Part 3175

<h1>Discharge</h1> <Xpage=419>

<hw>Dis*charge"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Discharged</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Discharging</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>deschargen</ets>, <ets>dischargen</ets>, OF. <ets>deschargier</ets>, F. <ets>d\'82charger</ets>; pref. <ets>des-</ets> (L. <ets>dis</ets>) + <ets>chargier</ets>, F. <ets>charger</ets>. See <er>Charge</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>To relieve of a charge, load, or burden; to empty of a load or cargo; to unburden; to unload; <as>as, to <ex>discharge</ex> a vessel</as>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To free of the missile with which anything is charged or loaded; to let go the charge of; <as>as, to <ex>discharge</ex> a bow, catapult, etc.</as>; especially, said of firearms, -- to fire off; to shoot off; also, to relieve from a state of tension, as a Leyden jar.</def>

<blockquote>The galleys also did oftentimes, out of their prows, <b>discharge</b> their great pieces against the city. <i>Knolles.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Feeling in other cases <b>discharges</b> itself in indirect muscular actions. <i>H. Spencer.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>To of something weighing upon or impeding over one, as a debt, claim, obligation, responsibility, accusation, etc.; to absolve; to acquit; to clear.</def>

<blockquote><b>Discharged</b> of business, void of strife. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>In one man's fault <b>discharge</b> another man of his duty. <i>L'Estrange.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To relieve of an office or employment; to send away from service; to dismiss.</def>

<blockquote><b>Discharge</b> the common sort With pay and thanks. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>Grindal . . . was <b>discharged</b> the government of his see. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>5.</b> <def>To release legally from confinement; to set at liberty; <as>as, to <ex>discharge</ex> a prisoner</as>.</def>

<p><b>6.</b> <def>To put forth, or remove, as a charge or burden; to take out, as that with which anything is loaded or filled; <as>as, to <ex>discharge</ex> a cargo</as>.</def>

<p><b>7.</b> <def>To let fly, as a missile; to shoot.</def>

<blockquote>They do <b>discharge</b> their shot of courtesy. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>8.</b> <def>To set aside; to annul; to dismiss.</def>

<blockquote>We say such an order was "<b>discharged</b> on appeal." <i>Mozley & W.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The order for Daly's attendance was <b>discharged</b>. <i>Macaulay.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>9.</b> <def>To throw off the obligation of, as a duty or debt; to relieve one's self of, by fulfilling conditions, performing duty, trust, and the like; hence, to perform or ex<?/<?/te, as an office, or part.</def>

<blockquote>Had I a hundred tongues, a wit so large As could their hundred offices <b>discharge</b>. <i>Dryden.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>10.</b> <def>To send away (a creditor) satisfied by payment; to pay one's debt or obligation to.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>If he had The present money to <b>discharge</b> the Jew. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>11.</b> <def>To give forth; to emit or send out; <as>as, a pipe <ex>discharges</ex> water</as>; to let fly; to give expression to; to utter; <as>as, to <ex>discharge</ex> a horrible oath</as>.</def>

<p><b>12.</b> <def>To prohibit; to forbid.</def> <mark>[Scot. Obs.]</mark>

<i>Sir W. Scott.</i>

<cs><col>Discharging arch</col> <fld>(Arch.)</fld>, <cd>an arch over a door, window, or other opening, to distribute the pressure of the wall above. See <i>Illust<i>. of <er>Lintel</er>.</cd> -- <mcol><col>Discharging piece</col>, <col>Discharging strut</col></mcol> <fld>(Arch.)</fld>, <cd>a piece set to carry thrust or weight to a solid point of support.</cd> -- <col>Discharging rod</col> <fld>(Elec.)</fld>, <cd>a bent wire, with knobs at both ends, and insulated by a glass handle. It is employed for discharging a Leyden jar or an electrical battery. See <er>Discharger</er>.</cd></cs>

<syn>Syn. -- See <er>Deliver</er>.</syn>