disperse

/dɪˈspɜːs/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈspɜːrs/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈspərs/ (ame, mw)

disperse — verb

  • dispersepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • disperseshe / she / it
  • dispersedpast simple
  • dispersing-ing form

1. to move apart so that the people, animals, or things in a group end up in many d

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to move apart so that the people, animals, or things in a group end up in many different places, or to push a group apart so this happens.

例句

Riot police used water cannons to disperse the protesters near the parliament building.

disperse + [people gathered as a crowd]

After the final whistle, the crowd dispersed quietly into the side streets around the stadium.

intransitive: subject + disperse + direction phrase

同義詞
  • scatter

    near-synonym; slightly more casual and often used of smaller objects

  • break up

    common phrasal verb used especially of crowds and gatherings

  • dissipate

    more formal; usually of mist, smoke, or feelings rather than people

反義詞
  • gather

    to come or bring together into one place

  • assemble

    formal; to bring people together for a purpose

文法句型

disperse + noun (people/crowd)

subject + disperse (intransitive)

用法筆記

Frequently used of crowds, protests, animals, smoke, or seeds; common in passive and intransitive forms. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense focuses on physical separation in space, not on news or information spreading.

常見錯誤

❌The teacher dispersed the homework to the class.
✅The teacher handed out the homework to the class.
💡'disperse' means to scatter outward, not to give items to specific people one by one.

2. to send something out from one source so that it reaches a wide area or audience

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

to send something out from one source so that it reaches a wide area or audience — for example, news through a network, light through a prism, or a chemical through water.

例句

The radio station helped disperse warnings about the flood throughout the coastal villages.

disperse + [information] + through/throughout [area]

Élise watched the glass prism disperse the afternoon sunlight into a band of colours on the wall.

formal/technical: disperse + light

同義詞
  • disseminate

    formal; almost identical in this sense, especially for information

  • broadcast

    common; emphasises sending out to many receivers, often via media

  • distribute

    broader; can involve delivery to specific recipients rather than open spreading

反義詞
  • concentrate

    to bring or keep something in one small area

  • withhold

    to keep information from being shared

文法句型

disperse + noun (information/light/substance)

用法筆記

Subject is typically a medium or source (radio, prism, wind, charity); object is information, light, smoke, or a fine substance. Distinguish from sense 1: here the focus is on outward distribution from a single source, not on a group physically breaking apart.

常見錯誤

❌Paloma dispersed her opinion to the room.
✅Paloma shared her opinion with the room.
💡'disperse' is used for sending things out broadly through a medium, not for stating a personal view in a small group.