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disperse

verb dis·perse \di-ˈspərs\

: to go or move in different directions : to spread apart

dis·perseddis·pers·ing

Full Definition of DISPERSE

transitive verb

a : to cause to break up <police dispersed the crowd>

b : to cause to become spread widely

c : to cause to evaporate or vanish <sunlight dispersing the mist>

: to spread or distribute from a fixed or constant source: as

a archaic : disseminate

b : to subject (as light) to dispersion

c : to distribute (as fine particles) more or less evenly throughout a medium

intransitive verb

: to break up in random fashion <the crowd dispersed on request>

a : to become dispersed

b : dissipate, vanish <the fog dispersed toward morning>

— dis·persed·ly \-ˈspər-səd-lē, -ˈspərst-lē\ adverb

— dis·pers·er noun

— dis·pers·ible \-ˈspər-sə-bəl\ adjective

See disperse defined for English-language learners

See disperse defined for kids

Origin of DISPERSE

Middle English, from Latin dispersus, past participle of dispergere to scatter, from dis- + spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to DISPERSE

Synonyms: disassemble, dissipate, dissolve, scatter

Antonyms: assemble, cluster, collect, concentrate, congregate, gather, ingather

Synonym Discussion of DISPERSE

scatter, disperse, dissipate, dispel mean to cause to separate or break up. scatter implies a force that drives parts or units irregularly in many directions <the bowling ball scattered the pins>. disperse implies a wider separation and a complete breaking up of a mass or group <police dispersed the crowd>. dissipate stresses complete disintegration or dissolution and final disappearance <the fog was dissipated by the morning sun>. dispel stresses a driving away or getting rid of as if by scattering <an authoritative statement that dispelled all doubt>.

Rhymes with DISPERSE

adverse, amerce, asperse, averse, coerce, commerce, converse, cutpurse, disburse, diverse, dry nurse, free verse, immerse, inverse, Nez Percé, obverse, perverse, rehearse, reverse, scrub nurse, sesterce, submerse, transverse, traverse, wet nurse

DISPERSED Defined for Kids

disperse

verb dis·perse \di-ˈspərs\

dis·perseddis·pers·ing

Definition of DISPERSE for Kids

: to break up and scatter <The clouds dispersed.>

Medical Dictionary

disperse

verb dis·perse \dis-ˈpərs\

dis·perseddis·pers·ing

Medical Definition of DISPERSE

transitive verb

: to spread or distribute from a fixed or constant source: as a : to subject (as light) to dispersion b : to distribute (as fine particles) more or less evenly throughout a medium

intransitive verb

: to become dispersed