designer drug
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de'signer ,drug n a drug that is produced artificially that has effects similar to those of illegal drugs such as COCAINE or HEROIN, but is not illegal itself
de'signer ,label n clothes made by fashionable companies: Fancy designer labels tend to come with fancy price tags to match.
de-sign-ing¹ /dɪ'zaɪnɪŋ/ adj derog intending to deceive; cleverly dishonest: a designing woman who's only after your money
designing² n [U] DESIGN
de-signs /dɪ'zaɪnz/ n [P(on, upon)] clever and dishonest plans, especially to get possession of something: He has designs on your money/your job.
de-sir-a-ble /dɪ'zaɪərəbəl/ adj 1 worth having, doing, or desiring: a desirable house | For this job it is desirable to know something/desirable that you know something about medicine. → compare UNDESIRABLE 2 causing sexual desire: a beautiful and desirable woman —bly adv —bility /dɪˌzaɪərə'bɪləti/ n [U]
de-sire¹ /dɪ'zaɪər/ v [T not in progressive forms] fml 1 to wish, want, or hope for, very much: We all desire happiness. | [+to-v/that] The Queen desires to see you at once/that you (should) come at once. | [obj+to-v] She desires you to come at once. | The standard of cooking here leaves a lot to be desired. (=is not very satisfactory) → compare WANT, WISH 2 to wish to have sexual relations with
desire² n 1 [C;U(for)] a strong hope or wish: The two leaders spoke of their desire for improved relations. | [+to-v/that] He expressed a desire to see the papers/that the papers should be made public. | We must take into account the desires of our members. 2 [C;U(for)] a strong wish for sexual relations with 3 [C usually sing.] something or someone that is desired: What is your greatest desire/your heart's desire?
USAGE You can have a desire for anything: a desire for success | a desire to attend the meeting. Appetite is a desire for food: The baby has a good/healthy appetite. (=likes eating) A craving is a strong desire, especially for things which are thought to be bad: a craving for cigarettes. Lust is a very strong and usually derogatory word: the lust for power/sex.
de-sir-ous /dɪ'zaɪərəs/ adj [F+of] fml feeling a desire; having a strong wish: desirous of wealth/fame
de-sist /dɪ'zɪst, dɪ'sɪst/ v [I(from)] fml to stop doing; not do any more: The judge told the man to desist from threatening his wife.
desk /desk/ n 1 a piece of furniture rather like a table, often with drawers, at which one reads, writes, or does business 2 a place, e.g. in an airport or hotel, where information is provided, questions are answered etc: the airport information desk | Leave your key at the reception desk. | (AmE) a desk clerk in a hotel
de-'skill v [T] 1 to remove or reduce the skill in (a job), usually by changing to machinery 2 to prevent (a worker) from using skill through changes in the patterns or processes of making something
desk-top com-put-er /ˌdesktop kəm'pjuːtəʳ || -təːp-/ n a computer that is small enough to be used on a desk
desk-top pub-lish-ing /ˌdesktop 'pʌblɪʃɪ || -təp-/ abbrev. DTP n [U] the work of arranging the writing and pictures for a magazine, small book etc, using a computer and special software
des·o·late¹ /'desǝlǝt/ adj 1 (of a place) sad and without people or comfort: a desolate old house 2 (of a person) very sad through loss of hope, friends etc → see ALONE (USAGE) —ly adv —lation /ˌdesǝ'leɪʃn/ n [U]
des·o·late² /'desǝleɪt/ v [T usually pass.] to make desolate: She was desolated by the death of her husband. | desolated streets
de So-to, Her-nan-do /də ˈsəʊtəʊ, ˌhɜːnændəʊ||hər'nɑːn-/ (?1500-42) a Spanish EXPLORER who discovered the Mississippi River
de·spair¹ /dɪ'speəʳ/ v [I(ǝ)] to lose all hope or confidence: Don't despair: things will get better soon! | I despair of ever passing my driving test! | She received the news with a despairing sigh. —ingly adv
despair² n [U] 1 complete loss of hope or confidence: Defeat after defeat filled us with despair/drove us into the depths of despair. 2 [(ǝ)] something that causes this feeling: He is the despair of his teacher because he refuses to study.
de-spatch /dɪ'spætʃ/ n, v DISPATCH
de-spatch-es /dɪ'spætʃɪz/ n DISPATCHES
des·pe·ra·do /ˌdesp'rɑːdəʊ/ n pl. -does or -dos a violent criminal who fears no danger
des·per·ate /'despǝrǝt/ adj 1 ready for any wild act and not caring about danger, especially because of loss of hope; RECKLESS: a desperate criminal 2 [(for)] suffering extreme need, anxiety, or loss of hope: She's desperate for work/for money. | [+to-v] They're desperate to escape. 3 (of an action) full of risk or danger; done as a last attempt and with little hope of success: a last desperate attempt to save the company | desperate measures 4 (of a situation) extremely difficult and dangerous; GRAVE: The country is in a desperate state. | a desperate shortage of food —ly adv: He glanced around desperately. | I'm desperately sorry.
Desperate Dan a character in the British COMIC The Dandy. He is a very large, friendly COWBOY who eats very large meat PIES called 'cow pies'. Dan does not realize how strong he is, and he often breaks things by accident.
des·per·a·tion /ˌdespǝ'reɪʃǝn/ n [U] the state of being desperate: He kicked at the door in desperation.
des·pic·a·ble /dɪ'spkǝbl, 'despɪ-/ adj deserving to be despised; CONTEMPTIBLE: despicable behaviour/cowards —bly adv
de·spise /dɪ'spaɪz/ v [T not in progressive forms] to regard as worthless, bad, or completely without good qualities; feel extreme dislike and disrespect for
de·spite /dɪ'spaɪt/ prep fml in spite of; not prevented by: He came to the meeting despite his illness. (=though he was ill) | Demand for these cars is high, despite their high price.
de·spoil /dɪ'spɪl/ v [T(ǝ)] fml or lit to steal from using force, especially in time of war; PLUNDER: The victorious army despoiled the city of all its treasures.
de·spon·dent /dɪ'spɒndǝnt||dɪ'spɑːn-/ adj [(about, at)] completely without hope and courage; feeling that no improvement is possible: She's become very despondent about her prospects of getting another job. —ly adv —dency n [U]
des·pot /'despɒt, -ǝt||'despɑːt, -ɑːt/ n a person who has all the power of government and uses it unjustly and cruelly; TYRANT: She rules her family like a real despot. —ic /dɪ'spɒtɪk, de-ll-'spɑː-/ adj —ically /-kli/ adv
des·pot·is·m /'despǝtɪzm/ n [U] rule by a despot
des res /ˌdez 'rez/ n BrE infml desirable RESIDENCE; a house that has desirable qualities; used mainly in house advertisements
des·sert /dɪ'zɜːt||-ɜːrt/ n [C;U] (a) sweet food served after the main part of a meal
des·sert·spoon /dɪ'zːtspuːn||-ɜːrt-/ n especially BrE 1 a spoon between the sizes of a TEASPOON and TABLESPOON used for eating dessert 2 also des·sert·spoon·ful /-ful/ pl. -spoonfuls, -spoonsful — the amount held by a dessert-spoon, equal to about two teaspoonfuls (TEASPOON)
des'sert wine n [C;U] a sweet wine served with dessert or between meals
de·sta·bil·ize also -ise BrE /di:'steɪbəlaɪz/ v [T] to make less firm or steady, especially politically: a deliberate attempt to destabilize the economy of a rival country —ization /diːˌsteɪbəlaɪ'zeɪʃn||-bəl-/ n [U]
des·ti·na·tion /ˌdestɪ'neɪʃǝn/ n a place to which someone is going or to which something is sent, especially at the end of a long journey: The parcel was sent to the wrong destination. | We eventually arrived at our destination.
des·tined /'destɪnd/ adj 1 [(for)] intended, especially by fate, for some special purpose: destined for an acting career | [F+to-v] They were destined (by fate) never to see each other again. | Medicine is her destined profession. 2 [F(for)] having as a destination: a ship destined for America
des·ti·ny /'destɪni/ n 1 [C] fate; what must happen and cannot be changed or controlled: It was the great man's destiny to lead his country to freedom. 2 [U] (often cap.) the power that decides the course of events, thought of as a person or a force: Destiny is sometimes cruel.