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View synonyms for disperse

disperse

[ dih-spurs ]

verb (used with object)

, dis·persed, dis·pers·ing.
  1. to drive or send off in various directions; scatter:

    to disperse a crowd.

    Antonyms: collect, combine

  2. to spread widely; disseminate:

    to disperse knowledge.

    Synonyms: broadcast, sow

  3. to dispel; cause to vanish:

    The wind dispersed the fog.

  4. Physical Chemistry. to cause (particles) to separate uniformly throughout a solid, liquid, or gas.
  5. Optics. to subject (light) to dispersion.


verb (used without object)

, dis·persed, dis·pers·ing.
  1. to separate and move apart in different directions without order or regularity; become scattered:

    The crowd dispersed.

  2. to be dispelled; be scattered out of sight; vanish:

    The smoke dispersed into the sky.

    Synonyms: evanesce, disappear

adjective

  1. Physical Chemistry. noting the dispersed particles in a dispersion.

disperse

/ dɪˈspɜːsɪdlɪ; dɪˈspɜːs /

verb

  1. to scatter; distribute over a wide area
  2. to dissipate or cause to dissipate
  3. to leave or cause to leave a gathering, often in a random manner
  4. to separate or be separated by dispersion
  5. tr to diffuse or spread (news, information, etc)
  6. to separate (particles) throughout a solid, liquid, or gas, as in the formation of a suspension or colloid


adjective

  1. of or consisting of the particles in a colloid or suspension

    disperse phase

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Usage

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Derived Forms

  • disˈperser, noun
  • dispersedly, adverb

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Other Words From

  • dis·persed·ly [dih-, spur, -sid-lee], adverb
  • dis·perser noun
  • dis·persi·bili·ty noun
  • dis·persi·ble adjective
  • predis·perse verb (used with object) predispersed predispersing
  • redis·perse verb redispersed redispersing
  • undis·persed adjective
  • undis·persing adjective
  • well-dis·persed adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of disperse1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English dispersen, disparsen (from Middle French disperser, ) from Latin dispersus (past participle of dispergere ), equivalent to di- di- 2 + -sper(g)- “scatter” (stem of -spergere, combining form of spargere “to scatter, strew”) + -sus past participle suffix

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Word History and Origins

Origin of disperse1

C14: from Latin dispērsus scattered, from dispergere to scatter widely, from di- ² + spargere to strew

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Synonym Study

See scatter.

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Example Sentences

At about 11 p.m. State Police started flying a helicopter over the scene, ordering the crowds to disperse.

Two officers, their badge numbers covered by black tape, watch as guests disperse from a house party they have recently disrupted.

This is a problem, since no traffic police can identify any of the trucks if they start to disperse once they enter Ukraine.

When a big cache of weapons is inbound, rival outfits often gang together to disperse the load among their safe houses.

“Instead of car tires, concrete blocks are placed there now, and nobody intends to disperse,” the minister said.

When the last scarlo is burned out a funeral march is played and all disperse to their homes.

So the clouded day broke sullenly, with gusts of warm rain and red gleams of a sun striving to disperse the mists.

During the night they disperse, and take up their abode on surrounding farms as peaceful tillers of the soil.

Plants are the accumulators of the power which animals distribute and disperse.

When others gather, do thou disperse; when others disperse, gather.

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dispersantdisperse dye