Opinion ID: 737511
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Extent to which dictionary and legal definitions differ.

Text: 39 Notwithstanding the term's importance, the district court properly noted the term distribution is a word of common usage and common knowledge. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary includes the following definitions for distribute: to divide among several or many; to spread out so as to cover something; to give out or deliver, especially to members of a group. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary 368 (1984). Webster's provides the following synonyms for distribute: dispense, divide, deal, and dole. Id. In its instructions to the jury, the district court defined the term distribution, in the context of drug conspiracy, to mean the defendant intentionally delivered marijuana to another person. We do not believe the dictionary definition of distribution differs appreciably or is less demanding than its legal definition provided by the district court. If anything, the dictionary definition is more detailed than the court's definition. Thus, to the extent any of the jurors determined Mr. Aguirre engaged in distribution under the term's dictionary meaning, they also determined Mr. Aguirre engaged in distribution under its legal definition. 40