distribute Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb administer or bestow, as in small portions
    dish out; deal; parcel out; dispense; dole out; administer; allot; lot; deal out; mete out; shell out.
    • administer critical remarks to everyone present
    • dole out some money
    • shell out pocket money for the children
    • deal a blow to someone
    • the machine dispenses soft drinks
  2. verb distribute or disperse widely
    spread.
    • The invaders spread their language all over the country
  3. verb make available
    • The publisher wants to distribute the book in Asia
  4. verb give to several people
    pass out; give out; hand out.
    • The teacher handed out the exams
  5. verb cause be distributed
    pass on; pass around; circulate.
    • This letter is being circulated among the faculty
  6. verb cause to become widely known
    circularise; disseminate; broadcast; spread; circularize; disperse; pass around; propagate; diffuse; circulate.
    • spread information
    • circulate a rumor
    • broadcast the news
  7. verb spread throughout a given area
    • the function distributes the values evenly
  8. verb be distributed or spread, as in statistical analyses
    • Values distribute
  9. verb be mathematically distributive
  10. verb to arrange in a systematic order
    stagger.
    • stagger the chairs in the lecture hall

WordNet

Dis*trib"ute transitive verb
Etymology
L. distributus, p. p. of distribuere to divide, distribute; dis- + tribuere to assign, give, allot. See Tribute.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Distributed; present participle & verbal noun Distributing
Definitions
  1. To divide among several or many; to deal out; to apportion; to allot.
    She did distribute her goods to all them that were nearest of kindred. Judith xvi. 24.
  2. To dispense; to administer; as, to distribute justice. Shak.
  3. To divide or separate, as into classes, orders, kinds, or species; to classify; to assort, as specimens, letters, etc.
  4. (Printing) (a) To separate (type which has been used) and return it to the proper boxes in the cases. (b) To spread (ink) evenly, as upon a roller or a table.
  5. (Logic) To employ (a term) in its whole extent; to take as universal in one premise.
    A term is said to be distributed when it is taken universal, so as to stand for everything it is capable of being applied to. Whately.
    Syn. -- To dispense; deal out; apportion; allot; share; assign; divide.
Dis*trib"ute intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To make distribution.
    Distributing to the necessity of saints. Rom. xii. 13.

Webster 1913