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"Discharge" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "despedir", and "release" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "liberar". Learn more about the difference between "discharge" and "release" below.
discharge(
dihs
-
charj
,
dihs
-
charj
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to emit)
2. (legal)
a. liberar
The project helps to discharge prisoners and reintegrate them into society.El proyecto ayuda a liberar los presos y reinsertarlos en la sociedad.
b. poner en libertad
As a result of good conduct, they discharged him after only six months.Por buena conducta, lo pusieron en libertad después de solo seis meses.
3. (military)
a. licenciar
The trains were full of discharged soldiers returning home after the war.Los trenes estaban llenos de soldados licenciados que volvían a casa después de la guerra.
b. dar de baja
He was dishonorably discharged for deserting his post.Lo dieron de baja deshonrosa por abandonar su puesto.
4. (medicine)
a. dar de alta
The doctor told me they're going to discharge you on Monday.El médico me dijo que te van a dar de alta el lunes.
b. dar el alta a
Because the hospital was so short of beds, patients were being discharged while still needing care.Como el hospital no tenía suficientes camas, estaban dando el alta a los pacientes que aún requerían atención médica.
5. (to dismiss)
a. despedir
He was obliged to discharge several men for refusing to join the union.Se vio obligado a despedir a varios hombres porque se habían negado a afiliarse al sindicato.
b. dar de baja
As part of their cost-cutting measures, the company decided to discharge staff with less than a year's service.Como parte de sus medidas de ahorro, la compañía decidió dar de baja a empleados con menos de un año de servicio.
6. (to fire)
7. (to unload)
a. descargar
An oil tanker was discharging its cargo at the refinery.Un petrolero descargaba su cargamento en la refinería.
b. desembarcar
The ferry was discharging passengers at the quayside.El ferry desembarcaba pasajeros en el muelle.
8. (to pay)
a. saldar
The widow found herself unable to discharge her husband's debts.La viuda no se encontraba en situación de poder saldar las deudas de su esposo.
b. liquidar
Your personal possessions may have to be sold in order to discharge the debt.Es posible que se tengan que vender tus bienes personales para liquidar la deuda.
a. cumplir con (duty)
I discharged my duty and have nothing to reproach myself for.Cumplí con mi deber y no tengo nada que reprocharme.
b. cumplir (task or function)
The organization must be provided with sufficient funds to discharge its functions.La organización debe estar dotada de los fondos necesarios para cumplir sus funciones.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
10. (to flow out)
a. desembocar (river)
The river flows 4,000 miles through the jungle to discharge into the Atlantic Ocean.El río cruza 4,000 millas de selva y desemboca en el océano Atlántico.
11. (to run down)
a. descargarse (battery)
A battery will slowly discharge over time.Con el tiempo, una batería se va descargando lentamente.
12. (medicine)
a. supurar
Once it has burst, the abscess will continue to discharge for several days before healing.Una vez reventado, el absceso seguirá supurando durante varios días antes de cicatrizar.
a. descargar
Electricity cannot be discharged in a vacuum.No se puede descargar electricidad en el vacío.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
14. (emission)
a. la emisión (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The discharge of carbon disulfide was above recommended levels.La emisión de disulfuro de carbono estaba por encima de los niveles recomendados.
b. el vertido (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Industrial discharges into rivers are contaminating the sea.Los vertidos industriales a los ríos están contaminando el mar.
a. la descarga (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The drill has a cutoff switch that prevents accidental discharge of the battery.El taladro tiene un interruptor de corte que impide la descarga accidental de la batería.
16. (medicine)
a. la supuración (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The wound healed without much discharge.La herida cicatrizó sin mucha supuración.
b. la secreción (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Discharge from the urethra may be a sign of a sexually transmitted disease.Una secreción de la uretra puede ser un indicio de una enfermedad de transmisión sexual.
17. (legal)
a. la liberación (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The probation service assists prisoners after their discharge from prison.El servicio social dependiente de los tribunales ayuda a los presos después de su liberación.
b. la puesta en libertad (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The court of appeal approved the discharge of both prisoners.La corte de apelación aprobó la puesta en libertad de ambos presos.
18. (medicine)
a. el alta (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The doctor confirmed her discharge and she’ll be leaving the hospital on Friday.El médico le confirmó el alta y saldrá del hospital el viernes.
19. (military)
a. la baja (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Either through discharge or retirement, these men were no longer part of the army.Por licencia o retiro, estos hombres dejaron de pertenecer al ejército.
20. (formal) (dismissal)
A word or phrase used to refer to the second person formal “usted” by their conjugation or implied context (e.g., usted).
a. el despido (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
In those days, the bosses had powers of summary discharge without appeal.En aquellos tiempos, los patrones tenían poderes de despido inmediato, sin derecho a apelar.
b. la baja (F) (military)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
He developed a nervous condition that resulted in his discharge from the air force.Empezó a padecer una enfermedad nerviosa que ocasionó su baja de la fuerza aérea.
21. (firing)
a. el disparo (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
We heard the discharge of a gun outside.Oímos el disparo de una pistola fuera.
b. la descarga (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
He died as a result of the accidental discharge of a revolver.Murió como resultado de la descarga accidental de un revólver.
22. (carrying out)
a. el cumplimiento (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The department is exempt from any liability in the discharge of its functions.El departamento está exento de cualquier responsabilidad en relación con el cumplimiento de sus funciones.
a. la descarga (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
I supervised the discharge of goods at the docks.Yo supervisaba la descarga de las mercancías en el puerto.
24. (paying)
b. la liquidación (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Her son will inherit the residue of the estate, after the discharge of any outstanding debts.Su hijo heredará lo que quede del patrimonio, luego de la liquidación de las deudas pendientes.
release(
rih
-
lis
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
1. (to free)
a. liberar
The king has proclaimed that he will release all prisoners of war.El rey ha proclamado que liberará a todos los prisioneros de guerra.
c. poner en libertad
Officials decided to release the prisoner due to lack of evidence against him.Los oficiales decidieron poner el preso en libertad por falta de evidencia en su contra.
a. lanzar
I'm so excited that the Clockwork Oranges have released their new album.Estoy tan emocionada que las Naranjas Mecánicas hayan lanzado su nuevo álbum.
4. (to emit)
a. desprender
If a factory releases harmful fumes, it ought to be closed.Si una fábrica desprende gases nocivos, debería cerrarse.
b. emitir
Some plants release a pleasant odor when crushed.Algunas plantas emiten un olor agradable al molerse.
5. (mechanics)
a. soltar
I think you need to press here to release the spring.Creo que hay que pisar aquí para soltar el muelle.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
a. la liberación (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The release of the political prisoner was a calculated move.La liberación del preso político fue una jugada calculada.
b. la puesta en libertad (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
His release generated a positive reaction from the Hispanic community.Su puesta en libertad generó una respuesta positiva de la comunidad hispana.
a. la publicación (F) (books, records)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The bookstore will be celebrating the release of Isabel Allende's new novel on Tuesday.La librería celebrará la publicación de la nueva novela de Isabel Allende el martes.
b. el lanzamiento (M) (books)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
She's going to organize a party to celebrate the release of her novel.Va a organizar una fiesta para celebrar el lanzamiento de su nueva novela.
c. el estreno (M) (cinema)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The release of the movie provoked a backlash against the meat industry.El estreno de la película provocó una reacción violenta contra la industria cárnica.
d. la puesta en venta (F) (tickets)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
They're anticipating that tickets for the concert will sell out shortly after their release.Calculan que los boletos para el concierto se agotarán pronto después de su puesta en venta.
e. el comunicado (M) (written message)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The government issued a release condemning the recent riots.El gobierno publicó un comunicado para condenar las manifestaciones recientes.
8. (recording)
b. el estreno (M) (cinema)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
All new releases are shown in the biggest theater.Todos los nuevos estrenos se proyectan en la sala más grande.
a. la emisión (F)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The release of toxic gases into the atmosphere is a concern for all of us.La emisión de los gases tóxicos a la atmósfera es problema de todos.
10. (relaxation)
11. (photography)
a. el disparador (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Half-press the release to help you compose your photo.Presione el disparador hasta la mitad para poder componer la foto mejor.
