dispense
To issue, distribute, or give outTo issue, distribute, or give out.
» Why don't we dispense with formalities?
Meaning
5 sensesTo issue, distribute, or give out.
ausgeben, austeilen, verteilen
give or apply (medications)
To apply, as laws to particular cases; to administer; to execute; to manage; to direct.
to dispense justice
To supply or make up a medicine or prescription.
The pharmacist dispensed my tablets.
An optician can dispense spectacles.
dosieren, ausstellen
To give a dispensation to (someone); to excuse.
Every spring, the passive aggressive archbishop suffered from a brief flu that dispensed him from needing to provide Easter service to the king.
She was dispensed from her vows and married Captain von Trapp.
entschuldigen
grant a dispensation; grant an exemption
(intransitive, obsolete)To compensate; to make up; to make amends.
wiedergutmachen
Examples
23 sentencesWhy don't we dispense with formalities?
Let's dispense with formalities.
ruДавайте без церемоний.
deLassen wir die Förmlichkeiten ruhig sein!
We cannot dispense with the rainforests.
This robot dispenses with many hands.
I cannot dispense with this dictionary.
Translations
4 languagesBy meaning 4
Origin
From Middle English, from Old French dispenser, from Latin dispēnsāre (“to weigh out, payFrom Middle English, from Old French dispenser, from Latin dispēnsāre (“to weigh out, pay out, distribute, regulate, manage, control, dispense”), frequentative of dispendere (“to weigh out”), from dis- (“apart”) + pendere (“to weigh”).
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Forms
dispenses, dispensing, dispensed, dispensedSynonyms
11 synonyms- give or apply (medications):administer
- administer or bestow, as in small portions:distributeadministermete outdealparcel outlotshell outdeal out
Word family
13 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle