英英释义：to influence something or make it necessary.
dictate”作为动词可以表示“听写”，还可以表示“决定” “支配” “控制”，在一些语境下我们可以用它替换 decide, control, influence 等词。
sentence
1. As much as I want to travel around the world after graduation, my financial situation dictates that I have a job first.
2. 走社会主义政治发展道路，是由中国国情和历史条件决定的
The reality dictates which route China should take.
3. 当我们想表示受某种条件约束，有些事不得不做的时候就可以用 dictate。比如我们常说“养儿防老”，受这种文化印象，许多老人会认为儿子才是要肩负起自己养老生活的人。
Chinese tradition dictates that sons are responsible for providing support and security for their aging parents.
4. In a liberal democracy we don't try and dictate how people should live so why does society try to dictate how people should die?
practice
社会礼节规定了我们在公众场合应该如何行事
Social tradition and custom dictates how we behave in public places.
参考翻译：The social code/etiquette dictates how we should behave in public.
