dilate
dilate — verb
- dilatepresent simple I / you / we / they
- dilateshe / she / it
- dilatedpast simple
- dilating-ing form
1. When something such as the pupil of your eye or a blood vessel becomes wider, it
When something such as the pupil of your eye or a blood vessel becomes wider, it dilates. If a medical treatment or a natural process dilates it, it makes that area wider.
The optician put drops in Felix's eyes to dilate his pupils for the examination.
dilate + body part (transitive use)
Emily's pupils dilated when she stepped from the dark room into the bright sunlight.
body part + dilate (intransitive, natural reaction)
The midwife told Talia that her cervix had dilated to seven centimetres.
Doctors say that regular exercise helps blood vessels dilate and improves circulation.
Bilal felt his nostrils dilate as the smell of rain filled the dry afternoon air.
文法句型
part of body + dilate
dilate + body part
用法筆記
Frequently used in medical and physiological descriptions. The verb can be transitive (someone dilates something) or intransitive (something dilates by itself). The intransitive form is more common in everyday speech.
常見錯誤
2. To speak or write about a subject in great detail, usually for a long time.
To speak or write about a subject in great detail, usually for a long time.
The professor dilated on the history of democracy for nearly two hours.
dilate on + topic (formal register)
In her latest book, the author dilates upon the social changes of the 1960s.
dilates upon + topic
Kabir dilated on his travel experiences until his friends started to lose interest.
The politician dilated upon every detail of the new policy without giving a short answer.
- summarise
to give only the main points, the opposite of providing full detail
文法句型
dilate on + subject
dilate upon + subject
用法筆記
Always followed by the preposition 'on' or 'upon'. This sense is formal and literary — it is rarely used in casual conversation. 'Elaborate on' or 'expand on' are more common alternatives in everyday speech.