Is it more correct to say uncouple or decouple? [closed]
Which is the correct antonym of the verb "couple"?
Solution 1:
AFAIK in Engineering ...
uncouple is used on physical couplings. Like a train coupling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_coupling). To physically detach.
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decouple is used on conceptual and interaction couplings, to allow mutual independence in existence and operation. For example
- decouple the power supply fluctuation from interacting with the amplifier output.
- decouple the correlative interaction between number of active users and the negative feedback about the content of web pages, by providing sufficient resources to serve web pages.
- athletes seek to decouple their motivation to continue a race, from the tiredness of their body and limbs.
uncouple (ʌnˈkʌpəl)
vb- to disconnect or unfasten or become disconnected or unfastened
- (tr) to set loose; release
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
de·cou·ple (dē-kŭp′əl) tr.v. de·cou·pled, de·cou·pling, de·cou·ples
- Electronics To reduce or eliminate the coupling of (one circuit or part to another).
- Physics To decrease or eliminate airborne shock waves from (an explosion) by having it take place underground.
- To separate or detach: "Bipeds have a potential advantage over quadrupeds in decoupling their breathing from their locomotion" (Craig Stanford).
de·cou′pler n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Solution 2:
I can't add any further dictionary references, @BlessedGeek seems to have that sorted. I can however answer the question by showing which word is used more often:
As you can see, decouple has risen significantly in the past few decades, possibly down to American influence on British language.