Words in Context

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 4/5

Among historians of medicine, Galen's authority cast a long shadow. For more than a thousand years, his texts dictated what could be asked of the body, and dissenting evidence struggled to find a hearing.

As used in the text, what does the word "dictated" most nearly mean?

  • A

    spoke aloud for transcription

  • B

    ruled tyrannically

  • C

    suggested gently

  • D

    determined authoritatively

    check_circle

Explanation

Galen's texts authoritatively determined what could be investigated; "dictated" means decreed or determined, not the transcription or tyranny senses (and certainly not "suggested gently").

Want 10 more like this — adaptive to your weak spots?

Related questions