disposition

plural dispositions · alternative dispotion

1. The way in which something or someone is disposed or disposed of (in any sense of those terms); thus:
   1. countableuncountableThe arrangement or placement of certain things.

      The scouts reported on the disposition of the enemy troops.

      1 more example

      The departure was not unduly prolonged.[…]Within the door Mrs. Spoker hastily imparted to Mrs. Love a few final sentiments on the subject of Divine Intention in the disposition of buckets; farewells and last commiserations; a deep, guttural instigation to the horse; and the wheels of the waggonette crunched heavily away into obscurity.

      1921, Ben Travers, chapter 5, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC

   2. countableuncountableControl over something, especially with regard to disposing or dispensing with an action item (disposal of a concern, allocation of disbursed funds) or control over the arrangement or placement of certain things.

      You will have full disposition of these funds.

      1 more example

      Seduced at the age of 10 by a famous sodomist named Duplessis, he had since been at the disposition of a number of homosexual persons, including officers, priests, and marquises.

      1927, Havelock Ellis, Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2 (of 6)

   3. countableuncountablelawTransfer or relinquishment to the care or possession of another.

      The court ordered the disposition of all assets.

      Synonyms: assignment, conveyance

   4. countableuncountablelawFinal decision or settlement.

      The disposition of the case will be announced tomorrow.

   5. countableuncountablemedicineThe destination of a patient after medical treatment, especially after emergency triage, first line treatment, or surgery; the choice made for the next venue of care.

      The patient was given a disposition for outpatient care, as ward admission was not indicated.

   6. countableuncountableentertainmentThe set of choirs of strings on a harpsichord.

      This small harpsichord has a 1 x 4' disposition.

   7. countableuncountableTendency or inclination under given circumstances.

      Salt has a disposition to dissolve in water.

      2 more examples

      I have little disposition now to do as you say.

      What grand engines they were! Yet I have noticed a disposition on the part of quite a diversity of present-day commentators to denigrate those engines.

      1960 May 28, O. S. Nock, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 343

   8. countableuncountableTemperament, temperamental makeup or habitual mood.

      She has a sunny disposition.

      4 more examples

      He has such a foul disposition.

      He was, indeed, a lad of a remarkable disposition; sober, discreet, and pious beyond his age […]

      1749, Henry Fielding, chapter II, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book III

      So much does creative wisdom [of Divine Providence] seem to delight in variety, that, tame only a nest of small birds—starlings or sparrows—and you will soon perceive that these birds will not only be distinguishable by bodily appearance, but also by individuality of temper. The same diversity of disposition pervades all creation, even the vegetable and mineral kingdoms, and is far more perceptible in the human species, where the variations are endless and minute, between the two extremes of greatest and least ability and aptitude. Education will always do a great deal; yet where, by infinite labour, you can excite and impress the dull faculties of one brother or sister till they have got versed by rote in any lesson of art or science, another will catch up the idea at once with such aptitude as might make you suppose it intuitive in his or her constitution.

      1881, John Younger, “Introductory Chapter”, in Autobiography of John Younger, Shoemaker, St. Boswells, Kelso, Scotland: J. & J.H. Rutherfurd, page xi

      Sometimes I'm happy / Sometimes I'm blue / My disposition / Depends on you

      1925, “Sometimes I'm Happy”, Irving Caesar (lyrics), Vincent Youmans (music)

      Synonyms: spirit, vein

2. countableuncountablelawProvision; clause.

   The dispositions of this Act shall not be applied in case of […]

   2003, Act XXI of 2003 on the Establishment of the European Works Council and on the Establishment of the Procedure of Informing and Consulting Employees, page 23

   2 more examples

   The C.C. is the supreme interpreter of the Constitution (Section 1 of the O.L.C.C.) and, as we have already said, it was granted the monopoly of declaring unconstitutional the legal dispositions.

   2003, Medrano, Amelia Pascual, Active Legitimization in Constitutional Proceedings: The Spanish Case, page 167

   an obligation that can arise as a consequence of an expected action or inaction of the foreign person that goes against the dispositions of this law

   1999, Albanian Law on Foreigners, page 1

present singular third person dispositions · participle present dispositioning · participle past dispositioned · past dispositioned · alternative dispotion

1. To remove or place in a different position.