disrupt, die out, dispose of, contaminate, emit: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from Advanced set 12. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

1. disrupt · verb/dɪsˈrəpt/

   prevent someone or something from continuing on its set course

   The flood disrupted underground metro service and everyone had to take the bus for a week.

   Synonyms: break, interrupt

   Origin: late Middle English: from Latin disrupt- ‘broken apart’, from the verb disrumpere

2. die out · verb

   become extinct, disappear

   Environmentalists around the world have been alarmed by the loss of biodiversity and have called for immediate action to be taken to prevent more species from dying out.

   Synonyms: die, vanish

3. dispose of · verb

   throw away

   The sign read, ¨Please dispose of your soda bottles in the recycling bin.¨

   Synonyms: get rid of, deal with

4. contaminate · verb/kənˈtæməneɪt/

   to make something impure or unsafe by adding harmful substances or germs

   The label warned that the compact fluorescent lamp lights contained mercury, which contaminates the environment if not treated properly.

   Synonyms: pollute

   Origin: late Middle English: from Latin contaminat- ‘made impure’, from the verb contaminare, from contamen ‘contact, pollution’, from con- ‘together with’ + the base of tangere ‘to touch’

5. emit · verb/əˈmɪt/

   give off a substance, such as light, heat, radiation, or gas

   Several old vehicles were found emitting black smoke on the road and were given tickets for polluting the air.

   Synonyms: diffuse, discharge

   Origin: early 17th century: from Latin emittere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out of’ + mittere ‘send’