disqualification 396
dis·qual·i·fi·ca·tion /dɪsˌkwɒlɪfɪˈkeɪʃənlˌkwɔ-/ n 1 [U]
the act of disqualifying or process of being disqualified: Any
attempt at cheating will result in immediate disqualifica-
tion. 2 [C(for)] something that disqualifies
dis·qual·i·fy /dɪsˈkwɒlɪfaɪɪl-ˈkwɔː-/ v [T(for, from)] to make or
declare unfit, unsuitable, or unable to do something: His
youth/His criminal record disqualified him for the job/from
getting the job. | Three of the athletes were disqualified for
taking drugs. | to be disqualified from driving/from holding
public office
dis·qui·et /dɪsˈkwaɪət/ n [U] anxiety and dissatisfaction
dis·qui·et·ing /dɪsˈkwaɪətɪŋ/ adj fml causing anxiety: a dis-
quieting remark
dis·qui·si·tion /ˌdɪskwɪˈzɪʃən/ n [(on, about)] fml a long (per-
haps too long) speech or written report
Dis·rae·li, Ben·ja·min /dɪzˈreɪli, ˈbendʒəmɪn/ (1804–81) a
British politician in the CONSERVATIVE PARTY who was Prime
Minister of the UK in 1868 and from 1874 to 1880. He also
wrote several novels, including Sybil.
dis·re·gard¹ /ˌdɪsrɪˈgɑːrdɪl-ɑːrd/ v [T] to pay no attention to;
treat as unimportant or unworthy of notice: She completely
disregarded all our objections.
disregard² n [U(for, of)] lack of proper attention to or respect
for someone or something; NEGLECT: The government has
shown a total disregard for the needs of the poor. | reckless
disregard of passenger safety
dis·re·pair /ˌdɪsrɪˈpeər/ n [U] the state of needing repair;
bad condition: The old houses had fallen into disrepair.
dis·rep·u·ta·ble /dɪsˈrepjʊtəbəl/ adj having a bad character;
having or deserving a bad REPUTATION: disreputable
people/behaviour | a disreputable gambling club → opposite
REPUTABLE —bly adv —ness n [U]
dis·re·pute /ˌdɪsrɪˈpjuːt/ n [U] loss or lack of people's good
opinion; bad REPUTE: The hotel fell into disrepute after the
shooting incident. | This pointless prosecution has brought
the law into disrepute.
dis·re·spect /ˌdɪsrɪˈspekt/ n [U] lack of respect or polite-
ness —ful adj —fully adv
dis·robe /dɪsˈrəʊb/ v [I] fml to take off (especially ceremonial
outer) clothing: After the trial, the judge disrobed and left the
court.
dis·rupt /dɪsˈrʌpt/ v [T] to bring or throw into disorder: An
accident has disrupted railway services into and out of the
city. | A crowd of protesters disrupted the meeting. —ion
/-ˈrʌpʃən/ n [C;U] The strike has caused widespread disrup-
tion of transport services. —ive /-ˈrʌptɪv/ adj: He has a
disruptive influence on the other children. —ively adv
diss /dɪs/ v [T] slang to make unfair and unkind remarks about
someone
dis·sat·is·fac·tion /ˌdɪsˌsætsˈfækʃən, ˌdɪsˌsæ-/ n [U(at, with)]
lack of satisfaction; displeasure: her dissatisfaction at his late
arrival
dis·sat·is·fied /dɪˈsætɪsfaɪd, ˌdɪsˈsæ-/ adj [(with)] feeling or
showing dissatisfaction; not satisfied: dissatisfied customers |
He seemed dissatisfied with my explanation.
dis·sat·is·fy /dɪˈsætɪsfa, ˌdɪsˈsæ-/ v [T] to fail to satisfy;
displease
dis·sect /dɪˈsekt, daɪ-/ v [T] 1 to cut up (especially the body
of a plant or animal) so as to study the shape and relation-
ship of the parts, as medical students do: to dissect a
frog 2 to study very carefully, especially so as to find the
faults: The lawyers dissected his claim to the title.
dis·sec·tion /dɪˈsekʃən, daɪ-/ n 1 [C;U] (an example of) the
act of dissecting or process of being dissected 2 [C] a part of
an animal or plant that has been dissected
dis·sem·ble /dɪˈsembəl/ v [I;T] fml to hide (one's true feel-
ings, intentions etc) —er n
dis·sem·i·nate /dɪˈsemɪneɪt/ v [T] fml to spread (news, ideas
etc) widely —nation /dɪˌsemɪˈneɪʃən/ n [U] the dissemina-
tion of information
dis·sen·sion /dɪˈsenʃən/ n [C;U(among, between)] (a) disagree-
ment, especially leading to argument: His words caused a
great deal of dissension among his followers.
dis·sent¹ /dɪˈsent/ n 1 [U] refusal to agree, especially with
an opinion that is held by most people; difference of
opinion: The proposal was approved with little dissent. | I
must express my strong dissent. → opposite ASSENT; see also
CONSENT 2 [C] especially AmE a judge's opinion, especially that
of a SUPREME COURT judge, which does not agree with that
of most of the other judges of a law case 3 [U] now rare
religious separation from the Church of England
dissent² v [I(from)] to express disagreement, especially with
an opinion that is held by most people: Only one member of
the committee dissented from the final report. | The motion
was passed with only one or two dissenting voices.
dis·sent·er /dɪˈsentər/ n 1 a person who dissents 2 (often
cap.) a member of a church that has become separate from
the Church of England (from Protestant dissenters in the 16th
century who refused to accept the DOCTRINE of the estab-
lished church); NONCONFORMIST
dis·ser·ta·tion /ˌdɪsəˈteɪʃənɪlˌdɪsər-/ n [(on)] a long, usually
written, treatment of a subject, especially one written for a
higher university degree → compare THESIS
dis·ser·vice /dɪsˈsɜːvɪs, dɪsˈsɜː-ll-ɜːr-/ n [S;U(to)] harm or a
harmful action: You have done a serious disservice to your
country by selling military secrets to our enemies.
dis·si·dent /ˈdɪsɪdənt/ n a person who openly and often
strongly disagrees with an opinion, a group, or a government.
Typically, dissidents are people who oppose cruel and unjust
political systems and who are persecuted (PERSECUTE) for
their opinions: political dissidents —dissident adj —dence
n [U]
dis·sim·i·lar /dɪˈsɪmɪlər, dɪsˈsɪ-/ adj [(to)] (often in negatives)
unlike; not similar: The two writers are not dissimilar in style.
—ly adv —ity /ˌdɪsɪmɪˈlærɪti, dɪsˌsɪ-/ n [C;U]
dis·sim·u·late /dɪˈsɪmjʊleɪt/ v [I;T] fml to hide (one's true
feelings); DISSEMBLE —lation /dɪˌsɪmjʊˈleɪʃən/ n [C;U]
dis·si·pate /ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/ v 1 [I;T] to (cause to) disappear or
scatter: The crowd soon dissipated when the police
arrived. 2 [T] to spend, waste, or use up foolishly; SQUAN-
DER: He dissipated his large fortune in a few years of heavy
spending.
dis·si·pat·ed /ˈdɪsɪpeɪtɪd/ adj (typical of a person) who
wastes his/her life in search of foolish or dangerous pleasure:
dissipated habits/young men
dis·si·pa·tion /ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən/ n [U] 1 the act of causing
something to be scattered or wasted: the dissipation of our
valuable oil reserves 2 the continual search for foolish or
dangerous pleasure: a life of dissipation
dis·so·ci·ate /dɪˈsəʊʃieɪt, -sieɪt/ also disassociate v
[T(from)] to regard as, or cause to be, separate or unconnected:
Can the private and public lives of a politician ever be
dissociated? | You can't dissociate yourself from the actions of
your colleagues in the union. —ation /ˌdɪsəʊʃiˈeɪʃən,
-siˈeɪʃən/ n [U]
dis·so·lute /ˈdɪsəluːt/ adj (typical of a person) who leads a
bad or immoral life —ly adv —ness n [U]
dis·so·lu·tion /ˌdɪsəˈluːʃən/ n 1 [U] the ending or breaking
up of an association, group, marriage etc: the dissolution of
Parliament before a general election 2 [U] decay, especially
death: the dissolution of the Roman Empire 3 [C] AmE law a
DIVORCE
Disso,lution of the 'Monasteries, the the closing of
all the monasteries (MONASTERY) in England in the 1530s,
during the Reformation (=the period when the protestant
church was established, and the English churches left the
Roman Catholic Church). King Henry VIII ordered the mon-
asteries to be closed, and sold their property in order to
increase his own wealth and power.
dis·solve /dɪˈzɒlvɪdɪˈzɑːlv/ v 1 [I;T] to make or become
liquid by putting into liquid: Sugar dissolves in water. |
Dissolve the tablets in warm water. 2 [I;T] a) to cause (an
association, group etc) to end or break up: The military
government dissolved the country's parliament and suspended
all political activity. b) (of an association, group etc) to end
or break up 3 [I+adv/into] to lose one's self-control under the
influence of strong feeling: to dissolve in tears/laughter 4 [I]
to disappear; FADE away: Opposition to the idea gradually
dissolved. | The vision dissolved before her eyes. → see also
DISSOLUTION
dis·so·nance /ˈdɪsənəns/ n 1 [C;U] (a) combination of