Glossary
Terms starting with D
303 definitions · page 1 of 6.
- D Channel
- The ISDN signaling channel. Runs at 16 or 64 Kbps.
- d-loop
- Configuration found during DNA replication of chloroplast and mitochondrial chromosomes wherein the origin of replication is different on the two strands. The first structure formed is a displacement loop or D-loop.
- Daikon
- A long, white vegetable of the radish family, also known as mooli. It's crunchy, with a mild peppery flavour, similar to watercress. Unlike other radishes it's as good cooked as it is raw. In Chinese and Japanese cookery it's used for vegetable carving as…
- Daily Game
- This can refer to any game where winners are determined once a day, but usually refers to a numbers game such as the 'Daily 3' or 'Daily 4' games played in many states. Double or Doubles - A 3 or 4 digit number that contains two numbers of the same digit…
- Daisy Chain
- A hardware configuration in which devices are connected one to another in a series. The SCSI interface , for example, supports a daisy chain of up to 7 devices.
- Damocloid
- a rare type of asteroid with an elliptical, comet-like orbit; named for the first one discovered, asteroid 5335 Damocles
- Dandelion
- Commonly considered a weed, dandelions provide excellent salad leaves when they're young (larger, older leaves become bitter). They grow wild all over Europe, the US and Asia. If you pick your own, do so early in the year - in the spring when the leaves are…
- Dangle (or Drop) Earrings
- Any earring that hangs below the earlobe.
- Dariole
- Also known as a madeleine tin, this is a small steep-sided metal mould about 8cm (3.2in) tall, with flared sides (narrower at the bottom than at the top). It's used for individual servings of all kinds of sweet or savoury dishes including pastries, mousses…
- dark adaptation
- the process by which the human eye becomes well adjusted to seeing dim objects in the dark.
- dark energy
- a type of "negative gravity" that seems to play a role in the acceeleration of universal expansion
- dark matter
- matter that exerts gravitational force but does not emit any detectable light or radiation; dark matter comprises most of the mass of the universe but its exact nature remains unknown
- Dark Matter
- Matter that is in space but is not visible to us because it emits no radiation that we can observe. The nature of the motion of stars around the centers of their galaxies implies that about 90% of the matter in a typical galaxy is dark. Physicists speculate…
- dark nebula
- a cloud of dust grains that is thick enough to obscure the light from background stars
- Darwinian fitness
- The relative probability of survival and reproduction for a genotype. see fitness.
- Data
- Anything that is recorded or used for processing. The stuff that transfers between computers needed a name -- data seemed good.
- Data Bus
- A group of parallel conductors (circuit traces) found on the motherboard that is used by the CPU to send and receive data from all the devices in the computer. Also called the external data bus.
- Data Communications
- The moving or sharing of encoded information between two or more data sources using an electronic medium.
- Data Conversion
- The translation of data from one format to another. Often when data are moved from one system to another, some form of data conversion is required to convert the data to a format the receiving system can interpret. Sometimes it is necessary to have an…
- Data mining
- Sorting through data to identify patterns and establish relationships. Data mining parameters include: Association - looking for patterns where one event is connected to another event. Sequence or path analysis - looking for patterns where one event leads to…
- Data transfer
- In Web hosting, the total size of files transferred by an account in a month. Sites with a lots of graphics, downloads, or streaming audio or video and a lot of visitors will require plans with more available transfer.
- Database
- Data in a structured format stored on a web server. Most popular type is a relational database. The most common query (information retrieval) language for relational databases is SQL. Linux-based hosts most commonly include MySQL database and Windows…
- Database
- Anything that accepts data is a database. A pile of newspapers is a database. A computer database has the ability to manipulate that data. It is possible to attach applications to that database to search the contents.
- Date
- Widely grown in Arab countries, the date is the fruit of the date palm. Dates are sweet and rich with a chewy, sticky texture. Fresh dates are plump and dark brown with a glossy sheen. Dried dates look very similar and it can be hard to tell the difference…
- Daube
- A classic French method of cooking a type of stew, usually using a single joint of meat braised in red-wine stock, with vegetables and herbs. Once the meat is cooked, the braising liquid is thickened, then reduced and served with the meat and vegetables. A…
- dauermodification
- The persistence for several generations of an environmentally induced trait.
- Dauphinoise (à la)
- To cook something 'à la Dauphinoise' means to bake it in a slow oven with cream and garlic. A gratin dauphinoise is a classic dish of thinly sliced potatoes cooked in this way - with garlic, cream, milk, butter and often gruyère cheese - rich, but very…
- DAY-AHEAD MARKET
- The forward market for energy and ancillary services to be supplied during the settlement period of a particular trading day that is conducted by the ISO, the PX, and other Scheduling Coordinators. This market closes with the ISO's acceptance of the final…
- DAY-AHEAD SCHEDULE
- Day-ahead Schedule A schedule prepared by a Scheduling Coordinator or the ISO before the beginning of a trading day. This schedule indicates the levels of generation and demand scheduled for each settlement period of that trading day.
- DAY-PART
- The time of day when a specific kind of meal is served. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all day-parts.
- DAYLIGHTING
- The use of sunlight to supplement or replace electric lighting.
- DAYLIGHTING CONTROL
- A control system that varies the light output of an electric lighting system in response to variations in available daylight.
- DEBIT
- On a closing statement, an amount charged; that is, an amount that the debited party must pay.
- Decay
- A process in which a particle disappears and in its place different particles appear. The sum of the masses of the produced particles is always less than the mass of the original particle.
- Decibel (dB) loudness
- A numeric expression of the relative loudness of a sound. The minimum change in sound intensity that a human ear can distinguish is approximately 3 dB.
- DECLARATION
- Part of a property or liability insurance policy that states the name and address of policyholder, property insured, its location and description, the policy period, premiums, and supplemental information. Referred to as the “dec page.”
- declination
- the angular distance of a celestial object above or below the celestial equator; the celestial sphere equivalent of latitude
- Declining Letter
- A letter that is sent by a job seeker to an employer in order to turn down an offer of employment. So as to keep the company doors open for the future, the job seeker should always thank the employer for his kind offer and explain why he's unable to accept…
- DEDICATED FACILITY
- A transmission circuit which is permanently for the exclusive use of a customer or a pair of customers.
- Dedicated Server
- Similar to co-location, except that you lease or rent hardware from a Web host. The main advantage over co-location is easier upgrade and usually better support. Getting a dedicated server or co-locating is necessary for sites that outgrow shared servers…
- DEDICATION
- The voluntary transfer of private property by its owner to the public for some public use, such as for streets or schools.
- DEDUCTIBLE
- The amount of loss paid by the policyholder. Either a specified dollar amount, a percentage of the claim amount, or a specified amount of time that must elapse before benefits are paid. The bigger the deductible, the lower the premium charged for the same…
- DEED
- A written instrument that, when executed and delivered, conveys title to or an interest in real estate.
- DEED IN LIEU OF FORECLOSURE
- A deed given by the mortgagor to the mortgagee when the mortgagor is in default under the terms of the mortgage. This is a way for the mortgagor to avoid foreclosure.
- DEED IN TRUST
- An instrument that grants a trustee under a land trust full power to sell, mortgage and subdivide a parcel of real estate. The beneficiary controls the trustee's use of these powers under the provisions of the trust agreement.
- DEED RESTRICTION
- Clauses in a deed limiting the future uses of the property. Deed restrictions may impose a vast variety of limitations and conditions, for example, they may limit the density of buildings, dictate the types of structures that can be erected or prevent…
- Deep linking
- linking to a web page other than a site's home page.
- DEEP MINING
- Extraction of coal or minerals at depths greater than 1,000 feet. Coal usually is deep-mined at not more than 1,500 feet.
- deep-sky objects
- objects located beyond the solar system; consist of stars, nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies.
- DEFAULT
- The nonperformance of a duty, whether arising under a contract or otherwise; failure to meet an obligation when due.
- DEFEASANCE CLAUSE
- A clause used in leases and mortgages that cancels a specified right upon the occurrence of a certain condition, such as cancellation of a mortgage upon repayment of the mortgage loan.
- DEFEASIBLE FEE ESTATE
- An estate in which the holder has a fee simple title that may be divested upon the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a specified event. There are two categories of defeasible fee estates: fee simple on condition precedent (fee simple determinable) and fee…
- DEFERRED ANNUITY
- An annuity contract that is purchased either with a single tax-deferred premium or with periodic tax-deferred premiums over time. Payments begin at a predetermined point in time, such as retirement.
- deficiency
- The absence of part of the normal genome or chromosome set. See deletion.
- DEFICIENCY JUDGEMENT
- Point levied against the borrower when a foreclosure sale does not produce sufficient funds to pay the mortgage debt in full.
- DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN
- A retirement plan under which pension benefits are fixed in advance by a formula based generally on years of service to the company multiplied by a specific percentage of wages, usually average earnings over that period or highest average earnings over the…
- DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN
- An employee benefit plan under which the employer sets up benefit accounts and contributions are made to it by the employer and by the employee. The employer usually matches the employee's contribution up to a stated limit.
- degenerate code
- A code in which several code words have the same meaning. The genetic code is degenerate because there are many instances in which different codons specify the same amino acid. A genetic code in which some amino acids may each be encoded by more than one…
- Deglaze
- To deglaze is to add wine, stock or other liquid to a hot pan or roasting tin in which food has been roasted or sautéed. Use a wooden spatula to scrape all the tasty bits sticking to the bottom and sides of the pan and stir them into the juices. Reduce the…
- degree
- 1. a unit of angular size equal to 1/360 the circumference of the celestial sphere; the sun and full moon both appear about half a degree wide