dissipate

/ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɪsɪpeɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈdi-sə-ˌpāt/ (ame, mw)

dissipate — verb

  • dissipatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • dissipateshe / she / it
  • dissipatedpast simple
  • dissipating-ing form

1. If something such as smoke, fog, anger, or fear dissipates, it slowly thins out

1.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

If something such as smoke, fog, anger, or fear dissipates, it slowly thins out into nothing; you can also dissipate it by acting in a way that breaks it apart and clears it.

例句

Within an hour the morning fog over the harbour began to dissipate.

intransitive: (something) dissipates

A long walk by the river helped Apinya dissipate her anger after the argument.

transitive + abstract noun (anger, fear, tension)

同義詞
  • disperse

    more neutral; can apply to crowds and physical particles

  • fade

    more everyday; works for sounds, colours, memories too

  • vanish

    stronger and quicker — implies sudden disappearance

反義詞
  • gather

    of clouds, crowds, or emotions building up

  • intensify

    of feelings, smells, or pressure growing stronger

文法句型

dissipate (something)

(something) dissipates

用法筆記

Frequently intransitive with subjects like smoke, fog, mist, clouds, anger, fear, tension, doubt. When transitive, the object is almost always an abstract feeling or a visible mass (steam, crowd). Do not use of solid objects.

常見錯誤

❌The truck dissipated the boxes from the road.
✅The truck cleared the boxes from the road.
💡dissipate is for things that thin out (smoke, anger), not for moving solid items.

2. to spend money, time, or energy in a careless and foolish way, so that you have

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to spend money, time, or energy in a careless and foolish way, so that you have little to show for it in the end.

例句

Rodrigo dissipated most of his inheritance on luxury cars within two years.

object: inheritance / fortune / savings

The new manager dissipated months of careful planning by changing the strategy every week.

object: effort / planning / work

同義詞
  • squander

    very close in meaning; slightly more common in everyday writing

  • waste

    much more common and neutral; less formal than dissipate

  • fritter away

    informal phrasal verb; usually of small amounts spent bit by bit

反義詞
  • save

    of money or resources kept for later use

  • invest

    of money or effort used carefully for future gain

文法句型

dissipate + money / fortune / energy / time

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense always takes a direct object that names a resource (money, time, energy, talent, effort) and carries a clearly negative judgement about how it was used. Sense 1 is about things thinning out; sense 2 is about a person wasting resources.

常見錯誤

❌She dissipated the cake at the party.
✅She finished off the cake at the party.
💡dissipate is not used of food being eaten; use it for money, time, or effort lost through bad choices.