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Adam Makkai

[dig up]{v.}, {informal} To find or get (something) with some effort. •/Sue dug up some useful material for her English composition./ •/Jim asked each boy to dig up twenty-five cents to pay for the hot dogs and soda./ Compare: DIG OUT.

[dilemma] See: HORNS OF A DILEMMA.

[dim] See: TAKE A DIM VIEW OF.

[dime a dozen]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Easy to get and so of little value; being an everyday thing because there are many of them; common. •/Mr. Jones gives A’s to only one or two students, but in Mr. Smith’s class, A’s are a dime a dozen./

[dime store] or [five-and-dime] or [five-and-ten] {n. phr.} A store that sells things that cost little. •/Charles bought a pencil at the five-and-dime./

[dine out]{v. phr.} To not eat at home but to go to a restaurant. •/"Let’s dine out tonight, honey," she said to her husband. "I am tired of cooking dinner every night."/ See: EAT OUT.

[dint] See: BY DINT OF.

[dip into]{v. phr.} 1. To scan or sample lightly and briefly (said of printed materials). •/I didn’t get a chance to read all of War and Peace, but I dipped into it here and there./ 2. To take money out of a savings account or a piggy bank. •/I am sorry to have to say that I had to dip into the piggy bank; I took out $6.75./

[dirt] See: EAT DIRT, HIT THE DIRT, PAY DIRT.

[dirt cheap]{adj.} Extremely inexpensive. •/The apartment we are renting is dirt cheap compared to other apartments of similar size in this neighborhood./

[dirty] See: AIR ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC or WASH ONE’S DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC.

[dirty look]{n.}, {informal} A look that shows dislike. •/Miss Parker sent Joe to the principal’s office for giving her a dirty look./

[dirty old man]{n. phr.} An older man who shows an unhealthy interest in young girls. •/"Stay away from Uncle Algernon, Sally," her mother warned. "He is a dirty old man."/

[dirty one’s hands] or [soil one’s hands] {v. phr.} To lower or hurt one’s character or good name; do a bad or shameful thing. •/The teacher warned the children not to dirty their hands by cheating in the examination./ •/I would not soil my hands by going with bad people and doing bad things./

[dirty story]{n. phr.} An improper or obscene story. •/Uncle Bill is much too fond of telling dirty stories in order to embarrass his friends./

[dirty trick]{n. phr.} A treacherous action; an unfair act. •/That was a dirty trick John played on Mary when he ran away with her younger sister./

[disappear] or [evaporate] or [vanish into thin air] {v. phr.} To disappear quickly, without leaving a trace. •/Money seems to disappear into thin air these days./ •/Jack just vanished into thin air before the meeting had started./

[discretion] See: THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS also THROW DISCRETION TO THE WINDS.

[discretion is the better part of valor]{literary} When you are in danger or trouble, good sense helps more than foolish risks; it is better to be careful than to be foolishly brave. — A proverb. •/When you are facing a man with a knife, discretion is the better part of valor./