Dauntlessness

daedal [deed-l]
adjective

1. skillful; ingenious.
2. cleverly intricate.

1. artistically skillful or cunning; ingenious

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/daedal


The ancient tribal carvings found in the forest displayed incredibly daedal work, even after hundreds of years of exposure to wind and rain storms.


We learned about Daedalus in my classical mythology class! He made all sorts of things, like mazes and wings and wooden bulls and such. Anyway, I just found out today that I got an A in the class, so this word is my way of celebrating my not flunking the final. Huzzah!

discursive / dih-skur-siv
adjective
1. passing aimlessly from one subject to another; digressive; rambling.
2. proceeding by reasoning or argument rather than intuition.

Example: The professor's discursive lectures were very hard to follow.

Origin: 1590–1600; < ML discursīvus.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/discursive

diaphanous / dahy-aff-uh-nuhs
adjective
1. very sheer and light; almost completely transparent or translucent.
2. delicately hazy.

Example: "...the very mist on the Essex marshes was like a gauzy and radiant fabric, hung from the wooded rises inland, and draping the low shores in diaphanous folds." (Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness)

Origin: 1605–15; < ML diaphanus < Gk diaphan(s) transparent (equiv. to diaphan-, s. of diaphaínein to show through.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diaphanous

defenestrate/de·fen·es·trate / verb

1. Throwing of a person or thing out of a window
2. A usually swift dismissal or expulsion (as from a political party or office)

Detrimental Pronunciation: [de-truh-men-tl]
adjective
1. causing detriment; damaging; harmful.

noun
1. a detrimental person or thing.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/detrimental

It is detrimental to your health to smoke a pack of cigarettes a day!



I must relate to you the reason why I chose this word! I was working crew for the One Act plays at my college this weekend. At the end of the first performance, the stage manager summoned me and tried to tell me that I needed to make sure everything went back to its proper place. This, however, is how she said it: "It is detrimental that you return all the set pieces back to their places, because when you don't, everyone trips over them." So according to her, it's very very bad to put things back in their right places. I believe she was looking for the word 'imperative' or something like it. I was so very distracted by the fact that she completely misused the word (and because I was trying so hard not to laugh) while she was trying to scold me that I couldn't hear anything else she said.
So, kids, the moral of this story is to not use the word 'detrimental' as this unfortunate stage manager did.

General Edit: Oh my! It has suddenly been revealed that there seems to be a widespread feeling of discontent about the recent choice of words! I suppose this calls for a widespread attempt to remedy the feeling.

diatribe noun \'dī-uh-,trīb\

1: archaic a prolonged discourse
2: a bitter and abusive speech or writing
3: ironic or satirical criticism

Ultimately comes from the Greek word diatribein. Dia meant to wear away or spend time and tribein meant to rub. Hence the meaning of diatribein: to rub hard. The noun form of this word was used to indicate the wearing away of time as well as a lengthy discourse or ethical lecture or debate. This definition leads into the first use of diatribe in English that was recorded in 1581. It was used in the now archaic sense of a long speech.

The little diatribe with which you have just favored me is exactly the reply we should have expected to receive formally from Downing Street.
The Illustrious Prince by E. Phillips Oppenheim

defenestrate-verb (dē-fěn'ĭ-strāt')
To throw out of a window.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/defenestrate

She was so annoyed with her little brother for playing the same song over and over again that she took the CD and defenestrated it.

debunk-verb [di-buhngk]
to expose or excoriate (a claim, assertion, sentiment, etc.) as being pretentious, false, or exaggerated: to debunk advertising slogans.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/debunk

Although he tried to debunk the rumors, everyone still believed that he had cheated on the test.

deride-verb  [di-rahyd]
to laugh at in scorn or contempt; scoff or jeer at; mock.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/deride

Everyone thought that she was a hypocrite because she was deriding his math abilities, even though hers were terrible.

dissolute-adjective [dis-uh-loot]
indifferent to moral restraints; given to immoral or improper conduct; licentious; dissipated.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dissolute

The fact that she had a new boyfriend everyfweek made many brand her as dissolute and flighty.

dearth-adjective /dɜrθ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[durth]
1. an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack: There is a dearth of good engineers.
2. scarcity and dearness of food; famine.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dearth

The dearth of good proposals for the project made the manager extremely upset.

disport-verb [di-spawrt, -spohrt]
1. to divert or amuse (oneself).
2. to display (oneself) in a sportive manner: The picnickers disported themselves merrily on the beach.
3. to divert oneself; sport.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/disport

Thought it was raining, they found several ways to disport themselves indoors, especially in the huge game of hide and go seek.

diatribe-noun /ˈdaɪəˌtraɪb/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[dahy-uh-trahyb]
a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism: repeated diatribes against the senator.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/diatribe

She longed to throw a sharp diatribe at him, but knowing how angry he got at the slightest criticism, she didn't say anything to avoid making a scene.

dolorous-adjective/ˈdɒlərəs, ˈdoʊlər-/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation [dol-er-uhs, doh-ler-]
full of, expressing, or causing pain or sorrow; grievous; mournful

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dolorous

Several young children did not enjoy the dolorous melody, preferring something happy and upbeat.

descry-verb [di-skrahy]
1. to see (something unclear or distant) by looking carefully; discern; espy: The lookout descried land.
2. to discover; perceive; detect.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/descry

Upon close scrutiny, he descried that she had been lying to her all along.

didactic-adjective [dahy-dak-tik]
1. intended for instruction; instructive: didactic poetry.
2. inclined to teach or lecture others too much: a boring, didactic speaker.
3. teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/didactic

Her didactic parents often went on tangents about what was right and what was wrong, making it frustrating to talk to them sometimes.

draconian-adjective
rigorous; unusually severe or cruel: Draconian forms of punishment.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/draconian

Sorry for the lack of updates the past two days, my internet was being stupid.

defunct-adjective [di-fuhngkt]
1. no longer in effect or use; not operating or functioning: a defunct law; a defunct organization.
2. no longer in existence; dead; extinct: a defunct person; a defunct tribe of Indians.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/defunct