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Dissipation
//ˌdɪsɪˈpeɪʃən// noun
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of dissipating or dispersing; a state of dispersion or separation; dispersion; waste. countable, uncountable
"without loss or dissipation of the matter"
- 2 useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly wordnet
- 3 A dissolute course of life, in which health, money, etc., are squandered in pursuit of pleasure; profuseness in immoral indulgence, as late hours, riotous living, etc.; dissoluteness. countable, uncountable
"18th century, Patrick Henry in a parliamentary debate to reclaim the spendthrift from his dissipation and extravagance"
- 4 dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure wordnet
- 5 A trifle which wastes time or distracts attention. countable, uncountable
"Prevented from finishing them [the letters] a thousand avocations and dissipations."
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- 6 breaking up and scattering by dispersion wordnet
- 7 A loss of energy, usually as heat, from a dynamic system. countable, uncountable
"They conclude[…] the planet will have a final period of rotation between 56 and 88 days, depending on the assumed form of the dissipation function."
Etymology
From Middle English dissipacion, dissipacioun, from Late Latin dissipātiō. Morphologically dissipate + -ion.
See also for "dissipation"
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