to unreel

Examples

• All

• Grinning at Dan's fretfulness, she unreeled the auxiliary tether from her equipment belt and clipped it to the closest grip.

  Fiction book (2001)

• "It was Mark again, calling from the site where he was unreeling great spools of ultra-strong spectra fiber.

  Fiction book (1990)

• "I guess we might as well give it a try, huh?" Hu signaled agreement by unreeling a waveguide from her suit and plugging it into the detector.

  Fiction book (1990)

• He carefully unreeled the fishing line to get it ready for casting.

• As Sarah unreeled the garden hose, it stretched out across the lawn.

• The technician unreeled the cable to connect the equipment to the power source.

Synonyms

R

to reel

vsto unreel

54 3.4

To wind something onto or off a spool

focuses only on the unwinding use rather than also winding

U

to unfurl

vsto unreel

11 4.5

To open something rolled or folded so it lies flat

is about releasing from a wound holder rather than general unfolding

U

to unwind

vsto unreel

5 3.7

Make a wrapped or twisted thing loose and straight

is narrower, stressing release from a wound holder rather than general straightening

U

to uncoil

vsto unreel

3 3.7

To make something that is rolled or curled become straight

focuses on release from a wound holder rather than straightening curls

U

to unspool

vsto unreel

1 6.3

To unwind thread or tape from a spool

is the same action but not limited to thread or film only

R

to reel off

vsto unreel

5.8

Pull something off a reel or spool

has identical meaning but is the single word form rather than a phrasal verb

U

to uncoil from

vsto unreel

5.4

To come out of a tight roll or curl

is more specific to release from a wound holder rather than any coil

How Unwound

to unspool

1 6.3

to unreel

1 7.4

to let out

344 1.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology