I. ˈdīət, usu -əd.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English diete, from Old French, from Latin diaeta prescribed dietary regimen, from Greek diaita, literally, manner of living, from diaitan to arbitrate, govern, lead one's life, from dia- + -aitan (akin to Greek aisa destiny, share) — more at etiology
1.
a. : food and drink regularly provided or consumed
a diet of simple country dishes
the rough diet of the ox
an occasional change of diet
b. : habitual course of feeding
a predominantly meat diet is rich in protein
c. : a prescribed course or allowance of food especially when restricted in kind or quantity as a health or punitive measure
the monotonous prison diet
a low-calory diet
you must stick to your diet
d. archaic : an allowance for board : board
2.
a. obsolete : habitual course of life ; often : way of thinking : cast of mind
b. : anything provided especially habitually for use, consideration, or enjoyment
we had that summer an unforgettable diet of classic music
too steady a diet of swimming, tennis, and other sports was both tiring and boring
3. archaic : money allowed (as to officials) for living expenses
4. : a sample of metal cut or scraped from plate for assay at the British mint
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English dieten, from Middle French dieter, from diete
transitive verb
1. : to cause to take food : feed : provide for consumption
2. : to cause to eat and drink according to prescribed rules : regulate the food of ; often : to cause to eat sparingly
3. archaic : to provide with meals : board
intransitive verb
: to eat according to prescribed rules ; often : to eat sparingly
she said she dieted but she didn't lose a pound
the Lenten fast is often an occasion for many to diet seriously
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English dyet, from Medieval Latin dieta, from Latin dies day — more at deity
1. archaic , chiefly Scotland
a. : a day's journey
b. : the itinerary of a journey : journey
2. Scotland
a. : a day set for an event (as a meeting) ; specifically : the day on which a person is cited to appear in court
b. : a session or sitting of a court or assembly
3.
a. archaic : a formal conference of notables meeting to attend to affairs of the realm
b.
(1) : a formal public assembly especially of the estates or governing body of a realm or of a confederation ; specifically : one of the great formal assemblies of councillors of the Holy Roman Empire
the Diet of Worms condemned Luther as a heretic
the Diet of Augsburg of 1530
(2) : the estates or members participating in such a diet
c. : a legislative assembly : the national parliament or provincial legislature of a state (as Denmark, Germany, Japan, Paraguay)