verb (used with object), dis·bursed, dis·burs·ing.
- to pay out (money), especially for expenses; expend.
- to distribute or scatter: Our troops were disbursed over a wide area. She disbursed the flowers to the children.
verb
- (tr) to pay out
1520s, disbourse, from Old French desbourser (13c.) “extract (money) from a purse, spend (money),” from des- (see dis-) + bourse “purse” (see bursar). Related: Disbursed; disbursing.