discharge

dis|charge¹ [dısˈtʃa:dʒ US -a:r-] v

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1¦(send somebody away)¦

2¦(gas/liquid/smoke etc)¦

3¦(shoot)¦

4¦(duty/responsibility/debt etc)¦

5¦(electricity)¦

6¦(a wound)¦

7¦(goods/passengers)¦

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: descharger, from Late Latin carricare 'to load']

1.) ¦(SEND SOMEBODY AWAY)¦ [T]

to officially allow someone to leave somewhere, especially the hospital or the army, navy etc, or to tell them that they must leave

▪ Hospitals now tend to discharge patients earlier than in the past.

▪ The judge discharged the jury.

discharge sb from sth

▪ Several of the recruits were discharged from the Army due to medical problems.

discharge yourself

BrE (=leave hospital before your treatment is complete)

conditionally discharge sb

BrE (=let someone leave prison if they obey particular rules)

▪ Dunning was conditionally discharged for two years.

2.) ¦(GAS/LIQUID/SMOKE ETC)¦ [I always + adverb/preposition, T]

to send out gas, liquid, smoke etc, or to allow it to escape

discharge sth into sth

▪ Sewage is discharged directly into the sea.

discharge into

▪ Rainwater collects here and then discharges into the river Kennett.

3.) ¦(SHOOT)¦ [T] formal

to fire a gun or shoot an ↑arrow etc

▪ A soldier accidentally discharged his weapon.

4.) ¦(DUTY/RESPONSIBILITY/DEBT ETC)¦ [T] formal

to do or pay what you have a duty to do or pay

discharge your duties/responsibilities/obligations etc

▪ The trustees failed to discharge their duties properly.

5.) ¦(ELECTRICITY)¦ [I and T]

if a piece of electrical equipment discharges, or if it is discharged, it sends out electricity

6.) ¦(A WOUND)¦ [I and T]

if a wound or body part discharges a substance such as ↑pus (=infected liquid) , the substance slowly comes out of it

7.) ¦(GOODS/PASSENGERS)¦ [T] formal

to take goods or passengers off a ship, plane etc

discharge ²

dis|charge² [ˈdıstʃa:dʒ US -tʃa:rdʒ] n formal

1.) [U]

when you officially allow someone to leave somewhere, especially the hospital or their job in the army, navy etc

discharge from

▪ Nurses visit the mother and baby for two weeks after their discharge from the hospital.

→↑dishonourable discharge, ↑honorable discharge

2.) [U and C]

when gas, liquid, smoke etc is sent out, or the substance that is sent out

discharge of

▪ the discharge of toxic waste into the sea

3.) [U and C]

when a substance slowly comes out of a wound or part of your body, or the substance that comes out

4.) [U and C]

electricity that is sent out by a piece of equipment, a storm etc

5.) [U]

when someone performs a duty or pays a debt

discharge of

▪ the discharge of the college's legal responsibilities

6.) [U]

when someone shoots a gun