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   discharge

   verb

   • 1. tell (someone) officially that they can or must leave a place or situation.
   • ▪ allow (a patient) to leave hospital because they are judged fit: "Mark was taken away in an ambulance but later discharged"
   • ▪ dismiss from the armed forces or police: "his memory was impaired and he was discharged from the RAF" Similar dismissremoveejectexpeldeprive of officeget rid ofthrow outoustlet gogive someone noticelay offmake redundantcashierinformal:sackgive someone the sackfireaxesend packinggive someone the bootboot outgive someone their cardsgive someone their marching ordersgive someone the heave-hogive someone the pushgive someone the bulletshow someone the doorturf outOpposite recruitengage
   • ▪ release from the custody or restraint of the law: "she was conditionally discharged for two years at Oxford Crown Court" Similar releaseliberatefreeset freelet golet outallow to leaveset/let/turn looseacquitclearabsolvepardonexoneratereprieveexculpatedeliverspareexemptemancipateinformal:let off (the hook)historical:manumitOpposite imprison
   • ▪ relieve (a juror or jury) from serving in a case: "if the jury cannot agree, it should be discharged"
   • 2. allow (a liquid, gas, or other substance) to flow out from where it has been confined: "industrial plants discharge highly toxic materials into rivers" Similar send outpourreleaseejectemitlet outvoidissuedispensegive offexudeexcreteoozeleakgushjetextravasateliterary:disembogueOpposite absorb
   • ▪ (of an orifice or diseased tissue) emit (pus or other liquid): "the swelling will eventually break down and discharge pus"
   • ▪ release or neutralize the electric charge of (an electric field, battery, or other object): "the electrostatic field that builds up on a monitor screen can be discharged"
   • ▪ (of a person) fire (a gun or missile): "when you shoot you can discharge as many barrels as you wish" Similar fireshootlet offset offloose offtriggerexplodedetonate
   • ▪ (of a firearm) be fired: "there was a dull thud as the gun discharged"
   • ▪ unload (goods or passengers) from a ship: "the ferry was discharging passengers" Similar unloadoffloademptyunburdendisburdenremoverelievedeliverdepositput offrare:unladeOpposite load
   • ▪ allow (an emotion) to be expressed: "he discharged his resentment in the harmless form of memoirs"
   • 3. do all that is required to perform (a duty) or fulfil (a responsibility): "the bank had failed to discharge its supervisory duties" Similar carry outperformconductdocompleteaccomplishachievefulfilexecuteimplementdispatchbring offbring abouteffectobserveabide bystand byrare:effectuate
   • ▪ pay off (a debt): "the executor must discharge the funeral expenses" Similar paypay offpay in fullsettle (up)clearhonourmeetliquidatesatisfydefraymake goodinformal:square
   • ▪ release (a party) from a contract or obligation: "the insurer is discharged from liability from the day of breach" Similar releaseliberatefreeset freelet golet outallow to leaveset/let/turn looseacquitclearabsolvepardonexoneratereprieveexculpatedeliverspareexemptemancipateinformal:let off (the hook)historical:manumitOpposite imprison
   • ▪ relieve (a bankrupt) of residual liability: "first-time bankrupts are discharged automatically after three years"
   • 4. (of a judge or court) cancel (an order of a court): "the court may discharge a care order on the application of the child"
   • ▪ cancel (a contract) because of completion or breach: "an existing mortgage to be discharged on completion"

   noun

   • 1. the action of discharging someone from a hospital or from the armed forces or police: "referrals can be discussed before discharge from hospital" Similar dismissalreleaseremovalejectionoustingexpulsioncongécashieringinformal:the sackfiringaxingthe axethe bootone's marching ordersthe heave-hothe pushthe bulletOpposite recruitment
   • ▪ an act of releasing someone from the custody or restraint of the law: "she was given an absolute discharge after admitting breaking a smoking ban" Similar releaseliberationacquittalclearanceclearingabsolutionpardonexonerationreprieveamnestyexculpationinformal:let-offletting offhistorical:manumissionOpposite conviction
   • 2. the action of discharging a liquid, gas, or other substance: "those germs might lead to vaginal discharge" Similar leakleakingemissionreleaseexudingoozingexcretionejectionemptyingvoidingvoidanceliterary:disemboguing
   • ▪ a substance that has been discharged: "industrial discharge has turned the river into an open sewer" Similar emissionsecretionexcretionexudateeffusionflowoozeseepagesuppurationpusmatter
   • ▪ the release of electricity from a charged object: "slow discharge of a condenser is fundamental to oscillatory circuits"
   • ▪ a flow of electricity through air or other gas, especially when accompanied by emission of light: "a sizzling discharge between sky and turret"
   • ▪ the action of firing a gun or missile: "a police permit for discharge of an air gun" Similar shotshootingfiringdischargingexplosiondetonationblastcrackbangpopreportburstvolleysalvofusilladebarragegunfire
   • ▪ the action of unloading a ship: "freight for discharge" Similar unloadingoffloadingunburdeningdisburdeningremovalremovingrelievingemptyingdeliveringdepositrare:unladingOpposite loading
   • 3. the action of doing all that is required to fulfil a responsibility or perform a duty: "directors must use skill in the discharge of their duties" Similar carrying outperformanceperformingconductdoingcompletionaccomplishmentachievementfulfilmentexecutionimplementationdispatcheffectuationobservance
   • ▪ the payment of a debt: "money paid in discharge of a claim" Similar paymentrepaymentpaying (off)settlementsettling (up)clearanceclearinghonouringmeetingliquidationdefrayingmaking goodinformal:squaring
   • ▪ the relief of a bankrupt from residual liability: "machinery to rehabilitate the bankrupt through the process of discharge"
   • 4. the cancellation of an order of a court: "an application for discharge of a supervision order"

   Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘relieve of an obligation’): from Old French descharger, from late Latin discarricare ‘unload’, from dis- (expressing reversal) + carricare ‘to load’ (see charge).

   Derivatives

   • 1. dischargeable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 16

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   • A

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   • R

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   • G

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