disperse

dis·perse  (d-spûrs)

v. dis·persed, dis·pers·ing, dis·pers·es

v.tr.

1.

a. To drive off or scatter in different directions: The police dispersed the crowd.

b. To strew or distribute widely: The airplane dispersed the leaflets over the city.

2. To cause to vanish or disappear. See Synonyms at scatter.

3. To disseminate (knowledge, for example).

4. To separate (light) into spectral rays.

5. To distribute (particles) evenly throughout a medium.

v.intr.

1. To separate and move in different directions; scatter: The crowd dispersed once the concert ended.

2. To break up and vanish; dissipate: The storm clouds had dispersed by noon.

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[Middle English dispersen, from Old French disperser, from Latin dispergere, dispers-, to disperse : dis-, apart; see dis- + spargere, to scatter.]

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dis·persed·ly (-spûrsd-l) adv.

dis·perser n.

dis·persi·ble adj.

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disperse

Verb

[-persing, -persed]

1. to scatter over a wide area

2. to leave or cause to leave a gathering: police dispersed rioters

3. to separate (light) into its different wavelengths

4. to separate (particles) throughout a solid, liquid, or gas [Latin dispergere to scatter widely]

dispersal
dispersion n

USAGE: See at disburse.

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	disperse - distribute loosely; "He scattered gun powder under the wagon" sprinkle, dot, scatter, dust spray - scatter in a mass or jet of droplets; "spray water on someone"; "spray paint on the wall" spray - be discharged in sprays of liquid; "Water sprayed all over the floor" spatter, splatter, plash, swash, splash, splosh - dash a liquid upon or against; "The mother splashed the baby's face with water" splash, sprinkle, splosh - cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force; "She splashed the water around her" discharge - pour forth or release; "discharge liquids" bespangle - dot or sprinkle with sparkling or glittering objects aerosolize, aerosolise - disperse as an aerosol; "The bacteria suspension was aerosolized"
	2.	disperse - to cause to separate and go in different directions; "She waved her hand and scattered the crowds" break up, dissipate, scatter, dispel disband - cause to break up or cease to function; "the principal disbanded the political student organization" divide, separate - make a division or separation
	3.	disperse - cause to separate; "break up kidney stones"; "disperse particles" scatter, break up change integrity - change in physical make-up backscatter - scatter (radiation) by the atoms of the medium through which it passes
	4.	disperse - move away from each other; "The crowds dispersed"; "The children scattered in all directions when the teacher approached"; dissipate, scatter, spread out aerosolise, aerosolize - become dispersed as an aerosol; "the bacteria quickly aerosolised" break - scatter or part; "The clouds broke after the heavy downpour" volley - be dispersed in a volley; "gun shots volleyed at the attackers" part, split, separate - go one's own way; move apart; "The friends separated after the party"
	5.	disperse - separate (light) into spectral rays; "the prosm disperses light" separate - divide into components or constituents; "Separate the wheat from the chaff"
	6.	disperse - cause to become widely known; "spread information"; "circulate a rumor"; "broadcast the news" disseminate, pass around, circulate, diffuse, broadcast, circularise, circularize, spread, propagate, distribute publicize, bare, publicise, air - make public; "She aired her opinions on welfare" podcast - distribute (multimedia files) over the internet for playback on a mobile device or a personal computer sow - introduce into an environment; "sow suspicion or beliefs" circulate, go around, spread - become widely known and passed on; "the rumor spread"; "the story went around in the office" popularise, popularize, vulgarise, vulgarize, generalise, generalize - cater to popular taste to make popular and present to the general public; bring into general or common use; "They popularized coffee in Washington State"; "Relativity Theory was vulgarized by these authors" carry, run - include as the content; broadcast or publicize; "We ran the ad three times"; "This paper carries a restaurant review"; "All major networks carried the press conference"

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disperse

verb 1. scatter, spread, distribute, circulate, strew, diffuse, dissipate, disseminate, throw about

verb 2. break up, separate, dismiss, disappear, send off, vanish, scatter, dissolve, rout, dispel, disband, part company, demobilize, go (their) separate ways << OPPOSITE gather

verb 3. dissolve, disappear, vanish, evaporate, break up, dissipate, melt away, evanesce see see, disburse

Translations

disperse [dɪsˈpəːs] vt → dispersar

vi → dispersarse

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disperse [dɪsˈpəːs] vt → disperser [+ knowledge]; disséminer

vi → se disperser

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disperse [dɪsˈpəːs] vt (objects) → verstreuen;

(crowd etc) → auflösen, zerstreuen;

(knowledge, information) → verbreiten

vi (crowd) → sich auflösen or zerstreuen

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disperse [dɪsˈpəːs] vt → disperdere [+ knowledge]; disseminare

vi → disperdersi