Dilate

Quick meaning: Dilate is a verb meaning (transitive) To enlarge; to make bigger.

Meaning

(transitive) To enlarge; to make bigger.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive) To become wider or larger; to expand.
2. (ambitransitive) To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge; with "on" or "upon".
3. (medicine, ambitransitive) To use a dilator to widen (something, such as a vagina).
4. (transitive) To delay, defer.
5. (transitive) To prolong, lengthen.
6. (archaic) Carried in different ways, spread, abroad, dispersed, published.

Example Sentences

But still they on their ancient joys dilate.

His heart dilates and glories in his strength.

Do me the favour to dilate at full / What hath befallen of them and thee till now.

The eye doctor put drops in my eye to dilate the pupil so he could see the nerve better.

Word Forms

• dilates
• dilating
• dilated

Synonyms for dilate

Depending on context, synonyms include expound, expatiate, expand, elaborate, enlarge, distend.

Antonyms for dilate

Common opposites include contract.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include enlarge, expand, elaborate, expound, expatiate, distend.

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