I. də̇ˈfyüs adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French difus scattered, spread out, from Latin diffusus, past participle of diffundere to spread out, pour out, scatter, from dif- (from dis- ) + fundere to pour — more at found
1. obsolete
a. : confused
b. : hard to understand : difficult
2. : poured or spread out : widespread : not concentrated or restrained : copious , full
3. : verbose , prolix
a diffuse writer
4. : spreading widely or loosely
diffuse branches
5. : not localized : scattered
diffuse sclerosis
6. : moving in many directions
diffuse radiation
7. : having the whole chorionic surface studded with villi
whales and horses have diffuse placentas
Synonyms: see wordy
II. də̇ˈfyüz sometimes dīˈ- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French diffuser, from Latin diffusus, past participle
transitive verb
1.
a. : to pour out and permit or cause to spread freely (as a fluid out of a container)
a drop of dye diffused through water
gas being diffused through the air
: spread out : permit to spread over a wide area or through a large space
the all-pervasive spirit of sweetness and light diffused through the universe — V.L.Parrington
b. : to make widely perceptible, known, or familiar : send out : extend , scatter , broadcast
in place of the present chaos universities must again diffuse a definite culture — Walter Moberly
c. : to spread out into many areas, spheres, agencies, and activities often with consequent reduced concentration or effectiveness
a state in which power is concentrated will … be more bellicose than one in which power is diffused — Bertrand Russell
it is like dynamite exploded in the open. Its force is diffused by going in all directions — Saturday Review
2. : to subject (as a light beam) to diffusion : treat by diffusion
3. : to break up and distribute (incident light) by reflection (as from a rough surface)
intransitive verb
1. : to spread out : pass or become transmitted often with slow tingeing or permeation
culture traits are able to diffuse apart from the migration of peoples — Brewton Berry
2. : to undergo diffusion
a gas in solution diffuses from a region of greater to one of less concentration
Synonyms: see spread