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disperser

scatter

verb dees-per-SEH Rare

Also means

dispel

Usage Note

Disperser applies to physical spreading (a crowd, seeds, smoke) and figurative scattering (attention, effort). The reflexive se disperser means to spread oneself too thin — a common warning in French schools and workplaces. Police dispersent protesters, clouds dispersent fog.

Examples

"Le vent a dispersé les feuilles mortes."

Natural Translation

The wind scattered the dead leaves.

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