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de·fi·bril·la·tor noun : an electronic device that applies an electric shock to restore the rhythm of a fibrillating heart

— de·fi·bril·late verb

— de·fi·bril·la·tion noun

de·fi·cien·cy noun : the quality or state of being deficient

Synonyms

dearth, deficit, failure, famine, inadequacy, insufficiency, lack, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scarcity, shortage, want; also absence, omission; meagerness; necessity, need, privation

Antonyms

abundance, adequacy, amplitude, plenitude, plenty, sufficiency

deficiency disease noun : a disease (as scurvy or beriberi) caused by a lack of essential dietary elements and esp. a vitamin or mineral

de·fi·cient adjective : lacking in something necessary; also : not up to a normal standard

Synonyms

inadequate, insufficient, scarce, short, shy, wanting—more at SHORT

bad, inferior, lousy, off, poor, punk, rotten, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting, wretched, wrong—more at BAD

def·i·cit noun : a deficiency in amount; especially : an excess of expenditures over revenue

Synonyms

dearth, deficiency, failure, famine, inadequacy, insufficiency, lack, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scarcity, shortage, want—more at DEFICIENCY

1defile verb de·filed; de·fil·ing 1 : to corrupt the purity or perfection of

2 : to make physically unclean esp. with something unpleasant or contaminating

3 : to violate the chastity of

4 : to violate the sanctity of : DESECRATE

5 : DISHONOR

Synonyms

[1, 2] befoul, contaminate, foul, poison, pollute, taint—more at CONTAMINATE

[4] desecrate, profane, violate—more at DESECRATE

2defile noun : a narrow passage or gorge

Synonyms

canyon, flume, gap, gorge, gulch, gulf, notch, pass, ravine—more at CANYON

de·file·ment noun 1 : the act of defiling or state of being defiled

2 : something that defiles

Synonyms

[1] blasphemy, desecration, impiety, irreverence, sacrilege—more at BLASPHEMY

[2] adulterant, contaminant, impurity, pollutant—more at IMPURITY

de·fine verb de·fined; de·fin·ing 1 : to set forth the meaning of <~ a word>

2 : to fix or mark the limits of

3 : to clarify in outline or character

— de·fin·able adjective

— de·fin·er noun

Synonyms

[2] bound, circumscribe, delimit, demarcate, limit, mark, terminate—more at LIMIT

[3] delineate, outline, silhouette, sketch, trace—more at OUTLINE

[3] characterize, depict, describe, portray, represent—more at CHARACTERIZE

def·i·nite adjective 1 : having distinct limits

2 : clear in meaning

3 : typically designating an identified or immediately identifiable person or thing

— def·i·nite·ness noun

Synonyms

[1] determinate, finite, limited, measured, narrow, restricted—more at LIMITED

[2] clear-cut, definitive, explicit, express, specific, unambiguous, unequivocal—more at EXPLICIT

def·i·nite·ly adverb : in a definite way or manner

Synonyms

certainly, doubtless, forsooth, incontestably, indeed, indisputably, really, surely, truly, undeniably, undoubtedly, unquestionably—more at INDEED

def·i·ni·tion noun 1 : an act of determining or settling

2 : a statement of the meaning of a word or word group; also : the action or process of defining

3 : the action or the power of making definite and clear : CLARITY, DISTINCTNESS

de·fin·i·tive adjective 1 : serving to provide a final solution or to end a situation : DECISIVE

2 : authoritative and apparently exhaustive

3 : serving to define or specify precisely

Synonyms

[1] absolute, clear, conclusive, decisive—more at CONCLUSIVE

[3] clear-cut, definite, explicit, express, specific, unambiguous, unequivocal—more at EXPLICIT

de·flate verb de·flat·ed; de·flat·ing 1 : to release air or gas from

2 : to reduce in size, importance, or effectiveness; also : to reduce from a state of inflation

3 : to become deflated

de·fla·tion noun 1 : an act or instance of deflating : the state of being deflated

2 : reduction in the volume of available money or credit resulting in a decline of the general price level

de·flect verb : to turn aside

— de·flec·tion noun

de·flo·ra