disinnescare

to defuse

verb dee-zeen-nehs-KAH-reh Rare

Origin: From dis- (reversal) + innesco (fuse, trigger) + -are, literally 'to un-fuse'.

Also means

to neutralize

Usage Note

Disinnescare means to defuse a bomb or explosive device, and figuratively to defuse a tense situation (disinnescare la crisi = 'to defuse the crisis'). It takes avere as its auxiliary. The noun innesco (fuse, detonator) is the base word. The figurative use in political and journalistic language is very common.

Examples

"Gli artificieri riuscirono a disinnescare la bomba."

Natural Translation

The bomb disposal experts managed to defuse the bomb.

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