up to Verbs

Verbs that start with D

Verbs are things you do. Action words!

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Dis forDab

You dab something when you gently pat at it, usually with a cloth. You might dab at your forehead with a handkerchief, or dab on something in blotches.
The woman in the picture has dabs of sunscreen on her face.

Dis forDampen

Dampen is another word for suppress. Acoustic insulation like in the picture will dampen sound. Being given some bad news may dampen your spirits and put you in a bad mood.

Dis forDance

Dancing is a way of moving that is usually set to music and is pleasant to watch. There are many different kinds of dance, from very formal dances like ballet that have defined movements, tribal and traditional dances from many cultures, through to unstructured dancing that young people do at nightclubs.

Dis forDangle

Something dangles if it is hanging loosely, so that is can move around freely. People often dangle toys for kittens so they will play with them.

Dis forDebate

A debate is a structured discussion about the pros and cons of an issue. Each side of the discussion will either be for or against a point of view and will put forward the reasons for their side of the debate.
A similar word to debate is argument.

Dis forDeflate

Deflate means to release the gas or air from something that has been inflated, such as a balloon.

Dis forDemolish

You demolish something when you take it apart until there is nothing left.

When you say demolish, you usually mean a building being demolished.

Dis forDestroy

You destroy something when you damage it so badly it is completely useless. You can destroy something by smashing it into tiny pieces, burning it or by dissolving it.

Dis forDetour

A detour is a path taken that goes out of the way of your usual path. Detours are usually set up when there is some obstacle and there needs to be a way around it.
Used as a verb, it simply means you are taking a detour, for example "I am going to detour past the shops on my way home".

Dis forDevour

Devour means to eat or consume something aggressively or greedily. For example, the hungry lions in the picture are devouring a boar.

Dis forDial

A dial is a round device that is marked with letters or numbers. They are most commonly seen on older phones.
Used as a verb, dial means the process of calling someone on a phone, for example "I am dialling your number".

Dis forDig

Digging is where you use a spade or your hands (or your paws if you are a dog) to move sand or dirt around. Usually you dig to make a hole.
The boy in the picture is helping to dig a vegetable garden.
The past tense of dig is dug.

Dis forDilate

You dilate something when you make it bigger or wider. The eye in the picture is dilated.

Dis forDine

To dine simply means to eat your main meal of the day, usually dinner.
It is most often used when you are talking about eating out at a restaurant.

Dis forDip

A dip can be one of many things. As a verb, you dip something by lowering it briefly into a liquid, for example the person in the picture is dipping some bread. The semi-liquid food he is dipping the bread into is also called a dip. Dips are very tasty, can be made from virtually anything, and are usually served with some kind of bread. Many dips are made with a yoghurt base.
A dip is also a shallow dent or depression in the ground, often seen where a drain crosses a road.
Something disappears when it suddenly changes from you being able to see it to not being able to see it. The man in the picture has disappeared and only left his clothes behind.
A similar word to disappear is vanish.
The opposite of disappear is appear.
You are disappointed when something you expected or wanted doesn't happen. People might get disappointed that the last slice of cake was taken before they got a chance to have some.

Dis forDiscuss

A discussion is a way for two or more people to talk to each other about something specific. People often discuss a problem as part of the process for finding a solution.
Something disintegrates when it breaks down into the components it was made from, or just breaks into small pieces. The building in the picture is slowly disintegrating.