ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dispose of sb/sth

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to get rid of something you do not want or need; it can also mean to defeat an opponent easily.

phr. v.. 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.


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.

Particles
of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
dispose + of + object
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.

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