"dictate" in the noun sense
1. dictate
an authoritative rule
2. dictate
a guiding principle
"the dictates of reason"
"dictate" in the verb sense
1. order, prescribe, dictate
issue commands or orders for
2. dictate
say out loud for the purpose of recording
"He dictated a report to his secretary"
3. dictate
rule as a dictator
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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