dictate

v., -tat·ed, -tat·ing, -tates.

v.tr.

1. To say or read aloud to be recorded or written by another: dictate a letter.
2. 1. To prescribe with authority; impose: dictated the rules of the game.
   2. To control or command: "Foreign leaders were . . . dictated by their own circumstances, bound by the universal imperatives of politics" (Doris Kearns Goodwin).

v.intr.

1. To say or read aloud material to be recorded or written by another: dictated for an hour before leaving for the day.
2. To issue orders or commands.

n. (dĭk'tāt')

1. A directive; a command.
2. A guiding principle: followed the dictates of my conscience.

[Latin dictāre, dictāt-, frequentative of dīcere, to say.]

SYNONYMS   dictate, decree, impose, ordain, prescribe. These verbs mean to set forth expressly and authoritatively: victors dictating the terms of surrender; martial law decreed by the governor; impose obedience; a separation seemingly ordained by fate; taxes prescribed by law.

also dictate to

verb

1. To set forth expressly and authoritatively: decree, fix, impose, lay down, ordain, prescribe. Idioms: call theshotstune, lay it on the line. See over/under.
2. To command or issue commands in an arrogant manner: boss, dominate, domineer, order, rule, tyrannize. See over/under.

noun

1. An authoritative indication to be obeyed: behest, bidding, charge, command, commandment, direction, directive, injunction, instruction (often used in plural), mandate, order, word. See over/under, words.
2. A code or set of codes governing action or procedure, for example: prescript, regulation, rubric, rule. See order/disorder.

n

Definition: command; rule
Antonyms: request

v

Definition: command
Antonyms: ask, follow, implore, obey, request, submit to

v

Definition: read
Antonyms: record, write down

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IN BRIEF: n. - A guiding principle; An authoritative rule v. - Say out loud for the purpose of recording; Issue commands or orders for; Rule alone.

Tutor's tip: The victorious leader was prepared to "dictate" (command) to his secretary a "diktat" (a unilaterally imposed harsh decree on a defeated government or political party) to take effect as soon as the war ended.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - diktere, påbyde, bestemme autoritativt
v. intr. - bestemme, byde
n. - diktat, krav

idioms:

• dictating machine    diktérmaskine

Nederlands (Dutch)
dicteren (van een brief), opleggen, voorschrijven, bevel, ingeving

Français (French)
v. tr. - dicter à, prescrire, imposer (des conditions)
v. intr. - imposer qch à qn, régenter qn
n. - ordre(s), précepte(s)

idioms:

• dictating machine    appareil/machine à dicter, Dictaphone

Deutsch (German)
v. - vorschreiben, diktieren
n. - Diktat, Gebot

idioms:

• dictating machine    Diktiergerät

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - υπαγορεύω, επιβάλλω, διατάζω

idioms:

• dictating machine    (τεχνολ.) μαγνητόφωνο υπαγόρευσης

Italiano (Italian)
dettare

idioms:

• dictate to    dettar legge a
• dictating machine    dittafono

Português (Portuguese)
v. - ditar, dar ordens

idioms:

• dictate to    ordenar
• dictating machine    máquina para ditar

Русский (Russian)
диктовать

idioms:

• dictate to    ставить условия
• dictating machine    диктофон

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - mandar, imponer, dictar
v. intr. - mandar, imponer, dictar
n. - dictado, mandato, orden

idioms:

• dictating machine    dictáfono

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - diktera

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
口授, 使听写, 口述, 命令, 要求, 规定, 支配, 指令, 指挥

idioms:

• dictating machine    录音机

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 口授, 使聽寫, 口述, 命令, 要求, 規定
v. intr. - 口授, 口述, 命令, 支配
n. - 命令, 指令, 指揮

idioms:

• dictating machine    答錄機

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 받아쓰게 하다, ~에 지령하다
v. intr. - 받아쓰기 하다, 지령하다
n. - 지령

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 書き取らせる, 命令する, 口述する
n. - 命令

idioms:

• dictate to    命令する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يملي كلاما بصوت مسموع لجهاز لتسجيله أو لشخص لكتابته‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הכתיב‬
v. intr. - ‮הכתיב, נתן הוראות, קבע חוקים‬
n. - ‮תכתיב, צו‬

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