Inactivate

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  inactivate \inactivate\ v. t. [imp. & p. p. {inactivated}; p.
     pr. & vb. n. {inactivating}.]
     to make inactive; as, boiling will inactivate most enzymes;
     acetylation of the antibiotic inactivated it.
  
     Syn: deactivate.


          [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
  
     Note: To inactivate an enzyme or chemical usually renders it
           permanently inactive; to inactivate a machine (as by
           turning a switch) may be reversible, and for machines
           and devices, the term {deactivate} is usually used. The
           distinction is worth preserving.
           [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  inactivate
       v 1: release from military service or remove from the active list
            of military service [syn: {demobilize}, {demobilise}]
            [ant: {call up}]
       2: make inactive; "they deactivated the file" [syn: {deactivate}]
          [ant: {activate}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  23 Moby Thesaurus words for "inactivate":
     bugger, cripple, de-energize, debilitate, disable, disenable,
     drain, enfeeble, hamstring, hors de combat, incapacitate, kibosh,
     lame, maim, put, queer, queer the works, sabotage, spike, unfit,
     weaken, wing, wreck