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Webster 1913 Edition

Disburse

Dis-burse′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Disbursed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Disbursing
.]
[OF.
desbourser
, F.
débourser
; pref.
des-
(L.
dis-
) +
bourse
purse. See
Burse
, and cf.
Dispurse
.]
To pay out; to expend; – usually from a public fund or treasury.
The duty of collecting and
disbursing
his revenues.
Macaulay.
Disbursing officer
,
an officer in any department of the public service who is charged with the duty of paying out public money.

Webster 1828 Edition

Disburse

DISBURSE

,
Verb.
T.
disburs. To pay out, as money; to spend or lay out; primarily, to pay money from a public chest or treasury, but applicable to a private purse.

Definition 2024

disburse

disburse

English

Verb

disburse ‎(third-person singular simple present disburses, present participle disbursing, simple past and past participle disbursed)

  1. (finance) To pay out, expend; usually from a public fund or treasury.

Usage notes

  • Do not confuse with the scattering word disperse, despite similarity.

Synonyms

(to pay out): shell out (informal), cough up (informal), fork out (informal), fork over (informal)

Translations

Derived terms

Etymology

From Old French desbourser (modern: débourser). Equivalent to dis- +‎ burse ‎(“purse”).

Pronunciation

  • (US) IPA(key): /dɪsˈbɚs/
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(r)s

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