WordWeb Online

1. Distribute loosely
   "He dispersed gun powder under the wagon"
   - scatter, sprinkle, dot, dust
    
2. To cause to separate and go in different directions
   "She waved her hand and dispersed the crowds"
   - dissipate, dispel, break up, scatter
    
3. Cause to separate
   "disperse particles"
   - break up, scatter
    
4. Move away from each other
   "The crowds dispersed"
   - dissipate, scatter, spread out
    
5. Separate (light) into spectral rays
   "the \bprism disperses light"
    
6. Cause to become widely known
   "disperse a rumour"
   - circulate, circularize, circularise [Brit], distribute, disseminate, propagate, broadcast, spread, diffuse, pass around

Sounds like: disburse

Derived forms: dispersed, dispersing, disperses

See also: dispersion, dispersive

Type of: air, bare, change integrity, discharge, divide, part, publicise [Brit], publicize, separate, split

Encyclopedia: Disperse