English Dictionary

Definition of “isolate”

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isolate

Definitions

verb

(tr)

to place apart; cause to be alone
medicine to quarantine (a person or animal) having or suspected of having a contagious disease
to obtain (a compound) in an uncombined form
to obtain pure cultures of (bacteria, esp those causing a particular disease)
electronics to prevent interaction between (circuits, components, etc); insulate

noun

an isolated person or group

Alternative Forms

ˈisolable adjective ˌisolaˈbility noun ˈisoˌlator noun

Word Origin

C19: back formation from isolated, via Italian from Latin insulātus, literally: made into an island; see insulate

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry

= separate, break up, cut off, detach, split up, insulate, segregate, disconnect, divorce, sequester, set apart, disunite, estrange,

= quarantine, separate, exclude, cut off, detach, keep in solitude

Usage examples

She couldn't identify the glue formulae, which were too similar to isolate any single box company.
Duncan, Robert L, The Serpent's Mark (1990)
He has complained,'Any government that tries to isolate or defeat the unions is making a fundamental mistake.
Spiked (2002)
The moms have been instructed to keep their babies with them and to isolate themselves from the rest of their families.
Edmonton Sun (2003)
High bed occupancy limits the opportunity to isolate those infected.
Belfast Telegraph (2004)
Images of the perfect wife and mother isolate many women in the home.
Westcott, Patsy, Alternative Health Care for Women (1990)

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