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An avoiding or escaping; also, a warning. [Obs.] Bailey.

p., turning the plane of polarization of luminous rays toward the right hand; as, dextrorotatory crystals, sugars, etc. Cf. Levorotatory.

Delaware; -- a nickname alluding to its small size.

cting the conversion of starch into sugar. The influence of acids and alkalies on the diastatic action of saliva. Lauder Brunton.

To tell or utter so that another may write down; to inspire; to compose; as, to dictate a letter to an amanuensis. The mind which dictated the Iliad. Wayland. Pages dictated by the Holy Spirit. Macaulay.

The act of dictating; the act or practice of prescribing; also that which is dictated. It affords security against the dictation of laws. Paley.

One who dictates; one who prescribes rules and maxims authoritatively for the direction of others. Locke.

Pertaining or suited to a dictator; absolute. Military powers quite dictatorial. W. Irving.

Dictatorial. [Obs.]

The office, or the term of office, of a dictator; hence, absolute power.

Dogmatical; overbearing; dictatorial. Milton.

A woman who dictates or commands. Earth's chief dictatress, ocean's mighty queen. Byron.

A dictatress.

Office of a dictator; dictatorship. [R.] Bacon.

To make difficult. [Obs.] W. Montagu.

To render difficult; to difficilitate. [Obs.] Cotgrave.

To point out as with the finger. [R.] Robinson (Eudoxa).

f the hand, at the extremity of a stem or petiole. Also, in general, characterized by digitation. -- Dig"i*tate*ly, adv.

A division into fingers or fingerlike processes; also, a fingerlike process.

Prolixity; diffuse discourse. [Obs.] "What needeth greater dilatation" Chaucer.