Dispose \Dis*pose"\, v. t. [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.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
|