-disch-

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Discharged p. pr. & vb. n. Discharging. ] [ OE. deschargen, dischargen, OF. deschargier, F. décharger; pref. des- (L. dis) + chargier, F. charger. See Charge. ] 1. To relieve of a charge, load, or burden; to empty of a load or cargo; to unburden; to unload; as, to discharge a vessel. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To free of the missile with which anything is charged or loaded; to let go the charge of; as, to discharge a bow, catapult, etc.; especially, said of firearms, -- to fire off; to shoot off; also, to relieve from a state of tension, as a Leyden jar. [ 1913 Webster ]

The galleys also did oftentimes, out of their prows, discharge their great pieces against the city. Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

Feeling in other cases discharges itself in indirect muscular actions. H. Spencer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To of something weighing upon or impeding over one, as a debt, claim, obligation, responsibility, accusation, etc.; to absolve; to acquit; to clear. [ 1913 Webster ]

Discharged of business, void of strife. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

In one man's fault discharge another man of his duty. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To relieve of an office or employment; to send away from service; to dismiss. [ 1913 Webster ]

Discharge the common sort
With pay and thanks. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Grindal . . . was discharged the government of his see. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To release legally from confinement; to set at liberty; as, to discharge a prisoner. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To put forth, or remove, as a charge or burden; to take out, as that with which anything is loaded or filled; as, to discharge a cargo. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To let fly, as a missile; to shoot. [ 1913 Webster ]

They do discharge their shot of courtesy. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. To set aside; to annul; to dismiss. [ 1913 Webster ]

We say such an order was “discharged on appeal.” Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

The order for Daly's attendance was discharged. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. To throw off the obligation of, as a duty or debt; to relieve one's self of, by fulfilling conditions, performing duty, trust, and the like; hence, to perform or execute, as an office, or part. [ 1913 Webster ]

Had I a hundred tongues, a wit so large
As could their hundred offices discharge. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

10. To send away (a creditor) satisfied by payment; to pay one's debt or obligation to. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

If he had
The present money to discharge the Jew. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. To give forth; to emit or send out; as, a pipe discharges water; to let fly; to give expression to; to utter; as, to discharge a horrible oath. [ 1913 Webster ]

12. To prohibit; to forbid. [ Scot. Obs. ] Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

13. (Textile Dyeing & Printing) To bleach out or to remove or efface, as by a chemical process; as, to discharge the color from a dyed fabric in order to form light figures on a dark ground. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Discharging arch (Arch.), an arch over a door, window, or other opening, to distribute the pressure of the wall above. See Illust. of Lintel. --
Discharging piece,
Discharging strut (Arch.), a piece set to carry thrust or weight to a solid point of support. --
Discharging rod (Elec.), a bent wire, with knobs at both ends, and insulated by a glass handle. It is employed for discharging a Leyden jar or an electrical battery. See Discharger.

Syn. -- See Deliver. [ 1913 Webster ]