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Glite Dictionary
to unstring

to unstring

8.1
To take the thin cords off a musical instrument or bow
  • verb
  • /ʌnˈstrɪŋ/
translation icon : desencordar
  • You should unstring your guitar after a performance to keep the strings in good condition.

Examples

  • I have spent my days in stringing and unstringing my instrument.

    Blog text (26)

  • Going back and forth in all that anxiety unstrings a person.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • And the song I meant to sing remains unsung, for I've spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument,

  • And the song I meant to sing remains unsung, for I've spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument,

  • And the song I meant to sing remains unsung, for I've spent my days stringing and unstringing my instrument.

  • It unstrings my muscles.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Before playing the cello, it is important to unstring the instrument to clean it properly.

  • She decided to unstring her bow after finishing the archery practice.

Antonyms

to string
35 1.9

To tie things together with a thin cord

Surface Forms

unstring infinitive
unstringing present participle
unstrings third person singular
unstrung past
unstrung past participle

Morphology

unstring = string (transparent) = un + string

Meaning is directly derived from the productive prefix 'un-' (remove) plus the verb 'string', so learners who know 'string' and 'un-' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Unstring is made from the prefix un- meaning 'remove' or 'do the opposite' and string, the 'cord' that stretches across a musical instrument or a bow. So to unstring something is literally to take off its strings, which is why we use it for removing strings from a guitar, violin, or bow.