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Glite Dictionary
to declutch

to declutch

1 8.6
To push the pedal that separates the engine from the wheels before changing gear
  • verb
  • /dɪˈklʌtʃ/
  • Specialized
: desacoplar
  • You must declutch before shifting gears.

Examples

  • Skilled drivers can declutch quickly to avoid stalling the engine.

  • Press the pedal to declutch before changing gears.

  • He declutched as the traffic light turned red.

  • He declutched the car smoothly.

  • To smoothly change gears, remember to declutch before shifting.

  • When coming to a stop, it’s important to declutch to prevent stalling.

  • The driver had to declutch in order to slow down safely during the descent.

Synonyms

to disconnect
vsto declutch
104 3.5

To separate something so it is no longer joined, for example remove a cable or turn off power

is the vehicle action that stops engine power reaching the drivetrain
to uncouple
vsto declutch
5 5.3

To disconnect two things that are joined, often machine parts

is the vehicle action that separates engine and drivetrain

Antonyms

to engage
  • Specialized
110 5.1

To make a machine part start working

Surface Forms

declutch infinitive
declutched past
declutched past participle
declutching present participle
declutches third person singular

Morphology

declutch = clutch (semi-transparent) = de + clutch

The meaning is fairly inferable as 'disengage the clutch', but the technical reversative use of 'de-' is not fully obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Declutch comes from de- and clutch: clutch means 'to hold or grip' and de- means 'remove' or 'do the opposite'. So, to declutch is to 'release' the clutch and stop the engine from driving the wheels so you can change gears.