Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Dispatch?

\Dis*patch"\ (?; 224), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Dispatched}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Dispatching}.] [OF. despeechier, F. d['e]p[^e]cher; prob. from pref. des- (L. dis-) + (assumed) LL. pedicare to place obstacles in the way, fr. L. pedica fetter, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See {Foot}, and cf. {Impeach}, {Despatch}.] [Written also {despatch}.] 1. To dispose of speedily, as business; to execute quickly; to make a speedy end of; to finish; to perform. Ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we The business we have talked of. --Shak. [The] harvest men . . . almost in one fair day dispatcheth all the harvest work. --Robynson (More's Utopia). 2. To rid; to free. [Obs.] I had clean dispatched myself of this great charge. --Udall. 3. To get rid of by sending off; to send away hastily. Unless dispatched to the mansion house in the country . . . they perish among the lumber of garrets. --Walpole. 4. To send off or away; -- particularly applied to sending off messengers, messages, letters, etc., on special business, and implying haste. Even with the speediest expedition I will dispatch him to the emperor's cou??. --Shak. 5. To send out of the world; to put to death. The company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords. --Ezek. xxiii. 47. Syn: To expedite; hasten; speed; accelerate; perform; conclude; finish; slay; kill.
\Dis*patch"\, v. i. To make haste; to conclude an affair; to finish a matter of business. They have dispatched with Pompey. --Shak.
\Dis*patch"\, n. [Cf. OF. despeche, F. d['e]p[^e]che. See {Dispatch}, v. t.] [Written also {despatch}.] 1. The act of sending a message or messenger in haste or on important business. 2. Any sending away; dismissal; riddance. To the utter dispatch of all their most beloved comforts. --Milton. 3. The finishing up of a business; speedy performance, as of business; prompt execution; diligence; haste. Serious business, craving quick dispatch. --Shak. To carry his scythe . . . with a sufficient dispatch through a sufficient space. --Paley. 4. A message dispatched or sent with speed; especially, an important official letter sent from one public officer to another; -- often used in the plural; as, a messenger has arrived with dispatches for the American minister; naval or military dispatches. 5. A message transmitted by telegraph. [Modern] {Dispatch boat}, a swift vessel for conveying dispatches; an advice boat. {Dispatch box}, a box for carrying dispatches; a box for papers and other conveniences when traveling. Syn: Haste; hurry; promptness; celerity; speed. See {Haste}.