General usage:
* The student took dictation from the teacher.
* I used dictation software to write my email.
* The lawyer took dictation from the witness.
* The writer struggled with dictation, finding it difficult to think and speak at the same time.
More specific examples:
* The doctor used dictation software to document the patient's symptoms.
* The lawyer transcribed the dictation from the witness, creating a detailed record of the testimony.
* The secretary diligently took dictation, capturing every word of the meeting.
* The author found dictation helpful for outlining her novel, allowing her to focus on the story without worrying about grammar or punctuation.
Figurative usage:
* The dictator's rule was based on dictation, not democracy. (Meaning: The dictator imposed their will without any input from others.)
* The teacher's approach to teaching was more like dictation than dialogue. (Meaning: The teacher lectured without engaging the students in conversation or critical thinking.)
These examples show how "dictation" can be used in various contexts, referring to the act of speaking words to be written down, using technology to transcribe speech, or metaphorically describing authoritarian control.