To dislocate something means to move it out of its proper or normal position. The word most commonly describes what happens when a bone gets knocked or twisted out of the joint where it's supposed to connect to another bone. If a basketball player falls awkwardly and dislocates her shoulder, the upper arm bone pops out of the shoulder socket. It's extremely painful and needs immediate medical attention.

Doctors and nurses can usually relocate (put back in place) a dislocated joint, though it might need to heal for several weeks afterward. Common injuries include dislocated shoulders, fingers, and knees. Athletes who play contact sports learn to recognize the signs of a dislocation: sudden intense pain, visible deformity, and inability to move the joint normally.

The word can also describe moving other things out of their normal positions. An earthquake might dislocate railway tracks, twisting them away from where they should run. A powerful storm could dislocate boats from their moorings. In this broader sense, dislocate means to disturb or disrupt something from its usual, stable arrangement.