Dictionary

unhook en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂éntsder. Proto-Germanic *anda- Proto-West Germanic *anda- Old English and- Old English on- Middle English on- English un- English hook English unhook From un- + hook.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To remove from a hook.
   • After Aulnoye the route lay through the colliery area and past Maubeuge to Jeumont, on the Belgian border. There Eùgene unhooked and we handed the train over to a Belgian diesel. 1961 March, 'Balmore', “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 146:
   • A rather interesting and notable convenience, however, is that of ice water bags, which are hung on to the outside of the coaches at certain stops. These can be reached by leaning out of the window rather perilously, to unhook them, and paper cups are stocked in the compartments. 1951 February, K. Westcott Jones, “Some Australian Railway Byways”, in Railway Magazine, page 118:
2. (transitive) To unfasten by means of hooks.
   • Subject apparently unhooks button, releases clasp, pulls zipper, draws string, unholes button, loosens band. Trousers fall to buttock, revealing white rubber panties. 1969, Lawrence Garber, Garber's Tales from the Quarter, page 230:
   • "She was standing in front of the mirror unhooking her frock. Mrs. P., I mean." 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 82:
   • to unhook a bra
3. (colloquial, transitive) To unfasten the bra of (its wearer).

Forms

Deriveds

unhooker · unhookable

Translations (4)

pl odhaczyć (to remove from a hook) · bg откачам (to remove from a hook) · pl odhaczać (to remove from a hook) · chr ᎫᏓᎴᎠ (to remove from a hook)