Definition

1. Verb:
   • To detach or loosen: "unfix" means to release something from a fixed position, to undo the fastening or attachment of an object.
   • To make unstable or uncertain: In a figurative sense, "unfix" can mean to disturb or unsettle something that was previously stable, such as a plan or a belief.

Usage Examples

• To detach or loosen:

  • Please unfix the clamp from the table before moving it. (Release the clamp from its secure position.)
  • He tried to unfix the stubborn bolt with a wrench. (Loosen the bolt that was tightly attached.)

• To make unstable or uncertain:

  • The new evidence served to unfix our previous conclusions. (Made our earlier conclusions less certain.)
  • Her doubts began to unfix his confidence in the project. (Undermined or destabilized his confidence.)

Advanced Usage

• "to unfix one's gaze": to stop staring or looking intently at something.

  • She had to unfix her gaze from the painting to leave the gallery. (Stop focusing her eyes on the painting.)

• "to unfix a memory": to cause a memory to become less clear or changeable.

  • Time can unfix even the most vivid memories. (Make memories less fixed or reliable.)

Variants and Related Words

• Unfixed (adj): not fixed; loose, unstable, or uncertain.

  • The unfixed shelf wobbled dangerously. (Not securely attached.)

• Unfixable (adj): impossible to repair or correct.

  • The broken lock was unfixable and had to be replaced. (Could not be made to work again.)

Synonyms

• Detach: to separate from something.
• Loosen: to make less tight or firm.
• Unsettle: to disturb or make unsure.

Phrasal Verbs

Related Idioms

• Unfix the past: an idiom meaning to change or undo events that have already happened (usually used in a hypothetical sense).
  • No one can unfix the past, so we must move forward. (Cannot undo past events.)