Sentence:  There is evidence to suggest , in fact , that many authors of the humorous sketches were prompted to write them - or to make them as indelicate as they are - by way of protesting against the artificial refinements which had come to <WSD>dominate</WSD> the polite letters of the South . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance