# disposal

Pronunciation: say "dis-POH-zuhl" US /dɪˈspoʊzəl/, UK /dɪˈspəʊzəl/; AUS say "di-SPOH-zuhl" /dɪˈspəʉ.zəl/

## Noun

1. The act of throwing away, destroying, or otherwise getting rid of something.
   - Simple: The act of throwing away or getting rid of something you no longer want.
   - _The company was fined for the illegal disposal of toxic chemicals._
   - _Safe disposal of expired medication prevents accidental poisoning._
2. The freedom or authority to use something or someone as one wishes.
   - Simple: The right or freedom to use something however you want.
   - _The manager had a full team at her disposal for the launch._
   - _He placed all his resources at the disposal of the charity._
3. An electric device mounted under a kitchen sink that grinds food waste so it can be flushed through the plumbing.
   - Simple: A machine under the kitchen sink that grinds up food scraps and washes them away.
   - _She flicked the switch and the disposal roared to life under the sink._
   - _Coffee grounds and eggshells can dull a disposal's grinding blades over time._
4. An arrangement, ordering, or classification of things; the way in which items are positioned or grouped.
   - Simple: The way things are arranged, sorted, or placed in order.
   - _The architect's drawing showed a careful disposal of rooms around a central courtyard._
   - _The catalog reflected a methodical disposal of specimens by region and era._
5. A kick or handball by which a player moves the ball during a game of Australian rules football.
   - Simple: A kick or handball used to pass the ball to a teammate in Australian football.
   - _The midfielder racked up over forty disposals across the four quarters._
   - _A clean disposal under pressure set up the winning goal._

## Origin

Formed from the verb "dispose" with the suffix "-al".

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