déclouer

Senses

1. 1.

   to unnail, to remove nails from

   to pull out or extract nails from something

2. 2.

   to free, to release

   to liberate someone or something that is fixed or immobilized (figurative use)

Examples

• "Il a dû déclouer les planches pour réparer le toit."

  He had to unnail the boards to repair the roof.

• "Ce projet nous a décloués de nos habitudes."

  This project freed us from our usual ways.

• "L'équipe a finalement décloué le ballon du but adverse."

  The team finally liberated the ball from the opponent's goal.

Usage

Déclouer is a regular -er verb formed from the prefix dé- and the noun clou (nail). It has both literal and figurative uses: the literal sense refers to removing nails, while figurative uses suggest freeing or releasing something or someone from a fixed position or state. Less common than its antonym clouer.