dispose
C1Formal
Definition
Meaning
To get rid of something or arrange something in a particular way.
1. To make someone inclined or willing to do/feel something. 2. (Military/Formal) To place troops or equipment in position. 3. (Archaic) To settle a matter.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a final or definitive action. The sense of 'inclining someone' is more abstract and followed by 'to'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major syntactic differences. The phrasal verb 'dispose of' is standard in both.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in everyday American English; 'throw away' or 'get rid of' is often preferred for literal disposal.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English in formal/official contexts (e.g., waste disposal).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
dispose of + NOUNdispose + NOUN (archaic/formal)dispose + somebody + to + INFINITIVE/NOUNVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “dispose of the matter”
- “well/ill disposed (towards)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To sell or liquidate assets. 'The company will dispose of its non-core divisions.'
Academic
To discuss or settle a theoretical argument. 'The essay disposes of the counter-argument effectively.'
Everyday
To throw out rubbish. 'Please dispose of your litter responsibly.'
Technical
To manage or process waste materials. 'The plant disposes of chemical byproducts.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The council provides bins to dispose of household waste.
- His charm disposed her to trust him immediately.
American English
- You can dispose of batteries at this drop-off point.
- The testimony disposed the jury to doubt the defendant.
adverb
British English
- The troops were disposed strategically along the ridge. (rare, often 'disposed' is adjective)
- He spoke disposedly about his plans. (very rare)
American English
- The furniture was disposedly arranged. (very rare)
- She answered disposedly, showing no emotion. (very rare)
adjective
British English
- He was not at all disposed to help.
- She is favourably disposed towards the proposal.
American English
- I'm not disposed to argue.
- They were well-disposed to the new neighbors.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Please dispose of your rubbish.
- He disposed the toys in a line.
- The factory was fined for not disposing of chemicals safely.
- How should I dispose of an old mobile phone?
- The chairman's remarks disposed the shareholders to accept the deal.
- The army disposed its forces along the border.
- The critic disposed of the novel's premise in a few incisive paragraphs.
- His genetic makeup disposes him to certain metabolic conditions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a POSEd photo: you arrange (dispose) people, or you decide to throw it away (dispose OF it).
Conceptual Metaphor
DISPOSING IS CLEANING (getting rid of clutter) / DISPOSING IS ORDERING (arranging things).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Confusing 'dispose' with 'dispose of'. Russian 'утилизировать' maps only to 'dispose of'.
- Using 'dispose' to mean 'have at one's disposal' (which is 'располагать') is incorrect; that's 'have available'.
- The adjective 'disposed' (расположенный) is a false friend for the verb.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I will dispose the old papers.' Correct: 'I will dispose of the old papers.'
- Incorrect: 'He disposed going.' Correct: 'He was disposed to go.' or 'He disposed of the idea of going.'
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'dispose' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, only when meaning 'to throw away' or 'get rid of'. When meaning 'to arrange' or 'to incline someone', it is not followed by 'of' (e.g., 'dispose the troops', 'dispose someone to trust').
'Dispose of' is more formal and often implies a proper, sanctioned method (e.g., dispose of nuclear waste). 'Discard' is more general and can imply simply throwing away as useless.
Yes, frequently. It can mean to transfer or sell an asset ('dispose of property') or to settle a legal matter ('dispose of a case').
It means favorably inclined or sympathetic towards someone or something (e.g., 'The manager was well-disposed to my idea').
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