Sekirov Dictionary

despatch

/dɪˈspætʃ/

verb 12
noun 5
forms 3

verb12

to send goods or a letter to a place quickly
To send (a person) away hastily.
To send (an important official message) promptly, by means of a diplomat or military officer.
•
To send (a journalist) to a place in order to report.
- Scores of foreign journalists have been dispatched to Seoul to report on the growing tensions between the two Koreas and the possibility of war. — 2013
•
To destroy (someone or something) quickly and efficiently.
- "And our dogs used to tree the cats on our property here, and we'd dispatch them." — 2008
•
To defeat
- Gareth Southgate's side had little trouble dispatching the side 172nd in the Fifa rankings. — 2023
•
To dispose of speedily, as business; to execute quickly; to make a speedy end of; to finish; to perform.
- Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we / The business we have talk'd of. — 1606
To eat, especially quickly.
To pass on for further processing, especially via a dispatch table (often with to).
•
To rid; to free.
- But whā I had cleane dispatched myself of this great charge and taske, I loked not that I should at any tyme afterwarde have any more to doe with this kynde of writing — 1548
•
(no longer used) To hurry.
- “Proceed, friend Nicolas, and let us dispatch; for, it grows late.” — 1755
(no longer used) To deprive.

noun5

A message sent quickly, as a shipment, a prompt settlement of a business, or an important official message sent by a diplomat, government official, military officer, etc.
A mission by an emergency response service, typically involving attending to an emergency in the field.
•
The act of doing something quickly.
- We must act with dispatch in this matter.
The passing on of a message for further processing, especially through a dispatch table.
(no longer used) A dismissal.

forms

despatched · despatching · despatches

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