Some Sample Recommendation Letters...

To Whom It May Concern:

I have had the distinct pleasure of having Kaya Stone as a student in my debate classes and on my debate team for three years at Eastern Little Hope High School.

Kaya has been more than the ideal student. In order to achieve the highest grades and my deepest respect, she has demonstrated outstanding leadership and maintained a clear sense of purpose.

The academics at Eastern Little Hope are most challenging, and Kaya fulfilled all the requirements with the added challenge of honors and advanced courses. Kaya is an outstanding extemporaneous speaker and debater. She has won many awards on the speech and debate circuits, and qualified for national tournaments. Success in these interscholastic activities requires extensive research and persuasive skills. Kaya also holds the degree of Special Distinction, as a member of the National Forensic League.

Due to its nature of metro, state, and national interscholastic competition, the successful high school forensics student serves by not only representing his or her school but also by representing his or her community as well. One of the requirements in my advanced class is to prepare lectures and guidance for the beginners. With Kaya’ s superior knowledge and involvement in the political sciences, she developed a strong sense of confidence with a charming attitude. Therefore, I could always depend on her to set the best example as an instructor. Because of her natural leadership abilities, Kaya was selected as our Debate Captain. On account of her mature approach to her responsibilities, I often thought of Kaya as a colleague.

Since her classmates, my fellow teachers, and I will always hold her in the highest esteem, I sincerely recommend Kaya Stone as the ideal candidate for matriculation at Eastern Little Hope State.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan Peel, Ph.D.



***************************************letter 2**********************************
As the Dean of Stonewell College, I have had the pleasure of knowing Hannah Smith for the last four years. She has been a tremendous student and an asset to our school. I would like to take this opportunity to recommend Hannah for your graduate program.

I feel confident that she will continue to succeed in her studies. Hannah is a dedicated student and thus far her grades have been exemplary. In class, she has proven to be a take-charge person who is able to successfully develop plans and implement them.

Hannah has also assisted us in our admissions office. She has successfully demonstrated leadership ability by counseling new and prospective students. Her advice has been a great help to these students, many of whom have taken time to share their comments with me regarding her pleasant and encouraging attitude.

It is for these reasons that I offer high recommendations for Hannah without reservation. Her drive and abilities will truly be an asset to your establishment. If you have any questions regarding this recommendation, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

*********************************Letter3 *****************************
This letter is my personal recommendation for Cathy Douglas. Until just recently, I have been Cathy’s immediate supervisor for several years. I found her to be consistently pleasant, tackling all assignments with dedication and a smile.

Besides being a joy to work with, Cathy is a take-charge person who is able to present creative ideas and communicate the benefits. She has successfully developed several marketing plans for our company that have resulted in increased revenue. During her tenure, we saw an increase in profits that exceeded one million dollars. The new revenue was a direct result of the plans implemented by Cathy.

Though she was an asset to our marketing efforts, Cathy was also extraordinarily helpful in other areas of the company. In addition to writing effective training modules for sales representatives, Cathy assumed a leadership role in sales meetings, inspiring and motivating other employees.

I highly recommend Cathy for employment. She is a team player and would make a great asset to any organization.

Sincerely,

Sharon Feeney Marketing Manager ABC Productions

*************************************Letter 4*****************************
Cheri Jackson is an extraordinary young woman. As her AP English Professor, I have seen many examples of her talent and have long been impressed by her diligence and work ethic. I understand that Cheri is applying to the undergraduate program at your school. I would like to recommend her for admission.

Cheri has outstanding organizational skills. She is able to successfully complete multiple tasks with favorable results despite deadline pressure. As part of a semester project, she developed an innovative collaborative novel with her classmates. This book is now being considered for publication. Cheri not only headed the project, she ensured its success by demonstrating leadership abilities that her classmates both admired and respected.

I must also make note of Cheri’s exceptional academic performance. Out of a class of 150 students, Cheri graduated with honors in the top 10. Her above-average performance is a direct result of her hard work and strong focus.

If your undergraduate program is seeking superior candidates with a record of achievement, Cheri is an excellent choice. She has consistently demonstrated an ability to rise to any challenge that she must face.

To conclude, I would like to restate my strong recommendation for Cheri Jackson. If you have any further questions regarding Cheri’s ability or this recommendation, please do not hesitate to contact me using the information on this letterhead.

*****************************next***************************************
I would like to take an opportunity to offer a formal recommendation for Jane Glass. As the Senior Coordinator for Heartland Commerce I have known Jane for approximately two years and feel that she is a deserving candidate for your business school program.

Jane joined our organization as an entry-level customer service representative. Demonstrating an incredible initiative and a strong dedication, she moved up the ranks quickly. After only six months, she was promoted to team leader. The board could not help but notice how successful she was in her new position and quickly offered her another promotion, making her part of the executive management team.

Jane leads by example and many people here find her enthusiasm and dedication both inspiring and motivating. As part of the executive management team, Jane has worked hard to build authentic relationships with the employees. Her efforts have created a happier and more productive team.

I believe Jane exhibits many of the qualities that are essential to business managers and business students. An education at your esteemed business school will help her hone these qualities, while enhancing her career opportunities. I highly recommend Jane Glass for your program and hope that you will carefully consider admission application.
***************************************************

Dear [Mr./Ms. Last Name]:
I am writing to you in support of [Mr./Ms. Full Name] and [his/her] desire to attend [University Name] for the [Program Title] program. Though many students ask me to make this request on their behalf, I only recommend students whom I feel are well-suited for the program of their choice. [Mr./Ms. Last Name] is one of those students and therefore, I highly recommend that [he/she] be given the opportunity to attend your university.

As [Professor’s Title] of [Professor’s Department] at [University Name], I work with many students who have substantial knowledge of [Subject]. [Mr./Ms. Last Name] has consistently shown such a strong desire to learn [subject] that I simply could not turn down [his/her] request for recommendation.

I first met [Mr./Ms. Last Name] in my [Course Title] course during the [Season and Year] semester. Compared to the class average of [Class Average], [Mr./Ms. Last Name] earned a [Grade] in the class. [Mr./Ms. Last Name] was evaluated on [explain basis for grades, e.g., exams, papers, etc.], in which [he/she] performed exceptionally well.

[First Name] is an outstanding individual with a strong character. [He/She] has the ability to produce impressive results in a wide variety of areas. [First Name] is/has [list of positive traits/skills, e.g. organized, motivated, etc.]. I have seen astonishing results on complex projects that offered great attention to detail where quality was never compromised. Additionally, [he/she] has a very positive attitude and truly embraces learning all there is to know about [subject].

Though [First Name] has consistently exceeded in all areas of [his/her] coursework, the best example of [his/her] intelligence shone through a [paper/presentation/project/etc.] on [Work’s Title]. The work clearly showed [his/her] ability to deliver a clear, concise, and well-thought presentation with a new perspective by demonstrating [embellish here].

In addition to [his/her] coursework, [First Name] also dedicated some of [his/her] time volunteering at [Club or Organization Name]. [His/Her] position required [him/her] to [list of tasks]. [He/She] felt volunteering was an important leadership role, in which [he/she] learned [list of skills]. The skills acquired through volunteering will be beneficial to all of [First Name] future endeavors. [First Name] has the ability to manage and organize [his/her] time and schedule around different activities without having them interfere with school. [His/Her] experience at [Club or Organization Name] provided [him/her] with the aptitude that [he/she] needs for graduate school and for a career in [name of career].

I believe [First Name] is destined to be a leader in [type of field], and therefore is an excellent candidate for your school. I highly recommend that you consider [his/her] application, as [he/she] will be a great asset to your program. I’m sure you will find [him/her] to be a student whose talents will only shine further through your graduate program. It is my hope that you will accept [his/her] admission to your university. If you would like further information, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
[Professor’s Name]
[Professor’s Title]
[University]

A letter of recommendation - Vital Part of your application!

A very important part of your graduate application, this letter tells the admission committee about the candidate's qualities in the recommender’s area. This is a document that has the capacity to cover certain lacunae in the other parts of your application like Statement of Purpose, Standardized Test Scores, or Academic Record.

A recommendation letter (reco) is a third person's perspective about you that aids the admission committee make decision on whether you are a student who would match their mix of the class or not. If you try and put yourself in the admission committee’s shoes, try to look at our own packet you would realize that all the information apart form the recommendation letters have been drafted or scored by the student. So they are looking for some piece of information that is like, "I feel John is good in this area!" etc. Well of course this "I" should be someone who knows you well for some time, has supervised your work at some or the other level, and holds a high regard for your work. It is no point requesting a reco from a person who thinks you did not do a great job by discovering the area of blood cell!

A reco is a document that discusses your personal qualities, accomplishments and experiences that make you unique and perfect for the course to which you have applied at the university or school. This Document needs to contain qualified information, stating a quality without examples is like explaining mathematical theorem without proof.

How does one go about this Document? - A tough question? Here is the simple answer.

Start off with a question to yourself, who do you think will have a better opinion about you of the people whom you have worked with? Typically they are faculty members, administrators, internship or education supervisors, and employers. These people should typically be capable of speaking the following about you.

• Know you well - to be able to comment on your abilities.
• Know you long enough to write with authority.
• Know your work - should have worked closely with you to know about your working capabilities, and be able to make a judgment on them as to being good, bad, normal, etc.
• Describe your work positively - This is important I feel to avoid a negative impact on your application.
• Have a high opinion / regard of you - This would give added advantage to your profile.
• Know where you are applying - That’s important else the reco would be written for Persian Universities and you send it to US univs!
• Know your educational and career goals - Why are you taking your further education?
• Be able to favorably compare you with your peers - Important, Very Important!

Ideally your letters of Recommendation should cover the following areas.

Academic
scholastic abilities,
research potential and experience,
applied experiences (e.g., co-operative education, internships, related work experience).


Approach the person and request if he can write a reco for you. If the person seems reluctant do not force them, the result might not be that good. If the person agrees to write a reco you need to provide some information for him or her to recollect facts about you, if you have had interaction with them some time back, it will be to your advantage if you provide them with the following items to bridge the gap of information.

• Transcript - To remind or tell you had scored good marks in their subject, if you had scored them or else to just tell you were good at studies.
• Resume or vita - To tell them what all you have done post their course. This could only make it better for them to write about you.
• Admissions essays - They tell the recommender what you are really interested in, why you want to pursue your higher education.
• Research experiences - This is important if the person plans to emphasize your research abilities.
• internship and other applied experiences -
• honor societies to which you belong
• awards you've won
• work experience
• professional goals
• due date for the application
• copy of the application recommendation forms

Once you have provided your recommenders with the information They can draft the letter of recommendation for you. About how to write a recommendation letter I would write another article later in the week.

Till then Best of luck... Feel free to comment on this and let me know what you have to say about it.

WL:D

dabble work at in a nonserious fashion; splash around; move noisily in a liquid

dais raised platform for speakers or other important people

dally trifle with; toy with; treat without the necessary seriousness; procrastinate; waste time

dank damp; unpleasantly wet dapper neat and trim (in appearance); (of small men) neat in appearance and quick in movements; neat; spry

dappled spotted

daub smear (as with paint); cover with something sticky; Ex. daub one’s clothes with mud/paint; N: small bit of sticky substance; Ex. a daub of paint
~ smear spread or cover with a sticky substance; N: mark made by smearing
~ smudge dirty mark with unclear edges made by rubbing; V.

daunt intimidate; frighten; discourage; dishearten

dauntless bold; fearless

dawdle loiter; hang around; waste time doing nothing

deadlock standstill resulting from the opposition of two unrelenting forces; stalemate
~ standstill condition of no movement or activity; stop

deadpan wooden; impassive; with no show of feeling; with an expressionless face

dearth scarcity

d´ebˆacle sudden disastrous downfall or defeat; complete disaster

debase degrade; reduce in quality or value; degenerate; lower in esteem; disgrace; N. debasement
~ kneel go down on one’s knee(s)

debauch corrupt morally; seduce from virtue; N. debauchery: wild behavior (with sex and alcohol)
~ seduce lead away from proper conduct; entice; ADJ. seductive

debilitate weaken (esp. through heat, hunger, illness); enfeeble
~ bout match; short period of great activity; Ex. Wrestling bout; bout of drinking/flu

debonair (of men) friendly, charming, and fashionably

dressed; aiming to please; CF. of good disposition

d´ebris rubble; wreckage; scattered remains of something broken or destroyed

debunk expose as false, exaggerated, worthless, etc.; ridicule

debutante young woman making formal entrance into society
~ debut d´ebut; first public appearance; formal presentation of a young woman to society

decadence decay; fall to a lower level (of morality, civilization, or art); ADJ. decadent

decant pour off gently (wine or liquid)

decapitate behead

decelerate slow down

deciduous falling off at a specific season or stage of growth as of leaves; Ex. deciduous tree/teeth

decimate kill (usually one out of ten or every tenth man);

destroy or kill a large part of

decipher decode; CF. indecipherable

declivity downward slope

d´ecollet´e (of a dress) having a low-cut neckline; CF.

d´ecolletage: low neckline (on a dress)
~ decree authoritative order; edict; judgment of a court of law; V: order or judge by decree

decomposition decay; V. decompose: decay; break and separate into simple parts

decorum propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners; appropriateness of behavior or conduct
~ decorous proper (in behavior, conduct, or appearance)

decoy lure or bait; V.

decrepitude state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age
~ decrepit weak and in bad condition from old age or hard use; Ex. decrepit old chair/man

decry express strong disapproval of; condemn openly (something dangerous to the public); disparage; Ex. Decry the violence of modern films

deducible derived by reasoning; V. deduce: infer; derive by reasoning

deface mar; disfigure
~ mar spoil the appearance of

defame harm someone’s reputation; malign; speak evil of; slander; N. defamation; ADJ. defamatory

default failure to act; failure to perform a task or be present; V.

defeatist resigned to defeat or failure; accepting defeat or failure as a natural outcome; N. CF. defeatism

defection desertion
~ defect shortcoming; V: desert (in order to join the opposite one)

defer give in respectfully; submit; delay till later; exempt temporarily; N. deferment; CF. show respect, comply with, courteous

deference courteous regard for another’s wish; courteous yielding to another’s wish or opinion (showing respect); ADJ. deferential; OP. effrontery

defiance refusal to yield; resistance; V. defy; ADJ. defiant

defile pollute; make filthy or dirty; corrupt morally; profane;

desecrate; N: narrow passage or gorge through mountains

definitive most reliable; authorative and complete; that cannot be improved; conclusive; decisive; definite; Ex. definitive decision by the supreme court

deflect turn aside; turn away from a straight course

defoliate destroy leaves; deprive of leaves (by the use of chemicals); N. defoliant

defray provide for the payment of; undertake the payment of; pay

defrock strip a priest or minister of church authority; unfrock
~ frock long loose garment (worn by monks)

deft neat; skillful

defunct dead; no longer in use or existence

degenerate become worse in quality; deteriorate; ADJ: having become worse; Ex. a degenerate species; N: depraved or corrupt person

degradation humiliation; debasement; degeneration; V.

degrade: debase; disgrace; degenerate; reduce (something) in worth; demote (someone); reduce in rank
~ dishonor disgrace; N. ADJ. dishonorable

dehydrate remove water from; dry out

deify turn into a god; make a god of; idolize; Ex. Kings were deified; CF. deity

deign condescend; stoop
~ stoop bend forward and down; lower or debase oneself; fall to a lower standard of behavior by doing something; condescend; Ex. stoop to lying

delete erase; strike out

deleterious harmful

deliberate consider; ponder; ADJ: done on purpose; slow

delineate portray; depict; sketch; describe; N. delineation

delirium mental disorder marked by confusion; uncontrolled excitement; ADJ. delirious

delta flat plain of mud or sand between branches of a river

delude deceive

deluge flood; rush; V.

delusion false belief; hallucination; deluding; Ex. Delusions of grandeur; Ex. under the delusion that

delusive deceptive; likely to delude; misleading; raising vain hopes; Ex. delusive promises

delve dig; search deeply; investigate

demagogue person who appeals to people’s prejudice; false leader of people; CF. demagoguery

demean disgrace; humiliate; debase in dignity; behave

demeanor behavior; bearing

demented insane

demise death

demographic related to population balance; N. demography: statistical study of human population

demolition destruction; V. demolish

demoniac(demoniacal) fiendish; cruel; N. demon: evil supernatural being; devil
~ fiend evil spirit; devil

demotic of or pertaining to the people

demur object (because of doubts, scruples); raise an objection (showing qualms); hesitate; Ex. demur at the idea of working on Sunday

demure (of a woman or child) grave; quiet and serious; coy; pretending to be demure

denigrate blacken; defame

denizen (animal, person, or plant) inhabitant or resident of a particular place; regular visitor

denotation meaning; distinguishing by name; V. denote: indicate; refer to directly; mean; CF. connotation

d´enouement final outcome; final development of the plot of a play or other literary work; the end of a story when everything is explained

denounce condemn; criticize; N. denunciation

depict portray
~ expos´e public revelation of something discreditable

deplete reduce; exhaust

deplore regret; express sorrow and severe disapproval for something bad; Ex. deplore their violent behavior; ADJ. deplorable: very bad; deserving severe disapproval; Ex. deplorable living condition

deploy spread out (troops) in an extended though shallow battle line; distribute (persons or forces) systematically or strategically
~ battalion army unit made up of four or more companies

depose dethrone; remove from office; give a deposition; testify

deposition testimony under oath; deposing; dethroning

depravity extreme corruption; wickedness; V. deprave

deprecate express disapproval of; deplore; protest against; belittle; ADJ. deprecatory

depreciate lessen in value; belittle; represent as of little value

depredation plundering; destruction

deranged insane
~ institute organization for a special purpose; V: establish
~ institution instituting; (building for the) organization; established

custom, practice, or relationship in a society; mental

hospital; Ex. institution of marriage
~ institutionalize make into an institution; put or confine in an institution

derelict negligent; (of someone) neglectful of duty; (of something) deserted by an owner; abandoned; N: abandoned property; homeless or vagrant person
~ dereliction neglect of duty; abandonment

deride ridicule; treat with contempt; make fun of; OP. respect

derision ridicule; ADJ. derisive; CF. derisory

derivative unoriginal; obtained from another source; Ex.

derivative prose style; N.
~ derivation deriving; origin or source of something; Ex. The derivation of the word

dermatologist one who studies the skin and its diseases
~ acne skin disease (on the face)

derogatory expressing a low opinion; disparaging; V. derogate: detract; disparage

descry catch sight of (something distant)

desecrate profane; violate the sanctity of
~ violate break (a law); defile; desecrate; assault sexually; Ex. violate graves

desiccate dry up

desolate (of a place) deserted; unpopulated; (of a person) lonely; forlorn; joyless desolate make desolate; forsake; abandon and desert

desperado reckless, desperate outlaw
~ desperate having lost all hope; despairing; reckless and violent because of loss of hope or

despair; undertaken as a last resort

despise look on with scorn; regard as worthless or distasteful; ADJ. despicable: contemptible

despoil plunder; sack; Ex. despoil the village

despondent without hope and courage; depressed; gloomy;

despondency: loss of hope with gloom; dejection

despot tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler; CF. despotism

destitute extremely poor; lacking means of subsistence; utterly lacking; devoid; Ex. destitute of any experience
~ impoverish make poor; deprive of natural strength or something important; Ex. impoverished soil

desultory aimless; haphazard; digressing at random

detached emotionally removed; free from emotional involvement; calm and objective; physically separate; N. detachment; CF. attachment
~ detain keep waiting; prevent from leaving or going; N. detention

determinate having a fixed order of procedure; precisely

defined; invariable; fixed; conclusive; final

determination resolve; firmness of purpose; measurement or calculation; decision

deterrent something that discourages or deters

detonation explosion

detraction slandering; aspersion; detracting; CF. detractor

detrimental harmful; damaging; N. detriment

deviate turn away from (a principle, norm); move away from an accepted standard; swerve; depart; diverge; N. deviation; Ex. deviation of the path of light by a prism

devious roundabout; erratic; deviating from the straight course; not straightforward; not completely honest; Ex. devious route

devise think up; invent; plan; bequeath; N: bequest

devoid empty; lacking

devolve deputize; pass or be passed to others (power, work, or property); Ex. devolve on/upon/to
~ deputize work or appoint as a deputy; N. deputy: person who has the power to take charge when the leading person is away

devotee enthusiastic follower; enthusiast; Ex. devotee of Bach

devout pious; deeply religious; sincere; earnest; Ex. my devout hope
~ religious of religion; (of a person) pious; having reverence for a deity

dexterous skillful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity

diabolical diabolic; devilish; fiendish

diadem crown

dialectical relating to the art of debate; mutual or reciprocal; Ex. dialectical situation; N. dialectic: art of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments

diaphanous sheer; transparent

diatribe bitter scolding or denunciation; invective; abuse

dichotomy division into two opposite parts; split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)

dictum authoritative and weighty statement (made by a judge in court); saying; maxim; CF. obiter dictum: incidental, nonbinding remark (something said in passing)

didactic (of speech or writing) intended to teach a moral lesson; teaching; instructional; N. didacticism

die metal block used for shaping metal or plastic; device for stamping or impressing; mold; CF. dice

diffidence shyness; lack of self-confidence; timidity; ADJ. diffident diffuse wordy; verbose; rambling; spread out (like a gas); V: spread out in all directions; disperse; N. diffusion; CF. suffuse

digression wandering away from the subject; V. digress

dilapidated falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined because of neglect; Ex. dilapidated old car/castle; N. dilapidation

dilate expand; dilate on/upon: speak or write at length on (a subject)

dilatory delaying; tending to delay

dilemma situation that requires a choice between equally unfavorable options; problem; choice of two unsatisfactory alternatives

dilettante aimless follower of an art or a field of knowledge (not taking it seriously); amateur; dabbler; CF. delight

diligence steadiness of effort; persistent hard work

dilute make (a liquid) less concentrated; reduce in strength;Ex. dilute the influence of the president

diminution lessening; reduction in size; V. diminish

din continued loud noise; V: make a din; instill by wearying repetition
~ weary tired after long work; V.

dinghy small boat (often ship’s boat)
~ maroon leave helpless on a deserted island or coast; ADJ. red brown

dingy (of things and place) dirty and dull; Ex. dingy street/curtain
~ dull (of colors or surfaces) not bright; cloudy; overcast; boring; (of edge or sound) not sharp; not rapid; sluggish; slow in thinking and understanding; stupid; V. dint means; effort; Ex. by dint of hard work

diorama life-size, three-dimensional scene from nature or history; three-dimensional scene with modeled figures against a painted background

dire warning of disaster; disastrous; (of needs and dangers) very great; urgent; Ex. dire prediction/need of food

dirge funeral song; slow mournful piece of music (sung over a dead person)

disabuse correct a false impression; undeceive; free from a wrong belief

disaffected disloyal; lacking loyality; V. disaffect: cause to lose affection or loyalty

disapprobation disapproval; condemnation

disarray state of disorder; a disorderly or untidy state; Ex. with her clothes in disarray

disavowal denial; disclaiming; repudiating; disowning; V. disavow; CF. disclaim

disband dissolve; disperse; (of a group) break up and separate; Ex. The club has disbanded.

disburse pay out (as from a fund); N. disbursement; CF. purse

discernible distinguishable; perceivable; Ex. discernible improvement

discerning mentally quick and observant; having insight; perceptive; able to make good judgments; V. discern: perceive

disclaim disown; renounce claim to; deny; CF. disclaimer

disclose reveal; N. disclosure

discombobulated discomposed; confused
~ discompose disturb the composure of; confuse

discomfit frustrate; put to rout; defeat; disconcert; embarrass; perturb

disconcert confuse; upset; embarrass; perturb

disconsolate hopelessly sad (at the loss of something)

discord conflict; lack of harmony; dissonance (when musical notes are played)

discordant not harmonious; conflicting

discount disregard; regard (a story or news) as unimportant; deduct from a cost

discourse serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal

discussion (either written or spoken); conversation; V.

discredit defame; disgrace; destroy confidence in; disbelieve; N. CF. discreditable: causing discredit; shameful

discrepancy lack of consistency or agreement as between facts; difference; Ex. discrepancy between two descriptions

discrete separate; unconnected

discretion prudence; ability to adjust actions to circumstances; freedom of action or judgment; ADJ. discreet; CF. discretionary

discriminating able to see differences; discerning; prejudiced; N. discrimination
~ discriminate distinguish; make distinctions on the basis of preference
~ brisk quick and active; marked by liveliness and vigor

discursive (of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan)

disdain treat with scorn or contempt

disembark debark; go ashore (from a ship); unload cargo from a ship; CF. embark

disenfranchise disfranchise; deprive of a civil right; OP. enfranchise

disengage uncouple; separate; disconnect; stop fighting; OP. engage

disfigure mar the appearance of; spoil

disgorge surrender something (stolen); eject; vomit; OP. gorge

disgruntle make discontented

dishearten discourage

disheveled untidy (of hair or clothing); V. dishevel

disinclination unwillingness

disingenuous not naive; not candid; sophisticated; worldly wise; OP. ingenuous

disinter dig up; unearth; OP. inter

disinterested unprejudiced; free from bias and selfinterest; objective

disjointed disconnected; lacking coherence; V. disjoint: disconnect; disjoin

disjunction act or state of separation; disunity; CF. disjunctive: expressing a choice between two ideas; CF. conjunction; CF. conjunctive

dislodge remove (forcibly); force out of a position; Ex. dislodge the food caught in his throat; CF. lodge

dismantle take apart; disassemble
~ mantle loose sleeveless outer garment; cloak; something that covers or envelops; the layer of the earth between the crust and the core
~ crust hard outer covering (as of earth or snow)

dismember cut into small parts; cut (a body) apart limb from limb

dismiss eliminate from consideration; no longer consider; put out of court without further hearing; reject; discharge from employment; direct to leave; ADJ. dismissive; N. dismissal

disparage belittle maneuver(manoeuver) strategic military or naval movement (done for training purposes); carefully planned process; stratagem; V: carry out a military maneuver; use maneuvers in gaining an end

disparate basically different; impossible to compare; unrelated

disparity difference; condition of inequality; OP. parity

dispassionate calm; impartial; not influenced by personal feelings

dispatch speediness; prompt execution; message sent with all due speed; V: send to a specified destination; finish promptly; kill

dispel scatter; drive away; cause to vanish
~ dispense distribute; prepare and give out (medicines); N.

dispensation: dispensing; religious system; official exemption from an obligation or a rule

disperse scatter; Ex. disperse the cloud/crowd

dispirited lacking in spirit

disport amuse; Ex. disport oneself; CF. divert

disputatious argumentative; fond of argument

disquietude uneasiness; anxiety; V. disquiet: make anxious

disquisition formal systematic inquiry; explanation of the results of a formal inquiry; long formal speech or written report

dissection analysis; cutting apart in order to examine

dissemble disguise; hide the real nature of; pretend

disseminate distribute; spread; scatter (like seeds)

dissent disagree

dissertation formal essay; treatise

dissident dissenting (with an opinion, a group, or a government); rebellious; N.

dissimulate pretend; conceal by feigning; dissemble

dissipate squander; waste foolishly; scatter

dissolution disintegration; reduction to a liquid form; looseness in morals; sensual indulgence; debauchery; ADJ. dissolute: lacking in moral restraint; leading an immoral life
~ reduce diminish; bring to a weaker or more difficult condition;

demote; lower in rank; separate into components by analysis; Ex. reduced to the ranks; Ex. reduce the house to rubble; N. reduction

dissuade persuade not to do; discourage; N. dissuasion
~ dissonance discord distant reserved or aloof; cold in manner; Ex. distant greeting; ADV. distantly distend expand; swell out

distill refine (a liquid by evaporating and subsequent condensation); concentrate; separate the most important parts from; Ex. distill fresh water from sea water; CF. brew

distinction honor; excellence; difference; contrast; discrimination; Ex. graduated with distinction; Ex. a writer of real distinction
~ distinct clearly different; clearly noticed
~ distinctive clearly different from others of the same kind

distort twist out of shape; give a false account of; misrepresent; N. distortion

distrait absentminded; distracted

distraught upset; distracted by anxiety; very anxious and troubled almost to the point of madness; Ex. distraught with grief/worry
~ distract take (one’s attention) off something; upset emotionally; make anxious; ADJ. distracted

diurnal daily; occurring during the daytime

diva operatic singer; prima donna

diverge vary; go in different directions from the same point; ADJ. divergent: differing; deviating

diverse differing in some characteristics (from each other); various; N. diversity: variety; dissimilitude; lack of resemblance

diversion act of turning aside; pastime; V. divert: turn aside from a course; distract; amuse

divest strip (as of clothes); deprive (as of rights); dispossess; N. divestiture(divestment)

divine perceive intuitively (by or as if by magic); foresee the future; foretell; dowse; ADJ. N. divination
~ dowse use a divining rod to search for underground water or minerals

divulge reveal

docile obedient; easily managed; submissive
~ ferocious fierce; violent; N. ferocity

docket program as for trial; book where such entries are made; list of things to be done; agenda; label fixed to a package listing contents or directions; V: describe in a docket

doctrinaire unable to compromise about points of doctrine;

dogmatic; unyielding; marked by inflexible attachment to a doctrine without regard to its practical difficulties

doctrine teachings in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught; dogma; tenet; ADJ. doctrinal
~ indoctrinate cause to accept a doctrine without questioning it; Ex. indoctrinated with mindless anti-communism document provide written evidence (for a claim); record with documents; N.

doddering shaky; infirm from old age; V. dodder
~ merit deserve; ADJ. meritorious: deserving reward or praise doff take off; OP. don

dogged determined; stubborn; stubbornly persevering; tenacious; Ex. Inspector Javert’s dogged pursuit of Jean Valjean
~ persevere continue steadily in spite of difficulties

doggerel poor verse

dogmatic opinionated; holding stubbornly to one’s opinion; arbitrary; doctrinal

doldrums blues; listlessness(lack of spirit or energy); slack(inactive) period; period of stagnation; ocean area near the equator where ships cannot move because there is no wind; Ex. in the doldrums
~ blues state of depression or melancholy; style of slow, mournful music (evolved from southern Black American songs)

dolorous sorrowful; N. dolor

dolt slow-thinking stupid person; CF. dull

domicile home; V. ADJ. domiciled: having one’s domicile; Ex. He is domiciled in Britain.

domineer rule over tyrannically
~ dominate control; rule; enjoy a commanding position in; overlook from a height;
~ dominant exercising the most influence; high and easily seen; stronger than the other part of a system; not recessive

don put on; OP. doff
~ outfit clothing or equipment for a special purpose; Ex. cowboy outfit

dormant sleeping; temporarily inactive; lethargic; latent

dormer window projecting upright from roof; CF. sleeping room

dorsal relating to the back of an animal; Ex. dorsal fin

dossier file of documents on a subject or person; file; CF. bundle of papers labeled on the back

dotage senility; feeblemindedness of old age; Ex. In one’s

dotage dote be excessively fond of; show signs of mental decline

dour sullen; gloomy; stubborn
~ sullen silently showing ill humor or resentment; dark; gloomy
~ brood sit on in order to hatch; think deeply or worry anxiously; N: the young of certain animals; group of young birds hatched at one time

douse plunge into water or liquid; dip; immerse; drench; wet throughly; extinguish; throw water over; dowse

dowdy untidy (of a woman or clothes); slovenly; dressed in an unattractive way; shabby; CF. unattractive woman

downcast disheartened; dejected; sad; directed downward

drab dull; lacking color; cheerless ; Ex. drab coat/life

draconian extremely severe; Ex. draconian punishment; CF. Draco: Athenian politician

dregs sediment in a liquid; lees; worthless residue

drivel nonsense; foolishness; V: talk nonsense
~ nonsense speech or writing with no meaning; foolish behavior or language; Ex. make (a) nonsense of: spoil; cause to fail
~ dribble flow or fall in drops; let saliva flow out slowly from the mouth; move a ball; N.
~ drip fall or let fall in drops; shed drops; N: action or sound of falling in drops; liquid that falls in drops
~ trickle flow in drops or in a thin stream; N.

droll queer and amusing
~ queer strange; eccentric; deviating from the normal

drone idle person who lives on other people’s work; male bee drone talk dully; buzz or murmur like a bee; N.
~ murmur low, indistinct, continuous sound; V. CF. mumble

dross waste matter; worthless impurities

drudgery hard unpleasant work; menial work
~ drudge do drudgery; N: person who drudges

dubious questionable; (of something) causing doubt; (of someone) filled with doubt; N. dubiety

ductile malleable; pliable; (of metals) easily pulled into shape; flexible; (of someone) easily influenced or controlled

dulcet sweet sounding; pleasing to the ear; melodious

dumbfound(dumfound) astonish (making dumb); ADJ.

dumbfounded, dumfounded, dumbstruck

dupe someone easily fooled or deceived; V: deceive

duplicity double-dealing; hypocrisy; being dishonest and

deceitful; ADJ. duplicitous

duration length of time something lasts

duress forcible restraint, especially unlawfully; coercion by threat; illegal coercion; Ex. a promise made under duress

dutiful(duteous) (of people or their behavior) respectful; obedient (filled with a sense of duty)

dwindle shrink; reduce gradually

dynamic energetic; vigorously active
~ dynamo generator for producing electricity; energetic person

dyspeptic suffering from indigestion; N. dyspepsia: indigestion; difficulty in digesting food
~ dys- abnormal; impaired
~ dyslexia word blindness; learning disorder marked by impairmentof the ability to read
~ dysentery inflammatory disorder of the lower intestinal tract