From , past participle of distribuere ("to divide, distribute"), from dis- ("apart") + tribuere ("to give, impart"); see tribute.

• (RP) IPA: /dɪˈstɹɪbjuːt/, /ˈdɪstɹɪbjuːt/
• (America) enPR: dĭ-strĭbʹyo͞ot, IPA: /dɪˈstɹɪbjut/

distribute (distributes, present participle distributing; simple past and past participle distributed)

1. (transitive) To divide into portions and dispense.

   He distributed the bread amongst his followers.

2. (transitive) To supply to retail outlets.

   The agency distributes newspapers to local shops.

3. (transitive) To deliver or pass out.

   A network of children distributes flyers to every house.

4. (transitive) To scatter or spread.

   I raked the soil then distributed grass seed.

5. (transitive) To apportion (more or less evenly).

   The robot's six legs distributed its weight over a wide area.

6. (transitive) To classify or separate into categories.

   The database distributed verbs into transitive and intransitive segments.

7. (intransitive, mathematics) To be distributive.
8. (printing) To separate (type which has been used) and return it to the proper boxes in the cases.
9. (printing) To spread (ink) evenly, as upon a roller or a table.
10. (logic) To employ (a term) in its whole extent; to take as universal in one premise.
    • 1826, Richard Whately, Elements of Logic:

      A term is said to be distributed when it is taken universal, so as to stand for everything it is capable of being applied to.

11. (business) To have employees working remotely from multiple locations.

    distributed business; distributed employee

• (to divide into portions and dispense) allot, dispend, parcel out; see also Thesaurus:distribute
• (to deliver or pass out) courier
• (to scatter or spread) disperse, sparble, strew; see also Thesaurus:disperse
• (to classify or separate into categories) categorize, sort; see also Thesaurus:classify

• French: distribuer
• German: aufteilen, verteilen
• Italian: distribuire
• Portuguese: distribuir, parcelar
• Russian: распределя́ть
• Spanish: distribuir

• French: distribuer
• German: ausliefern, verteilen, beliefern
• Portuguese: distribuir
• Russian: распространя́ть

• French: distribuer
• German: ausliefern, verteilen
• Portuguese: distribuir
• Russian: раздава́ть

• French: répartir
• German: verteilen
• Italian: suddividere, distribuire, ripartire
• Portuguese: espalhar, distribuir, repartir
• Russian: разбра́сывать
• Spanish: repartir, distribuir

• French: répartir
• German: verteilen
• Portuguese: parcelar
• Russian: дели́ть

• French: répartir
• German: aufteilen
• Portuguese: classificar
• Russian: разделить