D

Contents 1 dachshund 2 Daimler-Benz 3 dais, lectern, podium, pulpit, rostrum 4 Dalai Lama 5 dashes 6 data 7 database 8 dates 9 daughter-in-law, daughters-in-law 10 daylight-saving time 11 days of the week 12 day to day 13 D-Day 14 DEA 15 deaf 16 deathbed 17 death toll 18 decades 19 decided, decisive 20 decimals 21 decimate 22 defeat 23 defence, but American style is defense 24 defendant 25 definite, definitive 26 definitely 27 defunct 28 defuse, diffuse 29 degree-day 30 deletion 31 delight 32 demagogue 33 demise 34 demolished, destroyed 35 demonstrator 36 denials 37 denote, connote 38 dependant, dependent 39 deprecate 40 depreciation 41 depression 42 depths 43 deputy 44 de rigueur 45 desiccate 46 designate 47 despatch 48 desperate 49 despite the fact that 50 detente 51 devaluation 52 device, devise 53 dexterous 54 diagnosis, prognosis 55 diarrhoea, but diarrhea in American style 56 dictator 57 dictionary 58 die-hard 59 dietitian 60 differ from, differ with 61 different 62 from, different to 63 diffuse, defuse 64 dike 65 dilapidated 66 dilemma 67 diphtheria 68 disabled people 69 disassemble, dissemble 70 disassociate 71 disaster 72 disc, disk 73 discernible 74 discomfit, discomfort 75 discount rate 76 discover 77 discreet, discrete 78 discriminatory language 79 diseases 80 disinterested, uninterested 81 disorientate 82 dispatch 83 dispel 84 dispensable 85 disposal, disposition 86 distances 87 distinct, distinctive 88 district attorney 89 DJIA or the Dow 90 dive, dived 91 divorcee 92 Dnestr 93 doctor 94 DOD 95 dollar sign 96 domino, dominoes 97 do’s and don’ts 98 double 99 doughnut 100 douse, dowse 101 downhill 102 downpayment 103 downplay 104 Down’s syndrome 105 downtown 106 draft, draught 107 dramatic 108 driving licence, but American style driver's license 109 drop out, dropout 110 drop shot 111 drown 112 drunk, drunken 113 Druze 114 dual, duel 115 dual listing 116 due 117 due process 118 Duesseldorf, Germany 119 duffel 120 dumb 121 Dunkirk 122 dwarf, dwarfs 123 dyeing, dying 124 dyke 125 dynamo, dynamos 126 dysentery

dachshund

Daimler-Benz

Note hyphen.

dais, lectern, podium, pulpit, rostrum

A speaker stands behind a lectern (a stand for notes) on a podium and in a pulpit. Several speakers can fit on a dais or rostrum or platform.

Dalai Lama

Tibet’s most revered spiritual leader, seen by Tibetans as the reincarnation of a long line of Buddhist god-kings. The Panchen Lama is the second highest figure in Tibet’s spiritual hierarchy.

dashes

Use dashes sparingly, never to set off relative clauses in a sentence. For the sake of clarity, dashes should be double (–) and hyphens single (-). A single dash may be used as a separator in alerts and headlines where space is tight, but not in text. Dashes are followed by lower case unless they are used to label sections of a list: The study concluded: – Four out of five people said they preferred watching television to playing sport – Only one in 10 respondents had played sport in the past month – Six out of 10 had watched sport on television in the past month

data

Strictly a plural noun, but treat as if it were singular, e.g. The data was corrupted.

database

One word.

dates

Use the sequence month/day/year, e.g. Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on Aug. 2., 1990, led to... or the August 2 invasion or the August 1990 invasion. If a specific date is used, put the year inside commas. Spell out months in text but abbreviate them followed by a full stop when they are used with a specific date – Jan.1, Feb. 14, Aug. 5, Sept. 11, Oct. 24, Nov. 5, Dec. 25.

In datelines, use Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec with no full stop. If you need to abbreviate for a table use the first three letters of each month: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec. There is no full stop. When spelling out duration, write the tournament runs from May 22 to 24 not runs from May 22-24. Write arrived on Monday not arrived Monday and on Tuesday, on Wednesday, on Thursday rather than yesterday, today, tomorrow. An exception is made for copy in the Americas, where because of subscriber preferences our style is to drop the “on” before days of the week. Write the 1939-45 war but from 1939 to 1945 not from 1939-45. Similarly between 1939 and 1945 and not between 1939-45. Write 9/11, not 9-11.

daughter-in-law, daughters-in-law

daylight-saving time

days of the week

Capitalise them and do not abbreviate. If necessary in tabulation abbreviate without a full stop: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun

day to day

Hyphenate if used as an adjective. We live from day to day and find our food on a day-to-day basis.

D-Day

Allies' invasion of France, June 6, 1944.

DEA

Drug Enforcement Administration (U.S.).

deaf

Describe people as deaf only if they are totally without hearing. Otherwise write that their hearing is impaired or that they have only partial hearing. Never use deaf and dumb. See stereotypes and value judgments

deathbed

Both noun and adjective.

death toll

Two words.

decades

1960s not 1960’s. The early forties, sixties, seventies.

decided, decisive

If you have decided views which are clear and resolute it is easier to make a decision and be decisive.

decimals

Figures are normally rounded to two significant decimals, with halves rounded upwards. Thus 15.564 becomes 15.56, while 15.565 becomes 15.57.

decimate

Literally to reduce by one-tenth, loosely to reduce very heavily. Not, however, to virtually wipe out.

defeat

You are defeated by something not to something. Do not write West Bromwich Albion’s defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

defence, but American style is defense

defendant

definite, definitive

Definite means fixed, exact or clear. Definitive conveys elements of limiting or final. The board made a definite decision about its definitive offer.

definitely

Usually adds little as either an adverb or an ajective. Avoid.

defunct

No need to use, now defunct.

defuse, diffuse

To defuse is to make something harmless, to diffuse is to disperse.

degree-day

A measurement used in the consumption and trading of energy. It is a difference of one degree for one day compared with a standard average temperature for that day.

deletion

Indicate the omission of words from a quoted passage by using three full stops with a space before and after (also known as ellipsis), e.g. “We will fight ... and we will win.” The word after the dots is capitalised if it is part of a new sentence, e.g. “We will fight and we will win ... We will never surrender”. You may drop words in this way only if the deletion does not alter the sense of the quote.

delight

To delight is a transitive verb that requires an object. Jane Bloggs delighted her fans with an easy victory not Jane Bloggs delighted with an easy victory. Delight is a strong verb. Use sparingly and to good effect.

demagogue

Not demagog.

demise

Means death or to transfer on death, not just decline or decay.

demolished, destroyed

Do not write totally demolished, totally destroyed. Both words imply complete destruction.

demonstrator

denials

Never qualify a denial, e.g. flatly denied, categorically denied, unless quoting someone. A no comment is not a denial. Write declined to comment rather than refused to comment, which suggests that the person you spoke to was under an obligation to comment. See rebut, refute.

denote, connote

Denote is to indicate or mark by a sign. A wedding ring denoted his married status. Connote is to imply attributes. Marriage connotes short-term bliss. Both words are probably best avoided.

dependant, dependent

The person in a state of dependency is a dependant. He is dependent. But American style uses dependent as both noun and adjective.

deprecate

Express disapproval of, deplore. Do not confuse with depreciate.

depreciation

A gradual change in the value of a currency usually as a result of market forces. Do not confuse with devaluation, when a government orders a weaking currency change.

depression

A period of low economic activity with high unemployment and numerous business failures. Capitalise when referring to the one in October, 1929: the Great Depression. See also recession, slump.

depths

Convert metres to feet not yards. One metre equals 3.28 feet.

deputy

Do not use to mean member of parliament. Although it is often encountered as a literal translation from several European languages, it can have other meanings in the English-speaking world. Legislator is preferred.

de rigueur

Not de rigeur. Best avoided.

desiccate

designate

Hyphenate. Capitalise the first word, but only if used as a formal title before a name, President-designate Joan Brown but chairman-designate.

despatch

Use dispatch for the noun and verb, although send is a better substitute for the verb.

desperate

despite the fact that

Use although.

detente

The easing or end of strained relations between countries.

devaluation

A downwards change in the value of a currency, the opposite of revaluation, and usually imposed by government order. Do not confuse with depreciation which is a more gradual change usually brought about by market forces.

device, devise

Device is the noun, devise is the verb.

dexterous

diagnosis, prognosis

Diagnose a disease not a person. Prognosis is forecasting, or a forecast, especially of a disease.

diarrhoea, but diarrhea in American style

dictator

Use of the word dictator implies a value judgment, so avoid it unless quoting someone.

dictionary

Use Chambers 20th Century Dictionary as a reference. Use the first spelling listed. However, America uses Webster’s New World College Dictionary.

die-hard

Hyphenated.

dietitian

differ from, differ with

If you differ from someone you are unlike each other. If you differ with someone then you disagree. The expression differ from can be used in both senses.

different

Can often be excised, as in Yorkshire produces six different types of cheese.

from, different to

Prefer different from, which is acceptable in all contexts, rather than different to or different than.

diffuse, defuse

To diffuse is to disperse, to defuse is to make something harmless.

dike

Not dyke.

dilapidated

Not delapidated.

dilemma

Do not use simply to mean a problem. A dilemma arises when faced with two (or more) undesirable alternatives.

diphtheria

Note the h after the p.

disabled people

As with a person’s race or sex, we should mention physical disabilities only if they are relevant to the story. Report disabilities without sentimentality or condescension. See stereotypes and value judgments

disassemble, dissemble

Disassemble is to take apart, dissemble is to conceal or disguise, or be a hypocrite.

disassociate

Use dissociate.

disaster

Do not devalue this word by overuse. Avoid it in sports reporting.

disc, disk

Use disk when writing about computers, disc in all other contexts. Slipped disc but computer hard disk.

discernible

Not discernable.

discomfit, discomfort

Discomfit is to rout, defeat, balk or disconcert. It is much stronger than discomfort which is to make uneasy or deprive of comfort.

discount rate

Most central banks do not use this expression any more, so find out the relevant interest rate they use in a specific country to guide the base level of interest rates.

discover

Find is shorter and better.

discreet, discrete

Discreet is prudent or modest while discrete is separate.

discriminatory language

Do not use language that perpetuates sexual, racial, religious or other stereotypes. Such language is offensive, out of date and often simply inaccurate. A person’s gender, race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation or marital status should not be cited unless it is relevant to the story. Even then, consideration must be given to where in the story such information needs to be placed. It is wrong to assume that police, firefighters or soldiers are men. Police is shorter than policemen anyway. Do not describe a woman’s dress or hairstyle where you would not describe a man’s. Where possible use the same term for men and women, e.g. mayor or poet, not mayoress or poetess. Use chairman, chairwoman not chair; spokesman, spokeswoman not spokesperson.

diseases

Do not capitalise e.g. leukemia, pneumonia, except when named after a person e.g. Parkinson's disease.

disinterested, uninterested

Disinterested means impartial while uninterested means the opposite of interested. People can be both interested in an issue and disinterested.

disorientate

Use disorient, which is shorter.

dispatch

Not despatch. Including dispatch rider, mentioned in dispatches, and dispatch box. In most cases send is better, as of troops, aid, etc.

dispel

Dispelled, dispelling.

dispensable

Not dispensible. Think of dispensation.

disposal, disposition

Disposal is get rid of, disposition is arrange or distribute.

distances

Use figures figures for 10 and above, spell out one to nine miles/km.

distinct, distinctive

Distinct means separate, clear, well-defined. Distinctive is a distinguishing quality. A distinct mark on his forehead made him distinctive from his twin brother.

district attorney

Do not abbreviate to DA. Capitalise before a name: District Attorney Jack Walton.

DJIA or the Dow

The Dow Jones industrial average is the main benchmark U.S. stock market index.

dive, dived

Not dove for past tense.

divorcee

Male or female.

Dnestr

Use Transdniestria for the region of Moldova, not Dnestr.

doctor

When used as title for a physician, abbreviate to Dr without a full stop. Do not use Dr for doctors of philosophy, etc.

DOD

Department of Defense, the Pentagon (U.S.). Avoid using the acronym.

dollar sign

Use the dollar sign $ before numbers, e.g. $100. Use upper-case abbreviations A, C, HK etc. immediately before the dollar sign (no space in between) to indicate Australian, Canadian, Hong Kong and other non-U.S. dollars, e.g. C$6.4 billion. The following non-U.S. dollars can be abbreviated after first reference: Australia (A), Brunei (B), Canada (C), Fiji (F), Hong Kong (HK), Jamaica (J), New Zealand (NZ), Singapore (S), Taiwan (T) and Zimbabwe (Z). If there is no letter before the $ sign, readers will assume U.S. dollars are meant.

domino, dominoes

do’s and don’ts

double

Double-barrelled, double-breasted, double-cross, but double fault in tennis, doubleheader.

doughnut

Not donut, unless it is part of a formal company name.

douse, dowse

Douse is to plunge into water, to splash or to extinguish. Dowse is to search for underground water using a divining rod.

downhill

One word in Alpine skiing.

downpayment

One word.

downplay

Write play down.

Down’s syndrome

Do not use mongol or mongoloid. American style is Down syndrome.

downtown

Write central Paris not downtown Paris.

draft, draught

Use draft for a sketch, a detachment of men, a money order, draught for a drink or the depth to which a ship sinks in water.

dramatic

A much overworked word. If an event is dramatic it should be clear from the story.

driving licence, but American style driver's license

drop out, dropout

The verb is drop out, the noun dropout.

drop shot

Two words in tennis.

drown

He drowned, or he drowned his cat, but not he was drowned, unless by someone else.

drunk, drunken

I am drunk, he is drunk, but drunken behaviour, drunken driver, not drunk driver. Also dunkenness, not drunkeness.

Druze

Not Druse. A sect of Islam whose adherents live mainly in Lebanon, Syria and Israel.

dual, duel

Dual is twofold, e.g. dual-purpose. A duel is a fight between two people.

dual listing

A company which is listed on more than one stock exchange.

due

Due is an adjective and must modify a noun or a pronoun. It cannot modify a verb. When in doubt replace it with because of, owing to or caused by. It is correct to write The drop in temperature was due to a broken window but not The temperature dropped due to a broken window. The simple rule is if in doubt always use because of.

due process

Can mean several things. Make sure the meaning is clear.

Duesseldorf, Germany

duffel

Not duffle. From the town of Duffel, near Antwerp.

dumb

Use mute.

Dunkirk

Not Dunkerque.

dwarf, dwarfs

Not dwarves.

dyeing, dying

Dyeing changes the colour of clothes. Dying is destined for death.

dyke

Use dike.

dynamo, dynamos

dysentery

Category: The Reuters General Style Guide

This page was last modified 12:34, 18 March 2009.