Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Dispose?

\Dis*pose"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Disposed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Disposing}.] [F. disposer; pref. dis- + poser to place. See {Pose}.] 1. To distribute and put in place; to arrange; to set in order; as, to dispose the ships in the form of a crescent. Who hath disposed the whole world? --Job xxxiv. 13. All ranged in order and disposed with grace. --Pope. The rest themselves in troops did else dispose. --Spenser. 2. To regulate; to adjust; to settle; to determine. The knightly forms of combat to dispose. --Dryden. 3. To deal out; to assign to a use; to bestow for an object or purpose; to apply; to employ; to dispose of. Importuned him that what he designed to bestow on her funeral, he would rather dispose among the poor. --Evelyn. 4. To give a tendency or inclination to; to adapt; to cause to turn; especially, to incline the mind of; to give a bent or propension to; to incline; to make inclined; -- usually followed by to, sometimes by for before the indirect object. Endure and conquer; Jove will soon dispose To future good our past and present woes. --Dryden. Suspicions dispose kings to tyranny, husbands to jealousy, and wise men to irresolution and melancholy. --Bacon. {To dispose of}. (a) To determine the fate of; to exercise the power of control over; to fix the condition, application, employment, etc. of; to direct or assign for a use. Freedom to order their actions and dispose of their possessions and persons. --Locke. (b) To exercise finally one's power of control over; to pass over into the control of some one else, as by selling; to alienate; to part with; to relinquish; to get rid of; as, to dispose of a house; to dispose of one's time. More water . . . than can be disposed of. --T. Burnet. I have disposed of her to a man of business. --Tatler. A rural judge disposed of beauty's prize. --Waller. Syn: To set; arrange; order; distribute; adjust; regulate; adapt; fit; incline; bestow; give.
\Dis*pose"\, v. i. To bargain; to make terms. [Obs.] She had disposed with C[ae]sar. --Shak.
\Dis*pose"\, n. 1. Disposal; ordering; management; power or right of control. [Obs.] But such is the dispose of the sole Disposer of empires. --Speed. 2. Cast of mind; disposition; inclination; behavior; demeanor. [Obs.] He hath a person, and a smooth dispose To be suspected. --Shak.