v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dispatched p. pr. & vb. n. Dispatching. ] [ OF. despeechier, F. dépêcher; prob. from pref. des- (L. dis-) + (assumed) LL. pedicare to place obstacles in the way, fr. L. pedica fetter, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and cf. Impeach, Despatch. ] [ Written also despatch. ] 1. To dispose of speedily, as business; to execute quickly; to make a speedy end of; to finish; to perform. [ 1913 Webster ] Ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talked of. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] [ The ] harvest men . . . almost in one fair day dispatcheth all the harvest work. Robynson (More's Utopia). [ 1913 Webster ] 2. To rid; to free. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] I had clean dispatched myself of this great charge. Udall. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. To get rid of by sending off; to send away hastily. [ 1913 Webster ] Unless dispatched to the mansion house in the country . . . they perish among the lumber of garrets. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. To send off or away; -- particularly applied to sending off messengers, messages, letters, etc., on special business, and implying haste. [ 1913 Webster ] Even with the speediest expedition
I will dispatch him to the emperor's cou&unr_;&unr_;. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. To send out of the world; to put to death. [ 1913 Webster ] The company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords. Ezek. xxiii. 47. Syn. -- To expedite; hasten; speed; accelerate; perform; conclude; finish; slay; kill. [ 1913 Webster ] | 
