0 to give orders, or tell someone exactly what they must do, with total authority: --
[ + that ] I wanted to take a year off, but my financial situation dictated that I got a job.
The party's change of policy has been dictated by its need to win back younger voters.
[ + that ] The rules dictate that only running shoes must be worn on the track.
[ + question word ] He disagrees with the government dictating what children are taught in schools.
The UN will dictate the terms of troop withdrawal from the region.
1 to speak something aloud for a person or machine to record what is said, so that it can be written down: --
2 an order that should be obeyed, often one that you give to yourself: --
the dictates of conscience/common sense
3 to give orders, or state something with total authority: --
The characteristics of the land dictate much of what can be built.
[ + question word ] Tennis club rules dictate what kind of footwear may be worn on the courts.
4 to say something aloud for another person or for a machine to record, so that your words can be prepared in writing for use in business or a legal case: --
5 to speak something aloud for a person or machine to record, so that what is said can be written down: --
In general, their geographical location dictated the type of service offered.
The sample was broken down into five age categories which were dictated by available data for the population at large.
However, the need for these rule types are primarily dictated by the restrictions that we have placed on the pointwise rule.
The norms of security dictated that these visits be conducted by more than one person.
Inasmuch as fairness dictates that our laws not exceed our abilities, it precludes the direct legislation of virtuous motivations.
Thus, (43c) and (43d) are instances of the same process, with the collapse able to proceed further in (43c), as dictated by recoverability.
The sur face current density is dictated by the boundary conditions on the sur face of the plume slab.
The portfolio of chemokines produced dictates which cell types are recruited locally, culminating in either resistance or susceptibility to infection.
