Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
extricate - 4 dictionary results

ex⋅tri⋅cate

  [ek-stri-keyt]
Use extricate in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -cat⋅ed, -cat⋅ing.
1. to free or release from entanglement; disengage: to extricate someone from a dangerous situation.
2. to liberate (gas) from combination, as in a chemical process.
Origin:
1605–15; < L extricātus (ptp. of extricāre), equiv. to ex- ex- 1 + tric(ae) perplexities + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
ex⋅tri⋅ca⋅tion, noun

Synonyms:
1. loose, rescue, deliver, save, recover.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To extricate
ex·tri·cate   (ěk'strĭ-kāt')   
tr.v.   ex·tri·cat·ed, ex·tri·cat·ing, ex·tri·cates
  1. To release from an entanglement or difficulty; disengage.
  2. Archaic To distinguish from something related.

[Latin extrīcāre, extrīcāt- : ex-, ex- + trīcae, hindrances, perplexities.]
ex'tri·ca·ble (-kə-bəl) adj., ex'tri·ca'tion n.
Synonyms: These verbs mean to free from something that entangles: extricated herself from an embarrassing situation; trying to disengage his attention from the television; disentangled the oar from the water lilies; a trapped animal that untangled itself from a net.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Extricate

Ex"tri*cate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Extricated; p. pr. & vb. n. Extricating.] [L. extricatus, p. p. of extricare to extricate; ex out + tricae trifles, impediments, perplexities. Cf. Intricate.]

1. To free, as from difficulties or perplexities; to disentangle; to disembarrass; as, to extricate a person from debt, peril, etc.

We had now extricated ourselves from the various labyrinths and defiles. --Eustance.

2. To cause to be emitted or evolved; as, to extricate heat or moisture.

Syn: To disentangle; disembarrass; disengage; relieve; evolve; set free; liberate.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : extricate
Spanish: librar; desenredar,
German: befreien,
Japanese: 抜け出させる
More Translations »

extricate 
1614, from L. extricatus, pp. of extricare "disentangle," from ex- "out of" + tricæ (pl.) "perplexities, hindrances," of unknown origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see extricate on Thesaurus | Reference