v. (-ting) 1 empty (a tyre, balloon, etc.) Of air, gas, etc.; be so emptied.

- (cause to) lose confidence or conceit.

- a subject (a currency or economy) to deflation. B pursue this as a policy. [from *de-, *inflate]

v. - bend or turn aside from a course or purpose.

- (often foll. By from) (cause to) deviate. deflection n. (also deflexion). Deflector n. [latin flecto bend]

v. (often foll. By of) cheat by fraud. [latin: related to *fraud]

v. Deprive (esp. A priest) of office. [french: related to *de-, *frock]

v. - remove frost or ice from (a refrigerator, windscreen, etc.).

- unfreeze (frozen food).

- become unfrozen.

adj. - no longer existing or used.

- dead or extinct. defunctness n. [latin fungor perform]

v. (-ding) 1 humiliate, dishonour.

- reduce to a lower rank.

- chem. Reduce to a simpler molecular structure. degradation n. Degrading adj. [latin: related to *grade]

of comparison see *comparison 4.

v. (-cing) (esp. Of a pod, cut, etc.) Gape or burst open. dehiscence n. Dehiscent adj. [latin hio gape]

—v. - (often as delighted adj.) Please greatly (her singing delighted us; delighted to help).

- (foll. By in) take great pleasure in (delights in surprising everyone). —n. - great pleasure.

- thing that delights. delighted adj. Delightful adj. Delightfully adv. [latin delecto]