DICTATE

dictate

(noun) a guiding principle; “the dictates of reason”

dictate

(noun) an authoritative rule

dictate

(verb) say out loud for the purpose of recording; “He dictated a report to his secretary”

order, prescribe, dictate

(verb) issue commands or orders for

dictate

(verb) rule as a dictator

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

dictate (plural dictates)

An order or command.

Verb

dictate (third-person singular simple present dictates, present participle dictating, simple past and past participle dictated)

To order, command, control.

To speak in order for someone to write down the words.

Source: Wiktionary


Dic"tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dictated; p. pr. & vb. n. Dictating.] Etym: [L. dictatus, p. p. of dictare, freq. of dicere to say. See Diction, and cf. Dight.]

1. To tell or utter so that another may write down; to inspire; to compose; as, to dictate a letter to an amanuensis. The mind which dictated the Iliad. Wayland. Pages dictated by the Holy Spirit. Macaulay.

2. To say; to utter; to communicate authoritatively; to deliver (a command) to a subordinate; to declare with authority; to impose; as, to dictate the terms of a treaty; a general dictates orders to his troops. Whatsoever is dictated to us by God must be believed. Watts.

Syn.

– To suggest; prescribe; enjoin; command; point out; urge; admonish.

Dic"tate, v. i.

1. To speak as a superior; to command; to impose conditions (on). Who presumed to dictate to the sovereign. Macaulay.

2. To compose literary works; to tell what shall be written or said by another. Sylla could not skill of letters, and therefore knew not how to dictate. Bacon.

Dic"tate, n. Etym: [L. dictatum. See Dictate, v. t.]

Definition: A statement delivered with authority; an order; a command; an authoritative rule, principle, or maxim; a prescription; as, listen to the dictates of your conscience; the dictates of the gospel. I credit what the Grecian dictates say. Prior.

Syn.

– Command; injunction; direction suggestion; impulse; admonition.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

21 April 2025

ENCYCLOPEDIA

(noun) a reference work (often in several volumes) containing articles on various topics (often arranged in alphabetical order) dealing with the entire range of human knowledge or with some particular specialty


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Coffee Trivia

According to Statista, the global coffee industry is worth US$363 billion in 2020. The market grows annually by 10.6%, and 78% of revenue came from out-of-home establishments like cafes and coffee beverage retailers.

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