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—distributable, adj.1. to divide and give out in shares; deal out; allot.2. to disperse through a space or over an area; spread; scatter.3. to promote, sell, and ship or deliver (an item or line of merchandise) to individual customers, esp. in a specified region or area.5. to divide into distinct phases: The process was distributed into three stages.6. to divide into classes: These plants are distributed into 22 classes.7. Logic. to employ (a term) in a proposition so as to refer to all individuals denoted by the term.8. Physical Chem. to dissolve uniformly in a solvent consisting of layers of immiscible or partially miscible substances.9. Print.[1400-50; late ME < L distributus, ptp. of distribuere to divide up. See DIS-1, TRIBUTE]Syn. 1. assign, mete, apportion. DISTRIBUTE, DISPENSE apply to giving out something. DISTRIBUTE implies apportioned, individualized giving, esp. of something that is definite or limited in amount or number: The prizes were distributed among ten winners. DISPENSE formerly implied indiscriminate, general, and liberal giving, esp. of something that was more or less indefinite or unmeasured in amount: to dispense largess. It now applies chiefly to giving according to need or deserts, from an organized and official source: to dispense medicines and food to the victims. 6. dispose, sort, arrange, categorize.
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Universalium. 2010.