The Spanish verb 'despachar' (meaning 'to dispatch' or 'to send') has an interesting journey through Latin and Old French. It ultimately comes from the Latin word 'pes' meaning 'foot', which developed into the Latin verb 'impedicare' meaning 'to entangle' or 'trap' (literally referring to catching something by the foot). This evolved into the Old French 'despeechier' meaning 'to dispatch' or 'remove obstacles', where the 'des-' prefix indicated removal or reversal of being trapped. Finally, it entered Spanish as 'despachar', maintaining the sense of sending something away or handling matters.

A common related Spanish word is 'despacho', which means 'office' or 'dispatch office' - a place where things are dispatched or business is conducted. You might also recognize 'despacio' (slowly), though this is actually from a different etymology despite its similar spelling.

English speakers might recognize the connection to the word 'dispatch', which shares the same etymology through Old French. Both 'dispatch' and 'despachar' maintain similar meanings of sending something off or dealing with a matter quickly. The English word 'impediment' (obstacle) is also related, coming from the same Latin root 'impedicare', literally meaning something that 'catches the foot' or traps.