DISCHARGE

Pronunciation (US):

• DISCHARGE (noun)
  The noun DISCHARGE has 9 senses:

1. the sudden giving off of energy
2. the act of venting
3. a substance that is emitted or released
4. any of several bodily processes by which substances go out of the body
5. electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field
6. the pouring forth of a fluid
7. the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart)
8. a formal written statement of relinquishment
9. the act of discharging a gun

  Familiarity information: DISCHARGE used as a noun is familiar.

• DISCHARGE (verb)
  The verb DISCHARGE has 11 senses:

1. complete or carry out
2. pour forth or release
3. eliminate (substances) from the body
4. free from obligations or duties
5. remove the charge from
6. go off or discharge
7. pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
8. leave or unload, especially of passengers or cargo
9. cause to go off
10. release from military service
11. become empty or void of its content

  Familiarity information: DISCHARGE used as a verb is familiar.

• DISCHARGE (noun)

Sense 1

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The sudden giving off of energy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

electrical discharge (a discharge of electricity)

blowup; detonation; explosion (a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction)

eruption; volcanic eruption (the sudden occurrence of a violent discharge of steam and volcanic material)

Sense 2

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The act of venting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

venting; discharge

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

emanation; emission (the act of emitting; causing to flow forth)

Sense 3

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A substance that is emitted or released

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

emission; discharge

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

material; stuff (the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

vaginal discharge (discharge of secretions from the cervical glands of the vagina; normally clear or white)

rheum (a watery discharge from the mucous membranes (especially from the eyes or nose))

effluvium (a foul-smelling outflow or vapor (especially a gaseous waste))

transudate; transudation (a substance that transudes)

exudate; exudation (a substance that oozes out from plant pores)

Sense 4

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Any of several bodily processes by which substances go out of the body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

expelling; discharge; emission

Context example:

the discharge of pus

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

activity; bodily function; bodily process; body process (an organic process that takes place in the body)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

ejaculation (the discharge of semen in males)

elimination; evacuation; excreting; excretion; voiding (the bodily process of discharging waste matter)

catamenia; flow; menses; menstruation; menstruum; period (the monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause)

Sense 5

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Electrical conduction through a gas in an applied electric field

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

electric discharge; electric arc; arc; spark; discharge

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

electrical conduction (the passage of electricity through a conductor)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

flashover (an unintended electric discharge (as over or around an insulator))

corona; corona discharge; corposant; electric glow; Saint Elmo's fire; Saint Elmo's light; Saint Ulmo's fire; Saint Ulmo's light; St. Elmo's fire (an electrical discharge accompanied by ionization of surrounding atmosphere)

brush discharge (discharge between electrodes creating visible streamers of ionized particles)

Sense 6

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The pouring forth of a fluid

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

outpouring; discharge; run

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

flow; flowing (the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

jet; spirt; spurt; squirt (the occurrence of a sudden discharge (as of liquid))

escape; leak; leakage; outflow (the unwanted discharge of a fluid from some container)

Sense 7

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to depart)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

sacking; dismission; liberation; firing; dismissal; release; discharge; sack

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

conclusion; ending; termination (the act of ending something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

Section Eight (a discharge from the US Army based on unfitness or character traits deemed undesirable)

dishonorable discharge (a discharge from the armed forces for a grave offense (as sabotage or espionage or cowardice or murder))

honorable discharge (a discharge from the armed forces with a commendable record)

deactivation; inactivation (breaking up a military unit (by transfers or discharges))

removal (dismissal from office)

conge (an abrupt and unceremonious dismissal)

superannuation (the act of discharging someone because of age (especially to cause someone to retire from service on a pension))

Sense 8

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A formal written statement of relinquishment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

waiver; discharge; release

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

relinquishing; relinquishment (the act of giving up and abandoning a struggle or task etc.)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

exemption; granting immunity; immunity (an act exempting someone)

Sense 9

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The act of discharging a gun

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

firing off; firing; discharge

Hypernyms ("discharge" is a kind of...):

shooting; shot (the act of firing a projectile)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "discharge"):

gun (the discharge of a firearm as signal or as a salute in military ceremonies)

• DISCHARGE (verb)

Sense 1

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Complete or carry out

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

discharge; dispatch; complete

Context example:

discharge one's duties

Hypernyms (to "discharge" is one way to...):

accomplish; action; carry out; carry through; execute; fulfil; fulfill (put in effect)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Pour forth or release

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

discharge liquids

Hypernyms (to "discharge" is one way to...):

distribute; spread (distribute or disperse widely)

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

eject; force out; squeeze out; squirt (cause to come out in a squirt)

disperse; dot; dust; scatter; sprinkle (distribute loosely)

play (discharge or direct or be discharged or directed as if in a continuous stream)

volley (discharge in, or as if in, a volley)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Eliminate (substances) from the body

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

eject; discharge; release; expel

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

breathe; emit; pass off (expel (gases or odors))

fester; maturate; suppurate (ripen and generate pus)

eruct; spew; spew out (eject or send out in large quantities, also metaphorical)

bleed; hemorrhage; shed blood (lose blood from one's body)

egest; eliminate; excrete; pass (eliminate from the body)

ovulate (produce and discharge eggs)

abort (terminate a pregnancy by undergoing an abortion)

ejaculate (eject semen)

blow (free of obstruction by blowing air through)

cough out; cough up; expectorate; spit out; spit up (discharge (phlegm or sputum) from the lungs and out of the mouth)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Free from obligations or duties

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

discharge; free

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

disinvest; divest (deprive of status or authority)

relieve; take over (free someone temporarily from his or her obligations)

cut (discharge from a group)

clear (free from payment of customs duties, as of a shipment)

cashier (discharge with dishonor, as in the army)

liberate; set free (grant freedom to)

disembroil; disentangle; disinvolve (free from involvement or entanglement)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 5

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Remove the charge from

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "discharge" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Antonym:

charge (fill or load to capacity)

Sense 6

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Go off or discharge

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

go off; fire; discharge

Context example:

The gun fired

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 7

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Pronounce not guilty of criminal charges

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

acquit; assoil; exonerate; exculpate; discharge; clear

Context example:

The suspect was cleared of the murder charges

Hypernyms (to "discharge" is one way to...):

judge; label; pronounce (pronounce judgment on)

"Discharge" entails doing...:

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

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

purge (clear of a charge)

whitewash (exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data)

vindicate (clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting proof)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody of something

Sentence example:

They want to discharge the prisoners

Sense 8

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Leave or unload, especially of passengers or cargo

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

unload; drop off; put down; set down; drop; discharge

Hypernyms (to "discharge" is one way to...):

deliver (bring to a destination, make a delivery)

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

air-drop (drop (an object) from the air; unload from a plane or helicopter)

wharf (discharge at a wharf)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 9

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Cause to go off

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

fire; discharge

Context examples:

fire a gun / fire a bullet

Cause:

discharge; fire; go off (go off or discharge)

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

fusillade (attack with fusillade)

shoot (fire a shot)

let drive; let fly; loose off (fire as from a gun)

pop (fire a weapon with a loud explosive noise)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 10

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Release from military service

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

muster out; discharge

Hypernyms (to "discharge" is one way to...):

let go; let go of; release; relinquish (release, as from one's grip)

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

deactivate (remove from active military status or reassign)

demob; demobilise; demobilize (retire from military service)

demobilise; demobilize; inactivate (release from military service or remove from the active list of military service)

cannon (fire a cannon)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Antonym:

enlist (engage somebody to enter the army)

Sense 11

discharge [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Become empty or void of its content

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

empty; discharge

Context example:

The room emptied

Hypernyms (to "discharge" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

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

flow away; flow off (flow off or away gradually)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s