
The villain’s deviltry terrified the townsfolk.
Les mauvais tours du méchant ont terrifié les habitants du village.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsəˈvaʊ/

disavow

désavouer
Meaning
to deny responsibility for or connection with something
Example
He disavowed any involvement in the scandal.
Il a désavoué toute implication dans le scandale.
C2 noun /ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjʊəns/

discontinuance

discontinuité
Meaning
the act of stopping something, especially permanently
Example
The discontinuance of the service disappointed many customers.
L'interruption du service a déçu de nombreux clients.
C2 noun /dɪˈstɪlər/

distiller

distillateur
Meaning
A person or company that makes alcoholic drinks or purified liquids by distillation.
Example
The distiller introduced a new brand of whiskey last year.
Le distillateur a lancé une nouvelle marque de whisky l'année dernière.
C2 noun /ˌdɛspəˈrɑːdoʊ/

desperado

bandit
Meaning
A bold, reckless, or dangerous person, often a criminal.
Example
The sheriff was determined to capture the desperado who terrorized the town.
Le shérif était déterminé à capturer le bandit qui terrorisait la ville.
C2 noun /dɪˈmeɪn/

demesne

terres attachées à un manoir
Meaning
Land attached to a manor and retained for the owner's use.
Example
The castle was surrounded by its vast demesne.
Le château était entouré par ses vastes terres attachées à un manoir.
C2 verb /dɪˈsɪmjʊˌleɪt/

dissimulate

dissimuler
Meaning
To disguise or conceal one's true feelings or intentions.
Example
He tried to dissimulate his fear with a smile.
Il a essayé de dissimuler sa peur avec un sourire.
C2 noun /dreɪk/

Drake

canard mâle
Meaning
a male duck; a type of waterfowl
Example
The drake led his family of ducks across the pond.
Le drake a conduit sa famille de canards à travers l'étang.
C2 adjective /ˌdeɪ.kɒlˈteɪ/

decollete

vêtement à décolleté profond
Meaning
of a woman's dress or top, cut low so as to reveal the neck and upper chest
Example
She wore a decollete gown to the party.
Elle portait une robe décolletée à la fête.
C2 noun /dɪˈbɛntʃər/

debenture

obligation
Meaning
a type of debt instrument not secured by physical assets or collateral
Example
The company raised capital by issuing debentures to investors.
L'entreprise a levé des fonds en émettant des obligations auprès des investisseurs.
C2 noun /ˌdɪvɪˈneɪʃən/

divination

divination
Meaning
the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means
Example
Ancient people often relied on divination to guide important decisions.
Les peuples anciens se fiaient souvent à la divination pour guider les décisions importantes.
C2 adjective /ˌdɛl.ɪˈtɪə.ri.əs/

deleterious

nuisible
Meaning
Causing physical or mental harm or damage.
Example
Smoking has deleterious effects on health.
Fumer a des effets nuisibles sur la santé.
C2 verb /ˌdɪsɪnˈtɜːr/

disinter

désenterrer
Meaning
to dig up something buried, especially a body
Example
The archaeologists disinterred ancient remains from the site.
Les archéologues ont désenterré des restes anciens du site.
C2 verb /ˈdɛsɪkreɪt/

desecrate

désacraliser
Meaning
to treat a sacred place or object with disrespect or violation
Example
The vandals desecrated the ancient temple walls with graffiti.
Les vandales ont désacralisé les murs du temple ancien avec des graffitis.
C2 noun /ˌdaɪəˈlɛktɪk/

dialectic

dialectique
Meaning
A method of argument or reasoning by dialogue, especially as a means of investigating truth.
Example
The philosopher used dialectic to challenge his students' assumptions.
Le philosophe a utilisé la dialectique pour remettre en question les hypothèses de ses étudiants.
C2 adjective /dæŋk/

dank

humide et froid
Meaning
unpleasantly damp and cold
Example
The basement was dark and dank, filled with a musty smell.
Le sous-sol était sombre et humide, rempli d'une odeur nauséabonde.
C2 verb /dɪˈkæpɪteɪt/

decapitate

bonheur
Meaning
To cut off the head of a person or animal.
Example
The ancient executioner decapitated the criminal.
Elle ne pouvait pas cacher son bonheur quand elle a reçu le prix.
C2 noun /dɪˈsweɪʒən/

dissuasion

dissuasion
Meaning
The act of persuading someone not to take a course of action.
Example
Her dissuasion prevented him from making a bad investment.
Sa dissuasion l'a empêché de faire un mauvais investissement.
C2 noun /ˈdrækmə/

drachma

drachme
Meaning
The basic monetary unit of Greece before the adoption of the euro.
Example
The old coin collection included a silver drachma.
La collection de pièces anciennes comprenait une drachme en argent.