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Pam Rider's résumé
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D
- dampen spirits: cliché (avoid)
- danger: not serious danger (redundancy)[We were in danger. Not: We were in serious danger]
- daring daylight robbery: cliché (avoid)
- dark horse: cliché (avoid)
- dark secret: cliché (avoid)
- dashed madly about: cliché (avoid)
- date with destiny: cliché (avoid)
- dates back from: delete back (redundancy)[The diary dates from 1900. Not: The diary dates back from 1900.]
- dawn in the east: delete in the east (redundancy) [It was a beautiful dawn. Not: It was a beautiful dawn in the east.]
- dawned on me: cliché (avoid)
- day and age: cliché (avoid)
- days are numbered: cliché (avoid)
- days of yore: cliché (avoid)
- dazed condition: cliché (avoid)
- DC current: delete current to avoid DC (direct current) current (redundancy)
- dead as a dodo: cliché (avoid)
- dead as a doornail: cliché (avoid)
- dead heat: cliché (avoid)
- deadly earnest: cliché (avoid)
- deaf ears: cliché (avoid)
- deafening crash: cliché (avoid)
- deafening crash: cliché (avoid)
- death toll: cliché (avoid)
- debt burden: cliché (avoid)
- decision: not definite decision (redundancy) [The group made a decision. Not: The group made a definite decision.]
- deficits mount: cliché (avoid)
- delaying tactics: cliché (avoid)
- deliberate falsehood: cliché (avoid)
- deliver the goods: cliché (avoid)
- depreciated in value: delete in value (redundancy) [The land depreciated. Not: The land depreciated in value.]
- depths of despair: cliché (avoid)
- descend down: delete down (redundancy) [We descend to enter the cave. Not: We descend down to enter the cave.]
- destroyed by fire, change to: burned (wordiness) [The house burned. Not: The house was destroyed by fire.]
- destruction: not total destruction (redundancy) [The storm path was marked by destruction. Not: The storm path was marked by total destruction.]
- details are sketchy: cliché (avoid)
- devil to take the hindmost: cliché (avoid)
- devil to pay: cliché (avoid)
- diamond in the rough cliché (avoid)
- dicey situation: cliché (avoid)
- dictated the terms: cliché (avoid)
- died: not succumbed to injuries (wordiness) [My pet died. Not: My pet succumbed to injuries.]
- difficult dilemma: delete difficult (redundancy) [The dilemma stalled resolution. Not: The difficult dilemma stalled resolution.]
- dig in one’s heels: cliché (avoid)
- dilemma: not difficult dilemma (redundancy) [The dilemma was perplexing. Not: The difficult dilemma was perplexing.]
- disaster zone: cliché (avoid)
- discreet silence: cliché (avoid)
- distinct: not separate and distinct (redundancy) [The markings are distinct. Not: The markings are separate and distinct.]
- distinction with(out) a difference: cliché (avoid)
- divide and conquer: cliché (avoid)
- DMZ zone: delete zone to avoid DMZ (demilitarized zone) zone (redundancy)
- doctorate: not doctorate degree (redundancy) [Earning a doctorate is a significant achievement. Not: Earning a doctorate degree is a significant achievement.]
- dog in the manger: cliché (avoid)
- doom is sealed: cliché (avoid)
- doomed to disappointment: cliché (avoid)
- DOS operating system: delete operating system to avoid DOS (disk operating system) operating system (redundancy)
- dotted the landscape: cliché (avoid)
- do your own thing: cliché (avoid)
- don't ask: cliché (avoid)
- don't bank on it: cliché (avoid)
- don't panic: cliché (avoid)
- don't worry: cliché (avoid)
- down and out: cliché (avoid)
- down at the heels: cliché (avoid)
- down in the dumps: cliché (avoid)
- down in the mount: cliché (avoid)
- down the hatch: cliché (avoid)
- drama queen: cliché (avoid)
- dramatic new move: cliché (avoid)
- drama unfolding : cliché (avoid)
- drastic action: cliché (avoid)
- draw the attention of . . . to, change to: show [or point out] (wordiness) [Show the students examples. Not: Draw the attention of the students with examples.]
- dressed to the nines: cliché (avoid)
- drop dead gorgeous: cliché (avoid)
- drumming up support: cliché (avoid)
- drunk as a skunk: cliché (avoid)
- duckling: not little duckling (redundancy)
- duck's soup: cliché (avoid)[other than with the Marx brothers]
- due consideration: cliché (avoid)
- dulcet tones: cliché (avoid)
- dull, sickening thud: cliché (avoid)
- dump: not sanitary landfill (overblown euphemism)
- during the time that, change to: while (wordiness) [While we waited, the moon set. Not: During the time that we waited, the moon set.]
- dyed in the wool: cliché (avoid)
- dynamic personality: cliché (avoid)
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