[syn: detached, free]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Detached \De*tached"\, a.
Separate; unconnected, or imperfectly connected; as, detached
parcels. "Extensive and detached empire." --Burke.
[1913 Webster]
Detached escapement. See Escapement.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Detach \De*tach"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Detached; p. pr. & vb.
n. Detaching.] [F. d['e]tacher (cf. It. distaccare,
staccare); pref. d['e] (L. dis) + the root found also in E.
attach. See Attach, and cf. Staccato.]
1. To part; to separate or disunite; to disengage; -- the
opposite of attach; as, to detach the coats of a bulbous
root from each other; to detach a man from a leader or
from a party.
[1913 Webster]
2. To separate for a special object or use; -- used
especially in military language; as, to detach a ship from
a fleet, or a company from a regiment.
Syn: To separate; disunite; disengage; sever; disjoin;
withdraw; draw off. See Detail.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
detached
adj 1: showing lack of emotional involvement; "adopted a degage
pose on the arm of the easy chair"- J.S.Perelman; "she
may be detached or even unfeeling but at least she's not
hypocritically effusive"; "an uninvolved bystander" [syn:
degage, detached, uninvolved]
2: being or feeling set or kept apart from others; "she felt
detached from the group"; "could not remain the isolated
figure he had been"- Sherwood Anderson; "thought of herself
as alone and separated from the others"; "had a set-apart
feeling" [syn: detached, isolated, separated, set-
apart]
3: no longer connected or joined; "a detached part"; "on one
side of the island was a hugh rock, almost detached"; "the
separated spacecraft will return to their home bases" [syn:
detached, separated]
4: used of buildings; standing apart from others; "detached
houses"; "a detached garage" [ant: attached]
5: lacking affection or warm feeling; "an uncaring person" [syn:
detached, unaffectionate, uncaring]
6: not fixed in position; "the detached shutter fell on him";
"he pulled his arm free and ran" [syn: detached, free]