dispose of
Idioms-
Attend to, settle, deal with, as in He quickly disposed of the problem . [Early 1600s]
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Transfer, part with, as by giving away or selling. For example, They wanted to dispose of the land as soon as possible . [Second half of 1600s]
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Get rid of, throw out, as in Can we dispose of the trash in this barrel? Oliver Goldsmith had this idiom in She Stoops to Conquer (1773): “I'm disposing of the husband before I have secured the lover.” [Mid-1600s]
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Kill or destroy; also, humorously, consume. For example, The king was determined to dispose of his enemies , or John disposed of the cake in no time . [Second half of 1800s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They break down proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids, helping cells dispose of waste and reuse materials for essential biological processes.
From Science Daily • May 12, 2026
It also says it would "encourage" local authorities to charge only £5 for bulky waste collections, to incentivise households to dispose of waste responsibly.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
They could dispose of them as they wished.
From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026
The suit alleged meal breaks were “frequently interrupted” when Beteta would be called back by a supervisor to clean buckets or dispose of trash.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
He constantly pesters students and teachers to properly dispose of their plastic water bottles.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
