Important idioms and phrases which start with the letter ‘D’
Day after day
Meaning: Daily.
Example: Gini takes tomato soup day after day to keep her complexion fair.
Day in and day out
Meaning: Continually.
Example: She interferes in her neighbour’s life, day in and day out.
Day off
Meaning: A day’s holiday from work or school.
Example: David told John not to go to the office as they had a day off due to the death of the General Manager of the organisation.
Dead-alive
Meaning: Spiritless.
Example: Her sister became dead-alive due to the torture given by her in-laws.
Dead loss
Meaning: Complete loss.
Example: She was crying at the dead loss of her property and wealth in the earthquake.
Deal with
Meaning: Treat.
Example: Don’t deal with child in such a rude manner, he shall become spoilt.
Decide up (on)
Meaning: Make a choice.
Example: Please decide upon whether you want to keep that lazy employee like Suhani in the office, or the hardworking man like Harish.
Dedicate to
Meaning: Devote to some work, duty etc.
Example: She dedicated her life in the service of her mentally and physically handicapped husband.
One should dedicate his life to the service of the nation.
Delight in
Meaning: Find great pleasure in.
Example: His uncle delights in narrating the biographies of great saints.
Depend upon (on)
Meaning: Rely on for help etc.
Example: Everyone depends upon Neena for help in their bad days. Neena renders help to everyone.
Deprive of
Meaning: Take away from, Prevent from using or enjoying.
Example: The poor servant was deprived of his livelihood by his owner, when he refused to pay him the salary of the last month.
Derive from
Meaning: Originate, get from.
Example: Paper is derived from wood.
Despair of
Meaning: Lose all hope of.
Example: Heena never despaired of success inspite of tribulations on the way.
Devote oneself to
Meaning: Give up one’s time, money etc.
Example: Siddhartha devoted himself to the cause of elimination of poverty.
Die away
Meaning: (esp. of sound, light, wind) fade and become less and less and cease.
Example: The sound of the tides died away, when the moon ceased to attract the water with its magnetic force.
Die down
Meaning: Become less violent.
Example: His anger died down when we reached his home.
Die in harnass
Meaning: Continue in one’s post or at one’s occupation until one’s death.
Example: I wish to die in harnass.
Die of
Meaning: Die because of.
Example: She died of heart attack.
Die out
Meaning: Die or disappear slowly until all gone.
Example: The child died out due to the lack of nutrition.
Differ from
Meaning: Be distinguishable from.
Example: Indians differs from Europeans with respect to culture and traditions.
Dig up
Meaning: Remove from the ground by digging.
Example: The labourers dug up to install a hand pipe fetching underground water.
Direct towards
Meaning: Turn.
Example: Mini directed her steps towards holy temple of God to take his blessings.
His mother should direct his mind towards studies, as he never completes his home work on time.
Disgusted with
Meaning: Dislike something.
Example: We are disgusted with that proud woman, who keeps on boasting about herself all time.
I am disgusted with people who talk ill of others.
Dish out
Meaning: Distribute food in portions at table.
Example: She told her daughter to dish out the custard to the guests. Monty requested Ponty to dish out the sandwiches to him.
Dismiss from
Meaning: (i) Send away (from job).
Example: The honest clerk was dismissed from the job by the corrupt officials for their vested interests.
(ii) To put away from the mind.
Gary’s sister told him to dismiss all the negative thoughts j from the mind and take life as a merry song.
Dispense with
Meaning: Do without.
Example: His daughter is very naughty. She can’t dispense with a toy.
She needs a new toy everyday.
Dispose of
Meaning: (i) Get rid of.
Example: The sweeper disposed off the trash from her house.
We must dispose of evil thoughts from our minds to keep ourselves sane.
(ii) Sell: He disposed off all his old furniture and bought a new one.
Distinguish between
Meaning: Tell the difference between two things or people.
Example: We must be able to distinguish between right or wrong, else we get misguided and ruin our lives.
Some artificial jewels are so beautiful that we are not able to distinguish whether they are artificial or original.
Distinguish from
Meaning: Tell one thing from another.
Example: Illiterate mothers are mostly not able to distinguish the right from the wrongs of their child.
Do a good turn
Meaning: Render a service to someone.
Example: We must do a good turn every day, as it pleases God.
Do away with
Meaning: (i) Abolish, discard.
Example: Her daughter-in-law wants to do away with the domestic buffalo in the house.
Her sister wants to do away with her old books.
She wants to do away with her bad habits.
(ii) Murder.
The criminal did away with the witness, but he was soon caught by the police and put behind the bars.
Do credit to
Meaning: Add or improve the reputation, honour, good name or respect.
Example: Ratan’s superb performance in singing competition did him credit.
Do for
Meaning: (i) Serve as a substitute for.
Example: Tinu asked Leena if an apple would do for a banana.
(ii) Take care of.
The orphan child would have died due to starvation, had not Mrs. Thomas would have been there to do for him.
(iii) Manage to solve the problems of
You can do for all problems of life, if you pray to God with faith.
Do in
Meaning: (i) Kill, murder.
Example: The entire family did in due to the heavy burden of debts.
(ii) Cheat.
The innocent man was done in by a robber.
Do justice to
Meaning: Treat in a fair way.
Example: The mothers must do justice to children, else they get spoilt.
Do oneself justice
Meaning: Do in a way worthy of one’s abilities.
Example: He did himself justice by entering into the medical profession. His abilities does match with this noble profession.
Do one’s worst
Meaning: Do as much harm as one can.
Example: He did his worst to cheat his friend, but was clever enough to save himself.
Do out
Meaning: (i) Clean out.
Example: The warden told the girls to do out their cupboards.
(ii) Decorate.
Please do out the drawing room. I shall help you to decorate.
Do over
Meaning: Repeat.
Example: The teacher told the students to do over the essay, as it was full of spelling mistakes.
(ii) Renovate, Redecorate.
The room was done over by the interior decorator.
Do with
Meaning: (i) Want, need.
Example: This fridge could do with the voltage stabilizer.
Her car could do with gas.
(ii) Get on with.
Everyone got fed up of the greedy man’s company. Nobody knew how to do with him.
(iii) Manage with, be content with.
His brother asked him to do with a car, as it was impossible to buy another car due to the losses in business.
Dole out
Meaning: To distribute food or money in small quantities.
Example: His father was extremely benevolent man. He used to dole out to millions of poor people.
Double-check
Meaning: A careful second check, to be sure that something is right.
Example: The security guard was appointed for double check of the shopping malls.
Double date
Meaning: A date on which two couples go together.
Example: Kate and Liza went along with Shelly and Tina on a double date.
Double dealing
Meaning: Double crossing.
Example: Trickery and deceit, slotting against one’s friends.
His brother-in-law was a shrewd man. He was adept in double dealing.
Double Park
Meaning: Park a vehicle along side another which is already parked at the roadside.
Example: We double parked our car, when we went to watch a movie in open-air theatre.
Down and out
Meaning: In a state of poverty.
Example: He was a very wealthy man in the past, but he became down and out due to the losses in business.
Down on
Meaning: (i) Be angry with.
Example: His mother was down on him as he did not study hard.
Sheena was down on her friend for cheating her.
(ii) Opposed to.
I am down on the curse of dowry in the society.
Doze off
Meaning: Fall asleep or have a nap.
Example: She dozed off while reading a book.
The child dozed off during his journey in the train.
Drag in
Meaning: (i) Pull in.
Example: The lion dragged a rabbit to gobble it up in his den.
Drag on
Meaning: Go on or prolong tediously.
Example: Please stop the quarrel and don’t drag on the matters.
Drag out
Meaning: Pull out.
Example: The labourers were getting irritated for dragging out the big almirah.
(ii) Live (one’s life) unhappily
The poor cancer-struck patient dragged in miserable conditions.
Draw back
Meaning: Move backwards.
Example: The man drew back from the mobile, when it began to produce a electric currents by coming in contact with water.
Draw in
Meaning: (i) Pull in, bring in.
Example: The host drew in a chair for the guest.
(ii) To tempt.
The shrewd boys drew in the gullible child into drug- addiction.
(iii) Breathe in.
The doctor told him to drew in fresh air daily in the morning.
Draw on
Meaning: (i) Take money from a bank or person
Example: Monty drew on his savings from bank to buy a bike.
(ii) Pull on.
The poor cart-driver drew on the cart overloaded with furniture, towards the place of its owner.
He want to bed as the night drew in.
Draw one’s attention to
Meaning: Make aware of.
Example: The son of the industrialist drew his father’s attention to the malpractices done by the corrupt officers of the organisation.
Draw out
Meaning: (i) Pull out.
Example: Sohan drew out the ice-cream from the fridge. He was soon caught by his mother.
(ii) Take (money, esp. all one’s money) from a place of deposit.
Sushil drew all her savings deposited in the post office.
(iii) Stretch, lengthen.
The metal was melted and drawn out to make utensils.
Draw up
Meaning: Raise, lift, pull up.
Example: This lift drew up till 8th floor of the building.
Dream of
Meaning: (i) See or experience in a dream.
Example: She dreamt of a heavenly place where everyone lived in peace and harmony.
(ii) Think of as possible.
She never dreamt of getting married to her divorced husband again, but it happened so, when he proposed for marriage again after 5 years of divorce.
(iii) To yearn or to wish
The girl dreamt of achieving great heights in her profesional career.
Dress down
Meaning: Scold severely, thrash.
Example: The wealthy man dressed down the waiter for spilling food on the table.
Dress up
Meaning: (i) Put on one’s best or formal clothes.
Example: She dressed up her daughter to get her ready for the party.
(ii) Put on a costume for fun or clothes for a part in a play.
She was dressed up to represent a fairy in the fancy dress competetion.
Drink in
Meaning: (i) Take in or absorb (water, etc.).
Example: Don’t drink in liquor. It’s extremely harmful for health.
(ii) Listen with eager, attention to.
The audience drank in the audio-visuals of the herbal products.
Drive a hard bargain
Meaning: To be very shrewd in a business deal.
Example: He thought his business partner was a kind hearted person, but he drove a hard bargain.
Drive at
Meaning: Try or want to say.
Example: She was not able to understand what the deaf and dumb was driving at, but she pitied his condition.
Drop in line
Meaning: Write a short letter to someone.
Example: Ranjita dropped a line to her husband that she was going to the slums to impart training on hygiene and cleanliness.
Drop back
Meaning: (i) Retreat, withdraw.
Example: All the dictators of the world, who wanted to conquer all the countries, had to drop back when they failed to succeed.
(ii) Fall back in position.
She dropped back to first year of college due to bad circumstances.
Drop by
Meaning: Pay a casual visit.
Example: She told her married sister to drop by whenever she came in the city.
He told his sister-in-law that he shall drop by whenever he had time.
Drop in
Meaning: (i) Fall in.
Example: The huge building dropped in.
(ii) Put in by dropping.
She dropped the letter in the letterbox and proceeded towards her home.
Drop off
Meaning: (i) Fall asleep.
Example: The children dropped off when they became bored by the lessons taught.
(ii) Fall off.
The girl dropped off her hat in her friend’s house.
(iii) To lessen up.
Initially, she was good in sports but now her interest in sports have dropped off.
(iv) Let somebody get down from a vehicle.
Her uncle dropped her off at her residence.
Dropped out
Meaning: (i) Leave; quit attending.
Example: Shalu dropped out of her college as she was not able to assimilate the lessons properly.
(ii) Fall out.
She dropped out the glass by mistake.
Drown out
Meaning: (i) Drive out from home by the incoming of floods.
Example: Many people were drowned out in the flood.
(ii) Make so much noise that it is impossible to hear some other sound.
Sudhir’s laughter drowned out by the noise of the sea-waves.
Dry out
Meaning: (i) Become dry, make dry
Example: The fully automatic washing machine dried out all the clothes one by one.
(ii) Take a cure for alcoholism.
Her father was addicted to intoxicating drinks in the past, but now he has planned to dry out.
Dry up
Meaning: (i) Dry the dishes.
Example: The maid servant dried up the dishes and kept them on the shelves.
(ii) Become completely dry.
The pond dried up due to scanty rainfall.
(iii) Stop talking.
The mother told her daughter to dry up, as she was not talking sense.