I. di ‧ lute 1 /daɪˈluːt $ dɪˈluːt, daɪ-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: dilutus , past participle of diluere 'to wash away' ]
1 . to make a liquid weaker by adding water or another liquid ⇨ water down :
diluted fruit juice
dilute something with/in something
Dilute the paint with a little oil.
2 . to make a quality, belief etc weaker or less effective SYN water down :
an attempt to dilute the proposals
—dilution /daɪˈluːʃ ə n/ noun [uncountable and countable] :
Any dilution of standards must be resisted.
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THESAURUS
■ to mix foods, liquids etc
▪ mix to put different substances or liquids together so that they can no longer be separated:
Mix yellow and blue paint to make green.
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This cake is really easy – you just mix everything together in the bowl.
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Concrete is made by mixing gravel with sand, cement, and water.
▪ combine to mix things together so that they form a single substance. Combine is more formal than mix :
Combine the flour and the eggs.
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Steel is produced by combining iron with carbon.
▪ stir to move a spoon or stick around in a liquid, a pan etc, especially when you are mixing things together:
Keep stirring until the sauce becomes thicker.
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Stir the sugar into the warm milk.
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Stir the paint before you use it.
▪ blend to mix together soft or liquid substances to form a single smooth substance:
Blend the yogurt with fresh fruit for a great drink.
▪ beat to mix food together quickly and thoroughly using a fork or kitchen tool – used especially about eggs:
Beat the eggs and add them to the milk and flour.
▪ whisk to mix foods that are soft or liquid very quickly so that air is mixed in, using a fork or special tool:
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.
▪ dilute to mix a liquid with water in order to make it weaker:
Dilute the bleach with two parts water to one part bleach.
II. di ‧ lute 2 BrE AmE adjective
a dilute liquid has been made weaker by the addition of water or another liquid OPP concentrated :
dilute hydrochloric acid