1The action of making a liquid more dilute.

1. 1.1 The action of making something weaker in force, content, or value.
   he is resisting any dilution of dogma

   Example sentencesExamples

   • It presents law to psychology students in a manner that respects both its complexity and its depth; the use of a range of experts helps to prevent dilution of its content.
   • All assay results were within one serial dilution of the average sensitivity values shown.
   • There is a need to avoid inappropriate dilution of content without undue rigidity.
   • I can easily see the sense of cultural rape, or at least the dilution of tradition and value, that would be resultant of such global spiritual consumerism.
   • The effect of this is to further damage engineering competence characterised by a combination of ongoing staff reductions and the incremental dilution of engineering knowledge.
   • Finally, dairy producers must combat the threat of value dilution posed by private label products.
   • Values of concentration were corrected for dilution during extraction.
   • It should be said that even with the dilution of the Japanese forces it was still a very chancy thing that the Americans prevailed so successfully.
   • The old-timers meanwhile resisted dilution of the great franchise enjoyed by the name.
   • Coupled with dilution in ethical values there is this dramatic reduction in the obsession with the ritual.
   • ‘In these circumstances, the nature and structure of public funding will have a pivotal role in underpinning both total content funding and preventing dilution by the commercial networks,’ says the report.
   • The dilution of medical authority has not been an entirely comfortable experience, and is not without certain drawbacks - for patients as well as practitioners.
   • Although the band features players from the UK, Cameroon, France, Sierra Leone and Senegal, each member shares their musical foundation: open to influence, but without any dilution of content.
   • Yet the league could add another playoff weekend, boost interest, sell more seats, and draw more ratings without any dilution in the quality of the tournament.
2. 1.2count noun A liquid that has been diluted.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • The septicaemic isolates were observed to produce cytotoxic changes in high dilutions of culture filtrate.
   • It contains very little sulfite in the working dilutions.
   • Growth was assayed by plating serial dilutions of cells.
   • Yes, but you need to have molecules present to cluster, which in typical homeopathic dilutions, is not the case.
   • The traditional method of making homeopathic dilutions is successively diluting the ‘active ingredient’ 1 to 10, and repeating.
   • If this is too strong, you can use a dilution as weak as 1 tablespoon in 1 cup water.
   • Do homoeopathic serial dilutions, containing no molecules of the original substance from which they were prepared, show intrinsic therapeutic effect?
   • Homeopathy involves treating illnesses with such extreme dilutions of herbs, animal substances and chemical compounds that frequently not one molecule of the diluted substance is left in the solution.
   • All the solutions and dilutions of the compounds were prepared immediately before use.
   • It seems like salicylic acid might be a good thing for him to try or maybe a gentle dilution of tea tree oil.
   • Secondary antibodies, dilutions, and mounting conditions were as described above.
   • Cells from new zygotic colonies were resuspended in 1 ml water and appropriate dilutions were made.
   • Use distilled or deionized water for dilutions.
   • Samples stored at - 20°C in methanol were rehydrated with a series of ethanol dilutions and then replaced with 30% sucrose.
   • All assays were made in triplicate and possible interference with cross-reactive substances was checked by analysing a range of dilutions.
   • These included entire cracked clams, two dilutions of the fluid leaked from cracked clams, and a synthetic mixture of the primary free amino acids found in clam mantle fluid.
3. 1.3count noun The degree to which a solution has been diluted.
   the antibody was applied at a dilution of 1:50

   Example sentencesExamples

   • It consists of isopropyl alcohol in aqueous solution at two different dilutions.
   • Secondary antibodies were each used at a dilution of 1: 1000.
   • For old stubborn stains, use a 10 to 1 dilution of liquid bleach.
   • The antibody was used at a dilution of 1: 60,000.
   • In control experiments, preimmune serum obtained from identical rabbits was used at a dilution of 1: 1000.
   • Each serum was assayed at a 1: 2 dilution in serum diluent, in duplicate.
   • The primary antibody was used at a dilution of 1: 10 000.
   • Immunohistochemistry was performed as described previously, using antibodies at a dilution of 1 / 1000.
   • The serum samples were tested at a dilution of 1: 10.
   • The instructions recommend various dilutions of the stock solution for different films, so it will be necessary to do some experimentation to see what works best with the formula below.
   • Choosing the best wavelength from the mixture of wavelengths in the light signature and adjusting the dilution of the sample solution are critical for obtaining the right degree of sensitivity for each measurement.
   • For measuring the antibodies in serum from pregnant women, serum samples were tested at a dilution of 1: 200.
   • My research has taught me that the foaming dispenser works well with an eight-to-one dilution of water to soap.
   • Iodine bleach may also be used for a minute or two at a dilution of 1: 100.
   • Spot tests used three different dilutions (highest concentration on the left).
   • All 26 dung samples provided correct results (true genotype) before dilution and at a dilution of 1 in 5.
   • Both antibodies were used at a dilution of 1: 500.
   • At a dilution of 1: 1000, none of the highly immunized rabbit sera resulted in clear precipitation banding.
   • Of the three, I would suggest that oxalic acid, at a dilution of 0.8%, is most efficacious.
   • I am able to warm it considerably by toning in selenium at a dilution of 1: 4.

   Synonyms

   extract, concentrate, concentration, quintessence, distillate, elixir, abstraction, decoction, juice, tincture, solution, suspension
4. 1.4Finance A reduction in the value of a shareholding due to the issue of additional shares in a company without an increase in assets.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • The debate has centered on the question of dilution - that is, the reduction in earnings per share that shareholders would see when the stock options are exercised and thousands of new shares are issued.
   • Be sure to look for a compelling explanation of why the rights issue and share dilution are needed as part of the recovery plan.
   • In the U.S., companies often blunt the effect of dilution by buying back shares.
   • With more equity to come, shareholders face further dilution.
   • Because many companies rely on stock options to pump up earnings, she takes a hard look at how the cost of options and their dilution to shareholders decrease the bottom line.
   • If a company does not have a stock buyback program, then earnings will be reduced by both the cost of the options issued and dilution.
   • This would lead to additional shareholders' dilution.
   • Even if the acquisition was made for stock, shareholders may have suffered dilution.
   • You will pay a higher price for our common stock than was paid by existing stockholders, and will experience immediate and substantial dilution.
   • Employees' hopes are revived, and shareholders see much less dilution.
   • The company is to buy up to another $150m in shares and retire $50m in debentures, to offset dilution caused by employee stock options and convertible debt.
   • For instance, the company may not be earning enough to pay off its debts, or there could be sizeable share dilution in the offing, or perhaps there's a chance the assets will suffer a big write-off.
   • In other words, more onerous debt is being taken on and distributed to the market place, rather than equity; less dilution for the shareholders, at the cost of owning a company with a more fragile balance sheet.
   • Some people have argued that the dilution is excessive, forcing shareholders to pay too high a price for whatever benefits may come from giving employees an ownership stake in the company.
   • Not only do the proposals undermine the pay-for-performance objective that is theoretically behind options compensation, but they also expose shareholders to double dilution.
   • If that isn't bad enough, firms routinely buy back stock to avoid dilution of share prices when employees exercise the options.
   • While stock options offer management an incentive to perform well, overloaded stock-option accounts create the possibility of unwanted share value dilution.
   • The majority opinion has been that existing shareholders must be picking up the tab by allowing their returns to be reduced through dilution.
   • It should also provide for potential future investment on the part of new partners/shareholders along with the consequent dilution of ownership shares.
   • Other companies control dilution by repurchasing shares when employees exercise options.