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Glite Dictionary
⏪ To wish for the past 🎮 To undo actions
to rewind time

to rewind time

6.1
To reverse recent events in a game to undo actions and try again
  • phrasal verb
  • /rɪˈwaɪnd taɪm/
  • Jargon
translation icon : retroceder en el tiempo
  • She rewound time and avoided the trap, which saved her run in the tournament.

Examples

  • I wish I could rewind time after that mistake!

  • The game lets you rewind time to retry the risky leap without losing progress.

  • Many speedrunners practice by rewinding time after mistakes to perfect their routes.

  • Can we rewind time in this game?

  • In the game, if you make a mistake, you can rewind time to correct your actions.

  • After losing a crucial match, the player wished they could rewind time and change their strategy.

  • The feature allows players to rewind time and restart difficult levels for a better chance at success.

Synonyms

to turn back
vsto rewind time
159 2.1

To go back to a previous place or state

moves gameplay backward to undo recent actions and allow retries
to revert
vsto rewind time
67 4.2

To go back to a previous state or way of doing things

reverses recent events so actions can be undone and retried
to rewind
vsto rewind time
50 3.3

To move a watch, tape, or film back to its start

uses timeline reversal to undo recent moves rather than mechanical motion
to turn back the clock
vsto rewind time
  • Informal
11 5.2

To go back to an earlier time or wish you could

is an instant in game reversal that undoes recent actions

Antonyms

to advance
417 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

How Far

to reset
107 2.9
rollback
  • Specialized
2 5.4
to rewind time
  • Jargon
6.1
to undo
102 2.6

Surface Forms

rewind time infinitive
rewinding time present participle
rewinds time third person singular
rewound time past
rewound time past participle

Morphology

rewind + time

The meaning is directly compositional: 'rewind' (to reverse) applied to 'time' (the flow of moments) yields the clear idea of turning events backward. Even in the videogame sense of undoing recent actions this is a straightforward metaphor found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Rewind time in video games copies the same tape image: rewind means moving tape backwards and time means the game's recent events. Pressing a button makes the game run back so you can undo a move, which is why it means 'to reverse recent events and try again'.