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the new car. 2 causing doubt; of uncertain value or meaning or possibly dishonest: a dubious suggestion | a plan of dubious merit | a rather dubious character → -ly adv → -ness n [U]
Dub·lin /'dʌblɪn/ the capital of the Republic of Ireland. It is on the east coast, on the River Liffey. Dublin was the home of several famous Irish writers, such as Jonathan SWIFT, George Bernard SHAW, Oscar WILDE, and James JOYCE. There are many famous songs about Dublin, including a song called Molly Malone, which begins: 'In Dublin's fair city, Where the girls are so pretty...'
du·cal /'djuːkəl||'duː-/ adj of or like a DUKE
duc·at /'dʌkət/ n a gold coin formerly used in several countries of Europe
duch·ess /'dʌtʃɪs/ n (often cap.) 1 the wife of a DUKE: the Duchess of Kent 2 a woman of ducal rank in her own right
du-chesse po·ta·toes /ˌdjuʃes pəʊ'teɪtəʊz||duː-/ n [P] potatoes which have been boiled, mixed with egg, shaped into little cakes, and then baked
,Duchess of 'Windsor, the → see SIMPSON, WALLIS
,Duchess of 'York, the (1959–) the wife of Queen Elizabeth II's second son Prince Andrew (who is called the Duke of York) until they separated in 1992. The Duchess of York's real name is Sarah Ferguson, and she is often called 'Fergie' in newspapers. Her activities, relationships, and financial problems are often in the news, and she has appeared on television shows in the US. Some people think that she is not serious enough about her public responsibilities, and is too interested in holidays, expensive clothes etc.
Du·chov·ny, David /djuː'kɒvnɪ||duː'kɑːv-/ (1960–) a US actor who is famous for appearing as Agent Fox Mulder in the television programme The X-Files
duch·y /'dʌtʃi/ n (often cap.) (used especially in names) the lands of a DUKE or duchess: the Duchy of Cornwall
duck¹ /dʌk/ n pl. ducks or duck 1 [C] drake masc. a common swimming bird with short legs and a wide beak, either wild or kept for meat, eggs, and soft feathers. When they make a noise, they are said to QUACK: A young duck is called a duckling. 2 [U] the meat of this bird as food: a plate of roast duck → see MEAT (USAGE) 3 [C] infml, especially BrE (used for addressing) a person one likes: She's a sweet old duck. 4 [C] (in cricket) the failure of a BATSMAN to make any runs at all 5 take to something like a duck to water infml to learn or get used to something naturally and very easily → see also DUCKS, DEAD DUCK, LAME DUCK, SITTING DUCK, like water off a duck's back (WATER¹)
duck² v 1 [I;T] to lower (one's head or body) quickly, especially so as to avoid being hit: She had to duck (her head) to get through the low doorway. | He saw a policeman coming, and ducked behind a car. 2 [T(in)] to push under water: The children ducked each other in the swimming pool. 3 [T] infml to try to avoid (a difficulty or unpleasant duty); DODGE: His speech was full of generalizations, and ducked all the real issues. → duck n
duck out of sthg. phr v [T+obj/ v-ing] infml to escape one's responsibility for: Don't try to duck out of cleaning up the kitchen!
duck³ n [U] a heavy strong usually cotton cloth → see also DUCKS
duck-billed plat·y·pus /ˌdʌkbɪld 'plætɪpəs/ n an egg-laying Australian animal with a beak like a duck's
duck·boards /'dʌkbɔːdz||-bɔːrdz/ n [P] BrE narrow boards with spaces between, nailed on longer pieces of wood, for making a path over muddy ground
,duck-duck-'goose n [U] an American children's game usually played by a large group of children sitting in a circle, in which one player chooses another to be the GOOSE and tries to run the fastest around the circle
'ducking stool n a seat on one end of a long pole, to which bad-tempered and unpleasant women were tied in former times in order to be ducked in water as a punishment
duck·ling /'dʌklɪŋ/ n a small young duck → see also UGLY DUCKLING
ducks /dʌks/ n 1 [P] trousers made of DUCK: dressed in white ducks → see PAIR (USAGE) 2 [S] also ducky especially BrE infml (used to address a person in a friendly way): How's that for you, ducks? Got enough there?
,ducks and 'drakes n [U] 1 a children's game in which one makes flat stones jump across the surface of water 2 play ducks and drakes with infml to waste (money) wildly
duck-weed /'dʌkwiːd/ n [U] any of various plants that grow on the surface of fresh water
duck·y¹ /'dʌki/ n infml DUCKS
ducky adj 1 AmE perfect; satisfactory: Oh, that's just ducky. 2 AmE attractive in an amusing or interesting way; CUTE: a ducky little cottage
duct /dʌkt/ n 1 a thin narrow tube in the body or in plants which carries liquids, air etc: tear ducts → see picture at EYE 2 a pipe or tube for carrying liquids, air, electric power lines etc → see also AQUEDUCT, VIADUCT
duc·tile /'dʌktaɪl||-tɪl/ adj 1 (especially of metals) able to be pressed or pulled into shape without needing to be heated 2 lit (of a person or behaviour) easily influenced or controlled; MALLEABLE → -tility /dæk'tɪləti/ n [U]
duct-ing /'dʌktɪŋ/ n [U] a system of pipes or tubes that liquids, air, CABLES etc pass through
duct-less gland /ˌdʌktləs 'glænd/ n an ENDOCRINE GLAND
dud /dʌd/ n infml 1 someone or something that has little or no value or use, or that fails to serve its purpose: Several of the fireworks were duds. (=failed to work properly) | She's a dud at sports. 2 duds [P] slang clothes → dud adj: a dud light bulb
dud 'cheque n a cheque which is useless because the dishonest person who paid with it has no money in the account on which it is drawn
dude /djuːd||duːd/ n AmE slang 1 a city man, especially an Easterner in the West 2 a man; GUY
'dude ranch n (in the US) a holiday place that offers activities, such as horse riding, typical of a RANCH (=a Western cattle farm)
dud·geon /'dʌdʒən/ n in high dudgeon fml angry and bitter because of bad treatment
due¹ /djuː||duː/ adj 1 [F(to)] owed or owing as a debt or right: We must give credit where it is due. (=praise someone who deserves praise, even if unwilling) | Any money that is due to you will be paid before the end of the month. 2 [A] m[e]t proper, correct, or suitable: driving with due care and attention | The trial was conducted with due process of law. 3 [F] payable: a bill due today 4 [F] (especially showing arrangements made in advance) expected or supposed (to happen, arrive etc): The next train to London is due at 4 o'clock. | Her baby is due (=will be born) next month. | [+to-v] I am due to leave quite soon now. | [+for] I am due for an increase in pay soon. 5 due to because of; caused by: His success is entirely due to hard work. | The price of gold rose again, due partly to rumours of war. 6 with (all) due respect (a phrase used when a speaker does not wish to appear rude, but does want to disagree with someone or find fault with them): With all due respect this report needs to be rewritten before it can be published. → see also DULY
USAGE Compare due to and owing to which are similar in meaning. 1 Due to is used after the verb to be; you cannot use owing to in this sentence: His absence was due to the storm. 2 Some people think that due to should only be used after the verb to be but many speakers use it after other verbs, in the same way as owing to: He arrived late due to/owing to (=because of) the storm.
due² n someone's due something that rightfully belongs or is owed to someone: I don't like him, but, to give him his due, he's good at his job. | She never takes more than her due. → see also DUES, give the devil his due (DEVIL¹)