v. dif·fused, dif·fus·ing, dif·fus·es v.tr. 1. To cause to spread out freely: smoke that is diffused throughout the room. 2. To make known to or cause to be used by large numbers of people; disseminate: diffuses ideas over the internet. 3. To make less brilliant; soften: light that is diffused through frosted glass. 4. To make less intense; weaken: a remark that diffused the tension in the interview. 5. Physics To cause to undergo diffusion. v.intr. 1. To become widely dispersed; spread out: The hormone diffuses throughout the body. 2. Physics To undergo diffusion. adj. (dĭ-fys) 1. Widely spread or scattered; not concentrated: Diffuse light is often hard to read by. [From Middle English, dispersed, from Anglo-Norman diffus, from Latin diffūsus, past participle of diffundere, to spread : dis-, out, apart; see DIS- + fundere, to pour; see gheu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] dif·fusely (-fyslē) adv. dif·fuseness (-fysnĭs) n. |
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