dispense
Americanverb (used with object)
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to deal out; distribute.
to dispense wisdom.
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to administer.
to dispense the law without bias.
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Pharmacology. to make up and distribute (medicine), especially on prescription.
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Roman Catholic Church. to grant dispensation.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb phrase
verb
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(tr) to give out or issue in portions
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(tr) to prepare and distribute (medicine), esp on prescription
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(tr) to administer (the law, etc)
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to do away (with) or manage (without)
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to grant a dispensation to (someone) from (some obligation of church law)
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to exempt or excuse from a rule or obligation
Usage
Dispense with is sometimes wrongly used where dispose of is meant: this task can be disposed of (not dispensed with ) quickly and easily
Related Words
See distribute.
Other Word Forms
- undispensed adjective
Etymology
Origin of dispense
1275–1325; Middle English dispensen < Medieval Latin dispēnsāre to pardon, exempt, Latin: to pay out, distribute, equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + pēnsāre, frequentative of pendere to weigh
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Welcome to “Comedy & ‘Therapy,’ ” a monthly event at the cafe Coffee Confessionals, in which comedians on stage dispense advice to audience members in the crowd.
From Los Angeles Times
Japanese researchers have unveiled a robot monk powered by AI that they say can dispense spiritual advice, and which could one day ease shortages of its human counterparts.
From Barron's
The former trainer claimed ICE has cut 240 hours of lessons from a 584-hour program, which he said meant dispensing with classes about firearm safety, lawful arrests, proper detention and the limits to officers’ authority.
An onslaught of artificial intelligence agents that handle tasks from writing code to dispensing tax advice has the tech world and financial markets scrambling to pick winners and shed losers.
From Barron's
Occupants of the office were assumed to be people of high integrity and good character, qualities considered necessary to remind Americans of the commitment to dispense justice fairly and impartially.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
