| very bad, harmful or unsuccessful | a DISASTROUS harvest/fire/result |
| (formal) to get rid of something that you no longer want or need | The room was littered with DISCARDED newspapers. |
| [transitive, usually passive] to give somebody official permission to leave the police or the armed forces; to make somebody leave the police or the armed forces | He was DISCHARGED from the army following his injury. |
| to give somebody information about something, especially something that was previously secret | The spokesman refused to DISCLOSE details of the takeover to the press. |
| the act of making something known or public that was previously secret or private | The bank will need full DISCLOSURE of your financial situation and assets. |
| (formal) a long and serious treatment or discussion of a subject in speech or writing | a DISCOURSE on issues of gender and sexuality |
| the freedom or power to decide what should be done in a particular situation | How much to tell terminally ill patients is left to the DISCRETION of the doctor |
| the practice of treating somebody or a particular group in society less fairly than others | to prohibit/outlaw/ban DISCRIMINATION on the basis of race, gender or sexual orientation |
| the act of dismissing somebody from their job; an example of this | He still hopes to win his claim against unfair DISMISSAL. |
| to take the place of somebody/something | Gradually factory workers have been DISPLACED by machines. |
| the act of getting rid of something | The council is responsible for waste DISPOSAL and street cleaning. |
| to arrange things or people in a particular way or position | The visitors DISPOSED themselves in a circle round the statue. |
| an argument between two people, groups or countries; discussion about a subject on which people disagree | a DISPUTE between the two countries about the border |
| to question whether something is true or legally or officially acceptable | These figures have been DISPUTED. |
| to make it difficult for something to continue in the normal way | Bus services will be DISRUPTED tomorrow because of the bridge closure. |
| a situation in which it is difficult for something to continue in the normal way; the act of stopping something from continuing in the normal way | We aim to help you move house with minimum DISRUPTION to yourself. |
| dissolve (in something) (of a solid) to mix with a liquid and become part of it | Heat gently until the sugar DISSOLVES. |
| a clear difference or contrast especially between people or things that are similar or related | Philosophers did not use to make a DISTINCTION between arts and science. |
| having a quality or characteristic that makes something different and easily noticed | The male bird has DISTINCTIVE white markings on its head. |
| to change the shape, appearance or sound of something so that it is strange or not clear | The loudspeaker seemed to DISTORT his voice. |
| a feeling of great worry or unhappiness; great mental pain | The newspaper article caused the actor considerable DISTRESS. |
| to make somebody feel very worried or unhappy | It was clear that the letter had deeply DISTRESSED her. |
| making you feel anxious and upset or shocked | a profoundly DISTURBING experience |
| [often passive] to make somebody/something change direction | Northbound traffic will have to be DIVERTED onto minor roads. |
| coming from or connected with God or a god | DIVINE law/love/will |
| a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, a political party, etc. | He was deeply committed to political DOCTRINES of social equality. |
| the documents that are required for something, or that give evidence or proof of something | I couldn't enter the country because I didn't have all the necessary DOCUMENTATION. |
| an area of knowledge or activity; especially one that somebody is responsible for | Financial matters are her DOMAIN. |
| the fact of being more important, powerful or easy to notice than somebody/something else | to achieve/assert/establish DOMINANCE over somebody |
| a person or an organization that makes a gift of money, clothes, food, etc. to a charity, etc. | She is one of the charity's main DONORS. |
| an amount of a medicine or a drug that is taken once, or regularly over a period of time | Repeat the DOSE after 12 hours if necessary. |
| drain (something) to make something empty or dry by removing the liquid from it; to become empty or dry in this way | You will need to DRAIN the central heating system before you replace the radiator. |
| to move along smoothly and slowly in water or air | The empty boat DRIFTED out to sea. |
| strong and powerful; having a strong influence in making something happen | Who was the DRIVING force (= the person with the strongest influence) in the band? |
| to die because you have been underwater too long and you cannot breathe; to kill somebody by holding them underwater | She tried to DROWN herself. |
| having two parts or aspects | She has DUAL nationality (= is a citizen of two different countries). |
| to give somebody/something a particular name, often in a humorous or critical way | The media DUBBED anorexia ‘the slimming disease’. |
| stupid | If the police question you, act DUMB (= pretend you do not know anything). |
| two people who perform together or are often seen or thought of together | the comedy DUO Laurel and Hardy. |
| very interested and excited by something that is going to happen or about something that you want to do; showing this | She is EAGER for (= wants very much to get) her parents' approval. |
| the way in which people or things behave and react to each other in a particular situation | Market DYNAMICS are working in the company’s favour. |
| the money that you earn for the work that you do | She is claiming compensation for loss of EARNINGS. |
| lack of difficulty | All important points are numbered for EASE of reference (= so that you can find them easily). |
| to become less unpleasant, painful or severe; to make something less unpleasant, etc. | It would EASE my mind (= make me less worried) to know that she was settled. |
| the reflecting of sound off a wall or inside a particular space so that a noise appears to be repeated; a sound that is reflected back in this way | There was an ECHO on the phone and I couldn't hear clearly. |
| if a sound echoes, it is reflected off a wall, the side of a mountain, etc. so that you can hear it again | Her footsteps ECHOED / echo in the empty room. |
| connected with the relation of plants and living creatures to each other and to their environment | We risk upsetting the ECOLOGICAL balance of the area. |
| a person whose job is to teach or educate people | adult EDUCATORS (= who teach adults) |
| the fact of producing the result that is wanted or intended; the fact of producing a successful result | to check the EFFECTIVENESS of the security system |
| the quality of doing something well with no waste of time or money | I was impressed by the EFFICIENCY with which she handled the crisis. |
| your sense of your own value and importance | Winning the prize really boosted her EGO. |
| very complicated and detailed; carefully prepared and organized | She had prepared a very ELABORATE meal. |
| connected with elections | ELECTORAL systems/reforms |
| (formal) to give somebody/something a higher position or rank, often more important than they deserve | He ELEVATED many of his friends to powerful positions within the government. |
| a person who is eligible for something or to do something, is able to have or do it because they have the right qualifications, are the right age, etc. | Only those over 70 are ELIGIBLE for the special payment. |
| a small group of people in a society, etc. who are powerful and have a lot of influence, because they are rich, intelligent, etc. | a member of the ruling/intellectual ELITE |
| to get onto a ship or plane; to put somebody/something onto a ship or plane | We stood on the pier and watched as they EMBARKED. |
| shy, uncomfortable or guilty feelings; a feeling of being embarrassed | I'm glad you offered—it saved me the EMBARRASSMENT of having to ask. |
| a group of officials led by an ambassador who represent their government in a foreign country | to inform the EMBASSY of the situation |
| to fix something in a substance or solid object | an operation to remove glass that was EMBEDDED in his leg |
| to express or represent an idea or a quality | the principles EMBODIED / embody in the Declaration of Human Rights |
| the fact of somebody/something moving out of or away from something and becoming possible to see | the island’s EMERGENCE from the sea 3 000 years ago |
| based on experiments or experience rather than ideas or theories | EMPIRICAL evidence/knowledge/research |
| (formal) to give somebody the power or authority to do something | The courts were EMPOWERED to impose the death sentence for certain crimes. |
| to pass a law | legislation ENACTED by parliament |
| to include a large number or range of things | The job ENCOMPASSES a wide range of responsibilities. |
| the act of encouraging somebody to do something; something that encourages somebody | She was given every ENCOURAGEMENT to try something new. |
| that gives somebody support, courage or hope | This month's unemployment figures are not very ENCOURAGING. |
| an attempt to do something, especially something new or difficult | The public bombarded the company with complaints in an ENDEAVOUR to have the price increases revoked. |
| very large in size or amount and seeming to have no end | ENDLESS opportunities for making money |
| to say publicly that you support a person, statement or course of action | Members of all parties ENDORSED a ban on land mines. |
| a public statement or action showing that you support somebody/something | This is hardly a ringing ENDORSEMENT of the plan. |
| to experience and deal with something that is painful or unpleasant without giving up | They had to ENDURE a long wait before the case came to trial. |
| to make sure that people obey a particular law or rule | (formal or law) The creditor should be at liberty to ENFORCE his rights against the company's property. |
| the act of making people obey a particular law or rule | law ENFORCEMENT officers |
| an agreement to marry somebody; the period during which two people are engaged | She has broken off her ENGAGEMENT to Charles. |
| interesting or pleasant in a way that attracts your attention | an ENGAGING smile |
| to ask somebody for some information | I called the garage to ENQUIRE about progress on the repairs. |
| to improve the quality of something, often by adding something to it | The study of science has ENRICHED all our lives. |
| to arrange for yourself or for somebody else to officially join a course, school, etc. | You need to ENROL before the end of August. |
| to happen after or as a result of another event | The riot police swooped in and chaos ENSUED. |
| a company or business | He is in charge of an ENTERPRISE with a turnover of $26 billion. |
| a person who is very interested in something and spends a lot of time doing it | She was an ENTHUSIAST for early Italian art. |
| to give somebody the right to have or to do something | You will be ENTITLED to your pension when you reach 65. |
| something that exists separately from other things and has its own identity | The unit has become part of a larger department and no longer exists as a separate ENTITY. |
| a large number of cases of a particular disease or medical condition happening at the same time in a particular community | Effectively, tobacco companies will be exporting an EPIDEMIC of smoking-related diseases, the campaign suggests. |
| the fact of being equal in rights, status, advantages, etc | racial/social/gender EQUALITY |
| a statement showing that two amounts or values are equal, for example 2x + y = 54 | the numbers on the right-hand side of the EQUATION |
| to build something | The church was ERECTED in 1582. |
| to become greater, worse, more serious, etc.; to make something greater, worse, more serious, etc. | We do not want to ESCALATE the war. |
| the most important quality or feature of something, that makes it what it is | In ESSENCE (= when you consider the most important points), your situation isn't so different from mine. |
| an organization, a large institution or a hotel | The visa is for foreign nationals wishing to study at a university, college or similar educational ESTABLISHMENT. |
| without an end; existing or continuing forever | Newspapers are simply responding to the ETERNAL fascination of their readers with the private lives of the rich and famous. |
| to move people from a place of danger to a safer place | Children were EVACUATED from London to escape the bombing. |
| to bring a feeling, a memory or an image into your mind | The music EVOKED memories of her youth. |
| connected with evolution; connected with slow steady development and change | EVOLUTIONARY theory |
| to make something seem larger, better, worse or more important than it really is | He tends to EXAGGERATE the difficulties. |
| the quality of being extremely good | The hospital is recognized as a centre of EXCELLENCE / excellence in research and teaching. |
| unusually good | The quality of the recording is quite EXCEPTIONAL. |
| in addition to an amount that is necessary, usual or legal | Driving with EXCESS alcohol in the blood is a serious offence. |
| more than is necessary, reasonable or acceptable | The increase will not be in EXCESS of (= more than) two per cent. |
