disengaging

Adjective

disengaging (comparative more disengaging, superlative most disengaging)

1. That causes one to lose commitment and interest; alienating.
   • In a minute or two whe sould bo up to Amy; but already she was rather shrinking from her high purpose, and she hoped that Amy would not be in her most disengaging mood; hoped that she would not, as usual, draw down the shutters of her body over her soul.1911, Mrs. Henry Dudeney, Maid's Money, page 286
   • As predicted, overall, across the two weeks, Americans reportedly experienced more disengaging emotions (e.g., pride in self, feelings of self-confidence, anger, and frustration) than engaging emotions (e.g., friendly feelings, respect, shame, and guilt).2010, Batja Mesquita, Lisa Feldman Barrett, Eliot R. Smith, The Mind in Context, page 183
2. That causes something to disengage or disconnect.
   • The combination, with a key-lever provided with a frictionally-pivoted and movable stop, of a check-pin shaft and a disengaging bar or lever for moving said stop to its inoperative position when it has performed its function, substantially as described.1892, John Pratt, “477224: Type-Writing Machine”, in Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, page 1778
   • Thus, a Scotch boiler having as a disengaging surface the entire surface of the water in the boiler should have under normal circumstances a low disengaging velocity, and the same should be the case for vertical water-tube boilers.1915, W. P. Beehler, “Some Notes on Boiler Design”, in United States Naval Institute Proceedings , volume 41, page 1260