DISPENSE • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Dispense

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/dɪspˈɛns/ Listen

verb

Dispense v. t. (past & past part. dispensed; pres. part. dispensing)

1.

To deal out in portions; to distribute; to give; as, the steward dispenses provisions according directions; Nature dispenses her bounties; to dispense medicines. "He is delighted to dispense a share of it to all the company."

2.

To apply, as laws to particular cases; to administer; to execute; to manage; to direct. "While you dispense the laws, and guide the state."

3.

To pay for; to atone for. (Obs.) "His sin was dispensed With gold, whereof it was compensed."

4.

To exempt; to excuse; to absolve; with from. "It was resolved that all members of the House who held commissions, should be dispensed from parliamentary attendance." "He appeared to think himself born to be supported by others, and dispensed from all necessity of providing for himself."

Dispense v. i.

1.

To compensate; to make up; to make amends. (Obs.) "One loving hour For many years of sorrow can dispense."

2.

To give dispensation. "He (the pope) can also dispense in all matters of ecclesiastical law."

To dispense with.

(a)

To permit the neglect or omission of, as a form, a ceremony, an oath; to suspend the operation of, as a law; to give up, release, or do without, as services, attention, etc.; to forego; to part with.

(b)

To allow by dispensation; to excuse; to exempt; to grant dispensation to or for. (Obs.) "Conniving and dispensing with open and common adultery."

(c)

To break or go back from, as one's word. (Obs.)

noun

Dispense n. Dispensation; exemption. (Obs.)

Dispense n. Expense; profusion; outlay. (Obs.) "It was a vault built for great dispense."

See images of 'Dispense'

Etymology of 'Dispense'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Dispense" Quotes from Famous Books

... town were willing to serve. Gaal, son of Zobah, entered Shechem with troops raised by himself, just like a condottiere in Italy in the Middle Ages. As it became evident that the nation could not permanently dispense with an earthly government, it was forced to rally round some powerful leader; and as the Theocracy was still acknowledged by the best of the nation, these leaders, who owed their power to circumstances, could not easily ...

— Beacon Lights of History, Volume II • John Lord

... families of the Phoenician nobility. It was not the policy of the Romans to have direct possessions of their own in Africa; they preferred to rear a state there, which should not be of sufficient importance to be able to dispense with Roman protection, and yet should be sufficiently strong to keep down the power of Carthage now that it was restricted to Africa, and to render all freedom of movement impossible for the tortured city. They found what they sought among the native princes. About the time ...

— The History of Rome (Volumes 1-5) • Theodor Mommsen

... addressed his people. "My friends, except from cold, we have nothing to fear. Our provisions are ample—more than enough for the remaining period of our sojourn in this lone world of ours; our preserved meat is already cooked; we shall be able to dispense with all fuel for cooking purposes. All that we require is warmth—warmth for ourselves; let us secure that, and all may be well. Now, I do not entertain a doubt but that the warmth we require is resident in the bowels of this mountain on which we are living; to the depth of ...

— Off on a Comet • Jules Verne

... historic in God's estimate. The obscurest among us has his place in the Divine plan, his lesson to learn, his work to do. The century opening before us can no more dispense with us than an orchestra with the piccolo. A pawn on God's chessboard may take a knight, or give check to a king. "We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has before prepared (R.V.), that we should walk in them" ...

— John the Baptist • F. B. Meyer

... should still have said nothing, but Sir Piers heard the knock, and raised himself at the summons, as if it had been the last trumpet. 'Come in,' cried he, in a dying voice; and Heaven forgive me if I confess that I expected a certain person, whose company one would rather dispense with upon such an occasion, to step in. However, though it wasn't the ould gentleman, it was somebody near akin to him; for a door I had never seen, and never even dreamed of, opened in the wall, and in ...

— Rookwood • William Harrison Ainsworth

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