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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary dis·trib·ute (-ut·ed ; -ut·ing) ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Latin distributus, past participle of distribuere, from dis- + tribuere to allot — more at tribute DATE 15th century transitive verb 1. to divide among several or many : apportion distribute expenses 2. a. to spread out so as to cover something : scatter b. to give out or deliver especially to members of a group distribute newspapers distribute leaflets c. to place or position so as to be properly apportioned over or throughout an area 200 pounds distributed on a 6-foot frame d. to use (a term) so as to convey information about every member of the class named the proposition “all men are mortal” distributes “man” but not “mortal” 3. a. to divide or separate especially into kinds b. to return the units of (as typeset matter) to storage 4. to use in or as an operation so as to be mathematically distributive intransitive verb : to be mathematically distributive multiplication distributes over addition Synonyms. distribute , dispense , divide , deal , dole out mean to give out, usually in shares, to each member of a group. distribute implies an apportioning by separation of something into parts, units, or amounts distributed food to the needy dispense suggests the giving of a carefully weighed or measured portion to each of a group according to due or need dispensed wisdom to the students divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts and implies that the parts are equal three charitable groups divided the proceeds deal emphasizes the allotment of something piece by piece deal out equipment and supplies dole out implies a carefully measured portion of something that is often in short supply doled out what little food there was English Etymology distribute mid-15c., from L. distribut-, pp. stem of distribuere (see distribution). Related: Distributed; distributing. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ distribute dis·trib·ute / di5stribju:t; 5distribju:t / verb[VN] 1. ~ sth (to / among sb / sth) to give things to a large number of people; to share sth between a number of people 分发；分配: The organization distributed food to the earthquake victims. 这个机构向地震灾民分发了食品。 The newspaper is distributed free. 本报免费发送。 The money was distributed among schools in the area. 这笔款项是在本地区的学校中分配的。 2. to send goods to shops / stores and businesses so that they can be sold 分销: Who distributes our products in the UK? 谁在英国经销我们的产品？ 3. [often passive] to spread sth, or different parts of sth, over an area 使散开；使分布；分散: Make sure that your weight is evenly distributed. 注意让你的重量分布均匀。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English distribute verb 1 give sth out ADV. equally, fairly | unequally | widely The leaflets have been widely distributed. | free Copies of the book were distributed free to each school in the district. PREP. among We distributed the money equally among the team members. | between, to distributing aid to people in need 2 spread sth ADV. evenly, uniformly Wealth is not evenly distributed between age groups. | unevenly | randomly Smokers were randomly distributed in the sample interviewed. | patchily, sparsely PREP. among, between, throughout There are over 35,000 species of orchid distributed throughout the world. OLT distribute verb ⇨ distribute Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged dis·trib·ute I. \də̇ˈstribyət, -i(ˌ)byüt, also -_bə̇t; usu -d.+V; Brit often ˈdistriˌbyüt\verb (distributed \-yəd.ə̇d, -yətə̇d\ ; distributed \“\ ; distributing \-yəd.iŋ, -yətiŋ\ ; distributes \-yəts, -yüts\) Etymology: Middle English distributen, from Latin distributus, past participle of distribuere, from dis- dis- (I) + tribuere to give, allot — more at tribute transitive verb 1. a. : to divide among several or many : deal out : apportion especially to members of a group or over a period of time : allot < the American Relief Administration distributed nearly five million tons of foodstuffs — Current Biography > < the problem of how to distribute taxes equitably among the various economic groups — Collier's Year Book > < precipitation is not ample, but is distributed throughout the year — G.G.Weigend > b. : dispense , administer < distribute justice > < lamented that the great fields of private law, where justice is distributed between man and man, should be left without a caretaker — B.N.Cardozo > 2. a. : to spread out or scatter so as to cover a surface or a space < distributing the seed over the lawn > < distributing the ink evenly over the print > also : to give out or deliver especially to the members of a group < distributing magazines to subscribers > < the U.N. secretariat, which distributed a 125-page questionnaire to member governments — Current Biography > b. : to place or position usually so as to be properly apportioned over or throughout an area < the blood vessels distributed throughout the arm > < he seems chunkier than the 175 pounds distributed over his five feet ten inches would indicate — W.B.Furlong > < the various factories distributed throughout the city — American Guide Series: New Hampshire > < a widely distributed company — Marquis James > < our Indians are not evenly distributed — Juan Comas > c. logic : to use (a term) so as to convey information about every member of the class named < the proposition “all men are mortal” distributes a universal affirmative subject, here “man”, but does not distribute the predicate > 3. a. : to divide or separate especially into classes, orders, kinds, or species : classify , assort < spend a good deal of time distributing his specimens into their proper classes > b. (1) : to separate the units of (as typeset matter or handset matrices) and return to the proper storage places (2) of a keyboard slugcasting machine : to return (matrices) automatically to the proper magazine channels 4. : to market (a commodity) under a franchise in a particular area especially at wholesale intransitive verb : to make distribution : spread out Synonyms: distribute , dispense , divide , deal , and dole can agree in meaning to give out, usually in shares, to each person or thing of a group of persons or things. distribute implies (1) an apportioning of something among many by separating it into parts, units, or amounts and assigning each part, etc., to its appropriate person or place or (2) a spreading or scattering of something more or less evenly over an area < distribute their possessions among their children > < distribute profits among corporation members > < distribute different size nails to their appropriate containers > < distribute loam over a lawn > dispense carries no strong implication, as does distribute , of the lessening of a whole by subdivision or scattering but suggests a giving of a carefully weighed and measured portion as a right or due, or in answer to a need < dispense drugs to plague victims > < the host is dispensing drinks — Agnes M. Miall > < he liberally dispensed hospitality to all … with whom he came into contact — E.H.Collis > < dispense justice > < dispense charity > divide stresses the separation of a whole into parts in order to dispense to or share among each of a group, equality of shares usually being implied in default of other specification < divide a cake among 10 guests > < divide profits evenly among themselves > < divide the spoils of war > deal , usually with out, stresses a giving out piece by piece or in suitable portions < deal out the day's ration of water > < deal out paper plates to the picnickers > dole , frequently with out, still often implies a dispensing of alms to the needy but more commonly now suggests merely a dispensing in scanty, usually niggardly, portions < mother collects the paychecks and doles out allowances to all hands — J.H.Fenton > < there cannot be in this republic any class of human beings in practical subjection to another class, with power in the latter to dole out to the former just such privileges as they may choose to grant — O.K.Fraenkel > < a prince doling out favors to a servile group of petitioners — Theodore Dreiser > II. transitive verb : to use in or as an operation so as to be mathematically distributive < addition is not distributed over multiplication > intransitive verb : to be mathematically distributive < multiplication distributes over addition > |
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