dispose
dispose — verb
1. to cause someone to develop a particular feeling, opinion, or tendency toward so
to cause someone to develop a particular feeling, opinion, or tendency toward someone or something — for example, a calm teacher disposing children to feel safe, or a generous offer disposing a committee to look more kindly on a proposal.
Stefan's calm voice disposed the frightened children to trust him during the power cut.
dispose + object + to-infinitive
The jury was favorably disposed toward the witness after she gave clear and honest answers.
passive: be favorably disposed toward(s)
Growing up in a diverse area disposed Rin to feel comfortable with people from many backgrounds.
A warm welcome at the airport disposed the visiting scholars to think well of the university.
Ayesha was not disposed to argue after twelve hours of travel and a missed connection.
- incline
Less formal and more common; 'incline toward' has the same grammatical structure but appears in everyday writing and speech.
- predispose
Stronger than 'dispose' — implies a pre-existing tendency that makes someone ready to feel or act in a certain way; common in medical and psychological contexts.
- prompt
Focuses on an immediate trigger that causes a specific action or reaction, not a general attitude.
文法句型
dispose + object + to-infinitive
dispose + object + toward(s) + noun/gerund
be disposed + to-infinitive
be well/favorably/kindly disposed toward(s) + noun
用法筆記
Frequently appears in the passive (be disposed to/toward). The adjective forms well-disposed and ill-disposed are common in formal writing: 'The committee is well-disposed to the proposal.' This sense does NOT mean 'cause someone to do something directly' — it describes creating a state of mind, not a command or obligation.
常見錯誤
2. to give a particular order or layout to items, furniture, or individuals — for e
to give a particular order or layout to items, furniture, or individuals — for example, setting dishes in neat rows on a table, or positioning soldiers at intervals along a ridge.
Ari disposed the fresh flowers in a wide glass vase on the reception desk.
dispose + object + in/on + location
The dinner plates were disposed in neat rows along the table before the guests arrived.
passive: be disposed in rows along
Vinícius disposed his painting tools on the workbench, sorted by size from smallest to largest.
Nila carefully disposed the chess pieces on the board, placing each in its proper square.
The security guards were disposed around the building at twenty-meter intervals.
- arrange
More common in everyday English; 'arrange' is less formal and covers a wider range of contexts from casual to professional.
- position
More specific — focuses on placing something in a precise or strategic location; common in military and sports contexts.
- set out
Informal phrasal verb; describes laying items in an orderly display, especially for a specific purpose or event.
文法句型
dispose + object + prepositional phrase (in/on/around/along/by)
be disposed + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
Often in the passive when describing the final state of the arrangement. In everyday English, 'arrange,' 'place,' or 'position' are more common. This sense carries a slightly formal or military tone — it suits descriptions of deliberate, systematic arrangement.
常見錯誤
dispose — noun
1. the state of being available for someone to use, control, or command as they wis
the state of being available for someone to use, control, or command as they wish — almost always found in the fixed expression 'at one's dispose,' meaning ready for someone to make use of.
The team had a fully equipped laboratory at their dispose for the whole project.
fixed phrase: at one's dispose
Eric placed his car at the dispose of the elderly couple for their hospital visits.
With the library collection at their dispose, the students completed their thesis research in two months.
Sahil was glad to have a personal assistant at his dispose during the conference week.
- disposal
The standard modern noun for this meaning; use 'at one's disposal' in all ordinary writing and speech.
文法句型
at/in one's dispose (fixed phrase)
用法筆記
The modern and far more common form is 'at one's disposal' (e.g., 'I have a car at my disposal'). The shorter 'at one's dispose' is archaic and appears today only in very formal legal or literary English. Learners should use 'at one's disposal' in nearly all situations.
常見錯誤
2. a person's natural character, usual mood, or typical way of responding to situat
a person's natural character, usual mood, or typical way of responding to situations — similar in meaning to 'temperament' or 'disposition,' but now rarely used outside literary or historical writing.
The old monk was known for his gentle dispose and patient manner with visitors.
Charlotte had a cheerful dispose that made her a welcome companion on long journeys.
Nkechi's calm dispose helped her stay steady during the crisis negotiations.
The novel describes a king whose suspicious dispose makes him mistrust even his closest advisors.
- disposition
The direct modern equivalent; use this in all contemporary writing.
- temperament
Refers to the combination of mental and emotional traits that form a person's character; slightly more formal than 'disposition.'
- nature
The broadest and most common term; describes a person's basic character or the qualities they are born with.
文法句型
a [adjective] dispose
someone's natural dispose
用法筆記
This sense is archaic in modern English. The standard word today is 'disposition' (e.g., 'a cheerful disposition'). Use 'disposition' or 'temperament' in everyday writing. The noun 'dispose' in this sense survives mainly in historical fiction and formal literary analysis.
常見錯誤
3. the way a person outwardly behaves or carries themselves, especially the express
the way a person outwardly behaves or carries themselves, especially the expression on their face and the manner they show to others — similar to 'demeanor' or 'bearing,' but now rarely used.
The diplomat's calm dispose during the tense meeting impressed everyone in the room.
Even when the customer grew angry and raised his voice, Maeve maintained a professional dispose.
Femi's stern dispose made the new employees nervous on their first day.
The judge's dignified dispose commanded respect from everyone in the courtroom.
文法句型
a [adjective] dispose
someone's outward dispose
用法筆記
Archaic. The standard modern noun is 'demeanor' (American) or 'demeanour' (British). This sense of 'dispose' appears only in older literary texts or deliberately archaic writing today.