4 VERB You say that reason or common sense dictates that a particular thing is the case when you believe strongly that it is the case and that reason or common sense will cause other people to agree. □ [V that] Commonsense now dictates that it would be wise to sell a few shares.
5 N‑COUNT A dictate is an order which you have to obey. □ [+ of ] Their job is to ensure that the dictates of the Party are followed.
6 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Dictates are principles or rules which you consider to be extremely important. □ [+ of ] We have followed the dictates of our consciences and have done our duty.
dic|ta|tion /d I kte I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Dictation is the speaking or reading aloud of words for someone else to write down.
dic|ta|tor /d I kte I tə r , [AM ] d I kte I t-/ (dictators ) N‑COUNT A dictator is a ruler who has complete power in a country, especially power which was obtained by force and is used unfairly or cruelly.
dic|ta|tor|ial /d I ktətɔː riəl/
1 ADJ Dictatorial means controlled or used by a dictator. □ He suspended the constitution and assumed dictatorial powers.
2 ADJ If you describe someone's behaviour as dictatorial , you do not like the fact that they tell people what to do in a forceful and unfair way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …his dictatorial management style.
dic|ta|tor|ship /d I kte I tə r ʃ I p/ (dictatorships )
1 N‑VAR Dictatorship is government by a dictator. □ …a new era of democracy after a long period of military dictatorship in the country.
2 N‑COUNT A dictatorship is a country which is ruled by a dictator or by a very strict and harsh government. □ Every country in the region was a military dictatorship.
dic|tion /d I kʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Someone's diction is how clearly they speak or sing. □ His diction wasn't very good.
dic|tion|ary /d I kʃənri, [AM ] -neri/ (dictionaries ) N‑COUNT A dictionary is a book in which the words and phrases of a language are listed alphabetically, together with their meanings or their translations in another language. □ …a Welsh-English dictionary.
dic|tum /d I ktəm/ (dictums or dicta )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A dictum is a saying that describes an aspect of life in an interesting or wise way. □ …the dictum that it is preferable to be roughly right than precisely wrong.
2 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A dictum is a formal statement made by someone who has authority. □ …Disraeli's dictum that the first priority of the government must be the health of the people.
did /d I d/ Did is the past tense of do .
di|dac|tic /da I dæ kt I k/
1 ADJ Something that is didactic is intended to teach people something, especially a moral lesson. [FORMAL ] □ In totalitarian societies, art exists for didactic purposes.
2 ADJ Someone who is didactic tells people things rather than letting them find things out or discussing things. [FORMAL ] □ He is more didactic in his approach to the learning process.
did|dle /d I d ə l/ (diddles , diddling , diddled )
1 VERB If someone diddles you, they take money from you dishonestly or unfairly. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] They diddled their insurance company by making a false claim.
2 VERB If someone diddles , they waste time and do not achieve anything. [AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V around ] …if Congress were to just diddle around and not take any action at all.
did|geri|doo /d I dʒəriduː / (didgeridoos ) N‑COUNT A didgeridoo is an Australian musical instrument that consists of a long pipe which makes a low sound when you blow into it.
didn't /d I d ə nt/ Didn't is the usual spoken form of 'did not'.
die ◆◆◆ /da I / (dies , dying , died )
1 VERB [no passive] When people, animals, and plants die , they stop living. □ [V ] A year later my dog died. □ [V + of/from ] Sadly, both he and my mother died of cancer. □ [V n] I would die a very happy person if I could stay in music my whole life. □ [V adj] …friends who died young.
2 VERB [only cont] If a person, animal, or plant is dying , they are so ill or so badly injured that they will not live very much longer. □ [V ] The elm trees are all dying. □ [V + of/from ] Every working day I treat people who are dying from lung diseases caused by smoking.
3 VERB [no passive] If someone dies a violent, unnatural, or painful death, they die in a violent, unnatural, or painful way. □ [V n] He watched helplessly as his mother died an agonizing death.
4 VERB If a machine or device dies , it stops completely, especially after a period of working more and more slowly or inefficiently. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] Then suddenly, the engine coughed, spluttered and died.
5 VERB [only cont] You can say that you are dying of thirst, hunger, boredom, or curiosity to emphasize that you are very thirsty, hungry, bored, or curious. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ [V + of ] Order me a pot of tea, I'm dying of thirst.
6 VERB [only cont] You can say that you are dying for something or are dying to do something to emphasize that you very much want to have it or do it. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ] □ [V + for ] I'm dying for a breath of fresh air. □ [V to-inf] She was dying to talk to Frank.