Dispose: meaning, definitions and examples

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dispose

 

[ dɪˈspoʊz ]

Verb / Noun
Context #1 | Verb

waste management

To get rid of something or to deal with it in a particular way, especially by throwing it away.

Synonyms

discard, eliminate, remove

Examples of usage

  • He disposed of the waste in an environmentally friendly manner.
  • She disposed of all the old furniture in the house.
Context #2 | Verb

arrange

To arrange something in a particular position or order.

Synonyms

arrange, organize, position

Examples of usage

  • He disposed the books on the shelf in alphabetical order.
  • She disposed the flowers in a beautiful vase.
Context #3 | Noun

legal

To transfer property or money to someone, especially by will or as a gift.

Synonyms

allocate, bequeath, transfer

Examples of usage

  • The will disposed of the estate among the heirs.
  • The company disposed of its assets to pay off debts.

Translations

Translations of the word "dispose" in other languages:

🇵🇹 descartar

🇮🇳 निपटाना

🇩🇪 entsorgen

🇮🇩 membuang

🇺🇦 утилізувати

🇵🇱 pozbyć się

🇯🇵 処分する (shobun suru)

🇫🇷 jeter

🇪🇸 desechar

🇹🇷 atmak

🇰🇷 처리하다 (cheorihada)

🇸🇦 تخلص من

🇨🇿 zlikvidovat

🇸🇰 zlikvidovať

🇨🇳 处理 (chǔlǐ)

🇸🇮 odvreči

🇮🇸 losna við

🇰🇿 жою

🇬🇪 გადაგდება

🇦🇿 atmaq

🇲🇽 desechar

Etymology

The word 'dispose' originated from the Old French word 'disposer', which means 'to arrange'. It entered the English language in the late 14th century with the meaning 'to arrange in a particular order'. Over time, the word evolved to also mean 'to get rid of something'. The legal sense of 'dispose' in terms of transferring property or money came into use in the early 17th century. The word has been widely used in waste management, legal, and organizational contexts.

See also: depose, expose, impose, pose, poser, posing, repose, transpose, unposed.

Word Frequency Rank

At #5,892 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.