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to distribute

to distribute

87 2.0
Give things to several people or places
  • verb
  • /dɪˈstrɪbjuːt/
translation icon : repartir
  • The survey instruments were distributed in a classroom setting by the course instructor.
  • distribute food
  • distribute resources
  • distribute questionnaires

Essentially, you can distribute that single file to the entire group.

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Examples

  • How do you distribute your content across the web?

  • Ask the Faculty Development office to prepare and distribute stress management materials to all faculty.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Essentially, you can distribute that single file to the entire group.

  • And with that in mind, I'm going to distribute your report cards.

  • Captain, the people are saying the food the King ordered us to distribute is rotten.

  • Their network of 200 food banks are up and running... distributing food to people and communities they serve... across the country.

  • I distribute patients to more than a dozen private research facilities all across the Eastern seaboard.

  • Between 1954 and 1982, the department distributed Indian News to First Nations communities across Canada.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The study questionnaires were distributed to all the social workers in each organization sampled.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The volunteers worked together to distribute food and supplies to the homeless during the winter storm.

Synonyms

to spread
vsto distribute
664 1.6

To put a thin layer over a surface

is the same sharing idea but emphasizes area coverage rather than people
to deal
vsto distribute
199 1.5

To give out cards or other things to people

is broader, not limited to tasks, cards, or formal processes
to scatter
vsto distribute
187 2.8

To spread small things like leaves or seeds over an area without order

is the general act, which can be orderly rather than random
to hand out
vsto distribute
165 1.8

To give something to people in a group

is less focused on personal delivery and includes area spreading
to give out
vsto distribute
143 2.3

To hand things to several people

is the general term covering both sharing and spreading over areas
to administer
vsto distribute
  • Formal
130 4.8

Give something like medicine or a test, often in a formal way

is the everyday concept not limited to official or medical application
to disperse
vsto distribute
104 4.4

To cause people and things, like a crowd or fog, to spread over a wide area

is broader, including planned sharing rather than only breaking up movement
to allocate
vsto distribute
92 4.5

Give parts of something, like money or time, to people for a planned purpose

is more general, not always planned or purpose based sharing
to pass out
vsto distribute
68 2.7

To give things to people in a group, like papers or drinks

covers both giving to people and wider sharing across places
to diffuse
vsto distribute
40 5.5

To spread out and reach many people or places

is more immediate and can be direct sharing rather than gradual spread
to dole out
vsto distribute
34 4.0

To give small amounts of something to several people over time

is larger in scope, not necessarily small or gradual sharing
to allot
vsto distribute
33 3.7

To give a part of something to someone for a specific use

is the broad action of sharing, not only planned assignments
to pass around
vsto distribute
32 2.1

Hand something to each person in a group

includes this circulation method but also broader sharing and spreading
to dish out
vsto distribute
  • Informal
28 3.4

To give out things to several people, often food or advice

is neutral giving without the extra sense of freely offering remarks
to spread out
vsto distribute
24 3.1

To arrange or unfold things so they cover a larger area

is general sharing or moving, not only arranging over a surface
to dispense
vsto distribute
19 3.7

To give medicine or other things to people at a pharmacy

is more general and not limited to service or regulated giving
to divvy
vsto distribute
  • Informal
15 7.3

To share something among a group of people

is the neutral wide action used in many contexts formal or casual
to divvy up
vsto distribute
  • Informal
10 4.2

Share things or money between several people

is a formal neutral term covering both casual and official sharing
to apportion
vsto distribute
8 7.0

To divide something and give parts to different people or groups

is general and also covers spreading rather than only formal division
to send around
vsto distribute
5 3.2

Give a copy of something to each person in a group, for example by email

covers both forwarding and physical sharing across people or places
to deal out
vsto distribute
3 3.2

To give things to several people, often one by one, like cards

is wider, applying to sharing, assignment, or area spreading
to portion
vsto distribute
3 3.0

To give parts of something to different people

is the wider act of sharing without stressing division into shares
to parcel out
vsto distribute
3 4.8

To divide something into parts and give each part to different people

is the general act of sharing, not just packaging into parcels
to portion out
vsto distribute
1 3.4

To divide something into parts and give each part to different people

is broader, including nondivided sharing or area spreading

Antonyms

236 3.4

To keep having something such as a job or possession

210 5.1

Refuse to give something someone wants or needs

How Widely

to spread
664 1.6
to distribute
87 2.0
to dispense
19 3.7
to hand out
165 1.8

Surface Forms

distribute infinitive
distributed past participle
distributing present participle
distributes third person singular

Morphology

distribute = tribute (semi-transparent) = dis + tribute

The form suggests dis- (apart/away) + tribute, which yields 'give out' or 'assign', but the modern noun 'tribute' mainly means payment or praise, so learners may be misled.

Etymology

Distribute comes from the Latin parts dis- 'apart' and tribuere 'to give', and it is like contribute or tribute which also talk about giving. So to distribute something is to 'give out' or share parts among people.