Dispatch
/dɪˈspætʃ/noun
To send off or deal with promptly; a message or report sent quickly.
Did you know?The word came into English through French and originally carried the sense of getting rid of something quickly, not just sending it—so even today it still echoes the idea of swift removal.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
dispactiare
“to pay out, arrange, or settle”
Old French
Old French
despechier
“to free, untie, or get rid of”
Middle English
English
despachen
“to send off quickly; to finish business”
16th Century
English
dispatch
“to send away promptly; to carry out a task quickly”
Modern English
English
dispatch
“to send out, deal with, or report promptly”