verb
detach
di-TACH/dɪˈtætʃ/
To disconnect something from an attachment.
The man detaches the shoulder strap’s hook from the bag’s ring.
Etymology
The prefix reverses the fastening expressed by attachier: to detach is to undo a connection. Early use especially included separating something for a particular purpose or service.
In context
He tried to detach the mother, who had, so to speak, knotted her hands around her daughter’s waist; but she clung so strongly to her child, that it was impossible to separate them.
More examples
- Detach the hose from the faucet before storing it.
- She detached the coupon along the dotted line.
- The hood detaches from the jacket for easy washing.
Forms
detach · detaches · detached · detaching
detachable adjective — Designed to be removed from its attachment.
Similar words
- disconnect
- Often refers to separating electrical, mechanical, or communication connections.
- unfasten
- Emphasizes releasing a fastening without necessarily separating the objects.