dispose of

Idioms  

1. Attend to, settle, deal with, as in He quickly disposed of the problem . [Early 1600s]

2. 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]

3. 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]

4. 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]

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Example Sentences

The complaint alleges that the city’s practice of seizing and disposing of property violates the 4th Amendment’s protection against illegal search and seizure and the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of due process.

From Los Angeles Times

The government says it is an offence to illegally dispose of canisters and local councils have powers to take enforcement action against offenders.

From BBC

The Welsh Local Government Association said up to half of the waste disposed of in black bags could be recycled.

From BBC

Customers who have purchased the recalled chocolates are advised not to consume them and to dispose of them immediately.

From Salon

Nuclear power also produces radioactive waste; disposing of it can be costly and comes with environmental risks.

From BBC

Related Words

• destroy
• discard
• dump
• eliminate
• get rid of
• relinquish
• scrap
• sell
• unload