Phrasal verb
dispose of sb/sth
Definition
phrasal verb. to get rid of something you do not want or need; it can also mean to defeat an opponent easily.
phrasal verb. to get rid of something, especially by throwing it away or transferring it to another; can also function as a transitive verb meaning to defeat or kill someone.
Examples
“Please dispose of your rubbish in the bins provided.”
“The company was fined for failing to dispose of chemical waste in a safe and legal manner.”
“The champion managed to dispose of his challenger in the first round, demonstrating a clear superiority in both speed and technique.”
Examples
simple
“Please dispose of your rubbish in the bins provided.”
contextual
“The company was fined for failing to dispose of chemical waste in a safe and legal manner.”
complex
“The champion managed to dispose of his challenger in the first round, demonstrating a clear superiority in both speed and technique.”
Usage
always requires the preposition 'of' before the object.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'throw away' (more informal) and 'get rid of' (general purpose); 'dispose of' is the standard term in formal, technical, or legal contexts regarding waste.
Pitfall
He disposed the old documents.
He disposed of the old documents.
the verb 'dispose' requires the preposition 'of' when it means to get rid of something.
Phrasal verb
Particles
of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
dispose + of + object