dictate

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dictate utter aloud (something to be written down); lay down authoritatively. XVII. f. dictāt-, pp. stem of L. dictāre pronounce, prescribe, f. dīcere say (see DICTION).
So dictate sb. XVI. — L. dictātum, sb. use of n. pp. of dictāre. dictation XVII. — late L. dictator XIV. — L.

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