verb
dispatch
dih-SPACH
verb
1
To send something or someone off promptly for a specific purpose.
"The company dispatched a technician to fix the fault the same day."
"Officers were dispatched to the scene within minutes."
2
To deal with a task or piece of business quickly and efficiently.
"She dispatched her morning emails before the meeting even started."
noun
1
A message, report, or shipment sent promptly, often an official or urgent one.
"The general received a dispatch from the front line."
"A news dispatch confirmed the story within the hour."
How to Use Dispatch
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo send off quickly, or a quick official message.
Common mistake
The older spelling "despatch" still turns up in British English, especially in older texts, but "dispatch" is now the standard form.
Common pairings
dispatch a team
news dispatch
dispatch rider
Word Forms
dispatched past tense, dispatches plural, dispatches singular
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The company _____ a technician to fix the fault the same day.
Etymology
Borrowed in the 1500s from Spanish despachar or Italian dispacciare, meaning to hurry something along or send it off — likely picked up through diplomatic contacts with Spain and Italy.