Origin of dispose

1300–50; Middle English < Middle French disposer, equivalent to dis- dis-1 + poser to place (see pose1), on the model of Latin dispōnere

OTHER WORDS FROM dispose

dis·pos·ing·ly, adverb re·dis·pose, verb (used with object), re·dis·posed, re·dis·pos·ing.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH dispose

dispose disperse

Words nearby dispose

disposable goods, disposable income, disposable personal income, disposable soma theory, disposal, dispose, dispose of, disposed, disposer, disposition, dispositive

Words related to dispose of

sell, relinquish, dump, unload, eliminate, destroy, discard, scrap, bestow, chuck, eighty-six, give, jettison, junk, kiss, transfer, adios, chop, cut, decide

British Dictionary definitions for dispose of

dispose
/ (dɪˈspəʊz) /

verb

(intr foll by of)
  1. to deal with or settle
  2. to give, sell, or transfer to another
  3. to throw out or away
  4. to consume, esp hurriedly
  5. to kill
to arrange or settle (matters) by placing into correct or final condition man proposes, God disposes
(tr) to make willing or receptive
(tr) to adjust or place in a certain order or position
(tr often foll by to) to accustom or condition

noun

an obsolete word for disposal, disposition

Derived forms of dispose

disposer, noun

Word Origin for dispose

C14: from Old French disposer, from Latin dispōnere to set in different places, arrange, from dis- 1 + pōnere to place

Idioms and Phrases with dispose of

dispose of
1

Attend to, settle, deal with, as in He quickly disposed of the problem. [Early 1600s]

2

Transfer, part with, as by giving away or selling. For example, They wanted to dispose of the land as soon as possible. [Second half of 1600s]

3

Get rid of, throw out, as in Can we dispose of the trash in this barrel? Oliver Goldsmith had this idiom in She Stoops to Conquer (1773): “I'm disposing of the husband before I have secured the lover.” [Mid-1600s]

4

Kill or destroy; also, humorously, consume. For example, The king was determined to dispose of his enemies, or John disposed of the cake in no time. [Second half of 1800s]