1 [no object] (dispose of) get rid of by throwing away or giving or selling to someone else:the waste is disposed of in the North Seapeople now have substantial assets to dispose of after their death
informal kill:she came up with schemes for disposing of her husband
overcome (a rival or threat):the Scottish champions were buoyant after they disposed of English champions Leeds
informal consume (food or drink) quickly or enthusiastically:she watched him dispose of a large slice of cheese
2incline (someone) towards a particular activity or mood:prolactin, a calming hormone, is released, disposing you towards sleep [with object and infinitive]:if you touch the female readers' hearts, it might dispose their husbands to be charitable
3 [with object and adverbial] arrange in a particular position:the chief disposed his attendants in a circle
[no object] literary determine the course of events:the government proposed, but the trade union movement disposed
[from the proverb ‘Man proposes, (but) God disposes’, translating Latin Homo proponit, sed Deus disponit (Thomas à Kempis's De Imitatione Christi i. xix)]
disposer
noun
a waste disposera disposer of grants and subsidies