unattached
/'ʌnə'tætʃt/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Not physically connected or fastened: Describes something that is not joined, linked, or fixed to something else.
- Not emotionally or romantically committed: Describes a person who is not in an exclusive or serious romantic relationship.
- Not affiliated or assigned: Describes a person or thing that is not officially connected to or part of a particular group, organization, or institution.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- The house came with an unattached garage. (The garage was a separate building, not physically connected to the house.)
- She is currently unattached and focusing on her career. (She is not in a romantic relationship.)
- He worked as an unattached journalist, not employed by any single newspaper. (He was a freelance journalist, not affiliated with a specific company.)
Advanced Usage
- Legal/Technical Context: Can describe property or assets that are not seized or encumbered.
- The funds were unattached, allowing for their immediate use.
- Military/Academic Context: Historically used to describe personnel or students not assigned to a specific unit or college.
- In the old system, some students were unattached to any particular college within the university.
Variants and Related Words
- Detached (adj): Similar to "unattached" in meaning "separate" or "not connected," but often implies a more permanent or designed separation (e.g., a detached house). It can also imply emotional aloofness.
- Unconnected (adj): Not joined or linked; lacking a relationship.
- Uncommitted (adj): Not dedicated to a cause, activity, or person; can be synonymous with "unattached" in a romantic context.
- Freelance (adj/n): Working for different companies on particular assignments, not permanently employed by any one; a specific type of being professionally unattached.
Synonyms
- Single: Not married or in a romantic relationship.
- Separate: Not joined or connected.
- Independent: Not influenced or controlled by others; free from outside control.
- Unaffiliated: Not officially attached to or associated with an organization.
Related Phrases
- To remain unattached: To choose not to enter into a committed relationship.
- After his divorce, he decided to remain unattached for a while.
- Unattached property: Real estate that is a standalone structure, not sharing a wall with another.
Related Idioms
- Footloose and fancy-free: An idiom meaning free from responsibilities or commitments, especially romantic ones; similar in spirit to being "unattached."
- He traveled the world, footloose and fancy-free.
Adjective
- (of animals) able to swim about; not attached
- not associated in an exclusive sexual relationship
- not fastened together