disentangle

Related to disentangle: untangle

disentangle (someone or something) from (someone or something)

To untangle someone or something from someone or something else. There are so many cords plugged into this outlet that it will take us all day to disentangle each from the other. I had to disentangle the twins from each other a few times when they started fighting over a toy, but otherwise they were very well behaved.
See also: disentangle
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

disentangle someone or something from someone or something

to untangle someone or something from someone or something. I helped disentangle Tony from the coils of ropes he had stumbled into. They worked feverishly to disentangle the dolphin from the net. He disentangled himself from the net.
See also: disentangle
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • be/have done with somebody/something
  • be in line with (someone or something)
  • better of
  • (someone or something) promises well
  • begin with
  • begin with (someone or something)
  • bird has flown, the
  • beware of
  • beware of (someone or something)
  • be rough on (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
The authors cite several potential limitations of their study, including the lack of information about the timing of the behaviors studied (which made it impossible to disentangle cause and effect), the unavailability of data from both parents and the wording of the items defining the risk behaviors.
Stephen Fry's "Bright Young Things" looks like it will be the first project to successfully disentangle itself from FilmFour and find a home elsewhere.
The National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine formed a committee of national experts and practitioners of early childhood development to "update scientific knowledge about the nature of early development and the role of early experiences, to disentangle such knowledge from erroneous popular beliefs ...
"It's just difficult to disentangle these factors" from sleep in assessing the effects of each on diabetes risk, Nilsson says.
Religious and cultural differences are sometimes difficult to disentangle, says Dana Yala.
Azcarraga added that, in order to disentangle television from politics, he will urge the government to change the laws on TV ratings reports, which are often subject to manipulation.
It seems that in order to keep the world alive we must keep telling stories, like Scheherazade in A Thousand and One Nights, as we struggle to disentangle ourselves from what has become a deceptive "cult of images." So, as Michel walks through his tense and threatening world, so too does Bawam'nde, telling stories to preserve humanity and to question the surface of things.
In other words, stretching would have to be so rapid that entangled molecules did not have time to disentangle.
Far from being a backwater of liturgical concerns, the traditional rites of this region constitute a vitally important source of information for the earliest forms of Eucharistic prayers used by Christians, but it is by no means an easy task to disentangle the various strata within their texts in order to arrive at their ancient cores.
It must, after all, carry some conviction." Yet the point of the serious historian, Chomsky pertinently observes, is "to disentangle motive from myth." Shapira is, for the most part, unwilling or unable to do so.
Significantly, EPRA provides a grace period until July 1, 1990, for physicians to disentangle themselves from relationships that would result in prohibited referrals.
The headless body of an Indonesian national, who was dragged underwater by a crocodile yesterday after he jumped from his boat to disentangle his fishing net, was found this afternoon, a spokesman of the Lundu Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) station said.
8DA YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS WEE THINKER ACROSS: 7 Proverb 9 Raids 10 Colin 11 Eyesore 12 Row 13 Nazareth 16 Brickbat 17 Dad 19 Memento 21 Donor 22 Gloom 23 Kittens DOWN: 1 Spectre 2 Follower 3 Neon 4 True Grit 5 Vino 6 Isles 8 Breeze block 13 Nickname 14 TV dinner 15 Address 18 Image 20 Mood 21 Date QUICKIE ACROSS: 1 Crash helmet 8 Too 9 Lit 11 Walk out 12 Aisle 13 Axe 14 Elm 15 Caterer 17 Gel 19 Edit 21 Open 23 Have 25 Cube 27 Web 29 Nosebag 31 Era 34 Spa 36 Sense 37 Redhead 38 Set 39 Are 40 Disentangle DOWN: 1 Coax 2 Role 3 Storage 4 Hatred 5 Lease 6 Else 7 Till 8 Twang 10 Tempt 16 Rev 18 Lob 20 Dew 22 Pen 24 Aladdin 25 Chess 26 Ferret 28 Blade 30 Obese 32 Reed 33 Anti 34 Seal 35 Pare
Inequality in America comes in many forms, says Caliendo, and while he focuses here on race and poverty, he argues that it is impossible to disentangle other types of inequality from issues related to race and economics.
Meanwhile, John plays a dangerous game with Vicky to disentangle himself from their relationship.