0 present participle of dictate --
1 to give orders, or tell someone exactly what they must do, with total authority: --
The UN will dictate the terms of troop withdrawal from the region.
[ + question word ] He disagrees with the government dictating what children are taught in schools.
[ + that ] The rules dictate that only running shoes must be worn on the track.
The party's change of policy has been dictated by its need to win back younger voters.
[ + that ] I wanted to take a year off, but my financial situation dictated that I got a job.
2 to speak something aloud for a person or machine to record what is said, so that it can be written down: --
We can complete it step by step however long the road is and it can't be completed however short the road is if you don't even mark your footprint.
Vi kan slutföra det steg för steg hur lång vägen än är och den kan inte slutföras hur kort vägen än är om du inte ens markerar ditt fotavtryck.