To unload, as a ship; to take out, as a cargo; applied both to the ship and the loading. We say, to discharge a ship; but more generally, to discharge a cargo or the lading of the ship.

To free from any load or burden; to throw off or exonerate; as, discharge of business.

To throw off a load or charge; to let fly; to shoot; applied to fire- arms; as, to dis-charge a pistol or a cannon; or to discharge a ball or grape-shot.

To pay; as, to discharge a debt, a bond, a note.

To send away, as a creditor by payment of what is due to him. He discharge his creditors.

To free from claim or demand; to give an acquittance to, or a receipt in full, as to a debtor. The creditor discharged his debtor.

To free from an obligation; as, to discharge a man from further duty or service; to discharge a surety.

To clear from an accusation or crime; to acquit; to absolve; to set free; with of; as, to discharge a man of all blame.

To throw off or out; to let fly; to give vent to; as, to discharge a horrible oath; to discharge fury or vengeance.

To perform or execute, as a duty or office considered as a charge. One man discharges the office of a sheriff; another that of a priest. We are all bound to discharge the duties of piety, of benevolence and charity: .

To divest of an office or employment; to dismiss from service; as, to discharge a steward or a servant; to discharge a soldier or seaman; to discharge a jury.

To dismiss; to release; to send away from any business or appointment. Discharge your powers to their several counties.

To emit or send out; as, an ulcer discharges pus; a pipe discharges water.

To release; to liberate from confinement; as, to discharge a prisoner.

To put away; to remove; to clear from; to destroy. In general, to throw off any load or incumbrance; to free or clear.

To break up. The cloud, if it were oily or fatty, would not discharge.

An unloading, as of a ship; as the discharge of a cargo.

A throwing out; vent; emission; applied to a fluid, a flowing or issuing out, or a throwing out; as the discharge of water from a spring, or from a spout; applied to fire-arms, an explosion; as a discharge of cannon.

That which is thrown out; matter emitted; as a thin serous discharge; a purulent discharge.

Dismission from office or service; or the writing which evidences the dismission. The general, the soldier, obtains a discharge.