determinism
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describe the same noun: In the phrases 'his new car' and 'that green coat', the words 'his' and 'that' are determiners.
de·ter·min·ism /dɪ'tɜːmɪnɪzəm||ˈtɜːr-/ n [U] the belief that acts and events are settled by earlier causes and nothing can be done to change them or prevent them —tic /dɪˌtɜːmɪ'nɪstɪk ||-ˈtɜːr-/ adj: deterministic beliefs
de·ter·rent /dɪ'terənt||-ˈtɜːr-/ n, adj (something) that DETERS: Do you think the threat of punishment has a deterrent effect? | Some people claim that we only have small wars because of the nuclear deterrent. (=the threat of atomic war, which prevents countries from fighting) —rence n [U]
de·test /dɪ'test/ v [T not in progressive forms] to hate very much: I detest people who tell lies. | She detests having to talk to people at parties. —able adj: a detestable child —ably adv —ation /ˌdiːte'steɪʃən/ n [U]
de·throne /dɪ'θrəʊn/ v [T] to remove (a king or queen) from power —ment n [U]
det·o·nate /'detəneɪt/ v [I;T] to (cause to) explode by means of a special apparatus: They detonated the bomb and destroyed the bridge.
det·o·na·tion /ˌdetə'neɪʃən/ n [C;U] (the noise of) an explosion
det·o·na·tor /'detəneɪtə/ n a piece of equipment used to detonate something explosive
de·tour¹ /'diːtʊə/ n a way round something to avoid a traffic problem or to visit something in a different place: They made a detour to avoid the town centre.
detour² v [I;T] AmE to make a detour
de·tox /'diːtɒks||-tɑːks/ n [U] special treatment at a hospital to help people stop drinking alcohol or taking drugs
de·tract /dɪ'trækt/ v
detract from sthg. phr v [T not in progressive forms] to take something of value away from; cause to be or seem less valuable: All the decoration detracts from the beauty of the building's shape. | I don't want to detract from their achievement in winning the cup, but the fact is that their opponents were very weak. → compare ADD TO
de·trac·tion /dɪ'trækʃən/ n [U(from)] something which detracts: To say that his work is strongly influenced by earlier film-makers is no detraction (from its value).
de·trac·tor /dɪ'træktə/ n a person who says bad things about someone or something in order to make them seem less good or valuable: Her detractors say she does not really understand ordinary people.
de·train /ˌdiː'treɪn/ v [I] AmE fml to get off a railway train
det·ri·ment /'detrɪmənt/ n fml [U(to)] the condition of suffering harm or damage: Do you think the government can carry out these policies without detriment to its popularity? | He smoked a lot to the detriment of his health. —al /ˌdetrɪ'mentl/ adj [to]) a decision that may be detrimental to the company's future —ally adv
de·tri·tus /dɪ'traɪtəs/ n [U] tech loose material produced by something breaking up or being rubbed away
De·troit /dɪ'trɔɪt/ a city in the US state of Michigan. It is an important centre for making cars, and the FORD, GENERAL MOTORS, and CHRYSLER car companies are all based there.
Det·tol /'detəl -ɪtl-ɪl/ trademark a type of liquid ANTISEPTIC used especially for preventing wounds from becoming infected and for killing BACTERIA
Det·to·ri, Fran·kie /de'tɔːri, 'fræŋki/ (1970-) an Italian JOCKEY who has twice been Champion jockey in the UK and has won many English Classic horse races. On 28th September 1996 he won all seven races at Ascot. He is known for being very friendly and he has also regularly appeared on the television sports QUIZ A Question of Sport.
deuce /djuːs||duːs/ n 1 [U] (in tennis) 40-40; 40 points to each player. After deuce has been reached, one of the players must then get two points in a row to win the game. → see also ADVANTAGE 2 a playing card or throw of the DICE worth two points 3 [(the)S] old-fash euph slang (used for adding force to an expression) the devil: What the deuce happened? | We had the deuce of a time finding their house.
deuc·ed /'djuːsd, djuːst||'duː-/ adj, adv [A] old-fash euph slang very bad(ly); unfortunate(ly); DAMNED: You seem to be in a deuced hurry. | This bag is deuced heavy! —ly adv
de·us ex mach·in·a /ˌdeɪəs eks 'mækɪnə|| -'maɪ-/ n Lat 1 (in early Greek and Roman theatre) a god brought onto the stage to decide the end of the play 2 any unlikely or artificial way of doing something which is used suddenly or at the last minute to end a problem: The author produces a perfect deus ex machina in the form of the woman's long lost twin who cures all her problems in about two pages.
Deutsch·mark /'dɔɪtʃmaːk||-maːrk/ abbrev. DM n the standard unit of money in Germany, divided into 100 pfennigs. The Deutschmark was replaced by the Euro in 2002.
deux che·vaux /ˌdː ʃə'vəʊ||ˌduː-/ also 2CV n a small car that was made for many years by the French company Citroën
CULTURAL NOTE The deux chevaux is a light car with a small engine, which was built to be practical and inexpensive, rather than fast or comfortable. They are no longer made, but many are still driven. People joke that 2CVs are typically owned by MIDDLE-CLASS people with LIBERAL political opinions, who oppose NUCLEAR power, and work for example as teachers or SOCIAL WORKERS.
de Val·ois, Dame Ni·nette /də 'vælwaː, niː'net/ (1898-2001) an Irish BALLET dancer and manager whose original ballet company is now the Royal Ballet
de·val·u·a·tion /diːˌvæljʊ'eɪʃən/ n [C;U] a reduction in the value of something, especially in the official exchange value of money: A further devaluation of the pound may be necessary to improve our balance of payments.
de·val·ue /diː'væljʊː/ v 1 [I;T] to reduce the exchange value of (money): We had to devalue (our currency) last year. → compare REVALUE 2 [T] to make (e.g. a person or action) seem less valuable or important: Let's not devalue his work unjustly.
dev·as·tate /'devəsteɪt/ v [T] to destroy completely (a city, area of land etc) so that nothing useful or valuable remains: The fire devastated the city. | The country's coffee crop was devastated by the floods. | fig.) We were devastated by the awful news. —station /ˌdevə'steɪʃən/ n [U]
dev·as·tat·ing /'devəsteɪtɪŋ/ adj 1 destroying completely: a devastating storm | (fig.) a devastating argument against our plan 2 infml very good, attractive etc; IRRESISTIBLE: You look devastating in that new dress. | his devastating charm —ly adv
de·vel·op /dɪ'veləp/ v 1 [I;T(from, into)] to come or bring gradually to a larger, more complete, or more advanced state; (cause to) grow or increase: In less than ten years, it develops from a seed into a full-grown tree. | They do exercises to develop their muscles. | From small beginnings it has developed into a big multinational company. 2 [T] to study, think out, or talk about in detail; ELABORATE: I'd like to develop this idea a little more fully before I go on to my next point. 3 [T] to bring out the full possibilities of (especially land or natural substances): to develop the natural resources of a country (=by searching for minerals etc) | The council are planning to develop the area to the west of the town centre. (=by building new houses, offices, roads etc there) → see also DEVELOPER 4 [I] fml to begin to be seen or become active: Trouble is developing in the cities. 5 [T] fml to come to have gradually; ACQUIRE: She has developed an interest in international affairs. | The baby seems to have developed a cold. 6 [I;T] (in photography) to (cause to) appear on a film or photographic paper: Our holiday photos haven't been developed yet. | These photographs haven't developed very well.
de·vel·op·er /dɪ'veləpə/ n 1 [C] a person who hopes to make a profit from building on land, improving buildings etc 2 [C;U] a chemical substance used for developing photographs
de,vel·op·ing 'country also de,vel·op·ing 'nation n euph a poor country that is trying to build up its industry and improve the living conditions of its people
de·vel·op·ment /dɪ'veləpmənt/ n 1 [U(from, into)] the act of developing or the process of being developed: the development of a seed into a plant | This was an important stage in the country's development. 2 [C(from, of)] a result of developing: This new rose is a development from a very old kind of rose. 3 [C] a new event or piece of news: Have you heard