 |
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Dispose \Dis*pose"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Disposed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Disposing}.] [F. disposer; pref. dis- + poser to place. See {Pose}.]
1. To distribute and put in place; to arrange; to set in order; as, to dispose the ships in the form of a crescent.
Who hath disposed the whole world? --Job xxxiv. 13.
All ranged in order and disposed with grace. --Pope.
The rest themselves in troops did else dispose. --Spenser.
2. To regulate; to adjust; to settle; to determine.
The knightly forms of combat to dispose. --Dryden.
3. To deal out; to assign to a use; to bestow for an object or purpose; to apply; to employ; to dispose of.
Importuned him that what he designed to bestow on her funeral, he would rather dispose among the poor. --Evelyn.
4. To give a tendency or inclination to; to adapt; to cause to turn; especially, to incline the mind of; to give a bent or propension to; to incline; to make inclined; -- usually followed by to, sometimes by for before the indirect object.
Endure and conquer; Jove will soon dispose To future good our past and present woes. --Dryden.
Suspicions dispose kings to tyranny, husbands to jealousy, and wise men to irresolution and melancholy. --Bacon.
{To dispose of}. (a) To determine the fate of; to exercise the power of control over; to fix the condition, application, employment, etc. of; to direct or assign for a use.
Freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons. --Locke. (b) To exercise finally one's power of control over; to pass over into the control of some one else, as by selling; to alienate; to part with; to relinquish; to get rid of; as, to dispose of a house; to dispose of one's time.
More water . . . than can be disposed of. --T. Burnet.
I have disposed of her to a man of business. --Tatler.
A rural judge disposed of beauty's prize. --Waller.
Syn: To set; arrange; order; distribute; adjust; regulate; adapt; fit; incline; bestow; give.
 |
Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |