| 释义 |
disentangle, v.|dɪsɪnˈtæŋg(ə)l|
Also 7–8 disin-.
[f. dis- 6 + entangle.]
1. trans. To free (anything) from that in or with which it is entangled; to disengage, extricate. Const. from, formerly sometimes of.
a. lit.
1598Florio Ital. Dict., Strigare to disintangle, to rid. a1691Boyle (J.), Though in concretions particles so entangle one another..yet they do incessantly strive to disentangle themselves, and get away. 1784Cowper Task iii. 145 They disentangle from the puzzled skein..The threads of..shrewd design. 1847J. Wilson Chr. North (1857) II. 21 To disentangle our line from the water-lilies. 1860Tyndall Glac. i. xix. 135 Two hours had been spent in the effort to disentangle ourselves from the crags.
b. fig. To set free from intellectual, moral, or practical complications; to extricate from difficulties or hindrances.
1611Cotgr., Desembarrasser, to vnpester, disintangle. 1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 116 The Princesse now disentangled of publike affaires, and desirous to know who shee was [etc.]. 1709Berkeley Th. Vision §92 To disentangle our minds from..prejudices. 1769Robertson Chas. V, III. xii. 370 The Emperor disentangled himself..from all the affairs of this world. 1874Green Short Hist. vi. §6. 325 To..disentangle a few fragmentary facts from the mass of fable.
2. To bring (anything) out of a tangled state; to unravel, untwist.
1805Southey Madoc in Azt. vi, Disentangling The passive reptile's folds. 1826Scott Diary 10 Feb. in Lockhart, One puzzles the skein in order to excite curiosity and then cannot disentangle it. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. I. xx. 252 Patience to disentangle the knots of my harness.
fig.1660Marvell Corr. xiii. Wks. 1872–5 II. 40, I shall..inform myselfe here how that annexion stands, and the readiest way of disintangling it. 1751Johnson Rambler No. 169 ⁋13 He must..disentangle his method, and alter his arrangement. 1871Freeman Hist. Ess. Ser. i. i. 31 We can disentangle the several elements of which it is made up.
3. intr. (for refl.) To become disentangled; to disentangle oneself (quot. 1676).
1607Ford's Madrigal, ‘Since first I saw your face’, My heart is fast, And cannot disentangle. 1676Marvell Mr. Smirke K iv, Betaking themselves to this Spiritual Warfare, they ought to disintangle from the World. 1726Adv. Capt. R. Boyle 24 My Foot disentangled, and I fell plum into the Sea. 1742Young Nt. Th. ii. 455 Thoughts disintangle passing o'er the lip. Mod. This skein won't disentangle.
Hence disenˈtangled ppl. a., -ing vbl. n.
1611Cotgr., Desmeslement, vnpestering, disintricating, disintangling. 1633G. Herbert Temple, Reprisall ii, A disentangled state and free. 1675Traherne Chr. Ethics ii. 14 Our thoughts and affections must be always disentangled. |