Dallas Cowboys, the
346
originally shown on US television and then became very
popular in many parts of the world in the 1970s and 1980s.
Its main characters were a rich and powerful family called
the Ewings, who owned an oil company. → see also JR
Dallas 'Cowboys, the the main FOOTBALL team in Dallas,
Texas
Dallas-Fort 'Worth also Dallas-Fort Worth
Inter'national a very large US airport for the cities of
DALLAS and FORT WORTH
Dallas 'Stars, the an ICE HOCKEY team that plays in the
National Hockey League and is based in Dallas, Texas. Their
home STADIUM is the American Airlines Center, and they
won the Stanley Cup in 1999.
dal-li-ance /'dæliəns/ n [U] old-fash the act of dallying with
someone; FLIRTATION
dal-ly /'dæli/ v [I(ABOUT, over)] to be slow or waste time: Don't
dally about or we'll be late. | They dallied over their food.
dally with sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] 1 to consider (an idea), but
not very seriously; TOY with: He often dallies with the idea of
setting himself up in business. 2 old-fash to seem to want to
start a love relationship with (someone), but without serious
intentions
Dal-ma-tia /dæl'meɪʃə/ an area of Croatia on the east coast
of the Adriatic Sea
Dal-ma-tian /dæl'meɪʃən/ n a type of large, short-haired dog
which is white with black spots → see picture at DOG
dam
dam¹ /dæm/ n a wall or bank built across a river to keep back
water, especially to make a RESERVOIR: the Aswan Dam in
Egypt → compare DIKE¹
dam² v -mm- [T(UP)] to keep back by means of a dam: to dam
(up) the water/the river
dam sthg. ⇔ up phr v [T] to control (a feeling, especially of
anger or annoyance) in an unhealthy way; SUPPRESS
dam³ n the mother of a four-legged animal, especially a horse
→ compare SIRE¹
dam-age¹ /'dæmɪdʒ/ n 1 [U(to)] the process of spoiling the
condition or quality of something and the harm or loss that
results: The flood caused serious damage to the crops. | This
will do a lot of damage to her political reputation. | He
suffered brain damage in the car accident. 2 [the] infml the
price, especially of something done for you: What's the
damage?
damage² v [T] to cause damage to: to damage someone's
reputation | The building was severely damaged by the
explosion. | Smoking can damage your health. | The incident
had a damaging effect on East-West relations.
damage limitation exercise n an attempt to limit the
damage to something, especially one's REPUTATION or CRED-
IBILITY as much as possible: Since news of its involvement in
the scandal was leaked, the Government has been engaged in a
damage limitation exercise.
dam-ag-es /'dæmɪdʒɪz/ n [P] law money that a person is
ordered by a court to pay to another person for causing
damage or for unfairly writing bad things about them so
that other people will have a low opinion of them: She sued
him for libel, and the court ordered him to pay her damages of
£1500. | The court awarded her £1500 in damages.
Da-mas-cus /də'mæskəs/ 1 the capital of Syria, which is
one of the most ancient cities in the world and is known
especially for its Great Mosque 2 road to Damascus a
situation in which someone experiences a sudden and
complete change in their opinions or beliefs. The phrase is
based on the story in the New Testament of the Bible, in
which St Paul, who was a soldier involved in attempts to
prevent Christianity from spreading, saw a blinding light
and heard God's voice while he was travelling on the road to
Damascus. He immediately became a Christian.
dam-ask¹ /'dæmæsk/ n [U] a kind of cloth with a pattern
woven into it, used in the past by very rich people for
clothes and curtains. Now it is used for covering furniture,
and for white tablecloths for formal occasions.
damask² adj 1 made of damask: a damask tablecloth 2 poet
pink: her damask cheek
'Dam Busters, The (1954) a British film about the inven-
tion and use of a BOUNCING BOMB which was used to destroy
DAMS (=large walls built across rivers) in Germany in World
War II. The music from the film is especially well known.
dame /deɪm/ n 1 AmE old-fash slang (especially said by men) a
woman. There is a famous song from the musical South Pacific
called: There is nothing like a dame. 2 (sometimes cap.) in
Britain, the part of an ugly old woman in a PANTOMIME, acted
by a man
Dame n a woman who has a DBE, a special honour given to
some British women for things they have done for their
country. A woman with this honour can use the title Dame
before her name: Dame Judi Dench | When was she made a
Dame? → compare KNIGHT
Dame Ed-na /deɪm 'ednə/ a humorous MIDDLE-AGED female
character invented and performed by the male Australian
COMEDIAN Barry HUMPHRIES. Her full name is 'Dame Edna
Everage', and she is known for her unusual, brightly deco-
rated clothes and GLASSES, and for thinking that she is very
attractive, amusing, and intelligent. She speaks with a strong
Australian ACCENT, and often makes fun of people in the
AUDIENCE.
dam-mit /'dæmɪt/ interj 1 (an expression of annoyance): Will
you hurry up, dammit! 2 as near as dammit almost,
though possibly a few less: 'How many were there?' 'A hun-
dred.' 'Really?' 'Well, as near as dammit.'
damn¹ /dæm/ adj, adv [A] slang 1 also damned, goddamn –
(used for giving force to an expression, good or bad): a damn
fool | You were damn lucky the police didn't catch you! | Don't
lie to me – you knew damn well what was happening. → see
also DARN² 2 damn all BrE nothing: He's the meanest person
I know—you'll get damn all out of him.
damn² also damnation interj slang (an expression of annoy-
ance or disappointment): Damn! I've forgotten the key. → see
also DARN², DASH¹
damn³ n infml [S usually in negatives] even the smallest amount: I
don't care/give a damn what he does. | His promise isn't
worth a damn.
damn⁴ v [T] ¹ 1 (especially of God) to send to punishment
without end after death → see also DAMNED¹ (2) 2 (often
used in CURSES): Damn it! | Damn you! → compare
BLESS¹ 3 to declare to be bad or worthless: The play was
damned by all the critics. → see also DAMNED¹ 4 to cause to
fail completely; ruin: He damned himself with one stupid
remark. 5 damn someone/something with faint praise to
praise someone or something only slightly, in a way that
suggests that one really disapproves
dam-na-ble /'dæmnəbəl/ adj old-fash very bad; APPALLING:
This damnable weather! —bly adv infml
dam-na-tion¹ /dæm'neɪʃən/ n [U] 1 the act of damning or
state of being damned: condemned to eternal damnation in
Hell 2 in damnation old-fash slang (used for giving strength to
an expression of anger): What in damnation do you mean by
that?
damnation² interj slang (an expression of annoyance or disap-
pointment): Oh no! I've forgotten the key. Hell and damna-
tion!
damned¹ /dæmd/ adj 1 sent by God to punishment without
end after death: They will be eternally damned. 2 infml (used
for giving force to an expression, good or bad; used especially
by UPPER-CLASS people): It's a damned nuisance. | damned
bad luck 3 Well, I'm damned/I'll be damned! infml (a strong
way of saying) I'm very surprised! 4 damned if she does