1. To take apart, to disassemble, or to tear something down into its constituent pieces in a way that causes it to stop working: The auto mechanic dismantled the engine so he could repair it.
2. To destroy something by removing key elements; such as, an institution or system by removing its essential parts: The school program was dismantled because there was a lack of funding.
3. To strip a room or a building of its furniture or equipment: The buildings were dismantled so they could be demolished and new constructions be done to replace them.
4. Etymology: from the 1570's, from Middle French desmanteler, "to tear down the walls of a fortress", literally, "to strip off a cloak"; from des-, "off, away" or dis-, "apart, lack of, not" + manteler, "to cloak, to mantle". © ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

Something which has been destroyed in an orderly way or to gradually cause something to come to an end: "The dismantling of old factories took place over a long period of time and at great expense."

"There are those who feel that there should be more dismantlings of government programs in order cut down on the excessive debt."