dictate
/dɪkˈteɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɪkteɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdik-ˌtāt dik-ˈtāt/ (ame, mw) · /ˈdɪk.teɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɪk.teɪt/ (ame, ipa)
dictate — verb
- dictatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- dictateshe / she / it
- dictatedpast simple
- dictating-ing form
1. to order someone to do something in a forceful way, using your power or position
to order someone to do something in a forceful way, using your power or position and leaving no room for discussion or refusal
The new manager tried to dictate how everyone should do their work, which upset the team.
dictate + how-clause for ordering procedures
Kian refused to let anyone dictate what he should study at university.
The government should not dictate what ordinary people can wear in public.
Samir’s boss kept dictating every detail of the project, leaving no room for his own ideas.
文法句型
dictate + that-clause
dictate + wh-clause
dictate to + person + wh-clause
dictate + noun phrase
用法筆記
Frequently used with ‘to’ before the person being ordered: ‘dictate to someone.’ This sense usually carries a negative connotation of unreasonable or excessive control.
常見錯誤
2. to be the deciding factor that controls or determines how a situation develops,
to be the deciding factor that controls or determines how a situation develops, what choices are possible, or what must happen next
The weather will dictate whether we hold the wedding indoors or outdoors.
dictate whether + choice between two options
Customer demand often dictates which products a company decides to develop.
The rules of the game dictate that each player must wear a helmet at all times.
Femi’s work schedule dictates when he can take his holiday each year.
- determine
more neutral; focuses on outcome rather than force
- govern
suggests a system of rules or principles controlling a process
- necessitate
stresses that something is made unavoidable
文法句型
dictate + that-clause
dictate + wh-clause
dictate + noun phrase
be dictated by + noun phrase
用法筆記
The subject is typically a rule, condition, external factor, or situation, not a person. Often appears in passive form: ‘it is dictated that…’ or ‘be dictated by [circumstances].’
常見錯誤
3. to say words out loud so that another person can write them down or a machine ca
to say words out loud so that another person can write them down or a machine can record them, especially in a professional or office setting
The doctor dictated a letter to her assistant after examining the patient.
dictate + noun + to + person
Maeve finds it easier to dictate her notes into a voice recorder than to type them.
dictate + noun + into + device
Before computers became common, many bosses would dictate letters to their secretaries.
The lawyer dictated the witness’s statement word for word into the recording machine.
- transcribe
to write down what someone else has dictated
文法句型
dictate + noun phrase + to + person
dictate + noun phrase + into + device
dictate to + person
用法筆記
Common in office and professional contexts. The passive form ‘be dictated to’ (sense 3) means having someone read words for you to write down — do not confuse with ‘be dictated to’ from sense 1, which means being ordered around.
常見錯誤
dictate — noun
- dictatesingular
- dictatesplural
1. a rule or principle that must be obeyed, either because someone in power has set
a rule or principle that must be obeyed, either because someone in power has set it or because you hold it as a personal standard to guide your behaviour
The company’s dress code is a dictate that all workers must respect.
Ayana follows the dictates of her conscience rather than the opinions of others.
the dictates of + abstract principle
The fashion dictates of the 1980s included bright colours and very big hair.
The software was designed to follow the dictates of the EU data protection law.
- rule
more general; does not carry the formal weight of ‘dictate’
- commandment
stronger religious or moral tone
- edict
a formal order issued by an authority, especially a government
文法句型
the dictates of + noun phrase
dictate + that-clause
用法筆記
Often appears in the plural form ‘dictates’ when referring to a set of principles or demands. The phrase ‘dictates of [conscience / fashion / law]’ is a common fixed pattern in formal writing.