unwind

un·wind

verb \-ˈwīnd\

un·wound\-ˈwau̇nd\un·wind·ing

Definition of UNWIND

transitive verb

1

a : to cause to uncoil : wind off : unroll

b : to free from or as if from a binding or wrapping

c : to release from tension : relax

2

archaic : to trace to the end <unwinding the labryinth and bringing the hero out — Laurence Sterne>

3

: to undo (a financial arrangement or position) through the necessary legal or financial steps <unwound most of its natural gas hedges — New York Times>

intransitive verb

1

: to become uncoiled or disentangled : unfold

2

: to become released from tension <take a bath to unwind>

Examples of UNWIND

1. She unwound some thread from the spool.
2. The fishing line unwound quickly.
3. I wanted to unwind after a hard day.

First Known Use of UNWIND

14th century

Related to UNWIND

Synonyms

chill, chill out [slang], decompress, de-stress, loosen up, mellow (out), relax, wind down

Antonyms

tense (up)

Related Words

unbend; bask, kick back, loll, lounge, repose, rest; bum, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drone, footle, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), idle, laze, loaf, vegetate, veg out, zone out; alleviate, comfort, ease, relieve; calm, compose, cool, quiet, settle

Rhymes with UNWIND

affined, behind, confined, fly blind, inclined, in-kind, mankind, month's mind, night-blind, purblind, refined, remind, rewind, sand-blind, snow-blind, spellbind, stone-blind, streamlined, unbind, unkind