ALIENATE


Meaning of ALIENATE in English

I. alienate adjective

Etymology: Middle English alienat, from Latin alienatus, past participle of alienare to alienate, from alienus strange — more at alien

obsolete : made unfriendly, hostile, or indifferent : estranged

II. alien·ate ˈālyəˌnāt, -lēəˌ-, usu -ād.+V transitive verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

1. : to convey or transfer to another (as title, property, or right) : part voluntarily with ownership of : alien — usually used of the transfer of the title to property by act of the owner as distinguished from a transfer entirely by operation of law (as in case of descent)

2. : to cause to be estranged : make unfriendly, hostile, or indifferent especially where attachment formerly existed

her children are alienated from her — Ann F. Wolfe

would alienate potential supporters among the faculty and student body — Sylvan Fox

3. : to cause to be withdrawn or transferred

alienate capital from its natural channels

Synonyms: see estrange

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.