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Dilate vs Dilapidate - What's the difference?

dilate | dilapidate |

As verbs the difference between dilate and dilapidate

is that dilate is to enlarge; to make bigger while dilapidate is to fall into ruin or disuse.

dilate

English

Verb

(dilat)
  • To enlarge; to make bigger.
    • The eye doctor put drops in my eye to dilate the pupil so he could see the nerve better.
  • To become wider or larger; to expand.
    • His heart dilates and glories in his strength.
  • (ambitransitive) To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge; with "on" or "upon".
  • * Shakespeare
    • Do me the favour to dilate at full / What hath befallen of them and thee till now.
  • * Crabbe
    • But still on their ancient joys dilate .

    Derived terms

    * dilatability * dilatable * dilation * dilative

    See also

    * dilute

    Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs ----

    dilapidate

    English

    Verb

    (dilapidat)
  • To fall into ruin or disuse.
  • To cause to become ruined or put into disrepair.
  • * Blackstone
    • If the bishop, parson, or vicar, etc., dilapidates the buildings, or cuts down the timber of the patrimony
  • * 1883 , , chapter VI
    • In the last days of autumn he had whitewashed the chalet, painted the doors, windows, and veranda, repaired the roof and interior, and improved the place so much that the landlord had warned him that the rent would be raised at the expiration of his twelvemonth's tenancy, remarking that a tenant could not reasonably expect to have a pretty, rain-tight dwelling-house for the same money as a hardly habitable ruin. Smilash had immediately promised to dilapidate it to its former state at the end of the year.
  • (figuratively) To squander or waste.
  • * Wood
    • The patrimony of the bishopric of Oxon was much dilapidated .

    Related terms

    * lapidate