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Webster 1913 Edition


Dissipation

Disˊsi-pa′tion

(dĭsˊsĭ-pā′shŭn)
,
Noun.
[L.
dissipatio
: cf. F.
dissipation
.]
1.
The act of dissipating or dispersing; a state of dispersion or separation; dispersion; waste.
Without loss or
dissipation
of the matter.
Bacon.
The famous
dissipation
of mankind.
Sir M. Hale.
2.
A dissolute course of life, in which health, money, etc., are squandered in pursuit of pleasure; profuseness in vicious indulgence, as late hours, riotous living, etc.; dissoluteness.
To reclaim the spendthrift from his
dissipation
and extravagance.
P. Henry.
3.
A trifle which wastes time or distracts attention.
Prevented from finishing them [the letters] a thousand avocations and
dissipations
.
Swift.
Dissipation of energy
.
Same as
Degradation of energy
, under
Degradation
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Dissipation

DISSIPATION

,
Noun.
1.
The act of scattering; dispersion; the state of being dispersed; as the dissipation of vapor or heat.
2.
In physics, the insensible loss or waste of the minute parts of a body, which fly off, by which means the body is diminished or consumed.
3.
Scattered attention; or that which diverts and calls off the mind from any subject.
4.
A dissolute, irregular course of life; a wandering from object to object in pursuit of pleasure; a course of life usually attended with careless and exorbitant expenditure of money, and indulgence in vices, which impair or ruin both health and fortune.
What! Is it proposed then to reclaim the spendthrift from his dissipation and extravagance, by filling his pockets with money?

Definition 2024


dissipation

dissipation

English

Noun

dissipation (countable and uncountable, plural dissipations)

  1. The act of dissipating or dispersing; a state of dispersion or separation; dispersion; waste.
    • Francis Bacon
      without loss or dissipation of the matter
    • Sir M. Hale
      the famous dissipation of mankind
  2. A dissolute course of life, in which health, money, etc., are squandered in pursuit of pleasure; profuseness in immoral indulgence, as late hours, riotous living, etc.; dissoluteness.
    • P. Henry
      to reclaim the spendthrift from his dissipation and extravagance
    • 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:
      “… This is a surprise attack, and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape. I am sure, Lord Stranleigh, that he has been descanting on the distraction of the woods and the camp, or perhaps the metropolitan dissipation of Philadelphia, …”
  3. A trifle which wastes time or distracts attention.
    • Jonathan Swift
      Prevented from finishing them [the letters] a thousand avocations and dissipations.
  4. (physics) A loss of energy, usually as heat, from a dynamic system

Translations


French

Etymology

From dissiper + -tion

Noun

dissipation f (plural dissipations)

  1. clearing, dissipation, disappearance