Dictionary Home »
Phrase Meanings » dispense with
What does "dispense with" mean?
-
Manage without, forgo, as in We can dispense with the extra help. Shakespeare had this idiom in Timon of Athens (3:2): “Men must learn now with pity to dispense.” [c. 1600]
-
Get rid of, do away with, as in The European Union is trying to dispense with tariff barriers. [Late 1500s]
-
Exempt one from a law, promise, or obligation, as in He asked the court to dispense with swearing on the Bible. This usage originally applied to religious obligations (to which the Pope granted dispensation). [Early 1500s]
Learn more about dispense with