From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishdischargedis‧charge1 /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ $ -ɑːr-/ ●○○ verb 1 send somebody away [transitive]MHLEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION to officially allow someone to leave somewhere, especially the hospital or the army, navy etc, or to tell them that they must leave Hospitals now tend to discharge patients earlier than in the past. The judge discharged the jury.discharge somebody from something Several of the recruits were discharged from the Army due to medical problems.discharge yourself British English (=leave hospital before your treatment is complete)conditionally discharge somebody British English (=let someone leave prison if they obey particular rules) Dunning was conditionally discharged for two years.2 gas/liquid/smoke etc [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive]SEND to send out gas, liquid, smoke etc, or to allow it to escapedischarge something into something Sewage is discharged directly into the sea.discharge into Rainwater collects here and then discharges into the river Kennett.3 shoot [transitive]PMWSHOOT formal to fire a gun or shoot an arrow etc A soldier accidentally discharged his weapon.4 duty/responsibility/debt etc [transitive] formalPGODO WELL to do or pay what you have a duty to do or paydischarge your duties/responsibilities/obligations etc The trustees failed to discharge their duties properly.5 electricity [intransitive, transitive]TEESEND if a piece of electrical equipment discharges, or if it is discharged, it sends out electricity 6 a wound [intransitive, transitive]MI if a wound or body part discharges a substance such as pus (=infected liquid), the substance slowly comes out of it7 goods/passengers [transitive]TT formal to take goods or passengers off a ship, plane etc→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
discharge• There is emotional charge here somewhere which will discharge.• One of the four police officers injured in the explosion has been discharged from hospital.• Florence W., aged four, was to be handed over to her father as soon as he was discharged from prison.• He lost both his legs in an explosion and was discharged from the navy.• When Danny was discharged in 1961, he went to Los Angeles, looking for work.• She had forgotten the sidearm, which she had kept sand-free but not discharged in months.• Neurons discharging in the cortical motor strip cause focal movements of the contralateral extremities.• But on the whole he discharged it badly.• Between them was a tommy gun, discharging itself into the air.• Jefferson's gun accidentally discharged, killing him.• The captain gave the order to discharge the cargo.• Vicarious performance of a personal contract will not discharge the vendor nor bind the customer.• The president called upon the soldiers to discharge their duty with honor.discharge yourself• But the star, who also had a number of bruises, later discharged himself.• I discharged myself and returned home, against everyone's advice.• On October 16,1988, after expiry of the 72-period, the patient discharged herself and went home.• He discharged himself from Hartlepool General Hospital yesterday and last night detectives were waiting to question him as part of their inquiries.• He was granted bail and then discharged himself from hospital.• He discharged himself from the hospital.• Between them was a tommy gun, discharging itself into the air.• He had discharged himself on May 30, borrowed some money from a friend and headed off to East Anglia.discharge into• The pond discharges into Matadero Creek. discharge your duties/responsibilities/obligations etc• Ways in which the authority can discharge its responsibilities for standard setting for all aspects of care will also require attention.• But trust in the authority is trust that the authority is likely to discharge its duties properly.dischargedis‧charge2 /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ $ -tʃɑːrdʒ/ noun formal 1 [uncountable]MHLEAVE A JOB OR ORGANIZATION when you officially allow someone to leave somewhere, especially the hospital or their job in the army, navy etcdischarge from Nurses visit the mother and baby for two weeks after their discharge from the hospital. → dishonourable discharge, honorable discharge2 [countable, uncountable]SEND when gas, liquid, smoke etc is sent out, or the substance that is sent outdischarge of the discharge of toxic waste into the sea3 [countable, uncountable] when a substance slowly comes out of a wound or part of your body, or the substance that comes out4 [countable, uncountable]TEESEND electricity that is sent out by a piece of equipment, a storm etc5 [uncountable]SHOULD/OUGHT TO when someone performs a duty or pays a debtdischarge of the discharge of the college’s legal responsibilities6 [uncountable] when someone shoots a gunExamples from the Corpus
discharge• Relief often comes with a discharge such as the menses or a nasal discharge etc.• Huge gaps were torn in the Confederate line at every discharge.• Secondly, patients in hospital may also avoid hasty discharge to residential or care homes if they face means tested charges.• Tony wanted to get married as soon as he got his discharge from the army.• Pain and a nasal discharge may mean the patient has a sinus infection.• But, the discharge having occurred, it takes time for such another potential to accumulate.• the discharge of a firearm• Patients with generalized epilepsy often show generalized spike and wave discharges.discharge from• After his discharge from the army, Jim got married.discharge of• The discharge of harmful chemicals into drinking water is banned.From Longman Business Dictionarydischargedis‧charge1 /dɪsˈtʃɑːdʒ-ɑːrdʒ/ verb1[transitive] to officially allow or tell someone to leave hospital, the army, a job etcThe men were treated for minor injuries and discharged.He was discharged from the RAF last August.2HUMAN RESOURCES [transitive] to remove someone from their jobIn December, the airline discharged 49 employees and said it might need to make further cuts.3discharge a duty/responsibility/function etc formal to do properly everything that is part of a particular duty etcThe committee said that the Bank had failed to discharge its supervisory duties.4discharge a debt/claim/liability etcLAW to completely pay an amount that is owedThe payment of £4,000 together with the monthly sum of £1,000 was not enough to discharge in full the invoice for January’s work.5[intransitive, transitive] to send out gas, liquid, smoke etc, or allow it to escapeGas leaked from the tanker as it discharged crude oil at the refinery.pollutants being discharged into the atmosphere 6[intransitive, transitive]TRANSPORT to take goods off a ship, plane etcSYNUNLOADThe ship discharged the 2,911-tonne cargo of 330 concrete-coated steel pipes in less than a day.7[transitive]LAW to state officially that someone who was bankrupt has obeyed the court and can do business again→ See Verb tabledischargedis‧charge2 /ˈdɪstʃɑːdʒ-ɑːrdʒ/ noun1[countable, uncountable] when someone is officially allowed or told to leave hospital, the army, a job etcThe organization helps ex-servicemen and their dependants following discharge from the forces.2[countable, uncountable] when someone is removed from their jobHe threatened to sue the firm for wrongful discharge.3[uncountable] formal when someone performs a duty, responsibility etc properly and thoroughlyAlthough we do not consider Mr Gray’s conduct to have been dishonest, the discharge of his responsibilities as company secretary was most unsatisfactory.4[uncountable]LAWINSURANCE when an amount such as a debt or money claimed on an insurance policy is completely paidthe residue of the estate after the discharge of all debts and liabilities5[countable, uncountable] when gas, liquid, smoke etc is sent out or allowed to escapethe discharge of toxic waste into the sea£1 billion has been spent to control sewage discharges.6[countable, uncountable]TRANSPORT when goods are taken off a ship, plane etcSYNUNLOADINGChecking the discharge of cargo is part of my job.Origin discharge1 (1300-1400) Old French descharger, from Late Latin carricare “to load” 