disembarrass

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to free someone from a burden, hindrance, unwanted object, or difficult situation

   She disembarrassed herself of the heavy parcels before entering the room.

2. 2
   verb

   to remove complications from something or disentangle it

   The editor reorganized the passage to disembarrass the argument of needless detail.

Formed from dis- + embarrass, probably after French des embarrasser. Embarrass originally meant 'impede or encumber,' so disembarrass literally reverses an obstruction rather than referring chiefly to social embarrassment.

Topics