Prevented from finishing them [the letters] a thousand avocations and dissipations.
Swift.
Dissipation of energy. Same as Degradation of energy, under Degradation.
Dis"si*pa*tive (?), a. Tending to dissipate.
Dissipative system (Mech.), an assumed system of matter and motions in which forces of friction and resistances of other kinds are introduced without regard to the heat or other molecular actions which they generate; -- opposed to conservative system.
Dis`si*pa*tiv"i*ty (?), n. The rate at which palpable energy is dissipated away into other forms of energy.