Definition of “distribute”

verb (tr)

1. to give out in shares; dispense
2. to hand out or deliver  ⇒ to distribute handbills 
3. (often passive) to spread throughout a space or area  ⇒ gulls are distributed along the west coast 
4. (often passive) to divide into classes or categories; classify  ⇒ these books are distributed in four main categories 
5. printing to return (used type) to the correct positions in the type case
6. logic to incorporate in a distributed term of a categorial proposition
7. mathematics logic to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in a (to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in (b  + to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in ( + c ) yields to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in ( + ) yields ab  + to expand an expression containing two operators in such a way that the precedence of the operators is changed; for example, distributing multiplication over addition in ( + ) yields + ac
8. obsolete to dispense (justice)