Translate discharge | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish Definition of discharge
verb
Pronunciation:
/disˈCHärj/
[with object] 1tell (someone) officially that they can or must leave, in particular. send (a patient) out of the hospital because they are judged fit to go home. dismiss or release (someone) from a job, especially from service in the armed forces or police. release (someone) from the custody or restraint of the law:he ordered that 1,671 prisoners of war be discharged from prison relieve (a juror or jury) from serving in a case. Law relieve (a bankrupt) of liability. release (a party) from a contract or obligation:the insurer is discharged from liability from the day of breach
2allow (a liquid, gas, or other substance) to flow out from where it has been confined:industrial plants discharge highly toxic materials into rivers [no object]:the overflow should discharge in an obvious place (of an orifice or diseased tissue) emit (pus, mucus, or other liquid):the swelling will eventually break down and discharge pus [no object]:the eyes and nose began to discharge Physics release or neutralize the electric charge of (an electric field, battery, or other object):the electrostatic field that builds up on a monitor screen can be discharged [no object]:batteries have a tendency to discharge slowly (of a person) fire (a gun or missile):when you shoot you can discharge as many barrels as you wish [no object] (of a firearm) be fired:there was a dull thud as the gun discharged (of a person) allow (an emotion) to be released:he discharged his resentment in the harmless form of memoirs unload (cargo or passengers) from a ship:the ferry was discharging passengers [no object]:ninety ships were waiting to discharge
3do all that is required to fulfill (a responsibility) or perform (a duty). pay off (a debt or other financial claim).
4 Law (of a judge or court) cancel (an order of a court). cancel (a contract) because of completion or breach:an existing mortgage to be discharged on completion
noun
Pronunciation:
/ˈdisˌCHärj/
1the action of discharging someone from a hospital or from a job:his discharge from the hospital offending policemen receive a dishonorable discharge British an act of releasing someone from the custody or restraint of the law:four days in jail and one year conditional discharge Law the action of relieving a bankrupt from residual liability.
2the action of discharging a liquid, gas, or other substance:those germs might lead to vaginal discharge a substance that has been discharged:large volumes of sewage discharge environmental damage from toxic chemical discharges Physics the release of electricity from a charged object:slow discharge of a condenser is fundamental to oscillatory circuits a flow of electricity through air or other gas, especially when accompanied by emission of light:a sizzling discharge between sky and turret the action of firing a gun or missile:a police permit for discharge of an air gun sounds like discharges of artillery the action of unloading a ship of its cargo or passengers.
3the action of doing all that is required to fulfill a responsibility or perform a duty:directors must use skill in the discharge of their duties the payment of a debt or other financial claim:money paid in discharge of a claim
4 Law the action of canceling an order of a court.
