isolate

Formsisolates, isolating, isolated

Pluralisolates

1. 1
   verbtransitive

   To keep a person or thing apart from everyone or everything else.

   Like putting one toy in a box by itself, away from all the others.

   The teacher tried not to isolate the new student from the group.

   Guards isolated the prisoner after the fight in the yard.

   Similarquarantine

   Oppositeintegrate, connect

   Note
2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To keep a sick person or animal away from others so an illness cannot spread.

   Like keeping a child with a cold home from school so others stay well.

   Doctors had to isolate the patient to stop the virus spreading.

   The farmer isolated the sick cow from the rest of the herd.

   Similarquarantine

3. 3
   verbtransitive

   To protect something from outside forces so they cannot affect it.

   Like a thick blanket that keeps cold air from reaching you.

   Thick walls isolate the studio from street noise.

   The casing isolated the sensor from outside heat.

   Similarinsulate, shield, protect, screen

   Oppositeexpose

   Note
4. 4
   verbintransitive

   To stay away from other people on your own, often to avoid spreading an illness.

   Like staying in your room when you are sick so no one else catches it.

   When she felt sick, she chose to isolate at home.

   He isolated for ten days after testing positive.

   Similarquarantine

   Note
5. 5
   nouncountable

   A thing that has been separated and taken out from a larger group or mixture.

   Like one apple taken out of a big basket and set on its own.

   Each isolate was stored in its own sealed jar.

   The lab compared several isolates collected over the year.

   Similarstrain, culture

6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To take a pure form of a substance out of a mixture.

   Like picking all the red candies out of a mixed bag.

   Chemists can isolate salt from seawater.

   The team isolated the active ingredient from the plant.

   Similarextract, separate, purify

   Note
7. 7
   verbtransitive

   To separate one pure kind of bacteria from a mixture of many kinds.

   Like sorting out one kind of bean from a jar full of mixed beans.

   Scientists were able to isolate the bacteria that caused the illness.

   The lab isolated a single strain from the sample.

   Similarextract, separate

   Note
8. 8
   verbtransitive

   To cut off an electrical part from the power so no electricity reaches it.

   Like flipping off a switch so no power can reach the light.

   Always isolate the circuit before touching any wires.

   The electrician isolated the faulty switch from the mains.

   Similardisconnect, de-energize

   Oppositeconnect, reconnect, energize

9. 9
   adjectiveliterary

   Set apart and far from others, alone or on its own.

   Like a single tree standing alone in an empty field.

   The cabin stood isolate on the windswept hill.

   She felt isolate among the chattering crowd.

   Similarsolitary, lone, lonely, secluded, reclusive

   Note

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