Both Uses of
dilate
in
Great Expectations
- This dilated until it filled the room, and impelled me to take a candle and go in and look at my dreadful burden.†
p. 344.9 *dilated = wider than normal (bigger); or became wider
- But, above all, I knew that there was a constant tendency in all these people,—who, when I was very ill, would present all kinds of extraordinary transformations of the human face, and would be much dilated in size,—above all, I say, I knew that there was an extraordinary tendency in all these people, sooner or later, to settle down into the likeness of Joe.†
p. 493.3
Definitions:
-
(1)
(dilate as in: dilated eyes) become wider (bigger)
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely, dilate can mean to add details, as to an account or idea; clarify the meaning of and discourse in a learned way, usually in writing.