- discharge
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v.t.1. to relieve of a charge or load; unload: to discharge a ship.2. to remove or send forth: They discharged the cargo at New York.3. to fire or shoot (a firearm or missile): to discharge a gun.4. to pour forth; emit: to discharge oil; to discharge a stream of invective.6. to relieve of obligation, responsibility, etc.8. to relieve or deprive of office, employment, etc.; dismiss from service.9. to release, send away, or allow to go (often fol. by from): The children were discharged early from school. They discharged him from prison.10. to pay (a debt).11. Law.b. to release (a bankrupt) from former debts.c. to cancel (a contract).12. (in a legislative body) to order (a committee) to cease further consideration of a bill so that it can be voted on.14. Dyeing. to free from a dye, as by chemical bleaching.v.i.15. to get rid of a burden or load.16. to deliver a charge or load.17. to pour forth.18. to go off or fire, as a firearm or missile.19. to blur or run, as a color or dye.20. Elect. to lose or give up a charge of electricity.n.21. the act of discharging a ship, load, etc.22. the act of firing a weapon, as an arrow by drawing and releasing the string of the bow, or a gun by exploding the charge of powder.23. a sending or coming forth, as of water from a pipe; ejection; emission.24. the rate or amount of such issue.25. something sent forth or emitted.26. a relieving, ridding, or getting rid of something of the nature of a charge.27. Law.a. an acquittal or exoneration.b. an annulment, as of a court order.c. the freeing of one held under legal process.28. a relieving or being relieved of obligation or liability; fulfillment of an obligation.29. the payment of a debt.30. a release or dismissal, as from prison, an office, or employment.31. a certificate of such a release or a certificate of release from obligation or liability.32. the act or process of ordering a legislative committee to cease further consideration of a bill so that it can be voted on.33. Mil.a. the separation of a person from military service.b. a certificate of such separation.34. Elect.a. the removal or transference of an electric charge, as by the conversion of chemical energy to electrical energy.b. the equalization of a difference of potential, as between two terminals.[1300-50; ME deschargen < AF descharger, OF < LL discarricare, equiv. to dis- DIS-1 + carricare to load; see CHARGE]Syn. 1. unburden, disburden. 4. expel, eject, exude. 6. See release. 7. See perform. 8. cashier, fire, remove. 9. dismiss, expel. 10. settle, liquidate. 22. detonation, shooting. 28. execution, performance.
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Universalium. 2010.