disembarrass

Verb

disembarrass (third-person singular simple present disembarrasses, present participle disembarrassing, simple past and past participle disembarrassed)

1. (transitive) To get (someone) out of a difficult or embarrassing situation; to free (someone) from the embarrassment (of a situation); (often reflexive) to relieve (someone of a burden, item of clothing, etc.).
   • […] I hope […] that you will have disembarrassed yourself of all sort of business that may detain you here, and so be ready to go with us […]1726, George Berkeley, letter to Thomas Prior dated 6 February, 1726, in The Works of George Berkeley, London: G. Robinson, Volume 1, p. xliv
   • He had now disembarrassed himself of his riding-dress, and walking up to his daughter, he undid the fastening of her mask.1819, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter X, in Tales of My Landlord, Third Series. […], volume I (The Bride of Lammermoor), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for...

   Synonyms:

   disburden, disencumber, extricate

2. (obsolete, transitive) To free (something) from complication.
   • […] that we might disembarrass the Style as much as possible, we have taken the liberty to transpose Parentheses and other perplexed Passages, so as to clear and reduce them to continued Sentences.1719, uncredited editor, A Collection of Tracts Concerning Predestination and Providence, Cambridge University Press, Preface
   • […] it was unanimously resolved to admit to the treaty, none but the principals in the war, and their acting allies. This exclusion of the neutral interests tended greatly to disembarrass and simplify the negociation, in all outward appearance.1764, John Entick et al., The General History of the Late War, London: Edward Dilly and John Millan, Volume 5, Book 6, p. 99-100
3. (obsolete, transitive) To disentangle (two things); to distinguish.
   • […] though it be difficult to distinguish genuine Virtue from spurious, they having both the same appearance, and both the same public effects, yet they may be disembarrassed. If it be asked, by what means? He replies […] By Conscience […]1751, William Warburton, commentary on An Essay on Man in The Works of Alexander Pope, London: J. & P. Knapton et al., Volume 3, p. 63