Definition

Verb: 1. To get rid of something; to throw away or discard: To eliminate an unwanted item or substance, often by placing it in the trash or destroying it. 2. To deal with or settle a matter, task, or problem: To handle, conclude, or take care of something, especially in a final or efficient manner.

Usage and Examples

• To get rid of something:

  • Please dispose of your trash in the bins provided.
  • The company has a safe method to dispose of chemical waste.
  • He quickly disposed of the old furniture.

• To deal with or settle a matter:

  • The manager disposed of the customer's complaint promptly.
  • She disposed of the remaining paperwork before leaving the office.
  • The committee disposed of the first item on the agenda in just ten minutes.

Advanced Usage

• "to dispose of someone/something" (figurative, in competition): To defeat an opponent or overcome a challenge decisively.
  • The champion disposed of the challenger in the first round.
  • Our team disposed of the technical issues and proceeded with the launch.

Variants and Related Words

• Disposal (noun): The act of getting rid of something.
  • The disposal of nuclear material is highly regulated.
• Disposable (adjective): Designed to be thrown away after use.
  • Disposable cups and plates are convenient for parties.

Synonyms

• Discard: To get rid of something no longer useful or desirable.
• Jettison: To throw or drop something from a moving vehicle or ship; to abandon an idea or plan.
• Dispatch: To deal with a task or opponent quickly and efficiently.
• Conclude: To bring something to an end.

Phrasal Verbs

• Dispose of is itself a phrasal verb. It is not typically separated. The object (what is being gotten rid of or dealt with) follows "of."
  • Correct: We need to dispose of the evidence.
  • Uncommon: We need to dispose the evidence of.

Related Idioms

• To have at one's disposal: To have something available for use.
  • The researchers have a supercomputer at their disposal.
  • (Note: This idiom uses the related noun "disposal," not the phrasal verb "dispose of.")

Verb

1. deal with or settle
   • He disposed of these cases quickly