unstuck

/' n'st k/

Thân thiện

The tow truck driver got my car unstuck from the muddy ditch.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not adhering or fixed in place; detached: Describes something that was previously attached or stuck but has now become loose or separated.
   • Freed from a state of being stuck or immobilized: Describes something (or someone) that has been released from a situation where movement or progress was prevented.
   • Thrown into a state of disorganization or failure; not proceeding as planned: Describes a plan, situation, or process that has become disordered, incoherent, or has broken down.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The label became unstuck from the jar. (The adhesive label detached from the surface of the jar.)
  • A friendly neighbor helped get my car unstuck from the mud. (The car was freed from being immobilized in the mud.)
  • Our carefully laid plans came unstuck when the main speaker canceled. (The plans fell apart or failed.)

Advanced Usage

• "to come unstuck": This is a common idiomatic phrasal verb.
  • Literally: To become detached or freed from being stuck.

    • The wallpaper is starting to come unstuck in the corner.
  • Figuratively: To fail, to go wrong, or to fall apart.

    • His scheme came unstuck when the police started investigating.
    • If we don't prepare properly, the whole project could come unstuck.

Variants and Related Words

• Stuck (adj): The opposite state; fixed in place, unable to move, or unable to progress.
  • The door is stuck and won't open.
• Unstick (verb): The act of making something unstuck.
  • I had to unstick the old stamps from the album carefully.

Synonyms

• Detached: No longer connected or attached.
• Freed: Released from a constraint.
• Disorganized: Lacking order or organization.
• Derailed: Figuratively, caused to fail or go off course.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Come unstuck: As detailed in the 'Advanced Usage' section, this is the primary phrasal verb associated with "unstuck," used both literally and figuratively.

Related Idioms

• "To come unstuck": This functions as a full idiom meaning to fail or encounter serious problems.
  • He flew too close to the sun, and his ambitions finally came unstuck. (His ambitions ultimately failed.)

Học thuật

Adjective

1. thrown into a state of disorganization or incoherence
   • price programs became unstuck because little grain was available
2. free
   • a man with a mule got my car unstuck
   • the gears locked in second and would not come unstuck

Từ đồng nghĩa

• undone