deallocate
English edit
Etymology edit
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
deallocate (third-person singular simple present deallocates, present participle deallocating, simple past and past participle deallocated)
- (transitive) To remove from the set of resources put aside for (allocated to) a particular user or purpose.
- Coordinate terms: reallocate, reassign, redistribute
- Empty out your locker; it will be deallocated at the end of the day.
- (transitive, computing) To return previously allocated memory.
- Computer programs should deallocate memory they no longer need, releasing it back to the system.