diffuse — Dictionnaire anglais

Verbe

1. To spread (something) over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.

   Usage

   • transitif

   Exemples

   The small window diffuses light throughout the room.

   Ideas are easily diffused with the help of technology.

   Plus d’exemples (1)

   We do not know by whom the insufficiency of the year of 365 days was first discovered; we find this knowledge diffused among all civilized nations, and various artifices used in making the correction.

2. To be spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.

   Usage

   • intransitif

   Exemples

   Food coloring diffuses in water.

   The riot diffused quite suddenly.

Adjectif

1. Everywhere or throughout everything; not focused or concentrated.

   Exemples

   Such a diffuse effort is unlikely to produce good results.

   diffuse activity of the prefrontal cortex

2. Wordy; verbose.

   Exemples

   Plus d’exemples (2)

   '[…] A short account of myself, I believe, will be necessary, and it shall be a short one. On such a subject,' sighing heavily, 'I can have little temptation to be diffuse.'

   An author who produced over fifty books and innumerable articles on all kinds of subjects could not be a philosopher of the first rank. He was also a bad writer: his principal work is diffuse, chaotic, vague, and repetitive.

Adjectif

1. spread out; not concentrated in one place

   Exemples

   a large diffuse organization

2. (of light) transmitted from a broad light source or reflected

   Synonymes

   softdiffused

3. lacking conciseness

   Exemples

   a diffuse historical novel

Verbe

1. move outward

   Synonymes

   spreadspread outfan out

   Termes génériques

   spreaddistribute

   Exemples

   The soldiers fanned out

2. spread or diffuse through

   Synonymes

   permeatepervadepenetrateinterpenetrateimbueriddle

   Termes génériques

   penetrateperforate

   Exemples

   An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration

   music penetrated the entire building

   Plus d’exemples (1)

   His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks

3. cause to become widely known

   Synonymes

   circulatecircularizecircularisedistributedisseminatepropagatebroadcastspreaddispersepass around

   Termes génériques

   publicizepubliciseairbare

   Exemples

   spread information

   circulate a rumor

   Plus d’exemples (1)

   broadcast the news