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dissipate

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To dissipate is defined as to lessen or disappear, or to cause something to lessen or disappear.

(verb)

An example of dissipate is when rain starts to let up or goes away.

See dissipate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

to break up and scatter; dispel; disperse
to drive completely away; make disappear
to waste or squander

Origin: ME dissipaten < L dissipatus, pp. of dissipare, to scatter < dis-, apart + supare, to throw < IE base *swep- > Sans svapū, broom, LowG swabbeln, to swab

intransitive verb

to be dissipated; disperse or vanish
to spend much time and energy on indulgence in pleasure, esp. drinking, gambling, etc., to the point of harming oneself

Related Forms:

dissipater noun or dissipator
dissipative adjective

See dissipate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb dis·si·pat·ed, dis·si·pat·ing, dis·si·pates

verb, transitive

To drive away; disperse.
To attenuate to or almost to the point of disappearing: The wind finally dissipated the smoke. See Synonyms at scatter.
a. To spend or expend intemperately or wastefully; squander.
b. To use up, especially recklessly; exhaust: dissipated their energy. See Synonyms at waste.
To cause to lose (energy, such as heat) irreversibly.

verb, intransitive