discharge

[ verb dis-chahrj; noun dis-chahrj, dis-chahrj ]

/ verb dɪsˈtʃɑrdʒ; noun ˈdɪs tʃɑrdʒ, dɪsˈtʃɑrdʒ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR discharge ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), dis·charged, dis·charg·ing.

to relieve of a charge or load; unload: to discharge a ship.

to remove or send forth: They discharged the cargo at New York.

to fire or shoot (a firearm or missile): to discharge a gun.

to pour forth; emit: to discharge oil; to discharge a stream of invective.

to relieve oneself of (an obligation, burden, etc.).

to relieve of obligation, responsibility, etc.

to fulfill, perform, or execute (a duty, function, etc.).

to relieve or deprive of office, employment, etc.; dismiss from service.

to release, send away, or allow to go (often followed by from): The children were discharged early from school. They discharged him from prison.

to pay (a debt).

Law.

to release (a defendant, especially one under confinement).
to release (a bankrupt) from former debts.
to cancel (a contract).
to release (bail).

(in a legislative body) to order (a committee) to cease further consideration of a bill so that it can be voted on.

Electricity. to rid (a battery, capacitor, etc.) of a charge of electricity.

Dyeing. to free from a dye, as by chemical bleaching.

verb (used without object), dis·charged, dis·charg·ing.

to get rid of a burden or load.

to deliver a charge or load.

to pour forth.

to go off or fire, as a firearm or missile.

to blur or run, as a color or dye.

Electricity. to lose or give up a charge of electricity.

noun

the act of discharging a ship, load, etc.

the act of firing a weapon, as an arrow by drawing and releasing the string of the bow, or a gun by exploding the charge of powder.

a sending or coming forth, as of water from a pipe; ejection; emission.

the rate or amount of such issue.

something sent forth or emitted.

a relieving, ridding, or getting rid of something of the nature of a charge.

Law.

an acquittal or exoneration.
an annulment, as of a court order.
the freeing of one held under legal process.

a relieving or being relieved of obligation or liability; fulfillment of an obligation.

the payment of a debt.

a release or dismissal, as from prison, an office, or employment.

a certificate of such a release or a certificate of release from obligation or liability.

the act or process of ordering a legislative committee to cease further consideration of a bill so that it can be voted on.

Military.

the separation of a person from military service.
a certificate of such separation.

Electricity.

the removal or transference of an electric charge, as by the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy.
the equalization of a difference of potential, as between two terminals.

Nearby words

Origin of discharge

1300–50; Middle English deschargen < Anglo-French descharger, Old French < Late Latin discarricāre, equivalent to dis- dis-¹ + carricāre to load; see charge

SYNONYMS FOR discharge

1 unburden, disburden.

4 expel, eject, exude.

8 cashier, fire, remove.

9 dismiss, expel.

10 settle, liquidate.

22 detonation, shooting.

28 execution, performance.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR discharge ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

dis·charge·a·ble, adjectivedis·charg·er, nounnon·dis·charg·ing, adjective, nounpre·dis·charge, noun

pre·dis·charge, verb (used with object), pre·dis·charged, pre·dis·charg·ing.re·dis·charge, verb, re·dis·charged, re·dis·charg·ing.un·dis·charge·a·ble, adjectiveun·dis·charged, adjective

Synonym study

6. See release. 7. See perform.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for discharge

When you get the kind of discharge I had, they give you a suit and fifty dollars.
The Renegade: Robert Downey Sr. on His Classic Films, Son’s Battle with Drugs, and Bill Cosby|Marlow Stern|November 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But even as he was receiving awards, the military brass was processing his discharge—they had found out he was transgender.
Yes to LGB, No to T: The Pentagon Still Has a Transgender Ban|Tim Mak|October 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“With a discharge petition, the blame is no longer just on the House Republican leadership,” Chinn added.
Immigration Activists Blast Obama|David Freedlander|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The latest maneuver by the Democrats is something called a discharge petition.
House GOP Won't Budge On Clean CR|Ben Jacobs|October 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST

After his discharge, Alexis worked as a computer defense contractor in Japan, according to a regular customer at Happy Bowl.
Investigators Search for Clues to What Motivated Navy Yard Shooter Aaron Alexis|Ben Jacobs, Miranda Green|September 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Lloyd Morgan has prettily likened the vital processes to the periodic formation and discharge of explosive substances.
On Germinal Selection as a Source of Definite Variation|August Weismann
The spores are aided in their discharge and dissemination by four club-shaped threads attached to one part of them.
The Elements of Botany|Asa Gray
I fancy they discharge their duties in voting rather faithfully, though they do not often take part in caucuses or conventions.
Literature and Life|William Dean Howells
He is very sensible, a good preacher, and conscientious in the discharge of his duty.
The Works of William Cowper|William Cowper
But Charlie is dead; and the discharge was only a few moments ago.
The Cabin on the Prairie|C. H. (Charles Henry) Pearson

British Dictionary definitions for discharge

discharge

verb (dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ)

(tr) to release or allow to gothe hospital discharged the patient

(tr) to dismiss from or relieve of duty, office, employment, etc

to fire or be fired, as a gun

to pour forth or cause to pour forththe boil discharges pus

(tr) to remove (the cargo) from (a boat, etc); unload

(tr) to perform (the duties of) or meet (the demands of an office, obligation, etc)he discharged his responsibilities as mayor

(tr) to relieve oneself of (a responsibility, debt, etc)

(intr) physics

to lose or remove electric charge
to form an arc, spark, or corona in a gas
to take or supply electrical current from a cell or battery

(tr) law to release (a prisoner from custody, etc)

(tr) to remove dye from (a fabric), as by bleaching

(intr) (of a dye or colour) to blur or run

(tr) architect

to spread (weight) evenly over a supporting member
to relieve a member of (excess weight) by distribution of pressure

noun (ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ, dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ)

a person or thing that is discharged

dismissal or release from an office, job, institution, etc
the document certifying such release

the fulfilment of an obligation or release from a responsibility or liabilityhonourable discharge

the act of removing a load, as of cargo

a pouring forth of a fluid; emission

the act of firing a projectile
the volley, bullet, missile, etc, fired

law

a release, as of a person held under legal restraint
an annulment, as of a court order

physics

the act or process of removing or losing charge or of equalizing a potential difference
a transient or continuous conduction of electricity through a gas by the formation and movement of electrons and ions in an applied electric field

the volume of fluid flowing along a pipe or a channel in unit time
the output rate of a plant or piece of machinery, such as a pump

Derived Formsdischargeable, adjectivedischarger, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for discharge (1 of 2)

discharge

early 14c., "to exempt, exonerate, release," from Old French deschargier (12c., Modern French décharger) "to unload, discharge," from Late Latin discarricare, from dis- "do the opposite of" (see dis-) + carricare "load" (see charge (v.)).

Meaning "to unload, to free from" is late 14c. Of weapons, from 1550s. The electrical sense is first attested 1748. Meaning "to fulfill, to perform one's duties" is from c.1400. Related: Discharged; discharging.

Word Origin and History for discharge (1 of 2)

discharge

late 14c., "relief from misfortune," see discharge (v.). Meaning "release from work or duty" is from early 15c.

Medicine definitions for discharge

discharge

[ dĭs-chärj′ ]

v.

To emit a substance, as by excretion or secretion.

To release a patient from custody or care.

To generate an electrical impulse. Used of a neuron.

n.

The act of releasing, emitting, or secreting.

A substance that is excreted or secreted.

The generation of an electrical impulse by a neuron.

Science definitions for discharge

discharge

[ dĭs-chärj′ ]

Noun

The conversion of chemical energy to electric energy within a storage battery.

A flow of electricity in a dielectric, especially in a rarefied gas.

A flowing out or pouring forth, as of a bodily fluid; emission or secretion.

A substance or material that is released, emitted, or excreted, especially from the body.

Verb

To undergo or cause the release of stored energy or electric charge, as from a battery or capacitor.

To release, emit, or excrete a substance, especially from the body.

discharge

verb (used with object), dis·charged, dis·charg·ing.

verb (used without object), dis·charged, dis·charg·ing.

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of discharge

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for discharge

British Dictionary definitions for discharge

discharge

verb (dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ)

noun (ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ, dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ)

Word Origin and History for discharge (1 of 2)

discharge

Word Origin and History for discharge (1 of 2)

discharge

Medicine definitions for discharge

discharge

v.

n.

Science definitions for discharge

discharge

Noun

Verb