• DERAY
n. 1727 Sc. & Eng. dial. – uproar, merriment, noise, disorder, chaos, disarray; a noisy party
vb. 1340 obs. – to act madly or in a disorderly fashion
• DERBIES
n. 1796 sl. – ready money
• DERBY
n. 1. L17 UK criminals’ sl. – money
n. 2. M19 UK criminals’ sl. – a haul of stolen goods
n. 3. 1920s US sl. – a wealthy person who will usually pay the bill in a restaurant, bar, etc.
n. 4. 1983 Amer. dial. – a group or pack of fox hounds
• DERBY DOG
n. 1933 Amer. dial. – a young foxhound
• DERBY GYP
n. 1933 Amer. dial. – a young foxhound bitch
• DERBY KEL
n. 1970 Brit. rhyming sl. – the belly
• DERBY KELLY
n. 1970 Brit. rhyming sl. – the belly
• DERBYSHIRE-NECK
n. B1900 Eng. dial. – a swelling of the thyroid gland; goitre
• DERCH
n. c1500 Sc. obs. – a dwarf
• DERDEL
n. B1900 Sc. – the extreme end of the spine of a hog
• DERE
adj. 1. a1000 obs. – brave, bold, strenuous, hardy
adj. 2. a1000 arch. – hard, severe, heavy, grievous; dire, fell
adj. 3. a1225 obs. – hard, difficult
n. a1325 obs. – harm; injury; trouble
vb. 1. 1684 Eng. dial. – to pain, to grieve, to hurt, to injure or harm
vb. 2. 1790 Sc. – to terrify, to paralyze with fear, to stupefy
vb. 3. 1808 Sc. obs. – to be afraid, to shake with fear; to crouch, to hide, to lie hid
• DEREGLES
n. B1900 Sc. – loose habits, irregularities; deceptions, fraudulent informations
• DERELY
adv. 1830 Eng. dial. – grievously, extremely
• DERF
adj. 1. c1200 obs. – bold, daring, courageous, brave, hardy
adj. 2. a1225 obs. – painful, grievous; terrible, dreadful, cruel
adj. 3. a1225 obs. – troublesome, hard, difficult
adj. 4. a1300 obs. – in a bad sense: bold, audacious, daringly wicked
adj. 5. c1340 obs. – strong, sturdy, stout, robust
adj. 6. c1440 obs. – vigorous, forcible, violent
adj. 7. 1804 Sc. – of things: hard, rough
adj. 8. 1808 Sc. – unbending in manner, sullen
adv. c1325 obs. – grievously, terribly
n. c1205 obs. – trouble, adversity, tribulation, hurt, suffering
• DERFLY
adv. 1809 Sc. – boldly, fiercely, vigorously
• DERG
n. B1900 Sc. – a thing of little value
• DERISION
n. 1822 Sc. – a practical joke; a hoax
• DERISORIOUS
adj. 1664 – characterized by derision, mocking, derisive → obs.
• DERL
n. 1825 Sc. – a broken piece of bread, cake, etc.
• DERLS
n. B1900 Sc. – rags
• DERN
adj. 1. 1780s – damn; wretched, nasty; silly
adj. 2. 1814 Sc. & Eng. dial. – secret, obscure
adj. 3. 1824 Sc. & Eng. dial. – dark, dreary, dismal, lonely, solitary
adj. 4. 1879 Eng. dial. – of weather: raw, cold
adj. 5. 1881 Eng. dial. – determined, earnest, eager; careful
adj. 6. 1887 Eng. dial. – hard, stern
int. 1780s euphemism – damn!; an exclamation of disappointment, irritation, frustration, etc.
n. 1856 Sc. – darkness, secrecy
vb. 1. 1817 Sc. – to conceal, to hide
vb. 2. 1864 Sc. – to listen, to hearken
vb. 3. B1900 Sc. – to loiter at work
vb. 4. B1900 Sc. – to muse, to think
• DERN BEHIND
vb. B1900 Sc. – to fall back
• DERNED
adj. 1780s euphemism – damned; wretched, nasty; silly
• DERNFUL
adj. c1591 obs. – sorrowful, mournful, dreary, gloomy, depressing
• DERN IT!
int. 1780s – an exclamation of disappointment, irritation, frustration, etc.
• DERN MY BUTTONS!
int. 1872 Amer. sl. – a mild oath
• DERN MY SKIN!
int. M19 US euphemism – damn!
► DEROGANT adj. derogatory, disrespectful → 1616 obs.
• DEROGATORIOUS
adj.1575 – derogatory, disparaging, disrespectful → obs.
• DERRICK
vb. 1930 Amer. dial. – to execute or suicide by hanging
• DERRIÈRE
n. 20C US colloq. – the posteriors
• DERRIL
n. 1825 Sc. – a broken piece of bread, cake, etc.
• DERRILS
n. B1900 Sc. – rags
• DERRUCK
vb. B1900 Eng. dial. obs. – to worry
• DERRUM
n. 1879 Eng. dial. – a deafening noise; a confusion of sounds
• DERRY
adj. 1. B1900 Eng. dial. – acute, sharp, quick-witted
adj. 2. B1900 Eng. dial. – said of an obstinate person
n. 1. 1876 Eng. dial. – the noise made by any object in collision
n. 2. 1968 sl. – a derelict building
vb. B1900 Eng. dial. – to move noisily, to collide, to bump
• DERRYBOUNDER
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – said of an obstinate person
n. 1876 Eng. dial. – the noise made by an object in collision
vb. 19C Eng. dial. – to move noisily; to bump, to collide
• DERRYFIELD BEEF
n. 1939 Amer. dial. – eels
• DERRYMOUSE
n. 1839 Eng. dial. – a dormouse
• DERSE
n. 1828 Eng. dial. – havoc
vb. 1. 1828 Eng. dial. – to beat
vb. 2. 1828 Eng. dial. – to cleanse, to prepare
vb. 3. B1900 Eng. dial. – to defile, to dirty
• DERT
adj. Bk1900 Sc. – frightened, terrified
• DER UFFS
n. Amer. World War I sl. – two eggs; (French ‘deux oeufs’)
• DERWENTER
n. Bk1892 Aust. sl. – a convict (so called from the River Derwent in Tasmania, which, like New South Wales and West Australia, was originally a convict settlement)
• DERWENTER LIGHTS
n. 1879 Eng. dial. – the Aurora Borealis
• DERWORTH
adj. 1. c888 obs. – worthy of high estimation, highly valuable, precious, costly
adj. 2. c1175 obs. – worthy, honourable, noble, glorious
adj. 3. a1225 obs. – of persons: dearly esteemed, dear, beloved
• DERWORTHY
adj. 1. a1300 obs. – of persons: dearly esteemed, dear, beloved
adj. 2. c1374 obs. – worthy, honourable, noble, glorious
adj. 3. c1430 – worthy of high estimation, highly valuable, precious, costly
• DESACKLY
adv. 1857 Eng. dial. – exactly
► DESCENTIVE adj. descending → 1599
• DESCRIVE
vb. 1787 Sc. – to describe
• DESCRIVING
n. 1714 Sc. – description; the act of describing
• DESERT CANARY
n. 1936 Amer. dial. – a burro
• DESERT CANARY BIRD
n. 1971 Amer. dial. – a burro
• DESERT COOLER
n. 1976 Amer. dial. – air conditioner using evaporating water as cooling agent
• DESERT RAT
n. 1907 Amer. dial. – one who lives in the desert; a prospector in the desert
• DESERT STATE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – Utah
• DESERVABLE
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – deserving
• DESERVE THE BAUBLE
vb. 1606 – to make a fool of (obs.)
• DESIDIOSE
adj. 1727 – idle, slothful, lazy, sluggish, indolent → obs.
• DESIDIOUS
adj. a1540 – idle, lazy, indolent, slothful, negligent, sluggish (obs.)
• DESINENT
adj. 1608 – forming the end, ending, closing, terminating → obs.
• DESIPIENT
adj. 1727 – foolish, silly, childish, playful; playing the fool; idly trifling (rare)
• DESIREFUL
adj. 1969 – filled with desire or longing (Amer. dial.)
• DESIRES OF THE FLESH
n. 19C – food, drink, and sex, usually the latter (euphemism)
• DESKIT
adj. 1. 1888 – exhausted, worn-out (Sc.)
adj. 2. B1900 – stupid; bewildered (Sc.)
• DESPECTUOUS
adj. 1541 – to be despised, contemptible (obs.)
• DESPERATE
adj. 1887 – great, excessive (Sc. & Eng. dial.)
• DESPERATION
n. B1900 – a great rage (N. Ireland)
• DESPITE
vb. B1900 – to be filled with indignation at seeing another doing anything improper, or esteemed such (Sc.)
• DESPITEOUS
adj. 1. a1340 – full of despite, contempt, or ill-will; contemptuous, opprobrious (arch.)
adj. 2. c1510 – spiteful, malevolent, malicious, cruel; passing gradually into the sense: pitiless, merciless
• DESPIZABLE
adj. 1975 – despicable (Amer. dial.)
• DESS
n. 1. 1838 – a step; a small landing-place (Sc.)
n. 2. B1900 – a haystack (Sc.)
vb. 1641 – to pile up in orderly fashion layer after layer; to arrange neatly; to lay things close together (Eng. dial.)
• DESSABLY
adv. 1. 1790 – constantly (Eng. dial.)
adv. 2. 1796 – orderly, tidily (Eng. dial.)
• DESSMENT
n. B1900 – stagnation (Eng. dial.)
• DEST
n. B1900 Eng. dial. – a desk
• DESTINY
n. 1887 Eng. dial. – destination
• DE-STONE
vb. 1969 Amer. dial. – to castrate an animal
• DESTROYFUL
adj. B1900 Eng. dial. – destructive
• DESTRUCTFUL
adj. 1967 Amer. dial. – destructive
• DESTRUCTIONFU’
adj. B1900 Sc. – destructive, wasteful; full of destruction
• DESTRUCTIOUS
adj. 1927 Amer. dial. – destructive, prone to destroy
• DESTRUCTUOUS
adj. 1942 Amer. dial. – destructive, prone to destroy
• DETERSORY
adj. 1657 obs. rare – having the quality of cleansing or scouring; tending to cleanse
n. 1657 obs. rare – a cleansing agent
• DETESTATE
vb. 1548 – to detest, to abhor, to abominate → obs.
► DETRACTORY adj. tending to detract; depreciatory, disparaging, defamatory, derogatory → 1585
• DETRESSED
adj. 1500-20 obs. – of hair: out of ‘tress’ or plait; hanging loose
• DETROIT DEMON
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – prizefighter Joe Louis
• DETROIT DEVASTATOR
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – prizefighter Joe Louis
• DETROIT’S DUN DEMON
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – prizefighter Joe Louis
• DETURPATE
adj. c1532 obs. – defiled
vb. 1. 1623 obs. – to defile, to disfigure, to pollute, to contaminate; to debase
vb. 2. 1691 obs. – to become vile or base
• DEUBERT
n. a1325 obs. – one of the old appellations given to the hare
• DEUCE
n. 1823 sl. – twopence
• DEUCE-ACE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – bad luck
• DEUCED
adj. L18 sl. – damned; pert. to the devil
• DEUCEDLY GOOD
adj. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – excellent; first-rate
• DEUTSCHER
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – a person of German descent
• DEVALL
n. 1. 1871 Sc. – a pause, cessation, halt
n. 2. B1900 Sc. – a sunk fence
vb. 1. 1725 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to descend, to fall, to hurry
vb. 2. 1823 Sc., N. Ireland, & Eng. dial. – to halt, to stop, to desist, to cease
• DEVALLING
adj. 1894 Sc. – ceasing, stopping, halting
n. 1891 Sc. – cessation, stop
• DEVASTATING
adj. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – resplendently beautiful; gorgeous
adj. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – excellent; first-rate
• DEVEL
n. 1787 Sc. – a stunning blow
vb. 1827 Sc. & Eng. dial. – to strike, to beat, to fell with a blow; to maul; to fall heavily
• DEVELER
n. B1900 – a celebrated boxer; a dexterous young fellow (Sc.)
• DEVENUSTATE
vb. 1653 – to deprive of beauty or comeliness; to disfigure, to deform → obs.
• DEVER
n. B1900 – duty, best endeavour or try (Eng. dial.)
vb. 1879 – to try, to attempt, to endeavour (Eng. dial.)
• DEVESHER
n. 1850 – a heavy fall; a crash (Eng. dial.)
• DEVIATE
n. 1. 19C – a person who is markedly different from normal (euphemism)
n. 2. 19C – a sexual pervert; a sodomite (euphemism)
• DEVICE
n. 1854 – advice (Eng. dial.)
• DEVIL
n. 1. 17C – a term of mildly reproving affection (sl.)
n. 2. M20 – a Caucasian (African-American sl.)
vb. 1. 1819 – to tease, to annoy, to bother, to harass (Amer. dial.)
vb. 2. 1970 – to bewitch, to hex (Amer. dial.)
• DEVIL A MANY
n. 1891 – not many, a few (Sc.)
• THE DEVIL AND HIS DAM
n. 1393 – applied opprobriously to a woman (obs.)
• THE DEVIL AND TOM WALKER!
int. 1914 – an exclamation of annoyance or disgust (Amer. dial.)
• DEVIL AROUND
vb. 1902 – to seek mischief; to try to annoy; to lead a loose life (Amer. dial.)
• DEVIL BANE YE!
int. Bk1900 – an expression of anger (N. Ireland)
• DEVIL BEATER
n. 1940s – a chaplain (Amer. sl.)
• DEVIL BE THEIR FEET!
int. 1834 – an exclamation (Ireland)
• THE DEVIL BROKE HIS APRON STRING
phr. 1939 – said of a very rocky road (Amer. dial.)
• DEVIL CATCHER
n. 18C sl. – a clergyman; any overly pious person
• DEVIL-CHASER
n. 18C sl. – a clergyman; any overly pious person
• THE DEVIL COULD NOT DO IT UNLESS HE WERE DRUNK
phr. 1892 Sc. – said of anything very difficult to perform
• DEVIL CRAB
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – a king crab
• DEVIL-DANCER
n. 1925 Amer. dial. – a small whirlwind; a gust of wind, esp. on water
• DEVIL DERVISH
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a small whirlwind; a gust of wind, esp. on water
• DEVIL-DODGER
n. 18C sl. – a clergyman; any overly pious person
• DEVIL DOG
n. 1915 colloq. – a United States Marine
• DEVIL-DOGS OF THE SEA
n. World War II Amer. sl. – the Marines
• DEVIL-DOGS ON THE MARCH
n. World War II Amer. sl. – marines on the march, esp. in battle
• DEVIL-DRIVER
n. 18C sl. – a clergyman; any overly pious person
• DEVIL EGG
n. Bk2004 Amer. World War I sl. – a landmine
• DEVIL-FIRE
n. 1875 Amer. dial. – will-o’-the-wisp
• DEVILFISH
n. 1. 1709 Amer. dial. – a large ray, a manta
n. 2. 1860 Amer. dial. – a gray whale
n. 3. 1933 Amer. dial. – an octopus
• DEVIL FLY
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
• THE DEVIL GOT IT
phr. 1966 Amer. dial. – in tic-tac-toe: said when neither X nor O wins
• THE DEVIL HAD A FIT IN HERE
phr. 1966 Amer. dial. – suggests a very untidy or messy house or room
• THE DEVIL HAD AN AUCTION
phr. 1950 Amer. dial. – suggests a very untidy or messy house or room
• THE DEVIL HAD AN AUCTION AND HASN’T TAKEN HIS GOODS AWAY
phr. 1967 Amer. dial. – suggests a very untidy or messy house or room
• THE DEVIL HAS STIRRED IT UP WITH A PITCHFORK
phr. 1967 Amer. dial. – said of an untidy house or room
• DEVIL HORSE
n. 1. 1931 Amer. dial. – a praying mantis
n. 2. 1950 Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
n. 3. 1966 Amer. dial. – a grasshopper
• DEVILICK
n. 1844 Sc. – a little imp or devil
• DEVILING
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a fretful, troublesome woman
• THE DEVIL IS BEATING HIS WIFE
phr. 1930 Amer. dial. – it’s raining or snowing, used esp. when the sun is also shining
• THE DEVIL IS FIGHTING WITH HIS WIFE
phr. 1899 Amer. dial. – it’s raining or snowing, used esp. when the sun is also shining
• DEVILISH
adv. 1968 Amer. dial. – very, extremely
• DEVILISH-HOLY
adj. 1709 – wicked and good at the same time
• THE DEVIL IS WHIPPING HIS WIFE
phr. 1899 Amer. dial. – it’s raining or snowing, used esp. when the sun is also shining
• DEVILMENT
n. 1844 Amer. dial. – mischief, teasing, frolicking, roguery, trickery
vb. 1919 Amer. dial. – to tease
• THE DEVIL OWED HER A CAKE AND HAS PAID HER A LOAF
phr. 17C colloq. – a great instead of a small misfortune has befallen her
• DEVIL-RACKET
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – the noise or commotion made by a crowd
• THE DEVIL RIDES UPON A FIDDLESTICK
phr. 1778 – here’s a fine commotion
• DEVIL-ROUTER
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – the noise or commotion made by a crowd
• DEVIL’S ACRE!
int. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – an oath
• DEVIL’S BEDSTEAD
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – the four of clubs
• DEVIL’S BIBLE
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a deck of cards
• DEVIL’S BIRD
n. 1. 1879 Eng. dial. – the swallow
n. 2. 1881 Sc. & Eng. dial. – the magpie
n. 3. 1885 Ireland – the pied wagtail
n. 4. 1887 Eng. dial. – the yellowhammer
n. 5. 1893 Eng. dial. – the swift
• DEVIL’S-BIT
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a threepenny piece
• DEVIL’S BONES
n. Bk1896 sl. – dice
• DEVIL’S BOOKS
n. 1790 Sc. – playing cards
• DEVIL’S BOPEEP
n. 1941 Amer. dial. – a wild young girl
• DEVIL’S BREAD
n. 1. 1907 Amer. dial. – a mushroom that grows on woodland stumps and trees and logs
n. 2. 1968 Amer. dial. – a toadstool
• DEVIL’S BUCKIE
n. 1816 Sc. – a mischievous, troublesome person; an imp
• DEVIL’S CLAW
n. 1900 Amer. dial. – a buttercup
• DEVIL’S-CROOK
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – an evil-disposed person
• THE DEVIL’S DAM
n. 1538 obs. – applied opprobriously to a woman
• DEVIL’S DANCING HOUR
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – midnight
• DEVIL’S DARNING NEEDLE
n. 1. 1809 Eng. & Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
n. 2. 1941 Amer. dial. – a praying mantis
• DEVIL’S DARN NEEDLE
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
• DEVIL’S DOZEN
n. Bk1900 sl. – thirteen
• DEVIL’S DRAGON
n. 1954 Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
• DEVIL’S DUST
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a puffball or its spores
• DEVIL’S FIDDLE
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a cicada
• DEVIL’S FIT
n. 1983 Amer. dial. – a tantrum
• DEVIL’S FOOTSTOOL
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – a large, round mushroom
• DEVIL’S-GUTS
n. 1900 Amer. dial. – a buttercup
• DEVIL’S HALF ACRE
n. 1. 1959 Amer. dial. – a part of town notorious for lawless behaviour
n. 2. 1968 Amer. dial. – a rough or unworkable piece of land
• DEVIL’S HAWK
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a grasshopper
• DEVIL’S HOMESTEAD
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – a rough or unworkable piece of land
• DEVIL’S HORNET
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a grasshopper
• DEVIL’S HORSE
n. 1. 1883 Amer. dial. – a praying mantis
n. 2. 1937 Amer. dial. – a grasshopper
n. 3. 1966 Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
• DEVIL’S HORSE FLY
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – a praying mantis
• DEVIL’S JUDGEMENT
n. 1830 Sc. – a punishment, retribution
• DEVILSKIN
n. 1874 Eng. dial. – a mischievous, tiresome person; a humorous term of reproach
• DEVIL’S KINDLING WOOD
n. 1988 Amer. dial. – soda of any kind
• DEVIL’S LANTERN
n. Bk1900 Eng. & Amer. dial. – the will-o’-the-wisp
• DEVIL’S LIMB
n. 1714 Sc. – an imp; a tiresome, troublesome person
• DEVIL’S MARE
n. 1843 Amer. dial. – a praying mantis
• DEVIL’S MINT
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – an inexhaustible supply of things hurtful or offensive
• DEVIL’S MUSIC BOX
n. 1949 Amer. dial. – the fiddle
• DEVIL’S NEEDLE
n. 1. 1824 Sc. – a term of reproach
n. 2. 1838 Eng. & Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
• DEVIL’S NIGHT
n. 1983 Amer. dial. – the night before Halloween, when young people vandalize
• DEVIL’S NOSE
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a toadstool
• DEVIL SNUFF
n. 1938 Amer. dial. – a puffball or its powdery spores
• DEVILS ON HORSEBACK
n. 1980 Amer. dial. – chicken livers wrapped in bacon
• DEVIL’S OWN LUCK
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – bad luck
• DEVIL’S OWN SORROW
n. 1887 Sc. – a troublesome person, a plague
• DEVIL’S PACK-PEDDLER
n. 1939 Amer. dial. – a gossiper
• DEVIL’S PAINTED BOOKS
n. 1812 Sc. – playing cards
• DEVIL’S PASTEBOARDS
n. 1986 Amer. dial. – playing cards
• DEVIL’S PETS
n. 1856 Eng. dial. – an imp; a tiresome, troublesome person
• DEVIL’S PIANO
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a machine gun
• DEVIL’S PICTURE BOOK
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a deck of cards
• DEVIL’S PICTURE BOOKS
n. 1786 Sc. – playing cards
• DEVIL’S PICTURES
n. 1930 Amer. dial. – playing cards
• DEVIL’S PLAY BOOK
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a deck of cards
• DEVIL’S POST
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – the four of clubs
• DEVIL’S RIDING HORSE
n. 1. 1869 Amer. dial. – a praying mantis
n. 2. 1966 Amer. dial. – a dragonfly
• DEVIL’S RIDY HORSE
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – a praying mantis
• DEVIL’S RIGHT BOWER
n. 1942 Amer. dial. – an inferior hog
• DEVIL’S SEAT
n. 1977 Amer. dial. – a broad bridge on the nose
• DEVIL’S SNUFF
n. c1955 Amer. dial. – a puffball or its powdery spores
• DEVIL’S-SNUFFBOX
n. 1884 Amer. dial. – a puffball
• DEVIL’S TAR
n. 1949 Amer. dial. – oil
• DEVIL’S TEETH
n. Bk1896 sl. – dice
• DEVIL-STICKS!
int. 1903 Amer. dial. – an exclamation of contempt
• DEVIL STOOL
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a toadstool
• DEVIL’S TREMORS
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – delirium tremens
• DEVIL’S VOICE
n. World War II Amer. sl. – a bugle call
• DEVIL TEASER
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. navy sl. – a chaplain
• DEVIL TO PAY AND NO PITCH HOT
n. 1963 Amer. dial. – a predicament, a critical situation, or a perplexing foul-up
• DEVILTRY
n. 1. 1839 Sc. & Amer. dial. – mischief, teasing, frolicking, roguery, trickery, wickedness, devilry
n. 2. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – rubbish; any undesirable object
• DEVIRGINATE
adj. 15C – pert. to a woman who has been deflowered
vb. 15C – to deflower
• DEVISE
vb. 1952 Amer. dial. – to tell, to narrate
• DEVITABLE
adj. 1727 obs. – easy to be shunned, avoided, or escaped
• DEVITE
vb. 1. 1549 obs. rare – to shun, to avoid
vb. 2. 1832 nonce use – to ask not to do; the opposite of ‘invite’
• DEVONSHIRE WINE
n. 1853 Eng. dial. – cider
• DEVOUROUS
adj. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – ravenous, hungry
• DEW
n. 1. 1891 – whisky (Sc.)
n. 2. M20 – marijuana (US drug culture sl.)
vb. Bk1900 – to rain slightly, to drizzle (Sc. & Eng. dial.)
• DEWBABY
n. M20 – a dark-skinned Black man (African-American sl., not necessarily derogatory)
• DEW-BEATER
n. 1. 1825 – a person who has large feet or who walks awkwardly (Eng. dial.)
n. 2. Bk1900 – a large and clumsy boot or shoe (Eng. dial.)
• DEWBERRY
n. 1. 1656 – the gooseberry (Eng. dial.)
n. 2. 1709 – a trailing blackberry (Eng. & Amer dial.)
• DEWBERRY SNAIL
n. 1810 – a truant from school (Eng. dial.)
• DEW-CLAWS
n. 1. 1892 – hands (Amer. dial.)
n. 2. 1933 – feet (Amer. dial.)
• DEW CLOUD
n. 1970 – a low cloud (Amer. dial.)
• DEW-DASHER
n. 1. 19C – a large and clumsy shoe or foot (Eng. dial.)
n. 2. 19C – a person who has large feet, or who walks awkwardly (Eng. dial.)
• DEWEY
n. Bk1942 – a revolver (Amer. sl.)
• DEWGS
n. 1693 – scraps, rags, shreds, small pieces (Sc. obs.)
• DEWIFE
vb. 20C – to divorce one’s wife (US sl.)
• DEW-LICKER
n. 1885 – anything very surprising or out of the common (Eng. dial.)
• DEW-MIST
n. Bk1900 – a drizzle or small rain resembling dew (Eng. dial.)
• DEW-SNAIL
n. 1736 – the large black slug (Eng. dial.)
• DEW-SPREADER
n. 1. Bk1900 – a large and clumsy boot or shoe (Eng. dial.)
n. 2. Bk1900 – a person who has large feet or who walks awkwardly (Eng. dial.)
• DEW-WIPER
n. 1. Bk1900 – a large and clumsy boot or shoe (Eng. dial.)
n. 2. Bk1900 – a person who has large feet or who walks awkwardly (Eng. dial.)
• DEX
n. 1961 – the amphetamine Dexedrine™ (sl., orig. US)
• DEXIE
n. 1951 – the amphetamine Dexedrine™ (sl., orig. US)
• DEXO
n. 1950s – Dexedrine™, a stimulant which can become addictive (sl.)
• DEXTER
n. 20C – a nerd (teen & high school sl.)
► DEXTERICAL adj. dexterous, adroit, skilful → 1607 obs.
• DEXY
n. 1951 – Dexedrine™ (US drug culture sl.)
• DEY
n. 1. 1768 – a woman having charge of a dairy; a dairymaid (Sc.)
n. 2. 1877 – a person in charge of a dairy, whether male or female (Sc.)
• DEY-HOUSE
n. 1870 – a dairy (Eng. dial.)
• DEY-WOMAN
n. Bk1900 – a dairymaid (Eng. dial.)
• DEZICK • DEZZICK
n. 1894 – a day’s work (Eng. dial.)
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Updated: May 6, 2023
Lexicophilia 