Page 280 - WEBSTER Essential vocabulary

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D: GRE Words
diatribe (DY i TRYB) n. an abusive, bitter, ranting criticism or denouncing 271
• Fidel Castro is renowned for his long diatribes against the U.S. government.
• Diatribes tend to cause the listener to close his or her ears and mind after a
short length of time.
[Syn. denunciation]
diffidence (DIF i dins) n. lack of self-confidence marked by hesitation in speech
• Stuttering is often an expression of diffidence.
• Diffidence in speech can often be overcome by overpreparing.
[Syn. shyness]
digress (di GRESS) vi. to momentarily or temporarily stray from the main subject
• Max Schulman’s Dobie Gillis is famous for straying from his subject and
then going back to it with the phrase “but I digress.”
• While explaining to her class how to find the areas of different quadrilaterals,
Mrs. Green digressed and told how much she had enjoyed that day’s lunch.
[-ed, -ing] [Syn. deviate]
diminutive (di MIN yoo tiv) adj. small of stature; much smaller than average;
tiny —n. 1. a very small person; 2. a word formed from another by adding a suffix
indicating smallness
• Gail was diminutive, with the top of her head barely reaching Michael’s
chest.
• The diminutive of kitchen is kitchenette.
[-ly adv.] [Syn. small]
dirge (DOERJ) n. a slow, sad, funereal hymn or poem expressing grief; a lament
• Dirges are customary as part of certain religions’ funeral ceremonies.
• An elegy is a type of dirge without music.
[Syn. lament]
disabuse (dis uh BYOOZ) vt. to get rid of false ideas; to set straight; to free from
misconception
• Part of growing up is to disabuse ourselves of the notion that whatever we
need will be given to us.
• It is just as important to disabuse ourselves of the idea that good deeds are
always rewarded.
[-d, disabusing] [Syn. correct]
disburse (dis BOERS) vt. to pay out; to expend (a sum of money)
• Inez disbursed $23.47 at the grocery store.
• On payday, your employer disburses your salary in the form of a paycheck.
[-d, dispersing] [Syn. expend]
discontent (DIS cuhn TENT) n. a dissatisfaction with a person, thing, or state
of affairs; a desire for something more or different —vt. to make discontent
• Now is the winter of our discontent after having shoveled all that snow.
• After 10 days of eating steak and potatoes, one becomes discontent with
that diet.