Vocabularies

English Vocabulary Dictionary | Word Meanings, Definitions & Examples

dabble definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/ˈdæb.əl/
浅尝辄止 (qiǎnchángzhézhǐ)

To take part in an activity in a casual or superficial way.

"He dabbled in painting during his college days."

"他在大学时涉足绘画。" (Tā zài dàxué shí shèzú huìhuà.)
daft definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/dæft/
愚蠢 (yuchun)

Silly or foolish.

"It was a daft idea to go hiking without water."

"没有水去远足是一个愚蠢的想法。" (Meiyou shui qu yuanzu shi yige yuchun de xiangfa.)
Dagger definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈdæɡər/
匕首 (bǐshǒu)

a short knife with a pointed and edged blade, used as a weapon

"The assassin concealed a dagger beneath his cloak."

"刺客将匕首藏在他的披风下。" (cìkè jiāng bǐshǒu cáng zài tā de pīfēng xià)
noun C1
/ˈdeɪ.li.ə/
大丽花 (dà lì huā)

a garden plant with brightly colored flowers that bloom in summer and autumn

"She planted colorful dahlias in her garden last summer."

"她在去年夏天在花园里种了五颜六色的大丽花。" (Tā zài qùnián xiàtiān zài huāyuán lǐ zhòngle wǔyán liùsè de dà lì huā.)
dainty definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈdeɪnti/
精致而美丽 (jingzhi er meili)

Delicately small, pretty, and often considered elegant.

"She wore a dainty necklace made of pearls."

"她戴着一条由珍珠做的精致项链。" (Tā dàizhe yītiáo yóu zhēnzhū zuò de jīngzhì xiàngliàn.)
verb C1
/ˈdæmpən/
使潮湿,减弱 (shǐ cháo shī, jiǎn ruò)

to make something slightly wet; to make something less strong, active, or intense

"The rain dampened the excitement of the outdoor concert."

"雨水减弱了户外音乐会的兴奋。" (Yǔ shuǐ jiǎn ruò le hù wài yīn yuè huì de xīng fèn.)
damper definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈdæmpər/
某物减少或减弱力量、效果或兴奋 (mǒu wù jiǎn shǎo huò jiǎn ruò lì liàng, xiào guǒ huò xīng fèn)

something that reduces or lessens the force, effect, or excitement

"The cancellation of the trip put a damper on their enthusiasm."

"旅行的取消降低了他们的热情。" (Lǚ xíng de qǔ xiāo jiàng dī le tā men de rè qíng.)
Dandruff definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈdæn.drʌf/
头皮屑 (dandruff)

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."

"他使用了一种特殊的洗发水来治疗他持续的头皮屑问题。" (ta shiyongle yi zhong teshu de xifashui lai zhiliao ta chixu de toupixie wenti)
verb C1
/ˈdæŋɡəl/
悬挂 (xuánguà)

to hang loosely or swing freely

"The keys dangled from his belt."

"钥匙从他的腰带上悬挂。" (Yuèxīn cóng tā de yāodài shàng xuánguà.)
noun C1
/ˈderˌdevəl/
冒险者 (màoxiǎn zhě)

A person who enjoys doing dangerous or risky things.

"The stunt was performed by a famous daredevil."

"这个特技是由一位著名的冒险者完成的。" (Zhège tèjì shì yóu yī wèi zhùmíng de màoxiǎn zhě wánchéng de.)
darwinism definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈdɑːrwɪnɪzəm/
达尔文主义 (Dá'ěrwén zhǔyì)

the theory of biological evolution developed by Charles Darwin, emphasizing natural selection

"Darwinism revolutionized the way scientists understood the origin of species."

"达尔文主义彻底改变了科学家们对物种起源的理解。" (Dá'ěrwén zhǔyì chèdǐ gǎibiànle kēxuéjiāmen duì wùzhǒng qǐyuán de lǐjiě.)
adjective C1
/ˈdæʃ.ɪŋ/
英俊; 魅力; 自信; (yingjun; meili; zixin)

stylish and confident; lively and energetic; attractive and charming

"He looked dashing in his new suit."

"他穿上新西装看起来英俊。" (Ta chuan shang xin xizhuang kan qilai yingjun.)
datum definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈdeɪtəm/ or /ˈdætəm/
数据 (shuju)

a single piece of information; a fact used as a basis for reasoning or calculation

"Each datum in the survey was carefully analyzed."

"调查中的每一条数据都经过仔细分析。" (Diaocha zhong de mei yi tiao shuju dou jinguo zixi fenxi.)
daunt definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/dɔːnt/
威吓 (weihe)

to make someone feel intimidated, discouraged, or less confident

"The steep climb did not daunt the experienced hikers."

"陡峭的攀登没有让经验丰富的登山者气馁。" (Dǒuqiào de pāndēng méiyǒu ràng jīngyàn fēngfù de dēngshān zhě qìněi.)
daunting definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈdɔːntɪŋ/
令人生畏 (lìng rén shēng wèi)

seeming difficult to deal with in anticipation; intimidating

"Starting a new business can be a daunting task."

"开始新业务可能是一个令人生畏的任务。" (Kāishǐ xīn yèwù kěnéng shì yīgè lìng rén shēng wèi de rènwù.)
noun C1
/ˈdeɪˌbreɪk/
黎明 (liming)

The time in the morning when daylight first appears; dawn.

"They set out on their journey at daybreak."

"他们在黎明时分开始了他们的旅程。" (Tāmen zài límíng shífēn kāishǐle tāmen de lǚchéng.)
daze definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
😵

daze

verb C1
/deɪz/

to stun or confuse someone temporarily with a shock or surprise

"The bright lights dazed the runners as they entered the stadium."

Dead-lock definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈded.lɑk/
死锁; 僵局 (sǐsuǒ; jiāngjú)

a situation in which no progress is possible; complete standstill

"The negotiations reached a deadlock when neither side would compromise."

"谈判陷入僵局,因为没有一方愿意妥协。" (Tánpàn xiànrù jiāngjú, yīnwèi méiyǒu yī fāng yuànyì tuǒxié.)
deadlock definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈdɛdlɒk/
僵局 (jiangju)

a situation in which progress is impossible because of disagreement

"Negotiations reached a deadlock after neither side agreed to compromise."

"谈判在双方都未同意妥协后陷入了僵局。" (Tanpan zai shuangfang dou wei tongyi tuoxie hou xianru le jiangju.)
dearth definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/dɜːrθ/
匮乏 (kuìfá)

A scarcity or lack of something.

"There was a dearth of food during the famine."

"在饥荒期间,食物短缺。" (Zài jīhuāng qījiān, shíwù duǎnquē.)
debacle definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/deɪˈbɑːkəl/
彻底失败 (chédi shībài)

A sudden and complete failure; a fiasco.

"The product launch turned into a complete debacle."

"产品发布变成了彻底的失败。" (Chǎnpǐn fābù biànchéngle chèdǐ de shībài.)
debar definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/dɪˈbɑːr/
禁止 (jìnzhǐ)

To officially prevent someone from doing something.

"He was debarred from entering the competition due to cheating."

"他因作弊被禁止参加比赛。" (Tā yīn zuòbì bèi jìnzhǐ cānjiā bǐsài.)
debase definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/dɪˈbeɪs/
贬低 (biǎndī)

to reduce the quality, value, or dignity of something

"Corruption can debase the values of a society."

"腐败可能贬低社会的价值观。" (Fǔbài kěnéng biǎndī shèhuì de jiàzhíguān.)
debased definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/dɪˈbeɪst/
贬值的 (biǎn zhí de)

having lost quality, value, or moral character

"The debased currency lost the trust of the people."

"贬值的货币失去了人们的信任。" (Biǎn zhí de huòbì shīqùle rénmen de xìnrèn.)
debilitating definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/dɪˈbɪlɪteɪtɪŋ/
虚弱的 (xūruò de)

causing serious weakness or incapacity

"He suffers from a debilitating disease."

"他患有一种虚弱的疾病。" (Tā huàn yǒu yī zhǒng xūruò de jíbìng.)
debunk definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/diːˈbʌŋk/

To expose the falseness or exaggeration of a claim, myth, or belief.

"The scientist worked to debunk the myths about vaccines."

decadence definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˈdek.ə.dəns/
颓废 (tuífèi)

Moral or cultural decline characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury.

"The novel describes the decadence of the wealthy elite."

"小说描述了富有精英的颓废。" (xiǎoshuō miáoshùle fùyǒu jīngyīng de tuífèi.)
decadent definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/ˈdɛkədənt/
颓废的, 奢华的 (tuí fèi de, shē huá de)

Characterized by or reflecting a state of moral or cultural decline; excessively self-indulgent.

"The party was filled with decadent luxury and excess."

"派对充满了颓废的奢华与过度。" (pài duì chōng mǎn le tuí fèi de shē huá yǔ guò dù.)
Deceit definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/dɪˈsiːt/
欺骗 (qipian)

The act of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.

"His career was ruined by lies and deceit."

"他的职业生涯被谎言和欺骗毁了。" (Tade zhiye shengya bei huangyan he qipian hui le.)
deceitful definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/dɪˈsiːtfəl/
欺骗的 (qīpiàn de)

Deliberately misleading or dishonest.

"She gave a deceitful answer to hide the truth."

"她给了一个欺骗性的回答,以掩盖真相。" (Tā gěile yīgè qīpiàn xìng de huídá, yǐ yǎngài zhēnxiàng.)
decelerate definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/dɪˈsɛləˌreɪt/
减速 (jiansu)

to reduce speed; to slow down

"The car began to decelerate as it approached the traffic light."

"汽车接近红绿灯时开始减速。" (qiche jiejin honglv deng shi kaishi jiansu.)
decentralization definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/diːˌsen.trə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/
去中心化; 权力分配 (qù zhōngxīn huà; quánlì fēnpèi)

the transfer of authority from central to local government; distribution of power

"The decentralization of government services improved efficiency at the local level."

"政府服务的去中心化提高了地方层面的效率。" (zhèngfǔ fúwù de qù zhōngxīn huà tígāo le dìfāng céngmiàn de xiàolǜ.)
decentralized definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/diːˈsɛntrəlaɪzd/
去中心化 (qu zhong xinhua)

Controlled by several local offices or authorities rather than one single one.

"The decentralized system allowed for more control at local levels."

"去中心化的系统允许在地方层级进行更多的控制。" (Qu zhong xinhua de xi tong yun xu zai di fang ceng ji jin xing geng duo de kong zhi.)
noun C1
/ˈdɛsɪˌbɛl/
分贝 (fenbei)

a unit used to measure the intensity of sound

"The noise level in the factory exceeded 90 decibels."

"工厂里的噪音水平超过了90分贝。" (Gōngchǎng lǐ de zàoyīn shuǐpíng chāoguòle 90 fēnbèi.)
deciduous definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/dɪˈsɪdʒuəs/
落叶的 (luòyè de)

trees or plants that shed their leaves annually

"Maple trees are deciduous and lose their leaves in autumn."

"枫树是落叶树,在秋天会掉落它们的叶子。" (Fēng shù shì luòyè shù, zài qiūtiān huì diàoluò tāmen de yèzi.)
decimate definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/ˈdɛsɪmeɪt/
摧毁 (cuīhuǐ)

To destroy or kill a large proportion of something.

"The wildfire decimated the forest."

"火灾摧毁了森林。" (Huǒzāi cuīhuǐle sēnlín.)
decimation definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˌdɛsɪˈmeɪʃən/
大规模摧毁 (da guimo cuīhuǐ)

The act of destroying or killing a large proportion of something.

"The decimation of the city left thousands homeless."

"城市的毁灭使成千上万的人无家可归。" (Chéngshì de huǐmiè shǐ chéng qiān shàng wàn de rén wújiā kě guī.)
decipher definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/dɪˈsaɪfər/

To make sense of something difficult to read or understand; to decode.

"She managed to decipher the old handwritten letter."

decisiveness definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
dɪˈsʌɪsɪvnɪs
决策能力 (juécè nénglì)

The ability to make decisions quickly and effectively.

"His decisiveness during the crisis saved the company."

"他在危机中的果断决策拯救了公司。" (Tā zài wēijī zhōng de guǒduàn juécè zhěngjiùle gōngsī.)
declarative definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
adjective C1
/dɪˈklærətɪv/
陈述的 (chénshù de)

relating to a statement that declares something; in grammar, a sentence that makes a statement

"A declarative sentence simply states a fact or opinion."

"陈述句只是陈述一个事实或意见。" (Chénshù jù zhǐshì chénshù yīgè shìshí huò yìjiàn)
decode definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/diːˈkoʊd/

to convert a coded message into a readable form; to interpret meaning

"The software can decode the hidden message within seconds."

decomposition definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/ˌdiː.kɒmpəˈzɪʃən/
分解 (fenjie)

the process of decaying or breaking down into simpler parts

"The decomposition of leaves enriches the soil."

"叶子的分解使土壤更加肥沃。" (Yezi de fenjie shi turang gengjia feiwo.)
decompress definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/ˌdiː.kəmˈprɛs/
放松 (fang song)

To relax and recover from stress or pressure.

"Taking deep breaths helps to decompress after a stressful day."

"深呼吸帮助在压力过大的日子后放松。" (Shen huxi bangzhu zai yali guoda de rizi hou fangsong.)
Decorum definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/dɪˈkɔːrəm/
礼仪 (lǐyí)

behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety

"The students maintained decorum during the ceremony."

"学生们在仪式期间保持了礼仪。" (Xuéshēngmen zài yíshì qījiān bǎochí le lǐyí.)
decoy definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun/verb C1
/ˈdiːkɔɪ/
诱饵 (yòu'ěr)

something or someone used to lure or mislead

"The hunters used a wooden duck as a decoy."

"猎人们用一只木鸭作为诱饵。" (Lièrénmen yòng yī zhī mù yā zuòwéi yòu'ěr.)
Decree definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun/verb C1
/dɪˈkriː/
法令 (fǎlìng)

an official order or command, often by authority

"The king issued a decree banning hunting in the forest."

"国王发布了一个禁止在森林中狩猎的法令。" (Guówáng fābùle yīgè jìnzhǐ zài sēnlín zhōng shòuliè de fǎlìng.)
verb C1
/dɪˈkraɪ/
谴责 (qiǎnzé)

to publicly criticize or express strong disapproval of something

"Many activists decry the destruction of the rainforest."

"许多活动家谴责毁灭雨林。" (Xǔduō huódòngjiā qiǎnzé huǐmiè yǔlín.)
decryption definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
noun C1
/dɪˈkrɪp.ʃən/
解密 (jiěmì)

The process of converting encrypted information back to its original form

"Decryption of sensitive files requires a secure key."

"解密敏感文件需要一个安全的密钥。" (Jiěmì mǐngǎn wénjiàn xūyào yīgè ānquán de mìyào.)
verb C1
/dɪˈdjuːs/
推断 (tuīduàn)

to reach a conclusion by reasoning or inference

"From the evidence, the detective deduced that the suspect was lying."

"从证据来看,侦探推断出嫌疑人是在撒谎。" (Cóng zhèngjù lái kàn, zhēntàn tuīduàn chū xiányí rén shì zài sāhuǎng.)
deem definition card — visual illustration of the meaning
verb C1
/diːm/
认为, 判断 (rènwéi, pàn duàn)

to regard or consider in a specified way

"The project was deemed a success by the board."

"该项目被董事会认为是成功的。" (Gāi xiàngmù bèi dǒngshìhuì rènwéi shì chénggōng de.)