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un-(4) (iou)



un- prefix2.
[Old English un-, on- = Old Saxon ant-, Old High German ant-, int-, Gothic and-.]
Forming verbs (mostly trans.) and derived ppl adjectives.
Prefixed to verbs, expr. reversal or cancellation of an action or process, as unbuckle, unlock.
Prefixed to nouns & verbs, expr. removal or deprivation, as unclothe, unleash, unmask.
b. Expr. freeing or releasing, as unburden, untether.
Prefixed to nouns, expr. removal or extraction from a place or receptacle, as undock, unearth.
Expr. the withdrawal or reversal of a property or status: prefixed to adjectives, as unlevel, unround, and to nouns, as unman, unqueen; freq. (esp. with nouns) with suffix -ify or -ize, as unglorify, unjustify, unhumanize, unnaturalize.
Redundantly prefixed to verbs, as unloose, unstrip. rare.
? In some adjectives, esp. those in -ed, both UN-1 and UN-2 can be understood (e.g. unbodied, untailed).
un'anchor verb (a) verb trans. free (a ship) from being anchored; fig. release oneself from an anchorage; (b) verb intrans. (of a ship) be or become unanchored; draw up the anchor: LME.
un'ban verb trans. remove a ban from (a person, political group, etc.); formally rescind an official order of exclusion or prohibition from: M20.
un'bandage verb trans. remove a bandage from M19.
un'barbarize verb trans. make less barbarous; civilize: M17.
un'bare verb trans. (now rare) lay bare, expose to view M16.
unbe'numb verb trans. free from numbness L16.
unbespeak verb trans. countermand; cancel an order or request for: M17-M18.
unbe'witch verb trans. free from witchcraft, disenchant L16.
un'bishop verb trans. (long rare) remove from the office of bishop L16.
un'bit verb trans. (now rare) free (a horse) from the bit M16.
un'bitt verb trans. (Nautical) uncoil or unfasten (a cable) from the bitts M18.
un'blind verb trans. (a) free from blindness; spec. cause (a test or experiment) to be no longer blind; (b) literary = unblindfold: L16.
un'blindfold verb trans. remove a blindfold from LME.
un'bonnet verb (a) verb intrans. & refl. remove one's hat or bonnet, esp. as a mark of respect; (b) verb trans. remove a bonnet from: E19.
un'bottle verb trans. extract or release (as) from a bottle E19.
un'box verb trans. take out of a box E17.
un'braid verb trans. untie (a braid); undo the braids of: E19.
un'bran verb trans. remove the bran from M19.
un'breech verb trans. (a) remove the breeching from (a cannon etc.); (b) arch. strip (a person) of breeches: M16.
un'brick verb trans. remove bricks from; open up by this action: L16.
un'bridle verb trans. remove the bridle from; fig. free from restraint: LME.
un'brother verb trans. break brotherhood with; deprive of being a brother: M17.
un'budget verb trans. (now rare or obsolete) disclose, reveal E17.
un'cage verb trans. release from a cage; fig. free from constraint, liberate: E17.
uncape verb intrans. (rare, Shakes.) uncover: only in L16.
un'cardinal verb trans. (now rare) remove from the office of cardinal M17.
un'cart verb trans. remove or unload from a cart M17.
un'castle verb trans. (arch.) drive out of a castle E17.
un'cellar verb trans. (rare) remove (wine) from a cellar E17.
unce'ment verb trans. cause to break apart (as) by removing cement; sever, disjoin: M17.
un'charnel verb trans. remove from a charnel E19.
un'cinch verb trans. unfasten (a saddle-girth, a pack, etc.) from a horse L19.
un'cipher verb trans. (arch.) decipher L16.
un'clamp verb trans. E19.
un'clay verb trans. remove the clay from M17.
un'clutch verb trans. release from one's clutch M17.
un'clutter verb trans. make free of clutter M20.
unco'llegiate verb trans. deprive of the status of a collegiate church or parish M19.
uncolted adjective (rare, Shakes.) deprived of a horse: only in L16.
un'comment verb trans. (Computing) change (a piece of text within a program) from being a comment to being part of the program run by the computer L20.
uncon'vince verb trans. (rare) change or negate the conviction or belief of E19.
un'cowl verb trans. uncover; remove the cowl or covering from: E17.
un'cramp verb trans. & intrans. make or become less cramped or affected by cramp M19.
un'crest verb trans. remove the crest or top from E17.
un'crinkle verb (a) verb intrans. lose crinkles, become less crinkled; (b) verb trans. remove crinkles from: E20.
un'dam verb trans. release from a dam L17.
un'darken verb trans. dispel the darkness from, make light L16.
un'dazzle verb intrans. (rare) become restored to an undazzled state E17.
un'deaf verb trans. (rare) restore hearing to L16.
unde'cree verb trans. reverse a decree on M17.
un'deify verb trans. deprive of the status or qualities of a deity M17.
unde'lete verb trans. cancel the deletion of L20.
un'devil verb trans. free from demoniacal possession M17.
un'dig verb trans. exhume or open again by digging M17.
un'double verb trans. & intrans. make or become unfolded, straighten E17.
un'duke verb trans. (rare) remove the dignity or office of a duke from E17.
un'face verb trans. expose the face of E17.
un'father verb trans. deprive of a father L16.
un'feather verb trans. strip (a bird, nest, etc.) of feathers L15.
un'fool verb trans. disabuse, undeceive, (a person) (long rare or obsolete) L16.
un'frenchify verb trans. (rare) L16.
un'gag verb trans. remove a gag from E18.
un'garter verb trans. remove a garter from L16.
un'girth verb trans. undo a girth from; release by undoing a girth: L16.
un'globe verb trans. (rare) make no longer spherical E17.
un'glorify verb trans. divest of glory or radiance M18.
un'glove verb trans. & intrans. remove a glove or gloves (from) LME.
un'god verb trans. remove the status or attributes of a god from; undeify: E17.
un'goddess verb trans. undeify (a goddess) M18.
un'grave verb trans. (literary) remove from a grave; disinter: M17.
un'group verb trans. (Computing) separate (items) from a group formed within a word-processing or graphics package L20.
un'gyve verb trans. (arch.) unfetter, unshackle M16.
un'halter verb trans. remove a halter from L16.
un'harbour verb trans. dislodge (a deer) from a covert L16.
un'hasp verb trans. free (as) from a hasp or catch; unfasten: ME.
un'hat verb intrans. remove one's hat, esp. as a mark of respect L16.
un'hive verb trans. turn out of a hive E18.
un'hoard verb trans. (now rare) take or bring out of a hoard M17.
un'holster verb trans. remove (a gun) from a holster L20.
un'hood verb trans. remove a hood or covering from L16.
un'hoop verb trans. (long rare) remove a hoop or hoops from E17.
un'jam verb trans. free from being jammed L18.
un'key verb trans. (a) remove the keystone from (an arch); (b) unfasten by means of a pin, wedge, etc.; (c) rare unlock with a key: M18.
un'kingdomed adjective (rare) deprived of a kingdom E17.
un'kiss verb trans. (long rare) cancel by means of a kiss M16.
un'leaf verb trans. strip (a tree etc.) of leaves L16.
un'leash verb trans. free from a leash or restraint; set free in order to pursue or attack: L17.
un'leave verb trans. = unleaf verb L16.
un'liver verb trans. (now rare or obsolete) discharge (a ship or cargo) M17.
un'livery noun (now rare or obsolete) discharge of a ship or cargo E19.
un'lodge verb trans. (now rare) dislodge; drive from a lodging or resting-place: M16.
un'mesh verb trans. undo the meshes of; free from meshes: E19.
un'monarch verb trans. (a) deprive of a monarch; (b) remove the dignity and position of monarch from: M17.
un'nest verb trans. remove or unsettle from a nest or place LME.
un'pedestal verb trans. remove from a pedestal (lit. & fig.) E19.
un'perch verb trans. dislodge from a perch L16.
un'pile verb trans. demolish (a pile); remove from a pile: E17.
un'pocket verb trans. take out of a pocket E17.
unqualitied adjective (rare, Shakes.) deprived of qualities: only in E17.
unquilt verb trans. (rare) uncover, unbind E-M17.
un'ray verb trans. (now dial.) divest of clothes, undress, strip L15.
un'reeve verb trans. withdraw (a rope etc.) from being reeved E17.
un'rind verb trans. strip (a tree etc.) of rind or bark LME.
un'sack verb trans. take out of a sack LME.
un'scabbard verb trans. remove from the scabbard E17.
un'scottify verb trans. (rare) L18.
un'seam verb trans. undo the seam or seams of (a garment etc.); rip up: L16.
un'shawl verb intrans. take off one's shawl E19.
un'shelve verb trans. remove from a shelf E19.
un'siphon verb trans. prevent from functioning as a siphon L19.
un'slate verb trans. remove the slates from L16.
un'slave verb trans. (chiefly poet., now rare) free from slavery E17.
un'sleeve verb trans. (long arch.) remove or roll up the sleeve of L16.
un'slough verb trans. (slang) unlock, unfasten M19.
un'sluice verb trans. (chiefly poet.) release (as) from a sluice; allow to flow: E17.
un'snare verb trans. release from a snare M16.
un'snarl verb trans. disentangle M16.
un'sneck verb trans. & intrans. (orig. Scot. & north.) unlatch L18.
un'snib verb trans. unfasten (a catch); open (a door etc.) by this action: E20.
un'socket verb trans. remove from a socket E18.
un'solder verb trans. undo the soldering of; fig. dissolve: M16.
un'sole verb trans. remove the sole or soles from L16.
un'son verb trans. deprive of the status or character of a son M17.
un'span verb trans. & intrans. (now rare) unyoke or unharness (a horse etc.) from a vehicle M17.
un'spar verb trans. unbar or unbolt (a door etc.) ME.
un'spin verb trans. untwist (a spun thread etc.); unravel: L16.
un'spit verb trans. remove from a spit L16.
un'stack verb trans. remove or dismantle from a stack or pile M19.
un'stall verb (Aeronautics) (a) verb intrans. (of an aircraft) recover from a stall; (b) verb trans. cause (an aircraft) to recover from a stall: E20.
un'steek verb trans. (obsolete exc. Scot. & north.) undo, unfasten, open ME.
un'step verb trans. (Nautical) detach (a mast) from a step M19.
un'sting verb trans. remove the sting from E17.
un'stow verb trans. remove stowed articles from (a ship's hold etc.) E18.
un'strap verb trans. undo the strap or straps of; unfasten by this action: E19.
un'stretch verb trans. & intrans. relax, slacken E17.
un'strike verb trans. (Falconry) draw the strings of (a hawk's hood) to facilitate removal E17.
un'strip verb trans. (now dial. rare) strip L16.
un'swaddle verb trans. (a) take (a child) out of swaddling-clothes; (b) unwrap or unwind the bandages or garments from: L16.
un'swathe verb trans. free from a swathe or swathes; unwrap: LME.
un'swell verb intrans. (now rare) recover from a swollen state LME.
un'tangle verb trans. (a) free from a tangled state; (b) release from entanglement: M16.
un'tape verb trans. remove tape from, free from being taped M20.
un'tense verb trans. & intrans. make or become less tense or rigid; relax: L20.
un'tent verb (long rare or obsolete) (a) verb trans. take out of a tent; (b) verb intrans. remove tents from a camp: E17.
un'throne verb trans. dethrone E17.
un'tighten verb trans. (rare) loosen L18.
un'tile verb trans. (now rare) strip (a roof etc.) of tiles LME.
un'tranquillize verb trans. L19.
un'treasure verb trans. (arch. rare) rob or empty of or of treasure E17.
un'tripe verb trans. (now rare) disembowel E17.
un'vote verb trans. (a) reverse or annul by revoting; (b) deprive of by voting: M17.
un'weave verb trans. disentangle, unravel M16.
un'wheeled adjective (of a chariot etc.) bereft of a wheel or wheels M17.
un'whig verb trans. (now rare or obsolete) divest of the character or opinions of a Whig E19.
un'winter verb intrans. & trans. lose, or divest of, the qualities of winter E17.
unwit verb trans. (rare, Shakes.) deprive of wit or wits: only in E17.
un'witch verb trans. (arch.) = unbewitch L16.
un'woman verb trans. deprive of the (typical) qualities or status of a woman E17.
un'world verb trans. deprive of the qualities or character of a world; undo: M17.
un'wreathe verb trans. disentwine, untwist L16.