DISPENSE WITH

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does dispense with mean? 

• DISPENSE WITH (verb)
  The verb DISPENSE WITH has 3 senses:

1. give up what is not strictly needed

2. do without or cease to hold or adhere to

3. forgo or do or go without

  Familiarity information: DISPENSE WITH used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISPENSE WITH (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give up what is not strictly needed

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

dispense with; give up; part with; spare

Context example:

he asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey

Hypernyms (to "dispense with" is one way to...):

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Do without or cease to hold or adhere to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

dispense with; forego; foreswear; forgo; relinquish; waive

Context example:

relinquish the old ideas

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dispense with"):

give up; kick (stop consuming)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Forgo or do or go without

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "dispense with" is one way to...):

abandon (forsake, leave behind)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

The next day commenced as before, getting up and dressing by rushlight; but this morning we were obliged to dispense with the ceremony of washing; the water in the pitchers was frozen.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

His presence was beginning to be odious to her; and if Maria gained him not, she was now cool enough to dispense with any other revenge.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I was so much better that I thought I could dispense with one.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I cannot comprehend a man's wishing to give a woman any proof of affection which he knows she would rather dispense with; and he did know that she would have prevented the instrument's coming if she could.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

And will you consent to dispense with a great many conventional forms and phrases, without thinking that the omission arises from insolence?

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Her feelings, probably, were not acute; he had never supposed them to be so; but her comforts might not be less on that account; and if she could dispense with seeing her husband a leading, shining character, there would certainly be everything else in her favour.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He was reckoned very handsome; his person much admired in general, though not by her, there being a want of elegance of feature which she could not dispense with:—but the girl who could be gratified by a Robert Martin's riding about the country to get walnuts for her might very well be conquered by Mr. Elton's admiration.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

A deal of people, Miss, are for trusting all to Providence; but I say Providence will not dispense with the means, though He often blesses them when they are used discreetly.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)