Definition of Dictate
Dictate
dic·tate
Definition/Meaning
(verb)
to speak or act in an authoritative manner, to lay something down as a rule, order, or command;
e.g. The officials of the government often dictate the ways in which a business may function.
(verb)
to control or determine something, to significantly affect its outcome;
e.g. The weather will dictate our plans, since we cannot be outdoors if it is too cold.
(verb)
to speak words out loud, often reading from somewhere, so that a person can write or type it out or a machine can record it;
e.g. He started to dictate a message for his secretary to send out to the department.
(noun)
an authoritative order, rule, or principle that must be followed;
e.g. Her latest dictate established a curfew in the city.
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