Word
disown
Phoneticsdis·own, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈsoʊn/
UK/dɪsˈəʊn/
Definition
v. to officially say that you are no longer related to someone, or to stop supporting a person or idea. In computing, it means to stop being the parent of a process so it can run on its own.
v. to formally renounce a relationship or responsibility; to cease being the parent of a process in a computing context. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Examples
“The family decided to disown him after he stole the money.”
“In Unix systems, a process can disown its child to allow it to continue running after the parent program has exited.”
“The company chose to disown the controversial marketing campaign, issuing a public apology to distance the brand from the backlash it had generated among its core demographic.”
Examples
simple
“The family decided to disown him after he stole the money.”
contextual
“In Unix systems, a process can disown its child to allow it to continue running after the parent program has exited.”
complex
“The company chose to disown the controversial marketing campaign, issuing a public apology to distance the brand from the backlash it had generated among its core demographic.”
Real-World Examples
“I didn’t take time off when my father disowned me by fax and dropped dead six weeks later.” Etymology
From dis- + own.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/disown