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to dispatch

to dispatch

21 7.7
To kill a person or animal quickly on purpose
  • verb
  • /dɪˈspætʃ/
  • Offensive
: matar
  • I have dispatched the creature from our midst for all time.

Did he single handedly or with the aid of his son, dispatch all those suitors?

Examples

  • And so he dispatches his security force, and they murder everyone.

  • So the president's men dispatched him as painfully and publicly as they could.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • -Any last words before I dispatch you?

  • The specialist uses a knife instead of a gun to dispatch his victims.

  • If any member of our team is infected, he must be treated as an enemy to be dispatched accordingly.

  • As the monsters ran outside, they were quickly dispatched by the sure arm of the archers across the street.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Two other guards are dispatched with single, silenced shots.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Faul had killed six guards, dispatching them with a fearful, deadly grace.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Cutter spins around and dispatches Fiona with a kick that breaks her neck.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The hunter needed to dispatch the wounded deer to end its suffering.

Synonyms

to murder
vsto dispatch
  • NSFW
∞ 3.0

To kill someone on purpose in an illegal way

is a general quick deliberate killing regardless of legality
to off
vsto dispatch
  • Offensive
215 9.9

To kill someone on purpose

is the neutral quick deliberate act without slang connotation
to slay
vsto dispatch
  • NSFW
108 7.5

To kill someone on purpose

is a neutral quick killing rather than emphasizing violence
to put down
vsto dispatch
38 5.5

To kill an animal to stop its suffering

is a quick deliberate act that applies to people or animals generally
to bump off
vsto dispatch
  • Offensive
11 9.3

To kill someone on purpose, usually secretly and as part of a crime

is neutral and can include nonsecret quick killings
to hit
vsto dispatch
  • Offensive
5 8.8

To kill someone as part of a plan, often by hired people

is general quick killing not tied to contracts
to polish off
vsto dispatch
  • Offensive
2 9.5

To kill someone on purpose

is more neutral and lacks informal casual tone
to mercy kill
vsto dispatch
  • NSFW
1 8.6

Cause a person or animal to die without pain to stop suffering

is a quick deliberate killing not specifically to relieve suffering
to remove
vsto dispatch
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To kill someone on purpose, usually by a criminal group

is neutral direct killing without euphemistic or organizational tone
to euthanatize
vsto dispatch
  • Specialized
1 9.9

To cause a painless death to stop a person or animal from suffering

is a quick deliberate killing without mercy or pain focus

Antonyms

100 3.5

Decide not to hurt someone even though you could

66 4.1

To make a person conscious again after fainting

Compounds

A short message sent by radio to a central office or to the public

dispatch rider
  • Archaic
1 8.3

A person who carries messages for the army by motorcycle often during war

dispatch box
  • Formal
1 8.8

A locked box used to carry and keep important government papers like speeches

dispatch case
  • Formal
1 7.8

A small lockable case for carrying important papers like letters or legal documents

Reuters dispatch
  • Literature
1 3.5

A news report from the Reuters news agency

happy dispatch
  • Archaic
7.6

A message that gives good news to people

How Violent

to slaughter
40 3.9
to dispatch
  • Offensive
21 7.7
to butcher
44 1.8
to kill
  • NSFW
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

dispatch infinitive
dispatched past
dispatched past participle
dispatching present participle
dispatches third person singular

Etymology

Dispatch can also mean to kill quickly, and this comes from the older 'send away' idea — to dispatch an enemy meant to send them away from life, which is why the word can mean a swift, deliberate killing.