dilation
/dɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n
/ /dʌɪˈleɪʃ(ə)n /noun [mass noun]
1chiefly Physiology The action or condition of becoming or being made wider, larger, or more open: nitric oxide causes dilation of the blood vessels dilation of the pupils of the eye...
- Expansion of the brachial pathway indicates dilation is occurring in the coronary arteries that supply the heart.
- A relaxation of cervical smooth muscle facilitates dilation.
- If dilation is not performed carefully the results may be disastrous.
2 (dilation on) The action of speaking or writing at length on (a subject): the main editorial involved no dilation on the privileges or responsibilities of citizenship [count noun]: dilations on Alpha Male psychology aren’t overdone...
- The channel aired clips of his endless dilation, in which he prefaced his questions with two or three minutes of dependent clauses before getting lost.
- The editorial involved no dilation on the privileges or responsibilities of citizenship or the significance and greatness of our history.
- When dilations on the nature of truth appear, the book begins to feel like a solid magazine piece stretched thin.
