D
Abbreviation of duodecimo, as adopted by the American Library Association.
Entries starting with D
316 entries.
D-pillar
nounAutomotive
The vertical support dividing a car's rear windscreen from its rear window (where the car has a central side window between the front and rear side windows; see C-pillar).
D-sub
an electrical connector with two or more rows of pins or sockets surrounded by a D-shaped metal shield
D2M
Initialism of direct-to-mobile (direct-to-smartphone); a technology, or a link using one of the technologies.
dado
nounCarpentry
A rectangular channel in a board cut across the grain.
daily
Something that is produced, consumed, used, or done every day.
daily driver
Any tagged or insured race car that is too slow to be used competitive racing.
daily-able
Being usable as a daily driver.
dairy cake
A type of cattle cake formulated specifically to meet the nutritional requirements of dairy cows.
dairy farmer
A farmer who maintains a herd of dairy cows for the production of milk.
daisy chain
A thing resembling a daisy chain (noun sense 1) in having several elements connected together, often in a circle.
daisy-chain
Especially of a computer device, peripheral, or other component: to be capable of being connected with other components in sequence.
DAMN
nounRobotics
Acronym of distributed architecture for mobile navigation.
damp course
nounConstruction
A layer in a wall, foundation etc. which prevents moisture spreading into interior areas.
damp proofing
nounConstruction
treatment of a surface or structure to resist the passage of water in the absence of hydrostatic pressure.
damping
The reduction in the magnitude of oscillations by the dissipation of energy.
dan
A small truck or sledge used in coal mines.
dance
A repetitive movement used in communication between worker honey bees.
dandy cart
nounRail equipment
A wagon in which a horse could rest and travel downhill on a gravity-worked railway, before hauling wagons back up the incline.
danger signal
nounRail equipment
A signal set at danger and showing a red light or other stop indication, which a train driver must not pass until it changes or until manually cleared past the signal by a dispatcher.
dap
nounCarpentry
A notch cut in one timber to receive another.
dark territory
nounRail equipment
A section of railroad track not controlled by signals.
Darlington pair
A pair of transistors with the emitter of one connected to the base of the other and the collectors connected together, acting as a transistor with greater amplification.
darn
verbManufacturing
To repair by stitching with thread or yarn, particularly by using a needle to construct a weave across a damaged area of fabric.
dart
nounManufacturing
A fold that is stitched on a garment.
Darth Vader
A British Rail Class 460 train.
darting
nounManufacturing
The use of darts (folds stitched on a garment).
dashcam
nounAutomotive
A digital video recorder mounted on the dashboard of a vehicle or elsewhere inside the vehicle to record occurrences in the vicinity, such as traffic accidents that the vehicle has been involved in, to provide evidence for criminal prosecutions, insurance claims, etc.
DAT
Digital Audio Tape, a digital data storage tape format using a dual-spooled cartridge and magnetic tape, used for digital audio and data storage.
data rate
The fee that a cell phone customer is charged for data traffic (sending and receiving data).
data set
A modem that connects a device such as a teletype to an ordinary telephone.
datapad
A tablet computer, a personal mobile device.
datum
nounSurveying
A point, line, plane, or surface with reference to which positions (such as elevations) are measured or indicated. (Examples include a permanent benchmark in leveling or mean sea level in a topographical survey).
daughterboard
A circuit board that is an extension of a motherboard or other card.
davit
nounConstruction
A crane, often working in pairs and usually made of steel, used to lower things over an edge of a long drop off, such as lowering a maintenance trapeze down a building or launching a lifeboat over the side of a ship.
Davy lamp
A miners' lamp or safety lamp used in coal mines to prevent explosions.
dawn chorus
Radio interference sometimes experienced at sunrise.
day letter
A telegram sent during the day for slightly deferred delivery on the same day, cheaper than a fast telegram, typically with a minimum charge for 50 words or less.
dc
nounManufacturing
Initialism of double crochet.
DCFC
nounAutomotive
Initialism of DC fast charge, a method of recharging electric vehicle batteries.
DCH
Initialism of dedicated channel (in UMTS).
DCIM
Abbreviation of digital camera image(s).
DCRS
Initialism of dipole coil resonance system.
DD
nounAutomotive
Initialism of daily driver: a vehicle which is used for everyday commuting, unlike a weekend warrior / Sunday Funday vehicle.
DDD
Initialism of direct distance dialing (“network-provided service that enables non-local telephone calls to be made without operator assistance”).
de-electrify
verbRail equipment
To remove the electrification for powering electric trains from a railway.
de-emphasis
A signal distortion, carried out at a receiver, in order to undo the effects of pre-emphasis at the transmitter.
dead air
Air that is subject to little or no ventilation, thus, little to no air exchange.
dead door
nounManufacturing
A storm shutter fitted to the outside of the quarter-gallery door.
dead furrow
A furrow left in the field that is slightly wider than twice the width of a plow bottom, usually occurring at the completion of a field.
dead ground
the portion of a vein in which there is no ore
dead in the train
adjectiveRail equipment
Being hauled as part of a train's consist while not providing any motive power.
dead load
nounConstruction
The weight of a structure itself, including the weight of fixtures or equipment permanently attached to it.
dead man's handle
A lever used as a safety device, typically on trains, which shuts off power if the operator releases their grip.
dead section
nounRail equipment
Part of a neutral section.
dead weight
nounRail equipment
The total (unpowered) weight of a train to be propelled (or hauled) by the locomotive; another locomotive being hauled dead as part of the train is a dead weight.
dead zone
A region where mobile phones do not operate because there is no base station or repeater nearby.
dead-air space
nounConstruction
A sealed airspace in a cavity wall.
dead-bug
Relating to a form of electronic prototyping where integrated circuits are stuck upside down to the breadboard and soldered to directly.
deadman
nounConstruction
A long object, often a timber or log, buried to serve as an anchor for a wall or for stays.