Abkuppeln

Abkuppeln is a German term that translates to "uncoupling" or "disengaging" in English. It is most commonly used in the context of vehicles, particularly trains and trailers. In railway operations, abkuppeln refers to the process of separating one or more railway cars from a train. This can be done for various reasons, such as forming new trains, shunting cars to different tracks, or removing damaged or unserviceable vehicles. The process typically involves operating a coupling mechanism between the cars, which can be manual or automated depending on the type of rolling stock.

In the context of road vehicles, abkuppeln describes the act of detaching a trailer or caravan from a towing vehicle. This is a common procedure when parking a trailer, or when switching towing vehicles. Similar to railway couplings, trailer hitches have specific mechanisms that need to be operated to safely disconnect the trailer. The term can also be used more generally to describe the act of separating two connected entities, be it physical or abstract. For instance, in a metaphorical sense, one might "abkuppeln" from a stressful situation or a particular mindset.