English Dictionary

DISPENSE WITH

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IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dispense with mean? 

DISPENSE WITH (verb)
  The verb DISPENSE WITH has 3 senses:

1. give up what is not strictly neededplay

2. do without or cease to hold or adhere toplay

3. forgo or do or go withoutplay

  Familiarity information: DISPENSE WITH used as a verb is uncommon.


 Dictionary entry details 


DISPENSE WITH (verb)


Sense 1

Meaning:

Give up what is not strictly needed

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

dispense with; give up; part with; spare

Context example:

he asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey

Hypernyms (to "dispense with" is one way to...):

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 2

Meaning:

Do without or cease to hold or adhere to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

dispense with; forego; foreswear; forgo; relinquish; waive

Context example:

relinquish the old ideas

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dispense with"):

give up; kick (stop consuming)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


Sense 3

Meaning:

Forgo or do or go without

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "dispense with" is one way to...):

abandon (forsake, leave behind)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something


 Context examples 


The next day commenced as before, getting up and dressing by rushlight; but this morning we were obliged to dispense with the ceremony of washing; the water in the pitchers was frozen.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

His presence was beginning to be odious to her; and if Maria gained him not, she was now cool enough to dispense with any other revenge.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I was so much better that I thought I could dispense with one.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I cannot comprehend a man's wishing to give a woman any proof of affection which he knows she would rather dispense with; and he did know that she would have prevented the instrument's coming if she could.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

And will you consent to dispense with a great many conventional forms and phrases, without thinking that the omission arises from insolence?

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Her feelings, probably, were not acute; he had never supposed them to be so; but her comforts might not be less on that account; and if she could dispense with seeing her husband a leading, shining character, there would certainly be everything else in her favour.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He was reckoned very handsome; his person much admired in general, though not by her, there being a want of elegance of feature which she could not dispense with:—but the girl who could be gratified by a Robert Martin's riding about the country to get walnuts for her might very well be conquered by Mr. Elton's admiration.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A deal of people, Miss, are for trusting all to Providence; but I say Providence will not dispense with the means, though He often blesses them when they are used discreetly.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"Hair of the dog that bit you." (English proverb)

"Mind the goats so that you will drink their milk." (Albanian proverb)

"The stupid might have wanted to help you, but ended up hurting you." (Arabic proverb)

"The morning rainbow reaches the fountains; the evening rainbow fills the sails." (Corsican proverb)



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