Meaning & Definition
verb
to distribute or spread over a wide area
The seeds will disperse across the field with the help of the wind.
to cause to vanish or disappear
The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd that had gathered.
to break up and scatter in different directions
As the concert ended, the audience began to disperse.
to distribute or spread out from a central point
The scientists observed how the chemicals would disperse in water.
Etymology
Late Middle English, from Latin 'dispersus', from 'dis-' + 'spargere' meaning to scatter.
Common Phrases and Expressions
disperse into the crowd:
to blend into a group of people
disperse information:
to spread information widely
disperse tension:
to alleviate a tense situation
Slang Meanings
to break up a group
The party got a bit dull, so we decided to disperse.
to bail or leave quickly
When the cops showed up, we all started to disperse.