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to untwist

to untwist

2 3.7
To make something that is twisted become straight
  • verb
  • /ʌnˈtwɪst/
translation icon : desenrollar
  • "Frankel untwisted a few more kinks in a cable."
  • untwist the wire
  • began to untwist

Examples

  • The young man takes the pins from her hair one by one, and her hair untwists from her head and touches the floor.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • Before using the garden hose, make sure to untwist it to avoid any kinks.

  • Then the next day, I untwist it and wear it out.

    Blog text (25)
  • So we have to untwist the rail.

  • So what you do is just untwist the wires there.

  • Once distributed, I untwist one at a time.

    Blog text (25)
  • Very patiently, I began to untwist the wire.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • His thick hands moved very slowly, carefully untwisting the line and laying the coils even and flat.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • To fix the necklace, she had to untwist the chain that had become tangled.

  • He carefully untwisted the wires to connect the new lights to the circuit.

Synonyms

to unravel
vsto untwist
38 4.3

To come apart into threads, like a rope or cloth

aims to return things to a straight or loose state rather than pull them apart
to straighten out
vsto untwist
11 2.9

To make something free of bends, twists, or knots

focuses specifically on restoring things after they became twisted or tangled
to untangle
vsto untwist
10 3.5

To separate threads or cords that are twisted together

is about making twisted or tangled items straight or loose rather than only separating them
to unwind
vsto untwist
5 3.7

Make a wrapped or twisted thing loose and straight

is the general act of making twisted or tangled things straight
to uncoil
vsto untwist
3 3.7

To make something that is rolled or curled become straight

applies more broadly to any twisted or tangled object not only coils
to uncurl
vsto untwist
2 3.2

To move from a rolled or folded shape into a more open form

is about straightening after twisting or tangling rather than just uncurling
to disentangle
vsto untwist
1 5.3

To free something twisted and knotted, like a cord

focuses more on straightening or loosening after twisting rather than just freeing
to unsnarl
vsto untwist
1 7.6

To free something from a tangle, like knots in rope or wire

is used when the main aim is to make twisted or tangled things straight
to untwine
vsto untwist
1 7.4

To separate things that are twisted together, like cables or yarn

is broader, covering making single items straight as well as separating strands
to unkink
vsto untwist
1 5.8

To make a hose, wire, or rope straight by removing bends

covers all twists or tangles, not only sharp bends or kinks

Antonyms

231 1.7

To turn something so it becomes a curved or spiral shape

46 3.7

To twist things together so they are hard to pull apart

How Straight

to straighten
114 2.5
to unravel
38 4.3
to untwist
2 3.7
to loosen
88 1.0

Surface Forms

untwist infinitive
untwisted past
untwisted past participle
untwisting present participle
untwists third person singular

Morphology

untwist = twist (transparent) = un + twist

The meaning is clearly derived from 'twist' with the prefix 'un-' indicating reversal.

Etymology

The word untwist is made of the small part un- meaning 'reverse' and twist meaning 'to turn', like in the words undo or untie. So to untwist something is to 'reverse a turn' and make it straight or loose again.