discharge verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

Definition of discharge verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

discharge

verb
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒ/
(formal)
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they discharge
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒ/
he / she / it discharges
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒɪz/
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒɪz/
past simple discharged
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒd/
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒd/
past participle discharged
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒd/
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒd/
-ing form discharging
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒɪŋ/
 
/dɪsˈtʃɑːrdʒɪŋ/
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    from the police/army

  1. [transitive, usually passive] to give somebody official permission to leave the police or the armed forces; to make somebody leave the police or the armed forces
    • be discharged from something He was discharged from the army following his injury.
    • She was discharged from the police force for bad conduct.
    • He was found guilty and dishonourably discharged from the army.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • dishonourably/​dishonorably
    • honourably/​honorably
    preposition
    • from
    See full entry
  2. from hospital

  3. [transitive, often passive] to allow somebody to leave hospital because they are well enough to leave
    • be discharged (from something) Patients were being discharged from the hospital too early.
    • All the people involved in the accident have now been discharged from hospital.
    • discharge somebody/yourself (from something) She had discharged herself against medical advice.
    Topics Healthcarec1
  4. from prison/court

  5. [transitive, often passive] to allow somebody to leave prison or court
    • be discharged He was conditionally discharged after admitting the theft.
    • She was formally discharged by the court.
    Topics Law and justicec2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • conditionally
    • formally
    See full entry
  6. [transitive, often passive] discharge somebody/something to allow a member of a jury to stop serving in a court case
    • If the jury cannot agree, it should be discharged.
    • The judge took the unusual step of discharging the entire jury halfway through the trial.
  7. gas/liquid

  8. [intransitive, transitive] when a gas or a liquid discharges or is discharged, or somebody discharges it, it flows somewhere
    • discharge (into something) The river is diverted through the power station before discharging into the sea.
    • discharge something (from something) (into something) The factory was fined for discharging chemicals into the river.
    • Raw sewage was discharged from the treatment plant directly into the river.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • directly
    preposition
    • from
    • into
    See full entry
  9. [transitive] discharge something if part of the body discharges something, a liquid such as pus comes out of it
    • The wound started discharging pus.
  10. force/power

  11. [transitive, intransitive] discharge (something) (specialist) to release force or power
    • Lightning is caused by clouds discharging electricity.
  12. duty

  13. [transitive] discharge something to do everything that is necessary to perform and complete a particular duty
    • to discharge your duties/responsibilities/obligations
    • to discharge a debt (= to pay it)
    Extra Examples
    • I will faithfully discharge my duties.
    • His widow was unable to discharge the debt.
    • My condition renders me unable to discharge my duties.
    • He could not properly discharge his duties.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • fully
    • properly
    • faithfully
    See full entry
  14. gun

  15. [transitive, intransitive] discharge (something) to fire a gun, etc.; (of a gun, etc.) to be fired
    • The police officer accidentally discharged a firearm while unloading it.
    • They gave a cheer and charged, discharging a volley of arrows as they came.
    • He knocked her hand down and the gun discharged into the floor.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • accidentally
    See full entry
  16. Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘relieve of (an obligation)’): from Old French descharger, from late Latin discarricare ‘unload’, from dis- (expressing reversal) + carricare, carcare ‘to load’, from Latin carrus ‘wheeled vehicle’.
See discharge in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee discharge in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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