disperse
playSimple Definition of disperse
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: to go or move in different directions : to spread apart
Full Definition of disperse
disperseddispersing
transitive verb
1 a : to cause to break up <police dispersed the crowd> b : to cause to become spread widely c : to cause to evaporate or vanish <sunlight dispersing the mist>
2 : to spread or distribute from a fixed or constant source: as a archaic : disseminate b : to subject (as light) to dispersion c : to distribute (as fine particles) more or less evenly throughout a medium
intransitive verb
1 : to break up in random fashion <the crowd dispersed on request>
2 a : to become dispersed b : dissipate, vanish <the fog dispersed toward morning>
Examples of disperse in a sentence
Police ordered the crowd to disperse.
<the crowd dispersed once the show ended>
Origin of disperse
Middle English, from Latin dispersus, past participle of dispergere to scatter, from dis- + spargere to scatter — more at spark
First Known Use: 14th century
Synonym Discussion of disperse
DISPERSE Defined for Kids
disperse
playDefinition of disperse for Students
disperseddispersing
: to break up and scatter <The clouds dispersed.>
Medical Dictionary
disperse
playMedical Definition of disperse
dispersed; dispersing
transitive verb
: to spread or distribute from a fixed or constant source: asa: to subject (as light) to dispersionb: to distribute (as fine particles) more or less evenly throughout a mediumintransitive verb
: to become dispersed
Learn More about disperse
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "disperse" Medical Dictionary: Definition of "disperse" Spanish Central: Translation of "disperse" Nglish: Translation of "disperse" for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of "disperse" for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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