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decade
de-bark /dɪˈbɑk||-ɑːrk/ v [I] becoming rare 1 to take the
outside off (a tree) 2 to DISEMBARK —ation
/,diːbɑˈkeɪn||-ɑːr-/ n [C;U]
de-base /dɪˈbeɪs/ v [T] 1 to reduce in quality or value or in
the opinion of others; DEGRADE: The word 'situation' is so
overused that it has become rather debased. 2 to lower the
real value of (coins) by making them with less valuable
metal: to debase the currency 3 debase the coinage to
make people have a lower opinion of something: It's no use
lowering the standard for university entry. It's just debasing
the coinage. —ment n [C;U]
de-ba-ta-ble /dɪˈbeɪtəbəl/ adj 1 doubtful; perhaps not true;
questionable: a debatable statement | It's debatable whether
this policy has caused unemployment. 2 claimed by more
than one country: a debatable border area
de-bate¹ /dɪˈbeɪt/ n 1 [C] a meeting, especially in public, in
which a question is talked about by at least two people or
groups, each expressing a different opinion: There was a
long debate in Parliament on the question of capital
punishment. | a heated debate 2 [C usually sing.;U] the process of
talking about a question in detail; DISCUSSION: After much
debate, the committee voted to close the school. | How to solve
this problem is still a matter for debate. | the current debate on
inner-city crime (=this is a subject that people generally are
now talking about)
debate² v 1 [I;T] to hold a debate about (something), usually
in an attempt to reach a decision: They debated for over an
hour on the merits of the different systems. | The Senate will
debate the subject of tax increases. | [+wh-] They debated
whether to accept the management's proposals. 2 [T] to con-
sider in one's own mind the arguments for and against
something: I debated the idea in my mind. | [+wh-] She
debated whether to accept their offer. —bater n: a skilled
debater
de-bauch¹ /dɪˈbɔːtʃ||dɪˈbɔːtʃ, dɪˈbɑːtʃ/ v [T usually pass.] to
cause to behave badly, especially in relation to sex and
alcohol: debauched young men
debauch² n an occasion of wild behaviour, especially in
relation to sex and alcohol; wild party or ORGY
de-bauch-ee /ˌdebɔːˈtiː, -ˈʃiː||diˌbɔːˈtʃiː, dibɑː-/ n derog a
debauched person
de-bauch-e-ry /dɪˈbɔːtʃəri||dɪˈbɔː-, dɪˈbɑː-/ n [U] wild
behaviour, especially in relation to sex and alcohol: a life of
total debauchery
de Beau-voir, Si-mone /də ˈbəʊvwɑː||-bəʊˈvwɑːr,
siːˈməʊn/ (1908–86) a French writer, thought by some to be
the mother of FEMINIST writing. She had a RELATIONSHIP
with the philosopher and writer Jean-Paul SARTRE which
lasted until Sartre died in 1980.
Deb-en-hams /ˈdebənəmz/ trademark a large DEPARTMENT
STORE in some British cities which sells clothes and articles
for the home
de-ben-ture /dɪˈbentʃər/ n 1 BrE an official paper that is
sold by a business company and represents a debt on which
the company must pay the buyer a fixed rate of interest;
BOND 2 AmE a BOND which is not guaranteed (GUARANTEE)
by the property of the company that sells it
de-bil-i-tate /dɪˈbɪlɪteɪt/ v [T] to make weak, especially
through heat, illness, or hunger: a debilitating disease | We
were all debilitated by the extreme heat.
de-bil-i-ty /dɪˈbɪlɪti/ n [U] fml weakness, especially as the
result of disease
deb-it¹ /ˈdebɪt/ n 1 a record in a book of accounts of money
spent or owed 2 a charge against a bank account → com-
pare CREDIT¹; see also DIRECT DEBIT
debit² v [T] 1 [(against)] to record (an amount of money taken
from an account): Debit £10 against Mr Smith/Mr Smith's
account. 2 [(with)] to charge with money owed: Debit Mr
Smith/Mr Smith's account with £10. → compare CREDIT²
'debit card n a small plastic card which is used instead of
money or a CHEQUE to pay for goods and services from
shops, garages etc. The cost is taken directly from the user's
bank account. Debit cards can also be used to obtain money
from CASH DISPENSERS. → compare CHARGE CARD, CHEQUE
CARD, CREDIT CARD; see also SWITCH
'debit note n a document informing a buyer that his or her
bank account has been debited with the amount shown on
the note, usually because the buyer was charged too little
originally
deb-o-nair /ˌdebəˈneər/ adj apprec, becoming rare (usually of
men) cheerful, charming, and fashionably dressed: a debo-
nair manner/young man
De Bo-no, Edward /də ˈbəʊnəʊ/ (1933–) a doctor and
PSYCHOLOGIST, born in Malta, who invented the idea of
LATERAL THINKING (=a new way of solving problems). He has
written several books to explain his ideas and methods.
de-bouch /dɪˈbaʊtʃ, -ˈbuːʃ/ v [I+adv/prep] especially tech (espe-
cially of a river) to come out from a narrow place (such as a
valley) into a broader place: The river debouches into a wide
plain. | (fig.) a football crowd debouching from a row of buses
De-brett's /dəˈbrets/ also Debrett n a book that is a guide
to the British royal family and other UPPER-CLASS families in
the UK. It provides information about members of these
families, the properties they own, and their history.
de-brief /ˌdiːˈbriːf/ v [T] to officially get information from
(someone such as a SPY, ASTRONAUT, or HOSTAGE) after
completion of a job, trip, or escape from an enemy country →
compare BRIEF³
deb-ris /ˈdebriː, ˈdeɪ-||dəˈbri, deɪ-/ n [U] the remains of
something, usually something large such as a building, that
has been broken to pieces or destroyed; ruins: After the
bombing/the earthquake there was a lot of debris everywhere.
debt /det/ n 1 [C] something owed to someone else: a debt of
£10 | to pay one's debts | (fig.) We owe you a debt of gratitude for
your help. 2 [U] the state of owing; the duty of repaying
something: I'm heavily in debt at the moment, but hope to be
out of debt when I get paid. | I'll always be in debt to you for
your help. | If we spend more than our income we'll run into
debt. (=begin to owe money) → see also BAD DEBT, NATIONAL
DEBT
'debt col,lector n someone who is employed to collect
debts: Look out of the window and see if that's the debt
collector at the door.
,debt of 'honour n a debt that one ought to pay even
though the law does not force one to
debt-or /ˈdetər/ n a person, group, or organization that owes
money: debtor nations → compare CREDITOR
'debt re,lief n [U] an arrangement in which very poor
countries do not have to pay back all the money that has
been lent to them by richer countries
'debt-,ridden adj debt-ridden countries or organizations owe
so much money they cannot pay the money back
de-bug /ˌdiːˈbʌɡ/ v -gg- [T] infml 1 to search for and remove
the BUGS (=faults) in (a computer PROGRAM) 2 to remove the
BUGS (=secret listening apparatus) from (a room or building)
de-bunk /ˌdiːˈbʌŋk/ v [T] infml to point out the true facts
about (people, ideas etc that have received too much praise):
Their version of events was once widely believed, but now it's
been thoroughly debunked. —er n
De Burgh, Chris /də ˈbɜːg||ˈbɜːrg, krɪs/ (1948–) a British
singer, born in Argentina, who is known for selling a lot of
records in many different countries around the world. His
songs include The Lady in Red and High on Emotion.
De-bus-sy, Claude /dəˈbjuːsi||ˌdebjuːˈsiː, kləʊd/ (1862–
1918) a French COMPOSER who developed musical IMPRES-
SIONISM
de-but¹ /ˈdeɪbjuː, ˈdebjuː||derˈbjuː, dɪ-/ n a first public
appearance: The singer made his debut as Mozart's Don
Giovanni.
debut² v 1 [I] to appear in public or become available for the
first time: The show will debut next Monday at 8.00pm. 2 [T]
to introduce a product to the public for the first time: Ralph
Lauren will debut his autumn collection in Paris next week. →
compare LAUNCH
deb-u-tante /ˈdebjuːtɑːnt/ also deb infml — n a young UPPER-
CLASS woman who attends certain special parties, dances,
and other social events as a way of being formally intro-
duced to upper-class society
Dec. written abbrev. for DECEMBER
DEC → see DIGITAL
dec-ade /ˈdekeɪd, deˈkeɪd/ n a period of ten years: Prices