distribute

present singular third person distributes · participle present distributing · participle past distributed · past distributed · first person past singular distributed · archaic present second person singular distributest · past second person singular distributed · archaic past second person singular distributedst · present singular third person distributes · archaic present singular third person distributeth · past singular third person distributed · past plural distributed · past subjunctive distributed · participle present distributing · participle past distributed

1. transitiveTo divide into portions and dispense.

   He distributed the bread amongst his followers.

   Synonyms: allot

2. transitiveTo supply to retail outlets.

   The agency distributes newspapers to local shops.

3. transitiveTo deliver or pass out.

   A network of children distributes flyers to every house.

   2 more examples

   Above all, the 48-page timetables of the new service, which have been distributed free at every station in the scheme, are a model to the rest of B.R. For the first time on British Railways, so far as we are aware, a substantial timetable has been produced, not only without a single footnote but also devoid of all wearisome asterisks, stars, letter suffixes and other hieroglyphics.

   1960 December 28, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened”, in Trains Illustrated, page 714

   Datacasting bypasses the wired, terrestrial Internet and is a cheaper way to distribute software than pressing and mailing CDs.

   2000, George Abe, Residential Broadband, Cisco Systems, →ISBN

   Synonyms: courier

4. transitiveTo scatter or spread.

   I raked the soil then distributed grass seed.

   1 more example

   The air-handling equipment humidifies, dehumidifies, and distributes the correct amount of fresh air into every zone and eliminates all smoke, dust, and odors, with electric precipitrons.

   1949, Proceedings of the ... Consolidated Convention of the International Brotherhood of Boiler Makers, Iron Ship Builders, and Helpers of America, page 159

   Synonyms: disperse

5. transitiveTo apportion (more or less evenly).

   The robot's six legs distributed its weight over a wide area.

   1 more example

   With an election not much more than a year away, distributing HS2's money into roads is pork barrel politics. Or at least it would be if the money existed.

   2023 November 29, Philip Haigh, “Comment: Can we save HS2 to Crewe?”, in RAIL, number 997, page 3

6. transitiveTo classify or separate into categories.

   The database distributed verbs into transitive and intransitive segments.

   Synonyms: categorize

7. intransitivemathematicsTo be distributive.

   Multiplication distributes over addition.

8. mediaTo separate (type which has been used) and return it to the proper boxes in the cases.
9. mediaTo spread (ink) evenly, as upon a roller or a table.
10. human sciencesTo employ (a term) in its whole extent; to take as universal in one premise.

    A term is said to be distributed when it is taken universal, so as to stand for everything it is capable of being applied to.

    1826, Richard Whately, Elements of Logic

11. businessTo have employees working remotely from multiple locations.

    distributed business; distributed employee