unglue
Definition
Verb (transitive): To separate or detach something that has been fastened with glue; to remove the adhesive bond that holds one object to another.
Usage Examples
- (To detach a glued object.)
- (To remove a glued stamp.)
- (To separate glued paper.)
Advanced Usage
- "to unglue oneself": To disengage or free oneself from a situation or attachment (often figurative).
- He found it hard to unglue himself from the comfortable sofa. (To physically or mentally detach.)
Variants and Related Words
- Unglued (adj): Separated from a glued surface; also used figuratively to mean emotionally unstable.
- The sticker became unglued and fell off. (It lost its adhesive bond.)
- After the stressful news, she came unglued and started crying. (Figurative: she lost emotional control.)
Synonyms
- Detach: to separate or disengage.
- Unstick: to free something that is stuck.
- Loosen: to make less tight or fixed.
Related Idioms
- Come unglued: To fall apart or lose control emotionally or mentally.
- When he heard the bad news, he came completely unglued. (He became very upset and unable to cope.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Unglue from: To separate from a glued or attached surface.
- The label unglued from the bottle after soaking in water. (It detached.)