dictate
[verb dik-teyt, dik-teyt; noun dik-teyt]
- to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record: to dictate some letters to a secretary.
- to prescribe or lay down authoritatively or peremptorily; command unconditionally: to dictate peace terms to a conquered enemy.
Show More
- to say or read aloud something to be written down by a person or recorded by a machine.
- to give orders.
Show More
- an authoritative order or command.
- a guiding or governing principle, requirement, etc.: to follow the dictates of one's conscience.
Show More
Origin of dictate
1585–95; < Latin dictātus, past participle of dictāre to say repeatedly, prescribe, order, frequentative of dīcere to say
Synonyms
See more synonyms for dictate on Thesaurus.com6. bidding, urging, prompting.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for dictate
Contemporary Examples
Because the federal government really should dictate all that, right?
How could I forget his dictate to always be proud to be a Jew, even in circumstances when it might not seem to ones advantage?
Because of rising gas prices, economics will dictate growing food closer to the consumer year round.
The news possesses “the power to dictate what our idea of ‘other people’ will be like.”
And these algorithms can dictate behavior and then punish players who dismiss them.
Historical Examples
And I cannot tell what turn my mind had taken to dictate so oddly to my pen.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
The cot was placed on the floor, and he continued to dictate from it.
The Life of Horatio Lord NelsonRobert Southey
I do not presume to dictate to you your friendships or your dislikes.
Alice, or The Mysteries, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
I've got such an awful lot of stuff that I want to dictate it right off the bat.
The HarborErnest Poole
The head must dictate and govern my actions, all else submitting.
dictate
- to say (messages, letters, speeches, etc) aloud for mechanical recording or verbatim transcription by another person
- (tr) to prescribe (commands) authoritatively
- (intr) to act in a tyrannical manner; seek to impose one's will on others
Show More
- an authoritative command
- a guiding principle or rulethe dictates of reason
Show More
Word Origin
C17: from Latin dictāre to say repeatedly, order, from dīcere to say
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for dictate
v.
1590s, "to practice dictation, say aloud for another to write down," from Latin dictatus, past participle of dictare "say often, prescribe," frequentative of dicere "tell, say" (see diction). Sense of "to command" is 1620s. Related: Dictated; dictates; dictating.
Show More
n.
1590s, from Latin dictatum "something dictated," noun use of neuter past participle of dictare (see dictate (v.)).
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper