discharge
Meaning
to allow someone officially to leave somewhere, especially a hospital or a court
to send out a substance, especially a liquid, gas, or something such as radiation or electricity
to perform a duty or responsibility
the action of allowing someone officially to leave a place or job
a substance that is sent out from something; the action of sending it out
Structure
Usage
The patient was discharged from the hospital this morning.
The factory was fined for discharging chemicals into the river.
He received an honorable discharge from the army after five years of service.
Etymology
The word 'discharge' originates from the Old French deschargier, formed by combining the Latin prefix dis- (indicating reversal or removal) with the verb charger (to load). Its core literal meaning was "to unload," such as removing cargo from a cart or ship. This concrete sense naturally evolved into more abstract applications: releasing someone from a duty or obligation (unloading a burden), releasing a substance (like water from a container), and releasing a person from an institution (like a hospital or military service). Thus, the modern meanings of release, emission, and dismissal all logically stem from the fundamental idea of removing a load or burden.
Analysis
- dis: A Latin prefix meaning "apart," "away," "having a negative or reversing force." - charge: From Old French charger (to load), ultimately from Latin carricare (to load a vehicle), from carrus (wheeled vehicle).