desensitize

desensitize
/dee sen"si tuyz'/, v.t., desensitized, desensitizing.
1. to lessen the sensitiveness of.
2. to make indifferent, unaware, or the like, in feeling.
3. Photog. to make less sensitive or wholly insensitive to light, as the emulsion on a film.
4. Print. to treat (the design on a lithographic plate) with an etch in order to increase the capacity to retain moisture, and to remove traces of grease.
5. Chem. to reduce the sensitivity of (an explosive) to those stimuli capable of detonating it.
Also, esp. Brit., desensitise.
[1900-05; DE- + SENSITIZE]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • desensitize — v. t. to rendered insensitive or less sensitive. Opposite of {sensitize}. Syn: deaden. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • desensitize — 1904; see DE (Cf. de ) do the opposite of + sensitize (see SENSITIVE (Cf. sensitive)). Originally of photography development; psychological sense is first recorded 1935. Related: Desensitized; desensitizing …   Etymology dictionary

  • desensitize — (Amer.) de·sen·si·tize || ‚diː sensɪtaɪz v. make less sensitive or reactive; cause to be less sensitive (also desensitise) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • desensitize — [v] dull anesthetize, benumb, deaden, make inactive, make less sensitive, numb, render insensible; concepts 130,240 …   New thesaurus

  • desensitize — (also desensitise) ► VERB 1) make less sensitive. 2) make indifferent to cruelty or suffering. DERIVATIVES desensitization noun …   English terms dictionary

  • desensitize — [dē sen′sə tīz΄] vt. desensitized, desensitizing 1. to take away the sensitivity of; make less sensitive 2. to make (a photographic plate or film) less sensitive to light 3. Med. to make (a person, animal, or tissue) nonreactive or nonallergic to …   English World dictionary

  • desensitize — v. (D; tr.) to desensitize to (to desensitize smb. to suffering) * * * [diː sensɪtaɪz] (D; tr.) to desensitize to (to desensitize smb. to suffer ing) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • desensitize — UK [diːˈsensətaɪz] / US [dɪˈsensəˌtaɪz] verb [transitive] Word forms desensitize : present tense I/you/we/they desensitize he/she/it desensitizes present participle desensitizing past tense desensitized past participle desensitized to make… …   English dictionary

  • desensitize — de|sen|si|tize also desensitise BrE [di:ˈsensıtaız] v [T] to make someone react less strongly to something by making them become used to it desensitize sb to sth ▪ Does TV desensitize people to violence? >desensitization [di:ˌsensıtaıˈzeıʃən… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • desensitize — [[t]di͟ːse̱nsɪtaɪz[/t]] desensitizes, desensitizing, desensitized VERB To desensitize someone means to cause them to react less strongly to things such as pain, anxiety, or other people s suffering. [V n to n] ...the language that is used to… …   English dictionary

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