different between dispatch vs libel

English

Alternative forms

• despatch (UK, Australia)

Etymology

From Spanish despachar or Italian dispacciare, replacing alternate reflex depeach, which is from French dépêcher. The first known use in writing (in the past tense, spelled as dispached) is by Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall in 1517. This would be unusually early for a borrowing from a Romance language other than French, but Tunstall had studied in Italy and was Commissioner to Spain, so this word may have been borrowed through diplomatic circles. The alternative spelling despatch was introduced in Samuel Johnson's dictionary, probably by accident.

Pronunciation

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /d??spæt?/
• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /d??spæt?/
• Rhymes: -æt?

Verb

dispatch (third-person singular simple present dispatches, present participle dispatching, simple past and past participle dispatched)

1. (transitive) To send (a shipment) with promptness.
2. (transitive) To send (a person) away hastily.
3. (transitive) To send (an important official message) promptly, by means of a diplomat or military officer.
4. (transitive) To send (a journalist) to a place in order to report.
5. (transitive) To dispose of speedily, as business; to execute quickly; to make a speedy end of; to finish; to perform.
6. (transitive) To rid; to free.
7. (transitive) To destroy quickly and efficiently.
8. (transitive, computing) To pass on for further processing, especially via a dispatch table (often with to).
9. (intransitive, obsolete) To hurry.
10. (transitive, obsolete) To deprive.

Synonyms

• destroy
• kill
• make haste
• send

Hyponyms

Related terms

• dispatch table
• happy dispatch

Translations

Noun

dispatch (countable and uncountable, plural dispatches)

1. A message sent quickly, as a shipment, a prompt settlement of a business, or an important official message sent by a diplomat, or military officer.
2. The act of doing something quickly.

   Synonyms: haste, hurry, rapidity

   • 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]
3. A mission by an emergency response service, typically attend to an emergency in the field.
4. (computing) The passing on of a message for further processing, especially via a dispatch table.
5. (obsolete) A dismissal.

Translations

Derived terms

• dispatcher
• dispatch case
• dispatch table

English

Etymology

From Old French libelle, from Latin libellus (“petition”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: l??b?l, IPA^(key): /?la?b?l/
• Rhymes: -a?b?l

Noun

libel (countable and uncountable, plural libels)

1. (countable) A written or pictorial false statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
2. (uncountable) The act or crime of displaying such a statement publicly.
3. (countable) Any defamatory writing; a lampoon; a satire.
4. (law, countable) A written declaration or statement by the plaintiff of their cause of action, and of the relief they seek.
   • 1873, United States Supreme Court, The Rio Grande, 86 U.S. 178,179

     These provisions of law being in force, the steamer Rio Grande, owned, as was alleged, by persons in Mexico, being in the port of Mobile, in the Southern District of Alabama, certain materialmen, on the 26th of November, 1867, filed separate libels against her in the district court for the said district.

5. (countable) A brief writing of any kind, especially a declaration, bill, certificate, request, supplication, etc.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)

   • 1382–1395, John Wycliffe et al. (translators), Matthew verse 31

     a libel of forsaking [divorcement]

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:slander

Usage notes

In common usage, the noun and verb is particularly used where the defamatory writing meets the legal definition of libel in a particular jurisdiction.

Translations

Verb

libel (third-person singular simple present libels, present participle (UK) libelling or (US) libeling, simple past and past participle (UK) libelled or (US) libeled)

1. (transitive) To defame someone, especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel.

   He libelled her when he published that.
2. (law) To proceed against (a ship, goods, etc.) by filing a libel.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:defame

Translations

Derived terms

See also

• defamation
• defame
• slander

Anagrams

• Belli, I'll be, Ibell, Liebl

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /li?b?l/
• Hyphenation: li?bel
• Rhymes: -?l

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin libella or libellula.

Noun

libel f (plural libellen, diminutive libelletje n)

1. dragonfly, insect of the infraorder Anisoptera
2. dragonfly or damselfly, insect of the order Odonata

Alternative forms

• libelle

Hyponyms

• (insect of the order Odonata): beekjuffer, breedscheenjuffer, pantserjuffer, waterjuffer, winterjuffer

Etymology 2

From Latin libellus, diminutive of liber (“book”).

Noun

libel n (plural libellen, diminutive libelletje n)

1. booklet, notably a libel (defamatory writing)

Synonyms

• schotschrift
• smaadschrift

Etymology 3

Borrowed from Latin libella.

Noun

libel f (plural libellen, diminutive libelletje n)

1. A vial of a level.

References

• M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]