Link Centre Dictionary

dispatch

dis·patch

UK/dɪˈspæt͡ʃ/ US/dɪˈspæt͡ʃ/ fairly common
verb (5) noun (4)

verb

1.
2.

complete or carry out

  • “discharge one”
Synonyms
3.

kill intentionally and with premeditation

  • “The mafia boss ordered his enemies murdered”
Synonyms
4.

dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently

  • “He dispatched the task he was assigned”
5.

kill without delay

  • “the traitor was dispatched by the conspirators”

noun

1.
2.

the act of sending off something

Synonyms
3.

the property of being prompt and efficient

  • “it was done with dispatch”
Synonyms
4.

killing a person or animal

Synonyms

Origin

Borrowed from Spanish despachar and/or Italian dispacciare. Further etymology is uncertain. For first element des-, see dis-. Second element probably from either Vulgar Latin *pactāre (“to fasten"”), *pactiare or Latin -pedicāre (“to entrap, shackle”), from pedica, from pēs. Ultimately related to impeach through shared Latin root. The first known use in writing (in the past tense, spelled as dispached) is by Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall in 1517. This would be unusually early for a borrowing from a Romance language other than French, but Tunstall had studied in Italy and was Commissioner to Spain, so this word may have been borrowed through diplomatic circles. The alternative spelling despatch was introduced in Samuel Johnson's dictionary, probably by accident. Compare typologically deliver (for the meaning to bring or transport) (< Latin dē- + līberō).

Phrases

  • dispatch box
  • dispatch case
  • dispatch money
  • dispatch rider
  • dispatch table
  • dynamic dispatch
  • emergency dispatch center
  • happy dispatch

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.