Dislocate

/ˌdɪsloʊˈkeɪt/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to move from the proper place or position; to disrupt the normal function of something.

The fall caused him to dislocate his shoulder.

to put out of joint.

She dislocated her kneecap while playing soccer.

to disrupt the normal order or arrangement.

The new policy may dislocate the workflow of the entire team.

Late Middle English: from Latin dislocat- 'displaced', from the verb dislocare, from dis- 'away' + locare 'to place'.

dislocate a joint

to pop a joint out of its normal socket.

dislocate one's life

to cause significant disruptions in one's routine or stability.

dislocation

the action of dislocating something.

locate

to find the position of something.

relocate

to move to a new place.

to mess up or confuse a situation

He totally dislocated the party vibe with his mood.

to cause chaos or disruption in a casual way

We really dislocated the schedule when we arrived late.