discharge

DISCHARGE, v.t.

1. To unload, as a ship; to take out, as a cargo; applied both to the ship and the loading. We say, to discharge a ship; but more generally, to discharge a cargo or the lading of the ship.

2. To free from any load or burden; to throw off or exonerate; as, discharge of business.

3. To throw off a load or charge; to let fly; to shoot; applied to fire-arms; as, to dis-charge a pistol or a cannon; or to discharge a ball or grape-shot.

4. To pay; as, to discharge a debt, a bond, a note.

5. To send away, as a creditor by payment of what is due to him. He discharge his creditors.

6. To free from claim or demand; to give an acquittance to, or a receipt in full, as to a debtor. The creditor discharged his debtor.

7. To free from an obligation; as, to discharge a man from further duty or service; to discharge a surety.

8. To clear from an accusation or crime; to acquit; to absolve; to set free; with of; as, to discharge a man of all blame.

9. To throw off or out; to let fly; to give vent to; as, to discharge a horrible oath; to discharge fury or vengeance.

10. To perform or execute, as a duty or office considered as a charge. One man discharges the office of a sheriff; another that of a priest. We are all bound to discharge the duties of piety, of benevolence and charity.

11. To divest of an office or employment; to dismiss from service; as, to discharge a steward or a servant; to discharge a soldier or seaman; to discharge a jury.

12. To dismiss; to release; to send away from any business or appointment.

Discharge your powers to their several counties.

13. To emit or send out; as, an ulcer discharges pus; a pipe discharges water.

14. To release; to liberate from confinement; as, to discharge a prisoner.

15. To put away; to remove; to clear from; to destroy. In general, to throw off any load or incumbrance; to free or clear.

DISCHARGE, v.i. To break up.

The cloud, if it were oily or fatty, would not discharge.

DISCHARGE, n.

1. An unloading, as of a ship; as the discharge of a cargo.

2. A throwing out; vent; emission; applied to a fluid, a flowing or issuing out, or a throwing out; as the discharge of water from a spring, or from a spout; applied to fire-arms, an explosion; as a discharge of cannon.

3. That which is thrown out; matter emitted; as a thin serous discharge; a purulent discharge.

4. Dismission from office or service; or the writing which evidences the dismission. The general, the soldier, obtains a discharge.

5. Release from obligation, debt or penalty; or the writing which is evidence of it; an acquittance; as, the debtor has a discharge.

6. Absolution from a crime or accusation; acquittance.

7. Ransom; liberation; price paid for deliverance.

8. Performance; execution; applied to an office, trust or duty. A good man is faithful in the discharge of his duties, public and private.

9. Liberation; release from imprisonment or other confinement.

10. Exemption; escape.

There is no discharge in that war. Ecclesiastes 8.

11. Payment, as of a debt.

discharge

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