unwind
/' n'waind/
Definition
Verb (transitive):
- To cause something that is wound or coiled to become straight or loose: To reverse the process of winding or twisting, often by removing something from a spool, reel, or coil.
- To cause someone to feel less tense or anxious; to relax: To release mental or physical tension.
Verb (intransitive):
- To become less tense, anxious, or stressed; to relax: To stop feeling nervous or worried and become calm.
- (Of something wound) To become loose or undone: To become untwisted or uncoiled.
Examples of Usage
- Verb (transitive):
- She carefully unwound the bandage from his arm.
- After a long meeting, he needed a quiet walk to unwind his mind.
- Verb (intransitive):
- I like to listen to music to unwind after work.
- The thread unwound from the spool and tangled on the floor.
Advanced Usage
- "to unwind oneself": To make a conscious effort to relax.
- He took a few deep breaths to unwind himself before the presentation.
- In finance: To close out a complex financial position by executing offsetting transactions.
- The fund had to unwind its investments quickly during the market crash.
Variants and Related Words
- Unwound: The simple past and past participle form of "unwind".
- He had unwound the rope completely.
- Unwinding (gerund/noun):
- The unwinding of the film reel took time.
- My evening unwinding involves reading a book.
Synonyms
- Unravel: To disentangle or solve (often for threads or mysteries).
- Uncoil: To straighten from a coiled position.
- Relax: To become or make less tense.
- De-stress: To relieve stress.
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Unwind" is not commonly used with particles to form distinct phrasal verbs with different meanings. Its core meanings are as defined above.)
Related Idioms
- "Unwind the clock": To go back in time or reverse a process (less common, metaphorical).
- We can't just unwind the clock and pretend it didn't happen.
- "Let your hair down": This idiom is a close conceptual synonym for the intransitive "unwind," meaning to relax and behave informally.
- At the party, everyone could finally let their hair down and unwind.
Verb
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cause to feel relaxed
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A hot bath always relaxes me
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become less tense, rest, or take one's ease
-
He relaxed in the hot tub
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Let's all relax after a hard day's work
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separate the tangles of
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reverse the winding or twisting of
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unwind a ball of yarn
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