One of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
Synonyms of detach in English:
detach
See definition of detach
verb
1‘he detached the front lamp from its bracket’
unfasten, disconnect, disengage, part, separate, uncouple, remove, loose, loosen, untie, unhitch, undo, unhook, unbutton, unzip, free, sever, pull off, cut off, clip off, hack off, chop off, prune off, nip off, tear off, break off, strip off, disunite
rare disjoin
attach
2‘a policeman detached himself from the crowd’
free, separate, segregate
move away, walk away, move off, split off
leave, abandon
join
3‘he has completely detached himself from the group whose principles he rejects’
dissociate, divorce, alienate, separate, segregate, isolate, cut off, delink
break away, become estranged, disaffiliate, defect
leave, quit, withdraw from, secede from, break with, part company with, sever connections with, break off relations with
reach a parting of the ways
British informal bust up
associate, join