| A | B |
|---|
| daunting | intimidating |
| dearth | a lack, scarcity |
| deft | skilled, adept |
| defunct | no longer used or existing |
| deleterious | harmful; injurious |
| delude (DE down + LUD/LUC light) | to deceive; to mislead |
| deluge | to overwhelm with a flood of water. |
| denude (DE down + NUDE) | to strip the covering from |
| deplore (DE down + PLOR wail or cry) | to feel or express strong disapproval of |
| deponent (DE down + PON put or place) | laying down. |
| derelict (DE down) | run-down; abandoned; a homeless person; negflectful of duty |
| descry | to discover by careful observation; to catch sight of considered difficult to see |
| desolate (DE down + SOL alone) | deserted, lifeless |
| destitute (DE down) | poverty-stricken |
| desultory (DE down + SUL/SAL jump) | having no set plan; random or haphazard; leaping or jump to and fro |
| diatribe | bitter, malicious criticism; a lengthy, extremely critical speech against something or someone |
| dilapidated (note lapse is buried in this term) | in a state of disrepair |
| diligent | careful; showing concern |
| diminution (think dim: to grow smaller) | reduction (note similarity to diminish and diminuitive) |
| diminutive (DE/DI down + MINI small) | extremely small or tiny in size |
| discreet | wise, cautious and not saying anything which might cause trouble |
| discrepant (DIS apart or away) | not compatible with other facts; displaying a lack of consistancy |
| discrete (DIS apart or away) | separate, distinct, individual |
| disparage | to criticize, degrade, belittle |
| dissertation | a treatise advancing a new point of view resulting from research; usually a requirement for an advanced academic degree |
