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v. dis·posed, dis·pos·ing, dis·pos·es v.tr. 1. To put into a willing or receptive frame of mind; incline: "If we're going to preach the politics of virtue, then we need to promote the social conditions that dispose people to be virtuous" (Lillian B. Rubin). 2. To place or set in a particular order; arrange: "Sally ... was beginning to loosen the upper sheet and dispose the pillows" (Harriet Beecher Stowe). v.intr. Phrasal Verb: To determine the course of events: Man proposes, God disposes. dispose of 1. To finish dealing with something; settle: Let's dispose of the matter and turn to something else. 2. To give or transfer to someone else, especially permanently: She disposed of her estate among her heirs. He disposed of his memoirs to a research library. 3. To get rid of; throw out: He disposed of the newspapers after reading them. 4. To kill or destroy. [Middle English disposen, to arrange, from Old French disposer, alteration (influenced by poser, to put, place) of Latin dispōnere, to arrange : dis-, apart; see DIS- + pōnere, to put; see apo- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] dis·poser n. |
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