I. Orig. of money, to distribute by weight, to disburse, pay out (for syn. cf.: “partior, impertio, distribuo, divido): ducentos nummos (sc. inter milites),” Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 47.—
B. In gen., to manage, regulate household expenses: “domesticas res,” Cic. Att. 11, 1; cf. Juv. 7, 219: “eligere aliquem ad dispensandam pecuniam,” to have charge of the military chest, Nep. Con. 4.—Absol.: “dispensat pueris vilicus,” distributes rations, Mart. 12, 18, 22.—
II. Transf., of other things, to dispense, distribute, arrange (for syn. cf.: dispono, digero, ordino, compono).
A. Lit.: “(fons) certis horarum spatiis dispensatur inter incolas,” Plin. 18, 22, 51, § 188; Front. Aquaed. 9; Plin. 13, 13, 27, § 89: “vitis aequa portione sucum proli suae dispensat,” Col. 4, 24, 9: “oscula suprema natos per omnes,” Ov. M. 6, 278 (cf.: “dividit oscula,” Hor. C. 1, 36, 6): “filum candelae,” Juv. 3, 287: “quem (annum) intercalaribus mensibus interponendis ita dispensavit (Numa), ut, etc.,” Liv. 1, 19 fin.—
B. Trop., to manage, regulate, control, distribute: “inventa non solum ordine, sed etiam momento quodam atque judicio dispensare atque componere,” Cic. de Or. 1, 31, 142: “quasi dispensare rem publicam et in ea quodam modo vilicare,” id. Rep. 5, 3, 5; Just. 7, 6, 4: “laetitiam inter impotentes populi animos,” i. e. to impart to them by degrees, Liv. 27, 50 fin.: “male dispensata libertas,” Sen. Ben. 1, 10: “quae dispensant mortalia fata sorores,” Ov. H. 12, 3 et saep.: consilium dispensandae cohonestandaeque victoriae imperatoribus majores dederunt nostri (qs. to arrange as the general's manager; the fig. acc. to I. B., v. also dispensator), Liv. 38, 47.—Absol.: si modo recte dispensare velis, to dispense, arrange ( = administrare), Hor. S. 1, 2, 75.
