Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DIS-PATCH', v.t. [Fr. depêcher; Sp. despachar; Port id; It. dispacciare; Arm. dibech, disbachat; In It. spacciare signifies to sell, put off, speed, dispatch; spaccio, sale, vent, dispatch, expedition. This word belongs to Class Bg, and the primary sense is to send, throw, thrust, drive, and this is the sense of pack, L. pango, pactus. Hence our vulgar phrases, to pack off, and to budge. The same word occurs in impeach.]

1. To send, or send away; particularly applied to the sending of messengers, agents and letters on special business, and often implying haste. The king dispatched an envoy to the court of Madrid. He dispatched a messenger to his envoy in France. He dispatched orders or letters to the commander of the forces in Spain. The president dispatched a special envoy to the court of St. James in 1794.
2. To send out of the world; to put to death. The company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords. – Ezek. xxiii.
3. To perform; to execute speedily; to finish; as, the business was dispatched in due time.

DIS-PATCH'ED, pp.

Sent with haste or by a courier express; sent out of the world; put to death; performed; finished.

DIS-PATCH'ER, n.

1. One that dispatches; one that kills.
2. One that sends on a special errand.

DIS-PATCH'FUL, a.

Bent on haste; indicating haste; intent on speedy execution of business; as, dispatchful looks. – Milton.

DIS-PATCH'ING, ppr.

Sending away in haste; putting to death; executing; finishing.

DIS'PA-THY, n. [Gr. δις and παθος.]

Want of passion.

DIS-PAU'PER, v.t. [dis and pauper.]

To deprive of the claim of a pauper to public support, or of the capacity of suing in forma pauperis; to reduce back from the state of a pauper. A man is dispaupered, when he has lands fallen to him or property given him. – Encyc.

DIS-PAU'PER-ED, pret. [and pp.]

Brought from the state of a pauper.

DIS-PAU'PER-ING, ppr.

Bringing from the condition of a pauper.

DIS-PEL', v.t. [L. dispello; dis and pello, to drive; Gr. βαλλω. See Appeal, Peal, Pulse and Bawl.]

To scatter by driving or force; to disperse; to dissipate; to banish; as, to dispel vapors; to dispel darkness or gloom; to dispel fears; to dispel cares or sorrows; to dispel doubts.

DIS-PEL'LED, pp.

Driven away; scattered; dissipated.

DIS-PEL'LING, ppr.

Driving away; dispersing; scattering.

DIS-PEND', v.t. [L. dispendo; dis and pendo, to weigh.]

To spend; to lay out; to consume. Spenser. [See Expend, which is generally used.]

DIS-PEND'ER, n.

One that distributes.

DIS-PENS'A-BLE, a.

That may be dispensed with. – More.

DIS-PENS'A-BLE-NESS, n.

The capability of being dispensed with. – Hammond.

DIS-PENS'A-RY, n.

A house, place or store, in which medicines are dispensed to the poor, and medical advice given, gratis.

DIS-PEN-SA'TION, n. [L. dispensatio. See Dispense.]

1. Distribution; the act of dealing out to different persons or places; as, the dispensation of water indifferently to all parts of the earth. – Woodward.
2. The dealing of God to his creatures; the distribution of good and evil, natural or moral, in the divine government. Neither are God's methods or intentions different in his dispensations to each private man. – Rogers.
3. The granting of a license, or the license itself, to do what is forbidden by laws or canons, or to omit something which is commanded; that is, the dispensing with a law or canon, or the exemption of a particular person from the obligation to comply with its injunctions. The pope has power to dispense with the canons of the church, but has no right to grant dispensations to the injury of a third person. A dispensation was obtained to enable Dr. Barrow to marry. – Ward.
4. That which is dispensed or bestowed; a system of principles and rites enjoined; as, the Mosaic dispensation; the Gospel dispensation; including, the former the Levitical law and rites; the latter the scheme of redemption by Christ.

DIS-PENS'A-TIVE, a.

Granting dispensation.

DIS-PENS'A-TIVE-LY, adv.

By dispensation. – Wotton.

DIS-PENS-A'TOR, n. [L.]

One whose employment is to deal out or distribute; a distributor; a dispenser: the latter word is generally used.

DIS-PENS'A-TO-RY, a.

Having power to grant dispensations.

DIS-PENS'A-TO-RY, n.

A book containing the method of preparing the various kinds of medicines used in pharmacy, or containing directions for the composition of medicines, with the proportions of the ingredients, and the methods of preparing them.

DIS-PENSE', n. [dispens'.]

1. Dispensation. [Not used.] – Milton.
2. Expense; profusion. [Not in use.] – Spenser.

DIS-PENSE', v.t. [dispens'; Fr. dispenser; Sp. dispensar; It. dispensare; from L. dispenso; dis and penso, from pendo, to weigh, primarily to move; and perhaps the original idea of expending was to weigh off, or to distribute by weight.]

1. To deal or divide out in parts or portions; to distribute. The steward dispenses provisions to every man, according to his directions. The society dispenses medicines to the poor gratuitously or at first cost. God dispenses his favors according to his good pleasure.
2. To administer; to apply, as laws to particular cases; to distribute justice. While you dispense the laws and guide the state. – Dryden. To dispense with, to permit not to take effect; to neglect or pass by; to suspend the operation or application of something required, established or customary; as, to dispense with the law, in favor of a friend; I can not dispense with the conditions of the covenant. So we say, to dispense with oaths; to dispense with forms and ceremonies. #2. To excuse from; to give leave not to do or observe what is required or commanded. The court will dispense with your attendance, or with your compliance. #3. To permit the want of a thing which is useful or convenient; as in the vulgar phrase, to do without. I can dispense with your services. I can dispense with my cloke. In this application, the phrase has an allusion to the requisitions of law or necessity; the thing dispensed with being supposed, in some degree, necessary or required. I could not dispense with myself from making a voyage to Caprea. [Not to be imitated.] – Addison. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath? [Not legitimate.] – Shak.