discharge

—dischargeable, adj. —discharger, n.

v. /dis chahrj"/; n. /dis"chahrj, dis chahrj"/, v., discharged, discharging, n.

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.

5. to relieve oneself of (an obligation, burden, etc.).

6. to relieve of obligation, responsibility, etc.

7. to fulfill, perform, or execute (a duty, function, 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.

a. to release (a defendant, esp. one under confinement).

b. to release (a bankrupt) from former debts.

c. to cancel (a contract).

d. to release (bail).

12. (in a legislative body) to order (a committee) to cease further consideration of a bill so that it can be voted on.

13. Elect. to rid (a battery, capacitor, etc.) of a charge of electricity.

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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