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Dictate

//ˈdɪkˌteɪt// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun

1
An order or command.
"I must obey the dictates of my conscience."
2
a guiding principle wordnet
3
an authoritative rule wordnet

Verb

1
To order, command, control.
"Trademark Owners will nevertheless try to dictate how their marks are to be represented, but dictionary publishers with spine can resist such pressure."
2
say out loud for the purpose of recording wordnet
3
To speak in order for someone to write down the words.
"She is dictating a letter to a stenographer."
4
issue commands or orders for wordnet
5
To determine or decisively affect.
"He had offered, and been refused! There was that in her own nature, which sympathised with the pride, for such she held to be the motive, dictating the refusal."

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6
rule as a dictator wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

First attested in 1581; borrowed from Latin dictātum (“a thing said, something dictated”), substantivized from the nominative neuter singular of dictātus, the perfect passive participle of dictō (“pronounce or declare repeatedly; dictate”), frequentative of dīcō (“say, speak”). Doublet of diktat.

Etymology 2

First attested in 1577; borrowed from Latin dictātus, perfect passive participle of dictō (“to pronounce or declare repeatedly; to dictate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), frequentative of dīcō (“say, speak”).

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