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Glite Dictionary
at the disposal of

at the disposal of

1 3.5
Available for someone to use when they need it
  • idiom
translation icon : a disposición de
  • The library has many resources at the disposal of students for research.
  • put at the disposal of
  • place at the disposal of

I am going to be putting my, you know, acumen and services at the disposal of those who who invite me in.

Examples

  • Pwyll needed to get off his high horse and put himself at the disposal of the mystery.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Many museums have taken to putting their collections at the disposal of contemporary artists.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Hence, there are limitations to the knowledge at the disposal of any central planning board in a planned economy.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Well, naturally I'll put my military experience at the disposal of the posse.

    Posse from Hell (1961)

  • Our honest feast and hospitality is always at the disposal of the Holy Brotherhood.

    The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)

  • Germany and Japan placed their industrialized economies at the disposal of their military ambitions.

    Academic text (2010)

  • The revenues derived therefrom shall be exclusively at the disposal of the government of the region.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The vast manpower at the disposal of a Western Hand General was drawn from three primary sources, conscripts, volunteers and convicts.

  • I am placing myself at the disposal of your government along with this Boeing 707 jet airliner.

    Skyjacked (1972)

  • The original copy of the fatwa was said to be at the disposal of Ayatollah Ashfiyani, a leading mujtahid of Tehran.

    Academic text (1993)

Synonyms

available
vsat the disposal of
∞ 2.3

Able to be used or bought and not in use now

places emphasis on being for someone's use or control rather than general availability
at your fingertips
vsat the disposal of
  • Informal
8 3.0

Ready to use or find when you need it

is about being available to someone to use or control rather than instant access
at someone's disposal
vsat the disposal of
1 3.7

Available for someone to use when they need it

is similar but stresses that it is under that person's control

Antonyms

unavailable
81 3.4

Not able to be used, reached, or bought

out of reach
38 4.0

Too far or too expensive for most people to get

How Available

at the disposal of
1 3.5
on hand
81 2.1
available
∞ 2.3
unavailable
81 3.4

Surface Forms

at the disposal of main

Morphology

at + the + disposal + of

The meaning 'available for someone to use or control' is directly derivable from 'disposal' (control or ability to use) combined with the locative/prepositional frame 'at ... of', so a learner who knows the constituents can infer that something is 'at the disposal of' someone. The fixed prepositional pattern is a regular, compositional English construction and has clear parallels in many languages, making it readily understandable to B1 learners.

Etymology

At the disposal of comes from the simple image of putting things where someone can reach and use them. If you leave a car or a tool at someone's disposal, you have placed it ready for them, so today it means 'available to use'.