1
general::
Phrase(s): dispose of someone
Sl. to kill someone. (See also dispose of someone or something.) • Max suggested that he would dispose of Lefty if Lefty continued to be a pest. • The boss ordered Max to dispose of Lefty., Phrase(s): dispose of someone or something
to get rid of someone or something. (See also dispose of someone.) • How can I dispose of this bothersome customer? • Where shall I dispose of this wastepaper?
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
1. Attend to, settle, deal with, as in He quickly disposed of the problem. [Early 1600s] 2. Transfer, part with, as by giving away or selling. For example, They wanted to dispose of the land as soon as possible. [Second half of 1600s] 3. Get rid of, throw out, as in Can we dispose of the trash in this barrel? Oliver Goldsmith had this idiom in She Stoops to Conquer (1773): "I'm disposing of the husband before I have secured the lover." [Mid-1600s] 4. Kill or destroy; also, humorously, consume. For example, The king was determined to dispose of his enemies, or John disposed of the cake in no time. [Second half of 1800s]
American Heritage Idioms