: administer or bestow, as in small portions; "administer critical remarks to everyone present"; "dole out some money"; "shell out pocket money for the children"; "deal a blow to someone" spread, distribute: distribute or disperse widely; "The invaders spread their language all over the country" distribute: make available; "The publisher wants to distribute the book in Asia" distribute, give_out, hand_out: give out; "The teacher handed out the exams" circulate, pass_around, pass_on, distribute: cause to be distributed; "This letter is circulating among the faculty" : cause to become widely known; "spread information"; "circulate a rumor"; "broadcast the news" distribute: spread throughout a given area; "the function distributes the values evenly" distribute: be distributed or spread, as in statistical analyses; "Values distribute" distribute: be mathematically distributive stagger, distribute: to arrange in a systematic order; "stagger the chairs in the lecture hall"