Disperse definition

dĭ-spûrs
dispersed disperses dispersing
See word origin
Frequency:
To break up and scatter in all directions; spread about; distribute widely.
verb
5
1
To dispel (mist, etc.)
verb
2
1
To drive off or scatter in different directions.

The police dispersed the crowd.

verb
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To strew or distribute widely.

The airplane dispersed the leaflets over the city.

verb
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To separate (light) into spectral rays.
verb
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0
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To distribute (particles) evenly throughout a medium.
verb
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To separate and move in different directions; scatter.

The crowd dispersed once the concert ended.

verb
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To attenuate and vanish; dissipate.

The storm clouds had dispersed by noon.

verb
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To break up (light) into its component colored rays.
verb
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To break up and move in different directions; scatter.
verb
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(intransitive) To scatter in different directions.

The Jews are dispersed among all nations.

verb
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(intransitive) To break up and disappear; to dissipate.
verb
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(intransitive) To disseminate.
verb
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(physics, intransitive) To separate rays of light etc. according to wavelength; to refract.
verb
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(intransitive) To distribute throughout.
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The definition of disperse is to cause to vanish.

An example of to disperse is when fog is blown away by wind.

verb
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1
To disperse is defined as to break up and spread in many directions.

An example of to disperse is when people in a crowd walk away from each other.

An example of to disperse is when light through a prism is broken up into the colors of the rainbow.

verb
0
1
To cause to attenuate and disappear.

The sun dispersed the fog.

verb
0
1

Origin of disperse

  • Middle English dispersen from Old French disperser from Latin dispergere dispers- to disperse dis- apart dis– spargere to scatter

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From French disperser, from Latin dispersus, past participle of dispergere (“to scatter abroad, disperse”), from dis- (“apart”) + spargere (“to scatter”); see sparse.

    From Wiktionary

Disperse Sentence Examples

  • She coughed softly and waved a hand to disperse the fumes.

  • The guests began to disperse, some without taking leave of Helene.

  • At a further stage of their growth the particles disperse in the perpendicular direction a light which is no longer fully polarized.

  • Twice the marauders even attack our headquarters, and the commander-in-chief has to ask for a battalion to disperse them.

  • Cool mist humidifiers disperse a cool mist into the room.

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