discharge Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the sudden giving off of energy
  2. noun the act of venting
    venting.
  3. noun a substance that is emitted or released
    emission.
  4. noun any of several bodily processes by which substances go out of the body
    emission; expelling.
    • the discharge of pus
  5. noun electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field
    spark; arc; electric arc; electric discharge.
  6. noun the pouring forth of a fluid
    outpouring; run.
  7. noun the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart)
    sacking; dismissal; firing; sack; liberation; release; dismission.
  8. noun a formal written statement of relinquishment
    release; waiver.
  9. noun the act of discharging a gun
    firing; firing off.
  10. verb complete or carry out
    complete; dispatch.
    • discharge one's duties
  11. verb pour forth or release
    • discharge liquids
  12. verb free from obligations or duties
    free.
  13. verb remove the charge from
  14. verb go off or discharge
    fire; go off.
    • The gun fired
  15. verb pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
    exculpate; acquit; clear; assoil; exonerate.
    • The suspect was cleared of the murder charges
  16. verb eliminate (a substance)
    release; exhaust; expel; eject.
    • combustion products are exhausted in the engine
    • the plant releases a gas
  17. verb leave or unload
    unload; drop off; drop; put down; set down.
    • unload the cargo
    • drop off the passengers at the hotel
  18. verb cause to go off
    fire.
    • fire a gun
    • fire a bullet
  19. verb release from military service
    muster out.
  20. verb become empty or void of its content
    empty.
    • The room emptied

WordNet

Dis*charge" transitive verb
Etymology
OE. deschargen, dischargen, OF. deschargier, F. décharger; pref. des- (L. dis) + chargier, F. charger. See Charge.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Discharged ; present participle & verbal noun Discharging
Definitions
  1. To relieve of a charge, load, or burden; to empty of a load or cargo; to unburden; to unload; as, to discharge a vessel.
  2. To free of the missile with which anything is charged or loaded; to let go the charge of; as, to discharge a bow, catapult, etc.; especially, said of firearms, -- to fire off; to shoot off; also, to relieve from a state of tension, as a Leyden jar.
    The galleys also did oftentimes, out of their prows, discharge their great pieces against the city. Knolles.
    Feeling in other cases discharges itself in indirect muscular actions. H. Spencer.
  3. To of something weighing upon or impeding over one, as a debt, claim, obligation, responsibility, accusation, etc.; to absolve; to acquit; to clear.
    Discharged of business, void of strife. Dryden.
    In one man's fault discharge another man of his duty. L'Estrange.
  4. To relieve of an office or employment; to send away from service; to dismiss.
    Discharge the common sort With pay and thanks. Shak.
    Grindal . . . was discharged the government of his see. Milton.
  5. To release legally from confinement; to set at liberty; as, to discharge a prisoner.
  6. To put forth, or remove, as a charge or burden; to take out, as that with which anything is loaded or filled; as, to discharge a cargo.
  7. To let fly, as a missile; to shoot.
    They do discharge their shot of courtesy. Shak.
  8. To set aside; to annul; to dismiss.
    We say such an order was "discharged on appeal." Mozley & W.
    The order for Daly's attendance was discharged. Macaulay.
  9. To throw off the obligation of, as a duty or debt; to relieve one's self of, by fulfilling conditions, performing duty, trust, and the like; hence, to perform or exte, as an office, or part.
    Had I a hundred tongues, a wit so large As could their hundred offices discharge. Dryden.
  10. To send away (a creditor) satisfied by payment; to pay one's debt or obligation to. Obs.
    If he had The present money to discharge the Jew. Shak.
  11. To give forth; to emit or send out; as, a pipe discharges water; to let fly; to give expression to; to utter; as, to discharge a horrible oath.
  12. To prohibit; to forbid. Scot. Obs. Sir W. Scott. Syn. -- See Deliver.
Dis*charge" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To throw off or deliver a load, charge, or burden; to unload; to emit or give vent to fluid or other contents; as, the water pipe discharges freely.
    The cloud, if it were oily or fatty, would not discharge. Bacon.
Dis*charge" noun
Etymology
Cf. F. décharge. See Discharge, v. t.
Definitions
  1. The act of discharging; the act of relieving of a charge or load; removal of a load or burden; unloading; as, the discharge of a ship; discharge of a cargo.
  2. Firing off; explosive removal of a charge; explosion; letting off; as, a discharge of arrows, of artillery.
  3. Act of relieving of something which oppresses or weighs upon one, as an obligation, liability, debt, accusation, etc.; acquittance; as, the discharge of a debtor.
  4. Act of removing, or getting rid of, an obligation, liability, etc.; fulfillment, as by the payment of a debt, or the performance of a trust or duty.
    Indefatigable in the discharge of business. Motley.
    Nothing can absolve us from the discharge of those duties. L'Estrange.
  5. Release or dismissal from an office, employment, etc.; dismission; as, the discharge of a workman by his employer.
  6. Legal release from confinement; liberation; as, the discharge of a prisoner.
  7. The state of being discharged or relieved of a debt, obligation, office, and the like; acquittal.
    Too secure of our discharge From penalty. Milton.
  8. That which discharges or releases from an obligation, liability, penalty, etc., as a price of ransom, a legal document.
    Death, who sets all free, Hath paid his ransom now and full discharge. Milton.
  9. A flowing or issuing out; emission; vent; evacuation; also, that which is discharged or emitted; as, a rapid discharge of water from the pipe.
    The hemorrhage being stopped, the next occurrence is a thin serous discharge. S. Sharp.

Webster 1913