查阅《元照英美法词典》发现，discharge的含义十分丰富：

(1)清償(債務)

(2)履行(義務)

(3)免除(債務、義務的履行，包括在破產程序終止後免除破產人的剩餘債務)

(4)釋放；出獄；允許離開

(5)解雇；解聘；使退役；解除(軍職)

(6)駁回(訴訟)

(7)撤銷(法院命令)

(8)起(卸)貨

(9)排放；排泄

从词典给出的释义，可以看出discharge既有“履行”的含义，也有“免除”的含义。

如：

lawful discharge 是指法定义务的免除，指在破产程序中的债务免除，亦即通过法定的破产程序免除债务人尚未履行的债务。

译为“履行”还是译为“免除”要看具体语境，如：

The Board committees are provided with sufficient resources to discharge their duties and, upon reasonable request, are able to seek independent professional advice in appropriate circumstances, at the Company’s expenses.

董事會轄下委員會擁有充足資源以履行其職責，並可在提出合理要求後於適當情況下尋求獨立專業意見，有關費用由本公司支付。

The Company may sell, in such manner as the Board thinks fit, any shares on which the Company has a lien, but no sale shall be made unless some sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable or the liability or engagement in respect of which such lien exists is liable to be presently fulfilled or discharged, nor until the expiration of fourteen days after a notice in writing, stating and demanding payment of the sum presently payable or specifying the liability or engagement and demanding fulfilment or discharge thereof and giving notice of intention to sell in default, shall have been given to the registered holder for the time being of the shares or the person entitled by reason of such holder’s death, bankruptcy or winding-up to the shares.

本公司可以董事會認為適合的有關方式出售本公司擁有留置權的任何股份，惟除非存在留置權股份的某些款額目前應付或存在留置權股份有關的負債或協定需要現時履行或解除，且直至已向當時的股份登記持有人或因有關持有人身故、破產或對股份進行清盤而有權收取的有關人士發出書面通知（聲明及要求支付現時應付的款項或指明負債或協定及要求履行或解除負債或協定及通知有意出售欠繳股款股份）後十四日已屆滿，否則不得出售。

All payments or distributions with respect to Convertible Preference Shares held jointly by two or more persons shall be paid or made to whichever of such persons is named first in the Register and the making of any payment or distribution in accordance with this sub-provision shall discharge the liability of the Company in respect thereof.

兩名或以上人士聯名持有的可換股優先股涉及的一切付款或分派，將向名列股東名冊首位的人士支付或作出，而根據本分條文作出的任何付款或分派將解除本公司就此承擔的責任。

Frustration of a contract of carriage, will discharge the shipowner and the charterer or shipper from their obligations under the contract, The case-law regarding frustration however has been almost exclusively in the context of a charter party

运输合同的落空解除了船东及承租方或托运人在租船合同下的义务。而相关落空的判例法内容几乎都在租船合同的情形下。