Dispatch
/dɪˈspætʃ/
nounverbB2
Definition
Dispatch as a verb means to send a person, message, or thing to a specific place quickly and efficiently. As a noun, it refers to the action of sending something or the message/report sent. It can also mean to deal with a task or problem quickly and successfully.
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See It in Action
To send something or someone quickly to a place
- •The police dispatched officers to the scene of the accident.
- •The company dispatched the package early this morning.
- •Emergency services were dispatched immediately after the call.
The act of sending or a message/report sent
- •The dispatch from the reporter gave details about the event.
- •We received a dispatch confirming the shipment had left.
- •The military sent a dispatch to headquarters.
To finish or deal with something quickly
- •He dispatched the task in less than an hour.
- •The chef dispatched the orders efficiently during the busy dinner.
- •She dispatched her emails before leaving the office.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "dispatch" like "send" (A1 word), but faster and more official, like an important message or help going out quickly
- ✓Picture a mail carrier or ambulance leaving fast to deliver something important or help someone
- ✓It's the feeling of urgency, like when you need to solve a problem quickly or get help immediately
- ✓Sounds like "this PATCH" → imagine quickly sending a patch (fix) to repair something broken fast
- ✓In stories, dispatch is like the message runners in old times who delivered urgent news across towns
- ✓NOT like "send" (which can be slow or casual), dispatch is fast and purposeful
- ✓NOT like "deliver" (which focuses on arrival), dispatch focuses on the act of sending out quickly
- ✓When you dispatch a problem, you finish or solve it quickly, not just start it
Try Other Words
- •Send: to cause something to go to a place (Use when the action is normal or not urgent)
- •Deliver: to take something to a person or place (Use when focusing on arrival, not speed)
- •Send out: to cause to leave a place (Use in casual speech for dispatching)
- •Forward: to send information or items on to another person or place (Use when passing along something already received)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "dis-" meaning "away" or "apart"
- •Root: "patch" from Old French "pacher," related to sending or fixing
- •Origin: From Old French "despachier" meaning to expedite or send quickly
- •First used in English in the 15th century with meaning to send off quickly
- •Now used in many fields like military, business, and communication to mean quick sending or dealing
Reflect & Connect
•How does the idea of dispatch change when used for sending people versus solving problems?
•Can you think of situations in your life where dispatching something quickly was very important?
Fill in the blanks
1.The emergency team was ___ to the accident site as soon as the call came in.
2.When a problem arises, it is important to ___ it quickly to avoid bigger issues.
3.The reporter sent a ___ from the war zone describing the situation.
4.Unlike regular mail, the package was ___ with priority to arrive by tomorrow.
5.The manager asked the staff to ___ the orders before the lunch rush.
6.Police officers were ___ after receiving the distress signal, showing the urgency of the situation.
7.The company decided to ___ the goods by air instead of by sea to save time.