disengage
/'disin'geidʤ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (transitive):
- To release or detach something from a connection, fastening, or entanglement.
- To free someone or something from an engagement, obligation, or involvement.
- To separate or withdraw from a situation, conflict, or interaction.
Verb (intransitive):
- To become detached, disconnected, or free.
- To withdraw from active participation or combat.
Usage
- Transitive Verb (to release/separate something): The primary action is performed on an object. You disengage (e.g., a clutch, a mechanism, yourself).
- Intransitive Verb (to become free/withdraw): The action happens by itself; there is no direct object. The gears . The soldier .
Examples
Transitive Verb:
- Before starting the car, you must disengage the parking brake.
- The pilot disengaged the autopilot to take manual control.
- She tried to disengage her hand from his grip.
- It is difficult to disengage oneself from emotional arguments.
Intransitive Verb:
- When you press the clutch pedal, the gears disengage.
- After the ceasefire, troops on both sides began to disengage.
- The two spacecraft successfully disengaged after docking.
Advanced Usage
- Military/Tactical Context: Refers to breaking off from combat or contact with an enemy.
- The general ordered his forces to disengage and retreat to a defensive position.
- Psychological/Social Context: Refers to emotionally or mentally withdrawing from a person, conversation, or commitment.
- He learned to disengage from stressful thoughts through meditation.
- The country sought to disengage from the costly international treaty.
Variants and Related Words
- Disengagement (noun): The act or process of disengaging.
- The disengagement of the clutch was smooth.
- His emotional disengagement was noticeable.
- Disengaged (adjective): Not involved, detached, or disconnected.
- He had a disengaged expression during the meeting.
- Ensure the motor is disengaged before servicing.
Synonyms
- Detach: To unfasten and separate.
- Disconnect: To break a connection.
- Release: To set free from restraint.
- Withdraw: To remove oneself from participation.
- Uncouple: To disconnect (especially linked mechanical parts).
Antonyms
- Engage: To mesh or interlock; to participate.
- Connect: To join or link together.
- Attach: To fasten or affix.
- Involve: To include as a participant.
Phrasal Verbs
- Disengage from (something/someone): This is the standard construction for specifying what is being separated from.
- It took years for her to disengage from the toxic relationship.
- The company plans to disengage from the failing partnership.
Verb
- become free
- in neutral, the gears disengage
- free or remove obstruction from
- free a path across the cluttered floor
- release from something that holds fast, connects, or entangles
- I want to disengage myself from his influence
- disengage the gears