dispeldi‧spel /dɪˈspel/ verb (past tense and past participle dispelled, present participle dispelling) [transitive] 
We want to dispel the myth that you cannot eat well in Britain. Light poured into the hall, dispelling the shadows.
WORD ORIGINdispel
Origin:
1400-1500 Latin dispellere, from pellere ‘to drive, beat’VERB TABLE
dispel
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | dispel |
| he, she, it | dispels | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | dispelled |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have dispelled |
| he, she, it | has dispelled | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had dispelled |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will dispel |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have dispelled |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am dispelling |
| he, she, it | is dispelling | |
| you, we, they | are dispelling | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was dispelling |
| you, we, they | were dispelling | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been dispelling |
| he, she, it | has been dispelling | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been dispelling |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be dispelling |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been dispelling |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- In an interview Monday, the Foreign Affairs Secretary tried to dispel doubts about his handling of the crisis.
- The Central Bank attempted to dispel rumours of a possible financial crisis.
- We hope to dispel the belief that scientists work in isolation in windowless rooms.
- But that discomfiture is considerably dispelled by the infrequency of prior-restraint cases.
- Fearsome worry about the horrible outcomes of not doing schoolwork is difficult to dispel.
- Her foster brother's misinformation must be dispelled, but what did she say?
- Milton has already dispelled our traditional view of an awesome, bestial figure, in favour of one who possesses a destroyed beauty.
- Rising to his feet, he touched the light switch, dispelling the gathering gloom, before striding through to his office.
- Such anxieties, however, were soon dispelled.
- We shall never be friends until both your anger is dispelled and my guilt atoned.
Longman Language Activatorto get rid of harmful ideas or influences
to get rid of something bad or harmful so that they no longer exist in a place or organization: · Scientists hope to one day rid the world of this terrible disease.· McCarthy wanted to rid America of the "evils of Communism".· I can't seem to rid my mind of what happened on the day of the accident.
to get rid of ideas, behaviour, influences etc that are considered bad or harmful and have been present for a very long time: · Neighbourhood Watch schemes have succeeded in virtually freeing the area of crime.· Aid organisations are trying to free the country of the ravages of two decades of civil war.
to get rid of beliefs, ideas or feelings from people's minds, especially if they are false or harmful: dispel rumours/notions/doubts etc: · The Central Bank attempted to dispel rumours of a possible financial crisis.· In an interview Monday, the Foreign Affairs Secretary tried to dispel doubts about his handling of the crisis.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY We want to dispel the myth that you cannot eat well in Britain.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
to make something go away, especially a belief, idea, or feeling: We want to dispel the myth that you cannot eat well in Britain. (=help someone stop being afraid)· Frank eased my fears about not being able to speak the local language.
(=make people feel less sad)· Now for some good news to dispel the gloom.
(=show that it is not true)· Our goal is to debunk the myth that science is boring.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Jean had even managed to dispel my doubts about your sincerity.· He worked to dispel his doubts about his friend as though to pass another test, like his ordeal in the park.· Athletics: Morrell dispels fitness doubts.· Schoonover hopes that having the theater functioning will finally dispel any lingering doubts that the project is moving forward.· It grew rapidly, however, soon dispelling all doubts.· A formal papal judgement on this point would have dispelled all doubts.
· The outcome of yesterday's case could help dispel these fears.· Colonel Calderon tried to dispel their fears and to persuade them that no attempt on their lives was contemplated.
· The intensive study of demographic records through the technique of family reconstitution has dispelled many myths.· It further calls for discussion within the trade union movement on this question, with a view to dispelling the myths that surround homosexuality.· In this respect there is sometimes a need to dispel some of the myths which surround alcohol.· It aims at dispelling the myths about old age and at building a network of associations concerned with the issues of aging.· Direct contact helps dispel myths and dissolves stereotypes.· Before proceeding further it would perhaps be as well to dispel one or two myths.
· These two fine packages should dispel that notion.
VERB· They may help to dispel some of the arrogant delusions prevalent in the country.· A feeling for chronology, gradually acquired, should help to dispel confusion.
· Colonel Calderon tried to dispel their fears and to persuade them that no attempt on their lives was contemplated.· Hicks brushed aside the blue haze of his cigar and felt suddenly that he was trying to dispel more than cigar smoke.
We want to dispel the myth that you cannot eat well in Britain. Light poured into the hall, dispelling the shadows.