to put out of place; put out of proper relative position; displace:
The glacier dislocated great stones. The earthquake dislocated several buildings.
2.
to put out of joint or out of position, as a limb or an organ.
3.
to throw out of order; upset; disorder:
Frequent strikes dislocated the economy.
noun
4.
Gymnastics. a maneuver on the rings in which a gymnast in an inverted pike position turns over to swing down while pushing the arms out and turning them so that the palms are facing out when the body turns over.
Origin
1595-1605; < Medieval Latindislocātus (past participle of dislocāre), equivalent to Latindis-dis-1 + locātus placed; see locate
Related forms
undislocated, adjective
Examples from the web for dislocate
About ten percent of revision hip replacements will dislocate.
Wide departures from the original conditions can dislocate or reduce animal populations.
British Dictionary definitions for dislocate
dislocate
/ˈdɪsləˌkeɪt/
verb (transitive)
1.
to disrupt or shift out of place or position
2.
to displace (an organ or part) from its normal position, esp a bone from its joint
Word Origin and History for dislocate
v.
c.1600, from earlier adjective or past participle dislocate "out of joint" (c.1400), from Medieval Latin dislocatus, past participle of dislocare "put out of place," from Latin dis- "away" (see dis-) + locare "to place" (see locate). Related: Dislocated; dislocating.
dislocate in Medicine
dislocate dis·lo·cate (dĭs'lō-kāt', dĭs-lō'kāt) v.dis·lo·cat·ed, dis·lo·cat·ing, dis·lo·cates To displace a body part, especially to displace a bone from its normal position.