Lewis & Short

dis-penso, āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. a.

  1. I. Orig. of money, to distribute by weight, to disburse, pay out (for syn. cf.: partior, impertio, distribuo, divido): ducentos nummos (sc. inter milites), Plaut. Bacch. 4, 9, 47.
    1. B. In gen., to manage, regulate household expenses: domesticas res, Cic. Att. 11, 1; cf. Juv. 7, 219: eligere aliquem ad dispensandam pecuniam, to have charge of the military chest, Nep. Con. 4.
      Absol.: dispensat pueris vilicus, distributes rations, Mart. 12, 18, 22.
  2. II. Transf., of other things, to dispense, distribute, arrange (for syn. cf.: dispono, digero, ordino, compono).
    1. A. Lit.: (fons) certis horarum spatiis dispensatur inter incolas, Plin. 18, 22, 51, § 188; Front. Aquaed. 9; Plin. 13, 13, 27, § 89: vitis aequa portione sucum proli suae dispensat, Col. 4, 24, 9: oscula suprema natos per omnes, Ov. M. 6, 278 (cf.: dividit oscula, Hor. C. 1, 36, 6): filum candelae, Juv. 3, 287: quem (annum) intercalaribus mensibus interponendis ita dispensavit (Numa), ut, etc., Liv. 1, 19 fin.
    2. B. Trop., to manage, regulate, control, distribute: inventa non solum ordine, sed etiam momento quodam atque judicio dispensare atque componere, Cic. de Or. 1, 31, 142: quasi dispensare rem publicam et in ea quodam modo vilicare, id. Rep. 5, 3, 5; Just. 7, 6, 4: laetitiam inter impotentes populi animos, i. e. to impart to them by degrees, Liv. 27, 50 fin.: male dispensata libertas, Sen. Ben. 1, 10: quae dispensant mortalia fata sorores, Ov. H. 12, 3 et saep.: consilium dispensandae cohonestandaeque victoriae imperatoribus majores dederunt nostri (qs. to arrange as the general’s manager; the fig. acc. to I. B., v. also dispensator), Liv. 38, 47.
      Absol.: si modo recte dispensare velis, to dispense, arrange ( = administrare), Hor. S. 1, 2, 75.