ENGLISH
REFERENCE

distribute

v.
US //dɪˈstɹɪbjut// UK //dˈɪstɹɪbjˌuːt// dis·trib·ute
  1. 1 to give out (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to give something to each person in a large group.

    to hand out or deliver items to a specific group of recipients. Transitive; requires a direct object.

    Example

    The teacher will distribute the exam papers once everyone is sitting quietly.

    Example

    Aid agencies worked around the clock to distribute emergency food supplies to the families displaced by the flooding.

    Usage

    Often used with the preposition 'to'.
  2. 2 to spread over an area (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    to spread something across a surface or space.

    to scatter or spread something more or less evenly over a particular area or through a space.

    Example

    Make sure you distribute the seeds evenly across the garden bed.

    Example

    The software is designed to distribute the processing load across several different servers to prevent any single machine from crashing.

    Usage

    Commonly used with 'evenly' or 'across'.
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  1. 3 business supply (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Business

    to supply goods to shops and businesses so they can sell them.

    to supply goods to retail outlets or secondary markets as part of a commercial chain.

    Example

    The company distributes its products to over fifty countries worldwide.

    Example

    The publisher signed a new deal with a major logistics firm to distribute their textbooks to university bookstores nationwide.
Origin

PIE word *tréyes From Latin distributus, past participle of distribuere (“to divide, distribute”), from dis- (“apart”) + tribuere (“to give, impart”); see tribute.

Word family

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