disposal

¹

[dih-spoh-zuhl]

noun

1. an act or instance of disposing; arrangement.

   the disposal of the troops.

2. a disposing of or getting rid of something.

   the disposal of waste material.

3. a disposing or allotting of, as by gift or sale; bestowal or assignment.

   She left no will to indicate the disposal of her possessions.

4. power or right to dispose of a thing; control.

   left at his disposal.

   Synonyms: management, direction, command

disposal

²

[dih-spoh-zuhl]

noun

1. an electrical device in the drain of a sink, for grinding up garbage to be washed down the drain.

disposal

/ dɪˈspəʊzəl /

noun

1. the act or means of getting rid of something

2. placement or arrangement in a particular order

3. a specific method of tending to matters, as in business

4. the act or process of transferring something to or providing something for another

5. the power or opportunity to make use of someone or something (esp in the phrase at one's disposal )

6. a means of destroying waste products, as by grinding into particles

Word History and Origins

Origin of disposal¹

First recorded in 1620–30; dispose + -al ²

Origin of disposal²

Short for garbage-disposal; disposal ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see put at someone's disposal.

Example Sentences

Marine Corps ordnance disposal team then determined that the device was safe to transport and moved it off site, where it was deactivated.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The city hadn’t raised trash pickup fees in 17 years, and a 2016 state law governing organic waste disposal significantly increased operational costs.

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"They're using every lever at their disposal to keep us from maintaining order."

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GMP said: "The bomb disposal unit has been called and is now at the scene."

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Bomb disposal units were later deployed to the scene, with a loud explosion heard afterwards.

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Related Words

• clearance 
• demolition 
• destruction 
• disposition 
• dumping 
• removal 
• transfer