Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

DISPENSER — DISPURSE

DISPENSER, n. One who dispenses; one who distributes; one who administers; as a dispenser of favors or of the laws.

DISPENSING, ppr.

1. Distributing; administering.

2. a. That may dispense with; granting dispensation; that may grant license to omit what is required by law, or to do what the law forbids; as a dispensing power.

DISPEOPLE, v.t. [dis and people.] To depopulate; to empty of inhabitants, as by destruction, expulsion or other means.

DISPEOPLED, pp. Depopulated; deprived of inhabitants.

DISPEOPLER, n. One who depopulates; a depopulator; that which deprives of inhabitants.

DISPEOPLING, ppr. Depopulating.

DISPERGE, v.t. disperj. [L.] To sprinkle. [Not in use.]

DISPERMOUS, a. [Gr., seed.] In botany, two-seeded; containing two seeds only; as, umbellate and stellate plants are dispermous.

DISPERSE, v.t. dispers. [L., to scatter.]

1. To scatter; to drive asunder; to cause to separate into different parts; as, the Jews are dispersed among all nations.

2. To diffuse; to spread.

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge. Proverbs 15:7.

3. To dissipate; as, the fog or the cloud is dispersed.

4. To distribute.

DISPERSE, v.i. dispers.

1. To be scattered; to separate; to go or move into different parts; as, the company dispersed at ten o’clock.

2. To be scattered; to vanish; as fog or vapors.

DISPERSED, pp. Scattered; driven apart; diffused; dissipated.

DISPERSEDLYB, adv. In a dispersed manner; separately.

DISPERSEDNESS, n. The state of being dispersed or scattered.

DISPERSENESS, n. Thinness; a scattered state. [Little used.]

DISPERSER, n. One who disperses; as the disperser of libels.

DISPERSING, ppr. Scattering; dissipating.

DISPERSION, n.

1. The act of scattering.

2. The state of being scattered, or separated into remote parts; as, the Jews, in their dispersion, retain their rites and ceremonies.

3. By way of eminence, the scattering or separation of the human family, at the building of Babel.

4. In optics, the divergency of the rays of light, or rather the separation of the different colored rays, in refraction, arising from their different refrangibilities. The point of dispersion, is the point where refracted rays begin to diverge.

5. In medicine and surgery, the removing of inflammation from a part, and restoring it to its natural state.

DISPERSIVE, a. Tending to scatter or dissipate.

DISPIRIT, v.t. [dis and spirit.]

1. To depress the spirits; to deprive of courage; to discourage; to dishearten; to deject; to cast down. We may be dispirited by afflictions, by obstacles to success, by poverty, and by fear. When fear is the cause, dispirit is nearly equivalent to intimidate or terrify.

2. To exhaust the spirits or vigor of the body. [Not usual.]

DISPIRITED, pp. Discourage; depressed in spirits; dejected; intimidated.

DISPIRITEDNESS, n. Want of courage; depression of spirits.

DISPIRITING, ppr. Discouraging; disheartening; dejecting; intimidating.

DISPITEOUS, a. Having no pity; cruel; furious. [Not used.]

DISPLACE, v.t. [dis and place.]

1. To put out of the usual or proper place; to remove from its place; as, the books in the library are all displaced.

2. To remove from any state, condition, office or dignity; as, to displace an officer of the revenue.

3. To disorder.

You have displaced the mirth.

DISPLACED, pp. Removed from the proper place; deranged; disordered; removed from an office or state.

DISPLACEMENT, n. The act of displacing; the act of removing from the usual or proper place, or from a state, condition or office.

The displacement of the centers of the circles.

Unnecessary displacement of funds.

DISPLACENCY, n. [L., to displease.; to please.] Incivility; that which displeases or disobliges.

DISPLACING, ppr. Putting out of the usual or proper place; removing from an office, state or condition.

DISPLANT, v.t. [dis and plant.]

1. To pluck up or to remove a plant.

2. To drive away or remove from the usual place of residence; as, to displant the people of a country.

3. To strip of inhabitants; as, to displant a country.

DISPLANTATION, n.

1. The removal of a plant.

2. The removal of inhabitants or residents people.

DISPLANTED, pp.

1. Removed from the place where it grew, as a plant.

2. Removed from the place of residence; applied to persons.

3. Deprived of inhabitants; applied to a country.

DISPLANTING, ppr. Removing, as a plant.

DISPLANTING, n. Removal from a fixed place.

DISPLAT, v.t. [dis and plat.] To untwist; to uncurl.

DISPLAY, v.t. [L., gr., to unfold.]

1. Literally, to unfold; hence, to open; to spread wide; to expand.

The northern wind his wings did broad display.

2. To spread before the view; to show; to exhibit to the eyes, or to the mind; to make manifest. The works of nature display the power and wisdom of the Supreme Being. Christian charity displays the effects of true piety. A dress, simple and elegant, displays female taste and beauty to advantage.

3. To carve; to dissect and open.

He carves, displays, and cuts up to a wonder.

4. To set to view ostentatiously.

5. To discover. [Not in use.]

6. To open; to unlock. [Not used.]

DISPLAY, n.

1. An opening or unfolding; an exhibition of any thing to the view.

2. Show; exhibition; as, they make a great display of troops; a great display of magnificence.

DISPLAYED, pp. Unfolded; opened; spread; expanded; exhibited to view; manifested.

DISPLAYER, n. He or that which displays.

DISPLAYING, ppr. Unfolding; spreading; exhibiting; manifesting.

DISPLEASANCE, n. Anger; discontent. [Not used.]

DISPLEASANT, a. Displezant. [See Displease.] Unpleasing; offensive; unpleasant. [The latter word is generally used.]

DISPLEASE, v.t. displeze. [dis and please.]

1. To offend; to make angry, sometimes in a slight degree. It usually expresses less than anger, vex, irritate and provoke. Applied to the Almighty in scripture, it may be considered as equivalent to anger.

God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. 1 Chronicles 21:7.

2. To disgust; to excite aversion in; as, acrid and rancid substances displease the taste.

3. To offend; to be disagreeable to. A distorted figure displeases the eye.

DISPLEASED, pp. Offended; disgusted.

DISPLEASEDNESS, n. Displeasure; uneasiness.

DISPLEASING, ppr. or a. Offensive to the eye, to the mind, to the smell, or to the taste; disgusting; disagreeable.

DISPLEASINGNESS, n. Offensiveness; the quality of giving some degree of disgust.

DISPLEASURE, n. Displezhur.

1. Some irritation or uneasiness of the mind, occasioned by any thing that counteracts desire or command, or which opposes justice and a sense of propriety. A man incurs the displeasure of another by thwarting his views or schemes; a servant incurs the displeasure of his master by neglect or disobedience; we experience displeasure at any violation of right or decorum. Displeasure is anger, but it may be slight anger. It implies disaprobation or hatred, and usually expresses less than vexation and indignation. Thus, slighter offenses give displeasure, although they may not excite a violent passion.

2. Offense; cause of irritation.

Now shall I be more blameless than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure. Judges 15:3.

3. State of disgrace or disfavor.

He went into Poland, being in displeasure with the pope for overmuch familiarity.

DISPLEASURE, v.t. To displease. [An unnecessary word, and not used.]

DISPLICENCE, n. [L.] Dislike. [Not in use.]

DISPLODE, v.t. [L., to break forth.] To vent, discharge or burst with a violent sound.

In posture to displode their second tire of thunder.

DISPLODE, v.i. To burst with a loud report; to explode; as, a meteor diploded with a tremendous sound.

DISPLODED, pp. Discharged with a loud report.

DISPLODING, ppr. Discharging or bursting with a loud report; an explosion.

DISPLOSIVE, a. Noting displosion.

DISPLUME, v.t. [dis and plume.] To strip or deprive of plumes or feathers; to strip of badges of honor.

DISPLUMED, pp. Stripped of plumes.

DISPLUMING, ppr. Depriving of plumes.

DISPONDEE, n. In Greek and Latin poetry, a double spondee, consisting of four long syllables.

DISPORT, n. [dis and sport.] Play; sport; pastime; diversion; amusement; merriment.

DISPORT, v.i. To play; to wanton; to move lightly and without restraint; to move in gayety; as lambs disporting on the mead.

Where light disports in ever mingling dyes.

DISPORT, v.t. To divert or amuse; as, he disports himself.

DISPORTING, ppr. Playing; wantoning.

DISPOSABLE, a. [See Dispose.] Subject to disposal; not previously engaged or employed; free to be used or employed as occasion may require.

The whole disposable force consisted in a regiment of light infantry, and a troop of calvary.

DISPOSAL, n. [See Dispose.]

1. The act of disposing; a setting or arranging.

This object was effected by the disposal of the troops in two lines.

2. Regulation, order or arrangement of things, int he moral government of God; dispensation.

Tax not divine disposal.

3. Power of ordering, arranging or distributing; government; management; as, an agent is appointed, and every thing is left to his disposal. The effects in my hands are entirely at my disposal.

4. Power or right of bestowing. Certain offices are at the disposal of the president. The father has the disposal of his daughter in marriage.

5. The passing into a new state or into new hands.

DISPOSE, v.t. dispoze. [L.]

1. To set; to place or distribute; to arrange; used with reference to order. The ships were disposed in the form of a crescent. The general disposed his troops in three lines. The trees are disposed in the form of a quincunx.

2. To regulate; to adjust; to set in right order. Job 34:13 and Job 37:15.

The knightly forms of combat to dispose.

3. To apply to a particular purpose; to give; to place; to bestow; as, you have disposed much in works of public piety. In this sense, to dispose of is more generally used.

4. To set, place or turn to a particular end or consequence.

Endure and conquer; Jove will soon dispose to future good our past and present woes.

5. To adapt; to form for any purpose.

Then must thou thee dispose another way.

6. To set the mind in a particular frame; to incline. Avarice disposes men to fraud and oppression.

Suspicions dispose kings to tyranny, husbands to jealousy, and wise men to irresolution and melancholy.

He was disposed to pass into Achaia. Acts 18:27; 1 Corinthians 10:27.

To dispose of,

1. To part with; to alienate; as, the man has disposed of his house, and removed.

2. To part with to another; to put into anothers hand or power; to bestow; as, the father has disposed of his daughter to a man of great worth.

3. To give away or transfer by authority.

A rural judge disposed of beautys prize.

4. To direct the course of a thing. Proverbs 16:33.

5. To place in any condition; as, how will you dispose of your son?

6. To direct what to do or what course to pursue; as, they know not how to dispose of themselves.

7. To use or employ; as, they know not how to dispose of their time.

8. To put away. The stream supplies more water than can be disposed of.

DISPOSE, v.i. To bargain; to make terms.

DISPOSE, n.

1. Disposal; power of disposing; management.

2. Dispensation; act of government.

3. Disposition; cast of behavior.

4. Disposition; cast of mind; inclination.

DISPOSED, pp. Set in order; arranged; placed; adjusted; applied; bestowed; inclined.

DISPOSER, n.

1. One who disposes; a distributor; a bestower; as a disposer of gifts.

2. A director; a regulator.

The Supreme Being is the rightful disposer of all events, and of all creatures.

3. That which disposes.

DISPOSING, ppr. Setting in order; arranging; distributing; bestowing; regulating; adjusting; governing.

DISPOSING, n. The act of arranging; regulation; direction. Proverbs 16:33.

DISPOSITION, n. [L.]

1. The act of disposing, or state of being disposed.

2. Manner in which things or the parts of a complex body are placed or arranged; order; method; distribution; arrangement. We speak of the disposition of the infantry and cavalry of an army; the disposition of the trees in an orchard; the disposition of the several parts of an edifice, of the parts of a discourse, or of the figures in painting.

3. Natural fitness or tendency. The refrangibility of the rays of light is their disposition to be refracted. So we say, a disposition in plants to grow in a direction upwards; a disposition in bodies to putrefaction.

4. Temper or natural constitution of the mind; as an amiable or an irritable disposition.

5. Inclination; propensity; the temper or frame of mind, as directed to particular objects. We speak of the disposition of a person to undertake a particular work; the dispositions of men towards each other; a disposition friendly to any design.

6. Disposal; alienation; distribution; a giving away or giving over to another; as, he has made disposition of his effects; he has satisfied his friends by the judicious disposition of his property.

DISPOSITIVE, a. That implies disposal. [Not used.]

DISPOSITIVELY, adv. In a dispositive manner; distributively. [Not used.]

DISPOSITOR, n. A disposer; in astrology, the planet which is lord of the sign where another planet is. [Not used.]

DISPOSSESS, v.t. [dis and possess.] To put out of possession, by any means; to deprive of the actual occupancy of a thing, particularly of land or real estate; to deseize.

Ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein. Numbers 33:53.

Usually followed by of, before the thing taken away; as, to dispossess a king of his crown.

DISPOSSESSED, pp. Deprived of possession or occupancy.

DISPOSSESSING, ppr. Depriving of possession; disseizing.

DISPOSSESSION, n. The act of putting out of possession.

DISPOSURE, n. Dispozhur. [See Dispose.]

1. Disposal; the power of disposeing; management; direction. [The use of this word is superseded by that of disposal.]

2. State; posture; disposition. [Not used.]

DISPRAISE, n. Dispraze. [dis and praise.]

1. Blame; censure. Be cautious not to speak in dispraise of a competitor.

2. Reproach; dishonor.

The general has seen Moors with as bad faces; no dispraise to Bertrans.

DISPRAISE, v.t. To blame; to censure; to mention with disapprobation, or some degree of reproach.

I dispraised him before the wicked.

DISPRAISED, pp. Blamed; censured.

DISPRAISER, n. One who blames or dispraises.

DISPRAISING, ppr. Blaming; censuring.

DISPRAISINGLY, adv. By way of dispraise; with blame or some degree of reproach.

DISPREAD, v.t. dispred. [dis and spread. See Spread.] To spread in different ways; to extend or flow in different directions.

DISPREAD, v.i. To expand or be extended.

DISPREADER, n. A publisher; a divulger.

DISPRIZE, v.t. To undervalue.

DISPROFESS, v.i. To renounce the profession of.

DISPROFIT, n. [dis and profit.] Loss; detriment; damage. [Little used.]

DISPROOF, n. [dis and proof.] Confutation; refutation; a proving to be false or erroneous; as, to offer evidence in disproof of a fact, argument, principle or allegation.

DISPROPERTY, v.t. To deprive of property; to dispossess. [Not used.]

DISPROPORTION, n. [dis and proportion.]

1. Want of proportion of one thing to another, or between the parts of thing; want of symmetry. We speak of the disproportion of a man’s arms to his body; of the disproportion of the length of an edifice to its highth.

2. Want of proper quantity, according to rules prescribed; as, the disproportion of the ingredients in a compound.

3. Want of suitableness or adequacy; disparity; inequality; unsuitableness; as the disproportion of strength or means to an object.

DISPROPORTION, v.t. To make unsuitable in form, size, length or quantity; to violate symmetry in; to mismatch; to join unfitly.

To shape my legs of an unequal size, to disproportion me in every part.

DISPROPORTIONABLE, a. Disproportional; not in proportion; unsuitable in form, size or quantity to something else; inadequate. [Note. The sense in which this word is used is generally anomalous. In its true sense, that may be made disproportional, it is rarely or never used. The regular word which ought to be used is disproportional, as used by Locke.]

DISPROPORTIONABLENESS, n. Want of proportion or symmetry; unsuitableness to something else.

DISPROPORTIONABLY, adv. With want of proportion or symmetry; unsuitably to something else.

DISPROPORTIONAL, a. Not having due proportion to something else; not having proportion or symmetry of parts; unsuitable in form or quantity; unequal; inadequate. A disproportional limb constitutes deformity in the body. The studies of youth should not be disproportional to their capacities. [This is the word which ought to be used for disproportionable.]

DISPROPORTIONALITY, n. The state of being disproportional.

DISPROPORTIONALLY, adv. Unsuitably with respect to form, quantity or value; inadequately; unequally.

DISPROPORTIONATE, a. Not proportioned; unsymmetrical; unsuitable to something else, in bulk, form or value; inadequate. In a perfect form of the body, none of the limbs are disproportionate. It is wisdom not to undertake a work with disproportionate means.

DISPROPORTIONATELY, adv. In a disproportionate degree; unsuitably; inadequately.

DISPROPORTIONATENESS, n. Unsuitableness in form, bulk or value; inadequacy.

DISPROPRIATE, v.t. To destroy appropriation; to withdraw from an appropriate use.

[See Disappropriate, which is more regularly formed, and more generally used.]

DISPROVABLE, a. Capable of being disproved or refuted.

DISPROVE, v.t. [dis and prove.]

1. To prove to be false or erroneous; to confute; as, to disprove an assertion, a statement, an argument, a proposition.

2. To convict of the practice of error. [Not in use.]

3. To disallow or disapprove. [Not in use.]

DISPROVED, pp. Proved to be false or erroneous; refuted.

DISPROVER, n. One that disproves or confutes.

DISPROVING, ppr. Proving to be false or erroneous; confuting; refuting.

DISPUNGE, v.t. [dis and spunge.] To expunge; to erase; also, to discharge as from a spunge. [Il formed and little used.]

DISPUNISHABLE, a. [dis and punishable.] Without penal restraint; not punishable.

DISPURSE, for disburse. [Not in use.]