detachment

noun

Etymology: From French détachement. By surface analysis, detach + -ment.

1. The action of detaching; separation.

   “But the horse has left his mark, for his successor is a mechanical horse designed to a large extent to copy the leading characteristics of the live horse; easy attachment to or detachment from its load, a small turning circle, a small appetite for petrol, but giving a much higher acceleration and speed, and so capable of much greater distances, so that fewer cartage units are required.”

2. The state of being detached or disconnected; insulation.
3. Indifference to the concerns of others; disregard; nonchalance; aloofness.
4. Absence of bias; impartiality; objectivity.
5. The separation of a military unit from the main body for a particular purpose or special mission.
6. The unit so dispatched.

   “Vietnamese sovereignty over the Paracels dated back at least to the early 19th century, when Emperor Gia-Long sent a detachment to Hoang Sa Island, it remained until the establishment of French protectorate over Annam, when France assumed responsibility for the islands.”

7. A permanent unit organized for special duties.
8. Any smaller portion of a main body separately employed.