Copy of `Princeton University - WordNet - a lexical database for the English language`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

Princeton University - WordNet - a lexical database for the English language Category: General Date & country: 27/01/2008, USA Words: 85192

desert selaginella
Selaginella eremophila noun prostrate spikemoss; California

desert soil
desertic soil noun a type of soil that develops in arid climates

desert sunflower
Gerea canescens noun slender hairy plant with few leaves and golden-yellow flower heads; sandy desert areas of southeastern California to southwestern Utah and western Arizona and northwestern Mexico

desert tortoise
Gopherus agassizii noun burrowing tortoise of the arid western United States and northern Mexico; may be reclassified as a member of genus Xerobates

desert willow
Chilopsis linearis noun evergreen shrubby tree resembling a willow of dry regions of southwestern North America having showy purplish flowers and long seed pods

deserted
adjective remote from civilization; `the victim was lured to a deserted spot`

deserter
defector noun a person who abandons their duty (as on a military post)

deserter
renegade 1 turncoat noun a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.

desertification
noun the gradual transformation of habitable land into desert; is usually caused by climate change or by destructive use of the land; `the dust storms in Korea are the result of rapid desertification in China`

desertion
abandonment 1 defection noun withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility; `his abandonment of his wife and children left them penniless`

deserts
comeuppance noun an outcome (good or bad) that is well deserved

deserve
verb be worthy or deserving; `You deserve a promotion after all the hard work you have done`

deservedly
adverb as deserved; `he chalked up two goals which deservedly gave Bolton their second victory of the season`

deserving(p)
meriting(p) adjective having sufficient worth; `an idea worth considering`; `a cause deserving or meriting support`; `the deserving poor` (often used ironically)

deservingness
merit 2 meritoriousness noun the quality of being deserving (e.g., deserving assistance); `there were many children whose deservingness he recognized and rewarded`

desexualize
desexualise verb direct one`s libidinous urges into another direction

desiccant
drying agent noun a substance that promotes drying (e.g., calcium oxide absorbs water and is used to remove moisture)

desiccated
dried-out adjective thoroughly dried out; `old boxes of desiccated Cuban cigars`; `dried-out boards beginning to split`

desideratum
noun something desired as a necessity; `the desiderata for a vacation are time and money`

design
pattern noun a decorative or artistic work; `the coach had a design on the doors`

design criteria
noun criteria that designers should meet in designing some system or device; `the job specifications summarized the design criteria`

designate
denominate verb assign a name or title to

designate(ip)
adjective appointed but not yet installed in office

designated
adjective selected or named for a duty; `designated hitter`

designated driver
noun the member of a party who is designated to refrain from alcohol and so is sober when it is time to drive home

designated hitter
noun a ballplayer who is designated to bat in place of the pitcher

designation
noun the act of designating or identifying something

designative
adjective serving to designate

designatum
noun something (whether existing or not) that is referred to by a linguistic expression

designed
adjective planned or created in an artistic or skilled manner; `a beautifully designed dress`; `some Italian designed sandals have cushioning`

designed(a)
studied(a) adjective carefully practiced or designed or premeditated; `a studied reply`

designer
noun a person who devises plots or intrigues; `he is believed to be the principal designer of the terrorist bombing attack`

designer drug
noun a psychoactive drug deliberately synthesized to avoid anti-drug laws; mimics the effects of a banned drug; law was revised in 1986 to ban designer drugs

designing
scheming adjective concealing crafty designs for advancing your own interest; `a selfish and designing nation obsessed with the dark schemes of European intrigue`- W.Churchill; `a scheming wife`; `a scheming gold digger`

desirability
desirableness noun the quality of being worthy of desiring

desirable
suitable adjective worthy of being chosen especially as a spouse; `the parents found the girl suitable for their son`

desire
noun an inclination to want things; `a man of many desires`

desire to know
lust for learning noun curiosity that motivates investigation and study

desirous
wishful adjective having or expressing desire for something; `desirous of high office`; `desirous of finding a quick solution to the problem`

desk
noun a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments

desk clerk
hotel desk clerk noun a hotel receptionist

desk dictionary
collegiate dictionary noun an abridged dictionary of a size convenient to hold in the hand

desk officer
noun a military officer who is not assigned to active duty

desk phone
noun a telephone set that sits on a desk or table

desk sergeant
deskman noun the police sergeant on duty in a police station

desk-bound
deskbound adjective restricted to working in an office rather than in an active physical capacity

desktop
noun the top of a desk

desktop
screen background noun (computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear

desktop computer
noun a personal computer small enough to fit conveniently in an individual workspace

desktop publishing
noun (computer science) the use of microcomputers with graphics capacity to produce printed materials

Desmanthus
genus Desmanthus noun genus of American herbs or shrubs with sensitive pinnate leaves and small whitish flowers

desmid
noun freshwater green algae

Desmidiaceae
family Desmidiaceae noun unicellular algae

Desmidium
genus Desmidium noun a genus of protoctist

Desmodium
genus Desmodium noun beggarweed; tick trefoil

Desmodontidae
family Desmodontidae noun true vampire bats

Desmodus
genus Desmodus noun type genus of the Desmodontidae: vampire bats

Desmodus rotundus
noun mouse-sized bat of tropical Central America and South America having sharp incisor and canine teeth; feeds on the blood of birds and mammals

Desmograthus
genus Desmograthus noun an amphibian genus of Plethodontidae

desolate
adjective crushed by grief; `depressed and desolate of soul`; `a low desolate wail`

desolately
disconsolately adverb in grief-stricken loneliness; without comforting circumstances or prospects

desorb
verb go away from the surface to which (a substance) is adsorbed

desorption
noun changing from an adsorbed state on a surface to a gaseous or liquid state

despair
noun the feeling that everything is wrong and nothing will turn out well

despairing
desperate adjective arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope; `a despairing view of the world situation`; `the last despairing plea of the condemned criminal`; `a desperate cry for help`; `helpless and desperate--as if at the end of his tether`; `her desperate screams`

despairingly
despondently adverb with desperation; ``Why can`t you understand?,` she asked despairingly`

desperado
desperate criminal noun a bold outlaw (especially on the American frontier)

desperate
dire adjective fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless; `a desperate illness`; `on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel`- G.C.Marshall; `a dire emergency`

desperate measure
noun desperate actions taken as a means to an end; `he had to resort to desperate measures`

desperate straits
dire straits noun a state of extreme distress

desperation
noun desperate recklessness; `it was a policy of desperation`

despicable
ugly adjective morally reprehensible; `would do something as despicable as murder`; `ugly crimes`; `the vile development of slavery appalled them`; `a slimy little liar`

despicably
adverb in a despicable manner; `he acted despicably`

despiramine
noun a tricyclic antidepressant drug that activates the psychomotor system

despisal
despising noun a feeling of scornful hatred

despised
detested adjective treated with contempt

despite
noun contemptuous disregard; `she wanted neither favor nor despite`

despiteful
spiteful adjective showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite; `a despiteful fiend`; `a truly spiteful child`; `a vindictive man will look for occasions for resentment`

despitefully
adverb in a maliciously spiteful manner; `pray for them that despitefully use us`

despoiled
pillaged adjective having been robbed and destroyed by force and violence; `the raped countryside`

despond
verb lose confidence or hope; become dejected; `The supporters of the Presidential candidate desponded when they learned the early results of the election`

despondency
despondence noun feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless

despondent
heartsick adjective without or almost without hope; `despondent about his failure`; `too heartsick to fight back`

despotic
despotical adjective belonging to or having the characteristics of a despot

desquamate
peel off verb peel off in scales; `dry skin desquamates`

desquamation
peeling noun loss of bits of outer skin by peeling or shedding or coming off in scales

dessert
sweet 1 afters noun a dish served as the last course of a meal

dessert plate
noun a small plate on which dessert can be served

dessert spoon
noun a spoon larger than a teaspoon and smaller than a tablespoon

dessert wine
noun still sweet wine often served with dessert or after a meal

dessertspoon
dessertspoonful noun as much as a dessertspoon will hold

dessiatine
noun a former Russian unit of area equal to 2.7 acres

destabilization
destabilisation noun the action of destabilizing; making something less stable (especially of a government or country or economy)

destabilize
destabilise verb make unstable; `Terrorism destabilized the government`

destain
verb remove stain from (a laboratory specimen) to enhance contrast

destalinization
de-Stalinization noun social process of neutralizing the influence of Joseph Stalin by revising his policies and removing monuments dedicated to him and renaming places named in his honor; `his statue was demolished as part of destalinization`

destalinize
destalinise verb counteract the effects and policies of Stalinism; `Russia was slowly destalinized in the late 1950`s`

destination
terminus noun the ultimate goal for which something is done

destination
name and address noun written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location

destine
fate verb decree or designate beforehand; `She was destined to become a great pianist`