- The dream dictionary has 19 symbols starting with D.
- The most searched of them are dog, death, dying.
- Every symbol is read three ways: folk dream books, psychology and sleep research.
- Dream interpretation is a tradition of reading symbols; it does not predict events.
Most searched dreams starting with D
DogAnimalsA dream about dogs is traditionally read through the dog’s mood: a friendly dog means loyalty and a good friend, a vicious dog means an enemy or a quarrel. Psychology reads the dog as loyalty, instinct and the need for protection, and research finds dogs among the most common animals in dreams.DeathDeath and lossA dream about death is traditionally read as the end of one thing and the start of another, and folk books often turn it round: death in a dream means long life. Psychology reads it as change, an ending in the dreamer’s life, and research finds death dreams common in grief and in times of transition.DyingDeath and lossA dream about dying, your own death happening in the dream, is traditionally read by opposites as long life and a change of fortune, though Miller reads it as a warning about neglected affairs. Psychology reads it as the end of a stage of life, and research finds the dream common in transitions and in anxiety, never as a sign of a real death.Dead relativeDeath and lossA dream about a dead relative is traditionally read as a visit or a message: the person comes with advice, a warning or simply to be remembered. Psychology reads it as grief continuing its work and the person living on as part of you, and research finds such dreams are a normal, often comforting part of bereavement.DemonPeopleA dream about demons is traditionally read as temptation, guilt or an enemy who works by deceit. Psychology reads the demon as the dreamer’s own disowned side made monstrous, and sleep research links demon and devil dreams to nightmares, fever, sleep paralysis and the fears a culture supplies.DrowningWater and weatherA dream about drowning is traditionally read as being overwhelmed: by debts, by feelings, by a situation that has closed over your head. Psychology reads water as emotion and drowning as losing yourself in it, and research shows breathing and sensations from the sleeping body can enter dreams as water.
All symbols starting with D
Dead dogAnimalsA dream about a dead dog is traditionally read as the end of a friendship or the loss of a protector, since dream books treat the dog as loyalty itself. Psychology reads it as a neglected instinct or a grief still being worked through, and research finds pets among the most dreamed-of animals.Dead fishAnimalsA dream about dead fish is traditionally read as loss: Miller says dead fish signify the loss of wealth and power through some calamity. Psychology reads it as a hope or feeling that has lost its life, and research notes that fish in dreams follow the dreamer's waking world.Dead personDeath and lossA dream about a dead person is traditionally read as a visit: the dead come with advice, a warning or a change in the weather. Psychology reads it as grief still doing its work, and research shows such dreams are common and usually comforting.Dead relativeDeath and lossA dream about a dead relative is traditionally read as a visit or a message: the person comes with advice, a warning or simply to be remembered. Psychology reads it as grief continuing its work and the person living on as part of you, and research finds such dreams are a normal, often comforting part of bereavement.DeathDeath and lossA dream about death is traditionally read as the end of one thing and the start of another, and folk books often turn it round: death in a dream means long life. Psychology reads it as change, an ending in the dreamer’s life, and research finds death dreams common in grief and in times of transition.DeerAnimalsA dream about a deer is traditionally favourable: Miller reads it as pure friendship for the young and a quiet life for the married. Psychology reads the deer as gentleness, alertness and vulnerability; research shows wild animals in dreams follow the dreamer's surroundings and recent encounters.DemonPeopleA dream about demons is traditionally read as temptation, guilt or an enemy who works by deceit. Psychology reads the demon as the dreamer’s own disowned side made monstrous, and sleep research links demon and devil dreams to nightmares, fever, sleep paralysis and the fears a culture supplies.DiamondsMoney and objectsA dream about diamonds is traditionally read as honour, recognition and prosperity, and losing them as a serious warning. Psychology reads the diamond as value, durability and the worth you give yourself or others.DinosaurAnimalsA dream about dinosaurs is read as a huge, ancient force from the past: an old fear, a powerful person or a habit that has outlived its time. Psychology links the image with primal threat, and research notes dinosaurs reach dreams through films and childhood memory.DishesMoney and objectsA dream about dishes is traditionally read by their state: clean dishes are a well-run home and good fortune, dirty dishes neglected duties, and broken dishes a quarrel or loss. Psychology reads dishes as daily care and what we serve others, and research finds household chores common in dreams because they fill waking life.DogAnimalsA dream about dogs is traditionally read through the dog’s mood: a friendly dog means loyalty and a good friend, a vicious dog means an enemy or a quarrel. Psychology reads the dog as loyalty, instinct and the need for protection, and research finds dogs among the most common animals in dreams.Dog biteAnimalsA dream about a dog biting is traditionally read as betrayal by someone trusted, or loss through an enemy. Psychology treats the bite as loyalty turned hostile, and research counts attacks by animals among the most common threat dreams, with dogs the animal people meet most.DolphinAnimalsA dream about dolphins is read today as a happy sign of playfulness, guidance and easy feeling, though Miller in 1901 called it not a very good dream. Psychology reads the dolphin as intelligence at home in emotion, and research notes how strongly modern culture shapes which animals we dream of.DoorHome and placesA dream about doors is traditionally read as a threshold: a change, a choice or a way in or out. Dream books give mixed readings, while psychology asks what you are about to enter or leave, and whether the door opened or stayed shut.DragonAnimalsA dream about a dragon is traditionally read as a great power or danger: a mighty opponent in the West, a symbol of luck and authority in the East. Psychology sees the dragon as the fear or the strength you must face to grow.DrawingActionsA dream about drawing is traditionally read as planning: folk books say the dreamer is sketching what they mean to do. Psychology reads drawing as giving shape to an inner image; research adds that people who draw or design by day dream of their craft.DrowningWater and weatherA dream about drowning is traditionally read as being overwhelmed: by debts, by feelings, by a situation that has closed over your head. Psychology reads water as emotion and drowning as losing yourself in it, and research shows breathing and sensations from the sleeping body can enter dreams as water.DuckAnimalsA dream about ducks is traditionally read as a good omen: fortunate journeys, thrift, a fine harvest and a happy home. Psychology sees adaptability and emotional ease, since the duck lives comfortably on water, land and air.DyingDeath and lossA dream about dying, your own death happening in the dream, is traditionally read by opposites as long life and a change of fortune, though Miller reads it as a warning about neglected affairs. Psychology reads it as the end of a stage of life, and research finds the dream common in transitions and in anxiety, never as a sign of a real death.
How to use the dream dictionary
- Recall the most vivid image of the dream: the thing, the animal, the person or the action.
- Find it by letter or in the search; a plural or a variation leads to the same page.
- Read the three readings and the variations, then note how you felt in the dream.
Questions people ask
Which dream symbols start with D?
All of them are listed on this page in alphabetical order, with a short traditional reading next to each. Open a symbol for the full page.
Why are some symbols missing?
The dictionary grows in batches, starting with the most searched symbols. A symbol appears only when its page is complete.
Sources
- Miller G. H. Ten Thousand Dreams Interpreted, 1901.
- Freud S. The Interpretation of Dreams, 1899.
- Jung C. G. Man and His Symbols, 1964.
- Artemidorus. Oneirocritica, 2nd century.
- Hall C. S., Van de Castle R. L. The Content Analysis of Dreams, 1966.
- Schredl M. Dream research: an introduction, in various editions.
How this page is made
Each symbol page sets three readings side by side and names where each comes from. A symbol is published only when its page has a full description with sources. Search volumes decide which symbols are written first.