D
Dairen
Dairen是我国大连的旧译，不可跟Panama和Colombia中间的Gulf of Darien里的Darien相混。现大连译为Dalian。
Dakota
the Dakotas指美国的North Dakota和South Dakota两州（state）。
Dalai
Dalai Lama（达赖喇嘛）前面有the。
damage
1．说物质上的“损害”用单数或复数形式都有，但用单数形式普通得多。说精神上的“损害”（如“名誉上的损害”）只用单数形式。a damage是不用的。
2．说“损害赔偿费”该用复数形式。
damn
damn在口语里有时用作副词，作“很”解。例如：damn well和damn careful
dance
1．dance通常是一种“跳舞”，一次“跳舞”，“跳舞会”或“跳舞曲”，并不统指“跳舞”那动作，就是说不是抽象名词。如不可说fond of dance，该说fond of dancing。不可说He teaches me dance，该说He teaches me dancing（或to dance）。但近几年来有时被用作抽象名词（前面有形容词），例如his deep interest in modern dance。
2．dancing girl（或dancing-girl）指在舞台上表演跳舞的女子，不指舞场里伴舞的舞女。这种伴舞的舞女叫做taxi dancer，有时叫做hostess。
3．dance hall现在比dancing hall普通得多。
danger
1．danger后面接of和动名词，不接不定式，如可以说There is danger of (his) being misunderstood，不可说There is danger (for him) to be misunderstood。
2．in danger of里没有the。
3．danger有时后面接以that引导的从句。例如：So long as hydrogen bombs exist, there is danger that they will be used.
4．下面四句意思相同：
He is in danger of death. He is in danger of his life.
He is in danger of losing his life. His life is in danger.
5．下面两句意思不同：
There is danger of his seeing us. （有着他看见我们的危险。很可能我们被他看见。）
There is danger in his seeing us. （他看见了我们，就会有危险发生。）
dangerous(ly)
1．dangerous是“（引起）危险的”，不是“受到危险的”，如He is dangerous是“他是（引起）危险的”，就是“他易于使别人受到危险”，不是“他自己受到危险”。说“他自己受到危险”该说He is in danger或He is endangered。英美人也有把dangerous用作“（因病而）受到危险的”解的，但这主要是方言用法。
He is dangerous虽然不是“他自己受到危险”，但He is dangerously ill和He is dangerously near the edge of the precipice两句里的dangerously都指“他”的受到危险。但须注意dangerously并不修饰He而修饰ill和near，dangerously ill是“生了危险疾病的”，就是“病危”。dangerously near是“引起危险地近”，那dangerous（ly）仍旧是“引起危险”，不是“受到危险”。
2．It is dangerous to bathe in this river和This river is dangerous to bathe in都可以说，也可以说This is a dangerous river to bathe in。
Dardanelles
Dardanelles（达达尼尔海峡）是复数形式，前面有the。例如：The Dardanelles are of great strategic importance.
dare
1．dare在下面各句里都用作普通的动词。看作及物或不及物都可以：
He dares to go.
Does he dare to go?
He does not dare to go.
He will dare to go.
Will he dare to go?
He will not dare to go.
He dared to go.
Did he dare to go?
He did not dare to go.
dare也可以用作助动词。例如：
He dare not go.
Dare he go?
He dared not（或durst not）go.
No-one dared go（或dared to go，或durst go）.
He dare do anything.
No-one dare go.
在这种用法里注意：1.句子是否定的或者有否定的意味的。2.不定式除了在dared后面以外都没有to。3.用dare而不用dares。4.durst不及dared普通。5.有时dare也指过去的事。例如：He was afraid, and dare not（或daren't）go.
上面所讲的是正常的用法，事实上下面几句也是常见的。
He dare go.
I am sure he dare.
He dares go.
Does he dare go?
He does not dare go.
He is too weak to dare go today.
He dared go.
Dared he go?
He did not dare go.
No-one dares go.
2．Do you dare to..? Does he dare to...?等里的dare to...通常有“胆大妄为”的意思。例如：Do you dare to tell such a lie? Dare you（或he等）...？通常有“冒险”的意思。例如：Dare you tell the sick old woman that she has only a few days to live?但How dare you（或he等）...?却有“胆大妄为”的意思。例如：How dare you say such rude things about him?
3．下面两句意思相同。第一句比第二句普通：
If he had been warned, he would not have dared to go.
If he had been warned, he dare not have gone.
4．I dare say（也作I daresay）通常作“我以为”、“在我看来”、“大概”、“或者”等解。例如：His brother, I dare say, is still in town.和I dare say his brother is still in town. I dare say后面的从句通常省去that。
Darien
参见Dairen
dark(ness)
dark（名词）和darkness的用法没有绝对的区别，但下面几点该注意：
（1）只有dark可以指“傍晚”，at dark，before dark和after dark里的dark不可改作darkness，前面都没有the。
（2）in the dark在用作“不知道的”解的时候dark不可改作darkness。例如：I am in the dark about his whereabouts.
（3）The room is in darkness里的darkness不可改作dark或the dark。
（4）dark惯用在指经常的情况，darkness惯用在指一时的情况。例如：
Some children are afraid of the dark.
He stayed behind because he was afraid of the darkness.
We set off in the darkness across the flat county.
I could not see the house properly because of the darkness.
但in the dark一语也往往指一时的情况，例如第三句里的darkness可以改作dark。
darling
1．Darling George和George darling都可以说。
2．可以说My dear，darling George。
data
data是datum（供给讨论或推究的一项资料）的复数形式，但datum现在不通用，用单数的时候通常改用one of the data。在美国往往把data用作单数。例如：This data has been collected from various sources.
date
1．date不一定指“日期”，也可以包括月或年。5 October, 2001是date，October 2001或2001虽然不是“日期”，却也是date。
2．of even date（同一天的），of current date（同一天的），of recent date（不久以前的），of yesterday's date（昨天的），under (the) date of...（…日期的），和at an early date（不久以后）都是商业信函里的陈套语，在一般通信里该避免。
3．date前面的介词通常是at，偶尔是on。例如：at an early date和on a certain date。但在on that date中习惯用on。
4．date在美国往往用作“约会”解。例如：I have a date with them.在口语里从“日期”转指“约会”，再转指“被约会的人”，再转指“异性朋友”，用作动词从“跟…约会”转用作不及物动词，指“（男女）交际”。
5．your letter dated...（例如：8 April）和your letter of...（例如：8 April）都可以用在信函里，但现在多用of而少用dated。
6．严格地说，文件等上的date只指“日期”，不包括“地址”（address），但事实上往往包括地址。说信上的载着某个地址，习惯用be dated from（或at）和那地址名称。例如：The letter is dated from（或at）Moscow.
7．下面两句可以说意思相同，但用from普通些。
His family dates from 1764. （他的家系上溯起自1764年。）
His family dates back to 1764.
说His family dates back from 1764也可以，但不很普通。
8．a letter of an early date, a poem of a later date等表达方式里的an或a可以省去，美国英语without date里没有a。例如：The conference adjourned without date. （会议无限期休会。）在英国通常用indefinitely或拉丁语sine die。
9．His dates are not known里的dates指date of birth和date of death。
10．date不可只指“星期几”。例如：What's the date?或What's the date today?的回答可能是It's 25 August或Today is 25 August。It's Saturday, 25 August或Today is Saturday, 25 August，不可能是It's Saturday或Today is Saturday。What day is it?的回答可能是It's Saturday，不可能是It's 25 August或It's Saturday, 25 August。
What is the date of the establishment of the People's Republic of China?的回答可能是It's 1 October, 1949, It's October 1949或It's 1949。What's the day of the establishment of the People's Republic of China?的回答只可能是It's 1 October, 1949。
11．to date作“到现在为止”解，是状语短语。例如：To date no solution has been found.和The book has been widely accepted as the best on the subject to date.
datum
参见data
dawn
at dawn和before dawn里没有the。The dawn came和We used to rise with the dawn等句子里有the。
day
1．the 19th day of May等表达方式只用在正式文件里。参见April 3
2．the day before yesterday和the day after tomorrow是英国英语，day before yesterday和day after tomorrow是美国英语。yesterday or the day before和tomorrow or the day after是英国英语，yesterday or day before和tomorrow or day after是美国英语。
3．all day, all day long, all the day和all the day long四语都作“全天”解。例如：He worked all (the) day (long). all day最普通，all the day long最不普通。
4．all day yesterday（昨天全天）和all day tomorrow（明天全天）比all yesterday和all tomorrow普通。
5．day after day，day by day，from day to day和day in，day out四语都作“每天”解。day after day含有“时日长久”的意思，含有“每天重复”的意思。from day to day有时含有“逐渐变更”或“逐渐增加”的意思，有时含有“暂时”或“不固定”的意思。day in，day out（这语最不普通）含有“杳杳无期”的意思，偶尔写作day in and day out。
6．these days指“现今”，those days指“往昔”。例如：these days of reform和those days of isolation。these days往往用作状语短语。例如：These days everybody talks of terrorism.但those days通常不用作状语短语，如通常不说Those days we knew very little about computer，最好把Those days改作In those days。in these days不及these days普通。注意these days不可改作this day，those days不可改作that day。in the old days（在古时），in the days of old（在古时），in the days to come（在将来），in the days of...（在…的时代）等表达方式里也都用复数形式，但our own day（现今）里用单数形式。
7．one day指过去或将来都可以。例如：I met him in a park one day.和I may meet him again one day. Some day只指将来，不指过去，如可以说I may meet him again some day，不可说I met him in a park some day。
8．this day（今天）似乎比today语气重些。at this day是“现在”，不是“今天”。比较下面两句：
I have this day received a letter from my father.
Even at this day my father, who died long ago, is always in my thoughts.
9．to this day（直到现在）所修饰的动词，通常属于现在时态，很少属于完成时态。例如：She keeps（很少用has kept）his ring to this day.
10．this day week指“下星期或上星期的相当的那一天”，如假定今天是星期四，this day week就是下星期四或上星期四。this day month指“下月或上月的相当的那一天”，如假定今天是5月14日，this day month就是6月14日或4月14日。this day year指“明年或去年的相当的那一天”，如假定今天是5月14日，this day year就是明年5月14日或去年5月14日。注意week，month和year前面都没有a。
11．at the present day（现在）比in the present day普通。
12．at day是“在破晓时”，现在不普通。When it was day, the fishermen went out里的day也指“破晓”，前面不可加上the。
13．good day原来在相会和相别的当儿都可以用，现在很少用，最好不用。
daydream
不论用作名词或动词，都不限于白天，如可以说He used to have daydreams at night和He used to daydream at night。
daylight
1．daylight-saving time（或daylight saving time）（日光节约时间）是美国英语，相当于英国英语summer time（夏令时间）。在英国人William Willett首创这办法的时候，用daylight saving time，当时英国采用这办法的法令叫做Summer Time Act，所以在英国通常用summer time而不用daylight-saving time。
2．daylight-saving time（或daylight saving time）前面没有the。
day(-)time
day(-)time前面有the。例如：in the day(-)time
D Day（或D day，或D-day）
D day，指第二次世界大战盟军在法国登陆的那一天，就是1944年6月6日，D指尚未明示的day。前面没有the。
dead(ly)
1．the dead指新近死的若干人，也指一切死人（包括古今的一切已死者），但不指死了好久的一人或多人。指新近死的一人现在不很普通。
2．He is long dead和He has long been dead意思相同。
3．dead用作副词作“极端地”或“完全地”解，如dead tired和dead dull。deadly也可以这样用，但主要是口语。
deaf
“聋和哑”该说deaf and dumb，但说“聋哑人”该说deaf-mute或deaf mute。
deal
1．a great deal（许多）比a good deal（相当多）语气重。
2．a great（或good）deal of只用于不可数名词，不可用于可数名词，如可以说a great（或good）deal of money和a great（或good）deal of trouble，不可说a great（或good）deal of pounds和a great（或good）deal of troubles。但说I have seen a great（或good）deal of them lately是可以说的，这句相当于I have seen (very) much of them lately，作“我近来见过他们多次”解。说a great deal of laughter and kisses也可以，因为这里的kisses跟laughter用在一起，并不着重在“吻”的次数。
3．a great（或good）deal可以用作状语短语。例如：He is a great（或good）deal better today.
4．a deal用作a great deal解，是口语。
dear(ly)
1．dear和affectionate不同。参见affectionate
2．在信函的称呼语里用dear，下面几点该注意：
（1）dear通常译作“亲爱的”，其实用在称呼语里只是习惯，竟可说是没有意思的。
（2）用在句首时，D该大写。例如：Dear Mr Bruce。不用在句首时，通常用小写。例如：My dear Mr Bruce，很少作My Dear Mr Bruce。
（3）英国人认为My dear...比Dear...亲密，所以除了对于熟朋友以外都用Dear...而不用My dear...。美国人认为My dear...比Dear...正式些，所以对于初次通信的人往往用My dear...，后来改用Dear...。不过有一点是英美相同的，用名字（而不用姓）称人，或在son和brother等词前面，英美人都认为My dear...比Dear...亲密。
（4）dear用在称呼或名字的后面表示亲密或诙谐。例如：Auntie dear和Alice dear。
3．dear有时形容价钱。例如：I bought it at a dear price.和¥100 is very dear for a cap like this.但dear price似乎远不及high price普通。
4．dear可以用作副词，但跟dearly不同，有下面两点该注意：
（1）修饰love，通常用dearly，用dear颇有“文学”韵味。注意She is dear to her children里的dear跟She loves her children dear(ly)里的dear或dearly不但在语法上不同，在意思上也不同。第一句里的dear作“被爱的”解，决不可改作affectionate，第二句里的dear或dearly却可以改作affectionately。第二句里的dear并不等于第一句里的dear变成了副词，第二句里的dearly并不等于第一句里的dear加上了ly。
（2）修饰buy，sell，pay，cost等词用dear或dearly都可以，用dear似乎普通些。
5．习惯上说的You are a dear（你是个可爱的人）里的a不可省去。
death
1．比较下面三句：
The death of two men is reported.
Two men's death is reported.
Two deaths are reported.
deaths（复数形式）指两个或两个以上的人的死亡。但在of前面或在物主代词后面用单数形式比用复数形式普通。用复数形式着重在各人个别的死。例如：the deaths of his wife and three daughters
2．不可说cause him to death，该把death改作die，但cause him to die不及kill him简洁。
3．death from the disease，death from drowning等表达方式里用from表示致死的原因。
death(-)bed
death(-)bed前面用his，her等词，不用the，通常用on，很少用in，如习惯说on his death(-)bed（临终），很少说in his death(-)bed，不说in the death(-)bed或on the death(-)bed。
debit
下面两句意思相同：
We shall debit the amount to（偶尔用against）you.
We shall debit you with the amount. （我们将把这款记入你的账上的借方。）
debt
1．debt统指“债”。a debt是“一笔债”。debts是“多笔债”。
2．说“负债更多”或“受惠更多”该说more in debt，不可说in more debt。
3．The compiler of such a book as this is necessarily under a heavy debt to previous writers里的a不可省去。
4．“因欠债而被监禁的人”该说prisoner for debt。
decade
可以说decade of years（十年），跟单独用decade意思相同。也可以说the decade of the 1950's。
deceased
the deceased或deceased（原来是不及物动词decease的过去分词）指“死者”，只用在文件和正式些的文字里，只指一人，不指多人，只指新近死的人，不指死了好久的人。
deceive
deceive是“欺骗成功”，“欺骗”而不成功便不是deceive，如不可说George deceived me into believing that he was an honest man, but I was too discreet to confide in him，该把deceived改作tried（或attempted）to deceive。
December
参见April
decide(d)
1．decide（决定）后面接不定式或on（或upon）和动名词，如I have decided to help him和I have decided (up)on helping him，用不定式普通些。有时也接以that引导的从句。例如：I decided that I would help him.用that引导的从句里往往用should或虚拟现在式。例如：We (have) decided that the meeting (should) be held on Saturday evening.
2．说“决定…”该用decide on（或upon），不该只用decide，如I have decided on（或upon）a course of action里的on或upon不可省去。但I have not yet decided on（或upon）where to spend my holidays里的on或upon在口语里往往省去。
3．用decide很容易犯双重被动的错误，如不可说He has been decided to be helped，该改作It has been decided to help him或It has been decided that he should be helped。
4．a decided man（一个果断的男子）里的decided是不及物动词decide的过去分词用作形容词。
5．参见decisive
decision
decision后面接不定式，如my decision to apply for further particulars。
decisive
decisive是“决定性的”，decided是“决定了的”或“无可争辩的”。例如：This is a decided victory, but whether it is a decisive one only time can tell. （这是一个无可争辩的胜利，但是否是一个决定性的胜利，那要到将来才知道。）
declare
1．下面各句意思相同：
He declared himself satisfied.
He declared himself to be satisfied.
He declared her sincere.
He declared her to be sincere.
但不可说：
He declared himself as satisfied.
He declared her as sincere.
上面四句都不及下面两句普通：
He declared that he was satisfied.
He declared that she was sincere.
2．declare后面不可接不定式，如不可说He declared to keep on trying，该说He declared that he would keep on trying。
declination
declination用作“婉拒”解，是美国英语，相当于动词decline。例如：The letter contains a firm declination.
decline
1．decline是“有礼地谢绝”，比refuse婉转。
2．decline后面接不定式或动名词都可以，如She declined to answer（或answering）my questions。用不定式比较普通。
3．相当于refuse的名词是refusal。相当于decline的名词有人用declinal，有人用declination，有人用declinature，但都不普通。在美国declination比较通用。还是用refusal好些。在必要时可以在refusal前面加上polite，courteous等词。
4．I must decline to accept your invitation里的to accept是多余的。
decoration
Decoration Day（阵亡将士纪念日）原为美国纪念美国南北战争阵亡将士的日子，后为纪念在为国服役中死去者的日子。也作Memorial Day。前面没有the。
decrease
a decrease in traffic和a decrease of traffic都可以说。
dedicate
His life is dedicated to serving the people里的to是介词，serving是动名词，serving不可改作serve。
deduce
1．deduce（推断）后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：He deduced that the man had already left the city.
2．deduce比infer严正。在科学和哲学上比infer普通。
deduct
1．deduct是“减去”，不是“减少…”或“从…减去若干”，如说“从款项里减去百分之三”该说deduct 3% from（有时用out of）the sum，不可说deduct the sum by 3%。
2．deduct和subtract意思相同。但deduct多用于数量，subtract多用于数目。例如：deduct the cost from the profits和subtract 4 from 9。
deem
deem主要用在严正的场合。下面各句里的deem和deemed在一般文字里改作think和thought自然些：
I deem it wise to follow his advice.
He is, I deem, a very learned man.
I deem that it is time to act.
The plan is deemed to be a very good one.
deep(ly)
deep可以用作副词，跟deeply没有绝对的区别，如dig deep和dig deeply都可以说，但在drink deep，be buried deep，deep into等表达方式里习惯用deep，在feel deeply，deeply regret，deeply grateful，deeply offended等表达方式里习惯用deeply。
deer
deer的单数和复数同一形式，如one deer和four deer。deers偶尔有人用。
defeat
1．defeat有时用作类名词，有时用作抽象名词。例如：a defeat和in defeat。
2．his defeat of the enemy是“他打败敌人”，his defeat by the enemy是“他被敌人打败”，his defeat是“他被别人打败”，不是“他打败别人”。
defect
1．without defect里通常没有a。
2．a defect in his character比a defect of his character普通。
defend
defend的宾语后面接from或against都可以。例如：We must always be ready to defend our country from（或against）aggression.
defer
defer后面现在接动名词，不接不定式，如可以说I have to defer calling on him for some time里的calling不可改作to call。
definite
definite和definitive不同。definite是“明白的”、“精确的”、“不会被人误解的”等，definitive是“决定一切的”、“最后的”、“不容改变的”等。如a definite answer是“一个明白的答复”，a definitive answer是“一个不容改变的答复”。英美人往往在该用definite的场合误用definitive。
definitive
参见definite
degree
1．to a high degree，to a certain degree，to the last degree，等表达方式里用to，但也可以改用in。
2．to a degree通常作“极端地”解，但偶尔作“有一些地”解。
3．说“某科的学位”在degree后面接in。例如：a degree in mathematics
4．在the degree of Master of Arts（文科硕士学位）等表达方式里在Master前面没有the或a。也可以说a Master of Arts degree等。
deject(ed)
关于a dejected attitude（一个沮丧的姿态）等，参见much 3 (5) E
delay
1．delay（动词）后面接动名词比接不定式普通，如I have to delay answering his letter比I have to delay to answer his letter普通。
2．delay（名词）后面接in和动名词，不接不定式或of和动名词，如Excuse me for my delay in answering your letter里的in answering不可改作to answer或of answering。
delectable
delectable作“快乐的”、“愉快的”、“可喜的”等解。但在英国现在通常用作反语，含有“使人感觉不快的”或“讨厌的”的意思。例如：What a delectable situation! （好不恼煞人也！）
delegate
delegate用作动词作“派（某人）当代表”解，用作名词指“（被派当）代表（的人）”。参见represent 1和representative 1
delegation
1．参见deputation
2．说“某人是某代表团的一员”在delegation前面用on。例如：My cousin is on the delegation to Washington.
deliberative
deliberative作“进行考虑的”或“进行审议的”解，如a deliberative body（一个审议团体）。它不作“审慎的”解，说“审慎的”该用deliberate。例如：a deliberate man（一个行动谨慎的人），a deliberate speech（一篇慎重的演说），a deliberate tone（慎重的语气）
delight(ed)
1．delight in和delight to...（不定式）都可以说。例如：I delight in reading novels（或novel-reading）.和I delight to read novels. delight to...往往含有“惯常”或“偏要”的意思。例如：He delights to talk about his family affairs in the office.注意：1.两种表达方式都不指一时的情形，都不能加today等词。2.两种表达方式都用于主动语态，不用于被动语态，如不可说I am delighted in...或I am delighted to...。delight in用在被动语态也有。例如：This is one of the modern English novels delighted in by young Chinese readers.注意不可说Young Chinese readers are delighted in...。be delighted to...（不定式）指一时的情形，往往用在客气话里。例如：I was delighted to see him. I am delighted to see you.和I shall be delighted to see you.
2．delighted后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：He was delighted that his brother had come back.
3．delight（名词）后面接in，如his delight in English literature和her delight in reading aloud。
4．关于a delighted laugh（一个快乐的笑声）等，参见much 3 (5) E
delightful
delightful是“使人感觉快乐的”，不是“感觉快乐的”，如a delightful poet是“一个使人感觉快乐的诗人”，就是“一个写使人感觉快乐的诗的人”。
delinquent
delinquent拖欠（税款、债务）在英国只用于人，如delinquent tenant（拖欠租金的房客）。但在美国也用于tax，account等词，delinquent tax是“拖欠的税”，delinquent account是“拖欠的账款”。
demand
1．demand（名词）后面接for。例如：There is a great demand for eggs.但demand（动词）是及物动词，后面不可接for，如He demands more help里不可在demands后面加上for。
2．demand不论用作名词或动词，后面都可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall或should，或现在虚拟语气。例如：
He makes the demand that she shall leave the place at once.
He makes the demand that she should leave the place at once.
He makes the demand that she leave（不用leaves）the place at once.
He made the demand that she should leave the place at once.
He made the demand that she leave（不用left）the place at once.
He demands that she shall leave the place at once.
He demands that she should leave the place at once.
He demands that she leave（不用leaves）the place at once.
He demanded that she should leave the place at once.
He demanded that she leave（不用left）the place at once.
3．demand（动词）不可把指被要求的人的词做宾语，如不可说I shall demand him for an answer或I shall demand him to answer，该说I shall demand of him to answer或I shall demand an answer of him或I shall demand that he shall（或should）answer或I shall demand that he answer （不用answers）。
4．demand（动词）不可把指被问的人的词做宾语，该在那个词的前面加上of，如We must demand of him whether he has heard from her recently里的of不可省去。注意下面一句里也有of：
'What do you want?' he demanded of her.
demand作“问”解语气很重，有“责问”或“诘问”的意思。
5．demand（动词）后面接不定式，不接动名词，如He demanded to see my library里的to see不可改作seeing。
democracy
1．“一个民主国家”该说a demoracy，“多个民主国家”可以说democracies。
2．the Democracy（用大写字母开首，前面有the）在美国指the Democratic party（民主党）。
democrat(ic)
说及美国的Democratic party（民主党），在英国往往把Democrat用作形容词，例如Democrat party和Democrat candidate，但在美国总用Democratic而不用Democrat，在美国Democrat只用作名词。
denial
denial（否定）后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：His evidence was a denial that he knew anything about the matter at all.
deny
1．下面各句的意思相同而结构不同：
He denies her nothing.
She is denied nothing (by him).
Nothing is denied her (by him).
He denies nothing to her.
Nothing is denied to her (by him).
2．deny（否认）后面接动名词，不接不定式，如He denied having done so里的having不可改作to have。
3．He denied that she was to blame是“他否认她有过失”，就是“他说她没有过失”。He objected that she was to blame是“他因为她有过失而提出反对”，不可相混。
depart(ed)
1．depart用作“离开”解，除了说及火车的“开出”以外，现在很不普通，如可以说The train departs at 8:30 a.m。但最好不说We shall depart at 8:30 a.m.，可以把depart改作leave或start。
2．depart不可用作“分手”解，如不可说It is a year since we departed，该把departed改作parted或last met。The two travellers departed together in the morning and parted in the afternoon是“那两个旅行者在早上一起离开（某地），在下午分手了”。
3．depart是一时的动作，所以不可说He has departed for five months，该说He departed five months ago或It is five months since he departed。
4．He departed for England和He departed to England都可以说。
5．He is departed和He has departed都可以作“他死了”解，第一句里的departed是不及物动词depart的过去分词用作形容词。
6．the departed（原来是不及物动词depart的过去分词）指“死者”，指一人或多人都可以，但只指新近死的人，不指死了好久的人。
department
1．参见bureau 2
2．department用作大学里的“系”解在美国比在英国普通。例如：department of foreign languages和physics department。
departure
1．动词depart用作“离开”解现在虽然不普通，名词departure用作“离开”解却很普通。例如：Nothing has been heard of him since his departure.参见depart 1
2．departure不可用作“（互相）分别”解，如It is a year since our departure不是“我们分别以来已经一年了”，却是“我们离开（某地）以来已经一年了”。参见depart 2。说“（互相）分别”可以用parting或separation。
3．his departure for England和his departure to England都可以说。
depend
1．depend是不及物动词，后面接on或upon。例如：She used to depend (up)on her sister. The sciences depend up (on) each other.和It depends (up)on where they live.第三句里的where they live是间接疑问句。在间接疑问句前面有人只用depend而没有on或upon，这是不妥当的。
2．可以说You may depend (up)on him to get everything ready for you。
3．可以说You may depend (up)on it that he will get everything ready for you。
dependant
dependant是名词，很少用作形容词。
dependent
dependent通常是形容词，很少用作名词。
depict
depict是“画…的图”，不是“画（图）”。如可以说depict a dog，不可说depict a picture of a dog。可以说The portrait depicts him sitting in a chair。不可说A portrait has been depicted of him sitting in a chair。
deprec(i)ate
deprecate是“对…表示反对”，depreciate是“把…看作几乎没有价值”，就是“轻视”。We deprecate war and certainly do not depreciate our efforts to avert it是“我们对战争表示反对，对于我们为了避免战争而作的努力，必然并不轻视”。
deprive
deprive后面接指人的词，再接of和表示被夺去的东西的词，不可直接接表示被夺去的东西的词，如The health deprived me of the pleasure of meeting you yesterday里的me of不可省去。
deputation
说“代表团”在英国通常用deputation，在美国通常用delegation。
derelict
derelict用作“不忠于职务的”解是美国英语，例如He is derelict in not doing so.在英国通常用delinquent。
derive
下面每组里的两句意思相同，第二句里的用法比较新：
descend(ed)
He descends from a poet of the Tang dynasty（他是唐朝的一个诗人的后代）和He is descended from a poet of the Tang dynasty都可以说，但用descends不及用is descended普通。注意：1.is descended并不属于被动语态，那descended是不及物动词descend的过去分词。2.be descended from（或descend from）后面都接指祖宗的词，不接指父亲的词，如“他是一个诗人的儿子”不可说He is descended（或descends）from a poet。3.不用在完成时态，如不可说He has (been) descended from a poet of the Tang dynasty。
descent
of peasant descent（农民出身的），of Dutch descent（荷兰人后裔）等表达方式里没有a或the。
describe
describe现在用作“用文字描写”解，不用作“画…的图”解，如describe a landscape是“用文字描写风景”，不是“画风景的图”，“画风景画”该说draw a picture of a landscape。
descriptive
descriptive后面接of，如a few sentences descriptive of the lake。
desert
a desert是“一大片没有水而且几乎没有草木的荒地”，往往指“一大片沙漠”，deserts是多片这样的荒地或“多片沙漠”。Camels are peculiarly adapted for life in the desert（或life in deserts）里的desert前面的the不可省去，deserts不可改作desert。但a great stretch of desert，two hundred miles of desert等表达方式里的desert前面没有the。
deserve
1．deserve后面通常接不定式。例如：He deserves to succeed.和He deserves to be punished.有时接属于主动语态而在意思上是被动的动名词。例如：The old man deserves looking after.和The naughty boy deserves warning.
2．deserve后面接名词，中间不可加of，如可以说He deserves a reward，不可说He deserves of a reward。但deserving（现在分词用作形容词）后面接of。例如：He is deserving of a reward.和The second point in his criticism is especially deserving of notice. （注意is deserving并不是进行时态。）又deserve well of和deserve ill of两习语里都有of。例如：He deserves well of the people. （他有功于人民。）和He deserves ill of the people. （他有罪于人民。）
3．deserve后面偶尔接以that引导的从句，那从句里用should。例如：Does he deserve that you should treat him like this?
deserving
1．参见deserve 2
2．deserving用在定语用法里只作“该受奖赏的”或“有功的”解，不作“该受罚的”或“有害的”解。
design
1．design（计划、决意）后面接不定式或动名词都可以。例如：They design to go（或going）at once.也可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall。例如：He designs that the house shall be redecorated in the summer.
2．These handkerchiefs are (of) a very smart design里的of往往省去。
desirable
1．It is desirable that...（…值得想望的）里用should或虚拟现在式。例如：It is desirable that he should take charge of the class.和It is desirable that he take（不用takes）charge of the class.
2．desirable和desirous不同，desirable是“值得想望的”，desirous是“想望的”。例如：When I told him I was desirous of going to the seaside, he said it was not desirable in that cold weather. （当我告诉他我想要到海边去的时候，他说在那么冷的天气里去是不值得的。）
desire
1．desire（名词）后面通常接不定式，偶尔接of或for和动名词，如a（或the，或his等）desire to go比a（或the，或his等）desire of（或for）going普通。
2．desire（动词）后面接不定式，不接动名词，如I desire to go里的to go不可改作going。
3．desire（动词）后面接指人的词和不定式通常作“（严正地）请求”解，偶尔作“愿望”解。例如：I desire（请求）you to go at once.和I desire（愿望）you to succeed.
desire作“（严正地）请求”解是比较正式的词，不及ask或request普通。有时后面接以that引导的从句，那从句里通常用should或虚拟现在式。例如：I desire that he should call on me on Monday morning.和I desire that he call（不用calls）on me on Monday morning.那从句里也有用may或might，will或would的。例如：
I desire that he may go at once.
I desired that he might go at once.
He desires that I will go at once.
He desired that I would go at once.
I desire that you will go at once有“我命令你”的意思。
4．说“为了…的请求”在desire前面用at或by都可以。例如：Mr Morgan called on Mr Marley at（或by）Mr Franklin's desire.和At（或By）the desire of Mrs Taylor, I have to inform you that her daughter is ill.
5．They desire a meeting called（他们希望召开一次会议）是美国英语，在英国在called前面加上to be。
desirous
1．desirous后面接of和动名词比接不定式普通，如desirous of seeing him比desirous to see him普通。
2．可以说I am desirous for you to read all these essays。
3．desirous后面接以that引导的从句现在比较少用，大都用在公文和商业文件里。那从句里用should。例如：We are desirous that the reports should be ready by the end of the week.
desist
desist（停止）后面通常接from和动名词，很少接不定式，如可以说He has desisted from looking for the lost pen，最好不说He has desisted to look for the lost pen。
despair
1．despair是不及物动词，后面接of，作“绝望”解。例如：I despair of success.和He despairs of ever seeing her again注意第二句里用of和动名词，不可用不定式，如不可说He despairs ever to see her again。
2．despair（名词）有时指“令人绝望的人（或事物）”，但有时也指“（使竞争者）望尘莫及的人（或事物）”。例如：He is my despair. （1.我对他毫无办法。2.我实际及不上他。）
3．He despairs是“他绝望（例如自信决没有考试及格的希望）”，He is disappointed是“他失望（例如原来以为考试及格而结果竟然不及格）”，He is disappointing是“他使人失望（例如原来别人以为他考试及格而结果竟然不及格）”。
despatch
despatch不及dispatch普通。参见dispatch
desperate
1．desperate比hopeless语气轻些。例如：The situation was desperate but not hopeless.
2．desperate后面有时接不定式，作“发狂似地想要…的”解。例如：When the war was over, Tom was desperate to return to civilian life.
despicable
despicable比contemptible语气重。
despite
1．despite（介词）作“不管…的存在”或“虽然有…”解，如I shall try again despite the difficulty。现在不很普通。in despite of和despite of也有人用，都更不普通。
2．despite比in spite of语气轻。
dessert
1．dessert在英国只指餐末在布丁（pudding）等后的水果、干果等，在美国也包括布丁、冰淇淋等，就是英国的sweet courses。
2．复数形式desserts似乎只用在美国。
detail
1．in detail（详细地）里用单数形式detail。go into detail(s)（详细论述）里用单数形式或复数形式都可以，但用单数普通些。go into personal details等表达方式里习惯用复数形式。
2．in more detail（较更详细）和in less detail（较不详细）比more in detail和less in detail普通。
determination
1．determination和a determination后面通常接不定式，但my（或your等）determination和the determination后面也接of和动名词，例如：determination to go和a determination to go, my determination to go和my determination of going, the determination to go和the determination of going。
2．determination后面可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall，should或虚拟现在式。例如：
His determination that his son shall（或should）have a good education is most praiseworthy.
His determination that his son have（不用has）a good education is most praiseworthy.
His determination that his son should have a good education was most praiseworthy.
His determination that his son have（不用had）a good education was most praiseworthy.
determine(d)
1．determine后面接不定式比接on或upon和动名词普通，如He has determined to propose a new method比He has determined (up)on proposing a new method普通。
2．比较下面三句：
He determined to propose a new method.
He had determined to propose a new method.
He was determined to propose a new method.
determined是“（当时）决定”，had determined是“（当时）已经决定”，was determined是“（当时因为已经决定而）有决心”。determined是不及物动词determine的过去分词用作形容词。determined和had determined都是一时的，所以不可说For a long time he determined（或had determined）to propose a new method。was determined不一定是一时的，所以可说For a long time he was determined to propose a new method。一个人一经determine，便继续be determined。
3．determine和be determined后面都可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall，should或虚拟现在式。例如：
He has（或is）determined that his son shall（或should）have a good education.
He has（或is）determined that his son have（不用has）a good education.
He (was) determined that his son should have a good education.
He (was) determined that his son have（不用had）a good education.
4．determine a date是“决定一个日期”，不及fix a date通俗。
devastating(ly)
devastating(ly)现在往往被用作“厉害的（或地）”解。例如：
He has written a devastating satire on corruption.
She spoke to us with devastating candour.
Part of the story is devastatingly dull.
develop
It develops（或developed）that...（…显露出来）是美国英语。例如：It soon developed that the meeting was a great success.
device
1．device是“被devise出来的东西”，可以说He devised something by which much time could be saved, but his device did not prove practical。
2．leave him（或you等）to his（或your等）own devices（听任他［或你等］自行其是）是习语，用复数形式devices。
devil
谚语The devil take the hindmost. （落后者倒霉。）里用take（虚拟现在式），不用takes。
devote
devote的宾语后面接to和动名词，不可接不定式，如This book is devoted to explaining and illustrating English usage里的to explaining and illustrating不能改作to explain and illustrate。注意He devotes his time to study里的study是名词，不是动词。
dew
dew用作动词现在很不普通，如下面每组里的第一句远不及第二句普通：
dialect
1．dialect统指“方言”。a dialect是“一种方言”。dialects是“多种方言”。
2．说“某地的方言”该说the... dialect。例如：the Shanghai dialect和the Yorkshire dialect。
dialectal
dialectal是相当于dialect（方言）的形容词。例如：dialectal words（地方词）和dialectal pronunciations（方音）。
dialectic(al)
1．说“辩证法”现在用dialectics比用dialectic普通。dialectics作为一种科学被用作单数。例如：Dialectics, means studying things in their real motion and interconnexion.
2．说“辩证的”用dialectic或dialectical都可以。例如：dialectic(al) method和dialectic(al) materialism。说“方言的”现在一般不用dialectic或dialectical而用dialectal。
dialectics
参见dialectic(al)
diamond
1．diamond统指“金刚石”。a diamond是“一块金刚石”。diamonds是“多块金刚石”。
2．diamond cut diamond是习语，作“针锋相对”或“棋逢敌手”解。全语用作名词，如Whenever he argues with his brother, it is diamond cut diamond。cut是动词，习惯用cut而不用cuts或cutting。
diary
说“记日记”该用keep。例如：I keep a diary in English.
dictate
教师做dictate（口述）的工作，不是学生做这工作，学生们可以说We shall have dictation this afternoon。参见dictation
dictation
1．dictation是“听写”，并不是“读熟了一篇文字，从记忆里默出来”，却是听了教师的朗诵而写下来，这词的本身指教师的“口述”而不指学生的“写下来”。
2．dictation是“口述”，不一定指教师的口述。
3．说“照口述写下或用打字机打下”在dictation前面通常用from，但也有人用to或at。例如：I am ready to write（或type）from（或to，或at）your dictation.动词该用take。例如：I can file, type, and take dictation.
4．可以说The teacher is giving a dictation in the classroom。
diction
diction在美国有时指演戏里的“发音”或“朗诵”，相当于英国的enunciation或elocution。
dictionary
1．English dictionary是“用英语解释英语的词典”。English-Chinese dictionary是“英汉词典”，就是“用汉语解释英语的词典”。说“英汉词典”不可说English dictionary。
2．a dictionary of English usage里的of不可改作on或for。
did
参见do
die
1．die是不及物动词，不可用在被动语态。但died有时用作形容词，如George Bernard Shaw, died 1950和John Milton, born 1608 and died 1674或John Milton, born 1608, died 1674。
2．have died（完成时态）当然不错，但英美人除了对于死了不久的人以外，不用这语。如某人死了一天或一星期，可以说He has died。假使某人死了一年或十年，习惯说He is dead。He has died着重在“他现在已经死了而不像不久以前活着。”He is dead着重在“他是死了的而不是活着的。”即使对于死了不久的人，He has died也不及He is dead普通。
不但这样，说“某人在某日因某病死去”也往往用was dead代died。例如：Mr F. G. Nelson was dead of cancer on Monday.
3．died是一时的动作，所以不可说He has died for a week。说“他死了一星期”。该说He has been dead for a week或It is a week since he died。He died a week ago着重在死的日期而不着重在死了以后到现在的时期。
4．die用在进行时态作“渐渐死去”解，如He is dying是“他渐渐死了”。也就是“他快要死了”。He has been dying for a week是“他濒于死境已有一星期”。
但dying用在独立结构里有时是“渐渐死去”，有时是“死去”，比较下面两句：
The old man dying（渐渐死去）, his sons shed tears silently.
He was twice married, his first wife dying（死去）during his absence abroad.
5．说“因为…而死”通常用die of。例如：What did he die of? He died of cancer. He died of hunger.和He died of old age.在病名的前面有时用from。例如：He died from cancer.
6．die后面接形容词或名词，作“在死的时候是…”解。例如：He died rich. He died young. He died a hero.和He died a martyr.
7．die（骰子）的复数形式是dice，习惯上“一粒骰子”说one of the dice而不说a die。也有人说a dice。
differ
differ在用作“不同”解的时候后面接from，不接with。例如：Chinese differs greatly from English in pronunciation. differ在用作“有不同的意见”或“表示异议”解的时候后面接with或from都可以。例如：I have to differ with（或from）you about that.和Why should he differ with（或from）her in such a small matter?用with比用from普通。He differs with her from you是“他和她同样地跟你有不同的意见”。
different
1．different后面接from，to或than都有，接from最普通。接to主要用在英国。接than在美国比在英国用得多。
2．different是普通的形容词，当然可以说very different，但也有人说much different。
3．有人以为no different不及not different正当，但事实上no different比not different普通。Your plan is no different from mine不只是“你的计划跟我的（计划）是一样的。”还含有“一模一样”、“毫无不同”、“半斤八两”等意思。
4．广告里所说的different作“与众不同”解，例如Carpets that are different是“与众不同的地毯”不是“各不相同的地毯”。
differently
不可说He does it differently from she does it，该说He does it differently from her（他的做法跟她不同）。
difficult
1．difficult是“使人感觉困难的”，不是“感觉困难的”，如可以说This is a difficult task和This task is difficult to do，不可说I am difficult to do the task或I am difficult in doing the task。I am difficult作“我使人难以应付”解，又如：He is a difficult boy.
2．This task is difficult to do里的to do不可改作to be done。同样地，可以说difficult to answer，difficult to understand等，不可说difficult to be answered，difficult to be understood等。
3．difficult后面可以接of和表示动作的名词，如difficult of access，difficult of explanation和difficult of performance。
difficultly
difficultly现在极不普通，“困难地”该说with difficulty。
difficulty
1．with difficulty作“困难地”解，是状语短语，不可用作形容词短语，如可以说We climbed the hill with difficulty，不可说Our climb was with difficulty，该把with difficulty改作difficult。但It was with difficulty that we climbed the hill是可以说的，却不可把with difficulty改作difficult，因为这句是We climbed the hill with difficulty的强势式，那was后面当然用副词或状语短语，不可用形容词或形容词短语。
2．in difficulties（注意用复数形式）作“处境困难的”解，是形容词短语，尤其指金钱上的困难。例如：He was in difficulties. in difficulties for...作“缺乏…的”解，如He was in difficulties for money和He was in difficulties for men（他缺乏帮助他的人手）。注意不可在in difficulties后面接不定式，如不可说He was in difficulties to pay the rent，该说He was in difficulties and unable to pay the rent, and unable不可省。
偶尔in difficulty用作in difficulties解。例如：He was in difficulty.
3．make difficulties和raise difficulties都作“提出反对”或“表示异议”解，注意用复数形式。但说“不提出反对”或“不表示异议”用make（或raise）no difficulties或make（或raise）no difficulty都可以。
4．在have（much，great等）difficulty in...ing和find（much，great等）difficulty in...ing里都用单数形式difficulty，前面都没有a。have difficulty in...ing里的in往往省去。例如：I had little difficulty (in) finding the house. There is（much, great等）difficulty in...ing里的in也有时省去。例如：There was some difficulty (in) getting in touch with the children at home.
5．不可说There is some difficulty for me to understand spoken English该说There is some difficulty in my understanding spoken English。或I have some difficulty in understanding spoken English。
6．注意下面各句里习惯用复数形式difficulties：
We needed an interpreter because we had language difficulties.
The enterprise prospered in spite of money difficulties.
Printing difficulties have delayed the publication of the magazine.
It is technical difficulties only that they have yet to overcome.
diligent(ly)
中国学生似乎把diligent和diligently用得太多。该用hard，industrious(ly)，hard-working，painstaking(ly)，studious(ly)等词调剂一下。
dine
1．dine作have dinner解（参见dinner）。但往往含有“所have的dinner是丰盛的或正式的”的意思，近代英国作家Arnold Bennett写道：Edwin had never dined, he had merely had dinner.
2．比较下面三句：
I shall dine with him tomorrow.
I am dining with him tomorrow. （比第一句通俗）
I dine with him tomorrow. （有“经常每星期几或每月某天我跟他一同进餐，明天又将轮到”的意思）
dinner
1．英美“上等”人家的dinner通常在晚上，“中等”和“下等”人家的dinner通常在午刻。晚上吃dinner的人们所吃“午餐”叫lunch，他们或者不吃supper或者在dinner以后吃一顿简便的supper。
2．dinner也指正式的宴会。
3．dinner有时指“正餐那件事”，有时指“正餐吃的东西”，不论作哪个解，都有时是类名词，有时不是。例如：
He had a hasty dinner with me.
He had to wait for dinner.
He ate a well-cooked dinner.
He could not bring much dinner to me.
4．at dinner，to dinner，before dinner，after dinner等表达方式里都没有the。
5．have dinner，take dinner和eat dinner都作“进餐”解。
diploma
1．diploma主要指大学或专科学校的毕业证书，小学或中学的毕业证书通常用certificate。
2．说某某学科的毕业证书，diploma后面接in。例如：diploma in education，diploma in law，diploma in biology
diplomat(ist)
diplomat（外交家）和diplomatist相同，都很普通，在英国多用diplomatist，在美国多用diplomat。但说“有外交手腕的人”在美国也用diplomatist。
direct
1．direct（直接地，用作副词）在下面各句里比directly普通：
I will go direct to the capital.
The tram goes there direct.
Please send the goods direct to me.
You had better write direct to the headmaster.
We shall communicate with you direct.
We got the information from the police direct.
2．direct（命令）后面可以接以that引导的从句，那从句里用shall或should或虚拟现在式。例如：
I direct that he shall（或should）be paid in full.
I direct that he be（不用is）paid in full.
I directed that he should be paid in full.
I directed that he（不用was）be paid in full.
direction
1．in...direction是“向着…的方向”，from...direction是“从…的方向”。in...direction里的in不可改作to。
2．an easterly direction里用an，不用the，但the direction of the east里用the，不用an。
3．说“命令”、“吩咐”、“指示”、“（药的）服法”、“（器具的）用法”等都习惯用复数形式。后面有时接以that引导的从句，那从句里用should。例如：Before he started, he left directions that his papers should be kept where they were.
directive
近一二十年来directive往往用作名词，作“命令”解。尤其指关于重大事件的发给许多人的命令。
directly
1．参见direct 1
2．directly往往用作连接词，作as soon as解。例如：I got up directly I heard him.这是口语用法，主要用在英国。
directory
directory用作“董事会”解是美国英语，相当于英国英语的directorate。
dirt
dirt统指一切污秽的东西，前面不可加a，也没有复数形式。例如：The swine love to wallow in dirt.
disagree
1．disagree不论作何解释，后面只接with，不接其他介词。例如：This disagrees with that. I disagree with you about that.和We disagree with your suggestion.
2．disagreed（不及物动词的过去分词）有时用作形容词。例如：The committee are disagreed on this point.
disappear
disappear是一时的动作，所以不可说He has disappeared for some days，该说He disappeared some days ago.或It is some days since he disappeared。偶尔也有For ten days again he disappeared等句。
disappoint(ed)
1．disappoint是“使…失望”或“使沮丧”，不是“感觉失望”，如可以说The book has disappointed me和I have been disappointed in the book，不可说I have disappointed in the book。The book disappoints里的disappoints作“使人失望”解，是不及物动词。
2．be disappointed in...是“对于…感觉失望”，be disappointed of...是“因为得不到…而感觉失望”，比较下面两句：
I was disappointed in the book. （我对于那本书感觉失望［那本书不及我原来所期望的好］。）
I was disappointed of the book. （我因为得不到那本书而感觉失望。）be disappointed with...跟be disappointed in...意思相同，但后面通常接指人的词。例如：He was disappointed with his new assistant. be disappointed at...跟be disappointed in...也意思相同，后面通常接指东西的词。例如：He was disappointed at his marriage.
3．He is disappointed和He is disappointing和He despairs意思不同。参见despair 3
4．disappointed后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：He is disappointed that he did not fulfil his quota of production last month.
5．disappointed后面可以接表示原因的不定式。例如：The teacher was disappointed to find that the boy could not spell his own name.
6．关于a disappointed look（失望的神情）等，参见much 3 (5) E
disapprove
1．disapprove用作“不核准”解现在很不普通。
2．I disapprove (of) your conduct和I disapprove (of) your doing so等句子里的of可有可无。但I disapprove of you（指人）等句子里的of不可省去。
disarmament
disarmament没有复数形式disarmaments。
disaster
disaster有时指一件很不幸的事，有时统指很不幸的事。例如：The railway accident is indeed a disaster.和He never thinks of the possibility of disaster.
disc
参见disk
disconcert(ed)
关于his disconcerted face（他的受窘的面容）等，参见much 3 (5) E
disconsolate
disconsolate（郁郁不乐的）后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：He was disconsolate that nobody had come out to meet him.
discontent(ed)
1．discontent用作形容词现在极不普通，该用discontented。
2．discontent（名词），discontentedness，discontentment和discontentness有下面几点该注意：
（1）discontent最普通。
（2）discontentedness着重在“被使不满足”的意思。
（3）discontentment跟discontent相同，但不及discontent普通。
（4）discontentness极不普通，不该用。
discontentedness
参见discontent(ed) 2
discontentment
参见discontent(ed) 2
discontentness
参见discontent(ed) 2
discontinue
1．discontinue（中止）后面接动名词比接不定式普通，如He soon discontinued writing to me比He soon discontinued to write to me普通。
2．continue（继续）是连续的动作，但discontinue通常是一时的动作。如假定你从3点钟到9点钟连续写字，在9点钟停止，continue 6小时，在9点钟那一时刻discontinue了，可以说I continued (to write) for six hours, and discontinued at nine o'clock。但偶尔也指“持续地停止”。例如：After his illness he discontinued writing for nearly five years.
discount
1．for discount（当作折扣），without discount（没有折扣），get discount（得到折扣）等表达方式里习惯没有a。5% discount和a 5% discount都可以说。
2．discount（动词）作“贴现”解的时候，主语也许是收进票据者，也许是交出票据者，如The bank discounted my bill和I discounted my bill at the bank都可以说。
discourage
1．discourage（劝阻）的宾语后面接from和动名词，不接不定式，如His advice discouraged her from trying again里的from trying不可改用to try。把from改作against也可以，但不及用from普通。
2．discourage是“阻止成功”，“阻止”而不成功便不是discourage，如不可说His advice discouraged her from trying again, but she made two attempts more，该把discouraged改作was meant to discourage。
discover
1．discover是“发现”（原来有而未曾被人知道的东西），invent是“发明（原来没有的东西）”。如牛顿（Newton）的发现地心吸力是discover，中国的发明指南针是invent。
2．He suddenly discovered himself (to be) unable to go to the concert because of a previous engagement里的to be用的多，不用的少。
discriminate
discriminate A and B, discriminate between A and B和discriminate A from B都可以说。
discuss
discuss（讨论）是及物动词，所以后面不该加上about，如不可说We shall discuss about the problem very soon或The book discusses about the international situation，该把about删去。
discussion
We had a discussion on the easing of world tensions里的on改作of或about也可以。
disease
disease统指“病”。a disease是“一种病”。diseases是“多种病”。
disfavour
参见disgrace
disgrace
disgrace比disfavour语气重，如可以说He was in disfavour amounting almost to disgrace。
disgraceful
可以说You ought to be ashamed of the disgraceful manner in which you treated your little brother，但不可说You did not treat your little brother in a disgraceful manner或Did you treat your little brother in a disgraceful manner?以及If you treated your little brother in a disgraceful manner, you ought to be ashamed of it和You must avoid treating your little brother in a disgraceful manner。参见most 4
disguise(d)
disguise是“使…假装”。例如：Henry disguised her as a beggar.注意disguised的宾语是her，不是beggar，要是说Henry disguised a beggar，便是说“亨利把一个叫化子假装（得不像叫化子）”了。同样地，a disguised beggar是“一个实际是叫化子而假装得不像叫化子的人”，不是“一个假装得像叫化子的人”。a beggar in disguise也是这个意思。“一个假装得像叫化子的人”该说a person（或man，或woman）disguised as a beggar。
disgust(ed)
1．disgust用作名词是“厌恶”，不是“惹厌”。例如：He showed disgust at the sight.但disgust用作动词是“惹…的厌”，不是“厌恶…”，如可说The sight disgusted him，不可说He disgusted the sight。但可以说He was disgusted at the sight。
2．关于a disgusted grin（表示厌恶的露齿一笑）等，参见much 3 (5) E
disgustful
disgustful有两个意思，“惹厌的”和“因厌恶而起的”，如disgustful sight（惹厌的景象）和disgustful contempt（因厌恶而起的轻视）。现在说“惹厌的”多用disgusting，少用disgustful。
disillusion
disillusion（动词）作free from illusion解，就是“使（某人）大失所望”。例如：He had thought the story very interesting, but was disillusioned after reading the first few pages.
disillusionize
disillusionize等于disillusion，但不及disillusion普通。
disinclination
disinclination后面接不定式或to和动名词，如his disinclination to go out at night和his disinclination to going out at night。
disincline
disincline现在通常只用作及物动词，作“使…不要”解，它的宾语后面接不定式或to，往往用在被动语态里。例如：The health disinclines him to read. He is now disinclined to read. The health disinclines him to sociability.和He is now disinclined to sociability.
disinterested
disinterested作“不自私的”或“公正的”解，uninterested作“不注意的”或“不感兴趣的”解，不可相混。
disk
1．disk和disc相同。
2．disk作“唱片”解主要用在美国，在英国通常用record。
dislike
1．dislike（动词）后面接不定式或动名词都可以。例如：She dislikes to leave（或leaving）letters unanswered.
2．dislike（名词）后面接to，of或for，不接不定式，如可以说his dislike to（或of，或for）leaving letters unanswered，不可说his dislike to leave letters unanswered。
3．I dislike him语气比I have a dislike to（或of，或for）him重。
dispatch
1．dispatch比despatch普通。
2．dispatch作send（off）解，但不及send（off）普通。
displace
displace是“把…的地位让给另一东西”，misplace是“把…放在不该放的地位”，如假定你把第一册书放在第五册书的地位，你便displace了第五册，misplace了第一册。被displace的人或物当然被迫让位，在第二次世界大战里的displaced person是“被迫离开祖国的欧洲人”。
disposal
disposal相当于dispose of，disposition相当于dispose。如the disposal of the books是“这些书的处置”，如“藏起来”或“卖掉”，the disposition of the books是“这些书的安排”，指“排列”。at your（或his等）disposal和at your（或his等）disposition意思相同，作“听任支配”解。例如：It is at your disposal（或disposition），现在多用disposal。
dispose
dispose和dispose of都可以用作“处理”解，如You may dispose it as you please和You may dispose of it as you please都可以说。现在多用dispose of。
disposed
disposed（愿意的）后面接不定式或to和动名词都可以。例如：I am disposed to help（或to helping）you.
disposition
1．参见disposal
2．disposition（意向）后面接to或不定式，如a disposition to jealousy和a disposition to suspect people。
disqualify
1．disqualify（使不合格）的宾语的后面接for和动名词，不接不定式，如His poor eyesight has disqualified him for serving in the army里的for serving不可改作to serve。
2．disqualify（使失去权利）的宾语的后面接from和动名词。例如：A conviction of perjury has disqualified him from being a witness.
disregard
disregard（名词）后面接of，for或to都可以，如his disregard of（或for，或to）convention。
dissatisfactory
dissatisfactory远不及unsatisfactory普通。
dissatisfied
1．dissatisfied语气比unsatisfied重。
2．关于a dissatisfied expression（一个不满意的表情）等，参见much 3 (5) E
dissemble
1．He dissembles fear可以作“他实际上不怕而假装怕”解，但通常作“他实际怕而假装得不怕”解，等于dissimulate。参见dissimulate
2．没有相当于dissemble的名词，在需要名词的场合用dissimulation。
disservice
do him（或her等）a disservice作“做有害于他（或她等）的事”解，往往含有“原来想有利于他（或她等）而结果反而有害于他（或她等）”的意思。
dissimilar
dissimilar后面通常接to，也可以接from或with，但不普通。
dissimulate
1．He dissimulates fear是“他实际怕而假装得不怕”。He simulates fear是“他实际不怕而假装得怕”。
2．dissimulate不及dissemble通俗，但在跟simulate对比的场合习惯用dissimulate。
dissuade
1．dissuade（劝阻）后面现在接宾语和from，不接宾语和不定式，如I must dissuade you from your purpose和I must dissuade you from going。from going不可改作to go。
2．dissuade可能是“劝阻成功”，可能是“劝阻（而未必成功）”，通常必须看了上下文才能看出。例如：
He dissuaded me from my purpose, without much difficulty. （成功）
He dissuaded me from my purpose, but did not insist. （不成功）
用在被动语态总是指成功的。例如：I am thankful that I was dissuaded from my purpose.
distance
1．at a distance和to a distance里用a，不用the。in the distance里用the不用a。from a distance比from the distance普通。at that distance和at some distance里用at。
2．in the distance所指的“远处”指看得见或听得到的地方，如I see a cottage in the distance和I hear a dog barking in the distance。但一人住在上海，一人住在南京，不能说彼此in the distance。
3．within easy distance of the school等表达方式里的easy前面没有an或the。
distaste(ful)
1．distaste是“厌恶”，后面接for或of。例如：a distaste for monotonous work和a distaste of being left behind。
2．distaste是“厌恶”，不是“惹厌”，但distasteful是“惹厌的”，不是“厌恶的”。
distinct(ive)(ly)
distinct(ly)是“独立的（或地）”或“清楚的（或地）”，distinctive(ly)是“足以表示特殊的（或地）、有特色的（或地）”。One of the distinctive features of the book is its distinct illustrations是“这本书的特点之一是它的清楚的插图”。英美人往往在该用distinct(ly)的场合误用distinctive(ly)。
distinguish(ed)
1．distinguish A and B和distinguish between A and B都可以说。在主动语态里用between普通些，在被动语态里不用between普通些。例如：We must carefully distinguish between the present participle and the gerund.和The present participle and the gerund must be carefully distinguished.
2．distinguished（著名的、出众的）后面接for或by都可以，例如He is distinguished for（或by）his sound judgement。用for比用by普通。
distress(ed)
1．distressed（心中痛苦的）后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：She was distressed that her mother was ailing.
2．distressed后面可以接表示原因的不定式。例如：I was distressed to learn the other day that you were ill again.
distribute
1．distribute（分发）的宾语后面接to或among都可以。例如：Please distribute these pictures to（或among）the children.
2．distribute不可用来指“分派给一个人”，如不可说Please distribute this picture to that boy。
district
我国的“县”从前往往译作district，…县译作the... district，如the Wu district（吴县）。现在通常译作county，没有the。
distrust
distrust语气比mistrust重些。
distrustful
1．distrustful是“不信任别人的”，不是“被人不信任的”或“不值得信任的”。后面接of。例如：They seemed to be distrustful of us.
2．distrustful语气比mistrustful重些。
divers(e)
divers是“若干个”，着重在“不止一个或两个”，diverse是“不同的”，着重在“形形色色”。“百家争鸣”里的“百家”可以译作diverse schools (of thought)。divers现在很少见。
divine
divine（动词）作“推测”解，后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：She divined that her brother was going to marry.
divinity
the Divinity指“上帝”，a divinity指“神”。the Divinity里的the偶尔省去，Divinity的开首字母必须大写。a divinity里的divinity的开首字母必须小写。
divorce
1．divorce是“离婚”，不可指“解除婚约”。
2．divorce通常是及物动词，如可以说He has divorced her和They were divorced last year。不该说He has divorced和They divorced last year。
3．He has divorced her是男的主动，She has divorced him是女的主动。但He has been divorced和She has been divorced只说“他已经离婚”和“她已经离婚”，并不一定是“被动”的。注意下面各句：
He has divorced her.
He has been divorced by her.
He has been divorced from her.
He has been divorced.
第一句说男的主动。第二句说女的主动。第三句和第四句并不说谁是主动。divorced man和divorced woman是“离了婚的男子”和“离了婚的女子”，并没有被动的意思。“离了婚的人”（不分男女）是divorcee。
4．divorce是抽象名词，也是类名词She is seeking for (a) divorce里的a可有可无。
do
1．do和did用来加强语势。例如：
I do hope you will come. Do come.
Do be quiet. I did hope you would come.
这两句里的do和did都该重读。注意do be只用在祈使语气里，I do be happy和He does be happy都不可以说。相当于I am happy和He is happy的强势式是I am happy和He is happy。那am和is都该印作斜体，或在下面加上一横线，读起来该重读。
I do hope you will come是I hope you will come的强势式。Do come是Come的强势式。Do be quiet是Be quiet的强势式，是一种强势的请求，略有不耐烦的含意，却并不是命令。I did hope you would come是I hoped you would come的强势式。否定的强势式在用词上跟非强势式没有不同，只是把那否定的词重读。例如：
2．用do或did加强语势有“确定”的意味，下面每组里的两句意思不同：
3．注意下面各句里的do和did：
Never do（或did）I see him.
Not a word do（或did）I ever say to him.
Little do（或did）I know about him.
Hardly do（或did）I know about him.
Seldom do（或did）I see him.
Rarely do（或did）I see him.
Only on Sundays do（或did）I meet him.
Well do（或did）I remember him.
注意：以上各句里的do和did虽然都是用来加重语气的，但习惯上并不重读。do和did都用在主语I的前面，而且不可省去。假使省去了，never，not a word，little，hardly，seldom，rarely，only on Sundays和well都不可用在句首，如Never do I see him该改作I never see him，Never did I see him该改作I never saw him。除了only和well以外，never等词都有否定性质。
4．He studies English as hard as I do Chinese里的do代表study。He studies English as hard as I do里的do代表study English。这两种用法都很普通。但该注意下面各点：
（1）do不可代表动词to be和表语，如He is as much interested as I am里的am不可改作do。
（2）do不可代表从被动语态里推想出来的动词，如不可说His essays are always written as carefully as I do mine，该把do改作write。
（3）do不可用在被动语态，现在分词或动名词，如不可说：
His essays are always written as carefully as mine are done. （该把done删去或改作written）
He always writes as carefully as I am doing. （该把doing改作writing）
He always writes as carefully as I am in the habit of doing. （该把doing改作writing）
（4）He studies English as hard as I do里的do可以省去，但通常不省去，因为I是代词。He studies English as hard as his brother does里的does通常省去，因为brother是名词.
5．注意下面各句里的do so，do it，which...do和as...do：
I did not write my essay yesterday, but shall do so tomorrow.
I did not write my essay yesterday, but shall do it tomorrow.
I wrote my essay in English yesterday, which I seldom do.
I wrote my essay in English yesterday, as I seldom do.
第三句里的which和第四句里的as都指wrote my essay in English，也可以说指writing my essay in English。
注意上面各句里的write和wrote都属于主动语态。下面各句都不可说：
My essay was not written yesterday, but I shall do so tomorrow.
My essay was not written yesterday, but I shall do it tomorrow.
My essay was written in English yesterday, which I seldom do.
My essay was written in English yesterday, as I seldom do.
6．do so和do it可说意思相同。例如：I did not write my essay yesterday, but shall do so tomorrow.和I did not write my essay yesterday, but shall do it tomorrow. do so不及do it明确，do it里的it明白指write my essay那一件事。比较下面两句：
When he heard the knock, he stood up to open the door, but as he did so, the telephone rang.
When he heard the knock, he locked the door. I do not know why he did it.
但第一句里的so也可以改作it，第二句里的it也可以改作so。
7．There is nothing to do是“没有事可做（闲着）”。There is nothing to be done是“没有办法”。
8．do for，do to和do with意思不同。例如：
What have you done for him? （你为他做了什么？你怎样帮助了他？）
What have you done to him? （你做了什么害他的事？）
What have you done with him? （你怎样处理了他？）
What can I do for you?是口头惯用语，直译作“我能够为你做什么？”就是“你来看我有什么事？”或（店员问顾客）“你要买什么？”
9．在疑问句和否定句里，助动词do往往和have用在一起。例如：
Do you have bread for supper?
I do not have many visitors.
这两句可以改作：
Have you bread for supper?
I have not many visitors.
但远不及用do的自然。
把助动词do和have用在一起，在美国比在英国普通。在英国通常用在习惯或经常发生的事情，不用在一时或永久的事情，如通常说：
Do you have bread for supper?
I do not have many visitors.
但不说：
Do you have bread for supper this evening? （该说Have you bread for supper this evening?）
I do not have many visitors today. （该说I have not many visitors today。）
也不说：
Do you have brothers and sisters?
I do not have a very strong heart.
但在美国没有这种限制。
上面所举的各句里的have都作“有”解，或有近乎“有”的意思。在have a look，have a chat，have a good time，have a rest，have an accident，have an engagement等表达方式里的have和那后面的名词习惯用在一起。例如：
Did you have a look at the picture? （不作：Had you a look at the picture?）
I did not have a chat with him. （不作：I had not a chat with him.）
Did you have a good time at the top of the hill? （不作：Had you a good time at the top of the hill?）
He did not have a rest till late at night. （不作：he had not a rest till late at night.）
同样地，该说Did you have your hair cut yesterday?不该说Had you your hair cut yesterday?该说I did not have my hair cut yesterday，不该说I had not my hair cut yesterday。
10．比较下面两句：
I have not（或haven't）to go. （1.我不必去。2.我只得不去，我不可去。）
I do not（或don't）have to go. （我不必去。）
第一句有两个不同的意思，但I haven't got to go只作“我不必去”解。第一句用在第二个意思里很不普通。
比较下面两句：
I haven't (got) to go next Sunday. （一次）
I don't have to go on Sundays. （经常）
11．do nothing but（或except），do anything but（或except）和do less than三种表达方式后面的不定式没有to。例如：
He did nothing but（或except）laugh.
He did not do anything but（或except）laugh.
He could hardly do less than laugh.
在None of them did anything but（或except）laugh等句子里的不定式也没有to。
下面三句里wait and see前面的to可有可无：
There was nothing（或little）for James to do but (to) wait and see.
It was impossible for James to do otherwise than (to) wait and see.
What is there to do but (to) wait and see?
12．have done（停止）和have done with（停止、完结）两习语都属于完成时态。事实上只有完成时态而没有其他时态。
have done后面有时不接什么，有时接动名词，如I have done和I have done writing。have done with后面接名词，或代词，或动名词。例如：I have done with the whole thing. I have done with it.和I have done with writing. I have done writing和I have done with writing意思相同。
have done和have done with里的have有时改作动词to be。例如：I am done with the whole thing. I am done writing.和I am done with writing.用动词to be主要流行在美国、苏格兰和爱尔兰。
13．do away with和do away都作“除去”解，现在通常用do away with而不用do away。
14．make do（do是不定式）作“勉强过去”解，make do with作“靠着…勉强过去”解。例如：In those days of high prices before liberation we found it very hard to make do.和As I had broken my pen, I had to make do with a pencil.
15．How do you do?是习惯用语，但通常不说How do your parents do?和How does your brother do?等，却说How are your parents?和How is your brother?等。
doctor
1．严格说来，医学博士才是doctor（简写作Dr），但在美国一切医生都被称做doctor（或Dr），也把doctor（或Dr）用来称牙医，兽医和药剂师等。在英国外科医生不算作doctor。
2．the two Drs Johnson和the two Dr Johnsons都可以说。
doctrine
Eisenhower Doctrine（艾森豪威尔主义），Monroe Doctrine（门罗主义）等前面有the，但political doctrine，Christian doctrine，points of doctrine等表达方式里的doctrine是抽象名词，不用the。
document
document指供给证据的任何东西，不一定是公文或文书。如钱币、图画（不一定有文字）、碑铭等也包括在内。
doff
doff现在不很普通，最好改用take off。
dog
dog是“公狗”，“母狗”叫bitch，但习惯上不论公母都可称dog。
dollar
是美国货币单位的名称，译作“元”。说中国的货币单位“元”习惯用yuan，复数同式。
dominate
dominate和dominate over意思相同。
don
don现在很不普通，最好改用put on。
donate
donate（捐赠）主要用在美国。
donation
donation（捐赠的东西、捐款）不及gift普通。
done
关于have done和have done with，参见do 12
donkey
参见ass
doomsday
doomsday（世界末日）前面没有the。
door
1．out of doors比out of door普通得多。
2．There are three doors in this room里习惯用in。
3．说“通入…的门”在door后面接to。例如：There is a little door to the kitchen.
dormitory
dormitory在英国是一间“宿舍”，在美国通常是一所“宿舍”。在美国往往用dormitory bedroom指一间“宿舍”。
double
1．double（双重的）后面接单数形式的名词，如双宾语（双宾语）包括直接宾语和间接宾语，double meaning（双关语）包括一个明显的意思和一个暗示的意思。
2．double this amount, double what was paid等比the double of this amount, the double of what was paid等普通。
doubt
1．I have no doubt that he will come soon和I have no doubt he will come soon都可以说。
2．可以说There is no doubt that he will come soon，不可说It is no doubt that he will come soon。
There is no doubt about it that he will come soon. =There is no doubt that he will come soon.
3．doubt（动词）除了在否定句和疑问句里以外，后面通常接whether而不接that，如通常说I do not doubt that he will come soon和Do you doubt that he will come soon?但不说I doubt that he will come soon。最好把that改作whether。doubt用作名词也有这区别，如通常说There is no doubt that he will come soon和Is there any doubt that he will come soon?但不说There is some doubt that he will come soon。最好把that改作whether。
4．在上面说过，I doubt that he will come soon里的that最好改作whether。用了that，不但不合习惯，而且往往有可能被人误解，因为在旧式些的英语里doubt that...作“恐怕…”或“料想…”解。
5．I doubt whether he will come soon含有“我想他不会不久就来”的意思，I doubt whether he will not come soon含有“我想他不久就来”的意思。
6．no doubt是状语短语，现在作“当然”或“大约”解，没有“确实无疑”那样的坚信的意思，如No doubt he meant well enough和You have no doubt heard of her before。要表示“确实无疑”的意思，该用undoubtedly，without doubt，without a doubt，beyond doubt或beyond a doubt。
7．in doubt有时作“怀疑的”解，有时作“使人怀疑的”解，如I am in doubt about his age和His age is in doubt。在用作“怀疑的”解的时候，后面往往不用介词而直接以what，where，how等开首的短语或从句。例如：
I am in doubt what to do with it.
I am in doubt where he lives.
I am in doubt how to proceed.
8．I have no doubt about it和There is no doubt about it等句子里用单数形式doubt，但I have doubts about it里必须用复数形式。
doubtful
1．doubtful有时作“使人怀疑的”解，有时作“怀疑的”解，如Here is a doubtful point of grammar和I am doubtful of the construction of this sentence注意第二句里doubtful后面接of。
2．doubtful除了在否定句和疑问句里以外，后面通常接whether而不接that，如通常说It is not doubtful that he will come soon和Can it be doubtful that he will come soon?但不说It is doubtful that he will come soon。最好把that改作whether。
3．It is doubtful whether he will come soon含有“他大约不会不久就来”的意思，It is doubtful whether he will not come soon含有“他大约不久就来”的意思。
4．doubtful（怀疑的）后面可以不用介词而直接以what，where，how等开首的短语或从句。例如：
I am doubtful what to do with it.
I am doubtful where he lives.
I am doubtful how to proceed.
doubtless
doubtless现在只用作副词，不用作形容词。它的意思跟no doubt相同。参见doubt 6说“无疑的”通常用unquestionable或indubitable。
down
1．down和up是显然相反的，但下面几点该注意：
（1）说“南”用down，说“北”用up，跟我国的“南下”和“北上”相同。例如：He has gone down south.和He has gone up north.
（2）说“沿海”用down，说“内地”用up，如he has gone down to the coast和He has gone up to the country。up to the country似乎不及up the country，up country，up-country或upcountry普通。
（3）说“乡村”用down，说“城市”用up，如He has gone down to the country和He has gone up to town。在英国up to town或up in town通常指首都伦敦。
（4）说河的“下游”（近河口）用down，说河的“上游”（近发源地）用up，如He has sailed down the river和He has sailed up the river。
（5）说城市的“商业区”（热闹的）用down，说城市的“住宅区”（冷静的）用up，如He comes down town（或down-town，或down town）every morning和he lives up town（或up-town，或up town）。这主要是美国用法，参见down(-)town
（6）说“沿（街、弄等）”用down或up没有区别。例如：He is walking down（或up）the street.
2．比较下面两句：
A cat jumped down the ladder. （一只猫在梯子上跳下来［沿着梯子一跳一跳地下来］。）
A cat jumped down from the ladder. （一只猫从梯子上跳下来［一刹那的动作］。）
3．He is up是“他已经起身。”He is down是“他已经离开卧室（或梳洗室）。”可以说He is up and down。
downstair(s)
1．不论用作形容词或副词，downstairs比downstair普通。
2．downstairs虽然有时也用作名词，但不可说in downstairs或to downstairs.
3．He kept running up and down stairs里因为up和down并列而down和stairs分开。
down(-)town
downtown或down-town主要是美国英语，指城市的（热闹的）商业区，用作形容词、副词或名词都可以。例如：He works in a down(-)town street. He works down(-)town.和I do not care for the lift of down(-)town.在用作副词的时候，往往写作down town。
dozen
1．dozen的复数形式有时后面加s，有时不加。dozen后面有时有of，有时没有。dozens后面不可没有of而直接接名词。下面几点该注意：
（1）some dozen people是“一打左右的人”，就是“大约十二个人”。some dozen of people同义。some dozens of people是“若干打的人”，就是“几十个人”。说“若干打”必须用some dozens，不可用some dozen。
（2）a dozen people，two dozen people，several dozen people，many dozen people等表达方式里都用dozen，不用dozens，而且都没有of，用了of便带古意。但a dozen of these people，two dozen of them，several dozen of wine等表达方式里该有of，因为习惯上在these，those，them，us等词前面该用dozen of，在wine等物质名词前面也该用dozen of（dozen后面省去bottles，quarts等词）。several dozen of wine或many dozen of wine里的dozen可以改作dozens。
（3）dozens of people（几十人、许多人）和dozens of times（几十次、许多次）等表达方式里用dozens，不用dozen。
2．关于a dozen和one dozen，参见a，an 20 (5)
Dr
参见doctor
draft
1．draft和draught实际是一个词，但有下面几点应该注意：
（1）说“支取款项”或“汇票”只用draft，不用draught。
（2）说军队里的“分遣”或“分遣队”用draft比用draught普通。
（3）说“草稿”，“作…的草稿”或“草图”用draft比用draught普通。但说“作…的草图”在英国通常用draught，在美国通常用draft。“投稿”的“稿”和“书稿”的“稿”不可用draft，该用manuscript。
（4）在英国人用draught的场合美国人往往用draft。
2．draft（汇票）后面习惯接for再接款额，如a draft for ¥ 200。也有人用of，但不及for普通。
3．draft（汇票）后面习惯接on再接银行名，如a draft on the Bank of China。
drama
统指“戏剧”用drama或the drama都可以，统指“某地或某时的戏剧”用the或不用the也都可以，如the French drama和French drama, the Elizabethan drama和Elizabethan drama。
draught
1．参见draft 1
2．draught（通风、气流）通常用作类名词，但有时也用作物质名词。例如：There is too much draught here.
draw
1．draw（拉）不及pull通俗。
2．draw用作“画（图）”或“画…的图”解都可以。例如：draw a picture of a cat和draw a cat。
3．draw是“绘制画”，不指水彩画或油画。
4．draw有时带有双宾语。例如：I ask you to draw（画）me a plan showing where your house is. I ask you to draw me a cheque for this amount（开给我这笔款的支票）.和I ask you to draw（汲）me a bucket of cold water.
dread
1．dread（动词）后面接不定式比接动名词普通，如Lily dreads to go out late at night比Lily dreads going out late at night普通。也可以接以lest引导的从句。例如：She dreads lest her baby (should) have a relapse.但很不通俗。
2．dread用作形容词作“可怕的”或“使人敬畏的”解，现在很不普通，最好改用dreadful。
3．dread（名词）后面可以接以that引导的从句。例如：He has a dread that the weather will prove too much for his old father.
4．in dread后面可以接以lest引导的从句。例如：They were in dread lest a storm (should) destroy their crops.但很不通俗。
dream
1．dream是类名词，是一个一个的梦，并不统指“梦”或“做梦”，就是说不是抽象名词，如可以说I had a dream last night和He pretended to be able to interpret dreams。不可说I never have dream或He often talks in dream。该改作I never have dreams和He often talks in his dreams。
2．dream（动词）后面接of或about或以that引导的从句，不接不定式，如可以说I sometimes dream of（或about）my grandfather和I sometimes dream that I am in Singapore，不可说I sometimes dream to be in Singapore。在用作“梦想”解的时候，dream后面接of或以that引导的从句，不接about，如I have never dreamt of（不用about）doing this和I often dream that I shall go to the moon some day。
3．dream有时用作形容词，作“梦中的（而未必真有的）”或“像梦一样美妙的”解，如dream children, dream city, dream landscape, dream holiday和dream face。
drear(y)
dreary比drear普通得多。drear在散文里用得很少。
dress
1．dress（动词）作“穿衣”或“替（某人）穿衣”解，不作“穿（衣）”解，如可以说She is dressing和She is dressing her baby，不可说She is dressing her coat。
2．dress（名词）统指“服装（尤指外衣）”。例如：He doesn't seem to care much about dress. a dress通常是“一件女衫”，偶尔是“一件童装”，dresses通常是“多件女衫”，偶尔是“多件童装”。不可把a dress和dresses用作“一件男装”和“多件男装”解，如不可说He wears a blue dress该改作He is dressed in blue。
3．full dress（大礼服）和evening dress（晚礼服）前面都没有a或the，也没有复数形式。dress有时也单独用作evening dress解。
4．下面两句意思不同：
He dresses well. （他经常穿得很整齐。）
He is well dressed. （他［在某时］穿着得整齐。）
注意不可说He dressed well that morning，该说He was well dressed that morning。
但下面两句里的dress指一次，并不指经常：
Let's dress（穿上礼服）for dinner.
I'm afraid I shall not have time to dress（穿上适当的衣服）。
dress-goods
dress-goods是“女装和童装的衣料”，并不泛指“衣料”。
dress(-)maker
dress(-)maker是“做女装和童装的人”，通常是女装裁缝，并不泛指“裁缝”。
dress(-)making
dress(-)making是dress(-)maker的职务。
drink
1．He is addicted to drink, He is given to drink和He has taken to drink三句里的drink都作“过度的喝酒”解，是名词。
2．They used to drink heartily of what they liked best里用of表示“喝…的一部分”。
3．对人说Drink another cup of tea当然不错，但不及Have another cup of tea普通。
4．drink to him（喝酒祝他健康）和drink him都可以说。drink to his health和drink his health也都可以说。drink success to the cause是“喝酒预祝那事业的成功”，drink to the success of the cause是“喝酒庆祝那事业的成功”。
drive
1．a drive to raise funds（筹款运动），a membership drive（征求会员运动）等表达方式里的drive是美国英语，在英国用campaign。drive用作“进攻”解也是美国用法，在英国用offensive。
2．drive（不及物动词）和ride（不及物动词）略有不同。drive通常是“乘完全或部分地自己管理的车”，如He is driving in his own car, He is driving in a friend's car和He is driving in a hired car。ride通常是“乘自己并不管理的车”，如He is riding in a bus, He is riding in a tram-car和He is riding in a train。在美国ride也指“乘船”。例如：He is riding in a steamer. drive和ride用作名词，有跟用作不及物动词同样的区别。
3．drive是“驾驶”，drive in是“乘坐”。例如：
He is driving a car. （他正在驾驶汽车。）
He is driving in a car. （他正在坐着汽车行路。）
4．He drives his own car可能有两个含意：“他驾驶自己的汽车（不必借用别人的）”和“他自己驾驶汽车（没有司机）。”
drop
1．drop可以用作“投寄（信件）”解，有“随意一投”的意思。例如：Please drop me a line.和I dropped a note to him this morning.
2．drop in（偶然访问）后面接on或upon再接指人的词。例如：I dropped in (up) on him yesterday.
3．let drop（暗示，drop是不定式）后面有时接以that引导的从句。例如：Quite unexpectedly Paul let drop that he was thinking of leaving for Europe.
drouth
drouth（旱灾）=drought，但在英国通常用drought，在美国通常用drouth。在英国drouth主要用在诗歌和方言里。
drown
1．drown用作不及物动词作“淹死”解，但除了在现在分词和动名词以外，通常不用drown而用动词to be＋drowned，如The drowning man was a foreigner, He was saved from drowning和He was drowned last night。He drowned last night也不算错，但不很自然。
2．drown用作不及物动词作“淹死”解，用作及物动词作“把…淹死”解，都指“死”，说“淹而未死”或“放入水中”不可用drown，如不可说I was drowned last night, but was fortunate enough to be saved和I drowned my cat, but she jumped up and ran away。
3．drown只用于有生命的东西，不可用来指船的“沉没”或“使（船）沉没”，如不可说The ship (was) drowned yesterday，该改作下面的任何一式：
The ship went down yesterday.
The ship sank yesterday.
The ship was sunk yesterday.
The ship was lost yesterday.
The ship was wrecked yesterday.
drudgery
drudgery（苦役、劳苦的工作）通常用作抽象名词，但偶尔也用作类名词。例如：a laborious drudgery
drug
参见medicine 1
druggist
druggist（药剂师）在美国很通用，相当于英国的chemist。
drug(-)store
1．drug-store或drugstore（药房）是美国英语，相当于英国的chemist's shop。
2．drug(-)store在美国除了卖药和配药以外往往兼卖冰淇淋、冷热饮料、糖果、点心、牙膏、牙刷、香水、杂志、唱片等东西，而且备有凳子，给顾客们坐着聊天。
drunk(en)
drunk和drunken有下面几点不同，该注意：
（1）drunk主要用在表语用法里，如可以说Francis is drunk。比较少说Francis is a drunk man。它作“喝醉了的”解，不作“时常喝醉的”解。
（2）drunken用在定语用法里可以作“喝醉了的”解，也可以作“时常喝醉的”解，如I met a drunken man yesterday和Francis used to be a drunken fellow。用在表语用法里只作“时常喝醉的”解，如可以说Francis used to be drunken and lazy，不可说Francis was drunken this morning。该把drunken改作drunk。
dry
dry goods在英国通常指五谷等干物，在美国指绸、布等织物。
duck
1．duck（鸭）兼指雌雄，drake（雄鸭）很少用。
2．duck往往指鸭肉或当作猎物的鸭子，如I like duck和We shall shoot duck next week。
due
1．in due course（依照顺序）和in due time（在适当时机）里都没有the。in due course of time跟in due time同义，但很不普通。
2．the amount due to you（欠你的款项）等表达方式里的to在美国往往省去。Thanks are due to all the authors whose works are here represented里的to在美国也往往省去。
3．the amount due是“那欠着的款项”，the due amount是“那（多少）适当的款项”。
4．在“标准”英语里due to（由于）只可引导形容词短语，不可引导状语短语，如可以说Their delay was due to the bad weather，不可说“They delayed due to the bad weather，该把due改作owing，但这种用法的due to在英美都很普通。
5．Thanks are due (to) him和A month's leave is due (to) her都是正常的英语。He is due thanks和She is due a month's leave是比较新的结构，主要用在口语里。
dumb
dumb用作“笨的”解是美国口语。例如：A man is not suspected of being dumb until he begins to talk.
duplicate
a letter in duplicate是“一式两份的一封信”，the duplicate of a letter是“一封信的副本”。
dusk(y)
dusk（薄暮的，阴暗的）用作形容词主要用在诗歌里，在一般文字里该用dusky。
dust
dust统指“尘”，没有复数形式。a dust是“一阵尘土”。
Dutch(man)
Dutch是“荷兰的”或“荷兰语”，Dutchman是“荷兰人”。从前Dutch也用作“德国的”或“德语”解，Dutchman也用作“德国人”解，现在Dutch和Dutchman在美国有时还这样解。有时也指“讲德语的美国人”。
duteous
duteous远不及dutiful普通，最好不用。
duty
duty后面通常接of和动名词，很少接不定式，如通常说the duty of doing it，很少说the duty to do it。
dwell
dwell用作“住”解现在除了在报纸上以外远不及live通用。
dwelling
除了在诗歌或法律文件里以外，dwelling通常指简陋的房子。
dying
参见die 4
dynamic(al)
除了作“关于dynamics（动力学）”解（例如：dynamical principles）以外，现在dynamic比dynamical普通得多，相当于这两种形式的副词都是dynamically。
dynasty
1．dynasty指“连续的一姓的若干君主”，就是“明朝或清朝”等的“朝”。说“南北朝”的“朝”不可用dynasty，该用period，说“乾隆朝”的“朝”也不可用dynasty该用reign。
2．说某朝该用the，如the Ming（明）Dynasty（或dynasty）和the Stuart Dynasty（或dynasty）。
3．in the...Dynasty（dynasty）里的in改作during或under也可以。