Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To render inactive or ineffective.
  • transitive verb To inhibit, block, or disrupt the action of (an enzyme or other biological agent).
  • transitive verb To remove from active military status.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To make inactive; to render ineffective.
  • transitive verb To disband (a military unit, or other group); to discontinue (a group activity).

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb ergative to make something inactive or no longer effective
  • verb to prevent the action of a biochemical agent (such as an enzyme)
  • verb to remove a person or piece of hardware from active military service

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb make inactive
  • verb remove from active military status or reassign

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

de- +‎ activate

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