Adjacent Words

Despatch definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DESPATCH, [See Dispatch.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an official report (usually sent in haste) [syn: dispatch, despatch, communique]
2: the property of being prompt and efficient; "it was done with dispatch" [syn: dispatch, despatch, expedition, expeditiousness]
3: killing a person or animal [syn: dispatch, despatch]
4: the act of sending off something [syn: dispatch, despatch, shipment] v
1: send away towards a designated goal [syn: dispatch, despatch, send off]

Merriam Webster's

chiefly British variant of dispatch

Oxford Reference Dictionary

var. of DISPATCH.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Despatch De*spatch", n. & v. Same as Dispatch.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Dispatch Dis*patch", n. [Cf. OF. despeche, F. d['e]p[^e]che. See Dispatch, v. t.] [Written also despatch.] 1. The act of sending a message or messenger in haste or on important business. 2. Any sending away; dismissal; riddance. To the utter dispatch of all their most beloved comforts. --Milton. 3. The finishing up of a business; speedy performance, as of business; prompt execution; diligence; haste. Serious business, craving quick dispatch. --Shak. To carry his scythe . . . with a sufficient dispatch through a sufficient space. --Paley. 4. A message dispatched or sent with speed; especially, an important official letter sent from one public officer to another; -- often used in the plural; as, a messenger has arrived with dispatches for the American minister; naval or military dispatches. 5. A message transmitted by telegraph. [Modern] Dispatch boat, a swift vessel for conveying dispatches; an advice boat. Dispatch box, a box for carrying dispatches; a box for papers and other conveniences when traveling. Syn: Haste; hurry; promptness; celerity; speed. See Haste.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Dispatch Dis*patch" (?; 224), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dispatched; p. pr. & vb. n. Dispatching.] [OF. despeechier, F. d['e]p[^e]cher; prob. from pref. des- (L. dis-) + (assumed) LL. pedicare to place obstacles in the way, fr. L. pedica fetter, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and cf. Impeach, Despatch.] [Written also despatch.] 1. To dispose of speedily, as business; to execute quickly; to make a speedy end of; to finish; to perform. Ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we The business we have talked of. --Shak. [The] harvest men . . . almost in one fair day dispatcheth all the harvest work. --Robynson (More's Utopia). 2. To rid; to free. [Obs.] I had clean dispatched myself of this great charge. --Udall. 3. To get rid of by sending off; to send away hastily. Unless dispatched to the mansion house in the country . . . they perish among the lumber of garrets. --Walpole. 4. To send off or away; -- particularly applied to sending off messengers, messages, letters, etc., on special business, and implying haste. Even with the speediest expedition I will dispatch him to the emperor's cou??. --Shak. 5. To send out of the world; to put to death. The company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords. --Ezek. xxiii. 47. Syn: To expedite; hasten; speed; accelerate; perform; conclude; finish; slay; kill.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

see dispatch

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. [Written also Dispatch.] 1. Send away (in haste). 2. Kill, slay, slaughter, assassinate, put to death, send out of the world. 3. Hasten, expedite, accelerate, forward, speed, quicken, finish, conclude, wind up, push or urge forward, press or urge on, make short work of. II. n. 1. Despatching, sending, dismissal on an errand. 2. Speed, haste, expedition, diligence, due diligence. 3. Transaction, carrying on, conduct, completion, doing, transacting. 4. Message (expeditiously sent), communication, missive, instruction, report. 5. Telegraphic despatch, telegram, message by telegraph.