"Absorb what is useful" and the automotive metaphor

Gerry Seymour

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can you show me a dictionary defintion of dissipate that agrees with your defintion, if not your defintion is specific to you.
false. Doesn't mean a lie, it just means not factual, fact and fiction. You are clearly not lying in your bumbling attempts to explain physics, its just broscience were myths and falsehoods are passed on by well meaning but inept commentators
First definition at dictionary.com:
verb (used with object), dissipated, dissipating.
1.
to scatter in various directions; disperse; dispel.
 

JP3

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First definition at dictionary.com:
Point.

GSeymour 30, Jobo 15.

I saw that one coming. Jobo, some words have more meanings than you might think. I knew that one, and Gerry was right. I didn't know it would show up as literally the First explanatory definition though. That smarts.
 

jobo

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First definition at dictionary.com:
so in the scenario where you move away from a kick, are you claim that it causes the force from the kick to scatter in various directions, if not, it doesn't fit that defintion
 
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jobo

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Point.

GSeymour 30, Jobo 15.

I saw that one coming. Jobo, some words have more meanings than you might think. I knew that one, and Gerry was right. I didn't know it would show up as literally the First explanatory definition though. That smarts.

I'm aware there are other uses of the word, unfortunately those don't fit his use of the word either, so it was a little trap I set for him.
so that's two defintions now that don't fit, I wonder how many more he will try
 

Gerry Seymour

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so in the scenario where you move away from a kick, are you claim that it causes the force from the kick to scatter in various directions, if not, it doesn't fit that defintion
It scatters (transitive verb) the force of the kick. Some is lost in the over-extension. Some is lost in the movement of the body, as it reduces the relative speed at impact (or, in the force equation, reduces the rate of acceleration/deceleration). Far less is transferred into impact.

Now, since you're the only one who seems to find a standard usage of the term confusing, we are done with this pedantic nit-picking.
 

jobo

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It scatters (transitive verb) the force of the kick. Some is lost in the over-extension. Some is lost in the movement of the body, as it reduces the relative speed at impact (or, in the force equation, reduces the rate of acceleration/deceleration). Far less is transferred into impact.

Now, since you're the only one who seems to find a standard usage of the term confusing, we are done with this pedantic nit-picking.
your now trying to insert the word loss in to the debate, that is probably the word you should have used in the first place. There are indeed losses, in the way you describe, but that's now the same as saying the energy is scattered in various directions, which is the defintion you supplied. Are you sure you don't want to try again, this is fun
 

Steve

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What's the end game here, guys? I don't get it. in the interest of moving this to some kind of resolution, here is a comprehensive list of definitions from dissipate - Memidex dictionary/thesaurus, including etymology:
dissipate
verb
  1. (divide) to cause to separate and go in different directions
    Synonyms: break up, dispel, disperse, scatter. Type of: separate
  2. (part) to move away from each other
    Synonyms: disperse, scatter, spread out. Type of: separate
  3. (consume) to spend frivolously and unwisely
    Synonyms: fool, fool away, fritter, fritter away, frivol away, shoot. Type of: consume. Followed by:...
  4. (live) to live a life of pleasure, especially with respect to alcoholic consumption
    Type of: live
Etymology summary
Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare "to spread abroad, scatter,...
(Source: Online Etymology) [more]

Definition references
Wikipedia:
Dissipation
the result of irreversible processes that take place in inhomogeneous thermodynamic systems. A dissipative process is a process in which energy is transformed from some initial form to some final form; the capacity of the final form to do mechanical... (40 of 670 words)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissipation [cite]

Collins Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipater [derived] | dissipator [noun, derived]
to exhaust or be exhausted by dispersion | [transitive] to scatter or break up | [intransitive] to indulge in the pursuit of pleasure (21 of 492 words, 3 definitions, 9 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dissipate [cite]

Merriam-Webster:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | clear out [synonym, sense-specific] | disband [synonym, sense-specific] | dispel [synonym, sense-specific] | disperse [synonym, sense-specific] | scatter [synonym, sense-specific] | squander [synonym, sense-specific] | ...
to break up and drive off (as a crowd) ; to cause to spread thin or scatter and gradually vanish ; to lose (as heat or electricity) irrecoverably | to ... (29 of 188 words, 4 definitions, 4 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissipate [cite]

Oxford Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipative [derived] | dissipator [derived]
(with reference to a feeling or emotion) disappear or cause to disappear | disperse or scatter | waste or fritter away (money, energy, or resources) | ... (23 of 124 words, 4 definitions, 5 usage examples, pronunciation)

oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/dissipate [cite]

American Heritage Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present] | dissipater [noun, related] | dissipator [noun, related] | dissipative [adjective, related]
To drive away; disperse. | To attenuate to or almost to the point of disappearing | To spend or expend intemperately or wastefully; squander. | To use ... (24 of 94 words, 7 definitions, 3 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

New World Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipater [related] | dissipative [adjective, related]
to break up and scatter; dispel; disperse | to drive completely away; make disappear | to waste or squander | to be dissipated; disperse or vanish | ... (23 of 84 words, 5 definitions, pronunciation)

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Macmillan British Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
[intransitive/transitive] to gradually disappear by becoming less strong, or to make something do this | [transitive] to waste something such as time, ... (21 of 78 words, 2 definitions, 2 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

Random House Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle]
to scatter in various directions; disperse; dispel. | to spend or use wastefully or extravagantly; squander; deplete. | to become scattered or ... (20 of 63 words, 4 definitions, 2 usage examples, pronunciation)

dictionary.infoplease.com/dissipate [cite]

Cambridge Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipation [noun, formal, derived]
to (cause to) gradually disappear or waste (7 of 33 words, 2 usage examples, pronunciations)

dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

Wiktionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
To drive away, disperse. | To use up or waste. | To vanish by dispersion. (13 of 25 words, 3 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciation)

en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dissipate [cite]

Encarta Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
to fade or disappear, or make something do this | to spend or use something wastefully (15 of 70 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation)

encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861605410/definition.html [offline]

Etymology references
Online Etymology:
dissipate
First use: early 15th century

Origin: Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare "to spread abroad, scatter, disperse; squander, disintegrate", from dis- "apart" + ... (20 of 42 etymology words)

www.etymonline.com/index.php term=dissipate [cite]

New World Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle]
Origin: Middle English dissipaten from Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, to scatter from dis-, apart + ... (16 of 31 etymology words)

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Wiktionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Origin: Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, also written dissupare ("to scatter, disperse, demolish, destroy, squander, dissipate"), from dis- ("apart") + supare ("to throw"), also in comp. insipare... (27 of 29 etymology words)

en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dissipate [cite]

Oxford Dictionary:
dissipate
Origin: late Middle English: from Latin dissipat- "scattered", from the verb dissipare, from dis- "apart, widely" + supare "to throw"

oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/dissipate [cite]

Merriam-Webster:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle]
First use: 15th century

Origin: Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, dissupare, from dis- + supare to throw

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissipate [cite]

Collins Dictionary:
dissipate
First use: 15th century

Origin: from Latin dissipāre to disperse, from dis-1 + supāre to throw

www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dissipate [cite]

American Heritage Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Origin: Middle English dissipaten, from Latin dissipāre, dissipāt-.

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Encarta Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
First use: 15th century

Origin: Latin dissipat-, past participle of dissipare "scatter around"

encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861605410/definition.html [offline]

Audio references
Collins Dictionary:
dissipate
Audio: North American English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dissipate [cite]

Macmillan British Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Audio: British English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

Macmillan American Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Audio: North American pronunciation of "dissipate" www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/dissipate [cite]

Cambridge Dictionary:
dissipate [formal]
Audio 1: British English pronunuciation of "dissipate" dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

the Free Dictionary:
dissipate
Audio 1: North American English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.thefreedictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Google Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Audio: English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.google.com/#hl=en&tbs=dfn:1&fp=1&q=dissipate [cite]

Merriam-Webster Pronunciation:
dissipate
Audio: North American pronunciation of "dissipate" www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php file=dissip01 word=dissipate [cite]

YourDictionary Audio:
dissipate
Audio: North American English pronunciation of "dissipate" by speech synthesizer www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]
 

Monkey Turned Wolf

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What's the end game here, guys? I don't get it. in the interest of moving this to some kind of resolution, here is a comprehensive list of definitions from dissipate - Memidex dictionary/thesaurus, including etymology:
dissipate
verb
  1. (divide) to cause to separate and go in different directions
    Synonyms: break up, dispel, disperse, scatter. Type of: separate
  2. (part) to move away from each other
    Synonyms: disperse, scatter, spread out. Type of: separate
  3. (consume) to spend frivolously and unwisely
    Synonyms: fool, fool away, fritter, fritter away, frivol away, shoot. Type of: consume. Followed by:...
  4. (live) to live a life of pleasure, especially with respect to alcoholic consumption
    Type of: live
Etymology summary
Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare "to spread abroad, scatter,...
(Source: Online Etymology) [more]

Definition references
Wikipedia:
Dissipation
the result of irreversible processes that take place in inhomogeneous thermodynamic systems. A dissipative process is a process in which energy is transformed from some initial form to some final form; the capacity of the final form to do mechanical... (40 of 670 words)

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissipation [cite]

Collins Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipater [derived] | dissipator [noun, derived]
to exhaust or be exhausted by dispersion | [transitive] to scatter or break up | [intransitive] to indulge in the pursuit of pleasure (21 of 492 words, 3 definitions, 9 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dissipate [cite]

Merriam-Webster:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | clear out [synonym, sense-specific] | disband [synonym, sense-specific] | dispel [synonym, sense-specific] | disperse [synonym, sense-specific] | scatter [synonym, sense-specific] | squander [synonym, sense-specific] | ...
to break up and drive off (as a crowd) ; to cause to spread thin or scatter and gradually vanish ; to lose (as heat or electricity) irrecoverably | to ... (29 of 188 words, 4 definitions, 4 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissipate [cite]

Oxford Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipative [derived] | dissipator [derived]
(with reference to a feeling or emotion) disappear or cause to disappear | disperse or scatter | waste or fritter away (money, energy, or resources) | ... (23 of 124 words, 4 definitions, 5 usage examples, pronunciation)

oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/dissipate [cite]

American Heritage Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present] | dissipater [noun, related] | dissipator [noun, related] | dissipative [adjective, related]
To drive away; disperse. | To attenuate to or almost to the point of disappearing | To spend or expend intemperately or wastefully; squander. | To use ... (24 of 94 words, 7 definitions, 3 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

New World Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipater [related] | dissipative [adjective, related]
to break up and scatter; dispel; disperse | to drive completely away; make disappear | to waste or squander | to be dissipated; disperse or vanish | ... (23 of 84 words, 5 definitions, pronunciation)

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Macmillan British Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
[intransitive/transitive] to gradually disappear by becoming less strong, or to make something do this | [transitive] to waste something such as time, ... (21 of 78 words, 2 definitions, 2 usage examples, pronunciation)

www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

Random House Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle]
to scatter in various directions; disperse; dispel. | to spend or use wastefully or extravagantly; squander; deplete. | to become scattered or ... (20 of 63 words, 4 definitions, 2 usage examples, pronunciation)

dictionary.infoplease.com/dissipate [cite]

Cambridge Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipation [noun, formal, derived]
to (cause to) gradually disappear or waste (7 of 33 words, 2 usage examples, pronunciations)

dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

Wiktionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
To drive away, disperse. | To use up or waste. | To vanish by dispersion. (13 of 25 words, 3 definitions, 1 usage example, pronunciation)

en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dissipate [cite]

Encarta Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
to fade or disappear, or make something do this | to spend or use something wastefully (15 of 70 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation)

encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861605410/definition.html [offline]

Etymology references
Online Etymology:
dissipate
First use: early 15th century

Origin: Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare "to spread abroad, scatter, disperse; squander, disintegrate", from dis- "apart" + ... (20 of 42 etymology words)

www.etymonline.com/index.php term=dissipate [cite]

New World Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle]
Origin: Middle English dissipaten from Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, to scatter from dis-, apart + ... (16 of 31 etymology words)

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Wiktionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Origin: Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, also written dissupare ("to scatter, disperse, demolish, destroy, squander, dissipate"), from dis- ("apart") + supare ("to throw"), also in comp. insipare... (27 of 29 etymology words)

en.wiktionary.org/wiki/dissipate [cite]

Oxford Dictionary:
dissipate
Origin: late Middle English: from Latin dissipat- "scattered", from the verb dissipare, from dis- "apart, widely" + supare "to throw"

oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/dissipate [cite]

Merriam-Webster:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle]
First use: 15th century

Origin: Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, dissupare, from dis- + supare to throw

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissipate [cite]

Collins Dictionary:
dissipate
First use: 15th century

Origin: from Latin dissipāre to disperse, from dis-1 + supāre to throw

www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dissipate [cite]

American Heritage Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Origin: Middle English dissipaten, from Latin dissipāre, dissipāt-.

www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Encarta Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
First use: 15th century

Origin: Latin dissipat-, past participle of dissipare "scatter around"

encarta.msn.com/dictionary 1861605410/definition.html [offline]

Audio references
Collins Dictionary:
dissipate
Audio: North American English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/dissipate [cite]

Macmillan British Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Audio: British English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

Macmillan American Dictionary:
dissipate [formal] | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Audio: North American pronunciation of "dissipate" www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/american/dissipate [cite]

Cambridge Dictionary:
dissipate [formal]
Audio 1: British English pronunuciation of "dissipate" dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/dissipate [cite]

the Free Dictionary:
dissipate
Audio 1: North American English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.thefreedictionary.com/dissipate [cite]

Google Dictionary:
dissipate | dissipated [past tense] | dissipating [present participle] | dissipates [3rd-person singular present]
Audio: English pronunciation of "dissipate" www.google.com/#hl=en&tbs=dfn:1&fp=1&q=dissipate [cite]

Merriam-Webster Pronunciation:
dissipate
Audio: North American pronunciation of "dissipate" www.merriam-webster.com/audio.php file=dissip01 word=dissipate [cite]

YourDictionary Audio:
dissipate
Audio: North American English pronunciation of "dissipate" by speech synthesizer www.yourdictionary.com/dissipate [cite]
The end result is essentially that gpseymour is being successfully trolled
 
OP
Tony Dismukes

Tony Dismukes

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The fun part is that I was the one who originally used "dissipate", not Gerry. Once I realized that Jobo was trying to score points by complaining the word wasn't used in the physics sense, but in the vernacular sense (which is older than the modern scientific definition) I figured it would be a waste of my time to engage with him.

(Although I do like using the most precise verbiage possible and "dissipate" isn't what I would have chosen if I hadn't been in a rush when I typed my original post. I think "reduce the force of impact" would have been better.)
 

JP3

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I'm aware there are other uses of the word, unfortunately those don't fit his use of the word either, so it was a little trap I set for him.
so that's two defintions now that don't fit, I wonder how many more he will try
Is it just that hard for you to admit you were incorrect on something? It's really more difficult to go through life that way...
 

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