[days are numbered] (Someone or something) does not have long to live or stay. •/The days of the old school building are numbered./ •/When a man becomes ninety years old, his days are numbered./

[dazzle] See: RAZZLE-DAZZLE.

[dead] See: CATCH DEAD, DROP DEAD, STONEDEAD.

[dead ahead]{adv.}, {informal} Exactly in front; before. •/The school is dead ahead about two miles from here./ •/Father was driving in a fog, and suddenly he saw another car dead ahead of him./

[deadbeat]{n.}, {slang} A person who never pays his debts and who has a way of getting things free that others have to pay for. •/You’ll never collect from Joe — he’s a deadbeat./

[dead and buried]{adj. phr.} Gone forever. •/Slavery is dead and buried in twentieth-century America./

[dead as a doornail]{adj. phr.} Completely dead without the slightest hope of resuscitation. •/This battery is dead as a doornail; no wonder your car won’t start./

[dead broke] See: STONE-BROKE.

[dead center]{n.} The exact middle. •/The treasure was buried in the dead center of the island./ Often used like an adverb. •/The arrow hit the circle dead center./

[dead duck]{n.}, {slang} A person or thing in a hopeless situation or condition; one to whom something bad is sure to happen. •/When the pianist broke her arm, she was a dead duck./

[deadhead]{n.}, {slang} An excessively dull or boring person. •/You’ll never get John to tell a joke — he’s a deadhead./

[dead letter]{n. phr.} An undeliverable letter that ends up in a special office holding such letters. •/There is a dead letter office in most major cities./

[deadline]{n.} A final date by which a project, such as a term paper, is due. •/The deadline for the papers on Shakespeare is November 10./

[dead loss]{n. phr.} A total waste; a complete loss. •/Our investment in Jack’s company turned out to be a dead loss./

[dead on one’s feet]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Very tired but still standing or walking; too tired to do more; exhausted. •/Jimmy never leaves a job unfinished. He continues to work even when he’s dead on his feet./ •/After the soldiers march all night, they are dead on their feet./ Compare: DEAD TIRED, WEAR OUT(2).

[deadpan]{adj.}, {adv.}, {slang} With an expressionless or emotionless face; without betraying any hint of emotion. •/She received the news of her husband’s death deadpan./

[dead pedal]{n.}, {slang}, {citizen’s band radio jargon} A slow moving vehicle. •/Better pass that eighteen wheeler, Jack; it’s a dead pedal./

[dead ringer]{n. phr.} A person who strongly resembles someone else. •/Charlie is a dead ringer for his uncle./

[dead set against]{adj. phr.} Totally opposed to someone or something. •/Jack is dead set against the idea of marriage, which upsets Mary./

[dead tired]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very tired; exhausted; worn out. •/She was dead tired at the end of the day’s work./ Compare: DEAD ON ONE’S FEET.

[dead to rights]{adv. phr.}, {informal} Without a chance of escaping blame; proven wrong. •/Mother had Bob dead to rights, because she caught him with his hand in the cookie jar./ •/The police caught the man dead to rights./

[dead to the world]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Fast asleep. •/Tim went to bed very late and was still dead to the world at 10 o’clock this morning./ 2. As if dead; unconscious. •/Tom was hit on the head by a baseball and was dead to the world for two hours./

[dead-end]{n.} A street closed at one end; a situation that leads nowhere. •/Jim drove into a dead-end street and had to back out./ •/Mary was in a dead-end job./

[dead-end]{v.} To not continue normally but end in a closure (said of streets). •/Our street dead-ends on the lake./

[deaf] See: TURN A DEAF EAR TO.

[deal] See: GOOD DEAL or GREAT DEAL, NEW DEAL, NO DEAL, THINK A GREAT DEAL OF, WHEEL AND DEAL.

[deal in]{v. phr.} To sell; do business in a certain commodity. •/Herb’s firm deals in sporting goods./

[deal with]{v. phr.} 1. To conduct negotiations or business dealings with. •/John refuses to deal with the firm of Brown and Miller./ 2. To handle a problem. •/Ted is a very strong person and dealt with the fact that his wife had left him much better than anyone else I know./

[dealer] See: WHEELER-DEALER at WHEEL AND DEAL.

[dear] See: FOR DEAR LIFE.

[Dear John letter]{n. phr.} A note or a letter informing one that a romantic relationship or a marriage is over. •/Jane left a "Dear John letter" on the table and went home to live with her parents./

[dear me]{interj.} Used to show surprise, fear, or some other strong feeling. •/Dear me! My purse is lost, what shall I do now?/

[death] See: AT DEATH’S DOOR, BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, CATCH ONE’S DEATH OF or TAKE ONE’S DEATH OF, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT, TO DEATH.

[death knell]{n.}, {formal} 1. The ringing of a bell at a death or funeral. •/The people mourned at the death knell of their friend./ 2. {literary} Something which shows a future failure. •/Bill’s poor grade on his final examination sounded the death knell of his hope to be a doctor./ •/His sudden deafness was the death knell of his hope to become President./

[death on]{adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. Very successful in meeting or dealing with. •/Joe is death on fast balls. He usually knocks them out of the park./ 2. Disliking or strongly against; very strict about. •/The new teacher is death on students who come late to class./ •/The twins' grandmother is death on smoking./

[deck] See: HIT THE DECK, ON DECK.

[decked out]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Dressed in fancy clothes; specially decorated for some festive occasion. •/The school band was decked out in bright red uniforms with brass buttons./ •/Main Street was decked with flags for the Fourth of July./

[declare] See: I DECLARE.

[deep] See: BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, GO OFF THE DEEP END, IN DEEP, KNEE-DEEP.

[deep-six]{v.}, {slang} To throw away; dispose of. •/As the police boat came near, the drug smugglers deep-sixed their cargo./ (An expression originally used by sailors, suggesting throwing something into water six fathoms deep.)

[deep water]{n.} Serious trouble or difficulty. •/When Dad tried to take Mom’s place for a day, he found himself in deep water./

[defense] See: ZONE DEFENSE.

[defiance] See: IN DEFIANCE OF.

[degree] See: TO A DEGREE, TO THE NTH DEGREE.

[deliver the goods]{v. phr.} 1. To carry things and give them to the person who wants them. •/Lee delivered the goods to the right house./ 2. {slang} To succeed in doing well what is expected. •/The new pitcher delivered the goods by striking out 20 men in his first game./ •/This personal computer surely delivers the goods./ Compare: BRING HOME THE BACON.

[delta wave]{n.}, {informal}, {semi-technical} A brain wave 1-3 cycles per second, associated with very deep sleep. •/Good night, honey, I’m off to produce some delta waves./ Compare: CATCH SOME Z’S, HIT THE HAY or HIT THE SACK.