Diaspora, the
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ordinary man, who often gets into embarrassing social situations and makes himself look stupid.
Di·as·po·ra, the /daɪˈæspərə/ n the scattering of the Jewish people to countries other than Israel. This word is now sometimes used about other groups of people who have been forced to leave their original home and settle in other places: the African Diaspora
di·a·ton·ic scale /ˌdaɪəˈtɒnɪk ˈskeɪltˌtɔː/ n [the] a set of eight musical notes using a fixed pattern of spaces (INTERVALS) between the notes
di·a·tribe /ˈdaɪətraɪb/ n [(against)] fml a long violent attack in speech or writing
Di·az, Cam·e·ron /ˈdiːæz, ˈkæmərə/ (1972-) a US film actress, known for being sexually attractive, whose films include There's Something About Mary and Charlie's Angels.
dib·ble¹ /ˈdɪbəl/ also dib·ber /ˈdɪbəʳ/ n a small pointed hand tool which is used to make holes in the earth for small plants
dibble² v [T] 1 to plant (seeds or plants) with a dibble 2 to make holes in (the earth) with a dibble
dibs /dɪbz/ n AmE infml have dibs on something to have the right to have, use, or do something: I've got dibs on playing second base.
Di·Cap·ri·o, Le·o·nar·do /ˌdiːkæpriˌoʊ, ˌliːəˈnɑːrdoʊ/ (1973-) a US film actor whose films include Titanic (1997) and Gangs of New York (2002). → see colour photo on page A33
dice¹ /daɪs/ n pl. dice 1 [C] a small six-sided block of wood, plastic etc, with a different number of spots from 1 to 6 on the various sides, used in games of chance: to throw/cast the dice | a pair of dice | A dice/One of the dice has rolled under the table. 2 [U] any game of chance which is played with these: to play dice 3 no dice infml, especially AmE a) no use: It was no dice. b) (used to show refusal): Will you just ask her for us? — 'No dice.'
The old singular form die is now rare, especially in British English except in the saying The die is cast (=the decision or action has been taken and cannot now be changed).
dice² v 1 [T] to cut (food) into small square pieces: The meat should be finely diced. | I diced carrots 2 [(for)] to play dice with someone, for money, possessions etc: They spent their time drinking and dicing. 3 dice with death to take a great risk
dice sthg. ↔ away phr v [T] to lose (money or possessions) by playing dice: He diced away all his money.
dic·ey /ˈdaɪsi/ adj infml, especially BrE risky and uncertain
di·chot·o·my /daɪˈkɒtəmi -ˈkɑː-/ n [(between)] fml the differences between two things or ideas that are completely opposite: the dichotomy between his public and private lives
dick¹ /dɪk/ n 1 taboo slang for PENIS 2 AmE old-fash slang a PRIVATE DETECTIVE → see also CLEVER DICK, SPOTTED DICK
dick² v
dick sbdy. around phr v AmE slang to cause a lot of problems for someone, especially by changing your mind a lot or preventing them from getting what they want: The phone company's been dicking me around for three months.
Dick, Philip K. (1928-1982) an American SCIENCE FICTION writer whose books include The Man in the High Castle, VALIS, and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Several films have been based on Dick's books, including Blade Runner and Total Recall. He is often known by his INITIALS PKD.
Dick and Jane two characters in simple US books used for teaching children to read. Dick and Jane are a boy and girl who have a dog called Spot. The books were popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but most people now think that they are
too boring, and that they only represent white, MIDDLE-CLASS Americans with traditional opinions about society.
dick·ens /ˈdɪkənz/ n the dickens euph infml, especially BrE (used for adding force to an expression) the devil: What/Who/Where the dickens is that?
Dickens, Charles (1812-70) a British writer whose novels made him the most popular British writer of the 19th century, and are still very popular today. His books contain humorous characters with unusual names, many of whom have become very well known. But they also show how hard life was in Victorian England, especially for poor people and children. His books include DAVID COPPERFIELD, OLIVER TWIST, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, and The Pickwick Papers.
Dic·ken·si·an /dɪkˈkenziən/ adj 1 Dickensian buildings, living conditions etc are poor, dirty, and unpleasant: a single mother living in a Dickensian block of flats 2 a Dickensian Christmas is a happy traditional Christmas, like those described in books by Charles Dickens
dick·er /ˈdɪkəʳ/ v [(for, with)] infml to argue about the price for something one wants to buy; HAGGLE
dick·head /ˈdɪkhed/ n taboo slang a complete fool
Dick·in·son, David /ˈdɪkɪnsən/ (1941-) a British television PRESENTER and former ANTIQUES DEALER who presents the BBC television show Bargain Hunt. He is famous for using the phrases 'cheap as chips' (=very cheap), 'a real Bobby Dazzler' (=something very good), and 'a bit of a duffer' (=something not very good). He likes to wear PINSTRIPE suits and bright TIES, and is known for always having a deep TAN.
Dickinson, Em·i·ly /ˈemɪli/ (1830-86) a US poet whose clever and original work is still very popular. She is sometimes called 'the Belle of Amherst', and is known for being a RECLUSE (=someone who lives alone and avoids other people) for the last 25 years of her life.
dick·y¹ /ˈdɪki/ adj BrE infml weak; likely to break or go wrong: My father has a dicky heart. | Be careful up there! The ladder's a bit dicky.
dicky² n 1 also dickey AmE — a false shirt-front 2 especially BrE a small third seat at the back of an old-fashioned two-seat car
dick·y·bird /ˈdɪkɪbɜːdl-bɜːd/ n especially BrE 1 (used especially by or to children) any small bird 2 [usually in negatives] slang a word; anything: We haven't heard a dickybird from them since they moved house.
dic·ta /ˈdɪktə/ pl of DICTUM
Dic·ta·phone /ˈdɪktəfəʊn/ trademark a type of office machine on which you can record speech so that someone can listen to it later and TYPE your words
dic·tate¹ /ˈdɪkteɪt||'dɪkteɪt/ v 1 [I;T(to)] to say (words) for someone else to write down or for a machine to record: He can't type so he dictates everything. | She dictated a letter to her secretary. 2 [T(to)] to state (demands, conditions etc) with the power to make them happen: We're now in a position to dictate our own demands (to the management). | [+wh-] We can dictate how the money will be spent. 3 [T] to have a controlling influence on; DETERMINE: The amount of money available will dictate the type of computer we buy.
dictate to sbdy. phr v [T usually in negatives] to give orders to, especially with an unreasonable show of power: I refuse to be dictated to! | [+wh-] We can't dictate to them how they should spend their money.
dic·tate² /ˈdɪkteɪt/ n [usually pl.] an order which should be obeyed, especially one that comes from one's own mind: to follow/obey the dictates of your own conscience
dic·ta·tion /dɪkˈteɪʃən/ n 1 [U] the act of dictating or of writing down what is dictated: a secretary taking dictation | Dictation makes my throat sore. 2 [C] a piece of writing that is dictated to test one's ability to hear and write a foreign language correctly: The teacher gave us two French dictations today.
dic·ta·tor /ˈdɪkteɪtəʳ||'dɪkteɪtər/ n often derog a ruler who has complete power over a country, especially if the power has been gained by force
dic·ta·to·ri·al /ˌdɪktəˈtɔːriəl/ adj usually derog (of people or behaviour) of or like a dictator; TYRANNICAL: a dictatorial ruler | dictatorial power | Don't be so dictatorial! — ly adv