CEFR Level
To take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way.
"He dabbled in painting during his college days."
Silly or foolish.
"It was a daft idea to go hiking without water."
a short knife with a pointed and edged blade, used as a weapon
"The assassin concealed a dagger beneath his cloak."
a garden plant with brightly colored flowers that bloom in summer and autumn
"She planted colorful dahlias in her garden last summer."
Delicately small, pretty, and often considered elegant.
"She wore a dainty necklace made of pearls."
to make something slightly wet; to make something less strong, active, or intense
"The rain dampened the excitement of the outdoor concert."
something that reduces or lessens the force, effect, or excitement
"The cancellation of the trip put a damper on their enthusiasm."
small white or grey flakes of dead skin that form on the scalp and fall from the hair
"He used a special shampoo to treat his persistent dandruff problem."
to hang loosely or swing freely
"The keys dangled from his belt."
A person who enjoys doing dangerous or risky things.
"The stunt was performed by a famous daredevil."
the theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin, emphasizing natural selection
"Darwinism revolutionized the way scientists understood the origin of species."
stylish and confident; lively and energetic; attractive and charming
"He looked dashing in his new suit."
a single piece of information; a fact used as a basis for reasoning or calculation
"Each datum in the survey was carefully analyzed."
to make someone feel intimidated, discouraged, or less confident
"The steep climb did not daunt the experienced hikers."
seeming difficult to deal with in anticipation; intimidating
"Starting a new business can be a daunting task."
The time in the morning when daylight first appears; dawn.
"They set out on their journey at daybreak."
to stun or confuse someone temporarily with a shock or surprise
"The bright lights dazed the runners as they entered the stadium."
a situation in which no progress is possible; complete standstill
"The negotiations reached a deadlock when neither side would compromise."
a situation in which progress is impossible because of disagreement
"Negotiations reached a deadlock after neither side agreed to compromise."
A scarcity or lack of something.
"There was a dearth of food during the famine."
A sudden and complete failure; a fiasco.
"The product launch turned into a complete debacle."
To officially prevent someone from doing something.
"He was debarred from entering the competition due to cheating."
to reduce the quality, value, or dignity of something
"Corruption can debase the values of a society."
having lost quality, value, or moral character
"The debased currency lost the trust of the people."
causing serious weakness or incapacity
"He suffers from a debilitating disease."
To expose the falseness or exaggeration of a claim, myth, or belief.
"The scientist worked to debunk the myths about vaccines."
Moral or cultural decline characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury.
"The novel describes the decadence of the wealthy elite."
Characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline; excessively self-indulgent.
"The party was filled with decadent luxury and excess."
The act of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.
"His career was ruined by lies and deceit."
Deliberately misleading or dishonest.
"She gave a deceitful answer to hide the truth."
to reduce speed; to slow down
"The car began to decelerate as it approached the traffic light."
the transfer of authority from central to local government; distribution of power
"The decentralization of government services improved efficiency at the local level."
Controlled by several local offices or authorities rather than one single one.
"The decentralized system allowed for more control at local levels."
a unit used to measure the intensity of sound
"The noise level in the factory exceeded 90 decibels."
trees or plants that shed their leaves annually
"Maple trees are deciduous and lose their leaves in autumn."
To destroy or kill a large proportion of something.
"The wildfire decimated the forest."
The act of destroying or killing a large proportion of something.
"The decimation of the city left thousands homeless."
To make sense of something difficult to read or understand; to decode.
"She managed to decipher the old handwritten letter."
The ability to make decisions quickly and effectively.
"His decisiveness during the crisis saved the company."
relating to a statement that declares something; in grammar, a sentence that makes a statement
"A declarative sentence simply states a fact or opinion."
to convert a coded message into a readable form; to interpret meaning
"The software can decode the hidden message within seconds."
the process of decaying or breaking down into simpler parts
"The decomposition of leaves enriches the soil."
To relax and recover from stress or pressure.
"Taking deep breaths helps to decompress after a stressful day."
behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety
"The students maintained decorum during the ceremony."
something or someone used to lure or mislead
"The hunters used a wooden duck as a decoy."
an official order or command, often by authority
"The king issued a decree banning hunting in the forest."
to publicly criticize or express strong disapproval of something
"Many activists decry the destruction of the rainforest."
The process of converting encrypted information back to its original form
"Decryption of sensitive files requires a secure key."
to reach a conclusion by reasoning or inference
"From the evidence, the detective deduced that the suspect was lying."
to regard or consider in a specified way
"The project was deemed a success by the board."
