defuse

English

Etymology 1

de- +‎ fuse

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /diːˈfjuːz/
• Rhymes: -uːz

Verb

1. (transitive) To remove the fuse from (a bomb, etc.).
2. (transitive) To make less dangerous, tense, or hostile.

   to defuse a hostage situation

Usage notes

The words defuse and diffuse are sometimes confused.

Related terms

• defusion
• defusive
• defuze

Translations

to remove the fuse from a bomb

• Basque: indar-gabetu
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 拆除（引信）

• Czech: zneškodnit pf, zneškodňovat impf
• Danish: demontere
• Dutch: ontmantelen (nl), onschadelijk maken
• Finnish: purkaa (fi), tehdä vaarattomaksi
• French: désamorcer (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• German: entschärfen (de)
• Italian: disinnescare (it)
• Luxembourgish: entschäerfen
• Polish: rozbrajać
• Portuguese: desarmar (pt)
• Romanian: dezamorsa (ro)
• Russian: размини́ровать (ru) impf (razminírovatʹ), размини́ровано pf (razminírovano)
• Spanish: desactivar (es)

to make something less dangerous

• Basque: baretu, lasaitu
• Dutch: de angel halen uit
• Finnish: laukaista (fi), purkaa jännitys
• German: entschärfen (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: apaziguar (pt), acalmar (pt)
• Romanian: dezamorsa (ro)
• Spanish: apaciguar (es), calmar (es)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} désamorcer (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Etymology 2

Compare diffuse.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈfjuːz/
• Rhymes: -uːz
• Homophones: diffuse

Verb

1. (obsolete) To disorder; to make shapeless.
   • 1605, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of King Lear, I. iv. 2:

     If but as well I other accents borrow / That can my speech defuse,