defuse

English

Etymology 1

de- +‎ fuse

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /diːˈfjuːz/
Rhymes: -uːz

Verb

defuse (third-person singular simple present defuses, present participle defusing, simple past and past participle defused)

(transitive) To remove the fuse from (a bomb, etc.).
(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)

German: entschärfen (de)
Italian: disinnescare
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)

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, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

French: ^{(please verify)} désamorcer (fr)

Etymology 2

Compare diffuse.

Pronunciation

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

Verb

defuse (third-person singular simple present defuses, present participle defusing, simple past and past participle defused)

(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,