dispatched

Everyday

1. sent off (a parcel, a person, a message). tree →
2. (euphemism) killed quickly, often an animal by a hunter or farmer, or a character in a story. tree →
3. dealt with quickly (dispatched the job). tree →

In the lessons

The «killed» sense is a cool, technical word used by hunters, farmers, crime stories and history books; the «sent» sense is everyday business. All regions.

Examples

• Your order has been dispatched and will arrive tomorrow. tree →
• The farmer dispatched the injured sheep quickly. tree →
• Police were dispatched to the scene. tree →
• In the story, the knight dispatched the dragon with one blow. tree →
• The team dispatched their rivals five–nil. tree →
• The general dispatched a messenger to the king. tree →

Note

Trap: «your parcel was dispatched» is just sent. Only with animals or enemies does it mean «killed».