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Glite Dictionary
to unlace

to unlace

3 3.8
To untie strings that close shoes or clothing
  • verb
  • /ʌnˈleɪs/
translation icon : desatar
  • Even standing on the stacked bricks, he could do nothing but unlace his father's boots by mistake.
  • unlaced shoes

Examples

  • Rory felt Murphy's steady fingers unlacing his boots.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • His father sat back on the ground and unlaced the boot from his good foot.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Would you unlace me, Rose?

    Basement Jack (2010)

  • I will unlace them... with my teeth.

    The Prisoner of Zenda (1979)

  • I'll unlace them while you fight.

    The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)

  • Carmen will unlace your shoes...

    Carmen Jones (1954)

  • The sides of the tent had been unlaced to make a sort of pavilion.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The priest wore a long dressing gown and unlaced black shoes.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • Dennis unlaced his arm from hers, stepped back, and wiped his wire-rimmed glasses on the tail of his shirt.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • He decided to unlace his boots after a long day of hiking.

Synonyms

to untie
vsto unlace
91 1.0

Make a knot or lace loose by undoing it

is aimed at laces and sewn closures rather than only knots or strings
to loosen
vsto unlace
88 1.0

Make something less tight so it can move or open

is about opening or removing laces and closures not only reducing tightness
to undo
vsto unlace
21 1.3

Unfasten something that is tied or fastened

is specific to loosening or opening laces and their small closures
to unfasten
vsto unlace
5 3.4

To open something by undoing a button or zipper

is used mainly for opening laces and similar closures rather than all openings
to unloose
vsto unlace
  • Archaic
1 7.0

To make something less tight or set something free

tends to target laces and fitted closures rather than broad freeing actions
to unknot
vsto unlace
1 5.1

To make a tied rope or string loose so it comes apart

applies to laces and similar closures not only tangled ropes or loops
to unloose (a) knot
vsto unlace
  • Archaic
5.9

To untie a knot so it comes apart

focuses on laces and general fastenings rather than only knot treatment
to unloosen
vsto unlace
  • Archaic
7.2

To make something less tight or free it from something holding it

is used for laces and practical closures rather than figurative relaxation or rules

How Loose

to untie
91 1.0
to unlace
3 3.8
to loosen
88 1.0
to slacken
1 5.5

Surface Forms

unlace infinitive
unlaced past
unlaced past participle
unlacing present participle
unlaces third person singular

Morphology

unlace = lace (transparent) = un + lace

The prefix 'un-' clearly indicates the reversal of the action 'lace', making the meaning straightforward.

Etymology

The word unlace comes from the prefix un- meaning 'undo' and lace, the cord used to tie shoes, so to unlace is to undo or loosen the laces or fastenings of something.