dis|pose /d I spoʊ z/ (disposes , disposing , disposed )
▸ dispose of
1 PHRASAL VERB If you dispose of something that you no longer want or need, you throw it away. □ [V P n] …the safest means of disposing of nuclear waste.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you dispose of a problem, task, or question, you deal with it. □ [V P n] You did us a great favour by disposing of that problem.
dis|posed /d I spoʊ zd/
1 ADJ If you are disposed to do something, you are willing or eager to do it. [FORMAL ] □ I might have been disposed to like him in other circumstances.
2 ADJ [adv ADJ , usu v-link ADJ ] You can use disposed when you are talking about someone's general attitude or opinion. For example, if you are well or favourably disposed to someone or something, you like them or approve of them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to/towards ] I saw that the publishers were well disposed towards my book.
dis|po|si|tion /d I spəz I ʃ ə n/ (dispositions )
1 N‑COUNT Someone's disposition is the way that they tend to behave or feel. □ The rides are unsuitable for people of a nervous disposition.
2 N‑SING [usu N to-inf] A disposition to do something is a willingness to do it. [FORMAL ] □ This has given him a disposition to consider our traditions critically.
3 N‑SING If you refer to the disposition of a number of objects, you mean the pattern in which they are arranged or their positions in relation to each other. [FORMAL ]
4 N‑COUNT The disposition of money or property is the act of giving or distributing it to a number of people. [LEGAL ] □ [+ of ] Judge Stacks was appointed to oversee the disposition of funds.
dis|pos|sess /d I spəze s/ (dispossesses , dispossessing , dispossessed ) VERB If you are dispossessed of something that you own, especially land or buildings, it is taken away from you. □ [be V -ed + of ] …people who were dispossessed of their land under apartheid. □ [V n] They settled the land, dispossessing many of its original inhabitants. □ [V -ed] Droves of dispossessed people emigrated to Canada. [Also V n + of/from ]
dis|pro|por|tion /d I sprəpɔː r ʃ ə n/ (disproportions ) N‑VAR A disproportion is a state in which two things are unequal. [FORMAL ] □ …a disproportion in the legal resources available to the two sides.
dis|pro|por|tion|ate /d I sprəpɔː r ʃənət/ ADJ Something that is disproportionate is surprising or unreasonable in amount or size, compared with something else. □ [+ to ] A disproportionate amount of time was devoted to one topic. ● dis|pro|por|tion|ate|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ …a disproportionately high suicide rate among young prisoners.
dis|prove /d I spruː v/ (disproves , disproving , disproved , disproven ) VERB To disprove an idea, belief, or theory means to show that it is not true. □ [V n] The statistics to prove or disprove his hypothesis will take years to collect.
dis|pu|ta|tion /d I spjʊte I ʃ ə n/ (disputations ) N‑VAR Disputation is discussion on a subject which people cannot agree about. [FORMAL ] □ After much legal disputation our right to resign was established.
dis|pute ◆◆◇ /d I spjuː t/ (disputes , disputing , disputed )
1 N‑VAR A dispute is an argument or disagreement between people or groups. □ [+ with/over ] They have won previous pay disputes with the government. [Also + between ]
2 VERB If you dispute a fact, statement, or theory, you say that it is incorrect or untrue. □ [V n] He disputed the allegations. □ [V that] Nobody disputed that Davey was clever. □ [V wh] Some economists disputed whether consumer spending is as strong as the figures suggest.
3 VERB When people dispute something, they fight for control or ownership of it. You can also say that one group of people dispute something with another group. □ [V n] Russia and Ukraine have been disputing the ownership of the fleet. □ [V n + with ] Fishermen from Bristol disputed fishing rights with the Danes. □ [V -ed] …a disputed border region. [Also V n (non-recip)]
4 PHRASE If two or more people or groups are in dispute , they are arguing or disagreeing about something. □ The two countries are in dispute over the boundaries of their coastal waters. [Also + with ]
5 PHRASE If something is in dispute , people are questioning it or arguing about it. □ All those matters are in dispute and it is not for me to decide them. COLLOCATIONS dispute NOUN 1
noun + dispute : border, contract, pay, trade
adjective + dispute : contractual, industrial, legal, territorial; bitter, long-running, ongoing
verb + dispute : end, resolve, settle SYNONYMS dispute NOUN 1
disagreement: My instructor and I had a brief disagreement.
conflict: The two companies came into conflict.
argument: Anny got into an argument with one of the marchers.
strife: Money is a major cause of strife in many marriages.
row: This provoked a further row about the bank's role in the affair. VERB 2
question: It never occurs to them to question the doctor's decisions.