Library / English Dictionary

DISPENSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give or apply (medications)

Synonyms:

administer; dispense

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

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

care for; treat (provide treatment for)

"Dispense" entails doing...:

apply; give (give or convey physically)

Domain category:

medicine; practice of medicine (the learned profession that is mastered by graduate training in a medical school and that is devoted to preventing or alleviating or curing diseases and injuries)

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

transfuse (give a transfusion (e.g., of blood) to)

digitalize (administer digitalis such that the patient benefits maximally without getting adverse effects)

inject; shoot (give an injection to)

give (give (as medicine))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

dispensary (clinic where medicine and medical supplies are dispensed)

dispensation (the act of dispensing (giving out in portions))

dispensation (a share that has been dispensed or distributed)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Administer or bestow, as in small portions

Example:

the machine dispenses soft drinks

Synonyms:

administer; allot; deal; deal out; dish out; dispense; distribute; dole out; lot; mete out; parcel out; shell out

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

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

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

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

allot; assign; portion (give out)

reallot (allot again)

deal (distribute cards to the players in a game)

apply; give (give or convey physically)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

dispensation (the act of dispensing (giving out in portions))

dispensation (a share that has been dispensed or distributed)

dispenser (a container so designed that the contents can be used in prescribed amounts)

dispenser (a person who dispenses)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Grant a dispensation; grant an exemption

Example:

I was dispensed from this terrible task

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

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

exempt; free; relieve (grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody PP

Also:

dispense with (do without or cease to hold or adhere to)

Derivation:

dispensation (an exemption from some rule or obligation)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The investigator monitors the safety of the trial subjects and investigational staff (under whose immediate direction an agent is administered or dispensed to a subject).

(Investigator, NCI Thesaurus)

The science of preparing and dispensing drugs.

(Pharmaceutics, NCI Thesaurus)

A person licensed to prepare and dispense (give out) prescription drugs and who has been taught how they work, how to use them, and their side effects.

(Pharmacist, NCI Dictionary)

A person trained in pharmacy that prepares and dispenses drugs prescribed by physicians and health practitioners.

(Pharmacist, NCI Thesaurus)

The completed action of applying, dispensing or otherwise giving medications or other substances to experimental units.

(Performed Substance Administration, NCI Thesaurus)

A suspension composed of a suspension that has been prepared immediately prior to dispensing or oral administration.

(Oral Suspension Final Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

A powder contained in a device with valves that permits the dispensing of active and/or inert ingredient(s) upon activation.

(Metered Powder Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

A spray contained in a device with valves that permits the dispensing of a specified quantity of active and/or inert ingredient(s) upon activation.

(Metered Spray Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

A non-pressurized dosage form consisting of valves which allow the dispensing of a specified quantity of spray upon each activation.

(Metered Spray Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

A terminology subset for NCPDP that describes the intended or actual dispensed quantity unit of measure (e.g., 1 Pack, 1 Inhaler, 17 grams, 30 tablets, 473 ML, 3 Eaches).

(NCPDP Quantity Unit of Measure Terminology, NCI Thesaurus)