dilute
/dai'lju:t/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb:
- To make a liquid thinner or weaker by adding another substance, especially water.
- To reduce the strength, force, purity, or effectiveness of something.
Adjective:
- Describing a liquid that has been made thinner or weaker by the addition of another substance.
- Describing something that has been reduced in strength, force, or purity.
Usage Examples
Verb:
- Please dilute the orange juice with some water; it's too strong.
- Adding too many new members could dilute the team's original vision.
- The company's brand value was diluted by launching too many low-quality products.
Adjective:
- For cleaning, use a dilute solution of bleach and water.
- The paint color was a dilute shade of blue, almost grey.
Advanced Usage
"to dilute oneself": (Figurative) To overextend one's efforts or attention across too many areas, reducing overall effectiveness.
- By trying to be an expert in marketing, finance, and design, he risked diluting himself.
"dilute the message": (Figurative) To make a communication less powerful or clear by adding unnecessary or conflicting information.
- The advertisement had too many details, which diluted the message about the product's main benefit.
Variants and Related Words
Dilution (n): The action of making something weaker or less concentrated, or the state of being diluted.
- The dilution of the acid made it safe to handle.
- Shareholders were concerned about the dilution of their ownership stake.
Diluted (adj): The past participle form, commonly used as an adjective meaning "made dilute."
- The report was a diluted version of the original, with all controversial opinions removed.
Synonyms
- Verb: Thin, water down, weaken, reduce, attenuate, adulterate.
- Adjective: Weak, watered-down, thin, reduced, attenuated.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- "to water down": (Often used interchangeably with 'dilute') To dilute a liquid; to make an idea, proposal, or regulation less forceful or severe.
- The original reform bill was watered down after intense political debate.
Related Idioms
- "Dilute the pool": (Business/Management) To lower the overall quality or skill level of a group by adding less qualified members.
- Hiring too quickly just to fill positions can dilute the talent pool.
Adjective
- reduced in strength or concentration or quality or purity
- diluted alcohol
- a dilute solution
- dilute acetic acid
Verb
- corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
- adulterate liquor
- lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture
- cut bourbon