List of English words beginning with D that are not used in the United States
What will I learn from the book List of English words beginning with D that are not used in the United States?
There are a lot of words in the English language that are used in everyday life in the Great Britain that is not used in America or has a different meaning. This book is for teachers or people who have an high understanding of the English language already.
Who is the book of English words not used in America aimed at?
The List of English words from A to Z book is a reference book that has been written for students and the general reader. It will help you with any basic questions about spelling, punctuation, grammar and word usage that you are likely to ask. This page list all words and saying beginning with D and shows clear explanations with sentences where they are needed.
This is book should be used to help reference words or sayings. It is not to be used as a dictionary although, it is like a dictionary, as all the words are arranged alphabetically.
How do I use this English book of words from A to Z?
Click on each letter of the alphabet to get the full list of British words and explanation of each.
[ A ] [ B ] [ C ] [ D ] [ E ] [ F ] [ G ] [ H ] [ I ] [ J ] [ K ] [ L ] [ M ] [ N ] [ O ] [ P ] [ Q ] [ R ] [ S ] [ T ] [ U ] [ V ] [ W ] [ X ] [ Y ] [ Z ]
Words beginning with D
daft *
odd, mad, eccentric, daffy, crazy – often with the implication of it being amusingly so. "Don't be daft" and "don't be silly" are approximately synonymous.
dekko
(informal) a look, reconnoître "I'll take a dekko at it later." – British military slang derived from the Hindustani dhek/dekho meaning "to see". Also less commonly decco, deccie,deek, deeks.
dene
wooded valley or seaside dune (mainly S W England)
dibs Cash.
dibble (or The Dibble)
Police. From 'Officer Dibble' in the early-1960s Hanna-Barbera animated television programme Top Cat. Most commonly used in Manchester.
div, divvy
(slang) a fool or idiot; adjective form, divvy, foolish or idiotic. Also abbreviation of diviner, a person with the ability to sniff out antiques at a distance (made popular by Jonathan Gash's character Lovejoy)
doddle
something accomplished easily - "It's a doddle", meaning "it's easy".
dodgems *
fun-fair or fairground bumper cars
dodgy *
unsound, unstable, and unreliable (US: sketchy). 'That bloke over there looks a bit dodgy'
dogsbody
someone who carries out menial tasks on another's behalf; a drudge (US: grunt)
the dog's bollocks
(vulgar) something excellent or top quality, the "bee's knees" (the business), the "cat's whiskers". Sometimes just "the bollocks." (US: the shit). In polite company this phrase may be toned down to "The mutt's nuts", or the phrase "The bee's knees" (the business) may be used as a polite substitute. The etymology of this expression is said by some to derive from printers' slang for the punctuation symbol ':-' when printing involved the use of carved metal blocks to form typesetting.[clarification needed]
dole *
(informal) welfare, specifically unemployment benefit. Sometimes used in the US, esp. older generation
dosh
(slang) money (US: dough) "how much dosh you got on ya?"
doss
(from docile) to be lazy, "I've been dossing all day", also can mean to truant, "dossing off" (similar to bunking off). Additionally it can informally take the form of a noun (i.e. "that lesson was a doss", meaning that lesson was easy, or good (primarily central Scotland). Also "dosser", a lazy person, or a tramp (US bum); "to doss down", to find a place to sleep, to sleep on some substitute for a bed such as a sofa, the floor, or a park bench; "doss-house", temporary accommodation for tramps or homeless people, cheap dilapidated rented accommodation with low standards of cleanliness (US: flophouse)
double first
an undergraduate degree where the candidate has gained First-Class Honours in two separate subjects, or alternatively in the same subject in subsequent examinations (see British undergraduate degree classification)
double parked *
(slang) having two drinks in your hand (or on the table) at once (US: double fisting). Could also mean, or even originate, from the term 'double park'; which involves parking a vehicle to the side of another parked vehicle, or being parked on double yellow lines/being parked illegally.
draper
a dealer in drapery (i.e. clothing, textiles, etc.) (US: dry goods [DM])
draughts
the board game (US: checkers)
drawing pin *
pin with a large, flat head, used for fixing notices to noticeboards etc. (US: thumbtack)
dress circle
the seats in the first balcony of a theatre (US: balcony or loge although dress circle is used in a few very large opera houses that have many levels of balconies)
drink-driving
operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (US: drunk driving; DUI [Driving Under the Influence]; DWI [Driving While Intoxicated]; OWI [Operating While Intoxicated])
driving licence
document authorising the holder to drive a vehicle (US: driver's license, driver license)
dual carriageway
road, usually a major one, with each direction of travel separated from the opposing one by a traffic-free, and usually slightly raised, central reservation. Each direction of travel (carriageway) comprises two 'lanes'. (US: divided highway)
dustbin
(sometimes used in the US) receptacle for rubbish, very often shortened to simply 'bin'. (US: trash can; wastebasket)
dustbin man or dustman
rubbish collector (US: garbage man; trash man; sanitation engineer)
dustcart
rubbish/refuse collecting vehicle (US: garbage truck; trash truck)
