dispers

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Dispersed p. pr. & vb. n. Dispersing. ] [ L. dispersus, p. p. of dispergere to strew, scatter. See Sparse. ] 1. To scatter abroad; to drive to different parts; to distribute; to diffuse; to spread; as, the Jews are dispersed among all nations. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge. Prov. xv. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two lions, in the still, dark night,
A herd of beeves disperse. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To scatter, so as to cause to vanish; to dissipate; as, to disperse vapors. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dispersed are the glories. Shak.

Syn. -- To scatter; dissipate; dispel; spread; diffuse; distribute; deal out; disseminate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To separate; to go or move into different parts; to vanish; as, the company dispersed at ten o'clock; the clouds disperse. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To distribute wealth; to share one's abundance with others. [ 1913 Webster ]

He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor. Ps. cxii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Scattered. -- Dis*pers"ed*ly adv. -- Dis*pers"ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dispersed harmony (Mus.), harmony in which the tones composing the chord are widely separated, as by an octave or more. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Dispersedness. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One that disperses. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ CF. F. dispersion. ] 1. The act or process of scattering or dispersing, or the state of being scattered or separated; as, the Jews in their dispersion retained their rites and ceremonies; a great dispersion of the human family took place at the building of Babel. [ 1913 Webster ]

The days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished. Jer. xxv. 34. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Opt.) The separation of light into its different colored rays, arising from their different refrangibilities. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dispersion of the optic axes (Crystallog.), the separation of the optic axes in biaxial crystals, due to the fact that the axial angle has different values for the different colors of the spectrum. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to disperse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dispersive power (Opt.), the relative effect of a material in separating the different rays of light by refraction, as when the substance is formed into a prism.

-- Dis*pers"ive*ness, n. [1913 Webster]