Definition

1. Verb:
   • To give out or deliver something to multiple people or places: The primary meaning involves handing items to several recipients or sending items to various locations.
   • To spread or scatter something over an area: To disperse items, people, or qualities so they are not concentrated in one place.
   • To divide and share something among a group: To apportion or allocate portions of a whole to different members or parts.
   • (Mathematics/Logic) To be mathematically distributive: A property where a single operation applied to a sum is equivalent to the sum of the individual operations (e.g., multiplication distributes over addition).

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The organization will distribute food and blankets to the refugees. (To give out to multiple people)
  • We need to distribute the workload more evenly among the team members. (To divide and share)
  • The seeds are distributed by the wind across the valley. (To spread or scatter)
  • In the equation a(b + c), multiplication distributes, so it equals ab + ac. (Mathematical property)

Advanced Usage

• "to distribute over": To spread something across a surface or area.
  • The farmer distributed fertilizer over the entire field.
• "to distribute among/between": To divide something and give shares to a group.
  • The prize money was distributed among the top three contestants.
• "to distribute oneself": (Formal/rare) To position or spread oneself out.
  • The soldiers distributed themselves along the defensive line.

Variants and Related Words

• Distribution (n): The act or process of distributing something.
  • The distribution of aid was handled efficiently.
• Distributive (adj): Relating to distribution. In grammar, it refers to words like "each" or "every" that refer to individual members of a group. In mathematics, it describes the property mentioned above.
  • "Each" is a distributive pronoun.
• Distributor (n): A person or company that supplies goods to stores or other businesses.
  • The company is a major distributor of automotive parts.

Synonyms

• Dispense: To give or provide (a service or item) to people.
• Disperse: To spread over a wide area; to scatter.
• Allocate: To distribute resources or duties for a particular purpose.
• Circulate: To pass or send something around, especially information.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Hand out: To distribute by hand. (This is a synonym in the context of physically giving items).
  • Volunteers will hand out water bottles at the marathon.
• Give out: To distribute; to come to an end or break down from overuse.
  • The teacher will give out the test papers now.

Related Idioms

• Spread the wealth: To distribute money or advantages more widely among people. (Conceptually related but does not use the exact word "distribute").
  • The new tax policy aims to spread the wealth more fairly.

Verb

1. to arrange in a systematic order
   • stagger the chairs in the lecture hall
2. be mathematically distributive
3. be distributed or spread, as in statistical analyses
   • Values distribute
4. spread throughout a given area
   • the function distributes the values evenly
5. cause to become widely known
   • spread information
   • circulate a rumor
   • broadcast the news
6. cause be distributed
   • This letter is being circulated among the faculty
7. give to several people
   • The teacher handed out the exams
8. make available
   • The publisher wants to distribute the book in Asia
9. distribute or disperse widely
   • The invaders spread their language all over the country
10. administer or bestow, as in small portions
    • administer critical remarks to everyone present
    • dole out some money
    • shell out pocket money for the children
    • deal a blow to someone
    • the machine dispenses soft drinks