DISSIPATE

verb (-pated; -pating) Etymology: Latin dissipatus, past participle of dissipare, dissupare, from dis- + supare to throw Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. to break up and drive off (as a crowd), to cause to spread thin or scatter and gradually vanish , to lose (as heat or electricity) irrecoverably, to spend or use up wastefully or foolishly , intransitive verb to break up and scatter or vanish , to be extravagant or dissolute in the pursuit of pleasure, see: scatter ~r noun