Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DIS-CHARGE', v.t. [Fr. decharger; Sp. descargar; It. scaricare; dis and charge or cargo, from car, a cart or vehicle.]

1. To unload, as a ship; to take out, as a cargo; applied both to the ship and the loading. We say, to discharge a ship; but more generally, to discharge a cargo or the lading of the ship.
2. To free from any load or burden; to throw off or exonerate; as discharged of business. – Dryden.
3. To throw off a load or charge; to let fly; to shoot; applied to fire-arms, as to discharge a pistol or a cannon; or to discharge a ball or grape-shot.
4. To pay; as, to discharge a debt, a bond, a note.
5. To send away, as a creditor by payment of what is due to him. He discharged his creditors.
6. To free from claim or demand; to give an acquittance to, or a receipt in full, as to a debtor. The creditor discharged his debtor.
7. To free from an obligation; as, to discharge a man from further duty or service; to discharge a surety.
8. To clear from an accusation or crime; to acquit; to absolve; to set free; with of; as, to discharge a man of all blame. – Hooker.
9. To throw off or out; to let fly; to give vent to; as, to discharge a horrible oath; to discharge fury or vengeance. – Shak. Pope.
10. To perform or execute, as a duty or office considered as a charge. One man discharges the office of a sherif; another that of a priest. We are all bound to discharge the duties of piety, of benevolence and charity.
11. To divest of an office or employment; to dismiss from service; as, to discharge a steward or a servant; to discharge a soldier or seaman; to discharge a jury.
12. To dismiss; to release; to send away from any business or appointment. Discharge your powers to their several counties. – Shak.
13. To emit or send out; as, an ulcer discharges pus; a pipe discharges water.
14. To release; to liberate from confinement; as, to discharge a prisoner.
15. To put away; to remove; to clear from; to destroy. In general, to throw off any load or encumbrance; to free or clear.