expel
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to officially force someone to leave a school, club, or organization because they did something wrong.
to officially exclude a person from membership or attendance in an institution, typically as a disciplinary measure.
Simple“The student was expelled from school for cheating on his final exams.”
In context“The committee voted unanimously to expel the member after discovering he had repeatedly violated the organization's code of ethics.”
UsageUsually takes the preposition 'from' before the name of the institution.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to force air, water, or gas out of something.
to force out or eject a substance from a body, container, or system.
Simple“You should expel all the air from your lungs before you start the next exercise.”
In context“The engine's exhaust system is designed to expel waste gases efficiently while minimizing noise pollution.”
UsageCommonly used in medical or mechanical contexts to describe the movement of fluids or gases.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
to force someone to leave a country, often for political or legal reasons.
to force a person, especially a foreign national, to leave a country by official order.
Simple“The government decided to expel the foreign diplomats following the scandal.”
In context“Authorities may expel individuals who are found to be residing in the country without valid documentation or legal standing.”
Late Middle English: from Latin expellere, from ex- (“out”) + pellere (“to drive”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.