uncog
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To remove cogs from: "uncog" means to take away the cogs (the teeth or projections on a gear wheel) from a mechanical device.
- To disengage or disable: In a broader technical sense, it means to make a cogwheel or similar mechanism inoperative by removing its cogs.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- The mechanic had to uncog the gear before replacing the broken part. (Remove the teeth from the gear.)
- To repair the clock, you must first uncog the main wheel. (Disengage the cogs from the wheel.)
Advanced Usage
"to uncog a machine": to remove the cogs from a machine, often as a step in repair or modification.
- The engineer decided to uncog the entire assembly to improve efficiency. (Remove all cogs from the assembly.)
"to uncog a wheel": to remove the teeth from a specific wheel.
- The technician carefully uncogged the wheel to prevent damage. (Removed the cogs from the wheel.)
Variants and Related Words
Cog (n): a tooth or projection on a gear wheel.
- The cog on the gear was worn down. (The tooth was damaged.)
Cogwheel (n): a wheel with cogs; a gear.
- The cogwheel had to be replaced after years of use. (The gear wheel was worn.)
Uncogged (adj): having had its cogs removed.
- The uncogged gear was useless for driving the machine. (The gear no longer had teeth.)
Synonyms
- Disengage: to release or separate from a connection.
- Detooth: to remove teeth from a wheel or tool (rare, technical).
Phrasal Verbs
- Uncog from: to remove cogs from a specific part.
- You must uncog from the axle to access the bearings. (Remove the cogs attached to the axle.)
Related Idioms
- None common. The word "uncog" is highly technical and not used in idiomatic expressions.