adj. 1. spread from a central location to multiple points or recipients. Opposite of concentrated. [ Narrower terms: apportioned, dealt out, doled out, meted out, parceled out; diffuse, diffused; dispensed; dispersed, spread; divided, divided up, shared, shared out on the basis of a plan or purpose); encyclical; rationed; scattered, widespread; sparse, thin; unfocused, unfocussed ] Also See: distributive. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]
2. spread among a variety of securities; -- of investments. Syn. -- diversified. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
Distributing to the necessity of saints. Rom. xii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]
(n) data processing in which some of the functions are performed in different places and connected by transmission facilities, Syn. teleprocessing, remote-access data processing