n. [ Cf. F. dilatabilité. ] The quality of being dilatable, or admitting expansion; -- opposed to contractibility. Ray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. dilatable. ] Capable of expansion; that may be dilated; -- opposed to contractible; as, the lungs are dilatable by the force of air; air is dilatable by heat. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. dilatacioun, F. dilatation, L. dilatatio, fr. dilatare. See Dilate, and cf. 2d Dilation. ] 1. Prolixity; diffuse discourse. [ Obs. ] “What needeth greater dilatation?” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of dilating; expansion; an enlarging on al&unr_; sides; the state of being dilated; dilation. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Anat.) A dilation or enlargement of a canal or other organ. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ NL. Cf. L. dilatator a propagator. ] (Anat.) A muscle which dilates any part; a dilator. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dilated p. pr. & vb. n. Dilating ] [ L. dilatare; either fr. di- = dis- + latus wide, not the same word as latus, used as p. p. of ferre to bear (see Latitude); or fr. dilatus, used as p. p. of differre to separate (see Delay, Tolerate, Differ, and cf. Dilatory): cf. F. dilater. ] 1. To expand; to distend; to enlarge or extend in all directions; to swell; -- opposed to contract; as, the air dilates the lungs; air is dilated by increase of heat. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To enlarge upon; to relate at large; to tell copiously or diffusely. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Do me the favor to dilate at full
What hath befallen of them and thee till now. Shak.

Syn. -- To expand; swell; distend; enlarge; spread out; amplify; expatiate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To grow wide; to expand; to swell or extend in all directions. [ 1913 Webster ]

His heart dilates and glories in his strength. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To speak largely and copiously; to dwell in narration; to enlarge; -- with on or upon. [ 1913 Webster ]

But still on their ancient joys dilate. Crabbe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Extensive; expanded. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Expanded; enlarged. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Widening into a lamina or into lateral winglike appendages. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) Having the margin wide and spreading. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a dilated manner. Feltham. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, dilates, expands, or enlarges. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. dilatio. See Dilatory. ] Delay. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From dilate, v., cf. Dilatation, Dilator. ] The act of dilating, or the state of being dilated; expansion; dilatation. Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

At first her eye with slow dilation rolled. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

A gigantic dilation of the hateful figure. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Causing dilation; tending to dilate, on enlarge; expansive. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dilate + -meter. ] (Physiol.) An instrument for measuring the dilatation or expansion of a substance, especially of a fluid. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Dilate. ] 1. One who, or that which, widens or expands. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A muscle that dilates any part. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Med.) An instrument for expanding a part; as, a urethral dilator. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With delay; tardily. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being dilatory; lateness; slowness; tardiness; sluggishness. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. dilatorius, fr. dilator a delayer, fr. dilatus, used as p. p. of differe to defer, delay: cf. F. dilatoire. See Dilate, Differ, Defer. ] 1. Inclined to defer or put off what ought to be done at once; given the procrastination; delaying; procrastinating; loitering; as, a dilatory servant. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Marked by procrastination or delay; tardy; slow; sluggish; -- said of actions or measures. [ 1913 Webster ]

Alva, as usual, brought his dilatory policy to bear upon his adversary. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dilatory plea (Law), a plea designed to create delay in the trial of a cause, generally founded upon some matter not connected with the merits of the case.

Syn. -- Slow; delaying; sluggish; inactive; loitering; behindhand; backward; procrastinating. See Slow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not dilatory. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Partially dilated. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. vas a vessel + dilator. ] (Physiol.) Causing dilation or relaxation of the blood vessels; as, the vasodilator nerves, stimulation of which causes dilation of the blood vessels to which they go. These nerves are also called vaso-inhibitory, and vasohypotonic nerves, since their stimulation causes relaxation and rest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. vas a vessel + dilator. ] (Medicine & Physiology) A substance which causes dilation of blood vessels. [ PJC ]