Etymology : Middle French desbander, from des- dis- + bande band
Pronunciation : dis-'band
Function : verb
Date : 1591
1. break up, part company, separate, dissolve. disband\dis*band"\ (?; see:
dis-), v. t. [imp. & p. p. disbanded; p. pr. & vb. n. disbanding.] [pref. dis- + band: cf. of. desbander, f. débander, to unbind, unbend. see:
band, and cf. disbend, disbind.].
2. to loose the bands of; to set free; to disunite; to scatter; to disperse; to break up the organization of; especially, to dismiss from military service; as, to disband an army. they disbanded themselves and returned, every man to his own dwelling.
3. to divorce. [obs.] and therefore she ought to be disbanded.disband \dis*band"\, v. i. to become separated, broken up, dissolved, or scattered; especially, to quit military service by breaking up organization. when both rocks and all things shall disband. erbert. human society would in a short space disband.disband v.
4. cause to break up or function, as of groups and organizations.
5. stop functioning, as of organizations or groups; "the political wing of the party dissolved after much internal fighting" [syn: dissolve].
6. To loose the bands of; to set free; to disunite; to scatter; to disperse; to break up the organization of; especially, to dismiss from military service; as, to disband an army.
7. To divorce.
8. To become separated, broken up, dissolved, or scattered; especially, to quit military service by breaking up organization. stop functioning or cohering as a unit; "The political wing of the party dissolved after much internal fighting" cause to break up or function; "the principal disbanded the political student organization".
9. If someone disbands a group of people, or if the group disbands, it stops operating as a single unit. All the armed groups will be disbanded The rebels were to have fully disbanded by June the tenth. to stop existing as an organization, or to make something do this.