derequisition
C2 (Very Low Frequency / Specialized)Formal, Technical, Historical, Legal, Military
Definition
Meaning
To release (property, goods, personnel) from official compulsory service or confiscation by the state; to give something back to its original owner after it has been requisitioned.
To formally revoke the mandatory acquisition of resources, assets, or personnel, typically after a period of emergency or war, thereby returning them to civilian control or use. Also used metaphorically in business to mean releasing resources from a dedicated project back to general use.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a prior act of 'requisition' (formal, often legal, confiscation for state needs). The action is bureaucratic and marks the end of a temporary, enforced state of possession.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is more historically associated with British wartime/post-war contexts (e.g., derequisitioning houses after WWII). In American English, it's more likely in legal or military logistics contexts.
Connotations
UK: Strong historical association with post-war transition. US: More neutral, procedural connotation within logistics or government contracts.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties, but marginally more attested in historical British texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Government/Authority] derequisitioned [Property/Asset][Property/Asset] was derequisitioned (by [Authority])Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically in project management: 'We can derequisition the development team now the product has launched.'
Academic
Found in historical, legal, or political science texts discussing post-conflict resource management.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in military logistics, government property law, and public administration.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The council finally agreed to derequisition the farmland, allowing the family to resume cultivation.
- After the war, the government took years to derequisition all the private residences used as offices.
American English
- The Pentagon authorized the base commander to derequisition the civilian contractors' vehicles.
- Once the emergency was declared over, the state began the lengthy process to derequisition the medical supplies.
adjective
British English
- The derequisition process was fraught with paperwork.
- They awaited the derequisition order for their property.
American English
- The team's derequisition status meant they could be assigned to new projects.
- All derequisitioned equipment must be thoroughly inspected.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The army promised to derequisition the school building once the exercises were complete.
- After the flood, the requisitioned trucks were derequisitioned and returned to their companies.
- The legal framework for how to derequisition privately-owned assets seized during the crisis was surprisingly underdeveloped.
- Historians note that the slow pace of derequisitioning housing contributed to post-war social tensions.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DE + REQUISITION. DE- often means 'reverse' (like declassify, demobilize). So, to 'derequisition' is to reverse a requisition.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNMENT CONTROL IS POSSESSION; RELEASE IS RETURNING POSSESSION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'разреквизировать' (not a standard term).
- Do not confuse with 'демобилизовать' (to demobilize people).
- The correct conceptual translation is often a phrase: 'вернуть из реквизиции' or 'снять с реквизиционного учёта'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it without a clear prior context of 'requisition'.
- Misspelling as 'derequisition' (only one 'r' after 'de-').
- Using it in informal contexts where 'give back' or 'release' would be natural.
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following contexts is the verb 'derequisition' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very low-frequency, specialized term used primarily in formal, legal, military, or historical contexts.
No, it would sound extremely odd and pretentious. It specifically refers to reversing an official, formal act of requisition.
The noun is 'derequisitioning' (e.g., 'The derequisitioning of property took several years').
'Derequisition' implies a formal, legal, or governmental procedure to return something that was officially seized or commandeered. 'Return' is the general term and lacks this specific procedural connotation.