Defang

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /diːˈfæŋ(g)/

Origin

- + fang

Full definition of defang

Verb

1. (transitive) To remove the fangs from (something).The snake was defanged.
2. (figuratively) To render harmless.
• The roots of terror, The Week, 14 July 2007, 622, 4.The Government's new security supremo, Admiral Sir Alan West, said the danger from home-grown and foreign terrorists was at its greatest level ever, and warned that it could take up to 15 years to defang Islamic radicalism.

Synonyms

• (render harmless) declaw

Anagrams

• fag-end
• fanged