The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Disbursement \Dis*burse"ment\, n. [Cf. F. d['e]boursement.]
   1. The act of disbursing or paying out.
      [1913 Webster]

            The disbursement of the public moneys. --U. S.
                                                  Statutes.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. That which is disbursed or paid out; as, the annual
      disbursements exceed the income.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

disbursement
    n 1: amounts paid for goods and services that may be currently
         tax deductible (as opposed to capital expenditures) [syn:
         expense, disbursal, disbursement]
    2: the act of spending or disbursing money [syn: spending,
       disbursement, disbursal, outlay]

Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

DISBURSEMENT. Literally, to take money out of a purse. Figuratively, to pay
out money; to expend money; and sometimes it signifies to advance money.
     2. A master of a ship makes disbursements, whether with his own money
or that of the owner, when he defrays expenses for the ship.
     3. An executor, guardian, trustee, or other accountant, is said to have
made disbursements when he expended money on account of the estate which he
holds. These, when properly made, are always allowed in the settlement of
the accounts.