1. 口授;口述;使听写
    If you dictate something, you say or read it aloud for someone else to write down.

    e.g. Sheldon writes every day of the week, dictating his novels in the morning...
           谢尔登一周 7 天都要写作，每天早上口述小说让别人记录。
    e.g. Everything he dictated was signed and sent out the same day.
           他口授的所有内容都签上名并在同一天寄出了。

2. 命令;发号施令;强行规定
    If someone dictates to someone else, they tell them what they should do or can do.

    e.g. He had warned the West against trying to dictate to the Soviet Union...
           他警告西方国家不要试图对苏联发号施令。
    e.g. What right has one country to dictate the environmental standards of another?...
           一个国家有什么权力强行给另一个国家制定环境标准？

3. 决定;支配;影响
    If one thing dictates another, the first thing causes or influences the second thing.

    e.g. The film's budget dictated a tough schedule...
           影片的预算决定了拍摄进度会很紧张。
    e.g. The way in which they dress is dictated by very rigid fashion rules...
           他们的着装受到时尚规则的严格限制。

4. （理智或常识）认为，告诉
    You say that reason or common sense dictates that a particular thing is the case when you believe strongly that it is the case and that reason or common sense will cause other people to agree.

    e.g. Commonsense now dictates that it would be wise to sell a few shares.
           现在，常识告诉我们卖掉一些股票是明智的。

5. 命令;指令
    A dictate is an order which you have to obey.

    e.g. Their job is to ensure that the dictates of the Party are followed.
           他们的工作就是确保党的指示得到执行。

6. 原则;规则;准则
    Dictates are principles or rules which you consider to be extremely important.

    e.g. We have followed the dictates of our consciences and have done our duty.
           我们遵从了自己的良知，尽到了自己的义务。