# discharge

Pronunciation: US say "dis-CHARJ" /dɪsˈtʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "dis-CHAHJ" /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ/

## Verb

1. To officially allow a patient to leave the hospital, usually once treatment is finished.
   - Simple: To let a patient leave the hospital after treatment.
   - _The hospital plans to discharge the patient once her blood pressure stabilizes._
   - _He was discharged with instructions to rest for two weeks._
4. To formally release a member of the armed forces from active duty.
   - Simple: To officially let someone leave the army, navy, or other armed forces.
   - _The navy chose to discharge the sailor on medical grounds._
   - _He was honorably discharged after completing his tour._
6. To dismiss someone from a job or position; to remove them from service.
   - Simple: To make someone leave their job or position.
   - _The board voted to discharge the manager after the scandal._
   - _She was discharged from her post without warning._
9. To give off, emit, or send something out.
   - Simple: To send something out or let it flow out.
   - _Wetlands slowly discharge stored water during dry seasons._
   - _The chimney discharged thick black smoke._
10. To force something out or let it go.
   - Simple: To push something out or let it go.
   - _Certain glands discharge hormones directly into the bloodstream._
   - _The valve discharged excess steam to ease the pressure._
11. To fire a weapon that launches a projectile, such as a shotgun or sling.
   - Simple: To fire a weapon that shoots something, like a gun or sling.
   - _It is illegal to discharge a firearm within city limits._
   - _She discharged the shotgun at the clay target._
13. To free someone of a debt, obligation, or accusation; to absolve, acquit, or clear them.
   - Simple: To free someone from a debt, duty, or blame.
   - _Bankruptcy may discharge a borrower from most unsecured debts._
   - _The tribunal discharged her of all wrongdoing._
14. To carry out or complete a duty or obligation.
   - Simple: To carry out a duty or finish what you must do.
   - _Trustees must discharge their responsibilities with care._
   - _The official discharged his obligations faithfully for years._
15. To release someone from confinement by legal authority, setting them free.
   - Simple: To let someone go free from prison or from being held.
   - _The magistrate ordered the authorities to discharge the suspect._
   - _Several inmates were discharged once their sentences ended._
17. To release an electric charge that has built up in a device or material.
   - Simple: To let stored electricity flow out of something until none is left.
   - _Lightning rods let buildings discharge static safely into the ground._
   - _The technician waited for the capacitor to discharge before anyone touched it._
18. To unload cargo or passengers from a ship or another means of transport.
   - Simple: To take goods or people off a ship, truck, or other vehicle.
   - _Crews discharge the containers onto the dock within hours of arrival._
   - _The tanker discharged its oil at the refinery terminal._
20. To put forth or remove a charge or burden; to take out what something is loaded or filled with.
   - Simple: To take out or push out the load that fills something.
   - _The machine discharges the grain into waiting trucks._
   - _Engineers discharge excess pressure through a safety vent._
23. To fire a weapon or let a missile fly.
   - Simple: To fire a gun, or send a missile flying out.
   - _The hunter discharged both barrels at the fleeing bird._
   - _Soldiers must never discharge their firearms without orders._
24. To give expression to something; to utter or let fly words or feelings.
   - Simple: To let out strong words or feelings all at once.
   - _The poet discharges his grief in verse after verse._
   - _They discharge their complaints whenever the manager walks by._
25. To pay one's debt or obligation in full, sending away a creditor satisfied by payment.
   - Simple: To pay back what you owe in full so the lender is satisfied.
   - _The estate discharged all its creditors before the assets were divided._
   - _Borrowers who discharge their obligations early may pay less interest._
27. To set aside, annul, or dismiss something, such as a legal order or ruling.
   - Simple: To cancel or end something, such as an order or a rule.
   - _The appeal court moved to discharge the injunction._
   - _Lawyers asked the judge to discharge the summons._

## Noun

2. The act of forcing something out, or of releasing it and letting it go.
   - Simple: The act of pushing something out or letting it go.
   - _The plant was fined for the discharge of untreated wastewater into the bay._
   - _Engineers fitted the boiler with a valve that allows a controlled discharge of excess steam._
3. The act of officially releasing a patient from the hospital. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The moment when a patient is allowed to leave the hospital.
   - _The patient's discharge depended on a final review by the surgeon._
   - _Doctors scheduled her discharge for Friday morning._
5. The act of formally releasing a member of the armed forces from duty. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The act of officially letting someone leave the armed forces.
   - _An honorable discharge entitled him to veterans' benefits._
   - _The soldier's discharge was processed within a week._
7. Pus, mucus, or other fluid that comes from a wound or body opening, usually because of disease or hormonal changes. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: Fluid like pus or mucus that comes out of a wound or body opening, often because of illness.
   - _The doctor examined the discharge to identify the infection._
   - _Any unusual discharge from a wound should be reported promptly._
8. The matter or substance that is released or let out of something. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The stuff that flows or comes out of something.
   - _The plant's discharge flowed steadily into the canal._
   - _Inspectors collected samples of the discharge for analysis._
12. The act of shooting a bullet, shell, or other projectile, most often from a gun. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The firing of a gun or other weapon.
   - _The accidental discharge of his weapon led to an inquiry._
   - _Witnesses reported a single discharge before the alarm sounded._
16. The release of an accumulated electric charge. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The release of stored electricity all at once.
   - _The capacitor's discharge powered the flash for a fraction of a second._
   - _A sudden discharge of static can damage sensitive electronics._
19. The act of carrying out an obligation or repaying a debt; the performance of a duty. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The act of carrying out a duty you were given, or paying back what you owe.
   - _Full discharge of the loan freed the family from years of debt._
   - _The board commended the manager for the faithful discharge of his responsibilities._
21. The process of a fluid flowing out from a container, opening, or body. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The act of liquid or gas flowing out of a place.
   - _Heavy rain sharply increased the discharge from the storm drains._
   - _The factory's discharge of wastewater alarmed local residents._
22. The process of removing the load that something is carrying. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The act of taking the load off something.
   - _Discharge of the ship's freight began at dawn._
   - _A second crane sped up the discharge of the containers._
26. The volume of water transported by a river in a given amount of time, usually measured in cubic meters per second. (pronounced: US say "DIS-charj" /ˈdɪstʃɑɹdʒ/; UK say "DIS-chahj" /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ/)
   - Simple: The amount of water a river carries past a point in a set amount of time.
   - _Spring snowmelt doubled the river's discharge within a single week._
   - _Hydrologists track discharge to predict downstream flooding._

## Verb

28. To prohibit something or forbid someone from doing it. *(obsolete, Scotland)*
   - Simple: To forbid something, or order someone not to do it.

## Other meanings

- (noun) Release from liability granted to someone who has served in a position of trust, such as a company's officers or governors.
- (verb) To release an auxiliary assumption from the list of assumptions in an argument and return to the main line of reasoning.
- (verb) To bleach out or remove color or marks from a material by a chemical process.

## Origin

This comes from Middle English dischargen, from Old French deschargier ("to unload"), which came from Late Latin discarricāre ("to unload"). It can be seen as dis- plus charge.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/discharge (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).