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Intersperse vs Disperse - What's the difference?

intersperse | disperse |

As verbs the difference between intersperse and disperse

is that intersperse is to mix two things irregularly, placing things of one kind among things of other while disperse is to scatter in different directions.

intersperse

English

Verb

(interspers)
  • To mix two things irregularly, placing things of one kind among things of other:
  • * 1991 , Frank Biocca, Television and Political Advertising: Signs, codes, and images , page 76:
  • For example, a commercial sequence might intersperse pictures of a senator working in his office with shots of ordinary Americans happily working in various walks of life.
  • # To scatter or insert (something) into or among (other things).
  • Mother Nature interspersed a few dandelions among the petunias, but it was a pretty garden, anyway.
  • #* 1985 , Jane Y. Murdock, Barbara V. Hartmann, Communication and language intervention program (CLIP) for individuals with moderate to severe handicaps , page 46:
  • Review tasks are particularly useful to intersperse when students are experiencing considerable failure.
  • # To place or insert — to diversify by placing or inserting — other things among (something).
  • Mother Nature interspersed the petunias with a few dandelions, but it was a pretty garden, anyway.
  • References

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    Anagrams

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    disperse

    English

    Verb

  • (intransitive) To scatter in different directions
  • The Jews are dispersed among all nations.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xv. 7
  • The lips of the wise disperse knowledge.
  • * Cowper
  • Two lions, in the still, dark night, / A herd of beeves disperse .
  • (intransitive) To break up and disappear; to dissipate
  • (intransitive) To disseminate
  • (physics, transitive, intransitive) To separate rays of light etc. according to wavelength; to refract
  • (intransitive) To distribute throughout
  • Usage notes

    * Do not confuse with the monetary word disburse, despite similarity.

    Anagrams

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