Diffuse means to spread out.
What Does Diffuse Mean?
The word "diffuse" means to pour or to cause to spread out or scatter. It means also to soften or to make less brilliant.
It is a word taken from the Middle English "dispersed" which can be traced back to the Latin "diffuses" which means "to pour" or "to spread".
As a verb diffuse can be used to mean circulate, disseminate, distribute, stew, radiate, scatter and disperse while as an adjective it is used to refer to a large number of words being used. In this latter way it can mean long-winded, prolix, verbose, wordy, pleonastic and periphrastic.
The antonyms of the word include compressed, confined, restricted, limited, compact, brief, short, abridged etc.
There is another queer way in which this word is used. When referring to a bomb or an explosive situation (not necessarily related to explosives) "defuse" is used in the sense of bringing order, calming down or gaining control of the situation. For instance "the rebels met and a possible dangerous situation was defused".
It is a word taken from the Middle English "dispersed" which can be traced back to the Latin "diffuses" which means "to pour" or "to spread".
As a verb diffuse can be used to mean circulate, disseminate, distribute, stew, radiate, scatter and disperse while as an adjective it is used to refer to a large number of words being used. In this latter way it can mean long-winded, prolix, verbose, wordy, pleonastic and periphrastic.
The antonyms of the word include compressed, confined, restricted, limited, compact, brief, short, abridged etc.
There is another queer way in which this word is used. When referring to a bomb or an explosive situation (not necessarily related to explosives) "defuse" is used in the sense of bringing order, calming down or gaining control of the situation. For instance "the rebels met and a possible dangerous situation was defused".