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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary dif·fuse
ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Latin diffusus, past participle of diffundere to spread out, from dis- + fundere to pour — more at found DATE 15th century 1. being at once verbose and ill-organized 2. not concentrated or localized diffuse sclerosis diffuse lighting Synonyms: see wordy • dif·fuse·ly adverb • dif·fuse·ness noun
(dif·fused ; dif·fus·ing) ETYMOLOGY Middle English diffused, past participle, from Latin diffusus, past participle DATE 14th century transitive verb 1. a. to pour out and permit or cause to spread freely b. extend , scatter c. to spread thinly or wastefully 2. to subject to diffusion; especially : to break up and distribute (incident light) by reflection intransitive verb 1. to spread out or become transmitted especially by contact 2. to undergo diffusion English Etymology diffuse diffuse (v.) 1520s (trans.), 1650s (intrans.), from L. diffus-, pp.stem of diffundere "to pour out or away" (see diffusion). Related: Diffused; diffusing. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 diffuse dif·fuse adjective/ di5fju:s / 1. spread over a wide area 弥漫的；扩散的；漫射的: diffuse light 漫射光 a diffuse community 松散的社团组织 2. not clear or easy to understand; using a lot of words 不清楚的；难解的；冗长的；罗嗦的: a diffuse style of writing 冗赘的文体 • dif·fuse·ly adv. • dif·fuse·ness noun [U] verb/ di5fju:z / 1. (formal) to spread sth or become spread widely in all directions 传播；普及；使分散；散布: ▪ [VN] The problem is how to diffuse power without creating anarchy. 问题在于如何将权力分散而不造成无政府状态。 ▪ [V] Technologies diffuse rapidly. 技术普及非常快。 2. [V VN] (technical 术语) if a gas or liquid diffuses or is diffused in a substance, it becomes slowly mixed with that substance (使气体或液体)扩散,弥漫,渗透 3. [VN] (formal) to make light shine less brightly by spreading it in many directions (使光)模糊,漫射,漫散: The moon was fuller than the night before, but the light was diffused by cloud. 月亮比头一天晚上更圆,但因云层遮掩而月光朦胧。 • dif·fu·sion / di5fju:Vn / noun [U] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition adj. Function: verb 1 Synonyms: SPREAD 1, circulate, disperse, disseminate, distribute, propagate, radiate, strew Related Words: extend; expand Contrasted Words: compact, consolidate; center, centralize, focus Antonyms: concentrate 2 Synonyms: INTERFUSE 2, infuse, interlard, intersow, intersperse, intersprinkleadj. Function: adjective Synonyms: WORDY , long-winded, palaverous, prolix, redundant, verbose, windy Related Words: exuberant, lavish, profuse; casual, desultory, random; lax, loose, slack; lengthy, long Contrasted Words: concentrated; condensed Antonyms: succinct Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged Search result show the entry is found in: diffuse nebula , or diffuse placenta , or diffuse-porous dif·fuse I. \də̇ˈfyüs\ adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French difus scattered, spread out, from Latin diffusus, past participle of diffundere to spread out, pour out, scatter, from dif- (from dis-) + fundere to pour — more at found 1. obsolete a. : confused b. : hard to understand : difficult 2. : poured or spread out : widespread : not concentrated or restrained : copious , full 3. : verbose , prolix < a diffuse writer > 4. : spreading widely or loosely < diffuse branches > 5. : not localized : scattered < diffuse sclerosis > 6. : moving in many directions < diffuse radiation > 7. : having the whole chorionic surface studded with villi < whales and horses have diffuse placentas > Synonyms: see wordy II. \də̇ˈfyüz sometimes dīˈ-\ verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French diffuser, from Latin diffusus, past participle transitive verb 1. a. : to pour out and permit or cause to spread freely (as a fluid out of a container) < a drop of dye diffused through water > < gas being diffused through the air > : spread out : permit to spread over a wide area or through a large space < the all-pervasive spirit of sweetness and light diffused through the universe — V.L.Parrington > b. : to make widely perceptible, known, or familiar : send out : extend , scatter , broadcast < in place of the present chaos universities must again diffuse a definite culture — Walter Moberly > c. : to spread out into many areas, spheres, agencies, and activities often with consequent reduced concentration or effectiveness < a state in which power is concentrated will … be more bellicose than one in which power is diffused — Bertrand Russell > < it is like dynamite exploded in the open. Its force is diffused by going in all directions — Saturday Review > 2. : to subject (as a light beam) to diffusion : treat by diffusion 3. : to break up and distribute (incident light) by reflection (as from a rough surface) intransitive verb 1. : to spread out : pass or become transmitted often with slow tingeing or permeation < culture traits are able to diffuse apart from the migration of peoples — Brewton Berry > 2. : to undergo diffusion < a gas in solution diffuses from a region of greater to one of less concentration > Synonyms: see spread |
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