Library / English Dictionary

DISSIPATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly

Example:

mindless dissipation of natural resources

Synonyms:

dissipation; waste; wastefulness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("dissipation" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dissipation"):

boondoggle (work of little or no value done merely to look busy)

waste of effort; waste of energy (a useless effort)

waste of material (a useless consumption of material)

waste of money (money spent for inadequate return)

waste of time (the devotion of time to a useless activity)

extravagance; high life; highlife; lavishness; prodigality (excessive spending)

squandering (spending resources lavishly and wastefully)

Derivation:

dissipate (spend frivolously and unwisely)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure

Synonyms:

dissipation; dissolution; licentiousness; looseness; profligacy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("dissipation" is a kind of...):

intemperance; intemperateness; self-indulgence (excess in action and immoderate indulgence of bodily appetites, especially in passion or indulgence)

Derivation:

dissipate (live a life of pleasure, especially with respect to alcoholic consumption)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Breaking up and scattering by dispersion

Example:

the dissipation of the mist

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("dissipation" is a kind of...):

dispersion; scattering (spreading widely or driving off)

Derivation:

dissipate (move away from each other)

dissipate (to cause to separate and go in different directions)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Her thoughts were silently fixed on the irreparable injury which too early an independence and its consequent habits of idleness, dissipation, and luxury, had made in the mind, the character, the happiness, of a man who, to every advantage of person and talents, united a disposition naturally open and honest, and a feeling, affectionate temper.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I tried dissipation—never debauchery: that I hated, and hate.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

This St. John opposed; he said I did not want dissipation, I wanted employment; my present life was too purposeless, I required an aim; and, I suppose, by way of supplying deficiencies, he prolonged still further my lessons in Hindostanee, and grew more urgent in requiring their accomplishment: and I, like a fool, never thought of resisting him—I could not resist him.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Then take my word for it,—I am not a villain: you are not to suppose that—not to attribute to me any such bad eminence; but, owing, I verily believe, rather to circumstances than to my natural bent, I am a trite commonplace sinner, hackneyed in all the poor petty dissipations with which the rich and worthless try to put on life.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)