Expel
/ɪkˈspel/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo force someone to leave a place, especially a school or organization; to drive or force out; to eject.
/ɪkˈspel/
To officially force someone to leave a place or organization.
The principal decided to expel the disruptive students from the school.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're a teacher. If a student breaks a big rule, you might *expel* them from class, meaning they have to leave and can't come back for a while.
👶 For kids: To tell someone they have to leave and can't come back, like if a kid gets in trouble at school.
More Examples
The company expelled the offending employee from their ranks.
The body attempts to expel foreign objects like splinters.
How It's Used
"The student was expelled from school for cheating."
"The government expelled the foreign diplomat."
"The body expels toxins through sweat and urine."
To drive or force out; to eject or discharge.
/ɪkˈspel/
To force out or eject something.
The volcano violently expelled hot lava.
💡 Simply: Your body *expels* things you don't need, like when you breathe out carbon dioxide or sweat out toxins. It means to push something out!
👶 For kids: To push something out of your body or a machine. Like when you breathe out air.
More Examples
The body expels waste through the urinary system.
The machine must expel excess heat.
How It's Used
"The lungs expel carbon dioxide."
"The engine expels exhaust gases."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
expel from the premises
To force someone to leave the property or the place.
"The bouncers had to expel the rowdy patrons from the premises."
From Middle English expellen, from Latin expellere ('to drive out'), from ex- ('out') + pellere ('to drive, to push').
Used since the 14th century, initially referring to driving out or banishing.
Memory tip
Think of 'spell' inside 'expel'. Expelling is like casting a bad spell on someone to make them leave.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: pellere