'death's head noun a human skull (= the bone structure of the head) used as a symbol of death fftfl A ( H.

£E5Et:)

'death squad noun a group of people who are ordered by a government to kill other people, especially the government’s political opponents (

HX,

'death throes noun [pi.] 1 the final stages of sth just before it comes to an end l|£^; A 0 ; J&jfj-IUNK: The

regime is now in its death throes. & — A₀

2 violent pains and movements at the moment of death

death toll noun the number of people killed in an accident, a war, a disaster, etc. (

W ) 5EtrAffc

'death trap noun (informal) a building, vehicle, etc. that is dangerous and could cause sb’s death FEtPII^ ( ^ ) : The cars blocking the exits could turn this place into a death trap. p (ft

'death warrant noun an official document stating that sb should receive the punishment of being killed for a crime that they have committed The Presi

dent signed the death warrant.

o If you pay the ransom, you may be signing your son’s death warrant. nJt&ift^7fftJl7#J^o

o (figurative) By withdrawing the funding, the government signed the project’s death warrant. ifetft

M-jmwtnmTKMo

.death-watch 'beetle noun a small insect that eats into old wood, making sounds like a watch ticking (AM*, )

'death wish noun [sing.] a desire to die, often that sb is not aware of ( ) 5EtrHM

deb /deb/ noun (informal) = debutante de-bade /dei'baikl; di'b-/ noun an event or a situation that is a complete failure and causes embarrassment

AJ&; mffi;

debar /di'bai(r)/ verb (-rr-) [VN] [usually passive] ~ sb (from sth/from doing sth) (formal) to officially prevent sb from doing sth, joining sth, etc. ffijt, £jt ( jJP

A ^ £8 f£ ^ : He was debarred from holding public

office. \m%itfitt&W.

de-base /di'beis/ verb [VN] to make sb/sth less valuable or respected Eff •••&$'&# 023

devalue : Sport is being debased by commercial sponsorship. ►de-base-

ment noun [U]

de-bat-able /di'beitabl/ adj. not certain because people can have different ideas and opinions about the thing being discussed tl # ift; A A i$f (ft HT3 arguable, questionable : a debatable point A#■ $ (ft M A 0 It is highly debatable whether conditions have improved for low-income families, fft i&A^E W B !lgfc

de-bate On /di'beit/ noun, verb

m noun [C, U] ~ (on/about/over sth) 1 a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue. (

a debate on abortion A A SI lin #J It ifc 0 The minister opened the debate (= was the first to speak). p(Si£ A It i£ftj-*5fc$:Wo 0 The motion under debate (= being discussed) was put to a vote. lti£A(lfJzfti$tBFtif o After a long debate, Congress approved the proposal. ^MAfftl0]lti£, 2 an argument

or discussion expressing different opinions ( # g A ) #-i£, Itifr, vfi£: a heated/wide- ranging/lively debate $ 0 $ / A (ft ife 0

the current debate about tax g fttf ^ 7 #£ iBc (HJ it ife0 There had been much debate on the issue of childcare. A fH^A3tf£WlgMiAifc£iHjh O Whether he deserves what has happened to him is open to debate/a matter for debate (= cannot be certain or decided yet). #, H15 P AJ&f#i£W#Aitik₀ o The theatre’s future is a subject

of considerable debate. ^ ftjltif &Ji — A M A A

\'m₀

■ verb 1 to discuss sth, especially formally, before making a decision or finding a solution ( AfkiE A ) it i£ , It i£ discuss : [VN] Politicians will be

debating the bill later this week. AM

it i£ A i$C M o 0 The question of the origin of the universe is still hotly debated (= strongly argued about) by scientists.

It i£ o 0 [V wh-] The committee will debate whether to lower the age of club membership to 16. z^itikH

16 Ao [also V]

2 ~ (with yourself) to think carefully about sth before making a decision Ef70%jEt; &A; She debated

with herself for a while, and then picked up the phone.

0 [V wh-] We’re

debating whether or not to go skiing this winter. fll # » [also V -ing] ► de-bat-ing noun [U]: a debating society at a school ^j^ltifettlll de bater /di'beit0(r)/ noun a person who is involved in a

debate #tniti£#; #-i£;£

de bauched /di'bortjt/ adj. a debauched person is immoral in their sexual behaviour, drinks a lot of alcohol, takes drugs, etc. if|gjjfcU'MM -feftfj; PflKft 023 DEPRAVED, DISSOLUTE de bauch ery /di'boitjari/ noun [U] immoral behaviour involving sex, alcohol or drugs it flJ&if; '§M\ tJlii'M

& ( J»p°p )

de ben ture /di'bentja(r)/ noun (BrE, finance M) an official document that is given by a company, showing it has borrowed money from a person and stating the interest payments that it will make to them ( A )

m'

de bili tate /di'biliteit/ verb [VN] (formal) 1 to make sb’s body or mind weaker ( f£l7E ) tIM, jHIA a

debilitating disease f All WSI 2 to make a country, an organization, etc. weaker f ij m ( 0 M> tfl F-J ) f£ A; A : Prolonged strike action

debilitated the industry, -fc flt fg SI fill H 7 & Afrik W tSAo ^

de bil ity /di'bilati/ noun [U, C] (pi. -ies) (formal) physical weakness, especially as a result of illness ( A 31

) &M, mm, nm

debit /'debit/ noun, verb

m noun 1 a written note in a bank account or other financial record of a sum of money owed or spent ft

A; ‘Bt A: on the debit side of an account ffc A ft A 0 (figurative) On the debit side (= a negative result will be that) the new shopping centre will increase traffic problems, mm_rfe£fefcf»lS*DJ8io

2 a sum of money taken from a bank account ft *0 EH3 credit — see also direct debit mverb [VN] when a bank debits an account, it takes money from it iBA ( JKP .) $jftA; ftiB: The money will be debited from your account each month, mn iBAfftHKP 6flft Ac EQ3 credit 'debit card noun a plastic card that can be used to take money directly from your bank account when you pay for sth ftiB A; ft A A — compare credit card de-bon-air /,deba'ne9(r); NAmE -'ner/ adj. (old-fashioned) (usually of men A) fashionable and confident

MAASift;

de-brief /,di:'bri:f/ verb [VN] ~ sb (on sth) to ask sb questions officially, in order to get information about the task that they have just completed IE A ill fg, tfc fg ( 3£A#lfff3:##rlf ) : He was taken to a US airbase to be debriefed on the mission. ft f¥ 3S iffe if.

So — compare brief ► de-brief-ing noun [U, C].: a debriefing session

deb ris /'debri:; 'dei-; NAmE da'bri:/ noun [U] 1 pieces of wood, metal, brick, etc. that are left after sth has been destroyed Emergency teams are still

clearing the debris from the plane crash.

2 (formal) pieces of material that are not wanted and rubbish/garbage that are left somewhere 5| ; iiS ; fk ^ : Clear away leaves and

other garden debris from the pond.