DILATE

dilate, distend

(verb) become wider; “His pupils were dilated”

elaborate, lucubrate, expatiate, exposit, enlarge, flesh out, expand, expound, dilate

(verb) add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing; “She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

dilate (third-person singular simple present dilates, present participle dilating, simple past and past participle dilated)

(transitive) To enlarge; to make bigger.

(intransitive) To become wider or larger; to expand.

Antonym: contract

(ambitransitive) To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge; with "on" or "upon".

(medicine, ambitransitive) To use a dilator to widen (something, such as a vagina).

(idiomatic, intransitive, vulgar, dismissal, 4chan) Expression of anger and contempt, specifically at transgender individuals.

Anagrams

• atelid, de-tail, detail, dietal, laited, tailed

Source: Wiktionary


Di*late", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dilated; p. pr. & vb. n. Dilating.] Etym: [L. dilatare; either fr. di- = dis- + latus wide, not the same word as latus, used as p. p. of ferre to bear (see Latitude); or fr. dilatus, used as p. p. of differre to separate (see Delay, Tolerate, Differ, and cf. Dilatory): cf. F. dilater.]

1. To expand; to distend; to enlarge or extend in all directions; to swell; -- opposed to contract; as, the air dilates the lungs; air is dilated by increase of heat.

2. To enlarge upon; to relate at large; to tell copiously or diffusely. [R.] Do me the favor to dilate at full What hath befallen of them and thee till now. Shak.

Syn.

– To expand; swell; distend; enlarge; spread out; amplify; expatiate.

Di*late", v. i.

1. To grow wide; to expand; to swell or extend in all directions. His heart dilates and glories in his strength. Addison.

2. To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge;

– with on or upon. But still on their ancient joys dilate. Crabbe.

Di*late", a.

Definition: Extensive; expanded. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

26 March 2025

CAST

(noun) bandage consisting of a firm covering (often made of plaster of Paris) that immobilizes broken bones while they heal


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Coffee Trivia

The Boston Tea Party helped popularize coffee in America. The hefty tea tax imposed on the colonies in 1773 resulted in America switching from tea to coffee. In the lead up to the Revolutionary War, it became patriotic to sip java instead of tea. The Civil War made the drink more pervasive. Coffee helped energize tired troops, and drinking it became an expression of freedom.

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