from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Discharge \Dis*charge"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Discharged}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Discharging}.] [OE. deschargen, dischargen, OF.
deschargier, F. d['e]charger; pref. des- (L. dis) + chargier,
F. charger. See {Charge}.]
1. To relieve of a charge, load, or burden; to empty of a
load or cargo; to unburden; to unload; as, to discharge a
vessel.
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2. To free of the missile with which anything is charged or
loaded; to let go the charge of; as, to discharge a bow,
catapult, etc.; especially, said of firearms, -- to fire
off; to shoot off; also, to relieve from a state of
tension, as a Leyden jar.
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The galleys also did oftentimes, out of their prows,
discharge their great pieces against the city.
--Knolles.
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Feeling in other cases discharges itself in indirect
muscular actions. --H. Spencer.
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3. To of something weighing upon or impeding over one, as a
debt, claim, obligation, responsibility, accusation, etc.;
to absolve; to acquit; to clear.
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Discharged of business, void of strife. --Dryden.
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In one man's fault discharge another man of his
duty. --L'Estrange.
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4. To relieve of an office or employment; to send away from
service; to dismiss.
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Discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks. --Shak.
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Grindal . . . was discharged the government of his
see. --Milton.
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5. To release legally from confinement; to set at liberty;
as, to discharge a prisoner.
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6. To put forth, or remove, as a charge or burden; to take
out, as that with which anything is loaded or filled; as,
to discharge a cargo.
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7. To let fly, as a missile; to shoot.
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They do discharge their shot of courtesy. --Shak.
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8. To set aside; to annul; to dismiss.
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We say such an order was "discharged on appeal."
--Mozley & W.
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The order for Daly's attendance was discharged.
--Macaulay.
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9. To throw off the obligation of, as a duty or debt; to
relieve one's self of, by fulfilling conditions,
performing duty, trust, and the like; hence, to perform or
execute, as an office, or part.
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Had I a hundred tongues, a wit so large
As could their hundred offices discharge. --Dryden.
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10. To send away (a creditor) satisfied by payment; to pay
one's debt or obligation to. [Obs.]
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If he had
The present money to discharge the Jew. --Shak.
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11. To give forth; to emit or send out; as, a pipe discharges
water; to let fly; to give expression to; to utter; as,
to discharge a horrible oath.
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12. To prohibit; to forbid. [Scot. Obs.] --Sir W. Scott.
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13. (Textile Dyeing & Printing) To bleach out or to remove or
efface, as by a chemical process; as, to discharge the
color from a dyed fabric in order to form light figures
on a dark ground.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
{Discharging arch} (Arch.), an arch over a door, window, or
other opening, to distribute the pressure of the wall
above. See Illust. of {Lintel}.
{Discharging piece}, {Discharging strut} (Arch.), a piece set
to carry thrust or weight to a solid point of support.
{Discharging rod} (Elec.), a bent wire, with knobs at both
ends, and insulated by a glass handle. It is employed for
discharging a Leyden jar or an electrical battery. See
{Discharger}.
Syn: See {Deliver}.
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