Library / English Dictionary

DILATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become wider

Example:

His pupils were dilated

Synonyms:

dilate; distend

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "dilate" is one way to...):

widen (become broader or wider or more extensive)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

dilatation (the act of expanding an aperture)

dilatation (the state of being stretched beyond normal dimensions)

dilation (the act of expanding an aperture)

dilator (a surgical instrument that is used to dilate or distend an opening or an organ)

dilator (a drug that causes dilation)

dilator (a muscle or nerve that dilates or widens a body part)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing

Example:

She elaborated on the main ideas in her dissertation

Synonyms:

dilate; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate; exposit; expound; flesh out; lucubrate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "dilate" is one way to...):

clarify; clear up; elucidate (make clear and (more) comprehensible)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dilate"):

detail (provide details for)

exposit; expound; set forth (state)

exemplify; illustrate; instance (clarify by giving an example of)

particularise; particularize; specialise; specialize; specify (be specific about)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

dilation (a lengthy discussion (spoken or written) on a particular topic)

Credits

 Context examples: 

A non-metastasizing soft tissue neoplasm characterized by the presence of a neoplastic stroma containing spindle cells, dilated thin-walled vessels lined by fibrin, and a chronic inflammatory infiltrate.

(Pleomorphic Hyalinizing Angiectatic Tumor of Soft Parts, NCI Thesaurus)

A yolk sac tumor that arises from the ovary and is characterized by the presence of multiple dilated spaces lined by cells that resemble mesothelial cells.

(Ovarian Yolk Sac Tumor, Polyvesicular Vitelline Pattern, NCI Thesaurus)

They include strong cravings, sweating, nausea, vomiting, irritation, anxiety, muscle pain, dilated pupils and insomnia.

(Opiate Withdrawal Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

Benign endometrial hyperplasia characterized by the presence of cystically dilated glands.

(Cystic Endometrial Hyperplasia, NCI Thesaurus)

The condition of being dilated or stretched.

(Dilation, NCI Thesaurus)

Inflammation is induced by release of vasodilatory, opsonizing, and chemotactic mediators that attract phagocytizing macrophages and leukocytes; dilate local blood vessels, increasing local blood flow and capillary permeability; and induce pain.

(Negative Regulation of Inflammatory Response Process, NCI Thesaurus)

A dilated cardiomyopathy caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi.

(Cardiomyopathy in Chagas' Disease, NCI Thesaurus)

A morphologic variant of angioleiomyoma characterized by the presence of markedly dilated vascular channels.

(Cavernous Angioleiomyoma, NCI Thesaurus)

Blood vessels in the animals’ tails dilated to release heat, and fat-burning heat production decreased.

(Brain cells that cool the body, NIH)

A morphologic variant of fibroma characterized by the presence of numerous dilated vascular channels.

(Angiofibroma, NCI Thesaurus)